The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week, and showcase books and things we have received.
Stacking The Shelves is also a weekly meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Marlene from Reading Reality. It’s all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!
Don’t forget to look at my giveaways on the right sidebar.
The week started out nice but from Wednesday forward it was rain. Monday, I set up a bunch more blog posts. Tuesday, I actually picked up something I was knitting for the first time since April 2019, before the move. It’s a dog sweater for my friend Amy’s dog, Ginger. Then I went out and cut some branches and did some weeding and trimming.
Whining – grr – So I did not sleep well and woke up with a headache. Then I had a bad Instacart delivery. I’m pretty relaxed but the guy made a bunch of bad substitutions, didn’t deliver the milk, and added some regular (gluten) hot dog buns which weren’t on the order. Milk is the reason I schedule my deliveries so I placed another order right away. The next person got all the items including several the first guy said were out of stock or substituted. The first guy was shopping for like 2 hours, the second gal shopped in 20 minutes. I always watch in case they have any questions. So I got the stuff, it just took 5 hours instead of about 2 hours. end Rant.
I browsed online for daylilies and standard dwarf bearded iris which I have enjoyed before in my gardens. I ordered some from Oklahoma which is in the same planting zone. The new things I am ordering are reblooming, which is exciting, as well as being perennials. Then I found my favorite SDB iris which I got in MN in the 1980s after much online searching and ordered it on ebay. I’ve had those in my yard for years and hoped to bring some from MN but it didn’t work out.
I am very disturbed by some things happening this week. The politics are so divisive, so partisan. It’s making me uneasy and moody and sometimes angry. I’m deeply saddened by all the loss of life.
I finally turned on the air conditioning on the main floor and now I’m sleeping better. Amazon seems to be back up to speed on shipping. My daughter got some supplies for jewelry making pretty quickly. I got quotes on having the bushes in front of the house trimmed and did some more garden planning. The wind will change to the north on Sunday, making it a good 10 degrees cooler, so I probably should mow the law again. This next week looks to bring hot weather instead of rain.
Next Monday, I want to pick up some supplies at Home Depot to plant things coming next week. Tuesday, my daughter will be 24!
May Reading: I had a slower reading month. I was really happy though to finish up some older ARCs and some books I own. I managed to read 24 books. Some count for more than one challenge. I listened to 10 audiobooks, read 5 library books, 15 COYER reads, and 6 books which I already own.
All Library books (including ones not reviewed on the blog) 2020 Library Love Challenge
Bookish Resolutions update: I continue to suck at planning and am just working on reading at all. I did have the Read A Series in a Month Challenge which helped me read books I already own. I created post shells as I got ARCs. I’m still just getting started on the Library Love emails but it is interesting to do.
I did manage to read 6! books I own (goal is 3 per month):
- Bitter Roots by CJ Carmichael
- The Drowned Girls by Loreth Anne White
- The Lullaby Girl by Loreth Anne White
- All American Cowboy by Dylann Crush
- Reckless in Texas by Kari Lynn Dell
- The Girl in the Moss by Loreth Anne White
Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews and Reading Reality. These are the exciting ARCs I received this week (If you click on the cover, it will take you to the Goodreads entry):
Thank you so much Tantor Audio!
(If you click on the cover, it will take you to the Goodreads entry)
NOTHING.
Now the really scary one. This is all the Kindle and Audible freebies I grabbed this past week. You can see why I need to do Thrifty Thursday to be sure I read a few at least one each month.
I really meant to cut back on freebies BUT they are free so I guess that won’t be happening.
I’m not including things like reviews posted or upcoming as they are always in the right sidebar. And, my challenge status is also there.
If you like this and want to see me do the Sunday post, as often as I can manage, leave me a comment and let me know.
Anne
- Thrifty Thursday:Texas Edition @JeanBrashear @KathyCarmichael @kathyivan #AnnDeFee#ThriftyThursday #Challenge #Giveaway - April 18, 2024
- 🎧 Pay Dirt by Sara Paretsky @SaraParetsky #SusanEriksen @WmMorrowBooks @HarperAudio #LoveAudiobooks - April 16, 2024
- Sunday Post – 14 April 2024 @kimbacaffeinate @readingreality - April 14, 2024
Your Instacart delivery was what became typical for me so that’s why I braved the store in person again. Glad it got back on track for you. I also found that Amazon seems to be back on track as my coffee subscription resumed.
I got Deadly Silence, too, and notice you started the Angie Pallorino series! I love that one.
Have a great week, Anne?
Except for the one I’ve had excellent experiences overall with Instacart. I chose Angie Pallorino as my ReadASeries in a Month and really enjoyed it.
I haven’t tried Instacart. I have a lot of refrigerator/freezer space so when I venture out to the store we buy enough to last us a long time. I did notice that there was toilet paper at the store this week so it seems that supply issues are getting better. It has been a very sad week and it has had a big impact on me as well. I hope you enjoy your new books and have a great week!
