What we’re reading, listening to and thinking about this month.

Todd R.: Spring is here and the Wild is on a major win streak – what else could we want? Finished the new John Sandford book, Ocean Prey, in just four days – haven’t seen a fall release date for the next book but I hope he is hard at work. Jumped back into an old favorite on Showtime (City on a Hill) and a new favorite on HBO (Mare of Easttown is fantastic). I am just a few days from my personal Vaccine Freedom Day, so I am looking forward to seeing a few long-lost friends and family members.

Alyssa: I’m loving former US House Speaker John Boehner’s book On The House. Caught Snowpiercer on Netflix and even though we usually love the Marvel movies, we gave up on Falcon and the Winter Soldier after about 4 episodes of boredom. Thank God spring is here, longer days and more walks with the pupper!

Rich: April has been an eventful month for us. During the month, our kids all got their second vaccination shots. Kari and I passed the “fully vaccinated” threshold, and all of our kids will join us by early May!

This means we have been having quality family time without masks. We celebrated my milestone birthday on April 8 and two weeks later Kari and I travelled to New York. It was our first travel in over a year and we finally got to see Kari’s sister, Cynthia and her spouse, Laurie, our son, David and his girlfriend, Ashley. We ate in a restaurant for the first time and had a Birthday celebration for Ashley at Cynthia and Laurie’s home.

Golf courses are open, but bad weather has limited me to 3 rounds in April. That will change in May. We continue to do projects at our home (new roof, exterior painting, interior painting and landscaping). The pandemic has resulted in taking care of so many projects that we feel like we will have a new home by the end of summer.

Todd S.: Much of our April was spent awaiting those warmer spring days, so the fireplace remained a common gathering area, especially for the furriest members of our family. Meanwhile, we binged Shadow and Bone on Netflix and then watched Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse for the 117th time, which probably means we’re running out of family-friendly content to watch on television. Yes, we should probably read more.

Sarah: I'm finally in the garden! This month I planted up 6 kinds of lettuce, spinach, brussels sprouts, broccoli, potatoes, kale, cauliflower and a few spring bulbs and bushes. Looking forward to the frost-free date coming next week and getting the rest of my seedlings hardened off. My fiancé is hard at work getting corn and soybeans in the ground, so we didn't spend a ton of time watching TV this month - mostly old episodes of Seinfeld at the end of long days. We're officially one month out from the wedding, so crafting and planning final details are in full swing.

Anna: My husband and I got hooked on The Chosen, the best portrayal of Jesus Christ I’ve ever seen on screen. The show’s cultural context and humor, as well as the fascinating backstories of each of the characters, bring vivid life to the first followers of Jesus. If you’ve ever been curious about the life of the man who founded the largest religion in the world, I cannot recommend this show enough (plus, it’s free to watch). I also began The Last Train to London by Meg Waite Clayton, a gripping novel based on the true story of a Dutchwoman who risked her life to rescue Jewish children during World War II. Finally, I enjoyed trying a great Greek restaurant, strawberry picking at a local farm and soaking up the 70-something weather here in Alabama. I wish I could box up the warmth and send it to my fellow Minnesotans, but summer is coming!

Cullen: It took me months to settle on the right car – a 2015 Subaru Crosstrek - to finally pull the trigger and buy, but only two weeks to get a flat tire. Ah well. Thankfully, the rest of April was very positive. I received both vaccine doses (no side effects!) and spent some much-needed time reconnecting with other vaccinated friends. I returned to my hometown beer spot, Big Wood Brewery, for the first time since August, and enjoyed some mouthwatering seafood gnocchi at Osteria Papavero in Madison, WI. After flying through Bridgerton with my girlfriend, I’ve now been hooked on Peaky Blinders. Only time will tell what British-themed show will be next.

Jessica: April has absolutely flown by! With summer right around the corner, I’ve been itching for more outdoor activities. I started training for a 10k with my sights set on race day during the first week of June. During those random snow days that were scattered throughout April, my roommates and I have been enjoying The Circle and This is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist, both on Netflix. I’ve also been listening to more podcasts recently. NPR’s Up First has always been my go to, but I’ve also been enjoying Crime Junkie and The Last Podcast on the Left during my afternoon walks.