What's Happening... (05-22-21)

So once again I'm going to try to make this a regular feature.  I got really bad about updating at the end of 2020.  Hopefully I'll get better at checking in regularly.  As always, I'm linking up with Stacking the Shelves at  Tynga's Reviews and The Sunday Post at The Caffeinated Reviewer.  

So if you saw my post earlier this week, you know we lost Grandpa on May 10th.  He suffered so much at the end that it was really for the best.  And he lived a good long life.  The funeral was a mess because of Stupid Uncle and him not following through with Grandpa's wishes but then I don't know why I was surprised.  For the past 10 years I've pretty much went to his house every Saturday.  When he was feeling good we'd run errands and go eat and then when he started declining, I'd do some household tasks and shopping for him and keep him company.  So the past two weeks I've tried to keep my Saturday mornings busy.

Speaking of, this morning Cassius and Apollo participated in the first Pooch Parade our neighborhood had.  They were about 50 pups of all sizes and many dressed up.  We even had a shark dog.  It was nice and it was early so at least it was still cooler on them.  Cassius also got to see his girlfriend who saw him outside her bedroom window and came and saw him while we "lined" up.  Spoiled dog!

The job is great and I've been reading a lot.  Seems like my library has been getting lots of great new releases so as always, I have too many books out at one.  I've done 3 buddy reads with Stormi this month and with all that's going on, her friendship has been a lifesaver.  I'm so glad I met her and I'm grateful for our friendship.

Here is what I'm focusing on this weekend:

 

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I had to pick up a few holds at the library yesterday so here's a few I grabbed. That "new" shelf right when you walk in the door is a disaster waiting to happen!

And in closing, here's a picture of Grandpa throwing out the baseball at a high school game a few years back.  He's was 96 here and still going strong.  Hope everyone is staying safe and having a great weekend!

What's Happening... (04-24-21)

 

So once again I'm going to try to make this a regular feature.  I got really bad about updating at the end of 2020.  Hopefully I'll get better at checking in regularly.  As always, I'm linking up with Stacking the Shelves at  Tynga's Reviews and The Sunday Post at The Caffeinated Reviewer

So the job is still going really well and I feel like I'm getting more of a foothold on things.  It's the kind of work though where you're always learning new things so I think it will take me a while to reach a comfort level though.

Cassius and Apollo are doing well.  Cass has a bit of a tummy ache as I type this but I don't think it's anything the Pepto I've given him and a lot of cuddling won't cure.  This week was the anniversary of when we lost Booker T so that's always rough for us.  

Gpa is back in the hospital.  It's kind of a long story but the last time I mentioned him, he was in the hospital after being found barricaded inside his home.  We managed to get him into a nursing home for a short-term stay because he couldn't be home alone and because Stupid Uncle never did all the paperwork he should have done months ago.  Anyway, he was in quarantine for 14 days and I only got to see him once through a window for few minutes.  My Aunt and I managed to figure out they weren't giving him the right meds, despite me telling them they weren't and even driving 75 miles to give them a medical print out.  Stupid Uncle came in Thursday and when I called Friday to arrange a visit for today since he was to be out of quarantine finally, learned he had abnormal blood work and that an x-ray earlier this week indicated they may have been a hip fracture.  He is now in a different hospital and a fracture of his left femur near his hip has been confirmed and he may need surgery.  I don't think he'll survive it so I'm waiting for a call for an update at the hospital (because COVID limits visitors) as I type this.  Poor guy.  That nursing home is going down!

I have been reading quite a bit but somehow I let Stormi convince me to read Needful Things with her for a buddy Retro Horror read this month and it's killing me.  I like it but it's so long and I'm having a hard time concentrating.  I did actually visit a book store last weekend and found this cool Shining bookmark.

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And Tor Nightfire was kind enough to send some e-arc invitations my way and I can't express how thrilled I am. I've already read Certain Dark Things but I do see a reread in my near future.  I loved it so much.

 

So I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend.  I'll close with a picture of our lovely son Booker in his favorite Walking Dead cap.

What's Happening (04-23-21)...

 

So once again I'm going to try to make this a regular feature.  I got really bad about updating at the end of 2020.  Hopefully I'll get better at checking in regularly.  As always, I'm linking up with Stacking the Shelves at  Tynga's Reviews and The Sunday Post at The Caffeinated Reviewer.

