Wednesday, May 06, 2026

Day In the Life, 5/4/2026

Monday was my mother's birthday. In an attempt to not think about that, I spent the day documenting what I did all day.

On Sunday, Hannah had GI issues, so I was sleeping on the couch in case she needed to go outside in the middle of the night. The thing is, neither of our girls knows how to act when we're downstairs overnight. Zelda keeps laying on me for thirty seconds and then jumping off my bladder or breasts to get down. Hannah must think I'm dead because she keeps coming over as soon as I fall asleep to nose at me - I think she's just checking to see if I'm alive. So, what I'm saying is that the sleep was not good.

2:04am - Hannah wakes me up. I decide we should go outside for a quick tour around the block. There is a surprising amount of traffic and it takes me a long time to realize that it's closing time. That makes me worried about the cars and I hustle Hannah along as quickly as I can. (No GI movement, in case you're curious.)


5:30am - Alarm goes off. I stare at the ceiling, hoping for more time to sleep. Alas.

6:00am - Get up, brush the cat, and check the weather. Friends, there is a flood warning and fire warning simultaneously. What in the ever loving fuck is this?

6:10am - Walk Hannah. No GI movement.


6:30am - I finish chores from yesterday, including putting away granola and sweet potatoes that I left in the oven overnight to dry out. I feed H half of her breakfast and get my own breakfast ready. 


6:45am - I sit down to breakfast where Dr. BB and I discuss Hannah coverage for the day. I'm going take the morning shift, he's going to come home in the afternoon. She might be home alone for an hour or so, but if I'm not confident in her control, I can stay for that hour, although it will be annoying.

7:00am - I put the clothes away that we line dried overnight. I grabbed all the things I brought downstairs to sleep (my pillow, charger, Kindle) and brought them upstairs with me. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, cleaned my piercing, and did an eye mask. While the mask was masking, I read a book. 


7:30am - Get dressed, put on work clothes.

7:45am - Log on to work. You can absolutely skip this if you are uninterested in my work.

Emailed the group chat that I'd work from home this morning while on sick dog duty.

Looked at a portfolio for a student in my class. The portfolio is not great and I decide it's going to take me too long to give feedback right now, so I start looking at students who made appointments with me over the weekend.

I commented on a few blog posts.

I arranged for someone to take over yoga the student union today since I'd probably still be home with the dog.  

8:12am - Heard Zelda finishing her breakfast. I wanted to know how she did, so I looked. The brat left one kibble and her steroid. Sent photo to Dr. BB.



8:13am - Back to work. 

Toubleshooting an issue with our degree audit form, including a phone call from a faculty member. Chatted with one of my colleagues about the issue so she didn't mark a student deficient for graduation.  Prepping for student meetings for later in the day.


9:15am - Walk Hannah. Oh, boy. Not a good outcome.
9:30am - Call vet. 
10:00am - Feed Hannah the rest of her breakfast. Give her medicine, as per vet tech I talked to. 
10:05am - Back at work, with occasional stops to see how the dog is doing. I'm writing feedback for that portfolio I ignored postponed earlier this morning. I also took another phone call from a faculty member troubleshooting our registration system.

Poor baby does NOT feel good.


11am - Tried to walk with Hannah. She laid down in the grass in the neighbor's yard and seemed content to just sit in the sun. We did this for 20 minutes and then I brought her back inside.

11:30am - My husband's home. He's now on dog duty. I ate lunch and headed to campus.

12:30pm - I have barely started my computer when a co-worker comes into my office to troubleshoot the degree audit. 

Work stats for the day:
Emails sent: 18
Student meetings: 3
Co-worker meetings: 2
Phone calls: 8
Meetings arranged for the future: 5
Grading and documentation - caught up 
Items off master to-do list: 4

4:40pm - Leave work to head to the local shoe store. The owner is retiring. This is SAD NEWZ because this is the place where I take to have my shoes repaired. But at least I got some deals, I guess. It's a short-term win for a long-term inconvenience.  


5:00pm - Head home. When I get home, my husband is already cooking/reheating dinner and he just took the dog out. I unload my haul from the shoe store, put away items from a Sephora delivery I received, feed the dog, and read my book on the couch for fifteen minutes. I consider vacuuming the dining and living rooms in those fifteen minutes, but YOLO, right?



6:24pm - Walking the dog again after dinner. She was cooperative and actually walked, but it was not a productive walk.


