The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news: a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books,
and share what's coming up on your blog in the week ahead.
Happy New Year! So how did everyone ring in the new year? Anybody actually go out? :) We stayed home but since that's the norm it didn't feel any different than any other year. LOL And also like every other year, I went to bed by about 10:00 or so. Or at least I tried to. The fireworks in my area started around 7:30 that evening and were virtually nonstop until waaay after midnight. Over five hours of nonstop fireworks. Gah! I woke up once around 3:30 in the morning and... you guessed it... more fireworks. Sheesh.
Where do you fall on the resolutions debate? Do you make them diligently every year? Consider them pointless and just carry on? Or are we all just happy that last year is behind us and we're not feeling too particular about 2021 just as long as it's an improvement over the dumpster fire that was 2020? LOL
I followed tradition and made a big pot of black-eyed peas on New Year's Day. Maybe it's just a Southern thing? I'm not sure. But it's traditional and is supposed to bring prosperity in the new year. It's also traditional to make collard greens but The Husband is not a fan so I skipped that part. :) Do you follow any New Year's traditions?
We've been laying low the last few days. Hanging around the house, putting things back in order, that kind of thing. I cracked open my 2021 book planner and had fun getting it set up. Had an iced chai tea latte. It's the small things, isn't it? Last year was certainly a good reminder of that, if nothing else.
Instead of an 80's golden oldie, I'm sharing one a lot more recent (2005, I think). Enjoy Van Morrison's Celtic New Year.
Sunday, December 27
Tuesday, December 29
Thursday, December 31
WHAT I COMPLETED IN THE LAST WEEK
WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING
I've just barely started Until the Last Breath but I get the feeling it's going to be quite the tearjerker.
And I'm still on the fence about Only When It's Us. I spent the first 20% or so considering if I should DNF. Willa is one of the most unlikable characters I've encountered in a long time. The only thing making me hang in there is Ryder.
Reading:
Listening:
Not a thing.
How was your week? Any new books? Any news to share?
I'd love to hear about it!
I hope Only When It's Us gets better for you. I love the series, and yes, Ryder was great (as all the brothers are). I cannot believe there were fireworks at 3:30 am. I don't recall hearing any here, but I sleep from about 9-10 pm until 3 am. Probably missed them. It's good you followed through with some of your traditions. Gotta keep some normalcy, right?
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying the story more, but I think Willa is just one of those characters that I am not going to warm to. It'll be fun to get to know the other brothers better, though.
DeleteWe went to bed around 10:30 but as soon as the fireworks started we had a shaking scared dog to contend with. I don't know what we would have done if they had went on for hours like your did. Ours was bad enough! I guess I do make goals, especially with blogging, that start at the beginning of the year. I never thought I would be someone to make New Years resolutions but I threw in diet and exercise so I guess I am in the yes camp! I hope you have a great week, Tanya!
ReplyDeleteDiet and exercise is always a big one. I kind of went off the rails in December so it's time for me to get back on track. Have a great week, Carole!
DeleteWe had a quiet end of year here too, and no fireworks. We only get fireworks on the 14th of july (national day) and it never lasts for hours :) I thought black-eyed peas was only a group, lol ! I'd be curious to know how you organize your book planner ? Thanks for Van Morrison, I love his voice and the tin whistle :)
ReplyDeleteThat would be Bastille Day, right? (I'm not great on European history, but I think I remember that much. LOL)
DeleteI actually plan on doing a post about my book planner soon and I'll share some pics of it and how I use it! :)
The fireworks here were annoying and lengthy as well. The dogs were not impressed. Im not a resolution maker-too much pressure!
ReplyDeleteHa! Totally agree, Samantha. I always feel like I'm setting myself up for failure so I just skip it.
DeleteYeah, we were in bed by 10:30, too! I don't really make resolutions besides the usual drink more water, eat better, lose weight... ha!
ReplyDeleteJust the usual suspects, right? LOL
DeleteYou know, even before covid, we always just had a fun celebration at home as a family. I hope you had a fun time with your family at home and yeah I am happy I live on the outskirts of the city so I don't have to deal with fireworks. LOL They are the worst.
ReplyDeleteNice that you don't have to deal with fireworks! We always stay at home on NYE so it wasn't much different for us, either. :)
DeleteHappy New Year, in Chicago there were more fireworks than I have ever heard on New Years. It definitely sounded like the 4th of July. Until the Last Breath def. sounds like a tear jerker. I'm currently reading Confessions of a Curious Bookseller and it is - quirkly!
ReplyDeleteSounds like Chicago went all it in ringing in the new year!
DeleteUntil the Last Breath has been pretty grim so far... definitely not a happy go lucky story!
We didn't do anything special for New Years. We were up at our place in Central California with my daughter, her husband, and our grandkids so we just BBQ'd and had a nice family dinner. I didn't hear any fireworks and I'm happy because even though it was freezing the risk for a fire would be great! That would really suck to have them going all night!
ReplyDeleteI'm having issues with a book I started because of unlikeable characters, as well. I was hoping I'd love it because I've enjoyed the author in the past, but it's been a long time since I read her and the books were YA. We'll see.
The BBQ sounds like a great way to spend NYE. And the last thing CA needs right now is more fires so thank goodness people didn't go crazy with the fireworks.
DeleteYeah, an unlikable character can be a deal-breaker for me. Sometimes I can get past it, but sometimes it really taints my feeling for the whole book.
We stayed home for New Year's. Took down all my holiday decorations. That's about it. Fireworks went off all night around here, too. My poor dog was so stressed. We stayed up until 12:30 simply to comfort her until the fireworks stopped. I'm glad you had a quiet (besides those fireworks) evening.
