Let's open up Texas completely, shall we? And let's do it in time for spring break. Right? After all, there's the economy to consider. We only had 7,593 new cases of the virus in Texas yesterday. Texas ranks #48 out of 50 in the percentage of the population vaccinated.
I'm so frustrated with our state's elected leaders.
All the books I finished last week were 1001 Children's Books:
Stone Cold by Robert Swindells
Borka: The Adventures of a Good with No Feathers by John Burningham
Sunday's Child by Gudrun Mebs
My Friend Percy's Magical Shoes by Ulf Stark Captain Pugwash by John Ryan
It's so tense around here in my state. I'm back to reading comfort reads.
All Things Wise and Wonderful by James Herriot (Mood-Boosting Books)
The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett (Mood-Boosting Books)
The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (Chapter-a-Day Read-Along)
Yes, and...Daily Meditations by Richard Rohr (Daily Meditation Reading)
The Makioka Sisters by Junichiko Tanizaki (Japanese Literature Challenge)
A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter (1001 Children's Books)
Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson (1001 Children's Books)
1. My husband and I got our first vaccine a few weeks back, and we get our second vaccine next week. Euphoric.
2. We finally got around to watching Sanditon. It really wasn't my husband's cup of tea, but I thought it was fairly Jane Austen-ish. Please share suggestions for where we might go next.
3. I'm happy to be reading from the 1001 Children's Books list again. My latest read, Tarka the Otter, is tough-going, though. What a vocabulary that author uses. Shillets and holts and weir-pools and yikkering and vuz-pegs. A perfect read for a future Wondrous Words post.
I'm happy you found your way to the Sunday Salon. Sunday Salon is a place for us to link up and to share what we have been doing during the week. It's a great way to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there.
Some of the things we often talk about at the Sunday Salon:
- What was your week like?
- Read any good books? Tell us about them.
- What other bookish things did you do?
- What else is going on in your life?
Other places where you may like to link up over the weekend are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.
My linkup for Sunday Salon is below.
Getting the vaccine does take some worry from our minds. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteThank you! It feels like I won the lottery.
DeleteI like that otter book. You always highlight new cool books for me.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh at your statement about opening up Texas because I am in Florida & May have a contender for the worst governor ever. Ugh. C’mon, common sense is all that is needed but Nooooo!
I wonder if I should feel glad or even worse to think that your Florida governor is just as bad as our Texas fellow.
DeleteI share your frustration with our state's "leaders."
ReplyDeleteI remember the pleasure of reading children's books when my kids were little. Now that they are grown and have not presented me with any grandchildren, I don't have an excuse for that any more. Or maybe I don't need an excuse?
I read Lauren Oyler's book, Fake Accounts, this week and liked it quite a lot. I'm currently reading Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Joan Didion and it is bringing back lots of memories from the '60s and '70s. I would probably classify both books as comfort reads.
I tell you, Dorothy, that you should not skip a wonderful children's book simply because you have no young people at home.
DeleteThats great news about the vaccine, the majority of my nearest and dearest have had theirs now. I haven’t read it but the book I just finished, the main character was reading the Makioka sisters on her travels, it could be a sign I should read it!
ReplyDeleteHave a great week.
I would love to know what others think about The Makioka Sisters.
DeleteI am so sorry that your elected officials care only about the economy and not the health and safety of their citizens. It's really quite astonishing and scary to think we may be on the verge of a fourth wave in the next couple of months. Idiots... Thankfully, you two will have both vaccinations in the coming days. Phew!! I read an informative article on Wired about what one can do after receiving both vaccinations. It's entitled "We’re Vaccinated. Everyone Wants to Visit. Now What?"
ReplyDeleteI feel like we got it for our own protection from people who promote the economy over people's lives.
DeleteI didn't realize you were in Texas - I am so sorry for what you guys have been through, especially since so much of it could have been avoided. Has the power and water been restored for you guys? I'm so glad to hear that you and your husband have been vaccinated. I hope Biden's plan of vaccines for everyone by May happens. I hope you guys are safe and warm, and I am definitely on board for comfort reads!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Texas. We have power and water restored. It's frustrating because the electrical grid was asked after the last hard freeze to make modifications for very cold weather, but nothing was done.
