Hi friends,
Today is Sunday, time to look back in the rearview mirror and talk about my week in and out of the blog. As usual I am linking up to the Sunday Post hosted for years by Kimberly @caffeinatedreviewer .
In my private life
Well two big news this week.
First: my daughter is back home since yesterday!
It was two months since we had last seen her, doctor’s visit aside. The one she was most excited to see? Our dog of course LOL
We’ll see now if the peace we had while in lockdown will hold as her father and brother are to her what oil is to fire!
She is back to study before beginning her exams in two weeks so we are walking on eggshells, trying to avoid making too much noise!
Second news: my employer has announced that we will work from home till end of August!!!!!!
It will be close to six months for me and seven for some of my colleagues!
On the one hand, we miss meeting our colleagues and talking face to face.
I felt that some needed help with their jobs, they had questions for their colleagues, kind of when you have a hard case and don’t know if you are in the right. So you ask your colleague for two minutes of their time, exchange opininons and go on.
I then decided to book two period of 30 minutes every day in their agenda for them to talk business with their colleagues. That’s not mandatory but they know if they need help or want to give help, they can via Skype.
Add to it the Skype Coffees that I also organized to talk about everything, not work related but just to stay connected and have a team spirit and they are now Skype specialists!
On the other hand, I feel relieved as I won’t have to take public transportation with the fear to catch the covid there!
We already feel that our future work days will be different, probably much more homeworking than before.
And today, as the shops reopened this week and we have more leeway, I went to my “before COVID” long walk! I avoided everyone of course and I had much more than the 1,5 meter of distance. But it was bliss!
Talking about shops, I ventured into one, masked and with gloves. I had decided that if there was too many people, I would abort my mission but there was only one other customer! Pfew!
The minute I was out, I sanitized my hands like mad and once home, washed my mask in boiling water and washed my hands.
Last information, something that amazed me : I reached 4.000 followers on Instagram!!!! Crazy right?
On the blog (click on the graphic to read the post)
As announced last week, I have reviewed four books!!! And I have read three more books this week.
The Switch by Beth O’Leary was a truly great and charming read. It had a British quality I can’t explain. But I ordered The Flatshare as soon as I finished it! 4,5 Stars.
Chase the Dark by Annette Marie is a buddy read with Raven @dreamyaddiction and Jen @starcrossedbookblog . We did it for the Red Winter series and now, we are sailing through this series too! It’s one of these reads so addictive and easy to read that yu just want to go on and on and see what will happen to the characters. 4,5 stars.
What I Carry by Jennifer Longo was recommended by Sam @weliveandbreathebooks . She was so enthusiastic about that book that I could not pass it! I truly loved this YA with a touching heroine and the foster kids as topic. 4,5 stars.
And Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost was also a recommendation from followers and friends on Facebook. I chose the audio route and it was amazing! The narrator did a stellar job! 4,5 stars.
The only non review post this week was the Top 5 Worst rulers and I had a field day finding the worst of the worst.
On the blogosphere and in the literary world
Epic Read is back with more quiz and asks How Skilled You’d Be With Magic (click on the graphic to take the quiz)
My results: “You’d be really skilled! Whoa, are you an actual wizard?!
You were born to do magic. Seriously, you’d be one talented magic-user. Now, if only it were real…🌟”
Great right? Where is my broom and pointy hat and cat???
I found some great posts this week!
First Kim @byhookorbubook in her Whimsical Wednesday made me laugh again with quite a raunchy cartoon. Here is an embed of the video 😀
And Sam @weliveandbreathebooks had a very interesting discussion about endings
http://www.weliveandbreathebooks.com/2020/05/discussions-thing-about-endings.html?m=1
Marie @drizzleandhurricane explains how book blogging has changed in the last five years
That’s it for this week! What’s happened in your nook? Anything exciting or interesting?
Thanks for reading!
Sophie
Wishing your daughter all the luck on her exams! And here’s hoping there’s no fiery explosions between her and the others in your household *fingers crossed*. And I’m so thankful you won’t have to take public transport to get to your job, thank goodness for that ♥. Also yay for getting out for your walk, outdoor walks are the best!
So far no explosions Jen but I am still crossing all my fingers LOL
So glad for you to have your daughter back by your side! Although the quiet she’ll need seems pretty scary and could totally make everything much more complicated! And working from home till August is pretty neat! I’d rather be safe than sorry after all! 😀
My thoughts exactly!
It’s so nice that you can work from home this summer! I know that it is a challenge when everyone is at home with different personalities and schedules. I am tempted to try going shopping like you did, but I am still a bit scared. You have given me some hope that it might go well! Stay safe, Sophie! <3
Congrats on 4,000 Instagram followers! Tho I’m not surprised cuz your pics are awesome!
I am actually glad to say you will continue to work from home and be able to do that! Staying safe and maybe there will be more developments done by then that works out well for returning to work safely and such. Yay for your daughter being back and I hope everyone stays same in the household 😛
Thank you Olivia! I don’t mind going at the office but only if it’s safe.
We’ve just been waiting to hear what’s happening with schools and getting annoyed that the media have been calling us all lazy. Who do they think have been looking after the key worker, vulnerable and sen children?? I’m even at school working next week, which is technically half term (including bank holiday Monday!) I do hope we get our year 6 class back before the summer holidays though. They were my first class at my school when they were little year 1s!
Calling you lazy is totally uncouth Katie!
