Today (Wednesday) is a much better day. I realized that Tuesday was actually my most stressful day of the week- just too many moving parts- and once I got through that, everything else is (relatively) easy.
As you might recall from my complaining rant, today’s activity involved driving a carpool of kids to an all-day rehearsal. The real stress was getting everyone ready, in the car, and moving EARLY. The school is an hour away, but I knew at that time of day it would take longer, and I was right- thanks to an accident on the turnpike. But we arrived in time, against all odds… and then I went to Starbucks.
AHHH! I was sitting there with my tea and my laptop, when I got a text from SHU, alerting me to the newest Modern Mrs. Darcy post, 12 Christmas mysteries for your holiday season. A couple minutes later, I got a text from Lisa saying the same thing. They know me well!
As it happens, there’s a Barnes and Noble in the area (I’m hanging out until the rehearsal ends at 4) so I hightailed it over there, ready to buy some Christmas books!
Guess what- they didn’t have any of the ones on this list! WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE??? If I were the manager, I would have a display table with these twelve books on it, right inside the entrance. I mean- the displays were things like “Banned Books,” “Stories That Stay With You” and “Personal Growth.” I don’t want that crap! I just want some Christmas murder mysteries!
Luckily, two of my library holds are ready, and I’ll pick them up tomorrow. The Benjamin Stevenson is also available at my library, so I’ll get that as well. I guess I just saved some money!
In the middle of my “stressful” day yesterday, I listened to the most recent Sally McRae podcast episode, and I don’t remember the context but at one point she said “Live every day to the fullest, even if it’s a challenging day.” ABSOLUTELY YES.
Remember my mantra, “Every day counts?” The older I get, the more I understand that the number of days in my life is finite. Do I only want to “live” a day if it involves lots of fun and relaxation? Can I afford to throw away the other days? NO.
I mean- it’s easier said than done. I frequently find myself thinking “I can’t wait till I get home tonight” or “I can’t wait till my day off.” It’s so hard to ground myself in the present and live each day to the fullest, but I’m trying. It’s sure easier when the day involves Starbucks and browsing at Barnes and Noble.
Would you work on Saturday if it meant you had Wednesdays off?- I go back and forth on this- I complain about working on Saturday, but I do love my Wednesdays!
24 Responses
I was going to link to the MMD post in today’s comment! Of course someone already shared it with you. Such a bummer that Barnes and Noble didn’t have one of those books! What the what? Such a disappointment.
Every day counts! isn’t that what you say? It’s hard to remember, so it’s nice that your podcast took the time to do so. 😉
Yes, I really needed the reminder, especially on that day!
I love a midweek break!
and I love the living to the fullest everyday mindset.
Yes, I love a midweek break- I don’t think I’d trade my Wednesdays for a Saturday off of work.
I don’t know where I heard this quote, but I sometimes will repeat ‘be thankful for this moment, this moment is your life’. It must have been on a movie or in a book or something. It is hard for me to not want to fast forward to an easier stage of parenting but there are lots of good parts of my current stage that I will miss – like cuddling with Will while we read Christmas books (which he is still so very into – Paul has kind of lost interest).
I would not want to work Saturday to have Wednesday off but it’s out of the question for my line of work. It would be nice to have a weekday off for appts and such but it would be hard to miss a full weekend day. There are times I wouldn’t mind it but Phil would not like me being gone every Saturday!!
Yes, you couldn’t work on Saturdays for many reasons. And I didn’t either till my kids were a bit older.
I love that quote- it’s so easy to somehow think that this moment is NOT our life, that life will be later or another day when we’re having more “fun.” No, it doesn’t work that way!!!
It is easier said than done, but I know exactly what you mean, Jenny. I also try to live every day but sometimes I’m like what did I even do today. Ah well, it’s a work in progress.
No cosy Christmas mysteries? What the what? PERSONAL GROWTH (someone is staring at you in “Personal Growth”)
Ha ha… I get the reference : )
I think they had one Christmas mystery, but of course it was one I’ve already read.
I don’t know if a therapist would agree with this, but when I know I’m going to have a rough day I feel like it helps to imagine the worst and then to be relieved when the reality isn’t as bad.
Friends let friends know when good books come out! Sigh, yay for saving money because BN didn’t have any of the books, but also boo because there are so many other ways to save money.
I think that having Wednesday off is genius. You get a break right in the middle of the week, and it’s a day when the rest of your family is at school/work so it’s a day on your own to do what you want with.
I do think it’s helpful to ask. What’s the WORST that could happen here??? It’s always something I could deal with- well I mean, I suppose the worst thing is that I could be killed in a car accident. I guess looking at it that way, any other outcome is awesome!
