Hello everyone. I know a lot of you know I shared some big news here last week. My mom is holding her own, and has good days interspersed with not so good ones. I am trying to keep going with my normal life where and when I can but it feels wrong. I am sure it is good for my mental health though so I am going to keep on trying.
The Books:
The Breakdown: In June I read 6 books of many different genres. Two books themselves were multiple genres somehow! I read one true crime, two middle grade, one cozy mystery, and then one that is categorized as thriller/satire/contemporary fiction, and another that is fantasy/science fiction/litrpg/comedy horror. They were set in the Catskills at at a resort in the 1950s, Ohio, Ireland, Idaho, and Seattle/Dungeon. I added to one challenge, the nonfiction challenge from Shelleyrae at Book’d Out, and read 1,821 pages.
My favorite of the month – surprise, surprise, Dungeon Crawler Carl! I absolutely loved him, and of course Princess Donut. I can’t get enough of Princess Donut, she is awesome. I will probably start the second in the series in August.
The Screens:
We are revisiting old favorites from our childhood this summer! We wanted Wyatt to see some of them, and it has been so fun. The big winner of movie of the month here for Wyatt was The Sandlot, and for me it is a toss up between The Sandlot and The Sheep Detectives. I am going to agree with Marg, this was a case of the movie being better than the book! I though the book was kind of mid, but the movie is so cozy and cute. I do love sheep though.
The Sandlot is just such a wholesome summer movie. Baseball, carnivals, riding bikes, playing all day with your friends, and also now Wyatt has a frame of reference for when I say “You’re killing me Smalls!”
As for television, we watched Widow’s Bay, which we absolutely loved!! I didn’t want it to end. Patricia is probably one of my all time favorite characters in a tv show now. She is awesome. She is like an awkward badass and I love her.
A Good Book and a Cup of Tea favorites:
I am cohosts with Lisa at Boondock Ramblings and Cat at Cat’s Wire, of the linkup A Good Book and a Cup of Tea for all things books -not just books read or reviews, but bookstore visits or author visits or whatever else bookish you can think of!
We have decided we will be featuring our favorite posts from the month here. I do read all the posts even if I don’t comment. I only like to comment from my actual laptop and not from my phone, which is a problem sometimes when I read the post on my phone. ( I am working on more time to read and comment though. )
Dark Shelf of Wonders shares some fantastic looking books for July!!
I also enjoyed my co-host Lisa’s post about the ten mysteries she would like to read this summer.
I loved Marg’s review of Hot Chocolate on Thursday over at Intrepid Reader and Baker.
And for some non-book related faves this month….
All the moments with my mom
picnics
cat cuddles
graduation parties
summer reading on the library porch
nights with fireflies and blackberry bread
And that is it from me today. Peace and love to all of you.
Thanks for sharing about your dear mom. I know you are a great comfort for her…but it’s all so difficult.💔
Thank you Carol.
Stay strong, Erin, but don’t forget yourself over it. It may feel wrong, but I’m sure your Mom wouldn’t see it like that. I wish you the best.
Thank you Cat. And you are right, I don’t think she would either.
I’m glad your mom is holding her own right now. Guilt is such an insidious thing, isn’t it? But, the moments you are not with her are as important as those you share with her. They give you stories to tell her. I’ve been reading books by Robert something Peck and like them. I’ve found I prefer Richard Peck, though. I promise I will write a book report for y’all!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Ugh it is. It creeps in on these moments. I remembered what you said here yesterday when I went to visit and told her all about what we have been doing.
Robert Newton Peck! I remember reading A Day No Pigs Would Die as a kid and being so moved by it, and my dad actually read it too while it was at the house. We talked about what a powerful book it was. I absolutely can’t read it again at this time, but it was so well done and even little me knew that.
The Sheep Detectives was delightful!
It really was!
I missed the announcement since I’ve been MIA for over a week. I hope you are okay! <3 I'm so glad you loved Dungeon Crawler Carl though!!!
I am hanging in there! Thank you. 🙂
I loved it!!!
Gosh I can’t remember the last time I saw Now and Then! I love those photos wrapping up your month… especially the one of you and your mom’s hands. That is so sweet & so precious.
Thank you Joanne.
I love Now and Then!! It’s a good one to rewatch. 🙂
You’ve had a productive reading month. I have Three Bags Full on my pile. LOVED the movie!I love sheep too!
I loved the movie too!! The book was well written but it is not as fun as the movie. 🙂
Great post. I was going to echo some sentiments about taking care of you as well. That said, I know it’s hard when you are thinking about your mom and the situation.
Are the sheep detectives about talking sheep? I mean, are sheep featured but there are real life actors? the Sandlot is an absolute classic!
Thank you Tina. Yes, it is. It feels like how can I just be doing these other things while all this is happening with my mom? It feels just wrong. But I know I need to keep doing things too.
