Weekly Wrap-Up (v. 6)

Highs and Lows

The high of my week was seeing the most adorable videos of Lucy (my soon-to-be fur-sister). She’s just over two weeks old now and still so teeny-tiny that she doesn’t do much more than sleep, but I still delight in videos of her! She’s not yet opening her eyes but her ears are starting to flop over. I just can’t wait to bring her home! (And then enjoy all of the benefits of having a puppy without actually having a puppy, hehe.)

The low of my week was dealing with some tooth pain. It’s obvious that I need to go back to the dentist like this Private Dentist Cardiff to see what’s up. Ever since I got a cavity filled, that area of my mouth has been sensitive whenever I’m eating. I brought it up to the dental hygienist I saw last Friday and she cleaned the area really well, thinking it might be due to inflammation, but that didn’t solve the issue. Ugh. I’ll call the dentist today to see if I can get an appointment soon.

What I Read

Playing with Fire by Kate Meader (★★★☆☆)

This romance follows the love story of Alex, a female firefighter, and Eli, the mayor of Chicago. In a previous book, Eli is written as a sexist who doesn’t believe women should be firefighters. I was curious as to how the author would rehabilitate Eli and make me believe in this romance, and while I think Eli made some strides to become less sexist and recognize the value of female firefighters, I don’t think he groveled nearly enough. And it was only after he was “saved” by Alex in a fire that he started to realize the error of his ways. All that aside, I did enjoy many parts of this book, especially Alex’s character and the way she comes into her feminine side and sexuality with Eli. A solid romance, but not one I’m rushing out to recommend. (Open-door romance.)

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (★★★★★)

I really enjoyed this book! In fact, it was a five-star read for me, which was surprising. Maybe because I went into the story with low expectations, but it truly captivated me from the beginning. In this story, Addie is a girl born in the late 1600s who makes a deal with a god that she will be able to live forever. He accepts, but with one stipulation: nobody will remember her. And it’s true that nobody does: not her parents, not her best friend, not the men she sleeps with. Three hundred years later, though, a man named Henry is the first person to remember her. But why? It’s a truly sensational story (a bit too long, but alas) with so many intricate details. The story jumps back and forth in time, between present day (2014) and the past (starting with 1714 when Addie made the deal). I just loved the world Schwab created with this story, and it’s one that will stick with me for a long time.

A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny (★★★★★)

The 12th book in the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series may be my favorite yet! One of the things I loved most about this book is the budding friendship of three women in their 50s—it’s not very often we see older women and their friendships as a plot point, so I just loved watching these three ladies support each other, tease each other, etc. The mystery itself was a really good one that had me on the edge of my seat until the end. I honestly had no idea who the murderer was, and there was a delicious twist near the end that added to my satisfaction with the ending. Louise Penny is a master storyteller.

The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert (★★☆☆☆)

This story is about Duke and Marva, both of whom are 18 and voting in their first election. Marva is first to vote at her polling location and sails through without issue, but Duke is told he cannot vote because he’s “not on the list.” The whole thrust of this plot hinges on Duke not knowing why he can’t vote at this specific polling location, and Duke and Marva working together to figure it out. And I guess now that I know the ins and outs of being a poll worker, I just couldn’t get past all of the inaccuracies in the book. (Like the polling location using paper lists to mark voters in; it’s all automated now, and a voter who is ineligible to vote at a polling place receives a ticket that explains why.) It’s obvious that the author didn’t talk to a single poll worker or learn anything about the ins and outs of polling locations. There were quite a few other inaccuracies that I won’t get into because they are spoilers. But suffice it to say, it was hard for me to really enjoy this YA novel because of my knowledge. However, there were a lot of good things about it, and I found the scene of Marva and Duke being stopped by a cop to be incredibly powerful. Colbert brought up a lot of important topics of race, voting, and justice, but I just wish the voting part had been written more realistic.

What I Spent

Friday, April 9

• Takeout (pizza): $22

Saturday, April 10

• Steak n Shake: $16
• TJ Maxx (a new purse for me, gifts/cards for friends): $51
• Pedicure: $64
• Ubereats: $23

Sunday, April 11

• Groceries: $43
• Ubereats: $19
• Maple Street Biscuit Co (lunch): $10
• Sans Market (a set of four bamboo toothbrushes, a set of reusable facial rounds): $30

Monday, April 12

• Amazon (cadence sensor, strapless bra, food storage containers, a book): $100 (<– I used the money saved in my “no-spend fund”)
• Amazon (e-book): $2

Tuesday, April 13

• No-spend day!

Wednesday, April 14

• No-spend day!

Thursday, April 15

• Paula’s Choice (toner): $22
• Ubereats: $17

Final Tallies:

• Food: $150
• Shopping: $132
• Spa: $64
• Toiletries: $30
• Beauty: $22
• Gifts: $21
• Savings: $10

Monthly Goals Progress

• Log 10 Peloton workouts. I’m at 4 workouts for the month, so that’s 6 workouts to do in two weeks, eeks. Let’s see if I can do it!
• Walk 4,000 steps every day. I’m finding this to be a little challenging some days, but mostly easy to accomplish. If anything, it forces me to get outside and enjoy the beautiful sunshine at least once a day!
• Become Google Analytics certified. I haven’t even opened the program to start the second unit yet! And there are two more units after that one. Maybe my goal should be to do one unit a month? Ha.
• Drink water with dinner every night. Oof. I am not doing this every night. Maybe half of the time? I’m going to try to make this a priority for the last half of the month.

What I’m Recommending

In the wake of yet another Black man murdered at the hands of the police, I’d like to mention the Anti-Racism Daily again. I started reading this e-newsletter (which has since grown into a podcast, online community, and more!) when it was first formed right after the murder of George Floyd, and it’s an incredible resource. The work that Nicole Cardoza and her team do to educate us on all of the blatant and insidious ways that racism infects our society is amazing. She sends out a daily newsletter covering different topics, such as over-policing, qualified immunity, supporting the mental health of students of color, colorism in the fashion industry, bias against Asian cuisine, exploitative internships, etc. I have learned so much from her and her contributors.

What was the highlight of your week? Did you finish any good books this week?