I’m with Birchie. I’m a pessimist by nature and so whining and dread SOMETIMES make me feel much lighter because I know deep down the reality isn’t going to be so bad. Does that make sense?
I’m an optimist by nature, so I tend to tell myself that things won’t really be that bad. I do sometimes ask, “what’s the worst thing that could happen?” but I’ve learned not to do that with my daughter, because her worst case scenarios are always dramatic and dire.
A midweek day off sounds really nice, but ideally I’d still have Saturday and Sunday off too hahaha! I think 4 day work weeks should be more normalized — and not necessarily working 4 10-hour days because it’s hard to be productive that long. In previous jobs when I worked in TV news, I would have weird days off but almost always two in a row. I think my favorite was having Mondays and Tuesdays off because it was nice to have my weekend when most people were just starting their weeks, and I could run errands without dealing with a lot of people!
Yes, there is a BIG benefit to having a weekday off. So many times I’ll think “I need to go to TJ Maxx” (or whatever store) on Sunday, and then I think, no, I’ll wait till Wednesday when it will be much more pleasant.
Yes, the ideal schedule would be Saturday, Sunday, AND Wednesday off.
I don’t know. It’s nice to have a weekday off because then you can do the things I have to take time off for (doctor appointments, vet appointments, car shopping) without taking time off. But then one of your days off is really Chore Day. Is that different from how things are for me, really? Hm. The two days off in a row is nice. I don’t know. No one’s ever asked me. But I will say my job would be perfect if it were part-time. I’d rather only have to work 20 hours a week than 40. If only the work would get done in 20 hours!
At this point I’d rather be off Sat/Sun just bc the kids are off then, but pre-kids I remember loving in residency when I had a random weekday off, even if it meant working Saturday (the hospital was quieter on Sat anyway).
It’s an interesting question! I mean where did the 5/2 ratio even come from?
How about we turn it into: 3 workdays, then 1 off, then 2 more, then 2 off? 8 day work week with 4 days off. Isn’t AI supposed to make life super easy?
(I noticed I did not do the right math above. I guess that would be a 5/3 split!)
When I was at the Library, we used to be open 9-5 on Saturdays (pre-C*vid; thankfully Saturdays shifted to 9-1 after that) and it was such a loooooong dragging day, but that meant I got a weekday off work – usually Friday. It was nice, but also felt like a weird swap because Saturdays in the public library are a whole other animal, lol
I saw that post too! And not sure if you saw it, but I got my “Sugarplum-free” book recs post up too: https://thefarmwifereads.com/2025/11/14/my-christmas-is-booked-sugarplum-free/
The Benjamin Stevenson was fun – that whole series is wild. My favorite on the MMD list (and honestly maybe even my own, lol) is Most Wonderful Crime of the Year 😀
I can’t believe Barnes and Noble fell down on their job. This is the time when they should have those books on display. I wouldn’t want to work on Saturday in exchange for a Wednesday off. My kids have games on Saturdays and Coach is off, and no. Hard no. I work a four day week, and I really like my Friday off.
As a former bookstore employee of more than one store, sometimes publications put these lists out without adequate warning for bookstores to order copies of the relevant books. As a bookstore customer, I would have been equally annoyed. I am not usually into cozy mysteries but I read one last year – The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Benedict – and liked it so much I wanted to read the author’s next book right away, but I am saving it for this Christmas. Actually maybe it wasn’t that cozy.
I am all for being present and not taking any day for granted, but I chafe a bit at the ‘live every day like it’s your last’, because that’s not really possible, is it? If it was your last day you would spend all your money and forgo anything that supported long term health goals. Oh never mind, I keep crapping on your inspirational quotes like an asshole and it’s fine, I will let people be inspired by things. I would not love working Saturdays, but I do love having days off in the week and much prefer any kind of shopping on weekdays rather than weekend days, so I probably would take that deal.
Why yes, I did comment before looking at the mystery book list, why do you ask? lol
I prefer to have my Saturdays off, but I can see how a day in the middle of the week can be nice, too 🙂
Jenny, you are so very right about appreciating the moment. Even if it’s boring, or painful, or not what we want to be doing, we are alive and that is such a gift.
I’m glad you found SOME Christmas books to buy, even if they weren’t the ones you were hoping for! I am depending on you to alert me to any really good Christmas mysteries (I think you and I tend to enjoy similar kinds of books), because I had such a MEH experience with trying to do holiday reading a few years back, I’ve never tried again.
I love that two separate people texted you with the MMD bookish mysteries post! But I am very bummed Barnes & Noble let you down. Not cool, B & N!
I would not want to work on Saturday even if it meant having Wednesdays off. I like having my weekends to myself!