Saturday, September 25, 2021

We Have a Fabulous Time in Chicago!

 




What a joy it was to be with our son, Ben, and his wife, Lisa, for Lisa's birthday last weekend in Chicago! We have missed seeing them so much over the course of the pandemic, and we eagerly spent our time together catching each other up on all the things we've been doing since we were last together. Chicago weather was fabulous, with just a hint of fall in the air, and we loved talking with Ben and Lisa and Lisa's parents, who live in Chicago, too, and we had a great time meeting Ben and Lisa's new puppy, Jordan. Fingers crossed will we get together again at Christmastime.








What I Read

The Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

(Young Readers Edition) by Anton Treuer  ⭐⭐⭐⭐




What I Am Reading

The Gastronomical Me by M.F.K. Fisher (Food Nonfiction)
Saint Francis of Assisi by G. K. Chesterton (Spirituality)
The Art of Eating by M.F.K. Fisher (Food Nonfiction)
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens (Classic)
The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson (Fiction)







I posted my list of Books I Hope to Read This Fall. Happily, I've already read two of the books on my list. I am always glad to hear more recommendations, so please share away.



I read and reviewed The Hands On French Cookbook: Connect with French through Simple, Healthy Cooking also last week. The Hands On French Cookbook combines learning French with cooking French food. Pretty intriguing, right?


The 2021 Cybils judges have been announced!
Congratulations to all who were chosen to judge this year.
I hope you will all consider nominating your favorite children's and YA books from 2021.
Nominations open on October 1.









2021's Happiest States in America










Good Thing #1
Ben and Lisa in Chicago!



Good Thing #2
Their new puppy, Jordan.



Good Thing #3
All of us together in Chicago!





I'm happy you joined us here at the Sunday Salon. Sunday Salon is a place 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. 


63 comments:

  1. Looks like you had a fabulous time in Chicago! How fun to finally get together with Ben and Lisa and to be able to celebrate a birthday as well. My reading has slowed down a bit since I've discovered 2 good TV shows to watch this past week.

    I am excited to be a CYBILS judge again!

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    Replies
    1. It was great to get to celebrate Lisa's birthday in person this year.

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  2. I'm so glad you could go to Chicago and see your family. Boy, those visits are all the more precious after being delayed for so long. (Even when it isn't much longer than it might be otherwise, due to distance and all, it SEEEMS more important and more precious. I'm looking forward to seeing my cousins at a wedding in a couple of weeks -- I haven't seen them for at least two years, and some, three.)

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  3. I have been to Chicago years ago to work at the university on an installation, thought it was a great place especially the science museum I went round, I even went up the John Hancock tower. I love your coffee mug

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  4. 🤔 I sense a theme in your good things, Deb. 😉 If you have Hulu, I know a show you might like. It's called Alice in Paris. It follows fictional character Alice as she visits real restaurants in Paris. I think you would like. You might find elsewhere too. It's worth seeking out.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the recommendation, Bryan! I always get the best recommendations from my blogging friends.

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  5. What lovely pictures from your visit and that map showing the happiest states is very interesting. Not really surprising on the whole, but interesting.

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    Replies
    1. Wish the people who run things were more concerned with their citizens' happiness.

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  6. Glad to hear Chicago did you right!

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  7. What lovely pics of your Chicago family. Everyone looks so happy.

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  8. Finally visiting family is one of the great things about the end of the pandemic. Now I just hope it's really ended!

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. I can't think of anything I am hoping for more than that.

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  9. Replies
    1. One of these days I hope we will get to meet up again in Chicago, Emma.

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  10. I'm so glad you had a wonderful time with your son and daughter-in-law! Those times are so precious.

    The happiest states study is really interesting.

    Have a great weekend!

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  11. I'm so glad to hear you had such a great trip to Chicago. It's important to be able to have some family time. Have a great week!

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  12. I'm glad you had such a great time with your family!

    I had fun poking around the happiest states map. I was a bit surprised that so many northern Midwest states were ranked so high. I guess they like the winter better than I do!

