Month in Review: June 2024
It’s hard to believe the end of June is upon us already! I am going to take a break in July, as I have some exciting travel planned (see below) and just need unstructured time in the summer. But I’ll be back in another month if not sooner.
I enjoyed everything I read this month. There were some wonderful nonfiction reads, including one about a famous library cat for Reading the Meow; the continuation of the Ozathon; and exploring a new-to-me series by Joan Aiken in preparation for a post I’m writing for Witch Week, coming in October. I’ve been in touch with Joan Aiken’s daughter, Lizza, and will be sharing some fascinating background information as well as my personal appreciation of this adventurous trilogy.
Dewey by Vicki Myron – Reading the Meow, Nonfiction reader, pets categoryCustodians of Wonder by Eliot Stein – Review to come (December release) The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum – OzathonThe Cat Who Came in Off the Roof by Annie M.G. SchmidtGo Saddle the Sea, Bridle the Wind, and The Teeth of the Gale by Joan Aiken – review to come, for Witch WeekThe Gift Giving by Joan AikenAll the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley – Nonfiction Reader, culture category
LanguageI took a German test this week to see if I’d qualify for a caregiving training I am thinking of taking. I have never taken an official course in this language, so I didn’t know what level I might have achieved. I think my ability to converse and to write have improved dramatically over the past couple of years, but I still feel shaky with grammar (those pesky German cases). Fortunately, that didn’t prevent me from passing the B1 level test. I’m glad to know I’ve made it at least this far.
I have continued to make progress with Momo in German and Madame Bovary in French. Though the two books could hardly be more different in many ways, they are each structured in three parts. My goal is to finish one part of each book per month, and so far I’m keeping up.
Illustration by Anastasia Bezgubova from MomoLifeMy husband and son are currently on a backpacking trip along the coast of Brittany. They started at Mont St. Michel and are heading toward St Malo. They are having a good time, but lugging a heavy backpack and sleeping in a tent is not my cup of tea. I’m going to drive over next week and meet up with them in Chartres (about an hour from Paris, in central France). I am looking forward to a peaceful week exploring the cathedral and relaxing. However, I would like to visit the coast someday!
Are you traveling anywhere this summer? Or what would your dream destination be?
Photo by Matt Hardy on Pexels.comLinked at The Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer, the Sunday Salon at Readerbuzz, and the Monthly Wrap-up Round-up at Feed Your Fiction Addiction
