This week, I started the first book of a sci fi trilogy my son really wanted me to read:
He warned me that it was a little difficult to get into, but I like it! I’m only about halfway through, but here’s the description: “Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space in an attempt to make contact with aliens- and they succeed. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Now, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion. The result is a science fiction masterpiece of enormous scope and vision.”
I’ll admit the book is a little complex. There’s a lot of physics involved, but I don’t worry about understanding every last detail. I figure, anything that’s really beyond my scope of understanding isn’t crucial to the story. This book seems to be very popular in the genre, so it has to be written for people like me, and not just scientific geniuses. I should finish it this week and then I’ll have to move onto something else- my son is bringing me the second and third books when he comes home for Thanksgiving.
Eating-wise, I had a waffle fail.
I made Nora’s pumpkin waffles, but left out the sugar and tried to sub out the regular flour with part almond flour and part oat flour. They stuck horribly to the waffle maker (I think the almond flour made them too fragile) and I had to scrape them off. They looked horrible but tasted pretty good!
On Sunday afternoon, my daughter actually asked to go to Marshall’s WITH ME. This was a big breakthrough for us, although she did say “I hope I don’t see anyone I know.” Ahem. I really think I know how to behave if she were to run into someone from school. For example: “Oh, so THIS is Josh!!! I’ve heard SO MUCH about you!”= INCORRECT. Fading quietly into the background=CORRECT.
Fortunately we didn’t have to worry about it. No one from school was spotted, and she got several new shirts that she was really happy with. Afterwards we went to a coffee shop where I was amused by this sign:
My daughter got an iced “Caramel Apple Butter Chai Latte,” which frankly sounds disgusting, and I upgraded my usual Earl Grey tea to a London Fog- Earl Grey with milk (almond milk for me) and vanilla. Yum!
Lastly, we had a fun Sunday night dinner. I made this Vegan 7 Layer Dip from Nora Cooks. It was delicious, semi-nutritious, and very festive.
What are you reading?
Do you like the fancy fall-flavored chai drinks?
Top photo by Jessica Ruscello on Unsplash
21 Responses
I LOOOOVE the Three Body Problem. I love the whole trilogy (officially called Remembrance of Earth’s Past) which I listened to in Spanish (I figured if it was being translated anyway, might as well read the translation to Spanish instead of English). It’s so good. The second book is my favorite but I loved them all. I read The Three Body Problem again when my daughter read it in anticipation of the Netflix adaptation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I’m almost done with Here One Moment. I’ll let you know what I thought when I’m done.
Ooh! That’s good to know. And I didn’t know that name for the entire trilogy. My son’s favorite was the third book, but I’ll let you know. And- if you read it in SPANISH, then I can certainly get through it in English, sheesh!
I don’t have fancy coffee drinks very often, but when I do, I enjoy them. I still haven’t made it to Starbucks for a pumpkin coldbrew, but the season isn’t over yet so there is still time. Whew that your daughter didn’t see anyone that she knew, the horror! I remember being that young.
I just finished (and loved) The Wedding People and now I have to find a new book! I haven’t picked anything out yet.
Nom on the 7 layer dip! I might have to make that sometime.
It’s really good! You could use regular sour cream and cheese if you wanted (we used vegan versions.)
You must get to Starbucks for your pumpkin cold brew! Don’t wait TOO long- I think the Christmas-y drinks come out early in November.
I’m glad that Angie at least wanted to go to Marshall’s with you and that you got a coffee shop visit out of the outing, too. I remember my mom wanting to spend quality time with me SO BADLY and boy did I snub her. I remember that we went to the movie “Meet Joe Black” when it was in the theater (which looking back must have been awkward because there are some sex scenes in it…). She wrote about how much it meant to her that I wanted to go to a movie with her in the journal she kept of my senior year. I’d like to slap 18yo Lisa. I was a very well-behaved kid and was probably their easiest child of the 5 since I was such a rule follower but I was definitely cold towards my mom at times. She swears she has blocked it out and forgives me (I’ve apologized many times). I like to think I have made up for it with all the time we’ve spent together as adults. We’ve invited my parents on all of our family spring break vacations. So maybe someday Angie will do the same and she’ll be apologizing profusely for being a moody teen daughter like I have.