6:46pm - We made a grocery list and head out after I change from the dress I wore all day to jeans because it's cooling off quickly. The list is pretty bare, but we're planning a trip to Costco later this week, so don't worry. We won't starve. 


7:17pm - We arrive at my friend's house with cookies. We chat with him, his mom, and his sister. This is such a hard time for everyone. 



8:24pm - Finally make it to the grocery store. The self-check we usually use is not working properly. By the time we make it out of there, three different employees have had to assist us and we ended up finishing our transaction at a different terminal. 

9:11pm - We're blocks from my house when I notice we're right behind one of the cars with the penis taillights. I had to take a photo through the dirty windshield, but I had to document it.


9:16pm - Back home. We unload the groceries, prep the ginger (we peel it and freeze to it make grating easier), and take Hannah out for a walk before bed.


9:38pm - Getting ready for bed. I brush my teeth and take my make-up off. Then I take a shower. We discuss if someone needs to stay downstairs with Hannah (no). I blow dry my hair and do my daily goal tracking/journal. Then I put Hannah to bed, start the dishwasher, and go upstairs to wash out my piercing.  I read my Kindle book for ten minutes.

10:30pm - Lights out. 

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You'll note that I did not get any yoga or strength training done today because I was too busy walking Hannah half a dozen times. What is something you wish you had time to do today?

Tuesday, May 05, 2026

April 2026 Accountability Buddy

Wednesday, April 1
15-minute stretch class at lunchtime
30-minute yoga for fatigue and depletion - I had a tough fitness class yesterday and made have overdone it with my bad leg. I needed a day when I didn't really do much with my lower body.

Thursday, April 2
30-minute full body yoga

Friday, April 3
Day off

Saturday, April 4
25-minute chair yoga class at the community center
15-minute stretch class at the community center
40-minute gentle exercises for shoulders and hips - I really liked this video.

Sunday, April 5
30-minute full body tri-sets

Monday, April 6
30-minute yoga video in the student union at lunchtime

Tuesday, April 7
45-minute body blast at the community center after work

Wednesday, April 8
15-minute stretch class at lunchtime
20-minute full body stretch 

Thursday, April 9
30-minute yoga video in the student union at lunchtime
60-minute Zumba class after work at our local church - I don't know if I've ever talked about this class. It's held at a local Methodist church and I usually think very mean things about Methodists (based on two weddings I've been to), but this church seems cool. Zumba is free - they ask for donations. They are always handing out free food and clothing. It also seems to serve our Hispanic population and when I go, I'm usually one of the only people there who doesn't speak fluent Spanish. I love the vibe and how patient they are with me (the white lady with no rhythm showing up). It's honestly pretty great and welcoming. I don't go every week because it doesn't always work with my schedule and all the impact hurts my leg, but it's so much fun and I laugh and always feel better after I go. Thumbs up, First United. You make me think that maybe there are still some Christian churches doing good.

Friday, April 10
Day off

Saturday, April 11
30-minute total body dumbbell strength workout
30-minute yin yoga

Sunday, April 12
30-minute walking workout
30 minute low back hatha yoga - I was sort of hoping for more twists out of this, but it was helpful. 

Monday, April 13 and Tuesday, April 14
Days off

Wednesday, April 15
5-minute warmup - Maybe I've never talked about this before, but I think warmups and cooldowns are a scam. But it had been a minute since I'd lifted a weight, so I did a warmup. I do not think it did anything.
35-minute no repeat total body strength training
30-minute yin yoga

Thursday, April 16
30-minute yoga video in the student union at lunchtime

Friday, April 17
Day off

Saturday, April 18
35-minute full body no repeats dumbbell workout
30-minute yin yoga - sometimes I want yin yoga and sometimes I'm annoyed that I'm not moving more

Sunday, April 19
30-minute Japanese power walk (#38)
30-minute yin yoga with Adriene

Monday, April 20
30-minute yoga video in the student union at lunchtime

Tuesday, April 21
10-minute stretch class
45-minute body blast class at the community center (outside! - canoe man!)


Wednesday, April 22
15-minute stretch class at lunchtime
30-minute yoga total body stretch - I did something to my bad leg yesterday at class, so I did a mat yoga practice. But I did it outside! Why not? It was a beautiful spring day. 