And it is like the movie Babe. The sheep are animated (?) and there are also human actors.
I’m glad you are able to have so much time with your mom but also find breaks in between. Looks like a fun variety of books and shows too.
BTW….that show Murder Most Puzzling threw me when you said I recommended it because when they put it on PBS they called it The Puzzle Lady. I don’t know why they changed the name. I need to get back to that one at some point.
I am trying. Lol.
Oh wow! I sort of like The Puzzle Lady better as a name.
I missed your earlier post but I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. I hope she has more good days than bad days and is relatively pain-free. I just lost another one of my cats this past week and I’ve been processing my feelings about that too while watching my one remaining cat to make sure she’s okay and not lonely from missing her companion. Life goes on even though it feels weird without them. I think it’s good that you’re keeping up with normal life, I’m trying to as well. I’ll be thinking of you and your family.
Haze
https://thebookhaze.com/
Thank you Haze. She is pretty pain free. I authorized the use of comfort drugs so she when she does have pain they give her some pretty big guns.
It is so hard to lose our loved ones, furry or not. I am so sorry about your cat. 🙁 I would not be making it through this without the comfort of mine. The first few days after I got the news I would lay down and all three would lay on top of me. Lol. They knew something was going on.
I hope your other kitty is doing ok. I will be thinking of you guys.
I’m new to the link up–I’m sorry to hear about your mom. As I am also going through it with my mom, I feel for you. This is the part of life no one prepares us for.
Thanks for the link up–I read Yesteryear as well.
I am so sorry to hear that you are also going through this with your mom. It is so hard.
Glad to hear The Sheep Detectives movie is even better than the book!
Cat cuddles and porches and picnics and fireflies and tomatoes and all the good things – I hope you’re inundated and surrounded by the small joys, friend <3
It really was a cute little movie.
Thank you Rebecca. 🙂
I’m sorry to hear the bad news about your mom, I’m sending you lots of love and strength.
The League of Lady Poisoners sounds intriguing, I need to look it up! I remember loving Now and Then when I was little, what a great movie! And I really want to watch the Sheep Detectives. Thanks so very much for sharing my post in your wrap-up! 🥰
Thank you Veros.
The League of Lady Poisoners was really interesting! Some of it was a tough read, like I said so many killed their children (although the book doesn’t go into detail or anything about it) and it was just so shocking and horrid.
I loved Now and Then too! We are having a great time revisiting all of these nostalgic movies from childhood.
Just saw your post about your mom. I’m sorry to hear it. It’s so hard. I have always joked around with my mom and used to with my stepdad about how I would sign every card as their “favorite daughter” when I was the only one, lol. I love that you’re still able to do that with your mom. I know it’s nowhere the same thing, but I’m feeling like my dogs are getting older and finding out one of them has an enlarged heart and could go to sleep and have a heart attack and just not wake up at any time, the younger one that I thought I had more time with. I feel bad if I’m not constantly holding them or doing something with them, but I know I can’t let myself feel that way. Anyway, all this just to say I kind of get what you’re feeling. And I can’t imagine when my mom goes either, and with spending time with her like I have been since my stepdad passed, I’m so worried about her as well. I’m glad you really liked Dungeon Crawler Carl. I am so hooked on the books too! Here’s hoping July has some good moments like you’ve had with Wyatt and more good ones with your mom too.
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/2026/07/01/the-looooong-and-the-short-of-it-june-2026-wrap-up-post-and-looking-forward-to-july/
That poor woman, I have teased her forever and still can’t help it. Lol. I asked her the other day what it was like being at the signing of the Declaration. She always makes this amused but pretending to be upset face at me. Lol.
All loss is hard. 🙁 I am sorry to hear about your dog. I had a dog with an enlarged heart as well. Her name was Molly. And it is hard when you know, know, that time is limited and finite. We all know that on some level but it is different when we are all of a sudden confronted with it in a very real way. 🙁
Thank you Lisa.
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Cat cuddles are so cute although Willa has worked out how fans work and when it’s hot in the night she gets between me and my fan, pressing herself all along me all furry and too warm! Echoing what others have said, don’t feel guilty for keeping on with your life and things that comfort you and you need to do. It always feels weird at these sorts of times when the world is going along just the same, but it’s a common feeling (cf. the poem “Stop all the clocks” which immediately came to mind, though that’s one about when someone has passed). Look after yourself, too, won’t you?
Lol!! Cats are definitely about their comfort!!
I am struggling with it, doing regular life things, things I enjoy. But I am trying and when I do go I want to just stay. It’s hard to leave but then I think of Wyatt and Billy at home waiting and know I am needed there too. Someone told me to think of the time away from her as stories to tell her when I see her ( I think it was Marsha) and so I have been doing that and it is helping.
Oh man. I remember that poem. It is such a good one, and so very true. Like how can all this be happening around us when our loved one is gone?
And I will. Thank you Liz.