Last Book! Moving On...

Just finished this...it was a 1950's Ted Turner Classic Movie Channel kind of book...career "girls" living at the Barbizon Hotel kind of book. It was ok but not as delight-filled as I hoped it would be...I should know better...it was probably me and a failure to connect with anything in this book...sigh! Superficially? I hate real photo covers on books...my bad!

It's the last book I am reading in 2014...


Spending the day quietly in preparation for a Patty and Den raucous uproaring NYE...
That would be trying to stay up until midnight!

Happy Wednesday! Stay safe if you are going out tonight!

So Busy! Really Busy! With Busy Stuff!

We are showered and in comfies and relaxing...we had to go to Nordstrom's today to take back some of Den's stuff and buy Den new stuff because everything is on sale and this was our triple point day! Whew! But then you get Nordstrom's bucks in the mail and you can start all over again!

Plus I bought Den this super cool hybrid jacket so that he can look super cool at all times as long as he follows my directions and drapes the new scarves I bought him in a super cool way around his neck. Looking super cool is very complicated! He can take out the vest and wear this out at night when Den has a date...with me! Looking super cool!









After Nordstrom's we had lunch at Seasons 52...since Nordstrom's is so far away we rarely eat here but it was lovely...especially these...we each had one...soooo yummy!





Mine was pumpkinny ginger snappy good!





Then after lunch we went to Weggieman's...I taught second grade and was way too familiar with Weggieman books...books filled with little boy bathroom humor...my little guys would smuggle them into class...we have an amazing grocery store here called Wegman's but I always call it Weggieman's...sorry!

And we gathered food for the next few days...pork tenderloins and sauerkraut and pierogis and fruits and veg...and a tiny little chocolate cake that wanted to come home with us and that will be our first and last dessert of 2015...lol...voted Weggieman's best!





Not reading much of anything...sort of glancing at this...tired...just want to chill tonight...





Happy Tuesday!

This Book...And A Few Others!

OMG...I am still thinking about this book...I cried no less than four times at four separate characters as I read this yesterday. I loved every single word of this book even though character Annabelle with her made up words was highly irritating. Talullah...loved her humor and charm and even her pain. Her mother named her dresses! Her father was so patient. This book was so charming and sad and funny and heartbreaking and uplifting! It took me by surprise...I didn't expect it to be so lovely...so breathtakingly lovely. Even Barney The Dog was enchanting...in a grossly spitty/drooly kind of way. At this point in my life I can not imagine a book I loved more than this one...sigh!






Reading this now...no thoughts about it yet...








These just came...love Amazon Vine...










Getting ready to watch Maze Runner!

Happy Monday!

Football...All Day Long!

But not for me...I am reading and playing games and I am going to sneak upstairs later to binge watch The White Queen...on Starz...which is based on the Philippa Gregory book. This series is soooooo good!






Making carnitas for dinner...a simple recipe from Simply Recipes! The meat simmers in stock and salsa for about 5 hours...then you allow it to cool and you shred it and roast it in the oven...we have it with handmade corn tortillas, diced sweet onion, cilantro and a squeeze of lime. I make black beans, too, on the side, and a simple salad...actually the salad is supposed to be plain lettuce with a bit of apple cider vinegar...not sure why.



Just finished this...it was so good...one of those truly beautifully written books...if you love family books and friendship books with a "touch" of dysfunction tossed in...you will love this one.



Happy Sunday!

My Favorite Reading Time Of The Year!

I love the days after Christmas...for me...it's the perfect time to read!

Finished this...so good...it's the second book I have read in this series. It continues an event that happened in the first book and I love that! Love Detective Tony McLean! Love his cat!









I am just about to start this...after we finish binge watching The Christley's...and after we watch The Maze Runner! It's a coming of age novel!







Just fell in love with these...Cuddl Duds? Does everyone in the world know about these except for me? They are warm and cozy...the fleece ones...but not too warm!






This one is just a stretchy one...but still warm and comfy...you can wear them over anything...even pajamas. I love mine...today they are all 30% off with a code WINTER 30!



Off to read and watch movies!

Happy Saturday!

T'was The Day After Christmas...

We are all mellow...presents are stacked in boxes...out of the way...for some reason I always do this...I love leaving them in their cozy boxes for days!






