Egypt, Part 1 - Cairo

I left for Egypt at the end of February and had a wonderful time. I was a little nervous going with a tour group for the first time, but I got to travel with a great group of ladies and we had a wonderful tour guide.

We started in Cairo. I have been to chaotic cities in Asia and was kind of amazed that Cairo is just as chaotic as those in an entirely different way. Traffic is terrible and some days it takes a long time to get anywhere. We didn’t actually get to walk on the regular streets and I’m ok with that. We saw some really beautiful mosques at the beginning of the tour.

On the first night, we got to go to the Sight and Sound show at the pyramids. All of us thought it was a bit ridiculous and overpriced but I’m still glad I did it. It was a fun introduction to the pyramids and Egyptian history.

And we went to the “old” Egyptian Museum. I was a little disappointed at first because, for some reason, I had thought the new museum opened last fall, but it actually opens this coming fall. But I’m actually really glad I got to go to the old one now. As our guide explained to us, very few things are behind glass and most items are displayed right in the open where you could touch them (but didn’t). It was really kind of charming the way things seemed to be haphazardly displayed. It had just a touch of the chaos that seems to be part of the country.

Anyway, it was a fun city to be in...for a couple days. We went to Luxor next and I enjoyed the slower pace and less traffic much more. 

Life Update

So I’m not gonna lie. I’ve started to miss people. LOL, I didn’t know that was possible as an introvert. Now that I’m over my cold, but still have a cough and still have to be away from work, I’m starting to go a little stir crazy. I talk with my family a lot and I’ve checked in on social media more than normal. But I have to get out of my house. I’ve gone for a couple drives and walked to get my mail. It’s raining today but I think after lunch, I will put on my raincoat and waterproof hiking shoes and go for a walk.  Today the anxiety spiked really bad. It’s a combination of being home/virus news and because we had an earthquake this morning. I’m fine where I live but people in Salt Lake had some real damage.
I’m ok and I’ll be fine and many other people have it worse than I do. I’m just acknowledging my feelings because they are mine and I’m having them and everybody gets to feel things. I’m just getting it off my chest so I don’t hold in the anxiety and I’m going to take deep breaths and do one day at a time.

Life Does Get Strange

So I’m back from my trip to Egypt and I had a great time. I’ll get some pictures posted here to journal the trip.

But in other news... Coronavirus, or COVID-19, as it is actually called.

It’s been in the news since... last fall sometime? I don’t really know. As my trip was approaching, I didn’t feel it was an issue as long as I took the basic precautions. It seems like it was only a few days before my trip when Italy got upgraded to a country to stay away from. And then I feel like while I was gone, it kind of blew up to be a big deal in the states and everywhere else. Or more of a big deal? Egypt also confirmed a case right before we left for home. I consider myself very blessed to have been able to get home with no issues.

Then...I had the bad misfortune to get sick as I got home. It felt like a bad cold, and that’s what it was. I got home Sunday afternoon. I went to work on Monday and left about 3:30 because I was exhausted with jet lag and didn’t think much else but then I realized I was also sick. I did not have a fever or shortness of breath and did not travel to a high risk country so they did not test me. I have not been to work since then and the only time I had left my house beside work, was 6:30 am Monday morning to pick up a few groceries. I figured I’d stay home for a week just to be safe.

Then my boss called me this morning and my company has decided that anyone who has been in a foreign country will have to have a 2 week quarantine before they can come back to work. So I’ll be off for another week. They are going to bring my laptop to me though so I can get some things done. I feel bad for those at work that are doing my job, but I can also understand the need to be safe and not spread disease and me staying home is an easy way to do that.

Oddly enough, the saying on my letter board right now says: Reading takes you places when you have to stay where you are. Funny. And a good thing I have lots of books to read and I can borrow online from a few sources.

Also, I was looking at my pantry this morning. We have been told for years and years to have a supply for hard times. I’ve done a half-assed job of it but I do have more than I thought. I have plenty of dry goods, toilet paper, cleaning supplies and other things that will come in handy. I have water stored, although it’s not enough if I didn’t have a good supply. And I’m a little low on canned goods.  Still, I’m grateful for a church that teaches preparedness and I’ve listened a little bit. I can see where I need to make improvements.

Anyway, who would have thought I’d end up quarantined after my trip. Not me, that’s for sure! It’s happening to a lot of people so I’m definitely not alone. I’m just so, so grateful that my quarantine is happening in my own home.

February

I took last Friday off and had a nice 3 day weekend. Of course, it’s snowing and the roads were awful this morning, but the weekend was fantastic.

I drove down to Springville on Saturday to see my niece play volleyball. It’s an almost 2 hour drive, but it was a gorgeous day with the sun shining and that’s why I went. Normally, I’d only go to games closer to home. The cast list for a play she auditioned for came out in the middle of the tournament and watching her face as she finally realized her name was at the top instead of the bottom of the list was pretty fun. She got the lead!

Then on the way home, I took my nephew with me and we stopped at a used bookstore, 2 different Barnes and Nobles, and a comic book store. We were looking for a specific manga he wanted and finally found it. He told me his mom and dad would definitely not go to 4 bookstores with him. I say sign me up! I’ll do that any day.

It’s birthday shopping month! And this year I’m not really doing birthing shopping. My trip to Egypt is coming and will be here before I know it, so I am using the birthday shopping money for that trip instead. Which is completely fine. I mean, not everybody gets to say that their birthday present to themselves was a trip to Egypt. I’m kind of hoping to find a cool piece of jewelry to bring back home, but I guess I’ll see.