DeleteGood news on the vaccines--I'm sure that's a relief.
ReplyDeleteTerry Pratchett is always a mood-lifter!
He is. Clever and oddly reflective of truth.
DeleteTexas! Yikes! I'm so sorry, Deb. But super happy you and your husband have been able to get your vaccinations!!! At least you are both protected now.
ReplyDeleteMy home-bound mother was able to get her first jab last week and will get her second one in two weeks. My dad will get his second one on Tuesday!
I'm all for the comfort reads. Glad you can get back to your children's books. I hope you have a safe and happy reading week this week.
I'm so glad your parents are able to get their vaccinations.
DeleteSorry to hear what some of the governors are doing - many, it seems, just to distract from their poor leadership. Hopefully, logical people will continue to protect themselves and those around them. Glad your are almost fully vaccinated. My Husband was suppose to get #2 last week but they didn't get their weekly supply so he goes again Wednesday. I got #1 last week elsewhere so I was happy.
ReplyDeleteThose children's books look and sound great, I do require a dose of kids reads now and then as well. Have a good week Deb.
People from both political parties are not very happy with our governor.
DeleteComfort reading is about all I'm managing these days though you've got me thinking I need to pick up a children's book. I normally do a read aloud with my son but he hasn't been feeling well so we've been skipping it and I miss it! Yay for being vaccinated! My daughter just got her second dose and my husband has his appointment as they both qualify as essential workers. I'm hearing rumors that it's about to start opening up to a broader range and I'm very excited. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteGlad your daughter and husband have been able to get their appointments. I hope your son will have a little more energy this week.
DeleteI don't know what these leaders are thinking. Maybe that's the problem. They aren't thinking at all. Comfort reading is a must these days, weeks and months. I love that photo of you and your husband. Good luck with your second vaccine. It's such a relief, isn't it? We will be celebrating a certain someone's birthday this coming week. She's going to be 10. It doesn't seem possible! She told me the other day that she can't wait because it will be so different. I didn't want to burst her bubble. It's going to be a quiet birthday, just the three of us. She wanted to bake her own cake, and so we'll be doing that and probably have pizza from our favorite Italian restaurant. She has school that day, but she'll survive. :-) My mom will be coming for a visit toward the end of the month and we'll celebrate with her then as well.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great week, Deb! Stay safe. Hopefully people around you and businesses will still be cautious even with the government's lifting of the restrictions there. Although it it's anything like here, there isn't much hope for that either. I just don't understand people. Take care of yourself!
It makes me sad for kids. They are suffering through these bad decisions made by those in charge.
DeleteOur Vaccine program is getting off (rather slowly) but for us this is progress. The program follows a pattern no one understands - frontline, immigration, customs, politicians, military then people. We were in the citizens category and for this I am grateful. I am only sorry for the millions yet to get it. We were in the first 500,000.
ReplyDeleteWe are still with the social distancing, hardly going out, masks, sanitizing etc rigorously with strict fines for non compliance. The figures are still at slightly less than previous levels in infection and deaths continue. It is a troubling time for all.
Stay safe and happy.
Politicians and military before citizens? That's frustrating.
DeleteI so know how you are feeling right now. I live in Florida and we are pretty much open for everything too. Our governor seems to be similar in thinking to yours.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy for you that you and your hubby got the first vaccine. I still can't get the vaccine. My husband is a month away from getting his. I have underlying health conditions, but it doesn't really matter since there are no appointments available. Whenever the appointments open up, they are all gone within an hour. So frustrating.
Oh well...comfort reads are the best thing for me, too, right now. Have a great week!
It's easier to get an appointment here, but it's for a sad reason: Lots of people are refusing to get the vaccine. Oh my.
DeleteYay to getting the vaccine soon. I have no idea when it will be my turn. The distribution program has really only just started for us. Having said that, we are down to 5 active cases in our state right now so I guess we are okay to wait.
ReplyDeleteI hope you express your gratitude to your leaders.
DeleteI totally understand your frustration!
ReplyDeleteNeat to see I am the only one crazy here reading 7 books at the same time, lol
I like to keep a lot of balls in the air.
