It's the most fabulous time of the quarter in which I update you on how well or how poorly my 2026 quarterly goals are going. And I do mean poorly. I am STRUGGLING over here.
You know what? I don't think this is going to happen.
It's the most fabulous time of the quarter in which I update you on how well or how poorly my 2026 quarterly goals are going. And I do mean poorly. I am STRUGGLING over here.
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| Hotel room yoga. |
It's not a huge list this month, but I'm reading a couple of doorstops (one physical book and one audiobook that's more than 32 hours long), so my reading came to an abrupt halt at the end of the month, but I am still reading, just not finishing. Not yet.
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9/4: Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser (library, 2026) - Interesting retelling of the Cinderella tale from the stepmother's perspective, but it didn't completely work for me. 3/5 stars
9/7: Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw (library, 2026) - Just two people on an island by themselves. 3.5/5 stars
9/11: We Were Forbidden by Jacqueline Harpman (library, 2026) - Sometimes you just need to sink into some depressing literary short stories. 4/5 stars
9/11: Sea of Charms (Spellshop #3) by Sarah Beth Durst (library 2026) - And sometimes you want some cozy fantasy. 4/5 stars
9/12: Assassin's Apprentice (Farseer Trilogy #1: Realm of the Elderlings #1) by Robin Hobb (audiobook narrated by Paul Boehmer, library) - Look, it's brilliant. 5/5 stars
9/21: London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe (audiobook narrated by the author) - I can't with this story of an entitled teen from an entitled family pretending to be a Russian oligarch. I can't. 2/5 stars
9/22: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (library, 2012) - A couple steals a baby and there's quite the aftermath. 3.5/5 stars
9/24: The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook (Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 3) by Matt Dinniman (library ebook, 2021) - It's fine. This series is fine. I'm mostly reading it because the local bookstore has events centered around these books. This one has a dungeon level with trains. Hats play a major plot point, so that kept me entertained. 3.5/5 stars
DNF:
Whistler by Ann Patchett - Look, Patchett does not work for me. What a snoozefest this was. There was some sort of accident in the past and instead of telling us about it upfront, Patchett wants to dole it out in little bits and pieces. I just...don't have time for this. DNF at 20%. (Also, 4.35 on Goodreads! I feel like I'm missing the literary fiction gene.)
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Okay, I'm sorry about Whistler, friends. Tell me about a DNF you did for a book everyone loved.
As a reminder, my husband pays the "big bills" like mortgage, phone, car, and electricity. I pay for groceries and the pets and that somehow evens things out. We recently switched so that he pays for Costco trips. Here's how things shook out last month.
Cars ($36.36, 1.4%) - I bought gas once.
Donation ($40, 1.6%) - I won an item at a silent auction at a fundraiser. *shrug*
Clothing ($45.90, 1.8%) - Look, I bought a shirt at the Grown Up Book Fair. I COULDN'T RESIST.
Eating out ($51, 2%) - I bought coffee FIVE times, went to lunch once, and got an appetizer at a happy hour once. Also, there was food at trivia at the book fair. #noregrets
Entertainment ($59, 2.3%) - This is my Spotify subscription, a book I bought, some craft supplies I bought to make friendship bracelets with my nieces when we were on vacation, and giant dice.
Fitness ($70.60, 2.8%) - Fitness classes.
Savings ($300, 11.9%) - Sometimes you think you'll do better at savings and YOU NEVER DO.
Bills ($306.91, 12.2%) - Water/sewer and insurance for the house and cars.
Pets ($325.20, 12.9%) - This is food for both of them and some steroids for the cat. Don't worry, though, if you thought "that seems low for NGS's girls" because I had to pick up Hannah from boarding where she was for six days which means I've already spent more than this in August.
Personal care ($356.92, 14.2%) - I got a hair cut, a pedicure, and had to buy things like toothbrush heads and sunscreen, which is stupidly expensive. I also got manicures for me and my husband and a pedicure for my niece when we were on vacation. YOLO, you know?
Gifts ($396.29, 15.7%) - This was crazy even for me, but blame the book fair, me buying more than $180 worth of stamps to avoid a price hike, birthday, and graduation gifts. When I write it out, it actually seems more than reasonable.
Groceries ($533.70, 21.2%) - People in this house continue to eat EVERY SINGLE DAY.
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Did you buy new clothing last month? Have to buy something boring like toothbrush heads that upset you by being stupid expensive?
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| Source. The Langholf. July 20, 2026. What. A. Weekend. Facebook post. (I hope I did this citation correctly. If I didn't, I hope the Langholf won't sue me.) |
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| My set-up at home. I want everyone to note the candle on the table EVEN THOUGH IT'S A GAZILLION DEGREES. |
I didn't have a ton of time for reading this month, but what time I did have I spent with some very good books.
