Saturday, April 27, 2019

What's Happening...(04-27-19)

So I'm doing things a tad bit differently this year and will be combining all of my regular weekend posts.  This will enable me to add more content on Fridays and it is just starting to make more sense.  I'll still be linking up with Stacking the Shelves at Tynga's Reviews and Sunday Post at Caffeinated Reviewer.  Both blogs are awesome so make sure you check them out.

So as most of you are aware, it's been a trying week at The Farm.  We are all struggling with Booker T's loss,  but we are coping.  We've been spoiling Cassius something rotten because we both feel badly that he's now home alone during the day by himself and I'm just grateful I can stop in at lunch and check on him.  And I know people are being kind but if one more person sees us walking is the neighborhood and tells us we're missing one, I might hit them over the head with a bottle of Jack Daniels.  I may have an extra one or two on hand.  And one more thing, we are now sleeping with a stuffed squirrel.  When we buried T, we sent his favorite blanket, toy and snack with him but we kept the toy squirrel which was his constant companion while he was sick.  For several days, he used it as a pillow.  So yep, you guessed it, it's now a permanent fixture on our bed.  

We did manage to watch a few movies.  I don't know how much I took in of them but it kept us busy.  We watched "Glass" which was the day after he passed and I know I missed something important because I didn't really care for it.  And then we watched "Mercy Black" on Netflix and it was a pretty decent horror flick considering I never heard of it before.  This weekend we may try something else and the NFL draft is also on so there will be mindless banter in the background while I read.

Speaking of reading, here are the books on the this weekend's stack.  I started "The Department of Sensitive Crimes" Thursday evening and am about 30 pages in.  It kind of has my attention.  I also need to read "Killing November" and/or "A Curse So Dark and Lovely" before they are due back to the library.


And I did get a few books for review.  I really like Charlaine Harris so I'm excited to give "Small Kingdoms and Other Stories" a chance.  "Till Death Do Us Part" is touting a killer twist so that may be a bad sign but I do like the cover.  And "The Chain" has been blurbed by Stephen King and sometimes that is all it takes.


And a final rant.  What the heck happened to itunes.  Now a lot of time I stream music but sometimes there is a rare music release where I want the whole CD.  I've always been able to get these reasonably from itunes.  April must be music month because there are 5 CDs I want.  I probably didn't buy 8 all of last year.  Usually I just purchase a single or two with Christmas gift cards.  Itunes prices have skyrocketed.   Single tunes are now $2.19 vs $1.79 and I won't even go into the albums.  Let's just say that when I do end up buying them, itunes is forcing me to give Amazon my business.  Okay, rant over.

So thanks again to everyone for all the kind thoughts and words during this difficult time and I hope you all have a lovely weekend ahead of you.

39 comments:

  1. I'm kind of curious about Small Kingdoms too, even though short stories aren't really my thing. But still - Charlaine Harris! Anyway, good to hear you guys are doing well, even if things are tough. I have been thinking of you and Mr. Barb and Cass this past week. Give Cass a big hug for me!

    ~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum

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    1. I really liked Harris' Midnight Texas trilogy and really miss them. I also like her Gunnie Rose book a lot so I have high hopes for this. Cass says thanks for the hug and Mr. Barb and I say thanks for the kind thoughts.

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  2. I'm so sorry for your loss :( It's nice you still have something of his to keep in your bed.
    I read Killing November and it was a nice read. I can't wait to read Brigid's novel. I hope this week is better for you.
    Genesis @ Whispering Chapters

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    1. My friend Stormi liked book of those books so I have high hopes for both of them as well.

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  3. I am curious about A Curse so Dark and Lonely. I am hoping to go see Captain Marvel this weekend and the Avengers End Game on Tuesday. Haven't watched much on Netflix lately. They are raising our rates again and I just found out they are not renewing Santa Clarita Diet for a 4th season! It ended on a cliff hanger for Pete's sake!

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    1. Ooooh I hope you enjoy the movies. I can't believe Santa Clarita is canceled. I have 4 more episodes to watch. It's quite quirky but I love Barrymore and think she has done a great job with it. They need to at least wrap up the cliffhanger!

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  4. I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your dog. but I think it's beautiful you kept his favourite toy! I have been wanting to read The Department of Sensitive Crimes, what do you think of it so far? And the cover for A Curse So Dark and Lonely is beautiful!! I wish you a good week of books and films and good memories :)
    Juli @ Universe in Words

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    1. I'm about 180 pages in. It's my first book by the author and the writing style is rather different but on the whole, I'm really enjoying it. He does some great characters!

