Favorite book of the month!

Thursday, July 2, 2026

Wow did June fly! It was very different for me than last year. Last year I finished the school year on June 5th, maybe, and officially retired on July 1st. I spent June recovering! Ha! This year I thoroughly enjoyed the spring weather and got to read outside so much.

Let’s start with groceries. This month I did 5 Kroger deliveries! They don’t accept tips when it’s official Kroger delivery so it’s only slightly more expensive with their $6.95 fee. I am not a member of the Boost program. Tom’s bread is no longer available in our store so I guess the Kroger truck brings the groceries from a warehouse where the bread is stocked. I think I went in my Kroger store once for a big shop and a few small shops and then went to Whole Foods twice and Trader Joe’s once. I have greatly reduced my Trader Joe’s trips. I found I was mostly buying snack and dessert foods so it was making my monthly grocery bill higher. It wasn’t an “instead of” store but “in addition to” my groceries.

We’ve eaten out a bit more this month and my cooking has been uninspired! I will just be honest!

$757 – was up from last month.

On to summer reading…

I really enjoyed this first book of the month! It hooked me pretty early on and I couldn’t put it down because I wanted to see what would happen. I also liked that it was about podcasters.

This was just charming. It was a touch on the cheesy side. I pictured Brett Goldstein playing the role of the male character in the movie version – lol.

Oh my gosh – this book had everything I want in a summer read. I liked that it was set in Rhode Island as I am also watching Real Housewives of Rhode Island (horrible!) and I also have a new fascination with Newport, RI due to The Gilded Age. Everyone gets invited to Newport from NYC – lol. I am now saying “summah”!

This was a fun summer read! I liked the NYC setting and the throwback to dial up internet and no smart phones. It was also fun as Mason went to NYC this month!

DNF – I made it about halfway and I enjoyed a lot of it but all it talked about was relations between the couple and I kept thinking that the female was going to get a UTI but then the author made the character say, “I’m going to get a UTI” and I was out.

DNF – This one jumped from what I thought the story was going to be to focusing on other characters and I could have stuck with it to see if it would come back around but I had other books awaiting me.

I called my sister one day and she said she had just gotten back from the library and started the new Abby Jimenez book and I said, “OMG! I’m reading that right now, too!” Loved it! Great summer read!

I started this and I like it ok…

I started this and I like it ok…

I found this on the new release shelf at the library and now I’m in it! So, I’m not sure if I will go back to the last two books since they are already due back.

So far, The Calamity Club is making me laugh out loud. Some of the characters have some really funny lines.

Also this month, when I felt like I was about at my 10 book mark for summer reads, I did something silly and fun…

I got myself a personal pan pizza for lunch! Do you remember the Bookit! program? It wasn’t during my childhood and maybe it was before my own kids’ childhood, too. Anyway, you read 10 books over the summer, recorded them, and got a free ppp. Mine wasn’t free; I had to pay $7, but it was a really fun thing to do!

Tom and I both used to work at Pizza Hut, by the way!

How often do you do child-like things? I giggled at myself when I did this. It was a bit of whimsy and I think Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project would have approved.

My June Highlights…

A few games of mah jongs, a few boat rides, reading outside, coffee with two former students, and

My high school class of 1990 pool party complete with a pup in a pineapple bikini!

Niece Nora’s graduation pool party – right after this we got in the pool!

Celebrating Tom’s birthday with the whole family of four!

Re-teaching Eddie Otis to be a boat dog!

Boutique hotel pool day pass complete with a mimosa!

Visit from the Memphis blog gals!

Summer Sister Stay in our hometown complete with golf cart rental and a margarita from Bo Duke!

Live music!

Mason’s adventure in NYC and hearing all about it!

It was a good and full month!

What are you reading now? Any recs?

What was the highlight of June for you?

Did your grocery bill go up this month?

Amy

29 thoughts on “June Highlights, Books + Grocery Spending”

  2. You had a good and full month! I’ve only had Kroger delivery done once. I tipped the driver; he gladly accepted it. I think the “official” policy is that drivers don’t accept tips but if you hand the driver something, I’m not sure how many would turn it away. During Covid, my son did the click list where he brought groceries out to people’s cars. Probably half the cars tipped him which was officially against policy but all the click listers accepted money if it was offered to them. Agree about Trader Joe’s! I do like to go there but only every once in a while for fun treats and things I don’t get elsewhere. I’ve grocery shopped almost exclusively at Aldi and Walmart this month. I haven’ tracked my expenses. I always seem to spend a lot unfortunately!! Loved the Book It program. Your pizza looks delicious!