Thursday, April 23
30-minute yoga video at the student union during lunchtime
30-minute Zumba (I was there for an hour-long class, but I have to admit that my feet were killing me - I had new shoes and it didn't go well and whatever I did at the Tuesday night class is a thing)

Friday, April 24
Day off

Saturday, April 25
30-minute full body dumbbell workout - I really liked this video. Challenging moves without being impossible. 
30-minute yoga cool down 

Sunday, April 26
35-minute total fascia stretch - I was supposed to do cardio today, but I honestly ran out of sports bras. I had to throw one out and I didn't realize I was so close to the margins on non-yoga sports bras. I need to buy one or two more!

Monday, April 27
30-minute yoga video at the student union during lunchtime

Tuesday, April 28
45-minute body blast class at the community center (outside!)

Wednesday, April 29
15-minute stretch class at lunchtime

Thursday, April 30
30-minute yoga video at the student union during lunchtime

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*Our local healthcare organization does free stretch classes virtually three times a week. Sign up here! It's free. It's fun. We regularly talk about candy and what's for lunch. It's a delightful break in the middle of the day. You do not have to have your camera on. 
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Total: 24/30 (80%)days doing thirty minutes or more
Cardio/strength: 13 days
Yoga: 19 days 
Short stretch classes at lunchtime: 4 days
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Do you workout at a place outside your home? Do you have a regular gym or community center where you go? 

Monday, May 04, 2026

What I Read: April 2026

Before we get started, this is just a reminder that if you want to be sign up for a chance to win a mystery book package, please fill out the Google Form before Wednesday when I'll pick a winner!

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4/4: The Book That Matters the Most by Ann Hood (library audiobook narrated by Nina Alvamar, 2016) - I don't know. There were things I really liked about this book and things I really didn't like. Confusing. 3/5 stars (is that a good star rating? I DON'T KNOW.)

4/11: Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler (library, 2012) - Teen love triangle with ice skating and hockey. Look, I have GOT TO STOP READING YA. Not for me. 2.5/5 stars

4/11: The Latecomer by Jean Hanff Korelitz (library audiobook narrated by the good and great Julia Whelan, 2022) - Props to Korelitz for writing a book in which every character is terrible, but you somehow want to keep reading more. 4/5 stars

4/15: The Martian Contingency (Lady Astronaut #4) by Mary Robinette Kowal (library ebook, 2025) - I really liked the first three books in this series and was excited to see Kowal was continuing the series. But I thought this book was like 800 pages long because it was taking me so long to read it. It's not that long, but it was boring. Just read the first three books. 2.5/5 stars

4/17: We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida, translated from the Japanese by E. Madison Shimoda (library, 2023) - Book club book. What the hell did I just read? 2.5/5 stars

4/18: Ruins by Lily Dalton-Brooks (library, 2026) - Good Morning, Midnight and The Light Pirate were such great books. I was PUMPED for this one. And it was...not my favorite. 2.5/5 stars

4/19: Good People by Patmeena Sabit (library ebook, 2026) - Interesting. Cleverly done. I'm still contemplating the ending. 4.5/5 stars

4/21: The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen (library audiobook narrated by Karen White, 2008) - Sometimes you read a gentle book with weird magical realism and you just go with it. Also, I read this in 2012 when I was going through my Sarah Addison Allen phase, so that explains why I knew all the "twists." 4/5 stars

4/24: Legacy by Nora Roberts (library audiobook narrated by January LaVoy, 2021) - Sometimes you just want to listen to a Nora Roberts book, you know? 4/5 stars

4/24: Kin by Tayari Jones (ebook I own, 2026) - Buddy read with Sarah! We both loved it! 4.5/5 stars

4/26: The Midnight Show by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne (library, 2026) - Yes! I love an epistolary novel. They are so propulsive. 4.5/5 stars

4/27: The Road by Cormac McCarthy (library audiobook, 2006) - And my stellar run of books has ended. This is bleak, plodding, and plotless. I know people consider it to be a modern classic, so I apologize if I'm offending anyone, but this book did not do it for me. 2/5 stars

Total: 12 books
Average star rating: 3.42/5 stars

Did not finish:
By the Sword (Valdemar) by Mercedes Lackey - In my review for The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, I wrote "I liked the first part of this book when the main character was at school, but as soon as the actual war started, I was less enthused." That's how I felt about this book. As soon as she started fighting battles, I was not into it. Dare I say I think I'm done with Valdemar? DNF at 46%. 

Apprentice to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain #2) by Hannah Nicole Maehrer - I read the first book and it was meh and the start of this book was not making me revisit that thought. DNF at 23%. 

