Sundays with Sam is a combination of Sunday Post hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Tynga's Reviews.
My Week in Review
Happy Sunday! I am happily relaxing here for another three-day weekend. That's two Mondays in a row I didn't work, and I really like it. I saw that they are proposing reducing the workweek in Pennsylvania with no pay reduction, like they did in the UK. I would like that. My company offers a compressed workweek, but there is no reduction in hours, you just do the 40 hours in 4 days instead. I will be curious to see if the bill passes.
I saw the doctor last week, and we are going to wait a bit and see if the nerve heals further without more injections. The downside is that I had to get casted for orthotics to help relieve some of the pain in the ball of my foot. I was frustrated by that because I dream of wearing cute shoes comfortably, and that's impossible with clunky orthotics. I also have to pay $120 out of pocket for them, after the $500+ I paid for PT, the $200 in co-pays this year for this doctor, and the $517 bill I just got from the surgery last year. It's been costly with not much to show for it.
I am glad I have tomorrow off, but this has been a bit of a stressful weekend. My dad was sent for a PET scan on Saturday, and now we wait. And the wait will be a bit longer because of the holiday. -sigh-
On the Blog
- Monday: #AmReading - Vacationland, The Bookshop by the Bay
- Tuesday: TTT - Water, Water, Everywhere!
- Wednesday: CWW - Emergency Contact, Before I Go
- Thursday: Nutshell Reviews - The House on Prytania, The Travelling Cat Chronicles
- Friday: Five Star Friday - August 2023
- Saturday: Sloth Goes Places - Michigan
Let's Discuss
- Anne discusses how you deal with negative information about authors of favorite books
- Girl with Her Head in a Book is desperately seeking sisterhood
Stacking the Shelves
I was happy dancing all week! I got three approvals for three authors I adore. Definitely made my week a bit brighter.
Netgalley/Edelweiss
- The Bright Spot by Jill Shalvis
- Right on Cue by Falon Ballard
- Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
Invites
- The Art of Desire by Stacy Abrams
- The Breakup Vacation by Anna Garcia
Read Last Week
I don't know how it happened, but all three of my library books had me crying. Two had "moments", but Before I Go was an ugly cry book, as expected. My favorite for the week was an interesting genre mash-up. I guess it was romantic suspense but also a rom-com. The Takedown was fun and sweet with lots of action and holiday magic. When I was writing my review, I came across one where I found out that Carlie Walker is a pen name for Carlie Sorosiak who is a YA author I adore. No wonder I liked this book so much!
Find all my reviews on Goodreads
Books
- Famous in a Small Town by Viola Shipman - ★★★★
- Before I Go by Colleen Oakley - ★★★★ 1/2
- How to Stop Time by Matt Haig - ★★★★ 1/2
- Snowed in for Christmas by Jacqueline Snowe - ★★★★
- The Takedown by Carlie Walker - ★★★★★
Audiobooks
- Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings - ★★★ 1/2
Currently Reading
Mike Gayle is new to me, but I am loving Museum, and Rae Sutton is great too. Both are about women dealing with losing their mothers, but Rae Sutton was also dealing with the abandonment due to her divorce. Oddly enough, there's a lot of humor in this story that could be rather heavy, and I love the letters her mother left for her too. I have a lot of hope for Rae as she heals from these two huge life events.
- The Museum of Ordinary People by Mike Gayle
- Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton by Susannah B. Lewis (audiobook)
To Be Read
- The Measure by Nikki Erlick
- West Side Honey by Claire Christian
- Love Interest by Clare Gilmore
- The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella
Let us know in the comments!
I hope your dad's PET scan will turn out all right Sam! And every time I read about the medical bills in the US I am grateful to live in my country.... Hugs!
ReplyDeleteThe irony is that when people are really sick, they come to the US for treatment. When I volunteered at Ronald McDonald House, many of the families were from countries with socialized medicine. There must be a reason they left their own countries to come here.
DeleteI would LOVE a four day work week. I hope that passes for you! I hope you get swift good news for your dad.
ReplyDeleteI don't live in PA, so that won't be for me, and I doubt it will pass, but it was interesting to read about.
DeleteI know it will be stressful waiting for your dad's results, but I hope you enjoy the three-day weekend! I'm lucky that my company considers 30 hours or more full-time and they basically let me make my own schedule, so I'm basically on a 4-day workweek!
