• I went to the dentist this morning so I am just now getting into my office; I hate feeling all rushed to get in and do work!
• Like our host, we’re in the house hunting market right now as well but things keep getting all wonky. We thought we could build but think we may not quite have enough start up cash to get it going. We also really don’t want to be house poor so though we can afford a pretty large place, we’re starting to scale back our needs/wants/must-haves so we have something nice but don’t break the bank paying for it.
• I found a foreclosure we want to look at so, step one. I am trying not to panic but I honestly don’t think we’re quite ready to move.
• Last night, my husband and I were on the same wavelength; I got home thinking how nice it would be if we just went out for beer and pizza instead of cooking. When he got home and didn’t pull into the garage, I knew he had the same idea. AND, we both thought to go to the same pizza place. I love nights like that!
• Tomorrow, it will be three weeks since I sprained my ankle. It’s still a tiny bit sore when I move it in a circle but I think I will try to run again. I have a stabilizing boot so I am hoping to finish one solid mile and we’ll see how it goes. Honestly, the main pain I have is the heel spur. Ugh.
• Halloween is approaching and unlike our usual way, we have not picked and/or purchased costumes! I am not happy about it but I know we’ll figure something out. What it comes down to is that we’re not doing a family theme this year.
• I literally had to just sit and close my eyes for a second. I feel like I am panicking about this house stuff and for no reason. We don’t HAVE to buy it; we just have to look. Chances are, there’s something very wrong with it. I also don’t know why I am freaking out. I’m clearly having issues adulting today.

“The days are definitely getting cooler – we may even have to turn our fireplace on soon. So naturally I’m gonna need some book recommendations since Winter Is Coming! What’s on your reader/night stand?”

OK so I want to preclude this portion of my entry by stating that I am going to be honest about what I am reading. No judgement, ok?

I just finished reading The Submission Series by CD Reiss. It includes three three book sets respectively titled: Beg, Tease, Submit, Control, Burn, Resist, Sing, Coda, Dominance. It is, in a word, intense. This author does NOT hold back. Let me preface by saying that this is, ultimately, a romance. However, it does include Master/sub themes and there are some pretty crazy scenes.

That said, I fell in love with these characters. Monica is one of those strong women types I like to read but she struggles with her life and job – waitress/singer – until she meets Jonathan. Now, I read a standalone from this author based on one of Jonathan’s sisters so I was on-board with this author’s style of writing. I kind of knew a little something about this character and his family/background.

What I love about this series is how each character builds and how these two circle each other, come together, move away. They endure so much and what I ultimately liked is that there was something real at stake. I read a lot of romance novels where the biggest issues to overcome were family who didn’t approve or judgement based on look or job or something minor. This story encapsulates all those and more. It felt serious and real but their relationship was cemented and defined by those things.

I’ve bad-mouthed 50 Shades countless times on here because it was AWFUL. She has no idea about that lifestyle, he’s a very bad Dom, etc. But this is an actual book about these elements of that relationship/lifestyle and I recommend it fully and whole-heartedly. I cried at the end so….