I just finished another book that will leave me with a book hangover, but at the same time I’m thrilled there are writers producing work so engaging I want to step out of my world and immerse myself in theirs.

I thought I’d share a few of my current auto-buy authors. I’m purposefully not including author pals because I don’t want to risk missing someone, etc. So, here some writers making me a broke-but-happy fangirl from afar:

Emily Henry

Mhairi McFarlane

Kate Quinn

How about you? Do you have auto-buy authors?

Like many friends, I suffer from migraines. With the help of prescription medications, I’ve been able to manage them for the last few years.

But every once in a while, one gets it’s claws in me. Last night, I wasn’t fast enough to head it off.

You’ll forgive me for the pun, won’t you? My brain isn’t functioning a top speed.

I was hanging out in the living room the other night and Timber decided to join me. I didn’t pay much attention when she hopped up on the couch to watch TV with me. When the show was over, I stood up and found this:

These beasts of ours are a mess, but at least they are benevolent overlords.

Or cookies. A brownie. Pretty much anything in the pastry food group would do….

I want something sweet, but the only treats we have in the house are ice cream novelties. To be clear, I am pro-ice cream. I’m just a little more pro-baked goods.

And I could go for a muffin right now. Or a doughnut. Or, you know what would be perfect? Cheesecake…

What about you? What’s your go-to when your sweet tooth needs satisfying?

Are you a podcast lover? I listen to a wide variety, but some of my favorites are Smartless, You’re Wrong About, Maintenance Phase, the Categorically Romance podcast, and The Creative Penn. What are some of your favorites?

Since I’m trying to step back from social media, I’ll be posting my #happythings lists on the blog. Here’s July!

#happythings

1. Getting beerious about bar mix in the shade of the pecan tree. 🍻
2. Celebrating with the family. <3
3. Indulging my need for the nugget…ice, that is. 🧊
4. Talking out loud with a librarian named Marian. #TheMusicMan
5. Walking the Home Depot because I’m working up to being a mall walker. 🚶‍♀️
6. Office hours with Team Megibow.
7. Watching Loot with Jewels. 💻
8. Toy shopping for Sawyer’s birthday!
9. Movie and dinner date. So full!
10. Slooshing at Lake Catherine and dappled, drowsy happy hour under the pecan tree.
11. Big Monday hugs.
12. Virtual cocktails with Tom the Bomb. ❤️
13. Massage day!!! 💤
14. Wrestling with the beasties.
15. Persuasion with my puppy friends.
16. Sorta-fishing with Sawyer. 🎣
17. Lake day with Bill and Kelli. Kreme Kastle burgers! 🏖
18. So grateful for air conditioning.
19. I’m a normal as a girl from Bloomington-Normal can be. ✅
20. Team Megibow and McNuggets.
21. An Ozark rendezvous with my Lu, Pop, and Lobster.
22. Floozies, fine leather goods, flaming margaritas, and Mexican train dominoes.
23. Moonshine Beach⛱, Dick’s five & ten 🪙, 2nd thought shopping👜, and enormous food. 🥞
24. Home.
25. Plowing through a pile of Monday.
26. Executive dinner decisions.
27. Another annual wellness visit done ✅
28. Sam’s club cookies. 🍪
29. A bookish 70th birthday for my Eddie. 📚
30. Write Now! with Tracy & Jewels, then Fodder & I celebrated National Cheesecake Day accordingly.
31. Rainy days and Sundays always make me sleep. 💤

Today is my eldest brother’s birthday. It’s a big birthday. One that ends in a zero. Unfortunately, he’s dealing with some stuff and can’t celebrate properly.

Being 530 miles away from home base, there isn’t much I can do to make his day better… except tap into the power of Prime.

I am from a family of readers. It took a while for us to hit on a few titles he hadn’t blown through yet, but he came up with one and I added a couple more that I thought he might enjoy.

Books. They are my family’s love language. What’s yours?

These are the days, aren’t they? We’re a month in on 100* days with little more than a sprinkle of rain. I’m finding it hard to get motivated to do anything.

How about you? How are you beating the heat these days?

I’m doing okay with stepping back from social media. I think. The urge to check my feeds is still strong, but for the most part I am jumping on to respond to notifications then ducking out.

Sort of like doing a 21st century hokey-pokey.

The few times I have given in and clicked, I felt a strong urge to shake it all about, so yeah… I think I can learn to live without the dopamine hit.

How about you? How’s your Monday going? Timber says, “‘Hey.”

Frosted sugar cookies.

A good audiobook for a long drive.

A great weekend with friends.

Coming home to my guy after a great weekend with friends.

Puppy snuggles.

What’s making you happy these days?