Thanks Carole! I am sad and afraid with all the bad things happening. We just stay home and keep to ourselves but I feel badly for those who can’t.
All your gardening sounds like fun. I wish I were more inclined to garden myself, as our yard is looking very sad these days!
Well lucky for me I like something about yard work – flower gardening. I try to put in perennials which are easy care and long-lived. Our HOA is rather fussy so I need to improve things from how it was when I bought the house.
The grocery store by us never has an opening so we have gone to the store in spurts. I did find a day last week for pick-up and they usually call but the limit on items is a bit annoying so I had to go someplace else to get other stuff. I have four people in my house I need more than two packs of chicken especially for a weeks worth of food.
I hope you have a great week, Anne! Happy Reading! xx
Thank you! It seems like I have been very lucky with our Instacart here overall. I’ve had orders from 5 different stores and for several weeks now. Just this one guy was a problem.
24 books and you call that a slow reading month? Hell girl I’d open the champaign!!! LOL
Now sorry about the faulty delivery and yes, everything happening in the US right now with politics, that killing by a cop and the COVID make me want to wheep!
I know 24 is a lot but I was managing about 1 a day the previous few months. But I had a very moody month. Yes the situation here is very upsetting in many ways. I don’t know the answer but things need to change.
We don’t have Instacart here, but most of the stores offer delivery and free pickup. Happy Birthday to your daughter.
Thank you! I do pickup at Walmart and delivery from about 5 other stores. Mostly Aldi though, that’s my favorite. I only do a Sam’s Club or BJs maybe once every 4-6 weeks.
I never tried to by food from Amazon. Maybe that is why Amazon will stopp offering that here in Germany *lol* But I guess you live in a different area than I do. But I am glad that you got in the end what you wanted although it took hours for you to place the order. If you plants will bloom the way you hope, will you share some pictures with us? It breaks my heart to see all the terrible pictures that show the looting, rioting and burning cars. It is terrible. Stay safe and well.
I took some photos of the garden and forgot to put it in the post. I have already uploaded it into next week’s post though.
Neat to see you getting back to a knitting project and getting some pretty perenials for your yard. I’d rant, too, over that Instacart first provider.
Happy Birthday to your daughter. Looks like she’ll have some fun with that jewelry kit.
Yeah, my stomach has turned over all that is going on this week.
Way to go on your reading and especially hitting your shelf and the library.
Have a good week, Anne!
Thank you Sophia! Really the Instacart folks have been stellar overall, it’s just that one delivery. I get several things from Amazon monthly and I tried their local delivery from Whole Foods last week and it was great!
I hope things will get better. We certainly need changes but I don’t have much hope until we get some new people in government. I am not sure how we will make it through the next 7 months.
Stay safe and be well! Have a wonderful week.
Birthday wishes for your daughter, ? my oldest turned 24 last week 🙂
Hilariously, this week ALDI has 20kg bags of flour and sugar but over the last two weeks or so normal supplies have resumed so I don’t think they are selling much.. they missed the shortage window by “this” much. We haven’t had a case of the virus in my town for over a month, but regional travel is permitted from today so we can’t quite relax as tourism picks back up.
I too am struggling with the worlds woes this week.
Wishing you a great reading week
Thank you! I want backups of everything. I think things will be weird for awhile. We just plan to stay home.
I noticed my Amazon delivery came fairly quick this time. It appears you’ve been very busy and got a lot done. I wish I had time to do some crafting.
I’m finally doing a bit of quilting and knitting stuff. For the first two months, I didn’t do much. It’s like I was in a fog. I’m on to the yard and more garden planning now with flowers too.
We have been lucky and have had pretty good deliveries with shipt. I haven’t used instacart though! 24 is a lot of books so way to go!
Thank you! I don’t know if we have shipt here. Aldi had a deal for getting 3 Instacart deliveries for free so I tried that first and then signed up.
It was one of those weeks, huh? I’m saddened by all the loss of lives too. I’m trying to read more of my own books too. Hope you have a great reading week!
Sometimes it just feels like EVERY week is one of those weeks. I can’t believe how some people behave. In this big world, in cities, they feel anonymous, and do whatever they want. In a small town like where I grew up it would never happen because everyone would know and think badly of you for the next 20 years! But with some of these folks getting recorded and the videos going viral, that is happening a little more where their employers or people who know them find out their behavior and they have some consequences. The behavior is heart-breaking but some of the politicians or media just incite them.
Thank you! I do feel like I have read more of my own books which is good.
Sounds like your Instacart guy may have been new? Bummer that the order was so messed up but nice that your second order got things right.
