Hi dear friends,
Time for our weekly wrap up and chit chat. As usual I am linking this post with The Sunday Post meme created by Kimberly @caffeinatedreviewer
Just on a side note: I am slowly catching up with replying on the comments… but I will succeed I swear!
First private life this week
I am opening with the title written by Sir Elton John “I’m Still Standing” not only because the song is punchy but mostly because it is how I feel! Like I am slowly winning the battle.
I mentioned last Sunday that I am really exhausted right now with my father’s death, work, the kids etc. and that I was trying to slow down. Well that’s what I’ve done this week the best I could and I already feel not as great as before but less restless? More peaceful? Not so ready to burst in tears every other moments?
Of course it means that when I get back home late after work I can’t always reply every day to your comments but I do try to comment and visit your blogs every time of the day that I get a break!
I’ve found that so far what works best is commenting back three times a week. It gives me room to blog hop every day and rest.
This week has been a really great week at work!
I know February will be hyper busy but I got my evaluation from my boss and she gave me “above job level”! With a really strong A++ on being a leader. She told me every member of my teams were self sufficient. That I had worked to empower them. And that not a single one had a bad word about me!
I am really happy because I am acting like a kind of mama bear with my colleagues.
On the one hand I try to make them being more confident, to try new challenges while I am coaching them (I don’t want them to feel lost and stressed, just to “grow up” in their job) but on the other hand I protect them. Always.
Don’t touch one of my colleague’s hair or else Big Bad Sophie will have your skin! 😀
My boss ended the evaluation with another gift: I get to grow my teams with two more people! Yay!
It’s better than Christmas for us as we are all “still standing” but barely.
Outside work now…we got snow! Not much and not long but still!
I wanted to make snow angels and whatever people would think of a grown up woman flapping her arms on the ground! I would have had a blast I just know it 😀
The only negative of my otherwise great week was the unpleasant discovery of cables in my car literally eaten and cut by …a weasel!
My husband had to take my car to go to work as his own car does not have snow tires and when he wanted to wash the windshield …no water came! He was already complaining about how I forgot to fill in the water tank when he opened the hood and … saw the damages caused by the weasel!
That’s where I can complain about my mechanic as the car shop did not pretend to look at our car as they had “no time”.
But cables were cut! What if it was dangerous to drive?
I have an appointment next Wednesday scheduled for months now so I will have to wait.
I ended up having nightmares of me smashing in a tree as the breaks let me down or the car being on fire or ….
Yes I know I know I have an overactive imagination! What comes in handy as a blogger can really be a problem in every day life!
On the blog (and what I am scheming for you all!) (click on the graphic to read the post)
I reviewed three books and read two more (the reviews are already written as draft and hopefully I’ll get to post them next week). One YA “Be the Girl” by KA Tucker was really surprising as in I didn’t see it coming! The other YA was just …fantastic. A Curse so dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer is an imaginative retelling of the beauty and the beast. The characters she chose are realy unconventional and I loved it!
Then I read an ARC by Aleatha Romig, Promises which is the conclusion to her “Web of Sin” trilogy.
Next week I hope to post the review of The Wicked King (Brilliant!!!) and Unbreakable by Emma Scott (with a new book boyfriend: Cory).
Only one meme this week with the Top 5 Tuesday that of course I had to twist some.
Now I have been really working hard behind the scene to prepare for the Romance and Love Celebration beginning next week!
I have been overwhelmed by the welcome this event got from favorite authors and from you bloggers! I am happy to announce that I will be able to post every day from February 1st till Valentine’s Day and maybe more (still waiting for some material from bloggers and authors).
The writing is of course made by others, first post aside where I’ll launch the event but there is plenty work to do!
When hosting an event you have to (or at least that’s what I do):
-make a banner personalized with the author or blogger’s info;
-make added graphics to go with the post sometimes;
-intoduce your guest;
-either cut and paste either create the guest’s bio;
-add their social media links;
-link to past posts
-share it on Facebook too, meaning sometimes reworking to fit for Facebook audience (as in shorter content but still meaningful).
As you can see I am not lazily watching it all happen magically!
But I can’t wait for you to read the posts as some are really really unexpected.
On the blogosphere
Another fun test from Epicreads (the graphic is their own by the way) to find “Which 80ies Movie Sums Up Your Life”. Click on the graphic to land on their site and take the test.
Then Lashaan at Bookidote wrote an interesting post about connecting with the community.
How Do You Connect with the Blogging Community?
Now do tell me how was your week? I promise to comment back within two days max!
Thanks for reading
Sophie
Other than the weasel it sounds like a good week and you are doing awesome. The commenting is hard and I find every week is different. Do what you can, when you can. We all get it. Here’s to another good week for you!
Thank you so much Anne!
A weasel ate your car?! :O
Exactly Jennifer!
Glad you were able to slow down a bit. And YAY on the good work stuff. Have a great week!
Thank you Grace!
Kudos on your accomplishments at work, little busy bee! I don’t know how you manage it all? And WEASELS? Whaaaatt? That’s crazy! Have a wonderful week!
Well it’s the kettel talking to the pot here Trisy! Because you are dang busy yourself!
You sound like a great boss! My favorite boss ever lets me do my own thing but still protects and helps me when I need it <3 She is amazing and your approach sounds the same! Hang in there and I am glad you are still standing! (and I would totally freak out about my car too)
hahaha yes Brittany that’s how I am with my colleagues.
Weasel?! Haha… i think they are really cute, but yea, when it comes to them destroying your car, not so cute.
