June wrap-up and plans for July

Hello! How is it possible that June is over? I'm just thankful that it's finally warm! It has led me to become obsessed with making and drinking cold brew iced tea. It's so easy and refreshing, I'll probably be drinking it constantly all summer.

Reading

Let's see how I did in the categories I'm tracking:

Reading Challenge List: The Summer Before The War by Helen Simonson; I'm still working my way through Pioneer Girl.
CBAM: Didn't participate in this one this month
Romance: Currently reading A Scot in the Dark by Sarah MacLean
Nonfic: The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel

So that is ok-ish? I had no plans to read the CBAM this month as I'm probably only reading about 5 or 6 for the year. I'm definitely falling behind on my Personal Reading Challenge but I don't care a whole lot as I've been reading some great stuff. I loved The Summer Before the War, which was on my list for the year, and Touch by Courtney Maum, which was an impulse read. I listened to two great teen audiobooks at the beginning of the month: Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy and If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo.

Listening

Most of my listening this month has been audiobooks, but I've also been spending some time with Lorde's new album, Melodrama, which is quite good.

I have a playlist on Spotify that I listen to while running and I just added All I Want Is You from the Juno soundtrack. I really need to mix this list up a bit more frequently. I'm taking suggestions!

Watching

First lobster roll of the season!

I finished season 1 of The Handmaid's Tale, which has made me quite happy (and a little scared) and I'm still watching the current season of Call the Midwife.

On one of my Fridays off (I was working Saturday that week) I went to a matinee of Wonder Woman. I'm not a big fan of superhero movies because they're basically all the same and I'm very frustrated at how horrible the female characters are. This was probably the best superhero movie I've seen. The movie itself was good (not fantastic), but the character of Wonder Woman was great. She actually had a personality and compassion and was strong and badass. Usually women get to be great fighters or have actual human feelings, but not both.

Knitting

Ugh, not much. And now I've come across my embroidery supplies and really want to embroider something instead.

Doing

At the beginning of June I went to Maine for a weekend. My sister was having a numerically-significant birthday so we had a big party for her, which conveniently was held on my birthday since that was the closest Saturday to hers. (Our birthdays are two days apart. What are the chances?) I got to have my first lobster roll of the summer while I was up there.

While in Maine I bought a church pew (as one does.) It's quite lovely in the upstairs room we just had repainted. Eric questioned my choice and I had to insist that the pew fit with my artistic vision for the room, and I'll admit I felt a bit defensive about the whole thing. But then a couple of days later he bought a concertina, so.

Having a new musical instrument in the house inspired me to pick up my flute a bit for the first time in years. I'm basically starting from scratch, though it's coming a lot quicker than it did the first time.

I also resumed running more regularly and going to yoga again.

As part of my effort to be more informed and involved, I attended an ACLU event about a police surveillance ordinance that would prevent police from using intrusive surveillance without having to go through some official channels to get approval.

Work feels less frantic now that our new teen librarian has started. Earlier in June we held a GeekCon at the library, encouraging folks to dress up and come to the library for crafts and trivia and watching some episodes of shows. The photo of me and Hermione is from this event. I don't know why I look psychotic.

Plans for July

Per tradition, I'll be going to one of the Boston Harbor Islands this weekend with friends. It's usually a leisurely day of strolling, eating, and sitting in Adirondack chairs enjoying the sun and catching up with each other.

Later in the month I'm headed to Bermuda! I'm taking the cruise from Boston with my niece and we are both very excited!

How was your June?