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 .
As we are in the beginning of a new month, I will double it as a March Wrap-Up where I’ll talk only of my best reads for March
In my private life
Well in this third week of quarantine, I’ve installed a “work week routine” to still be able to get some structure in my days. Also to make a difference between the week where I work and the weekend where I do …as I please. Nearly.
First of all: no I don’t spend my day in PJ! I never have except if I was sick with a fever that needed me to stay stuck in bed the whole day. Otherwise, I feel sticky and gross.
Yes I know I am weird like that!
With the daytime saving light, I program my alarm clock at 6 AM. I dress nearly as I would to go to work and I put on some light make up.
Then I go for one hour walk which means basically three rounds around my neighborhood because ….fish bowl (see last week’s post).
After, it’s breakfast and then I begin my work day.
I have to confess that I have as many meetings as when I was at the office which is inconvenient because I don’t have the excuse of changing meeting rooms anymore to make a trek to the bathroom between two meetings 😐
By the end of the day, I go for a one hour walk again or 45 minutes of Yoga with Adriene.
Well… no I don’t look exactly like that while practicing yoga but just …envoy the visual will you? 😀
This helps me to focus my brain in work mode!
Now things are pretty scary everywhere and Belgium has a high death toll but the difference with other countries is that we’ve always counted ALL our Covid deaths. Other countries don’t or didn’t. And there is a light in sight : the number of people goign to the hospital is slowing. The curve is flattening meaning the quarantine is working! Yay!
But we are still far from saved and I predict more weeks with social distancing.
The sad news is the death of one of my friends’s father. This is not Covid related but we still we can’t go to the funeral. These are difficult time and it’s been made even more difficult to support friends and families.
Nothing more to say for this week except that I’ll write a (hopefully) fun post tomorrow about grocery shopping in this Covid crisis.
On the blog (click on the graphic to read the post)
I have read and reviewed three books this week!
I also posted about my Audiobook Challenge for 2020 whose goal I’ve already reached! So I will change it and aim for Binge Listener with 20 to 30 books a year.
Then it was the last Top 5 Tuesday about authors whose names began with U to Z. Again pick your team.
March wrap up and my favorite reads!
I have read only 10 books in March! Not commuting is bad for my reading!
And my winners are:
The Sun Down Motel by Monica St James: a five stars for that horror/mystery narrated in a perfect way!
Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare which was my most awaited book of 2020 and a five stars!
Chosen Ones by Veronica Roth. It was a finished copy sent by the publisher and I was really amazed at Veronica Roth’s twist of the chosen one trope! Release date after tomorrow on April 7th.
The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic. Addictive series!
On the blogosphere and in the literary world
My blog hopping was poor this week sorry! See meeting all the time and yada yada. I did visit and liked the best I could though!
Now a quizz at Epic Reads (click on the graphic below) asking:
What Kind of Suspect Would You Be at a Dinner Party Gone Wrong?
I ended up being “You would be the unlikely suspect. It’s not LIKELY that you’re the culprit, but you’re getting side-eyed just in case.”
That’s it for this week guys! I will now go write my fun post for tomorrow and then go visit and like your posts! Take care everyone!
Thanks for reading.
Sophie
I’m glad you’re very much dedicated to your quarantine routine. That’s really great! I’m sorry about your friends dad! That’s very sad!
I am glad you have a good routine going! I don’t spend the whole day in my pajamas either. I have to get up and get dressed to feel productive. I also definitely approve of the yoga, of course!!
I knew you would love my yoga comment Olivia LOL
I admire how you have such a precise routine for every day and how you don’t even stay in your PJs, that’s amazing hahaha 🙂
I’m so sorry to hear about your friend’s father. sending lots of love <3 <3
I so agree about not commuting, it has changed my reading rhythm lately, too, haha, I find myself reading a little less than before for now.
I hope April will be kind to you! <3
You too Marie! I am afraid for all bloggers living in France as the news coming from there are scary!
Sorry to hear about the death of your friend’s father. That must be hard to deal with white in confinement. I am glad however that you managed to establish a nice routine to get through every week. Take care! 😀
You too Lashaan! Take care!
Glad to hear you’re settling into a quarantine routine. I’m trying to as well because I think some sense of routine is good. I shower a little later than I used to each morning, but I do shower and get dressed. No makeup but I at least try to do a little something with my hair. I read in the morning, and then I go for a walk with my son and our dog after I finish working each day. I’m very glad to hear that hospitalizations and cases are starting to go down. I hope that continues and that you and your family stay safe.
I am happy to know that you too are settling into a routine Suzanne!
Giving oneself a routine is very important right now, or we risk losing contact with reality while we are house-bound and days all look the same. On the other hand, the slight glimmers of hope coming from the news show us that our sacrifices are not in vain, and that’s what gives us the strength to go on…
Hang in there and stay safe! 🙂
Thank you Maddalena! The same goes for you!
I think sticking to a routine helps us feel better. Plus, in my apartment I have food trays brought in and I wouldn’t want to be in my PJs! LOL.
I like the look of your books, especially The Sun Down Motel.
Thanks for sharing…and for visiting my blog. Stay safe and well.
