Thanksgiving was not big in my family but it’s Tom’s favorite holiday, so much so that we served traditional thanksgiving dinner at our wedding in July. This year though it will just be us in our torn up house, with a new gas oven, probably eating leftovers in bed. 😁
We had a great time and we are looking forward to the next trip. I have a long list of Carnegie libraries that I want to visit. Most have been turned into other things and are no longer libraries, but I want to see them anyway.
I lived in Southern California off and on my entire life, and neither of us has visited either of the presidential libraries. I will be visiting California at some point in 2024, I'm sure and I'll definitely let you know when I do. I'd love to meet you in person. :)
Loved the Barbie movie and I was never a Barbie girl
We do a traditional thanksgiving meal with extra dishes for the pescatarians and vegetarians. It’s a large gathering of love followed by extreme fatigue from yours truly.
Haha, just when I think I've caught up, here come more links... and from your past posts I must click on each one to be sure I don't miss anything.
I was doing some research online about Hawaii and thought it might be fun to read an old Barbie book I found (she goes to Hawaii for vacation without Ken). It really is a fun little read.
Every year since my parents have been gone (and that's a long time) I get anxious and depressed trying to reenact the traditional foods we used to share. If I'm not stressing on that, I don't spend the holiday traditionally. I stay in bed to watch movies and binge read. Since I got married three years ago my husband cooks the turkey, I attempt doing the side dishes. Then, late in the afternoon or early evening when I'm sleepy and want to crawl into bed we have certain relatives who like to show up late to spend time with us. I love them dearly but I don't like that we're last on the list. This year I screamed no más!! We are (thankfully) taking a "just the two of us" trip to Wisconsin and do some exploring. I'm super excited; I've never been there. And it's a romantic getaway my husband suggested. Win/win all around.
And finally... is your name really Gayla Gray? It is totally movie star quality and I'm envious how it rolls off the tongue. Happy Thanksgiving! I wish you for you peace and contentment.
If you like to read historical fiction, Sara Ackerman set all her books in Hawaii and her latest book comes out in February 2024. I've really enjoyed the couple that I've read and hope to become a "completist" someday.
Your Thanksgiving without the late relatives sounds wonderful and I hope you have a fantastic trip to Wisconsin. It sounds like you married a keeper. I hope to get up that way next summer some time, after the snow and cold weather is gone.
Gray is my maiden name. I started on Substack as a reader under my real name. When I made a decision to start writing, I set up a new profile and keep all my writing and all my bookish newsletters under this name. My SS account with my real name is all political related and I didn't want my politics to bleed into my bookish joy, so I keep everything separate. My parents were from Oklahoma and about the time that Shirley Temple was popular, there was a little girl from Oklahoma, Gayla Peevey, that was popular in the south and that is who I was named after. I grew up in Southern California and never met another person with my name. I moved to Texas as a teenager and in my first class at the new school there were 2 other girls named Gayla. Occasionally, I'll come across another woman with my name, and when I do, the woman is usually around my age.
Thanks for reading Patti and I hope you have a wonderful holiday and a fantastic finish to 2023. :)
Thank you Gayla, great explanation! I'll check out Sara Ackerman for sure.
We had no snow in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was 23℉ but tolerable. I got to see a college guy doing a cold plunge into Lake Superior. It was fantastic... I kinda wanted to do the same. :) I hope the rest of your year is healthy, successful, and profitable into next year... and as always I really enjoy and appreciate your work.
I just read to Ode to Paperback article. what a great piece. One day, once I’ll be able to build my dream library, I’ll finally be able to say “this is my life’s work”.
That article really made an impression on me too. The author of the article also has a Substack newsletter, https://walkitoff.substack.com, that I really enjoy reading. He has also written a book, Dirtbag, Massachusetts that I want to read also. Thanks for reading!
It sounds like you are going to have a wonderful Thanksgiving with all the out-of-towners. I agree on the turkey prep!
Great list of links! I love the creative wrapping ideas! Thank you for including my journals! :)
I love all the creative wrapping!! Happy to shout out.
Thanks for the shoutout, as always, Gayla 🩷
Happy to shout out!
Go see Barbie! It's fabulous! And thank you for all the links.
I will eventually watch Barbie, I'm sure. Thanks for the recommendation.
Thanksgiving was not big in my family but it’s Tom’s favorite holiday, so much so that we served traditional thanksgiving dinner at our wedding in July. This year though it will just be us in our torn up house, with a new gas oven, probably eating leftovers in bed. 😁
Eating leftovers in bed; add a book to read and it's perfect.
