Harlequin Kradam

I had a chiropractic appointment this morning and got in a walk around the park. Later it was off to the fair! I was conflicted about going, but I had a good time. (Pictures to come, hopefully.) Thankfully it was overcast all day because even without the sun shining right on us it was hot.

I brought home BBQ from the fair so didn’t have to make supper. I was so tired when I got home I barely had the energy to hand-wash dishes, scoop kitty litter, and shower.

I got a free hot tea at McD’s! I also read a little more in Amelia Peabody and had time before the fair to type in another 1,600 words on my fic! (That’s over 5,000 typed in now, so about half done.)

Temps started out at 62.2(F) and reached 80. I’m sure it was hotter than that, but maybe it’s because I wasn’t sitting on a shaded porch enjoying a breeze, lol!


Mom Update:

I did not see mom today, but we messaged (I sent her pics of the events) and I called her in the evening to check in.( more back here )

This was almost a no-shopping day. At least, no shopping while I was downtown, but I got in a walk around the park while I was there. I ran an errand for Pip again to pick up parts for the garage (I went directly from downtown, but it was still about an hour drive round-trip). I got to mom’s just a little bit later than usual.

I hit Price Chopper for mom, and while I was there stopped in to the hair salon to get more shampoo. I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, cut up chicken for the dogs’ meals, and scooped kitty litter. I grilled baby back ribs for Pip’s supper.

I keep forgetting to mention that the deer have already started to eat the pumpkins! Deer, they're not ripe yet! Pip had to put cages around a few larger ones to save them for us, lol!

I read more in Amelia Peabody.

Temps started out at 57.2(F) and reached 83.8.


Mom Update:

Mom was not feeling great today. ( more back here )

I drove mom to her chemo appointment. Before I left to pick her up, I hand-washed dishes and scooped kitty litter. I hand-washed more dishes and showered after I got home. I started the next Amelia Peabody mystery and finished the Kindle cozy I’d started yesterday.

Temps started out at 54.3(F) and reached 82.2.


Mom Update:

Mom was tired today. ( more back here )

I hit Price Chopper and the Bakery while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park. I hit Stewart’s on the way home.

I folded last night’s load of laundry and got two other loads washed, dried and folded (dog sheets and a load mom sent home with me); took the dogs for a short walk; baked chicken for the dog’s meals; cut up said chicken for the next several meals; hand-washed dishes; and scooped kitty litter.

I had to DNF a Kindle cozy, but managed to start and finish another.

Temps started out at 51.1(F) and more fog. Yes, I dressed warmly this morning before leaving the house. Temps reached 79.0. It was really nice out.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing okay today. ( more back here )

I had a pedicure this morning! I hit Agway (for dog treats) and Price Chopper (to pick up a couple things for mom) while I was downtown. I also picked up Chinese for lunch. I folded a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, cut up chicken for the dogs’ meals, paid some bills online, and scooped kitty litter.

I finished a Kindle cozy and started another. I also typed in 2,900 more words on my fic!

Temps started out at 68.0(F), which was amusing since the high for the day was supposed to be mid-60s. So imagine my surprise when I saw that the temp ~11:30am had dropped to 59! I saw it reach 61.5 in the afternoon before it started going back down again. (Even weirder, I just looked at TWC app and it says today’s high is supposed to be 86. Where did that come from?!!) To make the day even more fun, it rained off and on most of the day. We need the rain, but very dreary. (According to Pip, the rain gauge showed 1.5" of rain.)


Mom Update:

Mom was doing okay today. ( more back here )

What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Death at the Manor (A Lily Adler Mystery) by Katharine Schellman, Clue in the Carriage House & Witness in the Wedding & Christmas in the Candlelight (The Inn at Holiday Bay) by Kathi Daley, and One Was a Soldier (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) by Julia Spencer-Fleming.


What I am Currently Reading: Heir, Apparently by Kara McDowell.


What I Plan to Read Next: I have more library books in my hot little hands, so probably the next Amelia Peabody.