7/1: The Unseen World by Liz Moore (library, 2016) - Very good. I recommend this one, especially if you want a good cry. 4.5/5 stars
7/6: The Spellshop (Spellshop #1) by Sarah Beth Durst (library ebook, 2024) - Nice cozy fantasy. 4.5/5 stars
7/11: Kittentits by Holly Wilson (university library, 2024) - What a ride. I don't know if I liked it exactly, but it was not boring. 3.5/5 stars
7/12: Raised by Ghosts by Brianna Loewinsohn (library, 2025) - Graphic novel about a girl growing up with divorced parents in the '90s. Quiet, but powerful. If you know a teen/tween girl going through it, this might be a good addition to their library. 4/5 stars
7/16: The Enchanted Greenhouse (Spellshop #2) by Sarah Beth Durst (library ebook, 2025) - Lovely cozy fantasy. TINY DRAGONS. 4.5/5 stars
7/18: The Phone Book: The Curious History of the Book That Everyone Uses But No One Reads by Ammon Shea (university library, 2010) - Look, sometimes you want to read a book about a book no one still owns. 4/5 stars
7/23: Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogramatic Epistolary Fable by Mark Dunn (library, 2001) - Scarily prophetic. 5/5 stars
7/25: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (library, 2009) - Sometimes you read a Newbery Honors book and remember that Newbery likes preachy books. For heaven's sake. There was a dragon, though, so that's a thing a did like. 3/5 stars
Picture book I read:
Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp - A children's book about sustainability, environmentalism, labor rights, and just being a nice person? Sign me up. What a fun ride. A guest on the Sarah's Bookshelves podcast recommended this book and I am glad she did! (Yes, I'm aware that I called the Grace Lin book preachy, but this one somehow I liked a lot. I'm full of contradictions.)
Did Not Finish:
Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorafor (The Desert Magician's Duology #1) - I listened to 80 minutes of this before I gave up. Not quick enough world building for me. DNF at 13%.
The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper (Wolf Den Trilogy #1) - I do not need to read about women being abused and sexually mistreated. Some books are not for some readers. (DNF at 5.1%)
Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love (Love's Academic #1) by India Holton - My audiobook game is lame. DNF at 12%.
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I desperately need a good audiobook. What recommendations do you have for me?
It's the most fabulous time of the quarter in which I update you on how well or how well or poorly my 2026 quarterly goals are going.
As a reminder, my husband pays the "big bills" like mortgage, phone, car, and electricity. I pay for groceries and the pets and that somehow evens things out. Only, to be honest, this doesn't actually work out evenly. We had a discussion recently about how I make a lot less than he does and he has agreed that he's going to take over the Costco runs. We'll see if this works out.
Groceries ($893.73, 42.8%) - Look, we keep eating.
Pets ($374.17, 17.9%) - Once again I am asking who thought it was a good idea to get a dog? (Me, it was me. I'm my own problem.) Litter, food for the dog AND cat, flea and tick prevention for the dog, litter for the cat. The list never ends.
Savings ($300, 14.4%) - Boo.
Bills ($168.37, 8.1%) - Insurance. It went up by eight dollars AND DON'T THINK I DIDN'T NOTICE, insurance company.
Cars ($142, 6.8%) - I gassed up once and paid for registration for the new car.
Clothing ($131.71, 6.3%) - I bought some stuff for work.
Personal care ($27.20, 1.3%) - Some face lotion.
Eating out ($24.17, 1.2%) - Okay, this is where I splurged this month (outside of HAVING PETS). I got coffee A LOT. June was rough at work and some mornings I just need a pick me up.
Entertainment ($13.70, <1%) - Spotify subscription.
Gifts ($12.63, <1%) - A couple of greeting cards.
Why am I broke all the time? Well, I think we just need to look at those first two categories. *sigh*
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What's something fun you spent money on last month?
