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Currently | Quiet Mornings Are Meant for Reading

currently april 12 2015

Time and Place | 7:20 a.m. on my couch. I went to sleep really early both nights this weekend, mostly so I could be up early and enjoy the quiet. Quiet weekend mornings are my favorites.

Reading | I didn’t get much reading done during the week — I was feeling emotionally strung out — so I made a point to spend as much time as possible with books the last couple of days. I finished Lumberjanes, Vol. 1 (the first trade paperback), then read issues #5 through #8 on Scribd (an ebook subscription service). I also finished a wonderful memoir by war photographer Lynsey Addario, It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War, that I can’t wait to write about this week. I’m not sure yet what my reading today has in store.

Watching | The boyfriend and I watched 1984 on Saturday night, and we’re heading to a friend’s house to watch the premier of Game of Thrones tonight on HBO. The Washington Post did a sweet infographic of all the deaths in the tv series so far — check it out!

Cooking | We had beautiful weather this weekend, so the boyfriend pulled out our little grill for steaks Friday and Saturday night (thanks to an Omaha Steaks delivery from his mom). Yum yum yum.

Blogging | This week I asked for book recommendations ahead of a big trip to London I’m taking with my sister this fall, and reviewed a very interesting memoir, Smash Cut by Brad Gooch.

Hating | I finished my last Cadbury Creme Egg of the season yesterday afternoon. They are one of my guilty pleasures.

Loving | Last Sunday, I noticed that my Grandma has one of my recent newspaper columns displayed on her refrigerator. It made me smile.

Sharing | I’m not sure what word to use to introduce this… As you may or may not know, a fellow book blogger has experienced an unimaginable loss. Justin DeChantal, son of Shelia at Book Journey, was killed in a car accident on April 4. I never met Justin, but I know from talking with Shelia and reading her blog that she had close, loving relationships with both of her sons. This story from the Brainerd Dispatch about Justin shares so much about him and his wonderful family.

A couple of bloggers stepped up and helped organize a fund for a bench in Justin’s honor at the Brainerd Public Library. It’s a small thing, but it felt like exactly the right way to show Shelia the support of her online community. The donations are now closed — bloggers donated more than double what was needed in just a few short days — but please do keep the DeChantal family in your thoughts.

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Bryan G. Robinson April 12, 2015, 8:56 am

    I also was saddened to hear of the loss of Sheila’s son too, but gladdened to hear of the response the book blogging community has made. Small, yes, but I’m sure it means a lot to Sheila and her family.

    I like quiet morning weekends too. Today: Reading Sunday Salon(ish) blog posts, listening to smooth funk/soul via an Italian mixmaster named Jazzcat (on Mixcloud). Very cool.

    • Kim Ukura April 13, 2015, 8:46 pm

      Yes, I think that bench memorial is such a good idea. It is small, in the scope of what has happened, but it is meaningful nonetheless.

  • bermudaonion (Kathy) April 12, 2015, 9:36 am

    Sheila has been on my mind all week. Her loss is unimaginable to me.

    • Kim Ukura April 13, 2015, 8:47 pm

      Me too. It is such a tragedy.

  • Belle Wong April 12, 2015, 5:46 pm

    Sheila has been in my thoughts all week, too. Such a sad, tragic thing to happen.

    • Kim Ukura April 13, 2015, 8:56 pm

      Yes, sad and tragic and unimaginable. She’s been on my mind this week too.

  • Jennifer April 12, 2015, 9:25 pm

    Wow. Such a sad, tragic thing to happen to Sheila’s son! I am continuously amazed by the loving support of online communities.

    I have to also admit and recognize that I love early mornings. I wake up at 5AM on the weekdays and always aim to keep my weekend wake up time similar. I love getting that extra time that is normally spent in solitude to do whatever I need to do.

    Have a great week!

    • Kim Ukura April 13, 2015, 8:49 pm

      I’m not up quite that early on weekdays — if I can get up a six, I’m happy — but it still gives me a few hours of uninterrupted time before I need to get going for the day. I love it.

  • Laurie C April 13, 2015, 5:54 am

    I’ve been behind on blog-reading (and everything else) so I missed seeing the other memorial donation idea for Sheila’s son until just this morning, but thank you for mentioning it! I didn’t really have a place to say anything on my blog, but I too have been thinking of her since hearing the sad news.

    • Kim Ukura April 13, 2015, 8:50 pm

      I think we all have had Sheila on our minds, wishing there were more we could do. It’s moments like this where I feel like the connection of our community, even though we’re so spread out, really is deep and meaningful.