It's been a busy few weeks.  The job is going really well but there's so much to learn.  I'm having flashbacks of being a Pre-Law major in college as I research WV rules and statutes and see how they apply to  the work I'm doing.  Besides the first three days, I've worker the remainder of the first five weeks at home and have to say that is definitely a plus as well.  I do have to make myself go out into the real world though or I sometimes find myself feeling closed in and stressed.  You could say I'm a work in progress - haha.

On Wednesday I also got the first of my COVID vaccines.  I get the second one in 4 weeks.  I felt kind of odd the first night and my arm really hurt for three days but I wouldn't NOT get it.  Grandpa is back in the hospital.  Tuesday myself and a family friend tried calling him all day and after a few hours of not getting him on the phone, I finally called my Aunt and told her to go lay eyes on him.  Three hours later and she hadn't made it there (it was a REALLY far mile and a half I guess) so I called Mom and she left work to go.  He had barricaded himself in the house, moved the couch and loveseat to the middle of the room, turned on a flood light and took all the lampshades off the lamps and crawled down inside the couch.  They thought he had actually passed because the house was close to 100 degrees inside because it was almost 80 that day and he had the heat cranked up.  Luckily he was physically fine but he no longer recognizes any of the family.  I thought it might pass and we might get sparks of him back but so far, nope.

I have still been reading and watching.  I'm hoping tonight to watch Godzilla vs Kong.  But I don't want Kong to die so I'll have to look up spoilers first.  I've been purchasing a few books here and there.  I keep telling myself it's a treat for my new job but it's probably more like retail therapy.  Needful Things is for a buddy/retro read.   This month Stormi and I are actually reading the same book.  I had a hardback somewhere but I think a few boxers ago it might have gotten eaten as I can't locate it.  I love the New Orleans setting of Ruby so grabbed it at Wal-Mart on a whim and I've been hearing great things about the Theodora Goss series.  And isn't Moon Dog adorable?

And I received some great books for review. I snagged a copy of Feral Creatures and I was in Wal-Mart (no, I don't live there) when I got the email notification.  I think I danced in the aisle.  I've read a few books by Chizmar so I'm very curious about Chasing the Boogeyman.  Just One Look promises to be an exciting thriller and finally, after falling in love with Glenn Rolfe's Until Summer Comes Around last year, I knew I had to read his newest release, August's Eyes.

So Cassius and Apollo want to wish all who celebrate a wonderful Easter and as always, they thank you for stopping by Booker T's Farm!

What's Happening (01-16-21)...

 

So once again I'm going to try to make this a regular feature.  I got really bad about updating at the end of 2020.  Hopefully I'll get better at checking in regularly.  As always, I'm linking up with Stacking the Shelves at  Tynga's Reviews and The Sunday Post at The Caffeinated Reviewer.

So this week was pretty uneventful which is good.  The job I interviewed contacted me wanting permission to contact my references so I should hear something definitive on Tuesday.  Thank all of you for your well-wishes last week.

The boys are doing well.  Since we've not had a really bad winter yet, they are still getting out quite a bit.  Cass hasn't seen his girlfriend lately though so I'm sure he's bummed.

There haven't been a lot of decent movies to stream lately but we did watch "The Empty Man."  It was almost 2 1/2 hours long and it really dragged at times.  I think it was based on a graphic novel so maybe I should check that out - or maybe not.  

I've been reading some good books and hope to catch up on some reviews next week.  I also have an exciting blog tour stop for Tuesday and if you like Gothic horror, be sure to stop by.  Several of my Netgalley requests have come through lately so here's a few I'm really excited to read.

As you can see, lots of good books.  I am a tad nervous about All's Well because if you recall, Bunny didn't sit well with me.  However, I'm willing to give her another go.  And I'm on a blog tour for When Harry Met Minnie in February which will be great for "They Call It Puppy Love" month!

So I hope you all had a great week and what books did you add to your shelves?

What's Happening (01-10-21) - General Life Update

 

So once again I'm going to try to make this a regular feature.  I got really bad about updating at the end of 2020.  Hopefully I'll get better at checking in regularly.  As always, I'm linking up with Stacking the Shelves at  Tynga's Reviews and The Sunday Post at The Caffeinated Reviewer.

So first things first, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.  We were both off for close to two weeks and enjoyed a low-key Christmas and New Year's with some reading, lots of watching, football games and video games.  The boys were spoiled rotten as always and Cassius is in love with the High School Senior down the street who even brought him and Apollo toys and snacks for gifts and actually wrote "From your girlfriend Emma" on the card. We also had our first white Christmas in 10 years.