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Is there a modern classic you want to like, but just don't? Is there a modern classic you recommend to everyone? 

Sunday, May 03, 2026

Happy Birthday to Nance!!

Today is Nance's birthday! Let's all head over there and wish her a happy, happy birthday. 

Nance is from the same area where my Bestest Friend is from, used to teach English in high school, and one of my favorite things on the internet is her comment section. In a recent post, we went from a comment in which I was complaining about signs targeted at dog owners to discussing the ambiguities of the English language. Where else can you get such value in 2026? Only at the Department. 

Available at Bike Parts on Etsy.

Because of Nance's influence, I try to bring up Moby-Dick once a month or so. Notice how Moby Dick isn't hyphenated in the above graphic? THEY DON'T KNOW THE RULE ABOUT THE HYPHEN. Nance knows.



Everyone go wish Nance a happy birthday! She's had a rough year and I just know this next year is going to be amazing. 


Friday, May 01, 2026

CBWC April 2026: Week 4

It's Cool Bloggers Walking Club (CBWC) time! Hosted by Elisabeth, we're trying for ten minutes of intentional movement every day. This the last week and Hannah and I tried to make the most of it. 

The mighty Rock overflowing its banks.

Wednesday, April 22
37 minute walk with Hannah the Dog first thing in the morning - I WORE SANDALS AND NO COAT. This is not a drill. Warm weather has (maybe?) arrived. 
11 minute walk with Hannah before bed
That is the stance of a dog who is pissed at this photo taking bullshit. 

Thursday, April 23
51 minute morning walk with Hannah
32 minute walk with Hannah after work



Friday, April 24
10 minute walk with Hannah at 1 in the morning. Who ate the cat food and was sick all night? IT WASN'T ME.
30 minute walk with Hannah this morning. 
17 minute walk with Hannah after dinner
14 minute walk with Hannah before bed

This is Hannah's take on Abbey Road

Saturday, April 25
48 minute walk with Hannah this morning
32 minute walk with Hannah after lunch



Sunday, April 26
43 minute walk with Hannah in the morning
32 minute walk with Hannah after lunch

I talk about a lot of training wins with Hannah, but let me tell you a real not win. This basketball is not normally here at this point in our walk. Hannah saw it, jumped back and nearly knocked me over, and proceeded to whine at it for a few seconds. She's scared of a ball? (My theory: She's getting older and her eyesight is not as good as it used to be.)


Monday, April 27
41 minute walk with Hannah in the morning
33 minute walk with Hannah after work
12 minute walk with Hannah before bed

This is always what Hannah would prefer to be doing instead of walking. Look at how grey her muzzle is!! 


Tuesday, April 28
47 minute morning walk with Hannah
23 minute walk with Hannah (or, rather, laying down in the grass and making me pull her up) after work
17 minute walk with Hannah before bed

These geese were mad that we were there.


Wednesday, April 29
45 minute morning walk with Hannah - She's really a morning dog and this is the only walk I can reliably get her to go on without being a brat about the whole thing. She's a true delight on morning walks. 
27 minute walk with Hannah after work. Remember how I said something about the weather changing earlier in the week? Well, I was wearing a coat, gloves, and mittens on this particular walk.
20 minute walk with Hannah before bed
It's lilac season, motherfuckers. 


Thursday, April 30
40 minute morning walk with Hannah - Creepy, cold, foggy morning. 

But can I tell you what PURE JOY is a dog who is allowed off leash in a random fenced playground for zoomies in the morning? SO MUCH JOY. Nicole recently wrote about how her dog tracks in dirt and leaves and she's constantly trying to keep her house clean. Here's the quote: Of course, the first thing he did after I drove him home from the groomer’s was to roll around under the grapevines, meaning that his pristine cleanliness lasted exactly 17 minutes, possibly a new record. Well, as I say to my husband when he complains of dead patches in the grass, you can have spotless floors and a perfect lawn OR you can have a dog, and I CHOOSE JOY.

You know what? Me too. Her paws and belly were muddy and needed to be washed before the day could continue, but I CHOOSE JOY. 

22 minute walk with Hannah before bed

I discovered a new setting on my phone camera and now I'm obsessed with taking glamour shots of Hannah. She doesn't always look like she's being kidnapped. Sometimes she looks vaguely worried about the state of international politics, too. 

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And that's a wrap on April CBWC. Can you believe it's May today? Where are you walking today?