ReplyDeleteIt always feels good to pull down all the decorations and get the house back in order.
DeleteWe had a nice quiet night with the family and some yummy food. It was really just a great night. I always forget about the black eyes peas, I think after last year we all should have eaten them! :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great week, Tanya! Happy Reading!
LOL So true, Michelle! We could all use some better luck this year!
DeleteWe did black-eyed peas, cabbage and ham for New Years. That's for sure the southern norm around here. It was raining here, so the fireworks were far fewer here. I didn't make it to Christmas in the City, so I'll probably save it until this year's Christmas. I have Only When It's Us on my kindle to read for this month. I hope it gets better for you. I've heard so many fantastic things about it. Fingers crossed we'll both end up enjoying it in the end.
ReplyDeleteCabbage, huh? I've never heard of that on New Years. Interesting how different areas have their own traditional specialties! :)
DeleteI've seen loads of raves for Only When It's Us. It's definitely a "me" thing in that I'm not loving one of the main characters.
What do black eyed peas look like Tanya? I have never seen such recipe! And we couldn't have fireworks here but do you think people listened? Noo of course. Anyway, happy new year!
ReplyDeleteBlack-eyed peas are delicious! They can be bought fresh at times but I usually buy bags of dried peas or sometimes even frozen. Wikipedia says they're grown around the world but I consider them more of a Southern dish here in the U.S.
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-eyed_pea
I don't really make hardcore resolutions, but I do want to focus on the main things people tend to call resolutions aka eating better and moving more. I really need to lose some weight, so that's my main goal. I want to be (and feel) healthier. I didn't have to start this in the New Year, but it's kind of just worked out that way with a lot of sickness and Covid last year. It was tough.
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
Those may be resolution "staples" but they're important ones. I hope you have success with these! I've made some significant changes in my eating in the last year but I'm still really inconsistent with activity.
DeleteWow I can't believe you had so many fireworks! Course it's warm there so maybe that's why. We had some here too- and it was COLD- but I was picking my daughter up from work around 11 and someone was shooting them off. We had a quiet one though too.
ReplyDeleteNo resolutions here. :)
Happy 2021!!!
Three cheers for the No Resolution camp! :)
DeleteWe just stay home and also went to bed by about 10 because of my new back of legs pain. W=I don't make resolutions but I do intend to try to improve my eating habits. I already started new activity routines the last couple months. It's a process. The black-eyed peas must be a southern thing. Our neighborhood chef offered it. Our usual New Year's Eve is to eat seafood. I love Van Morrison. Happy New Year, Tanya!
ReplyDeleteAnne - Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
How fun that the neighborhood chef was offering black-eyes peas. It's definitely very traditional in the South. Sorry to hear about the leg pain. :( I hope that improves soon.
DeleteHappy New Year Tanya.
ReplyDeleteWe also stayed at home, but we do this every year so nothing was different on that account. I did manage to stay awake which excited me. My husband and I love to watch the fireworks together.
We don't really have any New Year’s traditions to be honest. We almost always take down all the Christmas decorations on January 1st. But that's more convenient than a real tradition. LOL!
Have a great week and happy reading.
Same here, Maureen. We always stay home on New Years Eve so it wasn't all that different for us. :) And it always feels good to get the house back in order.
Deletewe spent the night doing the normal for new year's, watching the ball drop. what a disappointment it was. we usually stay home, so there was nothing new. resolutions...i don't make them because i know i'll probably break them. i do try and tell myself to do better, but right now it's hard to get motivated. i am hoping the new year will change that. hope you had a good holiday
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental
Definitely a different kind of NYE... a virtually empty Times Square. So strange. Hopefully next year will feel more normal.
DeleteHappy new year too! We had a pretty quiet night, went to bed promptly at 12:01 am haha. I like resolutions even though I know I'll forget about them by June.
ReplyDeleteIn bed by 12:01... LOL You checked that box and then called it a night. :)
DeleteHappy New Year Tanya!
ReplyDeleteWe never do anything and go to bed early too lol
Karen @ For What It's Worth
The two of us are such partiers. LOL
DeleteWe stayed home for New Year's Eve too! I could say I stayed up till midnight, but I did fall asleep on the couch for a while there, so yeah :) Luckily we had no fireworks here, I can only imagine the frustration of hours of fireworks! Hope you'll have an amazing 2021!
ReplyDeleteHopefully this year will be an improvement for us all!
DeleteOur NYE was super quiet too. My husband taught me how to play Backgammon and that was pretty much the highlight of the night, haha.
ReplyDeleteHooray for backgammon! My husband and I have a long-running competition... like 20+ years. LOL We play backgammon almost every single night. :)
DeleteThe fireworks drive me crazy - and it seems that every holiday is now occasion for them around here - they did them on Christmas too! If they pop on Valentine's IDK what I'll do. I was trying to sleep by 10 too. But it was a fitful night's sleep. Here's to a new year!
ReplyDeleteYes! Same here at Christmas. It's like, any excuse to blow stuff up. Gah!
DeleteI have definitely been focusing on small, enjoyable things so far in 2021 too (actually just got my bookish planner set up today!) With so much we're unable to do nowadays due to COVID I have to look at the little things I CAN do that bring me joy and try not to get distracted by all that I can't do!
ReplyDeleteIf anything good came from 2020, that is probably it. Rediscovering the small things that can make us happy. It's so much better to focus on those than dwell on what we're missing!
DeleteHappy New Year, Tanya! It's very late but I've been hiding... I don't have any resolutions for this year. I just hope it's a better year!
ReplyDeleteI think we all have the same hope, Nicci. Hopefully with more vaccinations things will start to turnaround soon and we can return to some semblance of normal before another year passes.
Delete