DeleteYes!! So happy about your vaccination!! I hadn't even thought about spring break - yikes! Do you think that was actually the motivating factor, the money from spring breakers despite the pandemic? I am freaking out because Michigan is about halfway open - we had 1200ish new cases yesterday, that are going up. We were under a 1000 a day for a month. I understand we need to reopen though at some point - I think I am just not ready. But the mask mandate still stands.
ReplyDeleteTarka the Otter! I need to read that! Even with the wondrous words. :) Have a good one and stay safe Deb.
The Girl of the Limberlost is another book you'd probably like if you haven't read it.
DeleteI understand the need for comfort reads though I don’t reread, I rewatch.
ReplyDeleteYay for vaccination, our government is being a bit blasé about the roll out since we have had no active local cases for a month so I think I’ll be waiting a while
I haven’t started watching it yet but Belgravia is the next period series on my list
Wishing you a great reading week
I've never been one for rereading either...until the last year.
DeleteUrg! I really despair at some of the wrong-headed, lethal decisions that have been made over the course of the pandemic. But I'm very glad that you will be having your second jab so soon. And glad that you have at least the comfort of your books to enjoy. Have a great week, Deb:)
ReplyDeleteYou are right. I should count my blessings.
DeleteThe otters remind me of Watership Down; was it like that? If so, I'll read it!
ReplyDeleteI had a good week, but it was very busy. I am looking forward to a day of rest today, Sunday.
I always enjoy your Sunday Salon, hon.Thanks for posting it.
I would not say that Tarka the Otter is really a children's book. It's very realistic, and it's written in beautiful language.
DeleteAS soon as I heard the ridiculous news about Texas this week, I wondered what you would say. It is beyond stupid and esp with spring break and almost 8K cases!!!
ReplyDeleteWe are moving into grey lockdown tomorrow, only essential stores have been open, now all others can open at 25% capacity, nothing else is open though, no hair or nail salons. no movies etc. Masks are still mandatory anywhere public. Vaccine schedules are being made with online registration starting March 15, which is fine with me. We will continue to keep a low profile.
I figured other parts of the world think we have lost our minds. Our poor doctors.
DeleteI am glad you are getting your second shot! I got mine on Feb. 3. We're still tightly locked down here, and while it is so frustrating, I don't want us to be like Texas! No offense. One of your elected officials in particular is very annoying. I'm sure you know who.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your books and your week.
No offense taken. I don't want us to be like Texas either.
DeleteAnd I know exactly who you mean. There are plenty to choose from, though. Take a close look at our lieutenant governor if you want to see a Crazy Mess.
Girl of the Limberlost is one of my all time favorite books!
ReplyDeleteIt is such a good story. I'm almost at the nd.
DeleteYou may like 'My fair lady' and also a rendition of Pride and Prejudice which has gender reversals. Those are always so funny.
ReplyDeleteI'm on the lookout for some humor these days.
Deletei feel your pain and frustration. i live in florida. hope you find some great books to give you comfort, smiles and laughs.
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
The governors of Texas and Florida are two peas in a pod, I think.
DeleteI understand your frustration too. The state leaders in Wisconsin have gone to court to block everything our governor has tried to do.
ReplyDeleteWe've had plenty of that, too.
DeleteThat's cute picture of your husband & you! So glad you got the vaccine. Your governor is so wrong. So sorry - I can understand your frustration. Hang in there! Keep up the fight.
ReplyDeleteI keep reminding myself that this, too, will pass.
DeleteYou're getting those vaccines not a moment too soon. Yes, I agree -- that's a terribly ill advised decision and bad timing on top of it. I would be beyond frustrated. Just keep up the masks and distance and avoid the unmasked if you can. I'd like to think we'll get through this together but "together" seems a pretty abstract concept these days!
ReplyDeletePeople here do not take it seriously. Many people already refused to wear masks.
DeleteI feel like the American people have not pulled together, and that saddens me.
Hi Debs! Aaah, I'm sorry to hear things are so tense there with you guys. I'm just as tense and it doesn't have anything to do with Covid. For a change! Work is hectic and my one teacher is off sick (not Covid) and one of my other teacher need to go in for an emergency procedure tomorrow. Difficult to keep all the balls in the air.
ReplyDeleteI need comfort reads and movies and tv series! We started watching All Creatures Great and Small and yes, it is gorgeous!
