#HyggeHour - I‘m catching up on my daily trees then reading some more about Apollo 13. Mint tea is my beverage of choice. There‘s a lot going on this week but it‘s going to be warmer so we have that going for us. Can‘t wait to feel some sunshine on my face.

Starting my climb up #MtCookbook with homemade tortillas from the Farmhouse cookbook. Not bad for my first attempt.

I hit a wall and just can‘t bring myself to be productive right now. Second breakfast it is!

My March #BookspinBingo list
The Pod Laline Paull
The Book of Hope Jae Goodall
Untamed Will Harlan
There Is No Ethan Anna Akbari
Bright-Sided Barbara Ehrenreich
The Stand
Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen
Brave Hearted Katie Hickman
The Woman in White Wilkie Collins
The Handmaid‘s Tale Margaret Atwood

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The brownies I made kind of fell apart so I‘m eating them with ice cream. Happy Friday all!

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

1) more snow
2) successful trip to Lancaster, PA for a field hockey tournament with my daughter
3) cats definitely up to something but caught in the act
4) winter skies
5) getting back in the meal prep habit. Our fruit salads looked pretty. (Taste good too.)

Happy Friday all! I hope you have a restful weekend.

This was a ton of fun and I can‘t wait to read more about Tommy and Tupence. As usual I thought I figured it out but was no where close. Looking forward to discussing this next week. #ChristiesCapers #AgathaChristieClubR3 @Librarybelle

It really is amazing how close to reality this book is. I‘ve read it before but I was glad to read it again with #WithTheBanned @Jadams89

I had the 1940 version on my shelf for next month. Looking forward to seeing what Nancy does next. #NancyDrewBR

I wanted to get a lot of reading done this weekend at my daughter‘s tournament but it didn‘t work out that way. I did manage to finish two books though: The Clue of the Tapping Heels and Show Don‘t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld. I‘m glad there‘s still one weekend left in the month to hopefully get back on track. Thanks for hosting @ShananigansReads

I requested this ARC from Net Galley because it has a follow up to Prep, one of my favorite books of my early adulthood. I enjoyed all of the stories though. They were very Sittenfeld, so if you like this author you‘ll probably enjoy them too. This book comes out next week.

I like this one, but they really need to leave Bess alone! Looking forward to discussing tomorrow @Librarybelle

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

1) it snowed again
2) most of the snow melted the next day
3) microgreens are starting to sprout
4) made two jars of soup for delicious lunch all week
5) cats sleeping in weird positions

I finally finished this for #JaneAustenThenAndNow

I forgot how funny this book was. I‘m looking forward to reading some of the modern retellings this month.

This was a soft pick. I‘ve known way too many people like George to give it more than 3 stars, but I didn‘t hate the book. Like someone else said I think there were books in the long list that did the details of every day life better. #TOB25

My daughter claimed not to know Robert Frost* so I took tonight‘s walk as an opportunity to introduce her.

*It‘s also possible she was trying to shut me down so I didn‘t embarrass her by reciting Robert Frost on our walk.

Oh man. George recommending books he never read. I can see why people say this is funny. But it‘s kind of we have to laugh so we don‘t cry funny, you know? #TOB2025

A good #hyggehour tonight. Cinnamon rolls and the first 50 pages of the tagged book. Nepal has a fascinating history. I‘m glad we‘re visiting it for #FoodAndLit this month.

This book was more a collection of vignettes than a story, and I think it‘s probably better suited to reading all at once than a chapter a day. I could see myself reading it by the lake on a summer day not really caring about the lack of story line, just enjoying the strong sense of time. But to discuss as a group as if any of it fit together? Nah. #ItsNotYouItsMe #ButMaybeItsYou #HashtagBrigade

Thank you @BarkingMadRead Truly heroic this one.

A short book in translation about book censorship. It gets a pick from me, but I‘m glad it was short because it‘s all just been a lot lately.

I guess if all I‘m up for is books about cats solving mysteries I shouldn‘t be reading #TOB short list titles 😂

On to George!

The alternative is resistance, but you‘re too busy reading novels.

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii

1) re-teaching myself to crochet
2) I‘ve been logging my reading on Library Thing for 10+ years now and I love looking back on what I read (this was Feb 2015)
3) Took some PTO to visit the new pandas
4) my green rain boots
5) yummy snacks- grilled cheese on homemade bread, popcorn for lunch, sugar cookies shaped like groundhogs

A group of crochet enthusiasts get together to craft, fight racism, and support each other in Australia. I needed something straightforward with a happy ending this week.

Starting this one tonight @BarkingMadRead - here‘s my #boringkindlecover

I figure I‘ll read a short story or two in between other things throughout the month. I thought I had read this as a teen, but maybe not. We‘ll see.

