Archives - Weekly Update

We have a coat rack in our back hallway that typically tells a story of the season. But I passed it the other night, and I could see how crazy the weather has been this month. There are four prongs on it, each with a beach towel on them ready for us to grab on the way to the pool. There are two rain slickers. There are two heavier jackets. That is like a portrait of September. I feel like this month blitzed by even faster than July, and that is saying something. Two weekends ago I was sitting by the pool, and yesterday I was wearing long sleeves and a warm jacket. And the rain…so much rain!

And just like that, it’s fall. I swear that summer has fewer days than every other season. Last weekend, I was outside soaking up every moment of sunshine. This weekend, they are predicting wicked storms, which is not my idea of a fun weekend, especially since it’s been glorious all week. I am envisioning leaves scattered all over the pool!

Once I sit down at my desk in the morning, I seem to be plastered there for the day, except for quick runs to the kitchen for lunch. I have perfected things like opening a bagged salad and putting it in a bowl, or adding radishes, mint and pistachios to a bowl of farro, or microwaving multigrain rice from Trader Joe’s for three minutes and adding some veggies to it. My office has a small fridge in it with water chilling in large jugs and ice cubes in the freezer. I keep a stash of salt-free pretzels, as well as a box of great dark chocolates that I try to forget about, but on some days it’s exactly what I need to keep my fingers typing.

First of all, thanks to those of you who wrote such lovely notes to both Tom and me about the 27th anniversary of Bookreporter and what the site and newsletter mean to you. They were so appreciated! They were shared with the team, and we note some of them below in the Reader Mail section.

We all had a fabulous break and came back well-read. I spent time with a mix of books that came out earlier this summer, some just out this week, and a few on the horizon --- including one coming in January (FIRST LIE WINS by Ashley Elston) --- that I am crazy about. I had a wonderful time reading IN the pool. I perfected standing in the pool, working out with ankle weights, and doing side kicks and leg lifts while reading. My legs are now in very good shape. I should add up the pages that I read and contemplate how many leg lifts to do per book.