We haven't gotten her test results back yet, but I'm assuming it's just a cold. Not too surprising since school started back up a week and a half ago. Lots of germ mixing going on!

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lydia!

It has been quite the week already! My husband is out of town for the week, so that makes things even more stressful.

I do enjoy reading the tub. I just have to be careful not to drop my book!

Thanks for popping in, Deb!

It is a nice tub! I should use it more often.

You don't have to be jealous of the pudding - it was just a sugar free fat free chocolate pudding cup mixed with some Cool Whip. I'm trying to lose weight, so that's my sweet treat :) It does the job, but I'd definitely rather have ice cream!

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Nicole!

We haven't gotten my daughter's test results back yet, but I'll be SHOCKED if she has COVID. She's feeling better already and would be at school today if she could (she can't until she gets a negative test result). My phone also recovered. Yay! I was worried when it didn't charge at all despite being connected to the charger overnight. Apparently, it has now fully dried out because it's charging like a dream. Thank goodness.

Ha ha. I grew up in Washington, so I've been to the Oregon beaches many times, in both sunny and very cold weather. Sometimes, it's positively freezing there!

Oooh, bathtub jets! I need some of those.

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Jen!

Thanks, Catherine! I'm enjoying the blog redo a lot.

My tub really is great. I need to spend more time there.

Thanks for stopping in, Catherine!

Right? It's INCREDIBLY hot here, almost year round. The winters are lovely, but the rest of the year? Ick. I hibernate during the summer.

Thanks for coming by, Leah!

The monsoon storms can be crazy intense! It's weird how we had hardly any last summer or the one before and now we're having them almost every night. I love the sound of rain gently falling, but all the thunder and lightning makes for quite the bright, loud show!

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Wendy!

I think most of the houseboats on Lake Powell are timeshares since it's super expensive to own one on your own. Plus, we only went there a couple times a year - it made more sense to share a boat. Until it didn't make sense to have one at all. Lake Powell is a fun place to play, though! I recommend it.

I do believe my daughter just has a cold. With cold medicine and lots of fluids and rest, she's feeling much better.

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Deanna!

Right? I know some people just bring their phones for entertainment, but I have to have at least one book, if not my Kindle. I hate reading on my phone since the screen's so small. And, yes, I've been known to be distracted by the pretty, calming waves!

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lark!

The updates made me realize how little in my life (at least my reading life) changes over the years!

My kids ride the bus or drive themselves to school, so I'm never in car lines, thank goodness. At least having a good book along makes the waiting productive.

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Katherine!

Is it weird that I haven't ever had a phone or virtual appointment with a doctor? I see an endo every three months, but it's been in-person all through COVID. And, of course, it's tough to have a virtual dental cleaning!

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Carla!

I'd say a good 75% of my reading happens on my brown leather reclining couch! It's nice and comfy. The rest is via audiobooks in the car or while cleaning, in my bed, at doctors' offices, or in the leather recliner in my bedroom.

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Cath!

We're in the pool most days from about May - July. By August, the water feels like bathwater. We've talked about getting a cooler to make the water nicer for August and September, but we haven't done it yet.

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Cindy!

I think the picture makes the bottom look darker than it really is. The bigger problem is that it just doesn't get much shade. We've cut back a lot of the trees because the droppings make a mess in the pool, so now the pool's in full sun most of the time. I prefer to swim in the evenings when the sun is going down and the water is cool but not freezing.

We're book twins in a lot of ways, so I'm not at all surprised that we share a lot of preferences!

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Carol!

Fun! I'm not actually sure when I was at a beach last. It was either in Chile or maybe California, since we go there occasionally. In any case, it's been too long!

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Leslie!

My daughter is feeling better! Unfortunately, my son is now sick, so he hasn't gotten to work on the truck for a couple days. His friends have kept on, though. I think they're all going to be sad when they get it running and their project is finished!

Fortunately, my phone is charging again. Yay! And my pudding was just a fat free sugar free chocolate pudding cup mixed with Cool Whip, but it's a good little treat that calms my sweet tooth so I don't reach for something even less healthy, LOL.

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Pam!

I hope so, too. We're all vaccinated and none of us have had COVID yet, so I don't want to start now...

If it weren't so dang hot here, I might read more poolside. Maybe not though since I also burn really badly. I just wasn't made for this blazing desert!

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Greg!

Yep! I really never mind waiting. Unless I don't happen to have a book on me, but that rarely happens.

You need your boys to start driving so they can chauffer their siblings. I'm very, very rarely in car lines or waiting to pick kids up. I make the older ones Uber the younger ones around 'cause I'm just mean like that.

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Pee Wee!

One thing Arizona does REALLY well is sunsets. We've seen some very dramatic and beautiful ones from our balconies!

Thanks for popping in, Lisa!

Very true, very true. I live an extremely blessed life and I need to be more grateful for it. Sometimes I guess I just need to be reminded of how calm and peaceful it USUALLY is. Case in point: After my daughter's COVID test and after I picked up my son from school because HE was feeling sick, we all went home and took a big nap. The house was quiet and peaceful and we all felt better afterward!

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Marianne!

I'm sorry you had to go through all this. On days like that it's easy to forget how much harder it is for so many. Because at the moment, you have to deal with it. Been there, done that.
It's always a pleasure to talk to you. Hope you and your kids are alright.

It was a nice reminder of all the lovely places I have in and around my home to read. My husband and I are both readers, so we've created some cozy spots to enjoy our books in :)

Thanks for stopping in, Amy!

My kids are back at school today, both feeling much better. It's peaceful and quiet here now. My husband has been out of town all week, so that's added to the stress. Things are better now, thank goodness!

I also always have the Kindle app on my phone as a back-up, although I don't like reading on such a small screen. I'd rather do that than just in a waiting room wasting time, though!

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Sam!

Ha ha. For being sugar free and fat free, the pudding is actually pretty good. I shouldn't have been texting over my bowl, though! Learned my lesson on that one, LOL.

Thanks for popping in, Lectrice!

The vast majority of my reading is done on my couch and in my bed, but I do spend a lot of time in doctors' waiting rooms thanks to various health issues. It's a great way to keep me calm and patient while waiting for appointments!

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Helen!

Thanks! We drive by Lake Powell fairly often on our way to Utah, but it's been a long time since I've actually been on the water. Maybe someday we'll do it again. We have a lake just up the road where we take our jet skiis, but it's nowhere near the size of Lake Powell. Still fun, just not the same.

Thanks for stopping in, Astilbe!

Smart! I'm clumsy and have dropped more than one book into my bathwater. A waterproof Kindle makes sense.

Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Suzanne!

It is a nice bathtub! It's fun to turn the fireplace on and luxuriate in the warm bath on cold nights, which we do get in the wintertime, believe it or not.

Thanks for popping in, Melody!