Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts

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Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts is a weekly blogging event hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. It allows book bloggers (and non-book bloggers) to write about pretty much anything, bookish or otherwise (i.e. share exciting plans for the weekend, rants on things they’ve encountered during the week, etc.).
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1. I'm participating in Bout of Books again, but it's gonna be VERY DIFFICULT to beat my last round, specifically because this is the 2nd week of school and I have 2 evening functions to attend at school, which completely cuts into my reading time. Total bummer.

2. I know I'm late to the party (newsflash!), but I'm finally reading The Girl You Left Behind by JoJo Moyes and it is fabulous!! Wowsers!! Last night it really got good and I didn't want to stop reading, but was simply out of time if I didn't want to be zombie-like today at work. 

3. The past two years I have taken a Personal Day on my birthday and spent it with my mom. Riding roller coasters. All day long. Truth. Well, I'm happy that my birthday falls on a Saturday this year so I can conserve the Personal Day (we only get 2). The other side of that is that it's been nice to take the day and have a break from the chaos of the start of the school year. I've been plenty busy this year and am already feeling how wonderful it would be to have a day to simply sit and be and read. alone. It's too early to feel like this. Help!!

4. In late July, we had a neighbor bring us a dog he found in the neighborhood. Why he brought him to our house, I'll never know. Anyway, the dog stayed w/us for 4 days. He is a chocolate lab. Super sweet. Kind to E, didn't bother the cats (or eat their poop, which dogs do)...all around a good dog. Had a collar. No tags. After 4 days and being woken at 6am on the last few of my summer days so he could go outside, I was strongly reminded that we do not have the lifestyle for a dog. A big dog at that. I was a week from going back to work and wigging out about not finding the owner. We put signs up, posted on craigslist etc. I got in touch w/a great rescue group and took him to her in the afternoon of the 4th day. E cried a little bit. I felt like crap. Fast forward...owners called me THAT night (of course)...turns out it's a single mom, 2 boys - high school & college age...she can't afford the dog. Hadn't had shots in 5 years, gets out of their fence ALL THE TIME...like 10 times in past 6 months. Miracle the poor guy hasn't gotten hurt. Anyway, she surrenders the dog to the rescue officially. Then I start thinking we need to get him back because he is so fabulous. E is excited. O is on board for the most part. We planned to pick him up after Labor Day weekend. Now that we've done this crazy a** "wake up and get ready for school" routine for two weeks, reality has set in and I once again am made aware as to why we do not have a dog. Once we get home, do homework, dinner and shower, it's bed time...where and when do I take poor puppy for a walk? And that's not counting the nights we have baseball or TaeKwonDo!! No one is home all day. He would be alone. Doggie daycare is EXPENSIVE. All that to say I sent an email yesterday to say that we will not be able to get the dog. Kinda sad, but also kinda relieved. I hope they find him a home with someone home during the day and with more free time.

5. Yesterday is was blazing hot and muggy. I had planned to go to the YMCA after work but when I witnessed the nasty weather on my quick lunch/errand run, I decided we would go to the pool after school instead. More fun. More refreshing. At 3pm a massive thunderstorm rages in and lasts for a couple hours, off and on...we ended up at the YMCA. 

6. I recently discovered that Matilda Jane makes clothes for WOMEN, not just girls...oh my goodness....I'm obsessed. I have yet to own a piece but 2 skirts are en route to my house as we speak and I'm constantly surfing Ebay...there are so many pieces I want. It's all so cute and comfy!!!

7. My brain and audiobooks just don't get along. I don't have ADD or any other attention deficit problem, but when I've tried to listen to an audiobook in my car, my mind drifts and before I know it, 10 minutes have passed and I have NO idea what happened in the story. Oops.

8. I'm going to meet author Dorothea Benton Frank in November and am super excited!! My mom and I will be attending her FanFest Weekend in Charleston, SC. Oh yes, I'll be using one of those elusive Personal Days for that!!

9. I've been working really hard this week monitoring my eating, drinking lots of H2O and striving for at least 10K steps per day and I'm happy to report I have lost 3.5lbs so far. Woohoo!! It was so much easier when I could run though. 

10. I'm ready for the work week to be over.