Glad to hear you are feeling better a bit 🙂 <3
I think your snow is coming our way soon.
Well Norrie the snow is back now!!! They say around 2 to 4 inches tomorrow and I have to drive the car to the mechanic!!! Of course …
I had a marten eating my wiring and cables in the car too. It wouldn’t start anymore.
Don’t worry about commenting. I get that people are busy. I am glad when I have time to like them all
It seems this is a common problem Astrid! I know some advise traps but I don’t like hurting animals so I am trying a repellent right now …
Looks like you have had a pretty crazy and stress filled week though. I can’t believe that about your car though,
Well me neither as I thought my hubs was making a joke when he sent that message!
Wow! Bad weasels. Great at work tho.
Hahaha yes Jay bad weasels!!!!
I’m glad to hear you’re feeling a little better this week. Congrats on such a great review at work!
That’s a shame about your car though and so crazy that a weasel did it, lol.
Thank you Suzanne!!!
So glad to hear things are going well for you at work!
Thanks Mogsy!
Keeping up with comments is so hard! I try to blog hop every day, and I still get behind. Congrats on the good evaluation, but sorry about the weasel damage. Sometimes rabbits and squirrels crawl into cars around here, but I don’t know if they damage anything. Have a great week!
Well your squirrels are intimidating AJ! LOL Bigger than ours 😉
I don’t think an 80s or any movie for that matter sums up my love but the closet to my childhood was the breakfast club and still to this day is one of my all time favorites! Have a great week and glad work is going well. I tend to be a mama bear too. Which could be good or bad.
Have a great week!
Mary
Hahaha Mary we’ll be mama bears together 😉
*hugs* I completely understand, Sophie! You’re going through so much, so take the time that you need and we’ll still be here. <3 Then again, who am I to speak because well… I usually don't comment back until at least a week or two or whenever I feel like doing comments, haha.
Pfew I feel better now that you’ve said you are as bad as me at commenting Sophia LOL
Congrats on a super awesome job review! Thats great. Bummer about the weasel. Glad nothing terrible happened before you figured out what was wrong. Scary!
Have a good week!
Thank you Samantha!
Congrats on your evaluation! You are the best momma bear, Sophie:) About that weasel damage. I hope you are careful until you can have it fixed. They can “weasel” their sinewy bodies into some confined spaces. And I’m excited for what you have planned to share with us in February!
Well Laura it just dawned up on me where the verb weasel come!!!
I’m glad this week was a bit better! I cannot believe a weasel chewed through car wires! Truth is stranger than fiction…
A Curse So Dark and Lonely is pretty awesome. I’m so happy to be seeing so much love for this book!
Well yes weasels are tiny but badass!
Okay I think that Elton John song will totally be in my head now for the rest of the day! So thank you for that haha! But seriously you have to take time for you, so it sounds like you’re doing the right thing. 🙂 Sounds like you’ve been through a lot.
Congrats on your evaluation/ work success!
Yikes weasel damage! Animals really can do a lot of damage… .
Hahahaha Greg sorry for Elton!
My condolences on losing your dad. I lost mine suddenly on July 4th and I know what you’re going through. It takes time and a conscious effort to do self-care, but I’m slowly pulling myself up. Keep up the good work.
A weasel?! Oh, my. My son took his fairly new truck in to have the oil changed and when they had it for longer than he expected and he called to check on it they said he really needed to see something. So, he went and looked and squirrels had eaten up his wiring harnesses! It cost over 1,000 bucks to fix! So he paid it and then said he was going to get some feral cats to get rid of the squirrels at his house. They can be so destructive.
Thank you and I am sorry to read you went through the same ordeal! My condolences.
Now your son ….OMG it cost so much??? I am dreading tomorrow and my visit to the mechanic!
It’s good to hear you are doing better, and what a great anthem! I cannot believe your car was sabotaged by an actual weasel. I think squirrels do that sort of damage in these parts. Congratulations on all your work accomplishments, and I cannot wait to see all the posts for the Romance and Love Celebration.
Thanks Sam and your squirrels are HUGE! LOL
Well, in comparison to you, Sweetie, I had a very quiet at home week, no kids, no pets, no boss … oh, wait, I am the boss! Ha! Ha! And I’m glad to hear you’re coping better after the loss of your father, and know how that feels. So I’m sending you as much positive energy as I can spare. Take good care of you and your family.
And congrats on the promo and two new staff! You’re definitely doing something right. 😀
Bwahahaha and what a boss you are Alexandra! Ex army! 😉 And thank you!
Hugs to you, Sophie! I think that it is amazing that you are taking the time to blog. I hope that this week treats you well and those weasels stay out of your way! 😉
Thank you!!! And.. me too LOL
Congrats on the evaluation, Sophie! So much for thinking weasels are cute, lol. Hope you can get your car fixed soon.
Hopefully tomorrow Jacquie!
The weasel you picked for the gif is adorable but they are little shits. Sorry about your car. I am hoping you an get it fixed. Might want to set some traps around your house to get the little guy.
I hope this week is better for you, Sophie! Happy Reading! 🙂
I know I should set traps but I find it so cruel…so I am using a repellent instead and hope it will work Michelle.
Wow, I can’t get over the weasel damage! How horrific. And the mechanic couldn’t bother to work on it right away?
On the positive side: good news about your work kudos.
I hope your upcoming week is good…and here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES
Hopefully I’ll get everything fixed tomorrow Laurel!