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.
Yes, I brought my beautiful red cape to Thanksgiving in Chicago, but it turns out that you were right, Mae, and I needed a little more. Borrowed hats, gloves, scarves, socks, coats, blankets---these were all things we needed in Chicago winter weather. It wasn't snowing when we got there, but the temps hovered near freezing and the winds were gusting up to 60 mph---that's hurricane-force winds, people! The Saturday snowfall set a one-day record for November---8 1/2 inches---and our flight was delayed. The plane had to be de-iced, but we did finally fly out of Chicago. We made it to Dallas at midnight and we had to sleep in the airport where we took a 6 am flight home to Houston.
And, of course, the heat and drought we experienced through November is now gone here in Texas, and we are bundling up in chilly (for us) temps in the 50s and 60s.
What I Read Last Week:
The Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy
What I'm Reading Now*:
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai (fiction)
Saint Francis of Assisi by Demi (nonfiction picture book)
The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrageby Richard Rohr (spirituality)
Dear Writer: Pep Talks and Practical Advice for the Creative Life by Maggie Smith (writing)
The Penguin Book of Haiku edited by Adam L. Kern (poetry)
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf (classic; writing)
Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green (nonfiction)
String Too Short to Be Saved: Recollections of Summers on a New England Farm by Donald Hall (memoir)
Warrior Scarlet by Rosemary Sutcliff (classic; children’s)
Bird Talk: Hilariously Accurate Ways to Identify Birds by the Sounds They Make by Becca Rowland (nature)
Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love by Samin Nosrat (foodie)
A Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare (play)
*I do not plan to finish any of these books until January 1st.
This is the way I trick my mind into thinking that I am starting
I am participating in the 2025 Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon, hosted by Kimberly at Caffeinated Reviewer. The event runs from Wednesday, November 26 to Wednesday, December 17. Read or listen to as many holiday or winter themed books as you wish. Share your progress using #2025HOHOHORAT. Take part in at least one challenge and read two books to be eligible for the grand prize. Link up here to join in the fun.
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:
Jordan loved the Christmas Lambchop we brought him.
Good Thing #2:
We made a Thankful Pumpkin.
Each person wrote down what he/she was thankful for.
Good Thing #3:
What a wonderful Thanksgiving we had with our Chicago family.
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.
I’m so glad you were able to borrow good clothing for Chicago. When we first moved to Michigan people told us there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes. I suspect that when the wind roars off the lake in Chicago, that isn’t even true: it’s really bad weather. Your reading list is impressive. I need to add several of those books to my own list. Thanks for hosting Sunday Salon… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I like that: No such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes. When the wind blows at 60 mph, when 8 1/2 inches of snow drops in one day, as it did last week...that's bad weather.
It’s hard to imagine just how cold it can get in the Midwest (I used to live in KS). Sounds like you a lovely time in spite of it. Sorry you had to deal with travel delays. I thought my list of current books was a bit lengthy. Now I don’t think so. :D I applaud your strategy for getting a great start on 2026 reading! And congrats on completing your book challenges! Jordan is adorable!
8 1/2 inches is a lot of snow at one time. I think we had 3-4, but we had our second snow this week and snow is still on the ground. Sounds like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
It looks like you had a lovely Thanksgiving despite the bitter cold. I’m sorry your flight got delayed and you had to spend the night in the airport. Makes for way too long a travel day.
I am very behind in posting/visiting/emails...you name it. Good to connect here again. Very happy you had a good Thanksgiving visit with family in spite of that cold. Wow. Our son is in Nebraska and he has some snow and it's very cold. We had not thought of visiting during that kind of cold.
Great book choices and I am making my list already for next years possibilities. Thank you much for hosting Sunday Salon.
In sounds like you had a wonderful Thankgsiving in spite of the cold weather. I like that "thankful" pumpkin! When we moved from San Diego to Lincoln (Nebraska), we knew we were in for completely different weather, both in the winter and summer. We loved those early years when we got to discover and enjoy the four seasons, but as we grew older, the thrill of shoveling snow or scraping ice off a windshield in order to go to work lost its appeal. I don't miss the cold or the heat & humidity. Now, I try not to complain about the rain. ;) Good luck with your reading this month. I love your strategy to finish a lot of books in January!
This looks absolutely wonderful (apart from the cold! Chicago always gets nailed. Lake effect and windy city!) At least the extra clothes fit you well! I love the thankful pumpkin idea. And what a great bunch of family fun and photos. And I have to say, that's a mighty impressive reading list!
So glad you had a happy Thanksgiving and wonderful time with family. I'm not a cold weather person. I've been freezing the last week or so here and I live in Alabama which is not known for its cold weather. I'm not sure there are enough layers that would allow me to function in Chicago! Have a wonderful week.