That is a long time to be working from home. Hope walking on eggshells works for your daughter and there aren’t any explosions lol I have been going out to stores more now that they are reopening but staying safe and taking precautions. Hope you have a great reading week.
Thank you Renee!!
That’s great your daughter is back home. I hope her studies go well. And that seems nice you can stay workign at home for now, even with the struggles it has, it will be nice to not have to risk getting in public transport for your work. That’s nice you help some of your colleagues through Skype. That’s awesome you reached so many Instagram followers. Congrats! I haven’t read that Annette Marie series yet, but I do really like the books of hers that I’ve read so far. I hope you’ll have a great week!
Thank you Lola! You too!
Nice that your daughter is home and hopefully all goes smoothly with her back in the mix. 🙂 Sounds like you’re taking great measures to keep your office team connected. That will probably go a long way in making the transition back to the office a smooth one.
I hope so Tanya!
The fact we’ve had technology that helped us stay in contact (even *visual* contact) with the rest of the world has been a blessing in this scary situation, and it’s one of the elements that manages to keep us this side of sanity – that said, I’m glad your daughter is back home, because that’s a LOT better than the best Skype chat… 😉
Oh yes Maddalena!
I am glad your daughter is at home, and I hope all would be good and peaceful!
Stay safe and have a great week!
Thank you Susy!
So glad your daughter is back home, Sophie. My hubby has also been working from home the past several weeks, but went back to the office this morning. He’s not sure if they’ll stagger days or only work half days there – just kind of feeling it out for now. Glad you could get back to your regular walk!
I hope your husband will be safe Teri!
Life has definitely become different! Trying to balance working at home and also home schooling is getting a little insane over here, lol! It’s awesome that you have all your family at home now though! Hopefully the peace holds 😀
I can’t imagine what you are going through homeschooling at the same time as working Mogsy!
So glad your daughter is back home with you!!
I will also be working from home until about August. We moved away from offices to hot desks about 3 years ago, and so they are only letting staff come back and sit in every second desk to make sure there is still the required space between them, and my boss has let me know I (and my non-existent immune system) can stay at home until everything is back to normal.
Well that’s prudent Meeghan!
Yes… plans to keep me alive longer are good!!
Bwahahahaha!
Happy that your daughter is home and congrats on reaching such a huge milestone on Insta!! You work so hard at everything, you deserve every great thing that comes your way, my friend! Have a spectacular week Sophie!
You too Trisy!!
Welcome home to your daughter ! I take two walks a day ( morning and evening) wearing a mask and keeping distance. It’s amazing how many people choose not to wear a mask and get very close. I haven’t been to a store other than supermarkets and probably will try to hold off since we really don’t need anything.
We are retired, so work is not an issue. Glad you are able to work from home. Have a great week and enjoy time with your daughter.
Thank you and stay safe!
Yay for finally having your daughter back home. Hopefully things will go smoothly with everyone all under one roof. Congrats on getting to 4,000 followers on your Instagram! That’s a very impressive milestone.
Thank you so much Suzanne!
Glad your daughter is home! That must be nice t obe able to be with her again. and congrats on the work at home extension- that’s excellent news!!
The Switch looks fun!
Thank you Greg! And the Switch is amazing!
I’m so excited that you get to work from home even though things are opening up as it is so much safer for you. Also, you really had some amazing reads this week!
Have a great week and stay well!
Anne – Books of My Heart Here is my Sunday Post
Thank you Anne you too!
I’m glad your daughter is back and I hope she does well on her exams.
Thank you!!
You’re welcome!
4000 followers, that’s amazing! Congratulations, Sophie! It’s nice to see so many people appreciating your talent. I hope your daughter is settling in. It must be nice to have your whole family together again. I am definitely a bit anxious about taking public transportation again, but I really can’t do the drive. My eyes are even worse now with all the pollen. It’s great you have a few more months at home, and hopefully we make progress towards getting a real handle on this thing
Thank you so much Sam!
I was happy to read your daughter’s back home now 🙂 Working from home is good, I still go to work 3x a day.
I hope you are safe!
Yay for your daughter being back home! My brother and my dad are so much alike that whenever they spend too much time around the other things get explosive! So, I understand. I’m glad you won’t have to brave public transit for the summer. That would be scary (to me at least!) Good luck to your daughter on her finals! I remember those days.
Thank you Samantha!
August, omg! So happy to hear your daughter is home. Stay safe my friend xx
Thank you Caro!
Thanks for sharing my risqé Whimsical Wednesday Sophie. I’m glad your daughter’s home and you can keep working from there.
You are welcome Kim!
Sorry I missed several of your posts this week, Sophie. It’s hard to squeeze in the time with my weird shifts at work and working so many days. Yeah for having your daughter home! I hope it’s a great visit. And yeah for working from home til end of August. I would love to do that myself!!
Don’t be too hard on you Laura! I know that you are burried in work!
I’m glad your daughter is home- good luck on her exams! On the news last night, they were saying how the future of big business is changing. New York is looking to transfer some of its downtown office space into condos as people choose to work from home.
Our stores and restaurants are slowly opening, as well. I hope and pray it’s not too soon.
Yes I think the future will be different Jacquie!
I’m happy to hear you have your daughter back home, but yes, tensions may run a little higher with everyone in the same home, all the time. I guess getting out even masked and gloved is better than nothing, but stay safe out there, Sophie. It’s more like the wild west than ever. You never know what’s lurking.
I think comparing with the Wild West is just perfect Alex!