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| Every attendee at the outdoor class. |
6/1: The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean (library ebook, 1998) - What a snoozefest. 2/5 stars
6/2: Dog Show: Poems by Billy Collins (library, 2026) - Perfection. No notes. 5/5 stars
6/7: The Wonder State by Sara Flannery Murphy (library, 2023) - I sped through this book in a day. Lovely. 4/5 stars
6/10: Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Uncovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence - and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process by Irene M. Pepperberg (library, 2008) - Super interesting look at the life of an animal biologist. I think this would be an interesting book for some of our STEM students to read because there's a lot about trying to get funding for work with animals. 4/5 stars
6/13: Into the Blue by Emma Brodie (library, 2026) - Sometimes you just need a romance novel. 3.5/5 stars
6/14: Sweep of the Heart (Innkeeper Chronicles #5) by Ilona Andrews (library ebook, 2022) - This series is so good. There were a lot of characters to keep track of in this book, but the author kept us paying attention to the main plot. I really am enjoying this series. 4/5 stars
6/19: How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin (library, 2024) - The middle third of this book was such a bore. And the main character was an idiot. And I do not think I understood the ending. The premise was actually pretty good, but the execution was not. 2.5/5 stars
6/20: Picking Up: On the Streets and Behind the Trucks with the Sanitation Workers of New York City by Robin Nagle (university library, 2013) - I love shit like this. The more niche an anthologist embeds themself, the more I love it. 5/5 stars
6/24: In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware (library ebook, 2015) - Look, thrillers are not for me. I was annoyed that so many pagers were the main character just going through possible scenarios. I KNOW THE SCENARIOS. I want action to happen. Also, I sort of knew what was going on from the beginning - like the bad person was clear? Ugh. Not my jam. I know this about myself, but I still can't help but want to read thrillers like the other cool kids. 2.5/5 stars
6/27: Of Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara Truelove (library, 2025) - In 2026, I am not a fan of anthropomorphizing AI. This book was batshit insane (werewolves, aliens, vampires, mummies!), but I just felt sort of dirty reading it. 3/5 stars
Did not finish:
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese - I listened to 2.5 hours of this book before giving it up as a bad job. It's 31 hours long, so I was at about 8% when I gave up. Maybe I need to read it with my eyes.
The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl - This was far too cozy for me. Maybe a winter read? DNF at 15%.
The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther - I am not a lady who can read instalove YA romance. There. I said it. I dropped this book like a hot potato as soon as another book became available on my Libby app for me to borrow. DNF at 36%.
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I read three non-fiction books this month and a poetry collection. Who am I? What sort of middle-aged person have I become?
Have you read any of these books? Which one would you like to read?
As a reminder, my husband pays the "big bills" like mortgage, phone, car, and electricity. I pay for groceries and the pets and that somehow evens things out. But this month the secret is that my husband took the dog to the vet, so that $600 bill went to him instead of me. That felt sneaky and I asked him if he wanted me to pay him back, but he said it was fine. I put money into savings since I didn't have that bill.
Savings ($500, 17.5%) - I mean, look at me go.
Groceries ($463.57, 16.3%) - Friends, my husband ALSO paid for the Costco trip this month. I am a lucky duck that groceries came in this low.
Pets ($401.31, 14.1%) - This would have been four digits if not for Dr. BB paying for H's vet appointment. This is food for the girls and a lot of medicine for both of them (Apoquel for H's allergies, probiotic and joint supplement for Zelda Belda).
Clothing ($366.15, 12.8%) - I am getting my summasummasummatime groove on. I bought some new lightweight tops that are appropriate for work and some new sandals.
Also, this is the maybe the best purchase I made all month. I bought some sweatbands. I have a permanent anklet that I got with my niece last October. It is not a smooth situation and it has torn up multiple sheets, so I was wearing socks to bed to make sure we didn't have to buy more sheets. Well, I was telling my niece about it/complaining about how I hate wearing socks to bed and she suggested that I buy a sweatband to wear instead. AND IT WORKS. TWEEN GIRLS KNOW THE ANSWERS TO EVERYTHING.
Gifts ($341.27, 12%) - Birthdays! So many greeting cards! #noregrets
Bills ($285, 10%) - Home/car insurance and water/sewer.
Personal care ($172.40, 6%) - Haircut, pedicure, makeup. I have said it before and I'll say it again, it takes a lot of work to be an average looking woman.
Cars ($160.81, 5.6%) - Gas twice and new tags for the VW's plates.
Fitness ($63.30, 2.2%) - Yoga classes through the summer. My regular Tuesday night fitness class doesn't run during the summer, so I sub in yoga on Wednesday nights.
Eating out ($45, 1.4%) - I had dinner out twice and coffee once. Woot!
Entertainment ($34.31, 1.2%) - Spotify subscription, parking when I was on an adventure in Madison, and I bought an ebook.
Health ($24.24, <1%) - I'm over here buying masks like it's 2021. We have two friends who are actively being treated for cancer and another who is being treated for a different health condition with chemotherapy. I buy and wear a lot of KN-95s so I can keep them safe. I see A LOT of people in my work and don't want to bring all the bugs I interact with back to my friends.
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What's a great purchase you made in May? Is it as great as sweatbands that mean you can stop wearing socks to bed?