Here I am welcoming 2026 with a pretty planner and a new Scriveiner ballpoint pen. #happiness
Posted this week - A Couple of Favorites for 2025. That was a good reading year for me. I can't read over 100 books as some of you all can but the ones I did read were excellent.
My first book will be Daughters of the Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick. I am already close to 60 percent into it. Fascinating yet brutal how the female children were viewed and treated. #nonfiction
Watching / We had finished For All Mankind and are now trying Invasion. Drumming my fingers waiting on Shrinking to come back,
Last but not least we have Loki. He has a toy that goes with him everywhere. To bed, sitting outside getting sun.....his constant companion.
The neighbors cat, Griffin, visits him quite a bit and they check each other out when we walk. But Loki is not going to share his toy. Nope.
Linking with Deb for Sunday Salon.
Daughters of the Bamboo Grove covers a part of adoption history in this country and China. Hopefully, those days are long over.
ReplyDeleteHarvee, I can't imagine those practices still going on, brutal. Interesting story about the twins.
DeleteHappy New Year!
ReplyDeleteJackie, happy new year to you as well!
DeleteI am not a fast reader either. I finished 47 books this year and I'm fine with that. Loki is adorable! Happy 2026!
ReplyDeleteOlivia, I don't do audible so if I did, that might bump my reading numbers. But I am happy at my pace :-)
DeleteI love planners, but rarely stick to using one now that I rely so heavily on a Google calendar.
ReplyDeleteI've not heard of Daughters of the Bamboo Grove. It sounds like a tough read. (Nice photo of you, by the way!)
I'm not a fast reader, either, Tina. I read 67 books, but the audios help bump up those numbers.
Does Loki's toy have a name? Cute photos.
Les, I write Everything in that planner. Not just appointments but what we are reading, some meals, events, plans.
DeleteThe book I am reading is informative but wow, so brutal how the children were treated. The twin story is interesting and the differences in the culture.
Loki loves that leopard. When we come in for a walk he bolts for it and carries it to his bed to relax!
Oh my goodness! Loki and his toy are absolutely the cutest thing. Rover has a lot of toys but his favorite is always his newest and he doesn't carry one around like that. I love the neighbor cat as well. I haven't heard of Daughters of the Bamboo Grove though it looks like a tough read. I'm glad to see you're enjoying it. I think one of the reasons I get a lot read is I tend to lean towards lighter books that can be read faster whereas I think you read more in-depth books which tends to slow the pace a bit. Have a wonderful week and a happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteKatherine, Loki's favorite is also the newest and as soon as this leoprd wears out and he gets a new toy, that will become the One. The older ones won't do at all.
DeleteSome of my books are short but once I start hitting James Michener books again my numbers will drop. Michener is usually 800 to 1,000 pages so I could read about4 books in the time I read one of his.
I love the new year and new planners too! Your pet photos make me smile too!
ReplyDeleteJodie, happy new year to you!
DeleteWhat a hilarious photo of the cat and dog. So funny. Our dog discovered a bunny in our yard yesterday and chase it all around before the bunny went under the fence and got away. The dog returned to the house so smug and proceeded to practically kill his favorite toy by whipping it around. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteAnne, that's a funny dog story. Loki does that sometimes, gets all spunky after chasing rabbits and squirrels.
DeleteWhat a beautiful new planner and pen! I like online things but I still love my pens and paper, too.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great photo of you with your first book of the year. Here's to a year of great reads, Tina!
Deb, I have always reverted to paper and would be lost without my planner. Recently had me figure out I am probably allegeric to mollusks because I had noted when I was violently ill last week. Same thing happened a month ago so I looked in the planner to see if it was maybe something I ate. Sure was - I had the same lunch and same violent reaction after eating clam chower. Yikes! Glad I noted our lunch in there.
DeleteThank you, I toook that photo clearly needing a haircut!
I laughed at the animals. What fun to have the around. I love your planner and pen -- a great way to start the new year. Happy 2026!
ReplyDeleteJoy, happy new year to you and thank you for hosting British Isles Fridays.
DeleteThe picture of Loki and Griffin is too cute! I am also super excited about my new paper planner and pens! Enjoy your week!
ReplyDeleteErin, thank you,. Oh, turn me loose in an office supply story and I come home with too many new notebooks and stationary.
DeleteGreat post. It shows me how much we have in common. For example, I love all stationery, I once had a phone cover almost the same as yours. And we love Shrinking and are waiting impatiently for the next season. Love your selfie!!! And that book sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my post.
https://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2026/01/happy-january.html
Happy New Year!!!
Marianne, that is quite a bit we have in common. You should see my drawer of stationary and crads...almost embarrassing, haha. Oh, Shrinking is one of my favorites and my blogging friend Les alerted me to it. What will be hard is letting all the episodes drop before watching. I can't stand to wait for one episode week to week.
DeleteOff to visit you...
I love invasion, its great!
ReplyDeletehttps://getlostinlit.blogspot.com/2026/01/new-years-post.html
Idea, it's a quirky show for sure. We just started season 2.
DeleteYour planner is very pretty, hopefully some of the stickers will find a home in it.
ReplyDeleteI’m glad you’ve been enjoying are enjoying your first book of the year :)
Wishing you a happy reading week
Shelleyrae, I am already placing them here and there - love them! I should be linking up with my first nonfiction soon for the challenge. Off to a good start.
DeleteHappy new year, my friend!!
Pretty planner. And cute photos of you with the first book ... and Loki too! I hope that Demick book isn't too depressing but seems very informative of a brutal system.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan. Oh, I just finsihed the Demick book and while brutal,and sometimes sad, it was so informative. Such a different culture. I will write up something about it tomorrow. By the way, I meant to mention those were great photos of the snow and ice on the trees on your blog.
Delete