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Update 🐾

I’ve always had a green thumb, but now that we have our own home, I am a lawn fanatic as well. Things I would have never been interested in before now fascinate me so much! Aeration, grass seed, weed killer, weed whacking. Like, who am I?

I used to take care of a garden when I was an undergraduate student. My parents invested in a home that I resided in during that time. My mother is an impressive gardener, truly. Her landscaping is inspired by Butchart Gardens, so while obviously not as extensive, her garden has always been a little piece of heaven to retreat to during the summer months. I’ve learned so much from her. Below is an image of Butchart Gardens for your reference. Such a beautiful source of inspiration!

Thankfully, our current garden is quite small but we are just getting started. We have a home that was built in 2017, and the landscaping is fresh, clean, and modern. Although I have lots of plans to spruce it up, I am going to be starting with baby steps. That means, doing a thorough pressure washing of our walkways and home exterior, revitalizing the lawn, setting up the garden beds, washing and staining our deck. All of those exciting preparation steps.

On another note, I’ve been making lots of banana/berry smoothies lately. And my partner discovered something amazing. If you just add frozen bananas to a bowl, add some almond butter (or peanut butter, if preferred), and just eat those two together, they are a delicious, cold Spring snack! It’s been a go-to all week. Especially since, for some reason, I have lost my appetite. So having these meals that are still fun and easy to put together has been a great help.

Happy Spring, everyone!

Reading/Watching Update

Currently Reading

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Finished Reading

I finished quite a few short books this week! I will post my reviews closer to publication date, but for now just know that I typically enjoyed them all very much and they should all be on your list if you enjoy comics and illustrated cat books.

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New to my shelf

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Just Watched

No films this week! However, we are finally going to watch Project Hail Mary this weekend. I’m so excited!

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Currently Watching

Last Week on the blog

The Sunday Post #26

May 2026 Releases – Top Ten Tuesdays – May Flowers

This Week on the blog

• Top Ten Tuesdays
• The Sunday Post #28

QOTD: How are you doing?

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Update 🐾

Happy Mother’s Day 🙂

This week has actually been fairly productive! I am working extra hard on my Portuguese immersion studies and having so much conversation time in PT. It’s my heritage language, I am Canadian-Portuguese, and one day my partner and I would like to move to Portugal, so now is the time for me to improve it. When will we move? I honestly don’t know, it may be more like a retirement thing or summer home in the future, but it’s where my heart wants us to end up. It’s a goal of mine!

Since I left the blog, we purchased a house and moved in. It’s such a pleasure to be outside getting our garden ready! Currently, there isn’t much going since we are just tidying up and doing some outdoor spring cleaning. I live in Alberta and it was snowing just a couple of weeks ago so there is much to work on! So, I’ve raked up lots of leaves, and having been tidying up old foliage. I cannot wait to start planting, stain our deck and our fence, and do some pressure washing!

Thank you to everyone who share condolences regarding the passing of our cat Olivia on her anniversary post, as well as for her recently passed best friend Melanie, our 12 year old goldfish. It meant a great deal to me.

Reading/Watching Update

I am currently immersing myself in books in European Portuguese.

Currently Reading

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Finished Reading

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New to my shelf

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Just Watched

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Currently Watching

Last Week on the blog

One Year Since Olivia has Passed Away – The Sunday Post #25

Top Ten Tuesdays: Top Five Authors I Miss

This Week on the blog

Review | The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

• Top Ten Tuesdays
• The Sunday Post #26

QOTD: How are you doing?

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Update 🐾

Hi everyone,

I’ve taken a long break from the blog but am hoping to get back into it. I took about a year and a half or so off because a lot has happened.

It has been one year since Olivia passed away, on May 4th 2025. She was about 16.5 years old when she had a health scare and we realized we needed to take some time to help her as much as possible in her later years. At that time, I couldn’t really read and didn’t have much to contribute, she was my greatest focus. And I’m happy I did that because she very much needed the help and I was able to spend many, many amazing days with her showering her with love and care.