I'm actually working from home with the same non-profit I was working for but in a different capacity.  However, I am worried about how long it will last so have been doing some other searching. I've had two interviews for a state job that seems almost too good to be true and now they are checking my references.  I'm trying not to get my hopes up and just keep reminding myself that at least I'm fortunate enough to be working either way.

We've watched quite a few things recently.  "Sweet Home" on Netflix was pretty awesome and the monsters were pretty scary. I highly recommend it.  "WW84" wasn't bad and I enjoyed the 80's vibes but I wasn't impressed with the villain.  We also finished "The Mandelorian" and I'm so in love with Baby Yoda (and yes I know his name is Grogu and I don't like it one bit!).

So I did get some books for Christmas.  Mr. Barb snagged a few I was hoping for:

So far my reading for the year has been pretty good. I've already finished 3 books and am close to finished 1 more.  However, I have quite a few on the go so here's what I'll be picking up over the course of the week:

So there you have it.  Hope everyone is doing well and look for some exciting posts this week.

What's Happening (12-12-20)...

 

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.

Man what an exhausting 2 weeks since my last update.  A few days after Thanksgiving week, Mr. Barb called me on the way home and said that he probably shouldn't come home.  Apparently a guy at work had been sick all day and they came an hour before my husband got off and told the guy he had to leave because he was positive for COVID.  Now why he was there is beyond me and you can bet the following day I made quite a few phone calls.  Mr. Barb did come home and was tested the next day at work.  He wanted me to get tested so I scheduled one and couldn't get in until last Sunday.  I couldn't be around Gpa until I found out so luckily Stupid Uncle stepped up.  Mr. Barb's came back in 2 days (negative) but mine took 5 days.  Thank Heavens it was negative as well and thank goodness Mr. Barb wears his mask all the time at work and social distances the best he can.  I'm sure I'll be having another one soon the way things are going at his workplace.  Gee I think the last what's happening post has him testing as well.  What can I say, the facility he works at is full of idiots!

On to better news.  Other than that things are going fine.  Seems like the time is flying and Christmas will be here before we know it.  We spent a few evenings watching "To The Lake" on Netflix which wasn't bad but which I dubbed "Stupid Russians in the Snow."  We've also been watching football, including the Steelers game which was supposed to be played on Thanksgiving Day but kept getting pushed back.

I'm waiting for one final wall art to arrive before I show off my library/office.  Yes, as you can imagine, it's a Prince picture and I honestly think they are trying to get his permission beyond the grave before they ship it to me.  

First I want to share what I'm currently reading the next week of so. I'm almost done with Hark! the Herald Angels Scream which is for my on-line horror book club.  Then I'll be reading Mistletoe and Mr. Right and The Twelve Dogs of Christmas.

So I really hope everyone is staying safe and enjoying the holiday season no matter how you celebrate.  Cassius and Apollo are doing great and are anxiously awaiting Santa Paws.  They want to thank you for taking the time to visit Booker T's Farm!

What's Happening (11-29-20)

 

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.

It's been a few weeks and as much as I try to do this weekly, I'm failing at life.  Just kidding.  Things have just been really busy.  First and foremost, Cassius celebrated his 7th Birthday on November 22nd.  He had a blast and I can't believe my baby is 7!

Next up Mr. Barb and I celebrated our anniversary the very next day.  He got some some gorgeous roses and some jewelry as well as paid for my haircut (complete with safety mask and all ).  He also made a wonderful dinner and bought a new microwave for our kitchen.  Then of course we had Thanksgiving.  It was just us and the dogs as Stupid Uncle stepped up and did something with Gpa and Mom's boyfriend moved in with her a few months back so they had a low-key one at home because of COVID and all that jazz.  I think everyone had a great time no matter where they were and we hope you did too!

In COVID news, Mr. Barb's stupid employer made a bad decision and exposed his staff to some inmates with COVID.  Mr. Barb is always safe but he was tested and as a precaution, I was too.  Everything came back okay though thank Heavens.

The library is ALMOST done.  I will do pictures next week as long as my main focal picture arrives.  Any guesses?  I love it and it's such a nice place to kick back and relax now and the boys love it - they even have a new dog bed in there as well.

We've actually watched some decent things.  "Run" with Sarah Paulson on HULU was really good and she plays bad guys so well.  We also enjoyed "Let Him Go" with Kevin Costner and Diane Lane.  Costner plays cowboys really well.  And finally we watched "Don't Listen," a new foreign horror film on Netflix. I highly recommend it.

