Helen Dotson > Recent Status Updates

Sun 020826 - 36 ORD Living Room - I’ve gotta say Freida McFadden’s books are growing on me. I think this may be my favorite so far. It was a quick read with a lot of twists & turns I didn’t see coming. I liked the medical & mysterious aspects, & her style of interspersing the present w/the past. Definitely going to check out more of her books. Happy to have a reading life again to keep fueling my curiosity.

Sun 020826 - 36 ORD - We are savoring a quiet & relaxing Sunday at home so far. Another sunny winter day. I’ve made it to Chapter 42, & will finish soon at this rate. We watched the CBS Sunday morning news. There’s still ice on the lake but it’s started melting. Birds are returning with the warmer temps. We have stuff to do today but I plan to take breaks as I go to still feel relaxed by the end of the day.

Sat 020726 - 36 ORD Cozy Green Couch w\Buzz - We had a totally lovely date day going to Effingham to the Firefly Grill for lunch. It was SO GOOD with a wonderful atmosphere. Gorgeous sunny winter day. Loved our food & visiting there. We went to Barnes & Noble in Champaign afterwards & enjoyed shopping before coming home. Made it home to enjoy savoring the sunset from the living room & watching more Milan Olympics.

Sat 020726 - 36 ORD Cozy Green Couch w/Buzz - We are having a relaxing morning. Nice to have some time to read again. We are getting ready to go out for a nice celebratory birthday lunch in Effingham called Firefly Grill in honor of my birthday. It’s a Farm to Table restaurant we are trying for the first time. Totally looking forward to it. Also loved watching the opening ceremonies for the Olympics last night.

Weds 020426 - 36 ORD, My Birthday Eve!!!! - I started this last night at bedtime especially since I had to work yesterday evening.. I had a bit of insomnia in the middle of the night too so got up to read more. I thought this book looked interesting & that it would be a more frivolous easier read than Handmaid’s Tale. So far so good, likely a quick one! Great catch up call w/my friend Lowell last night.

Sun 020126 - 36 ORD Living Room - All I have left to read now are the Historical Notes, what a book! I could not look away from the horrible things happening in this book even though it is so frightening! I’m definitely going to check more of her works. This one was riveting & I’m thankful I finally made time to read it.

Sun 020126 - 36 ORD Living Room on Spice Chair w/Buzz snuggled on my lap - Larry’s napping on the couch. I had a nice breakfast visit w/Merijha at The Blue Spoon Again & she gave me a beautiful light green sweater w/flowers on it for my birthday & treated me to breakfast. Ethan FaceTimed us from his Chicago apartment to catch up while he ate a late breakfast, second semester at Loyola is going well. Happy Sunday!

Sat 013126 - 36 ORD - Finishing this before Monday is within reach. It’s so well written. I got my walk done, double what I’ve been doing at 20 minutes so a great way to end January on a very high note. Although I tried a new cooldown afterwards that was NOT a good idea & it made me woozy so I had to rest afterwards. Oh well. Continuing with rest for the rest of the evening, perhaps another movie.

Sat 013126 - 36 ORD - Having a very relaxing Saturday. We enjoyed watching a movie just for fun this morning, Nonna’s. Very sweet & endearing, brought me to tears several times. I enjoyed reading more of this very troubling narrative that ‘s so thought provoking. Women are NOT meant to merely bear children, we are so much more! Time to eat lunch & get my treadmill walk in. That’s helped me so much this month.

Sat 013126 - 36 ORD - I anticipate finishing this over this weekend. I was thinking about watching a few episodes of this w/Alli late at night over a weekend back in 2020 during the pandemic & how uncertain & scary that time was in the world. That’s where that memory sits for me. And now I am thinking about how horrifying our America has become w/many freedoms being challenged. We must rally against that w/truth.

Sat 013126 - 36 ORD Cozy Green Couch w/Buzz - Happy Saturday!! Larry & I are enjoying a relaxing weekend. The wintry weather continues & it was snowing again last night. The Carolinas are being slammed w/snow. I’m feeling so much better now than I was at the beginning of the year. My sleeping, morning, & reading routines have restored good energy & optimism to my life, grateful for progress & feeling renewed.

Fri 013026 - 36 ORD - I enjoyed reading another chapter first thing this morning in bed before getting up because I COULD. This book is riveting & OMG horrifying w/what is happening. It’s neat Alli & I are reading this at the same time. I’m happy w/how well I’ve done this month w/establishing a much healthier sleeping & morning routine that fuels my day & has helped me feel so much better now. Feeling super!!

Thurs 012926 - 36 ORD - I read one short chapter this morning before getting up & it’s just shy of 6 am. I remember some sabbatical mornings I started my day w/reading because I COULD, & today I did that too. I missed reading last night before bed as I stayed on the couch till quite late w/Stitch nestled on me. I think it made it harder for me to wind my mind down last night, I missed it! It was too late though.

Weds 012826 - 36 ORD - I’ve been enjoying reading at bedtime after I’m ready for bed as part of my bedtime ritual in the new year particularly on weekdays. I still have enough energy to do it & it helps me be ready to fall right to sleep afterwards. This is a very interesting & horribly troubling book. Love the main character. It was a much better workday yesterday & I relaxed all evening due to a headache.

Tues 012726 - 36 ORD - it was a long day yesterday. The temps have been so cold. Many people canceled their travels due to the heavy storms. I thought I’d have more of a “catch up day” with fewer meetings but it didn’t work out that way. I’m focused on doing my best & trying to put in place the best daily rhythms to feel my best and execute to the best of my ability while still having a life outside work.