Your Thanksgiving sounds wonderful despite the cold weather and travel adventures. It's been cold here on the CT coast, but luckily no snow yet. I'm hoping to try Sonia and Sunny early next year and will be curious to hear what you think. Great job on your challenges!
What a cute little dog! My dog loves her Lambchops too. She has a huge one like the one in your photo and a smaller one that she can barely get a hold of with her little mouth.
Glad you got to spend time with your Chicago family. I have a cousin and her family there but haven't seen her in a long
You've got a ton of books going and I love your method starting a year off strong! Thanksgiving looks like it was wonderful even if it was FREEZING and you got delayed on the way home. Unfortunately, that feels like the norm these days.
Glad you found lots of time to read in the cold and such a bummer about how long the flight was delayed but grateful you home safe. This week we are expecting rain storms which will cause flooding. Feast or famine about the weather, for sure. My Sunday Salon is really my Best books of 2025 Round Up post. Hope you don't mnd. I've been working on this thing for two weeks solid.
Oh, yes, your red cape would be no match for the Chicago weather! The wind is what makes it especially cold! A long coat is a must! I wear one through most of our winter here even though the cold isn't as bad here in Northern California. That's a tough delay! I'm happy your home safely! Hopefully you were able to get some rest!
I guess you wouldn't really have a need living in Texas, lol! Although, I did visit my daughter in Austin over the winter last year and it was freezing! It was colder than our home with highs in the 20s! I think it was unusually cold and unexpected.
It's odd for me to think of cold being 50's and 60's...we're used to it here so I'm still wearing tshirts in that weather... we just had a 24 degree day so i bundled up for that, lol. (I had a lamb-chop toy as a kid.) https://getlostinlit.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-sunday-post.html
I’m glad you had a lovely time with your family despite the cold. Jordan looks very happy with Lambchop. Congratulations on your challenge successes, I’m still working on mine.
So happy you were able to find cozy winter wear and enjoy your visit. It's snowing where I'm at in Michigan again, and I despise the cold and slick roads :( Way to go on all your challenge successes! I'm part way through a holiday book and plan to finish another for HoHoHoRAT. Just did the holiday book search :)
I'm definitely not a cold weather person and less so the older I get. Not that we don't have some chilly temps in Texas or our area (or yours), but still, nope! Ha! Love the pictures and glad you had a nice Thanksgiving time. Sorry your trip home was a bit complicated. Have a happy, merry week!
Glad you had such a nice Thanksgiving in Chicago ... though the flight home was crazy. Sleeping in the airport, argh! I've had to do that a few places. Jordan is quite a cute dog!
Wonderful to see you enjoying a cozy Thanksgiving, in spite of the outdoor cold and travel woes! Even if you finish some of those books before January 1, you'll still be starting the year strong with even a few of them. I found The Tears of Things really interesting, and I'd love to read more Rosemary Sutcliff. Happy reading.
Sound very cold, and that Chicago wind makes me shiver thinking about it. Sounds like you still had a fun time. Great photos! Congratulations on all your challenges, Deb. Enjoy your week.
I was wondering if the snow impacted your travel plans. It looks like it was a nice holiday though. You have an intriguing assortment of books on the go. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
Many years ago I was in Chicago in the snow and was lucky to get out of the airport. Cold! I have The Tears of Things by Richard Rohr, I am finding it a little difficult to get into it this time, so need to have another go and it with more intention. Generally I love his books.
Congratulations on successfully completing all your reading challenges in 2025! I've been taking forever to finish reading a book this year. Thank goodness for audiobooks! I haven't read any of the books you're currently reading, but I'm going to add Good Things and Dear Writer to my TBR for 2026.
Hm... We live near the sea and that's wonderful a lot of the time, but the wind often blows hard over the water and while it doesn't freeze, it's a lazy wind - it goes right through you instead of bothering to go around... So it feels bitterly cold. Sorry you got caught out in Chicago weatherwise - and glad you're back to more civilised temperatures! Though it's always a treat to catch up with family. I love the idea of the thanksgiving pumpkin:). I hope you're having a great week, Deb.
Chicago gets cold with those winds off the lake. We have also had a lot of snow here in Southern Ontario and a lot colder temperatures than normal. I am also participating in the HO Ho Ho Readathon. I really enjoy the challenges. I love your cute doggy, Deb.
I would not have the first clue how to dress for that kind of weather. I'm glad you were able to borrow everything you needed and it looks like a very nice Thanksgiving was had by all.
I’m so glad you were able to borrow good clothing for Chicago. When we first moved to Michigan people told us there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes. I suspect that when the wind roars off the lake in Chicago, that isn’t even true: it’s really bad weather.
ReplyDeleteYour reading list is impressive. I need to add several of those books to my own list.
