I finally braved a big shopping trip. We have been avoiding the grocery stores as much as possible. I like the idea of eating food from my freezer and pantry and we have done a lot of that. We had reached the point where trying to figure out what to make out of what was left was getting difficult. Most of my meal ideas were not being met with enthusiasm by anyone in the household. It had been about 6 weeks since I did any significant shopping so we decided to head to Costco. It was raining which made waiting in line to get in extra fun but the wait was short and they had a lot of what we had hoped to find. Our pantry is now very well stocked although my wallet is much lighter. I did learn from our shopping adventure that I need some serious help when it comes to finding a face covering that will actually stay in place.
I spent the week reading a book for review, Starbreaker by Amanda Bouchet, which I did enjoy and plan to post a review on Tuesday. I am listening to Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey and it is slow going since I started over once I reached the mid-point. I am enjoying it and hope to finish sometime next week. I think that I have decided to forget about my review pile and just read whatever I feel like right now and have started a re-read of Scent of Darkness by Christina Dodd.
How has your week been?
What You Wish For by Katherine Center (Print ARC from Publisher)
Sure Shot by Sarina Bowen (Digital ARC from Publicist)
I was so excited to actually get a book in the mail this week! I feel like it has been a long time since I received any packages from publishers. I can’t wait to get started with What You Wish For since I loved Katherine Center’s previous novel, Things You Save in a Fire. I just love Sarina Bowen’s hockey romances so I was pretty excited to download a copy of Sure Shot to my Kindle as well.
I know the lines for places like Sam's have been really long too. My stepdad finally got into one yesterday, though sadly didn't get much of what we needed–toilet paper, lysol…things that won't be available for awhile I assume! Lol. I've been doing the occasional Target or Walmart run on Saturdays myself. If I go early enough, it's not that crowded and things are okay. I finally got a mask from my work so I used that. Tho what with that rain and the need to breathe and where the mask sat on my face with my glasses…my glasses were getting a little foggy! Lol.
I still need to read the rest of Amanda's first series…then read the first book of her new series to get caught up in general with her! Lol. I was taking a mini break from fantasy reads though, so not entirely sure when I'll pick up her books. I was aiming to finish up a few series/duologies that have been sitting for too long, but I might make time for this one pretty soon! Maybe. Hopefully. Ideally. Lol!
Here's my StS
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
I love Katherine Center's books, and I have an e-ARC of What You Wish For. Can't wait until I can read it.
Enjoy your week!
I am excited about Center's book too. The last few have been rock solid hits for me. I pre-ordered Sure Shot, which EVERYONE is reading, it seems. Hope it's another winner from Bowen.
I braved the grocery store as well. It was very well organized and I'm finding the weekday mornings to be an ideal time to go.
I had a couple of paper masks from a while back that we'd been using. Fortunately my grandmother is an avid quilter, so she mailed us a couple homemade masks that are much more comfortable and reusable!
My sister in law sewed a few face masks together and sent them to us which was nice. We do out shopping at the market right next door and they are never packed with people which is nice.
I've been fortunate with Instacart working well for me. Aldi is inexpensive and has decent produce which is most of what we get since our freezer is pretty full. I made face masks last week and plan to make a different style this week also. The bandanna thing didn't work at all well, hot and unstable.
I have What You Wish For and I'm also reading Starbreaker. My moody reading continues.
Stay safe and be well! We will stay home as much as possible even if things "open up."
Anne – Books of My Heart Here is my Sunday Post
We are about do for a trip out to Walmart to shop, so before that happens I have to experiment on making a mask cause I didn't like the one I previously made and the one dad bought me makes me feel like a terrorist in an apocolyptic movie! LOL
Stay safe and happy reading!
Stormi
Week in Review
Neat that your new work schedule is going well for you now and way to go cleaning at the pantry and freezer to the barest minimum. I'm getting there so hopefully I can put off a warehouse store run for a bit longer.
It is neat to get real book mail. I had one arrive two weeks ago and it was a big deal to me. 🙂 Enjoy your haul and I get why you want to just go with the flow when it comes to reading. Tough to focus.