I've been blessed with some really interesting ARCs.  Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers!

Luna Howls at the Moon

Black River Latern

Paws for Love

Day Zero

An Unexpected Peril

Much Ado About You

To Fetch a Felon

Whisper Down the Lane

Next week I'll share some library books with you.  Hope you all are staying safe and are having a joyous holiday season.

What's Happening (11-08-20) - It's Apollo's Birthday!

 

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.

Hope everyone is doing well. I know it's been a crazy, stressful week for everyone no matter your position or political beliefs. Please take care of yourself.  

In happier blog news, can you believe that Apollo turns one today!

Things haven't been bad here at The Farm. I'm 75% done with the library redo so pics are coming soon I promise.  At the beginning of the October I was told the place I worked for would be closing.  However, over the course of the month my boss managed to find a work-at-home position for me which will might involve some local travel from time to time.  Not sure it's what I want exactly but I'm grateful for the work and will be giving it a shot while I look to see what else is out there.  

I did get some review books which I will post next week. I kind of want to make today all about my little boy so instead of sharing books, I will be sharing some interesting things about Apollo now that he's been here for a year.

1.  Remember how he bit so much as a pup?  Well, he still likes to bite.  Not hard and not nearly as much, just when he wants your attention.

2. He loves to put things in his mouth - dirt, leaves, tree branches (mouse poison too apparently).  At least once a day I end up asking him what's in his mouth.

3. He now weighs almost 80 pounds.  What a difference a year makes.

4.  He likes to sleep on our heads.  He may start at the foot of the bed when the night starts but by about 3:00am, he moves up to our heads and carves his way in between our heads and the headboard.  Not the most comfortable sleep.  And referencing #3, he's hard to move once he decides to land.

5. He and Cassius are best buds but there are still times when Cassius just barely tolerates him.

6.  He loves the elderly lady down the street and has to check on her when we take him for a walk near her house (he stands up on her fence and hopes to see her).

7.  His favorite food is beef bologna - don't ask.

8.  Whenever we get home, he has to take our keys from us and carry then into the house.  He's ruined 2 fobs (and I blame Mr. Barb who taught him such a "cute" habit).

So there you have it. Thanks for sharing Apollo's first year and I hope he has many more with us!

Stay safe my friends and look for an new MG review tomorrow!

What's Happening (10-25-20)

 

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.

Better late than never but I wanted to make sure to get a post out today.  Things here are pretty much status quo.  My evening calls to check on Gpa have turned into a nightly episode of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  I know he isn't being mean on purpose and I keep reminding myself that but sometimes it still doesn't help.

The pups are doing well.  We are getting ready to celebrate Apollo's first Halloween. I'll make sure to take some pics.  We aren't really doing trick-or-treat handouts due to COVID but there are a few kids in the neighborhood we are putting care packages together for.  Nothing major but it will still allow us to have the Halloween spirit.

We have been watching lots of old scary movies and a few new ones.  We finally watched Books of Blood last night and Mr. Barb thought it was boring but I found it to be okay.  Nothing spectacular but at least entertaining.  We also watched Abyssal Spider, a foreign film about a giant sea spider, and are in the middle of Bly Manor.

The main time killer is that I have finally made tons of progress on my library.  Out home is 120 years old and we don't have the availability to move everything out of the room while revamping it.  Thus I've had to do it in stages.  It's half painted in a wonderful purple called Wonderland and trimmed in white.  I've also built and installed 4 white bookcases.  I need to build one more, paint a little less that 1/2 of the room, hand some pics and do some final touches. I will give you guys a virtual tor when I get to a good point.

I have two books I'm focusing on this weekend.  Both are for Flame Tree Press tours at the end of the month. 

And I also received a few exciting ARCs.

So sorry for the new graphics.  I'm still trying to figure out something I like with the new Blogger and everything. I hope you are also all staying safe.

Look for lots of reviews this week as I'm playing catch up!  

What's Happening (10-03-20) - Two in a Row...Who is this person?

 

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.

Well, I survived another week.  Gpa had a rough one and I'm wearing out.  If you are that go-to person people in your family go-to for everything, I feel for you.  It's wearing me out and I'm exhausted.

Also, Thursday night I ended up at the ER vet for 4 hours.  And guess what, it wasn't Apollo. I don't know what happened or even WHEN it happened but I looked down around dinnertime and Cassius's back paw had a toe on it that was three times the normal size and was raw and red.  He wasn't acting any differently but definitely needed help. I think I was in more pain than he was because I was hurting for him.  Our ER vet is the SLOWEST but at least they are available.  He is on meds and doing much better now.

