Life got busy, so this week's Sunday Recap has a little extra catching up to do.
It's been a couple of weeks since my last Sunday Recap. I had every intention of getting one posted last weekend, but between a very busy stretch at work and worrying about Lucy, something had to give—and the recap was it.
I'm linking up with the Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer and the Sunday Salon hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.
The next couple of weeks may be a little unpredictable around here too. Work is especially busy right now, I'm trying to get ahead on some fall content, and somehow we're already into October. I'm reminding myself that the blog is supposed to be something I enjoy, not another deadline on the calendar.
So this week's recap has a little more to catch up on than usual—new books and recipes, a wonderful date night, a few not-so-great days for both Lucy and me, and plenty happening behind the scenes.
♡ A Little From My Week
Poor Lucy had a rough stretch after boarding. We first knew something wasn't right when she became lethargic and stopped eating, and a trip to the vet confirmed that she had developed a respiratory infection. We were told it wasn't kennel cough, but she still felt pretty miserable.
She's been on medication and is just finishing up her antibiotics now. Thankfully, she seems to be improving, although she's still a little congested. We felt terrible seeing our girl feel so poorly after vacation, so it's been a relief to see more of her personality starting to come back.
I had a rough few days myself with another GI flare, but I did learn something useful from it: tomatoes—fresh or processed—are apparently not my friend. Not exactly the discovery I wanted to make, but at least I'm learning more about what agrees with me and what doesn't.
On the brighter side, I've been getting some of my mall walks in, and last Saturday we had a wonderful date night at Brookgreen Gardens for Piano Men, an evening of Elton John and Billy Joel music. The music absolutely delivered, and the weather couldn't have been better—one of those crisp, cool evenings that finally feels like fall, with a full moon overhead.
Work has been keeping me busy too. I'm getting ready for a leadership workshop for our middle-management team, which means preparing two presentations of my own. I'll also be sitting on a Q&A panel where the group gets to pick the senior team's brains about challenges, career growth, lessons learned—and even a little fun trivia. There's plenty to prepare, but I'm looking forward to the conversations.
And HomeGoods almost got me with these two—I’m still thinking one of them might belong in my reading nook.
📖 New on the Blog
Since I skipped last Sunday's recap, I have two weeks of new posts to catch you up on:
- Book Blogger Hop: What's Your Biggest Fear as a Book Lover? — My TBR isn't getting any smaller, and this week's question had me thinking about the one thing book lovers can never seem to have enough of: time to read all those books still waiting to be discovered.
- Summer with My Cowboy by Linda Lael Miller & Maisey Yates | Book Review — Two cowboy romances in one collection made this a fun way to hold onto a little bit of summer reading before completely giving in to fall.
- 12 Fall Romance Books to Read in 2026: Cozy, Spooky & Holiday Reads — Twelve romances for the season, from cozy autumn stories to slightly spooky reads and the first hints of holiday romance.
- Homemade Pizza Night Favorites: Easy Pizza Recipes for a Cozy Night In — I've gathered my homemade pizza favorites into one place for an easy, cozy pizza night at home.
- Book Blogger Hop: What's the Best Investment You've Made for Your Blog? — This was last week's Hop question and gave me a chance to think about the things that have actually made a difference after all these years of blogging.
🍂 This Week's Spotlight
Now that October is here, this week's spotlight has to go to 12 Fall Romance Books to Read in 2026: Cozy, Spooky & Holiday Reads.
I pulled together twelve romances that fit different parts of the season, whether you're looking for something cozy and autumnal, a little spooky, or you're already starting to sneak a few holiday romances onto your TBR. If your fall reading list still has room for another book—or twelve—this is a good place to start.
📌 Popular on Pinterest
A couple of older posts have been finding new readers through Pinterest lately:
- Falling at the Barre by Elise Kennedy | Book Review — This romance review has been getting some fresh attention from Pinterest readers looking for another love story to add to their TBR.
- Beyond the Shelf: The Ultimate Guide to Gifts for Book Lovers — Apparently I'm not the only one thinking ahead. Readers are already looking for gift ideas for the book lovers in their lives, so this guide is starting to make its seasonal comeback.
📚 From the Archives
I'm reaching back into the archives for one book review and one reader-life post this week:
- Mind Games by Nora Roberts | Book Review — Nora Roberts is always worth another look, and this is one of those older reviews that deserves another moment in the spotlight.
- 10 Fun Ways to Choose Your Next Book — When your TBR is overflowing and you can't decide what to read next, sometimes the best solution is to make choosing the book part of the fun.
📚 What I'm Reading
I just finished The Rainy Day Bookshop by RaeAnne Thayne, which had been sitting in my TBR pile for a while. I'm planning to work on my review soon, so I'll save most of my thoughts for that post.
I've now moved on to Whisper of Secrecy by Darcy Burke, the fifth book in her Raven & Wren series. I'm only two chapters in, so I'm still at that early stage where the characters and storyline are settling into place. It's much too soon for an opinion, but I'm looking forward to getting further into it.
🍲 This Week's Pairing
The cooler evenings have me craving comfort food again, so this week's pairing feels just right for the season. I'm pairing Just Over the Mountain by Robyn Carr with my Roasted Vegetable Soup and Mini Grilled Cheese Croutons.
There's something about returning to Grace Valley and settling in with a bowl of homemade soup that feels made for an October evening. Add those little grilled cheese croutons, a cozy place to read, and nowhere else to be for a while, and I'm happy.
🔖 Coming Up Next
I'm keeping the blog schedule a little flexible over the next couple of weeks. I'm working on a few fall recipes and another book list, and I'm starting to pull together my review of The Rainy Day Bookshop. We'll see which ones make it across the finish line first!
I'm also starting to think about decorating the house. Usually this would mean pulling out the fall decorations, but I'm almost tempted to skip ahead and start thinking about Christmas. The next few months always seem to fly by, and before I know it, we'll be there anyway.
Let's Chat
Are you decorating for fall right now, or are you already thinking ahead to Christmas? And how early is too early for Christmas decorations?
Thanks for spending part of your Sunday with me. Here's to good books, cozy evenings, healthier pups—and maybe resisting the Christmas decorations for just a little longer. ♡
How early is too early for xmas decorations? Now is too early. It's time to put up those Halloween decorations! Pumpkins and cornstalks... And skeletons, body bags, witches...whatever creeps your neighbors out, put it in your yard. I don't touch those christmas decorations until the day after thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteI don't put up Christmas decorations until December and resent that I've been seeing Christmas merch in the shops since August. But I think we do things a bit differently here in the UK, anyway. Have a great week and I hope you feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteI’m so sorry to hear about Lucy’s illness and your own G.I.flare. I hope you are both feeling more like yourselves soon. I know it was hard for you to leave Lucy while going on vacation and I hope this experience doesn’t put you off of doing so again in the future. I hope you have time to do something you love this week. Have a good one!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to some cooler weather soon here, especially at night. I'm lucky if I put out a pumpkin for fall---I need lots of help with decorating! lol
ReplyDeleteOoof, it always sucks when a pet gets ill, but especially when one's been away from them. Always makes me feel so guilty. Hope she's all back to normal very soon!
ReplyDeleteI hope you and Lucy both feel better soon!
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