The things on the news have been disturbing. I wonder why they don’t do personality evaluations on people who apply to the police force. Maybe they do? But it seems like there’s a type of personality that’s attracted to the job, someone who wants power and dominance and that’s unhealthy for all involved. I’m not saying that all are like that, but it’s disturbing when I see it. I really feel bad for the families that have suffered loss because of this.
Hope you enjoyed the Loreth Anne White books! I loved that series! Hope your week from now is better, Anne!
Thank you Rachel! I really have had many stellar deliveries from Instacart so having one who just didn’t even seem to try, well I feel like I shouldn’t complain. But you have to spend at least $35 per order +tax + tip etc so it cost me an additional $50 to get what I wanted the first time, plus a few more hours of my time.
I really have the best books to read. I can’t complain about it at all!
I’m fine but I worry about so many people out there because things are not good, not right. So much senseless violence and mistreatment of others. The politicians have taught people to do that because they name-call and speak unkindly of others. It’s disheartening.
Happy birthday to your daughter – doesn’t the time slide by quickly?? Your plans for your garden sound lovely – I would love to grow irises – but bulbs don’t thrive in my garden as the slugs tend to eat them, sadly… Sorry to hear that you are having issues with food being delivered – it must be really annoying! And I recognise one of this week’s freebies, Anne:)). I hope you get a chance at some stage to read Mantivore Dreams – and that you enjoy it. Have a peaceful week!
Thank you. Yes I want to read it! 🙂 I’m horrible about getting to my freebies or even other books I purchase. I seem to focus more on ARCs and library books which all have due dates.
I’ve had so many great deliveries I shouldn’t complain but this one was SO bad. I’m really enjoying garden planning and I just hope it is not too hot when I get to the weeding and planting this week.
Instacart and similar services don’t deliver to my town. 🙁 Sorry you had such a hard time with the delivery! I was psyched because I got a Walmart pickup slot for this coming Tuesday. I keep adding to it, lol. My state is slowly re-opening but I prefer to avoid the stored when possible.
24 books is amazing, and a quarter of them ones you owned is good. Go you!
Have a good week!
Thank you! I know I’m lucky to live where I can get deliveries at all. I also do the Walmart pickup thing but for the first 3-4 weeks it was nearly impossible to schedule one. Now it seems to be easier as they go out more than 2 days. I like to schedule my pickup or deliveries out 4-5 days and then keep adding to it, too!
Yes we are starting to reopen but I’m staying home as much as possible.
That stinks about your order!! I am glad that you were able to finally get what you needed even though it took two different deliveries. 🙁
I hope you get some good time in your garden this week!
Thanks! The wind is already starting to shift to the south so the heat is coming. UGH.
I’ve never tried Instacart. My husband typically does the big shopping at the Commissary on base and in between we do pick-up orders from Walmart. One of these I’ll have to give it a try. I think I have those Kennedy Fox books, too, but have not read them yet.
Mostly Instacart has done an excellent job. I also do the Walmart pickup orders though.
I’ve been hearing bad things about the Instacart substitutions but your case really shows the difference in the shopper. Does it help to minimize the risk if the shopper takes so long to find the items? I am blessed with my own personal shopper who is in and out so quickly and disinfects everything for me so I haven’t had to deal with this, thankfully.
Everything going on right now is so heartbreaking. Seems like it’s fine to protest over haircuts but not over human lives. 🙁
I have never had the same shopped twice and I have had probably 15 deliveries over the last almost 3 months. They have all been very good. There were a few bad substitutions but you can pick the substitutions. This guy just didn’t get the items or follow the noted possible substitutions. And he didn’t deliver some items that were on the list and the receipt. I know the items were available that he substituted because the next shopper 2 hours later was able to get them. So he just didn’t try at all. BUT most of them have been excellent.
Happy birthday (TODAY) to your daughter. I hope you both have a wonderful day. And I hope you have a safe and productive week! *HUGS*
OK I hadn’t turned to the June calendar, her birthday is tomorrow but thank you, that’s my bad. I’m still plugging away at things but I’m pretty heart sick. We just stay home so we are safe. I am going out to pick up takeout for her birthday tomorrow, her favorite Chinese.
It is sad that I am intimidated to have someone shop for me? I think I’d mess the whole process up. Happy Early Birthday to your daughter. I managed to get some reading done but skipped a weekend post. I’ll have to catch up next week. I too am saddened by the state of the world today. Just when you think it won’t get worse, it does.
Stay safe and enjoy some sun!
Thanks Barb! It’s not too hard. I try to be very clear about what I want when I shop, picking replacements or choosing don’t replace. So I usually get what I want. I enjoy shopping myself but I’m not going out these days. It certainly means I stick to the list and is a timesaver. Today is her birthday. I picked up her favorite Chinese food and GF cupcakes from a bakery we like. We also have a GF cheesecake I bought about a month ago and may have some of that. So many sweets and it’s 90 today. In general as it has gotten warmer, I am less hungry.