Sunday, September 2, 2012

Sunday Salon - Labor Day Weekend Edition


Hope all my readers here in the US are enjoying an extra long weekend with family and friends, and those of you you in other countries are enjoying free time as well.  Although fall doesn't officially arrive for a  (3) more weeks, I always tend to think fall once Labor Day arrives, and certain things happen.

For example, the freshmen arrived on campus on Friday, so there was all kinds of special ceremonies etc for new student, transfers and family; the rest of the students move in today.  I love having all the students back as that, let's face it is job security, but I also need to find a new reading place at lunch instead of the beautiful student union.  I find myself retreating to the quiet, study floor of the library which works out just as well.

Other things happen happen as well, fall clothes shopping: a few new sweaters, new darker color pants, new shoes (the sandals get put away), and dare I mention thoughts of Holiday gift shopping...ugh frightening, I know.

My reading habit also change in fall and winter, with lots more mysteries and thrillers, a few holiday reads, and a few less audio books as well.  I love curling up with the comforter, fireplace and a warm beverage. And, as in past years, I look forward to participating in Carl's RIP Challenge (#VII). This Challenge runs for all of September and October and there are several levels of participation -- it's always fun. Do you plan to join?

How was your August for Books?

Less blogging and more reading worked well for me. Here's what I read:
  1. Canada; Richard Ford - 4.5/5 (audio and eGalley)
  2. Heading Out to Wonderful; Robert Goolrick - 3.5/5 (eGalley and audio)
  3. Use Your Brain to Change Your Age; 3.5/5 Dr Daniel Amen (audio)
  4. January First; Schofield (NF) 4/5 - eGalley
  5. The Innocent; Baldacci - 4/5 (audio)
  6. Tell the Wolves I'm Home; Brunt - 5/5 (eGalley)
  7. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry; Rachel Joyce - 5/5 (ARC)
  8. The Folded Earth; Anuradha Roy - 3.5/5
  9. The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving; Jonathan Evison - 4.5/5 (eGalley)
  10. Broken Harbor; Tana French - 4.5/5 (egalley) 
  11. The Sandcastle Girls; Chris Bohjalian - 4/5 (eGalley)
  12. Love Anthony; Lisa Genova (eGalley - in progress)
  13. Prisoner of Heaven; Zafron - 4/5 (eGalley/audio - no review yet)
  14. IT; Stephen King - (audio in progress) 
I finished  - (11) books - (5) audio books, (5) eGalleys (1) bookshelf .

I had (2) favorite reads, Tell the Wolves I'm Home; Brunt - 5/5 (eGalley) and., The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry; Rachel Joyce - 5/5 (ARC), but I enjoyed most of the others as well.

I didn't complete my personal Summer Reading Challenge which I began Memorial Day and Ended today, Labor Day which I was to read (10) books from the list I created back in May - I only read (8) but am still happy about that.

That's about it for this today, except I'd like to leave you with a couple of photos, that made me smile. Hope they make you smile as well:)


"I got you last Buddy"

"No, I got you last Baby"

17 comments:

  1. Tomorrow's just another day for us. School starts late up there! I love the photos!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What sweet pics, Diane. In my state all public schools (university on down) begin the day after Labor Day. Private schools have been back in session for at least a week and some, two weeks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Such precious pictures, Diane. Our schools, including universities, began last Monday. Everyone loves the fact that the very next Monday (tomorrow) is a holiday. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  4. OMG - those pictures are amazing! Love them!

    I love having a three day weekend and I think of this as the beginning of fall too. The summer went too fast.

    Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Loving the baby cat fight! : )

    And thanks for the tip about The Panther!! I am now a happy happy owner of an e-galley and I'm chomping at the bit to get to it. I just need to wrap up Love Anthony and I'm so on it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. cute pictures :-) congrats on all the reading you got done, too! :) I'm glad you liked Harold Fry so much; I hope to get to it before hte end of the year.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Adorable pictures! August was a good reading month for me. I live across the street from a school so now I will have to time my comings and goings to avoid the school buses.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Adorable photos of the grandbaby and the cat.

    ReplyDelete
  9. those photos are wonderful!! You brought back great memories when you mentioned the students returning to campus. My Kent State Days!
    HAPPY LABOR DAY!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Cute photos! I'm never happy to see summer end, even though this one was miserably hot. It's the early darkness I dislike more than the winter cold. I am happy to see the RIP Challenge is back, that's always fun one.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ooh, the photos are too sweet!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm doing RIP for the first time. I generally get to the end of the year and I'm racing to finish things for challenges and complete review commitments. This year I just decided I'm doing what I want to do - so freeing! Do you do RIP with a plan as to what you want to read? Love the pictures!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I absolutely love the back and forth with the kitty and baby at the end of your post - so cute!

    ReplyDelete
  14. How you finished all these books you in just one month, simply amazing! I'm a slow reader, so I can only admire and be envious. The photos are lovely. You must feel much gratified! Happy for you. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I didn't read a book at all last week!! I think your numbers for August were amazing...unplugging is great isn't it?? tomorrow is the first day of school for us and Marc's Senior year...I'm a bit sad about all of it!! It felt like summer this weekend and today but the leaves are starting to change up north already! I love fall and look forward to no review books on a schedule..can't wait!! I LOVE those photos..she is adorable!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Glad to see someone else who's reading taste changes with the seasons. I'm reading to dive into something a bit heavier after lots of light summer reads.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for taking the time to visit and double thanks for any comments. If you ask a question in your comments, I will try to reply to it here, or by email if your settings allow me to do so. Thanks again for visiting.