    Enjoy your week!

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    Replies
    1. I think the northern Midwest states offer something others do not.

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  13. Glad you were able to meet up with family! Jordan is a cutie, looks like such a good puppy!
    Have a great week!

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  14. I should check out that French cookbook. I love to cook and I've been learning French. I'm glad you were able to get together with family.

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  15. Looks like a fun get together. And the closest I got to French is something croissants this weekend, although I've been thinking of more macaroons.

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  16. I don't think there is anything that can beat just spending time with family. Fingers crossed for a christmas meet up. Have a great week and happy reading!

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  17. Hi dearest Debbie! It sounds as if you are having a wonderful time with your family! I wonder if Elza and Jordan would get along? Both seem as if they know they are the most important thing in the world...!

    Enjoy your week, I might not get to a Wondrous Words Wednesday this week, but will let you know later tomorrow what the final plans for blog migration will be.

    Lots of love,

    Elza Reads

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I understand completely, Mareli. I do have a WWW post ready to go.

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  18. Aww, look at the puppy! How cute. I'm glad you're having a good time with your family.

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  19. How fun that you were able to spend such a great time in Chicago and fingers crossed you get to spend the upcoming holidays together again! And, that puppy - so cute!

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  20. Aww that's wonderful you were able to spend time with your son and his wife. How nice. And yes it is feeling very fall- ish around here lol (we're not in Chicago but southwest Michigan, so not too far away).

    I love the look of that French cookbook.

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  21. I am so happy you had a great time in Chicago. It must have been hard to leave.

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    Replies
    1. I just kept thinking that I would be seeing everyone in a few months at Christmas.

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  22. Looks like you had a nice time with your family.

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  23. Wow that's terrific you had such a great family trip. Their new puppy looks very cute too. Who knew that Utah would be the happiest state of all. Hmm.

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    Replies
    1. I'd love to know what are the things that make Utah the happiest.

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  24. I’m glad you had such a wonderful time in Chicago!
    The Firekeepers Daughter really seems to be very popular with a wide cross section of readers.

    Wishing you a great reading week

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  25. What a great picture! I hope Lisa had a very happy birthday and I'm sure you all enjoyed your trip! And their new puppy is adorable. I hope you have a wonderful week!

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  26. Nice to see family reunions. So full of joy.

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  27. I am so glad that you enjoyed your trip! It must have been wonderful to get together again!!

    I am so happy that you liked Firekeeper's Daughter too! I am definitely adding the Treuer book to my TBR.

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  28. Looks like you had a great Chicago trip!

    Here is my link:
    https://twogirlsandtheirbookishlife.blogspot.com/2021/09/its-monday-what-are-you-reading_27.html

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  29. I'm glad you had a great time in Chicago! I really enjoyed Firekeeper's Daughter. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  30. Glad you had a great time in Chicago! Time with family is a blessing. I want to read The Last Chance Library as well, it's on my TBR list. I hope you enjoy it. My link is here if you'd like to stop by: https://cindysbookcorner.blogspot.com/2021/09/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-4.html

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  31. I have the Firekeeper's Daughter since,well a long time now on my reading list. I do need to get to it soon. And your three good things are fabulous - always wonderful to be with loved ones..

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  32. Oh Chicago trip and visit sounds perfect. Great to see the 5 stars beside The FireKeepers Daughter. It's a keeper for me.

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  33. What a beautiful family!

    Lovely photos from your visit, Deb.

    Happy Tuesday!

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  34. Great week for you! Thanks for sharing, and enjoy the upcoming week. Here are my WEEKLY UPDATES

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  35. Glad you had such a wonderful trip!

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  36. I can just hear the joy in your "voice" about your visit to see your son and daughter-in-law. I'm so happy for you that you were able to make that trip to Chicago. Jordan looks like a sweet pup! We're missing our daughter (whom we haven't seen in 2 years!) and hope we get to see her and her husband sometime soon.

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