I can’t believe we’re almost halfway through June already! School isn’t *quite* done yet for both the kiddos (all those inclement weather days really messed with the calendar) but summer is short so we’re enjoying evenings at the pool/baseball diamond and trips to the family cabin while the weather is good. School will be out this week and between camps and other activities, I’m hoping to make crafts (Violet and I have both been trying our hand at origami), read lots, find a few adventures, and just squeeze everything we possibly can out of these longer days and too short season.
Reading: I’m currently reading The Marsh King’s Daughter on the recommendation of my mom. It’s not my usual kind of book, but I’m liking it. Since my last Tuesday Things (in April!!) I’ve read: Good Omens (★★★☆☆), The Hate U Give (★★★★★), The Sun Is Also A Star (★★★★☆), Radium Girls (★★★★☆), and The Au Pair (★★★☆☆). As for Commonwealth, I have picked it up, read the first two or so chapters, and put it down only to start over again at least ten times. I’m giving up.
Knitflixing: I stopped watching Cheers once the Diane character left. I didn’t even make it all the way through Kirstie Alley’s first episode.
Jesse (who hardly ever watches anything) and I are sporadically enjoying episodes of The Good Place. It’s nice when I can find something he’ll watch with me. On my own, I’m rewatching Schitt’s Creek. It consistently makes me laugh and gets better with each rewatch. And for the love of all things period drama I binged the fourth season of Poldark over of three consecutive evenings. (My mother YELLED at me when I said I sometimes felt bad for George Warleggan. “He’s the BAD GUY. You aren’t supposed to feel BAD for him. He’s EVIL.” But whether I’m supposed to or not, I do.)
On the knitting end: I finished a pair of socks for Jesse and am 3/4 of the way done with a pair for Abram (the picture above is from when I tried to get this written for LAST week. I’ve finished the first sock and am at the point for the second). Once his are done, I will have knit each of us a pair of socks, and I think I’m going to put a sweater (either for Jesse or myself – I have the pattern and yarn for either) on the needles.
Listening: I made myself a school dance nostalgia mix for house cleaning. (Did your middle school/high school have informal dances? I feel like my school must have been an outlier. I mean, I know most schools do the prom, homecoming, winter carnival thing but we had random-Friday-night-put-a-dj-and-a-bunch-of-kids-in-a-gym-dances and I don’t hear about that happening.) Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy” is *high* on the kid’s car pool rotation and I have zero complaints. For podcasts I recently started listening to The Imagined Life which is fun. Who the Hell is Hamish is also on my radar based on a recommendation but I haven’t gotten a chance to actually listen to that one.
Making: Sandwiches. Veggie trays. The best of concession stand hot dogs and poolside dinners. Fresh from the CSA roasted asparagus at 9:30PM as a late night snack. It’s just that time of year.
So that’s my little update. What are you watching, reading, making? Is everyone else ready for summer?!?
Hello, Kate! So happy to see a post from you and to hear all is well.
All those books! I recently finished the one I started in April (If On a Winter’s Night a Traveller, by Italo Calvino), and started East of Eden. (I’ve never read it, and feel like it’s one of the ones I should!)
Love the red socks 🙂 . I’m working on socks and mittens right now. (I knit on the school bus a couple of weeks ago when I chaperoned a field trip 🙂 .)
You’re now the third person to mention Billie Eilish, so I need to check her (him?) out.
The Poldark series is one I heard about a while back, but I don’t think we can get it. Have you read any of the books? Goodreads gives them great reviews. I’m still chugging through my third go-around with Star Trek Voyager. Life has been crazy/busy/anxious for months, and it’s pretty much all I can do to get through until 8 pm and then on goes the TV so I can disappear…
My 14-year-old is finished school on the 27th, so he has just a bit longer than your kids. I’ll be glad to have him home, but otherwise am not looking forward to summer. Sorry, I know it’s a bah humbug thing to say, but I cannot stand the heat!
I’ve been listening to Billie Eilish all afternoon, and oh my . . . 🙂
I LOVED East of Eden. My favorite Steinbeck!!
I haven’t read any of the Poldark books but I like the program. I’m sorry to hear that things have been crazy/busy/anxious.
Isn’t Billie Eilish great?
Knowing that you, too, couldn’t with Commonwealth makes me feel better about myself. 🙂
I have been wanting to read Radium Girls ever since I first heard about it (forever ago), but it hasn’t crossed my path in physical form so I haven’t. I picked up a novel called Dreamers just the other day, and I’m devouring it–which doesn’t happen often. Can’t remember the author; was on the Lucky Day shelf at the library, so it will probably be easy to find if you’re inclined. Reminds me a bit of Station Eleven, if you ever read that.
Having a hard time finding any TV lately. Finally tried Outlander, which everyone loves. Everyone but me. It was OK, but not grabbing me. I second your decision to abandon Cheers after Diane’s exit. I think it sort of jumped the shark after that.
I have little to contribute to this conversation, but I will say that I am SO ready for summer! For the first time in years, mine is looking to have some space and some emotional equilibrium, so I think I will be able to enjoy slow days reading and crafting and just being. Which sounds like heaven to me.
I hope you get a lot of the same!
I have two new books to add to my TBR list!
I wasn’t a huge fan of Outlander. I *did* watch the first two seasons but through my hands. It’s too graphic for me.
I’m so glad you’ll have some slow days and space this summer!!