The House That Built Me

I like that Miranda Lambert song. But also, it's true.

Found these pictures today. So these aren't the actual house that built me, although I found a few of those too.

It changed over the years, but this was a great yard to grow up in.

Lots and lots (and lots and lots) of good memories.  It's been 5 years now since they sold it and sometimes I still miss it. 

Best Books of the Decade

Since everybody is doing “decade” lists on the internet along with year end lists, I thought I’d look back on my favorite books of the decade. To qualify, they had to be on my “best of year” list on Goodreads, I have to own them, they impacted me in ways I still remember, and they garnered multiple re-reads.  Some of these books and series are responsible for huge book hangovers and the inability to let go of them. Others were read right when I needed them.

The Queen of Attolia – Megan Whalen Turner

Magic Bleeds – Ilona Andrews

The Scorpio Races – Maggie Stiefvater

Anna and the French Kiss – Stephanie Perkins

A Conspiracy of Kings – Megan Whalen Turner

Song of Scarabaeus – Sara Creasy

Lady of the Glen – Jennifer Roberson

Easy – Tammara Webber

Master of Crows – Grace Draven

Binding the Shadows – Jenn Bennett

Written in Red – Anne Bishop

Every Breath – Ellie Marney (entire series)

One Plus One – Jojo Moyes

The Road Home – Ellen Emerson White

Fangirl – Rainbow Rowell

Six of Crows – Leigh Bardugo (entire series)

Nimona – Noelle Stevenson

A Darker Shade of Magic – V.E. Schwab (entire series)

Den of Wolves – Juliet Marillier

Death Wears a Mask – Ashley Weaver

Revolution – Jennifer Donnelly

Dark Minds – Michelle Diener

Madam, Will You Talk? – Mary Stewart

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me – Mariana Zapata

White Hot – Ilona Andrews

The Firebird – Susanna Kearsley

Wait For It – Mariana Zapata

The Opposite of You – Rachel Higginson

Letters to the Lost – Brigid Kemmerer

Storm Cursed – Patricia Briggs

I look at this list and think there are a lot that are my favorite books that are missing. But then I realize that sometimes books get better after time and might not have been on my Best Of list back when I read it. Some of the books on the lists didn’t make this cut even though I liked them at the time I read them. And there are a few that I loved and might have re-read them over the years, but I don’t own them.

Best Books of 2019

This year I did something different and started tracking my books on a spreadsheet complete with charts and graphs. It was kind of fun and I’m going to keep going next year to get more data, although I think it has been a pretty typical year for reading. I read 117 books in 2019. Mystery was by far my most read genre (not surprising since it’s my favorite). The 2^nd most read genre was sci-fi romance, followed by historical romance. That one did surprise me a little because I’ve gotten tired of that particular genre, however, I read a bunch of Carla Kelly’s back-list which explains the number. Without them, it wouldn’t have made the cut. Contemporary romance came in 4^th and my top 5 rounds out with YA.  I got 5 classics and 9 non fiction books read. It’s been fun to realize the scope of books that I like as I try things outside my norm. Other statistics which were fun to track: paper vs. ebook. I read more paper, but just barely. I purchased more paper books and borrowed more ebooks (from both Kindle Unlimited and the library). Library books accounted for about 34% of what I read. March was my biggest month with 16 books read and November was my smallest with 4.

And here they are in the order I read them:

The Hollow of Fear – Sherry Thomas

I was reluctant to start this series but it was silly and this one is my favorite so far. I’ve got the next one on my shelf but haven’t gotten to it yet.

Letters to the Lost – Brigid Kemmerer

To an extent, I’ve gotten tired of the contemporary Young Adult genre but I read 3 of Brigid Kemmerer’s books this year and loved them. This one was the first and has been my favorite, so far.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman

This one killed me in the best way. I re-read it a few months later and it was still so, so good.

The Lost Man – Jane Harper

I read all 3 of Jane Harper’s published books this year and liked them very much. This one, though. I swear I could feel the heat of the Australian outback from my living room.

The Flatshare – Beth O’Leary

The buzz on this one was positive and I had a feeling so I bought it and found a cute chick lit type of romance but with some depth to the characters.  

Finder – Suzanne Palmer

This book was a breath of fresh air. I don’t read in the non-romance science fiction genre that much and it just felt good. It helps that the MC was just an all-around nice guy and competent and good at his job.

Storm Cursed – Patricia Briggs

A very good installment in a favorite series, plus there’s a scene at the end that completely shocked and wowed me.

Singapore Sapphire – A.M. Stuart

A fun mystery set in Singapore. The characters were so good, but in a first book, not everything is revealed about them. I have to admit I’m dying to find out more about Inspector Gordon. Book 2 next year will be an auto-buy.

The Downstairs Girl – Stacey Lee

This one gave me a lot to think about with the Chinese immigrants in the South. I love it when I get a good story plus learn about things I didn’t know before.

In the Time of the Dragon Moon – Janet Lee Carey

A random pick of YA fantasy with a tiny bit of romance. Fantasy is another genre I need to read in more often.

Murder at Kensington Palace – Andrea Penrose

I’m really enjoying this series. There was some great, if slow, character growth in this one. I’ve had issues with the author in the past for stagnating relationships and fingers crossed it doesn’t happen here. 

No Shortcuts to the Top – Ed Viesturs

This one snuck in at the end of the year. I read 4 mountaineering books this year. They were all good, but this was my favorite.