I don’t want to be too sad here, I know that many people have lost loved ones and it’s a difficult topic. But in all honesty, it still hurts very much. We were in each other’s lives for so many years that even a year later, I feel like a part of myself is missing. She was like an extension of myself, but she was just pure love and joy. She was the closest thing you could ever have to an angel on earth. And I’m so grateful for the time that I had with her.

In Olivia’s absence, we are not ready to have another cat. That will come in time. But we work with rescues and are fostering cats, one at a time, and that has been going very well.

We also lost our dear fish, Melanie, who was 12 years of age. She passed away on April 21st. She was Olivia’s best friend in the whole world. So, it makes me happy to think they are together again, fish and cat, best friend’s forever.

Here are some of my favourite videos featuring Olivia <3
She truly was an amazing cat and I know everyone loved her so much.

Reading/Watching Update

I am currently immersing myself in books in European Portuguese.

Currently Reading

Recently Read

New to my shelf

Currently Watching

This Week on the blog

• N/A

QOTD: How are you doing?

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Update:

Brief post today! I have been less busy on my blog lately since I’ve dealt with some pretty tough migraines over the last week and a half. I’m feeling quite a lot better today, though. I hardly get them anymore, but when they come, they come in pretty aggressively. Meanwhile, it’s given me some time to rest. And I’ve been comforted with a bit of ice cream – there’s a great cashew, plant-based cashew chocolate fudge brownie I find hard to resist from a local vendor! Apologies. I have been on a bit of a pause in replying to comments since my migraines. I hope to get back on track soon.

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia has been doing great! She’s helped make these migraines go by a lot smoother. I’m always amazed by how loving and caring she is. She’s such an amazing cat.

Reading/Watching Update

Currently Reading

Recently Read

New to my shelf

Recently Watched

This Week on the blog

• Reviews (hopefully) for The Paradise Problem and The Charmed Friends of Trove Isle
• TTT (possibly!)
• WWW Wednesday
• The Sunday Post

Last Week On The Blog

• REVIEW | THE FINDERS KEEPERS LIBRARY BY ANNIE RAINS
• REVIEW | ONE LONG WEEKEND BY SHARI LOW

QOTD: What is your favourite flavour of ice cream?
Let us know!

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The writing of this post was edited and enhanced with the help of Grammarly AI.

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Update:

Hello everyone! It’s been another busy week for me, but I’ve managed to be fairly productive. Recently, I discovered that I can make lists on NetGalley, so I’ve created a list of widgets that I’ve been invited to read. This way, I won’t forget what I have available to me. Apart from that, I’m enjoying the warmer weather.

PS – Please don’t “furr-get.” The Catathon Readathon is coming up on April 20-21st!

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia is doing well and enjoying watching the birds outside our balcony door. Here she is, being a gem.

Reading/Watching Update

Currently Reading

I am almost finished reading two books from NetGalley: One Long Weekend, published by Boldwood Books, and Bad Dreams in the Night, from Andrews McMeel Publishing. I am taking my time reading Great Expectations and thoroughly enjoying it! Additionally, I am slowly making my way through The Warmth of Other Suns, which has been an excellent read.

Added to My NetGalley Shelf

The publisher invited me to read this by Celadon Books, but I just remembered I hadn’t downloaded the ARC. I will get around to this one very soon!

Currently Watching

We only have the finale left! It has hits and misses, but Kate Winslet is so good.

Recently Finished

I found Ripley very interesting and liked it overall! I watched the whole series in two days. Although I haven’t read the books, I have watched parts of the adaptation starring Jude Law and Matt Damon — The Talented Mr. Ripley. If I get the chance, I’d like to watch three adaptations and compare and contrast them.

The Phantom of the Opera is a movie I’ve watched multiple times. I honestly don’t know how many times I’ve seen it, but it’s been quite a lot. There are parts that I like more in the Broadway version with Sierra and Ramin. Here, I’ll leave my favourite performance by Sierra. I cry every time I watch it! I hope you enjoy it too. I’ll also leave my favourite performance from the movie, which features Emmy Rossum and Patrick Wilson. They are a pleasure to listen to, and Patrick is my favourite Raoul, hands down!