Have a good week, Carole!
I look forward to reading your review of Starbreaker. I would like to read What You Wish For also. It sounds like a good one.
We don't have a membership to any of the big box stores, and so my husband's been doing his grocery shopping locally. He's going about once a week. He hasn't run into lines or crowds, luckily, but it's still hard to find stuff. The paper aisle was completely empty again and no cleaning supplies unless you want toilet bowl cleaner. We get most of our produce through a farm to table like subscription service which supports local farmers. Although the delivery date has changed because of everything going on, it hasn't impacted the selection much.
My recent spending spree was on face masks since I need to wear them at work and my husband needed one for his store runs. I don't sew at all and finding a good fitting one isn't as easy as it seems. I am really happy with the last Etsy ones I ordered though.
I hope you have a good week, Carole.
That's handy you cleaned out so much of your pantry and freezer, but eventually that does run out. That's good your shopping trip went well and you got a fully stocked pantry again. I hope ignoring your review pile and reading whatever you like works for you :). I hope your new books are good ones and that you have a great week!
It's good that your work is so flexible and htat you may have found a rhythm that works for you. I understand about the chaleenges of just eating from your pantry and freezer, and I only have myself to feed! A family would be extra challenging.
Take care and happy reading!
I’m also looking for a mask that stays in place and isn’t hot. I bought a buff, which works better than the other masks I’ve tried. It still slides down, though.
Aj @ Read All The Things!
The face coverings are tough! I didn't realize they'd be so challenging lol. And same here with the shopping- we're putting it off as much as we can and only going when we have to (or when the natives revolt about the food we're offering haha).
Hope you have a great week!
Glad you were able to get stocked up despite the hit to your wallet. It's amazing how much the food bills have gone up! I have some N95 masks that I bought probably 2 years ago and they stay on but they're so miserably uncomfortable I wish they wouldn't! I hope you have a good week!
I actually look forward to going to the grocery store….being home bound so much makes me appreciate the blessing in being able to go out. It is hard finding a good face covering and still breathe lol
Looks like some great books…I just adore Sarina Bowen and this hockey series of hers is so delightful.
I'm high risk so I haven't been inside a store in actual weeks. This whole situation is killing my mental health.
Sarina Bowen is an author I need to read!
Free! I always miss those :/
I have to go to work and they test my temperature and give me a mask to wear each time so that's kind of good. They are talking about lightening the restrictions the first of the month but I don't think that will happen. It's a bit early as we were one of the lasts states to have cases reported.
Wow, I can't believe you've avoided the stores for 6 weeks! We go every week, well my husband does. Braving the rain sounds like a good strategy because I bet the store was far less crowded because of it.
I got the Katherine Center book, too, but digital form. I'd love a print copy, though because the cover is beautiful. Lucky you! Hope we both love it. 🙂
Glad you were safe venturing out. Face coverings make me feel claustrophobic but I'll admit it's much better than the alternative! Hope you are reading more good books this week!
I go to Costco 1-2 times a month usually, but I haven't been since the quarantine started. I don't have any face masks, which I heard were required there, plus it sounds like things are still a little chaotic at my Costco. I'll just have to hold on until the quarantine ends.
I got an e-ARC of the new Center book. I'm excited to read it since I've loved the other books I've read by her. I hope we both love it 🙂
I haven't set foot in a supermarket since about the end of February! Thankfully we were fully stocked from a January shopping trip so we had lots in. I'm getting orders delivered from a supermarket every few weeks which tops up what we're using. I want to be fully stocked in case of a second wave of virus. The face masks take a bit of getting used to don't they! I'm used to it as I was using them as soon as lockdown started. I'm glad you're doing ok for food!
I definitely wish I was getting books in the mail -preferably ones that publishers just want to send me, not ones I have to pay for.
I am impressed you managed that long! We have been going on our weekly shops because we only have space for about a week's worth of food and we always eat all of it out. But I am glad you could most of what you needed during your big shop!