I have been managing some reading and we watched Near Dark, an 80's vampire movie we love but haven't seen in forever.  We also watched Vampires vs. The Bronx on Netflix Friday night and I really enjoyed it.  And The Walking Dead finale, which we didn't get last season, is on Sunday and we are planning on watching it outside in the backyard with a projector and a sheet.

Here's what I'm reading on this weekend:  

So I hope you all are doing well and staying safe.  Thanks for visiting Booker T's Farm!

What's Happening (09-26-20) - Whew, It's Been a Month!

 

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.

Man, it's been a while since I've done an update and all I can say is that life's been throwing me for a curve.  I've missed doing these posts and hopefully I can get back on track.  Let's start with a few life updates:

• Gpa is doing fine but getting him linked with some VA services has been a task.  He's had to see 5 different specialists and social workers in his home as since he doesn't always understand them the best, someone else, usually me, has to be present.  At least until things get going.  Thus my weekly trips to his house have turned into two and sometimes three a week.
• I'm still only working part-time which is killing me.  I've worked full-time for the past 25 years and while I certainly understand the precautions and how serious COVID-19 is, I need to get back to work and on a regular schedule.
• I had my truck battery and the dryer all die on the same day.  Both were quickly resolved but I didn't want to buy a new dryer so it took a week or so to find a good deal on a used one.
• If you saw over on Twitter, Apollo continues to be out to get me.  First, he had a lump in his private area which we were worried about for several weeks.  However, our vet has assured us it's part of his development and we have nothing to worry about.  THEN, earlier this week, he walked in the house from a 5 minute yard break and plopped a hunk of rat poison out of his mouth.  We had to put some underneath our shed because the neighbors live like animals and all we can figure it something drug it out.  A half a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, a lot of puke, no signs of green poison, and a quick call to the vet later and it was determined he just carried it in.  It was enough to send me into an anxiety attack for the rest of the day.

Now on to what I've been watching.  Lack of movie releases in theaters has meant there's not much to stream.  We did watch and enjoy Antebellum but I figured out the "shocking ending" early on so I wasn't so shocked.  I binge watched 2 seasons of Scream (the series) on Netflix and was surprised at how entertaining the whole thing was.  We have also went back and watched some of our favorite older horror movies since it is the spooky season.

I've been reading a lot, when not running and having heart attacks, but this is my primary focus this weekend.  

I also received some awesome looking books for review!

Fallow Heart: K.C. Finn

Joint Custody: Lauren Baratz-Logsted and Jackie Logsted

Secret Santa: Andrew Shaffer

Darkness Unknown: S.A. Fenech

Cry of the Lake: Charlie Tyler

Possession: Katie Lowe

So I hope you all are doing okay and staying safe and thanks for hanging in there with me!

Also, new blogger sucks!

What's Happening (08-15-20) - The One Where Cass Has a Girlfriend

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 I've not done a recap in about 2 weeks and to be honest, it's been some ups and downs.  Here are the highlights:

• Gpa is doing okay, not great but okay.
• I had my flu shot and shingles vaccine Thursday and I'm still not over it.
• My husband is driving me crazy with his various Youtube-of-the-day fascinations.  Some things I just don't care about!
• Work is driving me nuts and I'm still not back full time.
• Reading has been fairly good and I do have some new books to share.

So in a nutshell, there you have it.  However, I do have something very important to share.  My boy Cassius is in love.  We try to walk the boys at least once, sometimes twice a day.  We have a certain route and there is a high school girl who lives down the street on the corner.  She drives a light blue Fiat and is a Red Wing (which is basically a cross between a majorette and a cheerleader at our local school - which means she popular).  She probably doesn't weigh as much as Cass and she works at a local yogurt shop.  And Cass LOVES her.  And even more, she LOVES him.  When he sees her, his eyes gloss over and you can almost see the love in them.  And Emma, that's her name, drops everything on the sidewalk (keys, phone, etc) and hugs and kisses him and gives him the best belly and back scratches.  She lets him kiss her and one day this week, we weren't even near her house when she saw him and she pulled over, put the car in park, and proceeded to love on him for 5 minutes.  He mopes when he doesn't see her and honestly, I think I've been replaced.  But I am happy for him.  Every boy should have a first love.  And she even makes time to pet Apollo, even though you can tell she favors his big brother.