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Book 73 of 2025: Death at the Manor (A Lily Adler Mystery) (Katharine Schellman)

I enjoyed this book. ( spoilers )

This was a good book and I'm giving it four hearts.

♥♥♥♥

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Book 74 of 2025: Clue in the Carriage House (The Inn at Holiday Bay) (Kathi Daley)

Good book! ( spoilers )

I enjoyed this story and am giving it four hearts.

♥♥♥♥

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Book 75 of 2025: Witness in the Wedding (The Inn at Holiday Bay) (Kathi Daley)

Okay book, mostly because I got really annoyed by some of the ‘guests' early on and even when I found out what was going on I couldn't let that go. ( spoilers )

I mostly enjoyed this story; I'm giving it four hearts.

♥♥♥♥

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Book 76 of 2025: One Was a Soldier (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) (Julia Spencer-Fleming)

I was worried that I wouldn't like this book because it dealt with some difficult subject matter, but I ended up enjoying it a lot. ( spoilers )

This book ended up being really good! I'm giving it five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

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Book 77 of 2025: Christmas in the Candlelight (The Inn at Holiday Bay) (Kathi Daley)

I enjoyed this book. ( spoilers )

Good book, despite my niggles. I'm giving it four hearts.

♥♥♥♥

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DNF'd: The Case of the Haunted Hotel (Ghostly Glenwood Mysteries) by B I Skinner


I've broken 75 books already! I'm close to my goal of 100, so maybe I will surpass that. Or, perhaps when I get to the end of one or two of the series I'm currently reading, I'll return to fanfic so I can complete my comment bingo card. Or maybe I'll catch up on all the tv I've been leaving hanging. (Resident Alien, I'm looking at you.)

I hit Walmart while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park. I stopped at Stewart’s for gas and milk on the way home. (One of the things I had to pick up was wasp/hornet spray because Pip discovered - by getting stung three times - a wasp nest in the roof area of the front porch, where Midnight spends a lot of time. (TBF, Pip never completely closed up that roof area, so it's really his own fault. o_O))

I got two loads of laundry washed, dried AND folded!!, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter.

I posted my SFFest fic, finished the Clare Fergusson book, and talked to mom on the phone. We went to Texas Roadhouse for supper with friends!!!

Temps started out at 68.2(F) (and sticky) and reached 91.0.


Mom Update:

Mom had her first chemo treatment today (Monday). ( more back here )

I washed, dried and hung up Pip’s uniforms, hand-washed dishes, made myself French toast for breakfast, stirred up tuna salad (without the usual celery) and added sliced cucumber for lunch at mom’s, and scooped kitty litter. After my visit to mom I washed, dried and folded another load of laundry, hand-washed more dishes, did a load in the dishwasher and shaved.

I printed off my SFFest fic and gave it a re-read. I finished the Kindle cozy and started the next Clare Fergusson.

Temps started out at 70.2(F) and reached 82.4.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing okay. ( more back here )

fandomgiftbasket rides again! Sign-ups open on August 23. Check out the Dates, Rules & FAQ post for more information.

I just signed up to participate in sunflower_auction to benefit Ukraine charities. I'm offering four fandoms:

Murder, She Wrote (tv): Jessica
Teen Wolf (tv): Peter/Chris and/or Derek/Stiles
MCU: Clint/Coulson and/or Steve/Bucky
Hawkeye (comics and/or tv): Clint/Coulson and/or Kate/Yelena

Will write: AUs and tropes (give me all the baby left on doorstep or different professions or met differently or coffee shop AUs), getting together, established relationship, kid!fic, curtain fic, fluff, crossovers . . .

Won't write: Major character death; partner betrayal; D/s; BDSM; A/B/O; bodily substances play (unless they’re a vampire); unhappy ending; explicit sex (sex is okay, but I’m less interested in writing super long sex scenes as I get older); character bashing.

I'm also willing to finish a WIP or write a sequel, so talk to me about that before you bid.

Also, for my f-list, I am willing to write in other fandoms not listed on the creator bid sheet, so talk to me about that before you bid if you might like something else!


Creator sign-ups are open through August 13; bidding opens on August 18. Check out this post if you want to participate.