Thursday, April 30, 2026

Let's Catch Up

Normally I'd do a Five for Friday post tomorrow, but I'm going to finish up CBWC tomorrow, so let's go ahead and do my regular Friday post now.  I'm rebelling against my own non-existent editorial calendar.

In what is becoming a regular warning on these posts, this starts light and fluffy and then ends with tough stuff. If you don't want to be bummed out, skip number five. 

I took this last night, friends, on our after work walk. It's cold and rainy AGAIN. Fuck spring. But look how terrified of the camera Hannah is. LOLOLOL. 

1) The last time I got a piercing was roughly fifteen years ago. I had a navel piercing when I broke my leg in 2011 and I had to take it for BULLSHIT surgery reasons and then when my leg healed, I redid the piercing. The hygiene instructions back then were something like "use antibacterial soap and turn the piercing regularly and if something hurts, you can try soaking it in a warm salt water bath." I don't want to scare anyone, but the number of infections I had with this routine was greater than one.

This time around? My instructions were: squirt it with this salt water rinse after you wash your face in the morning and the evening. Don't touch it. Change your pillowcase frequently. AND THAT IS IT. The warnings about antibacterial soap usage are hysterical.  And damned if this isn't the most comfortable healing process I've ever had for a piercing. I'm only a couple weeks in, but it's going well.

2) Remember when I said I was helping my nephew with his ACT? We were focused on only one section (English) and his subscore went from a 22 to a 27. I mean. Who's awesome? I am awesome.  And he did such a great job. I'm proud of him. 

3) My husband has recently invested in an electric kettle at work which means I am regularly getting fresh tea at work! Woot woot!

Have I talked about this before? I don't ever make my own tea. It's exclusively the domain of my husband. I enjoy the tea, but I'm too lazy to do all the things. If he's out of town, I'm drinking water and getting coffee from Dunkin', you know? But he's making me tea at home AND work? I am living the life. 

4) Podcasts. I have two recommendations for shows for you. 

In Adults in the Room, a Seattle reporter goes back to a story about sexual harassment and abuse at her high school that she reported on back on the '90s as a student reporter, but still has lingering questions about. If you have ever wondered if there was more to the story about something that happened when you were in high school, this is the show for you. Also, it's super disturbing. 

My high school question: Was BB really sleeping with the high school librarian when we were in high school? I suspect she was because they lived together once she graduated. Why? He was gross and she was beautiful. Also, she was really nice to me and I hate that she was taken advantage of. 

The Atlanta-Journal Constitution has a great podcast history, but I was worried about it since Bill Rankin retired that it might not have as much support. I was relieved when I listened to Who Blew Up the Guidestones?, a podcast about a bombing at a controversial roadside attraction. 

(Kandiss Taylor is a Georgia politician who features in this story. I normally do not comment on people's voices. I do not understand what vocal fry is, nor do I care if people have it. I listen to The Chicks on a regular basis, can get behind whatever it is that Bob Dylan is doing, and have a mean Tom Waits impression. But I am SO ANNOYED by this woman's voice. Whenever they interviewed her, I mostly wanted them to do the thing where they summarize the interview instead of making me listen to her.) 

This podcast is sort of fun. I mean, it's fun if you sort of ignore the part about domestic terrorism. And, really, you should because the granite stones were terrible and deserved to be blown up. But maybe not under the cover of night. 

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Radical subject change

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5) I met Rob when my friend was first diagnosed with cancer. He and his wife would alternate flying back and forth from California to help my friend through chemo, through surgery, through radiation. I was chatting with Rob once while we watched my friend play with this dog in the backyard. I mentioned that it must be so hard to be away from his home, his wife, and his life while he was in Wisconsin. He said, "this is important and this isn't going to last forever."

Those words have really gotten me through a lot of hard days in the last year year and a half. 

Two days ago my friend was in a car accident and Rob was with him. Rob died in that accident. 

We are rallying around my friend. 

But life isn't fair. Life is hard. Life is harder for some people than it is for others. 

It is a cliche to say, but it's true. Things can change in an instant. So hug your loved ones. Don't sweat the small shit. Let your dog roll in the grass. Play another game of Uno instead of vacuuming the floors. 

Here's to Rob. Your work is done and you did good. 