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  5. I'm not a big fan of iTunes but I swear the last time I bought a song it was 99 cents! Glad to see you blogging again, Barb. I just love that you're sleeping with Booker T's squirrel, I'm gonna start crying😐

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    1. I remember those days too. I'm glad to be back blogging. I will always be missing Booker T but the memories are helping.

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  6. I really do wonder how insensitive people can be. Why on earth would they say something like that! I'm so glad that you have Cass for a bit of well needed doggy comfort right now. Thinking of you all as always.

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    1. Oh yea, Cass is not letting me out if his sight. I do think he is a tad lonely so we've been making sure he gets plenty of attention and exercise. People are rude and that's why I don't like many. Thanks so much for your kind thoughts and you will always be the boys' Auntie Chuckles.

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  7. As a parent, I think The Chain sounds super scary!

    Thanks for the good wishes for the weekend. We have PERFECT weather right now in central Virginia, and Dear Husband and I just did a charity heart-health walk to raise money for research, so our weekend is starting out wonderfully!

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    1. Wow, that's so cool and a great way to start the weekend - good for you guys!

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  8. Hope you enjoy whichever one you decide to read as both Killing November and Curse so Dark and Lonely are favorites. :)

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    1. Funny how I ignored them both for right now. It's been that kind of weekend.

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  9. Aw that's nice about the squirrel. Bittersweet I have no doubt, but you have something of him on the bed. :) And I hope Cass is holding up!

    I really liked Killing November- hope you do too!

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    1. Cass is doing good. Glad to hear you liked Killing November. Seems like a lot of my blogging buddies have.

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  10. Barb, I am truly so sorry for your loss. I know that it is just heartbreaking. Please know you are in my thoughts.

    I have Killing November but haven't gotten to it yet. It sounds interesting. The Chain has an interesting premise, too. Hope one of them keeps your mind off life for awhile. <3

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    1. Thank you Natalie. I love the cover of The Chain and yea, books have helped some.

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  11. Oh Barb (hugs) Feel free to hot anyone you want over the head --Mr and Cassius will help you bury the bodies. In terms of books Charlaine Harris' new one really has me curious from that title alone!

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    1. I am sure they will. I hope to read the Harris book soon.

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  12. I am so sorry! I have been so sad since I heard. I kept a few of our dog Baylee's toys and Buttons. It just made me feel better having them.

    I started Gotham while I was away and really liked it so I think I will continue this week.

    I refuse to do iTunes anymore, I got Spotify subscription, just find it so much better. I love making my own playlists, I know a few artists don't use that service but I have found so much music I would never have listened to without it.

    Have a great week, Barb! Sending you all lots of hugs! oxox

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    1. We have Amazon music and I've discovered some great new artists as well. I think itunes is a total ripoff now.

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  13. I'm so sorry for your loss <3 That is never an easy thing to cope with. Sending you all lots of love!

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  14. The same thing happened to me after my dog, Cheyenne, died last year. People would see me walking Kiera and ask if I’d forgotten one of my dogs. Nope. Cancer killed the other one.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

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    1. We've lost two of our previous boxers to cancer. Cancer sucks whether it's in humans or pets.

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  15. (((((((HUGS))))))) again. 😞

    I am glad to see that I am not the only one who thought the title of A Curse so Dark and Lonely was A Curse so Dark and Lovely. 😁 Or was that just your auto-C? It didn't dawn on me until a couple of weeks ago. 😝

    Have a wonderful week. 🌞

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  16. The Department of Insensitive Crimes is on my wishlist. I also have The Chain to review, it’s being heavily promoted on Twitter already.

    Have a great reading week

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    1. I finished The Department of Sensitive Crimes last night and really enjoyed it.

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  17. I still have pictures of all of my furry companions on my walls and still have one special thing from each to remember them by.

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    1. Oh yea, we have tons of displays in our home. And we added a new one last weekend :)

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  18. :'( I'm just so sorry for you guys.

    I haven't had a chance to watch Glass yet. I would like to see that one.

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    1. Thanks so much Jen. I will probably end up watching Glass again. I need to go back and watched Splintered and Unbreakable for it all to make sense in my head.

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  19. I am so sorry. I miss Gina every day. After we move this summer, we can look at a new one but it is going to be difficult.

    I always buy on Amazon but tend to buy more CDs than singles. But then I load it into itunes.

    Have a lovely week and happy reading!

    Anne - Books of My Heart Here is my Sunday Post   

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    1. It will be exciting to get a new dog though. I'm thinking we may try to get past Christmas before considering. Right now it just seems like we'd be replacing him and there's no doing that ever.

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