Depoe Bay, Oregon
November 2025
So, who has their Christmas tree up and decorated?? With Thanksgiving falling so late in the month, I decided to put our tree up right after our guests went home. We're hosting a small Christmas party for friends on the 9th, so I want to have the house decorated in time for that event.
November was a pretty busy month for me. A few trips over to Salem and Corvallis (90 minutes each way), visitors at the beginning and end of the month, our anniversary, various doctor appointments, and a trip to the ER. (Rod has Bell's Palsy, which isn't great, but at least it wasn't a stroke!) In spite of all of that, I managed to get quite a bit of reading in. Focusing on the Nonfiction November Challenge, I knocked off seven books from my list. Most were exceptional, but there are a couple that I won't hang onto for a second reading.
Books Read (click on the title for my review):
Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (4/5)
Safekeeping: Some True Stories From a Life by Abigail Thomas (3.5/5)
Altitude Adjustment: A Quest for Love, Home, and Meaning in the Tetons by Mary Beth Baptiste (3.5/5)
The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward by Melinda French Gates (4.5/5)
Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks (4.5/5)
I Am I Am I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O'Farrell (4.5/5)
Truth & Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett (3/5)
Movies & TV Series:
Black Bag - Fun espionage movie starring Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender. We enjoyed it!
The Beast in Me - A gripping thriller, but very disappointing performance by Claire Danes. Her exaggerated grimaces grew very tiresome, but Matthew Rhys manages to save the show with his stellar portrayal of a sociopath. Fun fact: Matthew Rhys is married to Keri Russell (of The Diplomat).
My aunt, uncle and cousin came out in early November, visiting from Durham, North Carolina. It's always great to see them!
Thanksgiving was also very enjoyable with two of my three brothers here with their families. Our next door neighbors were also included for dinner that evening.
Happy Anniversary, Baby!
Rod & I celebrated 37 years this month. Twu wuv! 💕 (Poor guy is suffering from Bell's Palsy. He really was smiling on the inside!)
Wishing you all a calm and joyful December!
Happy December! Great monthly summary and I an glad to see so much happiness in the photos with visits from those you love. I just finished memorial Days last night - wow. That's a great book. Happy anniversary to you and Rod. True love indeed!
ReplyDeleteHope the Bells Palsy goes away soon. I think Doug's lasted a bit over a month but that was 10 years ago....it was frustrating for him.
Looking forward to sharing more book suggestions with you in December.
Thanks, Tina! It was a wonderful month, with the exception of the frantic 911 phone call the night Rod got Bell's Palsy. Lots of good family time. I agree, Memorial Days is a great book. I'd like to read something by Brooks' husband some day. Rod thinks his Bell's is about 90% gone but he still has some ear pain. It's lasted about the same amount of time as the first time he had it 10 years ago. Sounds like he and Doug had it about the same time!
DeleteMy daughter-in-law had Bell's Palsy earlier in the year. Fortunately for her, it disappeared after a few months. I have a friend (ironically, her name is Bel) who has had it for several years.
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful that you were able to enjoy so much company in November! Happy anniversary!
Deb, Rod's seems to be going away, but he still has some pain around his ear/jaw. I can't imagine having it for several years! The first time he got it, I think it lasted about the same as this time. Just a little over a month. My sister-in-law got it during delivery of her first baby and it has never gone away completely. That was 23 years ago!
DeleteYes, we had such a nice month filled with visitors! And a lovely anniversary dinner out in spite of Rod's Bell's Palsy. Thank you!
I hope Rod is doing better! Your visits and month of reading all look good. As you know, I finished I am, I am, I am this week and also have Memorial Days on my TBR shelf.
ReplyDeleteHe's definitely on the mend, Helen! I'm so glad you enjoyed the Maggie O'Farrell memoir. I've been savoring her latest novel, The Marriage Portrait. It may be my favorite work of fiction by her. I hope you enjoy Memorial Days. It's very moving.
DeleteHappy belated Anniversary to you and Rod! Love all the pictures of your Thanksgiving and family time! Hope you have a nice week and the party with friends goes well.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the anniversary wishes, Kay! We had such a nice month seeing family from near and far. I'm enjoying a quiet weekend, getting reading to go listen to some friends sing in a Christmas program. Hopefully the rain will hold off until we get home! We're in for quite a deluge in the next few days.
DeleteHa. We have no tree yet in sight. Maybe next weekend. Good luck getting yours up & decorated before the 9th. Such wonderful photos of relatives here ... especially your Mom ... she is a wonder with a sweet smile. I'm sorry about Rod's Bell's Palsy -- and hope it is over soon. You had a good productive nonfiction reading month. Nice to take 7 off the list. I'm always slow on the nonfiction.
ReplyDeleteSusan, we have artificial trees, so that helps to get them up and decorated early. Of course, I'm worried the lights might die since the trees are fairly old, so I'm holding off turning them on until our party tomorrow. Next year, I'll string them both with new lights!
DeleteMom does have a nice smile, doesn't she? She's always happy to have visitors!
Rod's BP is almost gone, but still suffering a little bit of pain near his ear/jaw. Hope that doesn't linger too much longer. Ugh.
I'm usually a pretty slow reader when it comes to nonfiction that focuses on history, but memoirs are almost always quick reads. Love 'em!
Belated anniversary wishes! Which day was it? Ours was the 30th. Any visit to the ER is scary and I hope Rod's Bell's Palsy doesn't last too much longer. Your Thanksgiving photos are wonderful... so many smiling faces!
ReplyDeleteI never considered selecting a theme for Nonfiction November, but your idea to read memoirs is inspiring. Plus, you found so many good ones. Memorial Days and I Am I Am I Am are at the top of my list, and I hope to read them before Nonfiction November rolls around again. Happy December!
Thanks for the anniversary wishes, JoAnn. It was November 6th.
DeleteRod is on the tail end of his BP. Hoping it will be completely gone by Christmas!
I really enjoy memoirs and had a lot of fun reading them this past month for Nonfiction November. You are in for a treat with both Brooks' and O'Farrell's.
Have a lovely month and safe travels to Florida!