Hope you will have a wonderful and stress-free week ahead. Don't think I'll be on the blog much!
Lots of Love,
Elza Reads
I think you need comfort reads as much as I do.
DeleteCongratulations on your vaccines! Each step feels like there is hope, doesn't it? Texas seems a bit of a mess these days, when is that Governor of yours up for election?!
ReplyDeleteHe's up for election next year. I'm worried that who might replace him could be worse.
DeleteWhat in the world is the Texas governor thinking?! Of course, here in Florida we never even had a mask mandate and restaurants have been at 100% capacity for ages... sigh. So happy you and your husband got your first doses of the vaccine. My husband is getting his second on Friday. Hope I can get one soon, too.
ReplyDeleteHe's thinking (in our view) that he wants to throw a bone to his fellow party members since he made such a fiasco of the freeze.
DeleteOur leaders are not thinking clearly.
ReplyDeleteThey do not seem to be thinking about the people.
DeleteI'm so sorry about everything that's going on with Texas. Hopefully things will get better! Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteIt makes me feel better just to see people standing up and saying, I will continue to wear a mask.
DeleteI love the Texas funny meme. It was my thought exactly. What is going on with your Governor. And you know that COVID won't stay within Texas borders if there is a surge Too soon! I am moving up The Color of Magic on my reading list. I need Mood-enhancing books!
ReplyDeleteI plan to read as many of the Terry Pratchett books as I can.
DeleteI am so sorry you're going through that there. I saw Abbott's announcement and I was flabbergasted. We have our own Covid deniers and minimizers here too though- it's so frustrating. I love that graphic at the top of the post :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the vaccine! That's awesome. I'm struggling to get my mom onboard- she's been hearing misinformation about it and I've really been struggling to get her away from that. *sigh*
I hope you are well this week!
I have many friends and relatives who refuse to get the vaccine (one is a nurse!)
DeleteSo glad you got your vaccines.. We have a ways to go in California for our age group.
ReplyDeleteTarka the Otter sounds delightful!!!
Texas must be a tense place to live these days. It would almost be enough to get me involved in politics and finding better candidates for political office. Glad to hear that you are almost fully vaccinated. I can't wait for the end of the month for my second shot. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteI was flummoxed by Abbott's decision but, well, I'll have more to say about that next week. I'm glad you and your husband have been vaccinated.
ReplyDeleteThe news about the electric charges from that devastating cold spell has me flummoxed too. The electricity company can't retroactively lower prices because it might have "unintended consequences?" For whom? The CEO and board members' profits? If they could charge reasonable rates before and after the cold snap and still make a profit, why can't they retroactively charge reasonable rates during the cold snap? It makes no sense to me. I hope those $10,000 bills that the news keeps reporting about are extreme rarities. No one can afford that bill on top of everything else during in the pandemic.
I hope your comfort reads take your mind off all the nonsense going on across Texas and the rest of the country.
Enjoy your week!
One of the schools my daughter is considering is in Texas and I have to be honest, the way that state is managed is playing a large role in how we feel about the school.
ReplyDeleteEven over here in NZ I was surprised at how Texas is opening up. Good you are on your way for the vaccine. A quilting USA just had her second one and it knocked her back for a couple of days. Seems to have a bit of a whammy.
ReplyDeleteArkansas leaders are just as bad. Our restaurants are at 100% capacity and hardly anyone wears a mask. On top of that the Governor just signed us up for one of those Stand Your Ground laws AND I think he's signing the "No abortions except to save the life of the mother and no exceptions for rape or incest" laws. I haven't seen any updates lately so don't quote me on that one.
ReplyDeleteI was shocked by the decisions by the heads of two states to open up more. It's frustrating because now you put more of the onus of staying healthy back on the business and the people and that can be a recipe for so much angst and bitterness. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteGlad that you are getting your second shot soon! Almost there!
I know right? I can't believe that right before spring break even let's just toss out the mask mandate. I'm glad some of our local stores in Austin are pushing back but I just think it's ridiculous. Let's hope we don't see more strains developing and we can get more people vaccinated. On another note what did you think of the Makioka Sisters? I read that one so long ago and thought it was so good.
ReplyDelete