ReplyDeleteYou are very lucky with your job. They changed us from 37.5 hours to 40 hours a week at the beginning of 2020 because other locations of our business had 40 hour work weeks. I think that was a Jersey thing to be less than 40.
DeleteThe out of pocket costs for pretty much anything medical related is just so ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI remember how good it was before ACA passed. I had great insurance back then
DeleteGood luck to your dad! I hope all is well. and wow that's expensive. So much is now, especially medical. I could get used to Mondays off. :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see what happens with that PA bill.
Thanks. It's scary to think the cancer is back, and it's hard not to panic. I have not heard too much as the PA bill, but I am intrigued for sure
DeleteWhat a bummer about the out-of-pocket expenses for your foot with no real benefit! I hope you get a compressed workweek approved. I hope your dad's PET scan comes back normal. The wait for results can be stressful!
ReplyDeleteI hope to read The Bright Spot too. Nice to see you rated The Takedown 5 stars! I have that one too.
I don't mind paying if it treatment works, and I understand they had to try stuff first, but I wish the doctor had done the ultrasound first. My issue could not be solved with PT. I spent a lot of money and time for no reason. . Those days, before ACA, I had great insurance. Compressed work week is not on the table for me (would not want to work 10 hour days), and neither is the reduced work week (I don't live in PA).
DeleteI'm so sorry to hear that things are not going as planned with your foot. I totally understand the frustration of the cost and all the pain and it really isn't any better. I hope your dad gets some good news, soon. I loved Rae Sutton and hope you do as well. Have a great week and enjoy your day off tomorrow, Sam.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't mind the cost if there were results. I hate wasting money. I am curious where Rae's story will go. I really don't want a reunion (is that terrible of me?)
DeleteBeautiful blog
ReplyDeleteWishing good health for both you and your dad. I know how stressful it can be waiting on the unknown.
ReplyDeleteI'm eager to see what you think of THE MEASURE. It was one of my favorite reads last year!
I am about 60% through The Measure, it's very interesting. It's funny how some of the mandates/laws precipitating from the event remind me of covid mandates/vaccination status.
DeleteSorry you have to wait to hear about your dad's test results!
ReplyDeleteHolidays are great unless you are waiting for important infomation
DeleteThere are ups and downs to our type of medical care. If you want quality, its costs a pretty nickel. Medical bills suck though. I know firsthand how pricey they can be. Hope things get better soon for you and your dad though. Some of the best books are the ones that make you "ugly cry" though so great endorsement for these books here. Glad you were able to get some great reading done though.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
My beef is that the ultrasound should have been done first because my issue could NOT be resolved with PT which cost me $500 in payments.
DeleteI'm sorry your foot is causing so much pain and irritation. I hope the orthotics and everything else helps. I will be sending your dad positive vibes.
ReplyDeleteI'm sad you didn't love Tilly more. I wonder if it was audiobook versus reading?
My foot is improving, I am just frustrated that I will need orthotics again. I dream of wearing cute shoes. Maybe Tilly would have been better had I read it. I found parts of it very ridiculous, but acknowledge that I am not the target audience.
DeleteI'm sending good vibes your way for your health and your dad's. Waiting is the worst. And the cost of medical bills is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI got approved for Expiration Dates, too, so I look forward to your thoughts!
Before ACA, I had great insurance. It was all downhill from there. If you go to the doctor a lot, my plan isn't terrible. $500 deductible, $2000 max out of pocket. If something catastrophic happens to me, the max I will pay is $2000. That's not a huge amount with the cost of some medical care.
DeleteOh, how I would love a 4 day workweek. The company that I work for is so small that even if a bill like that passed in my state it probably wouldn't apply to my job. I am sorry that you didn't get better news at the doctor. I hope that your dad gets good news!
ReplyDeleteThat's not an option for my job, and it really is only good for roles with steady flow of work. Not sure I would want to do a 10+ hour day either.
DeleteThose medical costs just add right up even with coverage. Good luck with the PET scan for your dad. I know they are much slower than usually with results out here and it was stressing me the heck out when I had my CT scans.
ReplyDeleteKaren @For What It's Worth
It is hard waiting for results that matter so much
DeleteAlways love the three day weekends. I had two in a row myself. I got an invite for Expiration Dates but ultimately decided to pass. I might get to eventually but not as a review book. The premise is so interesting.
ReplyDeleteWhere was my invite? I feel so left out.
Delete