Welcome to my first Monday’s rewind of November in numbers.
Do you ever have one of those days or even weeks, where everything you try to do becomes something much more complicated than it should be? Taking out the trash becomes picking up the spilled trash from the kitchen floor, then sweeping the floor, then mopping the floor all because the bag had a tiny little hole.
That’s the way my past week has gone. The simplest things have taken far too much time to accomplish because nothing is simple any more. Changing a light bulb…the bulb broke off and now the socket is stuck in the light, my computer printer has decided it won’t recognize my laptop any more, my laptop uploaded a Windows update that took hours this morning. Now my passwords are no longer saved.
UGH.
It is a Monday.
And because it is the first Monday of December we are taking a look back at my numbers from the past month. We are doing that IF my laptop will cooperate. I hope to be linking up with Deena from Shoes to Shiraz, so be sure to stop by her blog, too.
Here we go:
Let’s start with a few digits specific to the blog.
- 1257 page views
- 925 unique visits
- 712 first time visits
- 213 returning visits
Boo hoo hoo! These numbers are down quite a bit, AGAIN! Can you say nose-dive? Avalanche?? TIMBER??? But I had another busy month with work and was out of town for 10 days out of 30. And if the blogger can’t devote time to the blog how can she expect anyone else to spend time on the blog? At the beginning of November I wrote: “I am trying very hard this week/new month to balance my time better. We’ll see how that works come the first of December.” Ha! Apparently not well. I was probably less balanced in November than I have been in a long time!! And sick, too! Things will get better. They. Will.
I (only) wrote 8 blog posts. So one every 4 1/2 days. YIKES. Like I said above…things will get better this month.
I read 1 grown-up (adult but not THAT kind of adult) book, The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah which was given to me by my blogger buddy, friend and fellow librarian Katie who blogs at The Mishaps and Mayhem of a Solitary Life.
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If you have followed my life and my blog for any length of time, you are certain to know that I am drawn to books about World War II, in particular the Holocaust. This is the survival story of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle Mauriac, during the war. The younger and always impetuous Isabelle becomes involved in the Resistance while responsible, reserved Vianne is accidentally thrown into her own war effort on the home front. While I was reading and savoring this book a chapter a night, PC devoured it on his Nook in a matter of days. It’s that good.
Along with the book, Katie sent this beautiful scarf, knowing how long and hard I had struggled to find a plaid scarf here in El Paso. Not a one to be had. So Katie to the rescue!
PC and I saw 4 movies this month. The best by far being Brooklyn. FAB-U-LOUS. You can read my review of it here. Speaking of Brooklyn, the movie, Sarah C. was the winner of the Fandango gift card giveaway. Congrats, Sarah!
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I loved the first Hunger Games movies (and all of the books) but when they drag a book series-turned-movie out over several years time, I lose interest. I wish I had known that Brooklyn was a book before I saw the movie. I always prefer reading the book first. But it is probably good for my brain to shake things up now and then.
I only worked 7 days this month. That is going to be crummy come payday, huh? Seemed like more than that. We are still weeding and discarding old outdated books with great abandon. Last week in my 2 1/2 days, I withdrew about 500 titles, the ones below among them.
According to these biographies, Diana and Charles are happily married, and she makes the prince laugh everyday. Barry Bonds is a super slugger of his own natural ability. And bin Laden is still on the FBI’s Most Wanted Fugitive’s list. Imagine if my students had used these books for research? The boxes in the last picture are full of similar no longer relevant, inaccurate titles.
I took 1 trip for 10 days to Kentucky and Ohio. While in Kentucky, I attended 2 of my nephew Jacob’s basketball games – Go, Yellow Jackets!! We walked through the Lexington Cemetery. Drove down to my alma mater, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and toured the campus.
In Ohio, I shopped the little stores in Troy with my sister-in-law Greta, ate Thanksgiving dinner with the Clingan clan at Bob Evans restaurant, attended the tree lighting in the town square (but missed the actual switching on of the lights!), and made a cupcake turkey!