Sounds like a fun time with your sis-in-law. And a great plan to visit all the libraries and museums. I love libraries.
We had a great time and we are looking forward to the next trip. I have a long list of Carnegie libraries that I want to visit. Most have been turned into other things and are no longer libraries, but I want to see them anyway.
I’m about 2 miles from the Nixon Library! Let me know if you come!
I lived in Southern California off and on my entire life, and neither of us has visited either of the presidential libraries. I will be visiting California at some point in 2024, I'm sure and I'll definitely let you know when I do. I'd love to meet you in person. :)
A member of my book club is a docent at the Nixon Library and can get us in for free! 🙌
It nice to have friends like that :)
Great links and so much info.
Loved the Barbie movie and I was never a Barbie girl
We do a traditional thanksgiving meal with extra dishes for the pescatarians and vegetarians. It’s a large gathering of love followed by extreme fatigue from yours truly.
"A large gathering of love" sounds wonderful. I was a Barbie girl so I'm sure I will enjoy it too.
Thanks for sharing all the gift guide roundups, Gayla! So many delightful bookish gifts ☺️
Thanks for reading Michelle! So many bookish gifts, I have plenty more to share.
Thanks for the mention, Gayla! You’re always so generous.
Thanks for reading, Adri! Happy to share.
Haha, just when I think I've caught up, here come more links... and from your past posts I must click on each one to be sure I don't miss anything.
I was doing some research online about Hawaii and thought it might be fun to read an old Barbie book I found (she goes to Hawaii for vacation without Ken). It really is a fun little read.
Every year since my parents have been gone (and that's a long time) I get anxious and depressed trying to reenact the traditional foods we used to share. If I'm not stressing on that, I don't spend the holiday traditionally. I stay in bed to watch movies and binge read. Since I got married three years ago my husband cooks the turkey, I attempt doing the side dishes. Then, late in the afternoon or early evening when I'm sleepy and want to crawl into bed we have certain relatives who like to show up late to spend time with us. I love them dearly but I don't like that we're last on the list. This year I screamed no más!! We are (thankfully) taking a "just the two of us" trip to Wisconsin and do some exploring. I'm super excited; I've never been there. And it's a romantic getaway my husband suggested. Win/win all around.
And finally... is your name really Gayla Gray? It is totally movie star quality and I'm envious how it rolls off the tongue. Happy Thanksgiving! I wish you for you peace and contentment.
Awe, thank you for reading and appreciating.
If you like to read historical fiction, Sara Ackerman set all her books in Hawaii and her latest book comes out in February 2024. I've really enjoyed the couple that I've read and hope to become a "completist" someday.
Your Thanksgiving without the late relatives sounds wonderful and I hope you have a fantastic trip to Wisconsin. It sounds like you married a keeper. I hope to get up that way next summer some time, after the snow and cold weather is gone.
Gray is my maiden name. I started on Substack as a reader under my real name. When I made a decision to start writing, I set up a new profile and keep all my writing and all my bookish newsletters under this name. My SS account with my real name is all political related and I didn't want my politics to bleed into my bookish joy, so I keep everything separate. My parents were from Oklahoma and about the time that Shirley Temple was popular, there was a little girl from Oklahoma, Gayla Peevey, that was popular in the south and that is who I was named after. I grew up in Southern California and never met another person with my name. I moved to Texas as a teenager and in my first class at the new school there were 2 other girls named Gayla. Occasionally, I'll come across another woman with my name, and when I do, the woman is usually around my age.
Thanks for reading Patti and I hope you have a wonderful holiday and a fantastic finish to 2023. :)
Thank you Gayla, great explanation! I'll check out Sara Ackerman for sure.
We had no snow in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was 23℉ but tolerable. I got to see a college guy doing a cold plunge into Lake Superior. It was fantastic... I kinda wanted to do the same. :) I hope the rest of your year is healthy, successful, and profitable into next year... and as always I really enjoy and appreciate your work.
23 sounds horrible to me. lol Thanks for reading Patti!
I just read to Ode to Paperback article. what a great piece. One day, once I’ll be able to build my dream library, I’ll finally be able to say “this is my life’s work”.
That article really made an impression on me too. The author of the article also has a Substack newsletter, https://walkitoff.substack.com, that I really enjoy reading. He has also written a book, Dirtbag, Massachusetts that I want to read also. Thanks for reading!
ohh nice will take a look at it. thanks for recommending
Thanks for the recommendations. Great to have more creative people to connect with.
Thanks for reading!
Yet another reason to love LeVar Burton! Thanks for the links 🥰
There are so many reasons to love LeVar Burton. Thanks for reading!