Well no Laurel you don’t want to welcome the delivery guy in your PJ! Or maybe…LOL
That’s great that you’ve been able to keep to a routine 🙂 And glad to hear the curve is flattening. I’ve heard lots of great things about the Foxhole Court! Stay safe <3
Thank you Kristen! You too! And thanks for the squirrels!
I think getting out and exercising is important with the quarantine orders. Helps everyone stay sane. I should do more yoga, cause I need to be more flexible. Loved The Wall of Winnipeg and Me! 🙂
Rachel I hope you’ll try yoga! Now we have more time right? Lol
Sounds like you’re making the best of it, Sophie. Structure helps. So sorry to hear about your friend’s dad. I’m also a fan of Yoga with Adrienne! Love how many she has to choose from. Take care!
Thank you Teri! And yes her choice is what drew me in. That and her calm voice and very clear explanations!
It’s so great you have put together a routine. I’m still struggling with it. I am doing things but not very well focused yet. I also loved The Sun Down Motel and congrats on the audio book challenge. Audio is addictive once you get it in your method.
For groceries we get delivery. I think we will be home now for a few months. I did do a pharmacy drive-thru and a Walmart pickup but we’ve been home since March 16, It’s all fine.
Have a wonderful week! Be kind and take care of yourself!
Anne – Books of My Heart Here is my Sunday Post
The routine will come Anne I have no doubt about it!
My heart goes out to anyone, who loses someone during this period, because they don’t get to mourn them the way they would like. My home state, NJ is flying all flags at half-mast to honor those we have lost during this quarantine period. It’s something. I know the retired fire chief in my town died, and the fire fighters drove by his home, processional style, to show respect. It’s very encouraging, that you are seeing a flattening where you are. I read that NYC reported a decrease in deaths today. That is my neighbor, so it’s good news for me as well. When I did my in-patient treatment, there were two things they made us do every day – make our beds and get dressed. It’s not good for your mental health to stay in your PJs all day. I will admit, I shower and dress later than I did, when I was going to work (that was at 4.45 am), but I am still showering and getting dressed every day. Take care!
Sam I didn’t know you had in-patient treatment! But yes I think it’s important to have a structure in your days
I’ve been working from home for a while now – and I never work in my PJs either and the only time I don’t wear any make-up is when I’m ill. So sorry to hear of the death of your father’s friend – it is such a wrench that people are not allowed to be able to mourn… I hope you have a peaceful, healthy week, Sophie.
Thank you so much for these kind words!
Sending my condolences for your friends Dad xx
Without fail I shower and get changed every workday and sit at my laptop…weekends I dont!!!
Let’s all pray that this vile virus is done with soon x
What? You don’t shower on the weekend Caro????? LOL
Sunday is normal shower after tea and change into different pjs hahaha!
LOL
I have a quasi routine. I get up at 7:30, put on different clothes (usually leggings and sweatshirt), then get to work. Much like my usual work routine, working from home is different every day. So, it keeps me very busy. I’m glad to hear you all are flattening the curve! Thats so important! Stay healthy!
Thank you Samantha! You too please!
My husband and I developed a routine pretty early on and it has done wonders in adding structure to our days during the week. Much needed since I thrive on structure and routine. Sounds like the news in Belgium is a bit encouraging. Hopefully people will continue to isolate and not relax at the first sign of progress. Things are still rather grim here and I don’t think we’ve even hit the peak yet. Quite discouraging. I do wish I looked like that when doing yoga. LOL
Ha me too I wouls love to still look like that while dping yoga Tanya!!
I think walks outside and just getting out in general (outside I mean, not stores) is helpful. the fresh air is awesome when being home so much.
Wait… that’s yoga lol? 🙂
Glad to hear the flattening is happening in Belgium. And our situation here is a mess. testing is whacked so we don’t even have a CLUE how many are infected…
I need the Sun Down Motel!!!
Greg they don’t tests everyone either! Only those showing signs of infection.
I love Yoga with Adriene, too!! And the different routine is changing a lot of reading habits of mine, too, but we are bookworms and we won’t desist!!!
You do her yoga classes too Susy? And yes bookworms don’t desist! That’s the spirit LOL
Sadly not as often as I want, and as it would be good for me, but I love doing yoga! And yep, that’s the spirit
I’m so sorry about your friend’s father Sophie. What a nightmare. I think the best thing we can do psychologically is to stick as close as possible to our daily routines. Both my husband and I are retired, but we get up at the same time, go for 2-3 mile walks, an try to keep busy. Stay well!
Thank you Kim! And you too!
Hang in there, Sophie. I’m glad you are your immediate family are doing okay, and sorry to here about your friend’s father. It’s tough at anytime.
We too have kept to our daily routine, up at 7am, shower then breakfast. My partner has been starting work ay 8:30 and finishing at 4:30ish. You know how that goes, meetings that over run. And, so far, we’re doing good. I’m averaging 5-6km a day walking around my kitchen circuit, and doing stretches on nice days outside, on our balcony. Otherwise, we haven’t been outside outside for 24 days! We’ll get there.
5 to 6 km in your kitchen Alexandra! Damn you are dedicated!!