C.G.Koens's Blog

October Bookworm Update

I always start these posts at the first of the month and update them as life happens along the way. Heading into October, I wasn't really sure what to expect from the next 31 days. I knew my calendar was beyond busy with life events, but if my mom's quick illness and death taught me anything, it's that life can change in the blink of an eye. Although nothing dramatic happened in our immediate family, we did have some pretty serious things happen to several of our friends, once again reminding me...

September In the Books

I love a good calendar. I live and die by the digital calendar on my phone. Go to a dental or eye appointment with my kids and set up a follow-up for a year out? It's already in my phone for next year. I've often said, "If it's not in my calendar, it's not happening. It doesn't exist." But recently, I realized that digital-only may not be cutting it for some of my family members, including the Hubs. And so he got a paper planner, which comes back to me at the end of the month to fill out with im...

A Change in Goals (August Reading Update)

And here we are, another month down in the year, and coming into my absolutely favorite season of all...FALL. I have loved the "ber" months all my life. Long before Instagram girlies made reels about "ber" months and Halloween decor. Long before it became popular to go to pumpkin patches for photo shoots (I love them for the pumpkins, weird!), and Pumpkin Spice Lattes didn't have their own hashtag. #PSL Because before there was all of that, Anne Shirley popping off of the page, extolling the vir...

Playing Catch-Up (or What I Read in July)

A confession. I actually finished one book in June, on the very last day of the month. But I already had my June post written, and so I'm counting it for July, because there's no one to say that I can't. There are no rules in this reading goal, just happy dances when reading actually occurs. 

Photo by Elin Melaas on Unsplash

So after a strong reading start to the year, and a total halt to the reading goals while after my mom got sick and passed away, this was the month where I was hoping to get ba...

The Great Life Explosion (Or Why I Didn't Finish a Book in June)

My mom passed away on June 12th. From diagnosis to death was just six weeks, and in that time I spent much of it caring for her, helping my dad, making arrangements, becoming an expert in how Hospice works and the intricacies of Schedule II narcotics and how to administer them safely. And then she died, and I wrote a eulogy for her funeral, planned the service with my siblings, organized food, spoke at her memorial, extroverted at the visitation, and then hopped in a car and drove 10 hours to Fl...

My Lonely Bookshelf (What I Read: May)

The beginning of May, my 84-year-old mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. There is no cure, and the treatment that they hoped would give her some relief, didn't do anything for her. Within a matter of days she went from walking on her own to shuffling around with the assistance of a walker. 

My days also changed, from wrapping up another home school year with the four at home, to becoming a full-time nurse and caregiver, taking care of my mom, handling her new medications, sitting with her a...

What I (Didn't) Read: April

As I type this, it's drizzling outdoors, with a hint of sunshine in the background of the clouds. My favorite sort of a day. The perfect day, in fact, for curling up and reading. But, as life has taught me, we don't always get to do what we consider the "perfect" activity for the day, so here I sit, tied to my desk, working away on this (and other) tasks. I suppose if I can't actually be reading the next best thing is to be writing about it, followed by proofreading the musings of authors who wa...

What I Read: March

Another month gone. A quarter of the year checked off the calendar. Time passes so swiftly. And what do we do with it? Do we use it wisely? Do we fritter it away? Do we tell it where to go or wonder where it's gone? Everyone has 168 hours in a week, but it's what we do with them that matters. Some days I'm better at telling the time where to go than others (making sure I read something every day remains a priority), and other days I get to the end of the day and think, "Well, that could have gon...

What I Read (February)

A short month means fewer days to get those books in, but I did my best with the time I had and I think it turned out alright. I'm working through a few good series at the moment (outlined below) and since I crossed the 10-books-read threshold, that meant I was also allowed to buy my first "just for fun" book reward book (which happened to be a used copy of the third Thursday Murder Club series, using Amazon points, so it still cost me nothing - win-win-win!). Its been a busy month, with family ...

What I Read: January

I've mentioned before that winter is my reading season. It's cozy and cold (SO COLD this month!) and dark early and the perfect time (for me) to get a lot of books knocked off my list. I'm doubly motivated this year as I get to buy a new book for every 10 books I read from my own shelves, and I'm dying to get the next book in the Thursday Murder Club series. Have you read them? If you like cozy British mysteries and septuagenarian sleuths...this is definitely a set for you to check out.

And while...