We worked out at the gym 12 times during November. Not bad for being gone a third of the month. But I only ran 17 miles. Did I mention that things will get better? In this department, too.
Trust me, you don’t want to click to see a bigger version of my face in this picture.
This handsome couple came to visit me mid-month for about 15 minutes.
They were actually in town for a wedding in our sister city, Juarez, Mexico so that’s why I really didn’t get to spend a whole lot of time with them. But I will take what I can get! And this month, Brennyn and Cady are coming for a visit. Yay!
This little girl posed for 4D ultrasound pictures and video. Please help me give a warm Once Upon a Time welcome to Lucia Carolina at 22 weeks.
Now that is a pretty face. Please do click on her little mug to see a larger version. The obstetrician says she is a little chubby. Love me a chubby baby! Cannot wait to hold this bundle of baby. CANNOT WAIT! Sixteen weeks now and counting…
Finally, I made 1 HUGE batch of this potato soup for my PC to eat on the first days that I was gone to my ole Kentucky home, before he flew up to join me.
I have made from-scratch potato soup many times but have used this Bear Creek soup mix a couple of times, too, and just added a few little extras to make it a little more like homemade.
I added a little Velveeta, about 2/3 cup of frozen corn, some shredded chicken, about a third of a block of cream cheese, and some seasoning to the Bear Creek mix. It made a tub full of soup, so I froze about half and we ate it tonight.
So that’s my month. Just going to check my Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook numbers before I bid you goodnight.
1,202 followers and 11,470 pins on Pinterest. Please follow me here: Pinterest.
245 likes on my blog Facebook page. Please like me here: Facebook.
101 followers on Instagram. Please follow me here: Instagram.
What was the highlight of your November? Please leave me a comment to let me know. Thank you for joining me for this rewind of November in numbers. I hope you will continue to stop by. I have lots of exciting posts and blog hops planned for this month.
Hugs and kisses,
Sharon
Your Monday sounded familiar friend! I WILL email you again in 2015! Such busy bees we are! 🙂 Love the babies name and Lauren is certainly glowing! Will be getting something monogrammed soon! XO
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you so much, friend. I have been worn out since before Thanksgiving. Already in my pjs tonight and it is 6:30 pm. So looking forward to have some time off. Hope you have a quiet day in the near future, too! XO
deena
Thanks for linking up, great post! I love your book recommendations and will add Nightingale to my list. Also- I have a special for you 16 weeks to go Granddaughter’s name- Lucia! How will it be pronounced?
Deena
Shoes to Shiraz
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Thank you, Deena. Please, please be on the lookout for the movie Brooklyn, too. Great story. The kids are going to pronounce her name Lou-see-uh. And her middle name is Carolina but pronounced Cah-doh-lee-nuh in Spanish. So Lou-see-uh Cah-doh-lee-nuh Bwin-dee-uh! That’s a mouthful.
Carrie @ Curly Crafty Mom
I have that book (The Nightingale) on my list to read next! I am really excited, especially after reading how much you loved it. It sounds like you have been busy this month! I say, if you’re having fun- the blog can be put aside for a bit! I want to see Brooklyn now.
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Yay! Hope you will like Nightingale. I bet it will be a movie. (You heard that hear first!) I have been busy, I know you have been, too. Looking forward to some down time over the holidays. Let me know if you see Brooklyn. Just a good story.
Morgan
My highlight of November was seeing my parents enjoy Hudson’s visit!
Leslie Roberts Clingan
So glad your parents were here. I am sure they could not believe how big that boy has gotten! Such a doll baby. XOXOX
Lauren Buendia
Mom! Thank you for the baby mention… She’s so cute, but I guess I’m a bit partial. I love the scarf Katie got for you! She has such good taste. Those site numbers are phenomenal…I don’t know what your talking about! I’m proud of you.
I love you bunches,
Your Buffy
Leslie Roberts Clingan
I like to mention that baby every chance I get! She is kinda cute! I love my scarf from Katie. Have worn it several times already. Thank you so much for stopping by and boosting my numbers. I love YOU, baby girl.