The Valentines are coming in ❤️❤️❤️

I picked this book for complete escapism and easy reading, and it did deliver that. However the story line felt forced (really? Your sorority sister you haven‘t seen in 40 years shows up with her entire extended family and you just let them stay?) and the ending was kind of bonkers. Can‘t give it a pick, but also will probably read more of the series next time I‘m in a similar mood.

I made dal bhat for dinner tonight. It was really good and easy. I just threw it all in the crockpot this morning before work. This will be on repeat for sure. #FoodAndLit #Nepal

Let the #hyggehour begin! I have cranberry pomegranate tea and cookies shaped like groundhogs. It looks like work might finally calm down this week so this Sunday isn‘t as scary as they usually are. Maybe by this time next week I will have finally finished Sense And Sensibility??

Mailed my Valentines Day cards today! Here‘s hoping they make it!

#caturday reading

#BookSpinBingo for January- finished my bookspin and bailed on my doublespin. I‘m going to try and finish the rest of these in February.

Of the 17 books I read in January these were the top twelve. If I had to pick a word to sum up my January reads I would say “interesting”.

January was a good reading month despite all of the doom scrolling I did.

It‘s been a rough few weeks. Time for some sarcastic dragons.

Great pick for #Naturalitsy @AllDebooks

I loved this well researched audiobook. The author read it herself and you can hear the emotion in her voice when she talks about the ocean. I grew up near the coast in Massachusetts and this made me so homesick. Must get back to see the ocean soon.

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii
Not an easy week in DC, but we can‘t abandon joy.

Taking the train from VA to DC Tuesday I snapped a pic of a beautiful sunrise over the Potomac. No one can take away the beauty of this city. I hesitate to post this picture because it‘s where the plane crash took place a day later. But I was filled with gratitude when I saw that beautiful morning. Also thrifted a new coat, made bread, saw sunrises, and meal prepped.

It‘s #hyggehour time! The best hour of the week. I‘m brewing cinnamon pear tea and catching up on these two books. Next week is sure to be chaotic. I‘m glad I‘m kicking it off with an hour just for me.

My very messy February list. I‘m working on reading down my TBR, various challenges, and getting ready for #TournamentofBooks2025. My free spaces will be devoted to more #TOB2025, my big stack of ARCs, and of course the #NancyDrewBuddyRead. February is a short month but my list is long. Just saying I could use another blizzard.

A short book about reducing your carbon footprint by creating an ethical wardrobe. I have to give a presentation on this in February and this was a great place to start for basics.

This was my most anticipated #TOB2025 title. I live in a city in Virginia with a large Ethiopian population so I thought I would learn more about my new neighbors. Haha no. That‘s not at all what this was. This was a fever dream that jumped all over the place and I‘m not even sure what happened to be honest. I‘m not mad. Just confused. Still a pick, but don‘t ask me any questions 😂

Wanted to catch up on #LitsyLove during the #Sharreadathon

@sharread was such a great pen pal.

Too dated and not interesting enough to make up for it. Some spots were funny so maybe the series gets better, but I‘m moving on. #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii
1) I froze a bunch of cookie dough around Christmas. Pulled some out this weekend and everyone was happy.
2) snow and berries from my walk
3) Look at where I found the cat sleeping yesterday
4) walking between matches at a tournament and found horses
5) illustrated Sense & Sensibility at night with mint tea and cookies is a balm

I bought this for some challenge or another last year but then never got to it. I finally got to it this week and enjoyed the author‘s travels while looking for the secret to happiness.

In bed with my journals, grocery lists, kindle, and Jane Austen. This Wednesday feels a lot like it should be Friday already.

This was much more violent than the usual cozy mysteries we read for our work book club, but it wasn‘t bad. It‘s frigid here this weekend so good timing for reading about Greenland.

The #sharreadathon starts today. @sharread was a friend to many of us and a bright light in the world. I‘m not sure yet what I‘ll be reading but I will light a candle and keep my cats close by.

Not really much of a mystery but let‘s face it I‘m only here for the cats. #thematicozies @julieclair #serieslove @Andrew65 @TheSpineView

#WithTheBanned @Jadams89
This novel was a tough read but in the best way. Toni Morrison is so good at painting a picture with words, and does a phenomenal job reading the audiobook.

#5JoysFriday @DebinHawaii
I‘ve been down and out this week with a pinched nerve happening at the same time as returning to office, but there were still joyful moments.
1) we‘re actually getting winter this year!
2) cats helping put Christmas away and sleeping in the sun
3) a beautiful sunrise
4) ice on the Potomac River
5) love my doctor- she always listens and tells me my weird symptoms make sense 😂