So on to the books.  I did some Amazon buying because they had a Kindle sale where you could get $8.00 in credit after purchasing so much.  I needed a pick-me-up so here's what I grabbed.

Stage Fright: Garrett Boatman

Curse of the Pigman: Asher Ellis

Tomes and Terriers: Hillary Avis

The Toymaker: Sergio Gomez

Camp Slaughter: Sergio Gomez

The Game: Linsey Miller

So I hope you all are having a great weekend.  I'll be spending tomorrow catching up on blog visits and comments.  Hope everyone is staying safe and look for a library haul next week!

What's Happening (07-11-20)...

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. 

Well the world is going to hell in a handbasket!  COVID-19 rates are going up, my state is considering shutting down again and I really can't blame them, and Stupid Uncle is being STUPID again.  Well, not technically, he's just not here.  He's in the middle of the Mississippi somewhere.  If any of you guys see him, smack him for me.

Gpa is in the hospital.  Wednesday night the neighbors found him hiding in his car and saying he was shot and someone shot his car up and they were coming back to burn his house down.  He went to the ER in my town and by 4am they called me to come get him because he was doing fine.  By 2pm yesterday afternoon he was in his local ER because he was having issues again.  He hasn't been sleeping well and I know that impacts his mental health but they believe it's dementia causing flashbacks.  Don't ask, there was a similar incident years ago but don't worry, no one was shot except Stupid Uncle's car.  So now they are saying he can't live alone.  They were going to send him to a psych facility for a further analysis but now they are saying he isn't unstable enough.  And he can't get Home Health because he isn't sick.  I'd say shoot me now but I realize it would be poor phrasing considering the cuircumstances.

Moving on, I've been reading the same darn book all week. But it is King's The Institute so it;s understandable.  Basically I hope to finish it this weekend.  

I haven't shared any arcs lately so here's some of the great books I got lately.

Tail for Two (Fur Have Dog Park #2): Mara Wells

Don't Look For Me: Wendy Walker

As An Old Memory: Vic Kerry

You Are Invited: A Ghost Story: Sarah A. Denzil

Five Total Strangers: Natalie D. Richards

The Hollow Places: T. Kingfisher

Will You Love Me: Barby Keel

We Hear Voices: Evie Green

The Ghost Tree: Christine Henry

So this is life in a nutshell.  Hope you all are staying safe and let me know if you've watched anything interesting because we are struggling to find new things!

A Very Late What's Happening (07-05-20)...

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 I'm running a tad behind which seems to be the story of my life this summer.  But don't worry, I plan to catch up on blog visits and replying to comments all next week so get ready to get bombarded. 

Mr. Barb started vacation on Wednesday and then we had a very safe, very outside, very intimate cookout on July 4th so we spent a few days working outside.  Like most July 4ths though, we are in the middle of a horrible heatwave so I guess I am glad to say most of the outside work is now done.  It was a nice day and although there were just 5 of us present plus the dogs, it was fine with me.  Then of course all last night from 9pm-1am was the neighborhood firework show.  I guess since so many festivities were canceled people made their own fun but it was annoying and I just wanted them to stop.  The pup could care less about then and Cassius isn't really afraid, but you can tell they annoy him and he refuses to go outside to the bathroom as long as they are going off.

I have been reading a lot and have already read 4 books and am half finished with a 5th since the month has started.  Guess the heat is good for something.  I need to catch up on some reviews and then update Goodreads but so far I know I'm ahead of my goals for the first half of the year.  Here's what I plan on reading this week.

We finished up watching Curon on Netflix and overall I really enjoyed it. It was a tad slow in the beginning but it pulled out and saved itself.  We also watched Force of Nature, a new Mel Gibson movie.  Is it me or is he playing a drunk old man too well lately?

So I'm going to save review books for next week but I thought I'd share with you some books I picked up for my Kindle recently.  I may have been a tad overzealous but they had some good sales and heck, let's just call it as it is, I was weak.

Dog Songs: Mary Oliver

Those Two Guys: Darin Cleveland

There Will Come a Darkness: Katy Rose Pool

The Bloodline: C.S. Feldman

Derailed: Mary Keliikoa

What Lies Between Us: John Marrs

Frankenstein's Dog: R.L. Stein

Auto Shop: Bryce Gibson

So I hope you all had a wonderful week and look for visits from me soon!

Also, I'm seriously thinking about writing a book and have started the outline process.  The working title is MY FIRST YEAR WITH SATAN.  What do you think???