1. I keep forgetting today is Monday, because it really feels like Tuesday. Yesterday, the kids and I stayed home because both kids were pretty snotty. I thought it might be allergies, but a feeling in my gut sent me to the pediatric walk-in clinic and sure enough -- Christina has an ear infection and pink eye. All that to say -- yesterday felt more like Monday. So I'm already trying to catch my bearings this week.

2. I went to Half Priced Books last week ( I LOVE that store) and bought a couple of books, one that I'd already had on my radar, and one spontaneous-I-liked-the-cover purchase. I may end up regretting the spontaneous purchase, but we'll see.

3. I probably won't write a whole post about it, but I ended up reading the first book in the Hugo Marston mystery series (I'd accidentally read book six, The Paris Librarian, a few weeks ago). I liked some parts of that first book -- The Bookseller -- a little better than The Paris Librarian, but some parts less. I think oddly enough, my least favorite parts of the books are the main character. He's a little bit....too perfect, I think. But I like the mysteries, the way the author writes Paris as a character, the supporting cast. So, I think I'll probably return to Hugo Marston when I'm in the mood for a good procedural/detective novel.

4. Chili for dinner tonight. I could have chili every week. In winter, in summer...whatever, whenever. So good.

5. iZombie and The Amazing Race are back! (I'm a few weeks late in proclaiming this, I know, but it's been a bit busy around these parts). I was trying to describe iZombie the other day, and thinking about how with some shows with a "thing" -- like zombies -- the "thing" is really a vehicle for the storytelling (like Walking Dead -- it's not really about the zombies) That's kind of true with iZombie too (although...it's also pretty heavily about the zombies), and I was thinking -- well, it's a procedural mystery show, but funny sometimes, kind of like Veronica Mars, but with zombies. Which duh, makes sense, since it's made by the same person. Anyway...I loved Veronica Mars, so no surprise iZombie hits a sweet spot with me. And of course, Amazing Race will always have a special place in my heart, even though I'm not having much luck staying caught up since I don't have CBS All Access (or cable, etc.).

Happy Monday!