I just finished “The Great Divide” which was just ok. It’s about the building of the Panama Canal. I saw Kyria gave it 3 stars and should have skipped it but I thought maybe I would like it more. But I didn’t. Now I am reading Ina Garten’s memoir, “Be Ready When the Luck Comes” (hopefully I am remembering the title correctly). It’s really good so far. Ina is such a warm and wonderful person and her love of her husband is just so sweet and makes her extra endearing!
Lisa, I DEFINITELY think you have made it up to your mom! I have a very hard time imagining Angie apologizing to me, ever. Even as an adult she’ll still probably think everything is my fault, ha. Well, maybe she’ll have a daughter someday (muahahahahaha!)
I have definitely had that waffle problem before and I think it’s because almond flour requires eggs to be able to stick together and obviously as vegans we can’t do that! So now I usually stick to waffle mixes and even without the eggs they usually hold together fine.
I haven’t had 7 layer dip in a loooooooong time so I think I need to make this!
Yes, make this dip! It was really good but it made a LOT. So just know you’ll be eating it all week, or plan to bring it to a party.
I wonder if I could have saved the waffles by adding something to bind them more, like tapioca starch or something… hmmm…
Wait…Caramel Apple Butter Chai Latte doesn’t sound delicious to you? It sounds amazing to me.
I would LOVE to go shopping with my mom if she would pay for me to buy some new clothes. Remind Angie that these opportunities won’t last forever!! LOLOLOL.
I KNOW! I’m offering to buy all her clothes, you’d think she’d jump at the chance more often.
I mean… I like sweet things and I like fall flavors. I like caramel, apple, and chai…. but I’m not sure if I want them all in one drink.
I’ve heard such good press about that book… after I saw the show. People had mixed feelings about the show, but I kinda liked it.
I’m reading _Leaving TIme_ by Jodi Picoult (Sarah’s rec) and loving all the elephant lore.
Jenny, I love the look of that seven-layer dip AND your football-themed runner :)!
And I’m all flushed from a baking win (unusual for me)–I just made the most beautiful pineapple-upside-down cake for A’s birthday (by request) and subbed freeze-dried raspberries for cherries (one kid has allergies) and it looks so pretty…
Wow! I’ve never made an upside-down cake. Maybe I’ll have to try it- I think my family would like it.
I think my son wants to see the show, now that he’s read the books. I definitely want to get through the books first though. I saw you talking about Leaving Time in the comment section of Sarah’s blog!
Yes I’m loving the iced pumpkin cream chai latte.
I’m reading the new Jodi Picoult book.
Well, all these drinks probably are amazing. I mean- they wouldn’t make them if they tasted bad. My daughter definitely liked hers!
after you are done with the book, you can watch the Netflix series, I really liked it.
since when your daughter stops hang out with you? I need to be mentally prepared for that.
Coco, I don’t know if you’ll have that problem. I would say my kids both got very embarrassed by me around the middle school years (WHY???) Luckily my son has outgrown it, so there is hope.
We watched The Three-Body Problem on Netflix, but I tried to read it once and when the ebook self-returned I didn’t re-borrow it. I read a short story by a Chinese sci-fi reader once that I loved so I got a book – most of it was WAY too hard science for me, and the one in the anthology I’d read was the most accessible. Good for you for sticking with it!
I just finished Don Quixote for book club (tonight).
I don’t mind what anything looks like if it tastes good. Ask me about my tombstone biscuits sometime, lol.
Yes, this book has a LOT of science. I just understand what I can and let the rest go.
I think I need a photo of these biscuits!
If this will make you feel better, I used to be the same way with my mom. I remember one Saturday, she drove me to the mall where I was going to hang out with my friends and she even walked up to the door with me, and when I saw my friends sitting right inside the mall, I gave her a little push so she wouldn’t come in. Teenage girls are hard! But now my mom is my favorite person!
I’m about to start Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradel and I’m finishing up Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice on audio!
Wow! That DOES make me feel better! It’s pretty hard for me to imagine a time when I could be Angie’s “favorite person”, HA, but things do change. There’s hope.