Sunday Salon: March 25, 2018

My life in books: 

• The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater--amazing YA non-fiction award winner
• The Longest Silence by Debra Webb--really good adult mystery
• Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson--incredible YA award winner

 

• Americanized by Sara Saedi--YA memoir
• One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus--a good YA novel

  

Challenges progress:

• Non-fiction--My goal is 20 books and I've read 18 already!
• Literary Voyage around the world--Read books set in as many countries as possible. I have read in 11 countries so far.
• Literary Escapes--Track the US states. I have read books set in 13 states so far and in the past weeks added Oregon.
• Read all of the ALA YA Award Winners--I have already read 5 of these winners.
• Motif Reading Challenge--I have done this each month so far. For March the motif was "Travel the World" and I read a book about a plane trip.

My life outside books:

Working:
I am loving my job right now! That feels so good to say because a year ago I wasn't sure I had made the right move. Yay! And we've just started spring break this week so I am relaxed, but will use a bunch of the week to work on fixing the course I will teach this summer.

Oh, and the first day back after break I am in charge of a professional development day for all of our social studies teachers so I'll definitely be finalizing those plans!

Family:
More rain. We are so desperate for it, but each time we get some now there are evacuations. There was a major storm mid-week here (6 inches of rain total and up to half an inch an hour at times) so the evacuation warnings were fast and furious. I didn't evacuate even though my house is in the mandatory evacuation zone. We are right on the edge and are totally safe, the concern for our neighborhood is loss of utilities and being in the way of first responders. So, I stay out of the way and hope for the best.

My dad had cataract surgery this week; it's amazing how "easy" it is these days. He is getting the second one done this coming week so I am glad I am on spring break and can help out before, during, and after.

I did go the March for Our Lives yesterday. I think there were probably a couple thousand people in attendance; it always feels good to be surrounded by people who feel the way I do about an issue.

And I had a wonderful surprise yesterday! I have a friend that I have known since pre-school who is an amazing quilter. She sent me this quilt; I was so surprised and honored! And now it's hanging above my bed and looks fantastic.