Welcome to April’s Ultimate Coffee Date + Fit Five Friday! (It’s my birthday month! :] ) I don’t have much planned, but am happy that my birthday happens to fall on a weekend! If the weather cooperates, I’ll be spending it diving in Monterey and picking up trash in the ocean for Dive Against Debris!
Ultimate Coffee Date: April 2024
I love when his tongue goes sideways, hahah.
If we were having coffee/tea today, I’d tell you that…I recently started doing Sunday morning hikes with a few friends and it’s been nice getting to catch up while getting some exercise in! I brought along a Tofu and he met his first few cows.
They’re having a standoff here…
This is also how I discovered that he apparently does not like going uphill. While we were climbing a hill, he would walk with me, but would take sheepish “Are we really doing this?” glances at me every several steps + was walking slower than we’d ever walked ever…once we reached downhill though, he was all about it, haha.
If we were having coffee/tea today, I’d tell you that…I’ve been going to open houses with friends lately and some of the things on the market (+ their asking prices) are a little alarming. But at the same time, there are also some really nice places out there — good inspiration for potential future remodeling?
This bathroom was really pretty + felt so spa-like!
If we were having coffee/tea today, I’d tell you that…I recently discovered the joy that is…library book sales! Work has been making me kinda miserable lately so some retail therapy was in order and I hit up 3 different sales and came away with 33 books for $35!
Is it going to take me a longggg while to finish reading all these? Definitely.
Do I already have a bunch of books on my to-read list that I haven’t read yet? Absolutely.
Do my bookshelves have enough space? Not exactly, but I can make room.
It was way too great of a deal to pass up + I figure for any of the books I don’t end up liking/loving, I can donate em’ to one of the 3 Little Free Libraries I pass by every day while I’m walking Tofu. :] Win-win!
If we were having coffee/tea today, I’d tell you that…I really liked all the books I read this past month! Everything has been fiction lately because I like having an escape from reality…
The Porcelain Moon, by Janie Chang – Set during the final days of World War I, this follows the life of a young Chinese woman living in France + shone a light on the little-known history of the 140k Chinese workers who were brought to Europe as non-combatant labor during WWI.
The Library of Legends, by Janie Chang – This is historical set in 1937 when the Japanese were bombing China + the students of Minghua University are ordered to flee + walk >1000 miles while safeguarding a 500-year-old collection of myths/folklore known as the Library of Legends.
Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe, by Heather Webber – Small-town charm wrapped in magical realism – this was a really cozy read and made me wish I could visit a town like this. :]
End-of-Week-ish Recap:
- I signed up to do a One Room Challenge and will be attempting to declutter/redecorate my home office/hobby room!
See past ultimate coffee dates here!
(Linking up with Coco @ Running with Perseverance & Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner for the monthly Ultimate Coffee Date as well as My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and The Running Teacher for Fit Five Friday!)
- Do you ever do retail therapy? What do you usually tend to buy when/if you do!?
- Have you ever shopped at a library book sale? You’d best believe I’ll be hounding the summer ones once those pop up…
- Do you have any rooms/spaces you’ve been meaning to redecorate/renovate/fix up? I’m kinda doubting I’m gonna succeed in everything I’m planning, but we’ll see what happens, haha.
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I love the idea of weekly hikes you have lots of options. Decluttering is always good! Hope you have a great birthday
Thank you! :D Part of my grand plans to get some regular exercise/outdoor time in!
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: April 2024
Ooh, I want to go to a library book sale! You got a LOT of great books ! I also bought some books last month (at full price though) because it was my birthday and I decided to treat myself.
Tofu is so cute, and I like your description of him walking reluctantly uphill. Hee hee!
Happy Birthday Month!
I sometimes frequent Half Price Bookstore but library sales are where it’s at for the best sales! *-*
I hope you had a great birthday! Always nice to treat yourself! :]
Thank you! Poor Tofu, hehe. I’ll be bringing him on more flat hikes for the time being…
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: April 2024
Those are great books!!! I’m trying to declutter. That means not buying books but going tother library. Book sales are hard to resist. I’d buy and then donate them back.
Yes, I need to pain and re-carpet the bedrooms…
Yes on retail therapy but it’s usually shoes.
Your cute is so cute. Hiking with friends is the best!!
They are so, so hard to resist, haha. It’s a good thing there won’t be any more mega book sales until summertime — motivation for me to read the things I have + donate the ones I don’t like in the meantime!
Best of luck to you on that! We will likely eventually need to redo the carpets, but for now, we’re ok.
Agreed! :] I’m so glad I have a regular group for it again! :D
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: April 2024
I’m currently having fun decorating (well, making plans to do so, LOL) in my new place. It’s new construction, so essentially a clean slate …even in the case of window treatments, bathroom hardware, and drawer knobs, etc. That’s a great plan to donate the books after you’ve read them. I unloaded a lot of old books at various little libraries around town.
Ahh, that should be a lot of fun! I love seeing how a new space gets decorated. :D
That is a lovely bathroom for sure! We redid our kitchen 2 years ago and I love it ever day! SO funny about Tofu’s disdain for uphill. I can totally relate! Haha!
hahah, me too, but it’s a good workout?! Maybe he’ll warm up to it eventually, hahah.
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: April 2024
The housing market is RIDICULOUS! As a buyer, I am annoyed and frustrated with it. You got some great books there. Let me know when you read “Truths I Never Told You”. I hope you like it.
Ughh, I’m sorry! The interest has gotten so bad too. :[ I hope you luck out with something awesome soon! I’ll keep you posted on Truths I Never Told You! :]
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: April 2024
Wowza that’s a great book haul! A library sale is a great way to buy books. And, I hope the retail therapy helped a little.
Looking forward to seeing how your one room challenge turns out! With our home reno happening, I’m all about decorating and decluttering these days.
Thank you! It definitely did help, although I reallyy need to organize/declutter now, haha.
Fingers crossed! I’m trying to reassure myself that it always looks worse before it gets better…
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: April 2024
I love the idea of a one room challenge! I should apply that to my guest room. Hmmmm.
Great books! I’ve read a few of those!
I side with Tofu. Going uphill is the WORST. What a cutie he is.
Best of luck! If you wanna join this one, there’s still a few days left. There’ll be one in the fall as well! :]
Uphill definitely isn’t my favorite either but it’s a good workout!
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: April 2024
One of my long term projects is to get a wall size book shelf for my living room as I have completely run out of book space! But maybe I will start with a decluttering exercise! Happy Birthday Month! :-)
Ooo, best of luck! I’m almost out of space so I definitely need to declutter some (I gotta read more so i can donate the ones I didn’t end up liking! :P )
Farrah recently posted…One Room Challenge Spring 2024 – Home Office/Hobby Room (Week 2)