My new Santa is settling in quite nicely!






I love the back of him, too! A local artist makes these and Santa brings me one every year.





Finished this...soooooo good! I read the first book...it was really good, too. The essential character is Brigid Quinn PI and she is amazingly dysfunctional and quirky. Her new husband is an ex priest and she has two much loved but unnamed Pugs. The books are clever, smart and witty. I love them!






The manicotti...is that the plural form?... I made were delicious but I failed to comprehend how big they were and how many they would make. I had two of these baking dishes filled...they were so huge that only four of them fit in the dishes! There were three steps but they were not difficult...I had to make the sauce, make the filling and make the shells...which were really crepes. I probably won't make these again for awhile...lol!






Reading this now...another mystery...



Den is out raking leaves...amazing to us at this time of year!

Happy Friday!

Have A Lovely Day!

My newest Santa!

The Cookie Situation Just Got Better!

Ok...Den took care of the absence of cookies by buying almost homemade ones from a great little artisanal food store near us! Plus I bought salted caramels from Whole Foods...dark for Den and milk for me...and we are set...pizzelles and apricot, raspberry and nut melt in your mouth cookies...there is a name for them...Kiffles? I put the butter away for the very last time!


I just saw blurb about cookies on our local news channel...apparently there is a shop in Philadelphia that sells only cookies...people were in line at midnight to get them! That's what I am doing next year...or even better I will send Den...lol!





I am calling on my Italian roots and my mom and my grandmother and making homemade manicotti tomorrow...the kind that you have to make crepes for...my recipe is sort of from my sister and sort of from Epicurious.



Our holiday card this year!







We fought the crowds at Whole Foods and we are set for the next few days...


Happy Wednesday/Christmas Eve!

Still No Cookies...Unless...

Unless you count a box of Trader Joe's fashionably impeccably dressed and PC Ginger People? I even put them in a tin...actually I guess they aren't dressed...sigh!




But putting them in a tin before we give them to the birds should count as a festive gesture? Shouldn't it? I wonder how many times I can soften and unsoften butter...



Finally finished this book...this was a book filled with the most irritating characters...making horrible choices...in an annoying way...this book just might have made me outgrow YA...at least for a while...I hate hate hate not liking a book...but this one? Reviews on goodreads were either a one star or a five star...seriously. Sad...very sad...






Reading this...really good...but I think it's YA ish, too!



The girls and I came downstairs very early this morning while Den slept the sleep of a boy whose Broncos football team let him down last night...we turned on Tree Number 1 and watched The Librarians...my new fave show!



Coffee, kitties, a cozy blankie and 1 1/2 ginger people...my way to start the day!

Happy Tuesday!

Short & Sweet

Still reading both of these...really good but too intense for this time of year...my reading brain wanders as I read...thinking of a million other things...












These just came from publishers, NetGalley and Edelweiss...

















I have everything ready to make cookies and I keep looking for the best recipe but I think I am just going to make the one on the bag...hopefully...






Dinner is from Sheet Pan Suppers by Molly Gilbert...and it's called Roast Chicken And Mustardy Potatoes...it looks good and is really easy!







Happy Monday!

Shopping Really Early!!!

We were at Nordstrom's in King Of Prussia at 8:30 this morning...Christmas shopping! I can't see straight right now! But...we were home and in comfies and done by 12:30.. For us...it's almost better this way...one day of torture...and then we are done!

Pottery Barn has some beautiful ornaments...always on sale at this time of year...it's one of our holiday traditions...so...this year we bought...
Santa Dressed In White!


Bird With Green Vest!


Squirrel With Green Sweater!


And Red Sparkly House With
Santa!


And three new festive plaid pillows! I am snuggled with one now under my furry throw.


Panorama of the trees...


On our way home from King Of Prussia...the bread ladies were baking bread...so we stopped for the best French bread ever...made with a slightly salted crust...it was still warm...and they gave me a free brownie for fixing their money...these ladies are amazing...the brownies are from an old family recipe and so good...they bag them and sell them for a $1.00 each...we try to keep a small supply in the freezer at all times! When the flag is out...there is fresh hot bread! Everybody runs in and gets bread on the honor system!


Happy Sunday!