Mon 012626 - 36 ORD - Neat date - 26th of 2026! I read more right before bed. This story is hard to read yet also draws me right in to want to know what’s happening & why. Our country is in such turmoil right now & that’s also drawing our attention. What’s happening in Minneapolis is SO WRONG! The snow finally stopped falling. Happy to work from home this week. We watched Notting Hill last night to relax.

Sun 012526 - 36 ORD Cozy Green Couch w/Larry dozing beside me - I dove into reading this as we savored the snowy weekend safely here. Much deeper read than my last book. What a troubling horrific tale so far! I had inklings of the story though, from watching some episodes with Alli in 2020 late evenings while we were sheltering as a family in Midland during the pandemic. Will be nice to stay safe in IL this week.

Sun 012526 - 36 ORD - Heavy snow’s still falling. I decided to cancel my OH trip for this week, just too risky w/all this snow across the country & bitter cold temps. I enjoyed immersing in finishing this today. I liked it, even though she’s over the top on a lot of stuff. We’ve got thick snow everywhere out there. It will be easier to catch up on some things this week & stay healthy since I’ll be home.

Sun 012526 - 36 ORD Cozy Green Couch w/Stitch & Buzz - Definitely going to finish this today. We’ve been watching CBS NEWS 24/7 which is reporting on the massive storm crossing our country. I got my daily workout in this morning so it hasn’t quite been as lazy of a day. OH is in a state of emergency & IL roads are in bad shape w/snow still falling so it is safest if I defer my OH trip to another time.

Sun 012526 - 36 ORD - Made a lot of progress reading yesterday w/a good shot of finishing today. The heavy fine snow that’s still falling is so pretty. We are definitely going to be snowed in today. I think we’ve got around 6 inches with the lake completely blanketed now. I love how pretty all the trees are coated with snow. Not sure yet about postponing my trip to OH, it’s a distinct possibility though.

Sat 012426 - 36 ORD Still on the Cozy Green Couch, Stitch Trapped Again - Definitely having a very lazy slow moving Saturday, haven’t left the couch between reading & brain gaming. We’re getting some snow now but it’s such itty bitty fine flakes it looks more like light fog than snow right now. This book is an easy read. Her style is very over the top on so much of the storyline, still assessing if I like it.

Sat 012426 - 36 ORD on cozy green couch w/Stitch on my lap & Buzz beside me - We are having a quiet & relaxing Saturday so far, waiting for the snow to start falling. There’s a huge storm practically across the whole country today with extremely cold temperatures too. Happy to have a fun frivolous book to keep reading & recharge before my trip to OH this week, so long as the storm doesn’t cause a change in plan.

FriYAY 012326 - 36 ORD - I enjoyed relaxing yesterday evening. I had dinner out w/my friend Kathy at Stix on 36 (new for me) then came home & relaxed w/Larry. There’s a huge winter storm moving across the country w/extremely cold temps. We enjoyed watching some of The Waitress last night, brings back wonderful memories of seeing that at WMU in 2022 with Alli & Justin & Carrie before a big winter storm there.

Weds 012126 - 36 ORD - Made it to Chapter 9 last night reading in bed before going to sleep. That was a nice way to relax again after doing some evening catch up work. I’m still working to find my new rhythm of onboarding & managing 2 very major projects while still carrying a few smaller ones to fruition. I’m keeping up with my healthier new year routines. Buzz was very snuggly while I was reading…precious.

Tues 012026 - 36 ORD - Yesterday was a LONG workday w/ an evening DEC TM meeting. I was so tired by the end. Felt good to finish at 930 pm & do my bedtime routine & read a little (2 chapters) to wind down. This helped give a short transition to be able to fall & stay asleep easily. The heavy winter winds dissipated yesterday so it was a quiet night. I don’t have energy or interest for evening calls anymore!

Sun 011826 - 36 ORD - Oh yes, this will be a quick fun read this week, already made it to Chapter 5. I’m not yet decided, though do think I will seek out some of her other books. Reading lighter fiction this year is one strategy for reading at least 46 books in 2026. I have some heavier ones selected too for another time. The sunshine is so pretty today in spite of the chill. Lazy Sunday so far w/Stitch cuddles.

Sun 011826 - 36 ORD - I’m excited I could get this sequel from the Decatur library so quickly. Thought it’d be fun to dive right into this after finishing the first one. Should be a quick read this week. The lake is frozen over again today with our much colder weather (17 degrees with windchills of -10 to 20 expected overnight). We enjoyed going to Wayne & Connie’s house yesterday for games & dinner, fun!

Sat 011726 - 36 ORD Living Room - I’m excited to get started reading this as the next one in the series after enjoying the first one so much; I think it is interesting as well that this was published during the pandemic. One of the reviews I just read noted it as a “break from the inescapable reality of the pandemic.” Thank God that is more & more behind us every day. We are all survivors!

Fri 011626 - 36 ORD cozy Green Couch w/Buzz - We’re enjoying relaxing together to start our weekend. Nice to finish this while having Buzz cuddle here w/me. Larry’s enjoying watching FallOut. I liked this book, trying to decide if I like it more than Housemaid. I reached my 4th Month Anniversary w/RoviSys yesterday w/big milestones this week taking on PM responsibility for 2 new major projects w/2 new clients.

011526 - 36 ORD - I read a bit yesterday on the couch after dinner, though admittedly fell asleep holding the book up on my chest. That’s funny. It has been a while since I fell asleep reading. That’s a good sign my sleep has improved. Nearly finished with this. I’m happy to be making time to read for fun again, it’s a refreshing break. My vocabulary has expanded a lot with reading!