It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these! There are reasons for that, as we will soon see.
I’ve read a bunch of books lately that were good, but I just didn’t have anything interesting to say about them. I’ve read three of the Lincoln Rhyme books by Jeffery Deaver, about a quadriplegic detective. These are good! Interesting plots, and fun to read.
I also read The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen. It was okay. Is a book considered “fantasy” just because it takes place in a made-up country? I mean, there were no magical elements or interesting creatures in this book. It was an adventure-romance story, and is part of a series. I didn’t like it enough to continue with the next book.
I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes was a really interesting political thriller. The thing is, and I keep forgetting this, I don’t really like political thrillers. I heard Louise Penny is writing another one. DO NOT LET ME READ IT.
Okay! FINALLY, I read a truly great book- Lake Effect by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney. In 1977, a man and woman decide to leave their spouses and marry each other. Considering the two families are neighbors and friends, this is scandalous enough, but in the 1970s these things just weren’t happening. The story follows the family members- especially the children- as they navigate this life-altering event through the years.
I loved it. I know I said recently that I’m not a nostalgic person, but I do have a deep nostalgia for the 1970s. Reading this book, I even felt a nostalgia for Rochester, which is odd because I’ve never been there. I think it’s similar in some ways to where I grew up- a town on a lake with long, gloomy winters- and it gave me strong feelings of my own childhood.
The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the ending, and this is definitely a “me” issue. It was too sad for me, but that’s based on my own personal life experiences. I wish it had ended a different way, but I can also see how the ending is beautiful and perfect as it is.
Okay, let’s talk about, in the words of Kelsey and Erica, “damn dinner.” The dinner situation around here reached a crisis point, and I’m officially no longer in charge of anyone else’s meal. Asking me “what’s for dinner?” is now akin to referring to Native Americans as “Indians” or men calling their secretaries “honey.” We used to think that was okay, but now we know better.
Instead, everyone understands they are on their own. Every once in a while when I’m in the mood- maybe once a week- I’ll make something for everyone, or, that is, my husband and me, and my daughter if she decides it’s “edible.” On other nights, I’m happy to throw some tofu in the air fryer for my daughter, my husband cooks his own frozen veggie burger, and I’ll usually roast a pan of vegetables.
My own favorite dinner lately is one of these tortillas…
with tofu and different veggies inside.
There were certain compromises involved. I now keep a carton of eggs for my daughter. It’s so strange to see them in the fridge, because I’ve been vegan for 35 years. But it’s something she can make for herself, and I can live with it (as opposed to, say, opening the fridge and seeing chicken).
No one is starving, we’re all much less stressed (especially me), and it’s all good.
I’m linking up with Jenn for Tuesday Topics. This week is a free topic (yay- I do well with those!) Next week’s topic: What’s one goal you’re proud of this spring?
Link Up With Tuesday Topics
Welcome back to Tuesday Topics, as Jenny, from Runners Fly joins Jenn at Runs With Pugs to co-host this link-up! Please join us every week for a new topic! Write on our weekly prompt or choose your own topic! Make sure to add your post to the link up, link back to your hosts, and comment on the other shared posts!
Have you solved the dinner problem?
Read any of these books?
Top photo by Ed Robertson on Unsplash
7 Responses
Congratulations for liberating yourself from dinner drama! The tortilla and veggies seems like a great option- you can vary it a lot while still keeping it simple.
I’ve read a bunch of Mercedes Lackey- the first 3 were good, the next one okay, and the second trilogy just bored me. Main character is a Mary Sue who acts like a stupid teenager though she’s supposed to be in her mid twenties. And way too much stuff kept being added that wasn’t mentioned before to pull off the ending. Maybe a better editor? Also the Very Secret Society of Irregular witches- fun and kept me engaged. I keep meaning to read Remarkably Bright Creatures ( son’s reading it for homeschool) but haven’t gotten to it yet.
YESSSS!!!! DOWN WITH DINNER!!!!!
I hit publish too soon so let’s keep going. One person having to come up with meals for a group of people is just TOO DAMN MUCH. Ask me how I know.
I need to check out Lincoln Rhyme and Lake Effect. You already sold me, but when you add Rochester on top of that, I’m in! I spent a weekend there about two years ago and loved it.
I stumbled on a great road trip book when I was in WV. It’s called Follow the River, and it’s a novel based on a true story about a woman who was kidnapped by “Indians” in 1755. She escaped and it took her six weeks to walk back to her family, but she survived (barely). It definitely made me appreciate my car. My next move is going to be to see what else I can find out about the real story now that I’ve had the fiction version.
I worked with a person who is a descendant of the woman in Follow the River. She lent me her copy of the book as she wanted to share her ancestor’s amazing story. That was a harrowing tale- I would not have survived her struggles.
I love your new dinner plan! Our family used to have FFY night quite often (fend for yourself), although we did sit down to dinner together as much as possible. Probably what made it easier is that I made dinner a lot (or I feel like I did) as a kid so my parents didn’t have to do it all the time. We also ate a lot of chicken+rice+broccoli in my day; none of this pressure to have a different meal every night, or anything interesting or Instagram worthy!
Haha, “everyone’s on their own”! It’s definitely more efficient!
We’ve drifted into something similar. Since it’s just the two of us, we’ve become very relaxed and often sit together and eat but each reading our own thing, which I’m not sure I like.
Yesterday we actually talked and somehow ended up deep in a car discussion, which was surprisingly fun. It reminded me that dinner is less about the food and more about that shared time – I need to bring that back!
great to be relieved from dinner plans. I still need to feed the girls but we’ve came to very simple things that requires 5-10 min. Because they come back for dinner late, 6 or 7:30pm due to activities, I usually eat dinner alone earlier, veg + tofu/bean+ kabobocha is my go to combo. Then I’ll make something quick for the girls, either reheating something from the freezer that I cook up on weekends, or butter pasta. no fuss dinner I would say.
I’m intrigued by the lake effect, will look it up.