Sunday Post 123

Hi everyone!

Through Monday, I am linking with the following: 

Reading Reality, who hosts Stacking the Shelves

Readerbuzz, who hosts Sunday Salon

Caffeinated Reviewer, who hosts Sunday Post

The Book Date, who hosts It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

On the above blogs you will be able to see links to the posts from others who are participating in those blog hops, and if you're a blogger, you can join too. 

I started AND FINISHED my first puzzle of the year! (This is not including a few I've done online.) It took me three hours over three days to finish this one. When I first started it, I was trying to finish it in one sitting. After I couldn't even finish the border in one hour I knew that wasn't going to happen. But I did finish it and that's what counts! 

Title: Dancing Cats

Brand: Pomegranate

Illustrator: Edward Gorey

Piece count: 300 (large pieces)

Size: 18×27 in.

In other news, my PT sessions have decreased to twice a month. I likely only have two sessions left. My monthly evaluation last week showed some improvement, though not as much as I would have liked. I'll just have to keep up with the program at home as best as possible. I think I'm ending my sessions at the right time. Their practice just bought two large televisions and when I was there on Tuesday they had both of them on, on different channels! That's way too much stimulation for me, especially in such a small space. I prefer music or nothing at all when I'm there.

I had my annual eye exam last week too. It went well overall, but my vision has changed a little bit. It's funny because I didn't notice the change before the exam, but now when I wear my reading glasses, I'm like "Oh, yeah. It is kinda blurry." So I need to order new reading glasses and I'm also getting new frames and lenses for my prescription glasses. I have progressive lenses and because the frames are small, I have trouble finding the sweet spot for reading. So hopefully the larger frames will help with that.

And with the eye exam, I was able to renew my driver's license online. I thought I would have to go to MVA to get my vision test (since they didn't have a current one on file), but since my eye doctor is registered with MVA, she was able to send in the necessary paperwork. What a relief because although they take appointments, I was not looking forward to spending time at MVA.

I had every intention of posting my normal Friday post last week, but because my eyes were dilated most of the day, I wasn't able to spend much time on the computer that day. I'd like to get back on track this week.

I have two appointments (possibly three if I decide to get my hair cut) this coming week. Otherwise, it should be a pretty low key week.

IN THE BOOKS

RECENTLY FINISHED

🍄🍄🍄
I listened to A Killer Christmas (Murder, She Wrote 59), written by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran and narrated by Laural Merlington. It was not as good as the other one in the series that I've read. It took a long time for the murder to occur, and when it did, the mystery still took a backseat to everything else. I know it can be better, though, so I want to read more books in the series.

IN PROGRESS

I'm loving  Public Anchovy #1 (Deep Dish Mystery 3), by Mindy Quigley! I'm planning to finish it by the end of the week. This book is so hauntingly cozy. It takes place primarily in a mansion on a dark and stormy night. It's one of my favorite cozies, so far, that I've read in a while!

Week 3 in The Comfort of Crows: A Backyard Year, written by Margaret Renkl and illustrated by Billy Renkl, was a little depressing. I know it's how nature works, but I'm hoping to feel uplifted in the next chapter.

UP NEXT

I'm so excited I was approved on NetGalley for Moonlight Murder (Detective Aunty 2), by Uzma Jalaluddin! It doesn't release for another few months, but this is next on my list to read. I've been looking forward to this one ever since I read the first installment last year.

My next audiobook listen will be Murder with Lemon Tea Cakes (Daisy's Tea Garden 1), by Karen Rose Smith. This is the January pick for The Cozy Mystery Book Club. 

ON THE SCREEN

• Columbo - I resumed watching season 1. I just have one more episode to go in this season. The episode I watched is called "Short Fuse". It was pretty good. I loved the scenes when they were going up the mountain, but how did Columbo overcome his fear so quickly?
• Christmas Ever After - This is a Lifetime movie that was made in 2021. I've seen it several times. It's the perfect example of what disability representation should look like in a movie. The female lead is disabled (in real life too), but the plot focuses on her career and the love story. It had nothing to do with her disability.
• A Keller Christmas Vacation - I enjoyed the sibling chemistry in this Hallmark movie. I love when the entire family is in the movie - both parents and adult siblings. It was a nice blend of humor and heart, although I did feel that one part dragged on for too long.
• Taking a Shot at Love - I've seen this 2021 hockey-themed Hallmark movie before and I enjoyed it, so I watched it again. It's one of the few Hallmark non-Christmas winter-themed movies. I wish Hallmark would go back to making those.
• Lost in Paradise - Instead, they air tropical movies like this in January. They somehow think I want to escape from winter. I don't! I want cold, snowy movies in January. Maybe that's why I had a difficult time getting into this new Hallmark movie, even though the entire cast was great.
• Frozen in Love - This hockey-themed Hallmark movie is from 2018. It's another non-Christmas winter-themed movie that I've seen before and enjoyed, so I watched it again. It's January. Give me those winter vibes!

ON THE BLOG

• Sunday Post - 01/03 - Weekly Recap
• Puzzle - 01/03 - Winter Gradient

Have a great week!