Wow, it’s the last day of May? This year is flying by. My daughter wrapped up kindergarten yesterday and we are now into summer mode. Here’s the roundup for this week!
Quote of the week:
“The world asks of us
only the strength we have and we give it.
Then it asks more, and we give it.”
–Jane Hirshfield, “The Weighing”
What I’m reading:
I finished Leaving by Roxana Robinson this week and it’s such a beautiful book. The characters will stay with me a long time. I also zoomed through Michelle Gable’s latest historical fiction book, The Beautiful People, centered around photographer Slim Aarons and his circle.
What I’m listening to:
Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. I’m about halfway through and not sure what I think. I was pulled in at first, but it’s getting a bit convoluted for me.
What I’m watching:
I finished Expats on Amazon Prime and really liked it. I also finished The Jinx: Part 2. Robert Durst is quite the character study.
Writing news:
Still working away on a new novel. Awaiting edits on the book that will come out next year.
Interesting things I learned this week:
- Bette Nash, who holds the Guinness record as the world’s longest-serving flight attendant, has died at age 88. She started flying in 1957 and never stopped
- President Theodore Roosevelt had a pet hyena
- New Delhi recorded its highest known temperature this week at 126 degrees
- The largest stegosaurus fossil ever found, nicknamed Apex, is heading for auction this summer. The estimated value is $6 million
- Speaking of auctions… After 50 years in an attic, John Lennon’s guitar from “Help!” sold at auction for $2.9 million.
- Judge Judy has listed her New York City duplex for $9.5 million
- Bees sleep 5 to 8 hours per day. Related: Old and sick bees don’t return to the hive at the end of their day. They spend the night on flowers and, if they live another day, they bring pollen or nectar to the colony
- Deanna Stellato-Dudek, age 40, became the oldest woman to win a world title in any figure skating discipline when she and her partner, Maxine Deschamps, took gold a couple weeks ago
- Blue whale tongues can weigh as much as an elephant
Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Do animals sweat?” My daughter asked. The internet says that horses, monkeys, apes, and hippos sweat. More fun facts: Horse sweat contains a natural detergent called latherin that can function like soap, and hippo sweat is colored pinkish red due to the antibacterial pigments they secrete. Dogs and cats do sweat a little through their paws, but they mostly cool off by panting. Another fun fact: Storks and vultures poop on their own legs as a way to cool off. I’m glad humans do not do this.
What I’m grateful for:
- My daughter’s elementary school. We had such a great first year there. I got to volunteer in her class once a week and get to know the kids. I love our little community
- My swimming pool. We have had lots of playdates in the pool lately. It’s a hit!
- All the cousins. My daughter has TEN cousins and she loves all of them. It’s such a gift. This past weekend, she got to spend time with seven of the 10!
- Booking a trip to Seattle/Bainbridge Island to do some research for the book I’m writing. I can’t wait!
Snapshots:
From top to bottom: Summer vibes (also, this poetry book is very good); mornings with my girls; cardboard car parade on the second-to-last day of school.