Thanks for hosting Sunday Salon… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I like that: No such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes. When the wind blows at 60 mph, when 8 1/2 inches of snow drops in one day, as it did last week...that's bad weather.
DeleteI love ❤️ your reading list, Deb. In that group of books, the Bird 🐦 Talk one intrigues me the most.
ReplyDeleteI'd doing a combination read/listen to that one.
DeleteIt’s hard to imagine just how cold it can get in the Midwest (I used to live in KS). Sounds like you a lovely time in spite of it. Sorry you had to deal with travel delays. I thought my list of current books was a bit lengthy. Now I don’t think so. :D I applaud your strategy for getting a great start on 2026 reading! And congrats on completing your book challenges! Jordan is adorable!
ReplyDelete8 1/2 inches is a lot of snow at one time. I think we had 3-4, but we had our second snow this week and snow is still on the ground. Sounds like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteI love all the happy faces at your Thanksgiving dinner table. Chicago people and city are among my favorite things.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting both of my blogs here, though they have the same post this week.
ReplyDeleteOf course!
DeleteIt looks like you had a lovely Thanksgiving despite the bitter cold. I’m sorry your flight got delayed and you had to spend the night in the airport. Makes for way too long a travel day.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on completing all your reading challenges!
ReplyDeleteI am very behind in posting/visiting/emails...you name it. Good to connect here again. Very happy you had a good Thanksgiving visit with family in spite of that cold. Wow. Our son is in Nebraska and he has some snow and it's very cold. We had not thought of visiting during that kind of cold.
ReplyDeleteGreat book choices and I am making my list already for next years possibilities. Thank you much for hosting Sunday Salon.
In sounds like you had a wonderful Thankgsiving in spite of the cold weather. I like that "thankful" pumpkin! When we moved from San Diego to Lincoln (Nebraska), we knew we were in for completely different weather, both in the winter and summer. We loved those early years when we got to discover and enjoy the four seasons, but as we grew older, the thrill of shoveling snow or scraping ice off a windshield in order to go to work lost its appeal. I don't miss the cold or the heat & humidity. Now, I try not to complain about the rain. ;) Good luck with your reading this month. I love your strategy to finish a lot of books in January!
ReplyDeleteThis looks absolutely wonderful (apart from the cold! Chicago always gets nailed. Lake effect and windy city!) At least the extra clothes fit you well! I love the thankful pumpkin idea. And what a great bunch of family fun and photos. And I have to say, that's a mighty impressive reading list!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you had a happy Thanksgiving and wonderful time with family. I'm not a cold weather person. I've been freezing the last week or so here and I live in Alabama which is not known for its cold weather. I'm not sure there are enough layers that would allow me to function in Chicago! Have a wonderful week.
ReplyDeleteHa! Me either! My husband and I decided we are not Chicago-winter-material.
DeleteYour Thanksgiving sounds wonderful despite the cold weather and travel adventures. It's been cold here on the CT coast, but luckily no snow yet. I'm hoping to try Sonia and Sunny early next year and will be curious to hear what you think. Great job on your challenges!
ReplyDeleteSounds like Chicago really laid it on for you! 8 1/2 inches of snow in a day in November is pretty bad even for Chicago.
ReplyDeleteThat cover on the Penguin haiku book is great.
Congrats on completing all of your reading challenges -- yay!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that you survived the Chicago snow and wind while still finding Good Things during your Thanksgiving.
What a cute little dog! My dog loves her Lambchops too. She has a huge one like the one in your photo and a smaller one that she can barely get a hold of with her little mouth.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got to spend time with your Chicago family. I have a cousin and her family there but haven't seen her in a long
Jordan is adorable. Loved the pictures.
ReplyDeleteHooray for visiting family and reading so many great books!
ReplyDeleteYou've got a ton of books going and I love your method starting a year off strong! Thanksgiving looks like it was wonderful even if it was FREEZING and you got delayed on the way home. Unfortunately, that feels like the norm these days.
ReplyDeleteGlad you found lots of time to read in the cold and such a bummer about how long the flight was delayed but grateful you home safe. This week we are expecting rain storms which will cause flooding. Feast or famine about the weather, for sure. My Sunday Salon is really my Best books of 2025 Round Up post. Hope you don't mnd. I've been working on this thing for two weeks solid.
ReplyDeleteI loved all the work you put into it.
DeleteOh, yes, your red cape would be no match for the Chicago weather! The wind is what makes it especially cold! A long coat is a must! I wear one through most of our winter here even though the cold isn't as bad here in Northern California. That's a tough delay! I'm happy your home safely! Hopefully you were able to get some rest!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry you got caught in the winter weather up here. I love the idea of a thankful pumpkin!
DeleteEnjoy your warm weather and have a great week!
