I cannot believe we are nearing the end of August. But the good news? I had my first sips of Dunkin’ Donuts pumpkin coffee, a sure sign that the goodness of Fall is coming. But for now, I enjoyed the sunshine, celebrated the fact that my children could return to sports without masks and even binge-watched a new favorite Netflix series. Here are all the details!

What I'm Reading:

This week, I read two books set back in time…one true and one fiction (almost!). 

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff is a delightful little book full of letters from a writer in New York to a bookseller and his family in London. This book reminded me of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and I enjoyed getting to know each letter-writer as their relationships deepened over time. While I didn’t get the happy ending I’m always hoping for, I did get a reminder of the power of handwritten letters and why we should never wait too long to answer a calling of the heart. And guess what? There’s a movie, too! You know what I’ll be doing this weekend!

I also read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson. I love reading books about books, so I was eagerly looking forward to getting started. Right from the first page, this book was not at all what I expected…it was so much more. Yes, it was a book about books, about the power of reading and the connections that result among readers. But it was also a book about humanity, about equality and the unfair fight many faced to simply exist. Richardson introduces us to Cussy Mary, a young ‘Kentucky Blue’ woman struggling to make her way in the Appalachian mountains during the 1930’s. Even though she experiences trial after trial, Cussy’s spirit shines through and readers cannot help but feel every page. This was a stunning book. 

What I'm Writing:

I’ve declared this week the week of the list. My writing in my notebook was almost entirely in list form: to- do lists, school supply lists, back-to-school shopping lists, cleaning lists and more. And as I reflect, I’m realizing that all of these lists were purely functional with little creativity or whimsey to be seen. So I’m adding a new list: a list of new lists to create in my journal that are a bit more fun. A list of lists. What could be better?

What I'm Learning:

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek sent me down a rabbit hole of learning this week. I had no idea that the Pack Horse Library Project and the Kentucky Blues from the book WERE ACTUALLY TRUE. I spent time learning about the amazing book women who risked their lives to share books with others and the unique family whose skin was shaded blue due to a blood disorder. It’s worth taking a few minutes of your time to learn more. I promise.

What I'm Loving:

I’ve got an amazing new sticky note find and a new series to watch on Netflix. Enjoy!

  • Did you know there was such a thing as transparent sticky notes? Neither did I? But you can see right through them, opening all sorts of possibilities for sticky note bliss. 
  • I’m not much of a television-watcher, but I binged watched The Chair on Netflix. As a person who works in higher education, this had me enthralled the whole time. And laughing. Lots of laughing. 

There you have it! I hope this inspires you to make space for more reading and writing in your own life. What are the highlights from your literate life this week?