  • Michelle April 13, 2015, 8:59 am

    I am still struggling with Sheila’s loss. It has made me hug my kids a little more often and appreciate the craziness they bring to my life. I just can’t imagine the hole their loss would create. My heart just bleeds for her.

    I am so envious of those who get up early and enjoy the solitude. I love that when I can get it, but then I can never seem to get out of bed. One of these days!

    • Kim Ukura April 13, 2015, 8:51 pm

      It all goes in cycles — I got up early this weekend, then overslept this morning (Monday)… can’t get ahead!

  • Lynne Moeller April 13, 2015, 10:10 am

    I can’t stop thinking about Sheila and her family’s loss. My own son is 21 and I don’t know what I would do without him. I’m glad I could donate to Justin’s memorial bench, and I hope Sheila feels our love.

    It’s What I Do is my favorite book so far this year. I’m very much into photography and memoirs, so that’s not surprising

    • Kim Ukura April 13, 2015, 8:52 pm

      I am so glad I picked It’s What I Do up at the library! I saw it in a Penguin publicity e-mail, but got curious when I saw it on the new nonfiction shelf. It’s such a beautiful book!

  • Andrea (aka rokinrev) April 13, 2015, 10:20 am

    Our book community is saddened by the loss of Justin, and Sheila, Al and Brad will need support not just now, but a month from now, six month from now, a year from now…..
    Keep checking in with her by email and FB. Let her know we think about her. When I lived in the Twin Cities when I was in seminary, I hung around FrogTown, so, unfortunately I know just where the accident happened ( shudder).

    And Kim, our Rite Aide has THREE FULL BOXES of creme eggs at 75% off….just the creme eggs….me, I like the carmel eggs much more 😉

    • Kim Ukura April 13, 2015, 8:53 pm

      Yes, you are absolutely right. We need to continue to keep them in our thoughts as time moves on.

      Funny story about the eggs — my boss saw my Instagram post about having the last one and brought one in for me at work today. So I have one more before they’re “out of season”!

  • Monika @ Lovely Bookshelf April 13, 2015, 12:23 pm

    The response to the fundraising for the bench in memory of Justin is overwhelming. So much raised in a very short amount of time! Love the book community.

    I love quiet mornings, but I’m such a night owl, they are rare for me (even when I try).

    • Kim Ukura April 13, 2015, 8:54 pm

      Quiet evenings are lovely too, I just tend to fall asleep so early I never get them 🙂

  • Jennine G. April 13, 2015, 4:33 pm

    Sheila’s loss is so tragic and unfair. It’s awesome that our book community it’s has supported her so much.

    I ate my last Cadbury too. I went in search of more in the kids’ bags, but they’d eaten theirs too 🙁

    • Kim Ukura April 13, 2015, 8:54 pm

      Darn kids! I’m glad our community was able to do something, and so grateful to the bloggers who organized it. I wanted to something for Sheila, but couldn’t figure out what. This felt just right.

  • jilllora April 13, 2015, 7:24 pm

    Can you believe I did not eat a single piece of Easter candy this year?? I’m actually a bit disappointed in myself.
    And I was actually a bit sad that I don’t have a tv, because I was thinking Game of Thrones is actually something I could get into. And then I clicked on that infographic. 456?!? Not sure I could handle that.

    • Kim Ukura April 13, 2015, 8:56 pm

      Not even a Reeses egg? No marshmallow bunnies? No Peeps? Amazing. I am a sucker for holiday candy 🙂

      To be fair, a lot of the 456 deaths were in the background (random soldiers you can see killed during a battle scene, for instance). But there are a lot of significant character deaths in the show… don’t get attached to anyone!

  • Vasilly April 13, 2015, 10:55 pm

    I love our community and so thankful that people are coming together for Sheila in her time of need. What a horrible loss for a parent to experience.

    My family is still sucking down jellybeans, while I ate my Butterfinger Easter eggs before Easter even arrived. 😉

    • Kim Ukura April 15, 2015, 7:14 pm

      Easter candy is good all the way up to the holiday, and then again after!

  • susan April 14, 2015, 1:49 pm

    I feel devastated for Sheila and her family. Keep thinking about it.
    I look forward to your thoughts on the photographer’s memoir. I had heard a lot about that book on PBS and such.

    • Kim Ukura April 15, 2015, 7:15 pm

      I am surprised I haven’t heard more about that one. I just saw it once in a publisher newsletter and then found it at the library. I’m having a hard time finding words for a review… look for one next week!