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Buddy Read: Kin by Tayari Jones and a GIVEAWAY

Other novels by Tayari Jones:
Silver Sparrow
An American Marriage

One of my 2026 goals was to to do a buddy read and I decided a fun way to do it was to go local. Sarah lives close to me and she posted late in 2025 a list of books she wanted to read in the first quarter of 2026 and one of those book was Kin by Tayari Jones. It just so happened that I also wanted to read Kin, so we met up twice over the last few weeks and talked about it.

Sarah's copy from Book of the Month.

What we have here is the story of two black girls, both without mothers, who grow up in the small town of Honeysuckle, Louisiana. One heads off to college, the other heads off to whorehouses and smoky bars. But their lives remain interconnected as we follow them. 

I was a bit nervous to read this book because I heard it was about mother/daughter and sister relationships and that's a bit of a sore spot for me. But I like Tayari Jones so much that I decided to just go for it. 

Look, this book was so good. The characters are full and interesting and contradictory and make decisions that are both smart and foolish. They do dumb things in the name of love, they suffer from actions taken by others years before they were born, and they make you question what is right and what should cause shame. 

My favorite thing about Tayari Jones is her observational writing and how funny she can be. 

Consider the following:

This was Louisiana in 1941. We were colored. Something was always wrong. (location 184) 

I never did without. I was always tidy and well lotioned. (location 218)

“Don’t ever let no man murder you,” she said. “If you let a man kill you, I will not bring you flower the first.” (location 264)

Bobo had some strange short-dude magic that earned him panties for days. (location 991)

An “I love you” that is out in the world unanswered bedevils a space, like the ghost of a whore in Mississippi. (location 3473)

I used the word “motherfucker,” which wasn’t like me at all. But it’s the sort of word that, if you need it, no other word will do. (location 3856)

...he was as ordinary as a pan of cornbread. (location 4011)

"...He insisted on moving through the world penis-first. Bet he won’t do that again.” (location 4016)

...worked for his in-laws as a mediocre accountant. (location 4804)

I just feel like these are all funny - some in a dark way, but funny nonetheless - and point out real truths that you may or may not have even considered before. How come there are so many short dudes who have such crazy charisma? How do you know by looking at someone that they're a mediocre accountant? I don't know, but Jones captures all of it. 

Anyway, I liked this one so much. It took her seven years to write this book and I understand why. 4.5/5 stars

Lines of note:

I felt like a dump truck, chunky and sturdy. (location 390)

LOLOL. I don't know why, but her descriptions of people are hysterical to me. 

Luggage was one of the few hand-me-down items that became a little more dignified due to its wear and tear. (location 606)

Such great observational writing. 

In all these years, she had never said a word that would dirty the wash water. But secrets, apparently, she was good at. There with Miss Jemison, I struggled to decide if secrets and lies were twins, regular sisters, or just cousins. (location 729)

Ha ha. When I get my eyebrows waxed, my stylist always talks about how they should be cousins, not sisters. 

I didn’t even say she had died, because that was something a person did. A person lived; a person died. I said she was dead because that’s forever. That’s what she was. My mother was dead. (location 2950)

Active versus passive, right?

Like you, I always wanted a mother and I guess I have one now. And having a mother involves letting her down, or so it appears. (location 4451)

HA HA HA HA! Ain't that the truth. 

Things I looked up:

cuckabugs (location 388) - tiny, really tight naps on the back of someone's neck. They are very difficult to comb through and are usually shaved off - this might be the first time I've had to cite Urban Dictionary on my site

Maybe he was cute, in a Jackie Wilson kind of way. (location 548) - Jackie Wilson was a singer. He sang "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher."

siddity (location 617 and then repeatedly throughout the book) - Uppity, pretentious, stuck-up, conceited. Acting as if you are better than someone else. To "put on airs." Often preceded by the word "high." - Two for Urban Dictionary in this post alone. 

Jim Walter home (location 870) - Jim Walter Homes were "shell" homes, meaning the company would complete the outside so that the house was watertight, then allow the customer to finish the inside with their own labor. The company would also sell most of the inside materials, including sheetrock, insulation, doors and carpet to the customer and include them in the purchase. The result was very affordable mortgage payments, usually for 20 years. The only requirement from the company was that the customer had owned the land on which the house was constructed, meaning that in the case of foreclosure the company got not only a (potentially never-finished) house but a building lot as well. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, when mortgage rates went as high as 15%, Jim Walter offered 10% financing with no money down.

