Yellow Wallpaper

I feel like my last post left things hanging--I did feel sick the next day (Wednesday), but finally on Thursday I felt a little more like myself and by Friday I was feeling great. Last weekend was a good one--the sun came out and we had some nice weather, and I was able to get things done. On Saturday morning I went to the temple, in the afternoon I went to see a movie ( Manchester by the Sea ), and in between I ran some errands and cleaned my house.  I realized last month that too often my weekends when I don't have kids are all spent consuming--running errands to buy things or seeking out entertainment. I don't think that's a horrible thing, since I need to maintain my house and feed my family, and I need to relax as well. But I also sometimes worry that I'm not using my time as well as I could. Even though it's been a few months since I finished school, the amount of free time I have without homework still feels a bit overwhelming. There is a lot of potential t

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain I kept waiting for this book to get more interesting, and it didn't. The author hewed too closely to historical events and I felt like she was expecting readers' knowledge of Hemingway's life to provide the tension that is lacking in the book. I had trouble really connecting with the characters and felt like the whole thing just plodded from event to event without much tying things together or creating an actual plot. Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult  I will confess that I generally pick up Picoult's books with fairly low expectations--my experience with her books has been mixed, and for me the main draw is curiosity about how crazy the plot will get before the book is over. I was pleasantly surprised by this book, especially with Picoult's ability to create three separate characters who all have compelling stories. Yes, I'm troubled by some of the cliches in the book and the over-the-top drama of the plot, but it was sti

According to my blog and Facebook, I have gotten sick during February or March for at least three years in a row now. I wonder what it is about this time of year that makes it easier to get sick? I've also been trying to remember if I got sick this often when I used to stay home with kids. I think I did, but it wasn't as noticeable because it didn't disrupt the routine as much. Getting sick two or three times a year is probably fairly reasonable. No matter how many times it happens, however, I feel stressed about because I have to miss work and other stuff. I also can't fight my suspicion that maybe I'd stay healthier if I took better care of myself. Maybe I should try working harder on that (after I get better). Early last week, P.Bibby came down with a runny nose and cough. She spent Tuesday out of school with her dad, and then I stayed home with her on Wednesday. I started to get a sore throat on Thursday and I haven't felt good since. I've been dealing