Author: Trish

Into reading, decluttering, budgeting, and doing jigsaw puzzles!
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Week in Review: May 24, 2026

I have been feeling pretty stressed this week. Between Michael and myself, we had several appointments so we both had to take time off work and run around for those. He also had a meltdown near the end of his work shift on Wednesday when something upsetting happened.

On another day, he might have been able to shake it off, but he was dealing with a cold and also feeling hot, which is a trigger for him by itself. I get so nervous for him when things like this happen because I worry not only about this job but about his future when I am not here to be a safety net. He does not have all the skills or resources to take care of himself.

Hopefully this week will be better for both of us.

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Hello from Around the World (Repeat)

Hello from Around the World is a 500-piece puzzle from Mudpuppy, and the artist is Lemon Ribbon Studio. This was a redo because I needed a puzzle with a banana for a Facebook challenge, and I enjoyed it just as much the second time. I love the quirky art style.

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Rome, Kentucky Series

I just finished the Rome, Kentucky series by Sarah Adams, and it definitely ended on a strong note. I think the fourth book was my favorite because it went deep into what was driving each of the characters’ feelings and actions and showed the main characters slowly getting to know each other better.

This is a series that follows each of the four Walker siblings as they find love in their small town. They are open-door romances, but (at least in the last two books) Adams identifies which chapters a reader should skip if they prefer to avoid that. 

I really enjoyed this series. If you are a fan of small town romance, these would definitely be right up your alley.

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Joe Cool

Joe Cool is a 300-piece puzzle from RoseArt. This Peanuts puzzle was so fun! Snoopy is awesome, and I do love a rainbow grid. The pieces were thick and large, perfect for kids or people with grip issues.

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School by the Sea Series (Maggie Adair)

The School by the Sea, aka Maggie Adair, is a charming series about an English boarding school for girls. Jenny Colgan tells the story of how she loved books about boarding schools but realized there weren’t very many for adults, so she wrote the first two books of the series and published them under the name Jane Beaton. A few years later, she republished them under Jenny Colgan and wrote the last two books to finish out the story.

I read the first two books back in 2022 and just read the last two books this year. The main character is Maggie Adair, a Scottish literature teacher who comes to teach at the school, and we see how she adjusts to this new situation and how it affects her personal and romantic life. The story also follows several of the girls in the school and explores their different backgrounds and experiences.

I am a big fan of Jenny Colgan and really enjoyed this series. I especially liked that we got to see things from the perspectives of both the teachers and the students, and I liked the interactions they had with the nearby boys’ school. Overall, this is a charming series that I would highly recommend!

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Reading Nook

Reading Nook is a 750-piece puzzle from RoseArt, and the artist is Cynthia Frenette. I have done a few RoseArt puzzles now and am liking the brand a lot; I’m not sure why I haven’t tried them before now. I love how cozy and inviting this scene looks, and I can definitely imagine curling up with my cat and a good book in this space.

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Week in Review: May 17, 2026

I love this pic of Peanut Butter. I had folded a blanket and left it on the floor, and he partly wormed his way underneath the top layer. So cute!

This week was a pretty good one. I am starting to feel a little bit more like myself again. although some days I have been really tired from staying up too late the night before. Work is going well, and Michael seems to be doing okay at his job, which I am thankful for. I got a much-needed haircut on Friday evening, and I saw my friend Kim on Saturday after a few weeks of us being busy with other things.

I have been doing a lot of puzzling and TV watching lately and not as much reading. I did sit down and write a few book reviews, though, so I will be posting those soon.

My biggest struggle lately has been with impulse control. This affects me in a number of areas and I am looking forward to talking with my psychiatrist in a couple of weeks. I think I may need to adjust some of my meds to help me stay more centered.

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Taco Truck and Canyon Camper (Repeats)

I recently redid these two puzzles because I needed puzzles with specific items for a Facebook challenge. Both are from Ceaco and were illustrated by Stephanie Peterson Jones. Taco Truck is 500 pieces, and Canyon Camper is 300 pieces.

Ceaco’s quality has never been the best, and the Taco Truck did not hold up well for a second solve. The top border especially was hard to do because of false fits and the pieces not staying in a straight line. Canyon Camper held up much better, thankfully.

I am still going to hold onto them because I love both series and like having easy puzzles around for challenges and times I don’t want a hard puzzle.

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Bookshelf with Cats

Bookshelf with Cats is a 500-piece puzzle from RoseArt, and the artist is Uta Krogmann. This is another one from their Vertical Visions set, and I quite enjoyed it. The colors are so bright and cherrful. I love both books and cats, and my cat has been known to jump on my bookshelf occasionally! 😺

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Eastern Bloc Telephones

Eastern Bloc Telephones is a 500-piece puzzle from Galison, and the artist is Troy Litten. This is one of the puzzles I had taken to the library meetup and we had done together. I really like this image, and I think the grid pattern lends itself well to puzzling with a group.

Unfortunately, several pieces were bent or had the backing peeling off, so that was frustrating. I have had a variety of quality issues with Galison lately and am not sure I want to continue getting their puzzles even though I really like some of their images. I do already have one Christmas puzzle from them on my shelf, so hopefully that one will be good.