And, of course, since I’m going through a classic film phase, I have to continue watching James Stewart.

This Week on the blog

• Reviews
• Top Ten Tuesdays
• The Sunday Post
• More … if possible!

Last Week On The Blog

• Review – Funny Story by Emily Henry
• Top Ten Tuesdays: Top Ten Books to Read for the Catathon Readathon!

QOTD: What Book are you reading right now? Let us know!

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The writing of this post was edited and enhanced with the help of Grammarly AI.

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Update:

Hi everyone,
I hope you’re doing well! Today is an exciting day because Olivia, myself, and our co-hosts have announced our 48-hour readathon, “Catathon Readathon”, which will take place on April 20th and 21st. We would love for you to join us if you can! This is the second time that we are hosting this readathon, and we are incredibly excited about it!

We even made activity prompts to accompany it!

If you are interested, please follow us on Instagram, where we will post everything related to the Catathon Readathon. All cards can be downloaded HERE.

Cohosts:
Thank you to our cohosts!
Abigail (and cats: Luna, Ellie, Dolly, Poppy, and Hugo) @abigailscupoftea
Christin (and Pocus the cat) @christin_rene_
Melanie (and Kyra the cat) @thatgirl_blogue

Other life updates:
It has been a busy week, but I am happy to be able to relax this weekend. Today, Olivia and I will be watching some movies at home and enjoying some delicious Greek-style lemon potatoes that were purchased from a local vendor. Although I have not tried this particular variety before, lemon potatoes have always been one of my favourite dishes. So, I was pleasantly surprised by my partner today when he brought a tray of these for us to enjoy!

Olivia Update 🐾

Olivia is still beaming with excitement after a sociable day yesterday that included many pets and treats from a visitor.

Olivia, satisfied, below 🙂

Reading/Watching Update

Currently Reading

Newly Added On My Bookshelf

Recently Watched

This Week on the blog

• Reviews
• Top Ten Tuesdays – Cat Book Recommendations (*tentative)
• The Sunday Post #22

Last Week On The Blog

• Catathon Readathon Announcement
• Review: What You Are Looking For Is In The Library

QOTD: What book are you most looking forward to reading this month?

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The writing of this post was edited and enhanced with the help of Grammarly AI.

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Update:

Hello everyone! Short updates today.
This week was hectic, but luckily, I finished two books, so I am on track with my reading goal of 52 books this year (though I would like to aim for more if possible!). I’m delighted to be blogging again.

Happy Easter, everyone!

Olivia Update 🐾

There have been many snoozes this week! Olivia has also been happily eating her soft food, which she increasingly enjoys as she ages. Today has been a great day. She listens to the birds singing outside, who are starting to chirp now that the snow is melting.

Reading/Watching Update

Currently Reading

We are currently listening to Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. And we are likely to start reading some of our ALCs and ARCs this week for review.

New On Our Shelf
Nothing new this week.

Recently Watched

I watched several movies featuring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino this week, including: A Streetcar Named Desire, Mutiny on the Bounty, One Eyed Jacks, Don Juan DeMarco, Insomnia, and my new favourite: Scent of a Woman. I became interested in these two actors’ filmographies after watching The Godfather and falling in love with Marlon Brando’s performance as Vito Corleone. I wasn’t expecting to love Scent of a Woman so much, but Al Pacino was so good! Hooah! It truly was an Oscar-worthy performance. The film reminded me a lot of The Holdovers, one of my favourites, which was nominated for Oscars this year.

Currently Watching

I am enjoying The Regime and can understand the mixed reviews. The show is pretty odd, but I love Kate Winslet’s acting so much that I must keep watching it!

This Week on the blog

Review – What you are looking for is in the library

• Top Ten Tuesdays
• The Sunday Post

Last Week On The Blog

Book Review: The New Couple in 5B
Top Ten Tuesdays: Movies I’d Love to See As Books

QOTD: What’s your favourite recent film?

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The writing of this post was edited and enhanced with the help of Grammarly AI.