I've searched for years for a warm, waterproof jacket that wasn't a super heavy parka or one of those multi-layer jackets with fleece zipouts. Finally last winter I found this great option from L.L. Bean (on sale none the less), which is perfect for cold weather hikes and late fall soccer games.

I can't find the same Madewell sweater that I got in my last StitchFix box, but I'm very into all of my color block and fall-stripe sweaters this year.

Equally loved and hated, Emily in Paris on Netflix has been this month's escapism brain candy. Not only did this series allow me to "see" Paris after a cancelled trip this spring, its silly storylines and ridiculous outfits are just the mindless entertainment I needed to avoid the news.

I always love a good spy thriller, especially Homeland done and Jack Ryan between seasons. Plus a show that helps me travel vicariously makes me happy. This new show on Apple TV+ is about a Israeli Mossad agent on a mission in Iran that goes wrong and her efforts to try to save the mission and escape her pursuers.

A modern day Huck Finn-type story dealing with racism, friendship, and exploitation in the 1930s. This story of four children who escape from an orphanage in Minnesota and travel down river, dodging those chasing them and getting rescued by a revivalist. The twists and turns kept me on edge and the story of brotherhood and friendship were heartwarming.

This story of twin sisters from a small town in Louisiana, one who disappears and spends most of her life "passing" as white, and the other who returns home with her daughter in tow and the long, winding road that eventually leads them back together.

For anyone with high school age children, this podcast provides excellent advice on the college search process covering applications, testing, financial aid, essays, and what college admissions officers are looking for in applicants.