Saturday, July 5, 2025

The Sunday Salon: Maigret and A Tale of Two Cities (Sigh) and Oh, Those Fresh Eggs

 




Welcome! I am delighted that you joined us here at the 
Sunday Salon

What is the Sunday Salon? 

The Sunday Salon is a place to link up and share what we have been doing during the week. It's also a great opportunity to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. 






Take-home treats from the first birthday party of my great-nephew, Jack.
The cookie and cake were made by Jack's aunt and the photography on the magnet was done by Jack's mom.


Another busy week filled with swimming and writing and guitar lessons (!) and baking and visiting with those in a crochet club and eating with friends and, of course, reading---enjoying the moment.





What I Read Last Week:


The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh (Fiction)

James by Percival Everett (Slow Re-read for Book Clubs)






What I'm Reading Now:

A Tale of Two Cities (Annotated) by Charles Dickens (If at first you don't succeed...)

A Tale of Two Cities (Illustrated and Highly Abridged) by Charles Dickens

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry (Chapter-a-Day; 54%)

A Little History of the World by E. H. Gombrich (Audiobook)

Claudine: A Fairy Tale for Exceptional Grownups by Marian Grudko and T. A. Young (Paris in July)

A Bakery in Paris by Aimee K. Runyon (Paris in July; Cook the Books)

The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot








What I Posted Last Week Here at Readerbuzz:

James by Percival Everett: Book Beginnings on Fridays, First Line Friday, The Friday 56, and Book Blogger Hop






Paris in July has begun. I'm celebrating being in Paris this July by reading some books set in Paris, watching Maigret (1992) on BritBox, and practicing my French on Duolingo (oh-so-slowly...it took me eleven minutes to complete a single lesson today).  The first book I've read for Paris in July is Remembering Paris written by Denis Tillinac and illustrated with work by AndrĂ© Renoux. 




I began to list 3 Good Things every day during the pandemic. Now I've established a regular routine of writing down my 3 Good Things. Here are 3 Good Things from last week:


Good Thing #1:

Oh, these delicious fresh eggs from family in East Texas.
I do not have words for how good they are.



Good Thing #2:

My Aunt Karen is the Queen of Bags,
and when she heard I did not have a tote for my new iPad,
she made me this magnificent iPad case, 
complete with my favorite colors and creatures (butterflies) and a bookworm zipper pull
.


Good Thing #3:

Aqua Zumba class 
is delightful on these hot summer days.



How was your week? 
I hope you will link up with a post or two,
and share what you have been up to.



Weekend linkup spots are listed below. Click on the picture to visit the site.

        

I hope you will join the linkup for Sunday Salon below.


27 comments:

  1. Your new case for the iPad looks very pretty. The one I have (from the Apple Store) is practical but all white, also incorporating the keyboard.
    I remember reading Tale of Two Cities in seventh grade: back then it was the standard curriculum for that grade. I've reread it a couple of times since then, and I wish you good luck.
    Lucky you to have a source of fresh eggs.
    Thanks for hosting Sunday Salon... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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  2. I miss learning Spanish on Duolingo! Sadly, I stopped using it because I have other priorities. Good luck with your lessons!

    https://embracethepandemonium.wordpress.com/

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  3. I am amazed that you can have seven books on the go at the same time!

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  4. That's funny. I loved A Tale of Two Cities. The first sentence still sticks in my mind. We had to precis every chapter in high school. Another thing they don't teach anymore.

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  5. Oh to be able to sew that well! It’s a lovely new jacket for your ipad. Have a lovely weekend!

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  6. Great tablet case, what a lovely gift. I understand about the fresh eggs. Once we started getting them with those nice orangey yolks the taste was so good, can't go back to the tiny white eggs.
    I've started my list for Paris in July and hope to post about it this week. Fantastic reading list you have.

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  7. Like David, I can only marvel at your ability to read more than one book at a time. I stick to one, with the occasional exception of reading a fiction and a nonfiction at the same time. And, oh, those beautiful eggs! Makes me wish we were still keeping chickens.

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  8. Any type of water aerobics sounds great for this time of year! I love your new ipad cover, it's very pretty. Have a great week!

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  9. We enjoyed watching Maigret a few months ago. I wish there were more season! Nothing better than farm-fresh eggs. The yolks are always so beautiful! My week has been wonderful. Lots of sunshine and warm-ish temps. I'm learning how to play the American version of Mah Jong, which is much more challenging than the Chinese version, which I learned when I was about 8 years old, I think. I look the mental challenge, though.

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  10. I wish many happy returns of the day to your great-nephew, Jack!

    Good luck, also, with a Tale of Two Cities. Some things by Dickens I can read over and over at the drop of a hat, and some, well, may you succeed where I don't even try.

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  11. I rarely read poetry but decided to get a copy of The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley after seeing it here and checking it out.

    My son and daughter in law used Duolingo to learn Japanese for when they go to Japan. I got it to learn Spanish. I went to Mexico in 2017 for my birthday

    My habit is buying purses and pens, I have WAY too many of both.

    That's a cute iPad case!
    I hope you have a great week!

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  12. You had a busy week. Those zumba classes look like fun. Enjoy your books and have a great week!

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  13. That iPad case is PERFECT for you! I love that it has a bookworm pull, although I don't think I can see it in the photo? And you are so right about a farm-fresh egg. Nothing like it.

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  14. What a fun week! Guitar lessons, cool water in the pool, and crochet ladies
    I wish I was there with you.
    Try to stay cool this and have some more fun.

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  15. Sounds like you had a great week! I am so far behind on my 20 Books of Summer Challenge that I won't have time for Paris in July this year. Sounds like you have been immersing yourself though!

    I do like a fresh egg. There is something so different about them. Worrying really đŸ˜‚

    Have a great weekend!

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  16. Fresh eggs are sooo good. I couldn't stand a Tale of Two Cities, but I hope you enjoy it.

    https://getlostinlit.blogspot.com/2025/07/the-sunday-post.html

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  17. That pirate cookie is too adorable! I keep meaning to take pictures to post of my new cross-stitch bag from my mom. Your iPad will be snug as a bug in a rug in that beauty bag from your aunt!

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  18. Someday I really must try to read A Tale of Two Cities... maybe I'll do it via Serial Reader or something!

    Sounds like you've had a busy week, I don't know how you fit it all in!

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  19. I liked the poetry book and James that you read this week. I hope that I get to read more again now that my parents are 90% moved into their new apartment.

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  20. I've always wanted to go to Paris. It looks amazing. I hope you enjoy your Paris inspired books.

    https://stuckinbooks.com/2025/07/05/stacking-the-shelves-7-5-25/

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  21. That Aqua Zumba class looks so fun!

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  22. I couldn't even get into Isadora Bentley. Waaaay too much info right at the beginning and waaaay too much internal dialogue!

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  23. What a nice Ipad case, that was nice. The cake looks so good. I am glad the fresh eggs are good.

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  24. Aqua Zumba sounds like the perfect class for summer! Those eggs are so pretty! Have a wonderful week, Deb!

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  25. That bag your aunt made is so pretty and useful as well!! I need to put a hold on James and get to it

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