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    1. That is probably true but Kroger had a big bold statement about no tipping on the app. I don’t see the driver because I keep my crazy beast Eddie Otis inside. I just got a 6 am delivery this am and it was only $2.95. I feel like summer groceries can be a lot with more grilling meats, fresh fruits, celebratory foods? I have it on my list to go get Tom and I ppp from Pizza Hut one night for dinner. I think it will make Tom chuckle. Aldi and Walmart are just not convenient for me and Kroger brand products are probably half of what we buy so I am a Kroger girl.

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  3. Ok you have already had an incredible summer- so many fun times! How is EO on the boat? Hope there are some funny stories you will share 🙂 Groceries are out of a sight right now so I think you are doing a great job

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    1. Thank you! He is a good boy! I do keep him on leash while we are moving. We stop and anchor and then he gets to jump off and swim.
      They really are!

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  4. It’s been a full month of fun for you…for me too! I loved reading about all the things you did in June. I feel the same…I got a lot packed into that month with me working for half of it, and I’m proud. I would say a June highlight for me was seeing you. I didn’t know at the time that it would be my one summer vacation this year, so I’m thankful for the time I had there! I decided to stay home for the rest of the summer to save money for a fall break trip. I’m okay with this! I’m using this weekend as a mini vacay while I stay at my friend’s house with her dogs; she has a pool and hot tub, so I plan on using both. I’ve loved having access to pools all summer, which makes it easier for me to be content not traveling as much.

    Happy Thursday! It’s my Friday! I can’t wait for tomorrow off.

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    1. I did! I’m so glad you enjoyed your trip here and I know the boat ride lit you up!
      Summer is not really my favorite time to travel so I think fall break is smart.
      I would advise you – not that you asked – to really treat it like a vacay this weekend – vacay foods, paper plates, get festive!

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  6. What a month! Retirement becomes you! (Or “long-leave” as a friend of mine calls it :D).

    Food is expensive here! But it has become expensive in Sweden too, so… But really, a family dinner for four, just simple tacos, is like 50 dollars!

    Highlight of June is of course Florida! I got off school June 17 and I must confess that the final stretch of the school year was an absolute beast. Our grading software has been a mess the whole year, and well… blah!

    I really liked your post! You’re really inspiring you know :D. (But where was EO in the boat picture? :D)

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    1. Awww, thank you! Haha – that is a good term. I can see myself going back to some form of employment soon-ish.
      It is! I know! I do try to re-create restaurant meals at home. But, when I need a break from cooking, I’m going out. We are choosing more fast casual, though.
      I can relate – You really have only been off for a couple of weeks!
      Thank you so much! He was in the back – I think I just wanted a water photo – sorry!

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  7. what a great wrap up! If I don’t get mine done today, it might not get done…we leave Sunday for two weeks and I already know I don’t blog on these trips. Thanks for keeping my reading queue full!

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  8. My grocery bill definitely goes up in the summer. I have Kroger boost – & do tip. I wonder if they don’t have that option on other deliveries? Interesting. You had a great month of June…social butterfly but also home/family time. I want to read the Dolly book.

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      1. I’m sure it’s ok! When I go to check out, there’s a tip built in (%of bill, I assume), but then you can also change it. I assume that’s how it looks for all purchases? But who knows. And if you’ve missed the tip, you didn’t mean to

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      2. That is interesting. I haven’t seen that! I did see a bold statement about no tipping because it’s a Kroger employee/truck. I wonder if different Kroger markets have different policies.

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  9. I have been SO unmotivated to cook this week! Dolly All the Time was definitely a highlight for my summer reading so far. It’s just so fun!

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  10. It sounds like you had a great June and did well with your grocery shopping. Those books sound like great summer reads. The libraries here used to have a summer reading thing where you got a little prize if you read so many books. My girls used to love it. Good on you getting yourself a pizza!

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  11. I’ve tried to tip at Kroger, and they always refuse it, saying they can’t accept it. I wonder if there are cameras. When I go in the store, I almost always give the cashier or person overseeing the self checkout a candy bar of their choice. Yesterday, I had my first repeat person, and he remembered! I’ve been reading books I read to my class because I’ve been reading really long and heavy. I did just start The Academy by Elon Hilderbrand and her daughter. June really did go quickly!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com

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  13. I reserved “Dolly all the Time” on your recommendation. It caught my eye, bedcase of the locale (I’m originally from NY (Long Island) and that piqued my interest. I’m at Talking About it Tues #128 with posts #49, 50, and 51. Please check them out. Nancy Andres @ Colors 4 Health.

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  14. I keep suggesting Jimenez’s books to my book club but they are never chosen for our book of the month. Last month we read Calamity Club and it was a big hit. I listened to it on Audible and the narration was super. You mentioned Our Perfect Storm in another post. That was on my book club’s list for June. Did you like it? Sure wish I read faster. There are so many great books out there. Fun to see the Memphis bloggers. I know you gals had fun together.

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