I don't actually have a long coat or even a short coat. lol
DeleteI guess you wouldn't really have a need living in Texas, lol! Although, I did visit my daughter in Austin over the winter last year and it was freezing! It was colder than our home with highs in the 20s! I think it was unusually cold and unexpected.
DeleteIt's odd for me to think of cold being 50's and 60's...we're used to it here so I'm still wearing tshirts in that weather... we just had a 24 degree day so i bundled up for that, lol. (I had a lamb-chop toy as a kid.)
ReplyDeletehttps://getlostinlit.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-sunday-post.html
I’m glad you had a lovely time with your family despite the cold. Jordan looks very happy with Lambchop.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your challenge successes, I’m still working on mine.
Wishing you a wonderful reading week
So happy you were able to find cozy winter wear and enjoy your visit. It's snowing where I'm at in Michigan again, and I despise the cold and slick roads :( Way to go on all your challenge successes! I'm part way through a holiday book and plan to finish another for HoHoHoRAT. Just did the holiday book search :)
ReplyDeleteWow, aanother holiday read to add to my list and what a nice family photo
ReplyDeleteOoof- The midwest weather definetly wasn't kind during your trip. Hope you have a good week!
ReplyDeleteI love your eclectic reading list. I need to open mine up a lot more! I had a great Thanksgiving as well, unfortunately no one took any pictures:(
ReplyDeleteYour books look so good. The weather sounds so cold. I hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely not a cold weather person and less so the older I get. Not that we don't have some chilly temps in Texas or our area (or yours), but still, nope! Ha! Love the pictures and glad you had a nice Thanksgiving time. Sorry your trip home was a bit complicated. Have a happy, merry week!
ReplyDeleteah ah, none of the 8 inches had time to melt, and we got an extra 3 today.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are back in the South!
Oh oh the Penguin book of Haikus!
Oh my!
DeleteGlad you had such a nice Thanksgiving in Chicago ... though the flight home was crazy. Sleeping in the airport, argh! I've had to do that a few places. Jordan is quite a cute dog!
ReplyDeleteWonderful to see you enjoying a cozy Thanksgiving, in spite of the outdoor cold and travel woes! Even if you finish some of those books before January 1, you'll still be starting the year strong with even a few of them. I found The Tears of Things really interesting, and I'd love to read more Rosemary Sutcliff. Happy reading.
ReplyDeleteRichard Rohr is a favorite of mine.
DeleteNice looking family. Looks like a good time was had by all.
ReplyDeleteI do not think I could take those Chicago temps and snow! Glad you had such a wonderful time! And congrats on finishing all your challenges too!
ReplyDeleteI don't know how Ben and Lisa do it!
DeleteSound very cold, and that Chicago wind makes me shiver thinking about it. Sounds like you still had a fun time. Great photos! Congratulations on all your challenges, Deb. Enjoy your week.
ReplyDeletehttps://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2025/12/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-and.html
That's a lot of books to keep track off. I'm impressed by your reading prowess! I'm currently reading Winter People, which is a ghost story.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeleteI was wondering if the snow impacted your travel plans. It looks like it was a nice holiday though. You have an intriguing assortment of books on the go. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteMany years ago I was in Chicago in the snow and was lucky to get out of the airport. Cold! I have The Tears of Things by Richard Rohr, I am finding it a little difficult to get into it this time, so need to have another go and it with more intention. Generally I love his books.
ReplyDeleteI am listening to the audio of The Tears of Things.
DeleteCongratulations on successfully completing all your reading challenges in 2025! I've been taking forever to finish reading a book this year. Thank goodness for audiobooks!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of the books you're currently reading, but I'm going to add Good Things and Dear Writer to my TBR for 2026.
Beautiful blog
ReplyDeleteHm... We live near the sea and that's wonderful a lot of the time, but the wind often blows hard over the water and while it doesn't freeze, it's a lazy wind - it goes right through you instead of bothering to go around... So it feels bitterly cold. Sorry you got caught out in Chicago weatherwise - and glad you're back to more civilised temperatures! Though it's always a treat to catch up with family. I love the idea of the thanksgiving pumpkin:). I hope you're having a great week, Deb.
ReplyDeletei think the John Green book will be interesting. I keep reading that so-and-so died of tuberculosis. Who knew?
ReplyDeleteI had no idea.
DeleteChicago gets cold with those winds off the lake. We have also had a lot of snow here in Southern Ontario and a lot colder temperatures than normal. I am also participating in the HO Ho Ho Readathon. I really enjoy the challenges. I love your cute doggy, Deb.
ReplyDeleteI would not have the first clue how to dress for that kind of weather. I'm glad you were able to borrow everything you needed and it looks like a very nice Thanksgiving was had by all.
ReplyDelete