Dovey Roundtree (location 1764 and 4984) - an African-American civil rights activist, ordained minister, and attorney. Her 1955 victory before the Interstate Commerce Commission in the first bus desegregation case to be brought before the ICC resulted in the only explicit repudiation of the "separate but equal" doctrine in the field of interstate bus transportation by a court or federal administrative body. That case, Sarah Keys v. Carolina Coach Company (64 MCC 769 (1955)), which Dovey Roundtree brought before the ICC with her law partner and mentor Julius Winfield Robertson, was invoked by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy during the 1961 Freedom Riders' campaign in his successful battle to compel the Interstate Commerce Commission to enforce its rulings and end Jim Crow laws in public transportation.

Raynelle Jemison is penning this letter on my behalf, because “Uncle Arthur” is bedeviling my wrists. (location 2049) - I don't know? Maybe arthritis? Gout? Urban Dictionary let me down. I suspect arthritis because of the Arth- connection. Anyone know?

Being a motherless child is so bad that they wrote a slavery song about it. (location 3457) - "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" is a traditional African American spiritual dating back to the era of slavery, often expressing deep sorrow and longing for freedom. It has been covered by numerous artists in various genres, including Mahalia Jackson, Eric Clapton, and Odetta, and is often used as a protest song. I am so ignorant about music and art! And birds. And trees. And geography. 

chichi birds (location 3521) - Chickadees? (There's a food truck called Chichi Birds Hot Chicken in San Antonio.)

LeMoyne-Owen (location 3897) - HBCU affiliated with the United Church of Christ and located in Memphis, Tennessee that had a total enrollment of approximately 646 students as of fall 2023

“CP Time.” (location 4485) - Colored People's Time (also abbreviated to CP Time or CPT) is an American expression referring to African Americans as frequently being late. Egads. 

Daufuskie Island (location 4473) - a remote, bridgeless South Carolina sea island between Savannah and Hilton Head, accessible only by boat (ferries, water taxis). Renowned for its Gullah history, pristine beaches, and laid-back culture, it is navigated primarily by golf cart. The Gullah (or Gullah Geechee) are descendants of enslaved Africans from West and Central Africa who developed a unique, preserved culture in the coastal Lowcountry and Sea Islands of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Due to historic geographic isolation, they retained strong African traditions in their language, foodways, arts, and spiritual practices.

mighty Zambezi hurling over a cliff (location 4945) - The Zambezi is Africa's fourth-longest river (approx. 2,700 km), flowing from northwestern Zambia through Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique into the Indian Ocean. The Zambezi is known for the spectacular Victoria Falls

Hat mentions (why hats?):

Mr. Daniel held his stingy-brim hat in his hand. (location 554)

My aunt was fashionable in a baby-pink suit and netted pillbox hat. (location 1110)

He took off his hat, revealing an angry red line above his brows. (location 1175)

half-moon hat with a little silk flower perched over her ear (location 1232)

He shook his head and removed his hat (location 1695)

Now Bobo put his hat over his heart. (location 1697)

He sometimes tipped an imaginary hat and said, “Mademoiselle Mouse.” (location 2099)

He removed the leather hat. (location 2605)

felt hat to protect my hairdo (location 2719)

My mama swapped mine for a felt hat and a pair of gloves. (location 2838)

"...That’s why you will never see me with a hat on my head. I don’t care if it’s a funeral. Fuck a hat.” (location 2838)

The sidewalk was littered with playing cards, causing a lady in a brown hat to take clumsy steps to avoid touching them with her suede shoe. (location 3196)

 flat-topped hats with gold braid over the brim (location 4500)

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THE GIVEAWAY!!

Sarah and I met at a small town about halfway between our homes last weekend to talk about the book and go shopping at adorable shops. One of the places we went was to a bookstore. And this bookstore was having an event where you could buy a wrapped book with a description on it and decorate it with fun add-ons for an incredibly reasonable price. It's a fun blind date with a book sort of thing.


Imagine our glee. 

And the giveaway is this lovely package. 


Genre: Contemporary/Family Secrets
Age: Adult
Teaser: Fame, identity, and hidden history collide in unexpected ways. 

If you want a chance to win this beauty, fill out this Google Form by May 6. I just ask for your name and email with a bonus, non-required question for you to guess the title of the book. I actually don't know the title of the book and will not ever know unless the winner tells me. 

I'll email and announce the winner on May 8 and ship it out as soon as I can. I'll happily ship internationally, as well, so non-US folks can enter, as well. 

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Do you like Tayari Jones as much as I do? What do you think the secret book is based on that description?