I struggled with this week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic from That Artsy Reader Girl, which asks us to share cozy reads. I mean, do you want unscary mysteries? Books you want to drink with a cup of cocoa? The Hallmark version of romance novels? Finally, I settled on ten books that I recommend that focus on things I personally find cozy:

1. If you like baking: With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
2. If you enjoy watching baseball: Summerland by Michael Chabon
3. If you like going to the library: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
4. If you enjoy playing volleyball: Haikyu!! by Haruichi Furudate
5. If you like music: Solo by Kwame Alexander
6. If you enjoy playing games: Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia
7. If you like drinking tea: Rosie’s Travelling Tea Shop by Rebecca Raisin
8. If you enjoy spending time with your cat: The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart
9. If you like swimming: The Lido by Libby Page
10. If you enjoy traveling: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Friends, we’re looking for people to write posts as part of the Virtual Advent Tour. If you’d like to participate (review a Christmas book or movie, share a personal tradition — including your own holiday blog series, or hype a local holiday event), visit the sign-up page and leave the date you’d like in the comments.

I’m not going to lie: this is going to be a busy week for those of who dwell in the Burrow. What am I hoping to get done, all before my annual tree-trimming party next Sunday, you ask?

• Head back to D.C. from Connecticut
• Learn how to use the 3D printer at the library’s maker lab
• Play volleyball
• Complete a couple of handmade gifts
• Finish cleaning the Burrow
• Kick off the Virtual Advent Tour
• Tackle a couple cooking projects
• Buy a Christmas tree
• Have friends over for dinner and a game night (potentially)
• Attend a seminar with tips for improving your job search
• Grocery shop
• Do laundry
• Make a couple library runs

There are probably some other things that I’m forgetting, but that’s baker’s dozen list as I have it right now.

Norah Jones and Chris Thiles cover Hazel Dickens’ “Won’t You Come and Sing for Me?”

I fell in love with Kina Grannis when I heard her version of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” in Crazy Rich Asians. This is her version of “Someday” by Sugar Ray, one of the songs she recorded during the pandemic.

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. Watching World Cup soccer on big screens at an outdoor party in the middle of Dupont Circle.

2. Seeing holiday lights as we drove north.

3. Our new car takes regular gas, not premium, like the last one.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

Wishing you and yours a happy Thanksgiving (and a happy Thursday to those who aren’t celebrating today). I hope wherever and however you mark the day that you have enough, that you are safe, and that you feel loved.