Ameise1 (Barbara)'s first try (Part 5)

Welcome to my 5th thread. I feel very comfortable among all of you.

Zürich was once a Roman town called Turicum and some archaeological evidences can still be seen.
Here some photos of the Roman thermae and some jewellery.

January

# 1 Die Feuer von Murano by Giuseppe Furno ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 stars)
# 2 The Case Of The Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall (4 stars)
# 3 Necessary as Blood by Deborah Crombie (4 1/2 stars)
# 4 The Paris Vendetta by Steve Berry (3 stars)
# 5 Nelson Mandela by Biography Series Member Giveaway (4 stars)
# 6 Beneath The Bleeding by Val McDermid ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 1/2 stars)

February

# 7 Even Money by Dick Francis (4 stars)
# 8 The Spy Game by Georgina Harding (4 1/2 stars)
# 9 Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker (4 stars)
#10 L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 1/2 stars)
#11 Table For One byDaniel Kelley Member Giveaway (4 1/2 stars)
#12 The Private Patient by PD James ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 stars)

March

#13 Continuance by Marta Tandori Member Giveaway (3 stars)
#14 The Lost Diaries Of Adrian Mole, 1999 2001 by Sue Townsend (3 1/2 stars)
#15 Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear (4 stars)
#16 Digital Fortress by Dan Brown ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (3 1/2 stars)
#17 Blindman's Bluff by Faye Kellerman (4 1/2 stars)
#18 The Infinities by John Banville (4 stars)
#19 Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (4 stars)

April

#20 Pitch Black by Alex Gray ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 1/2 stars)
#21 In The Kitchen by Monica Ali (2 1/2 stars)
#22 First Family by David Baldacci (4 stars)
#23 No Lovelier Death (DI Joe Faraday) by Graham Hurley ROOT - 2014 Read Our Own Tomes Group (4 stars)

Take It or Leave It Challenge

challenges

January

7.: Read a book you received as a present (in-laws/Christmas 2013)
Die Feuer von Murano (2014-01-04)
8.: Read a book that has a glossary
The Case Of The Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall (2014-01-07)
11.: Read a book that has two of something in the title
Necessary as Blood by Deborah Crombie (2014-01-14)

February

3.: Read a book of short stories
Table For One by Daniel Kelley (2014-02-24)
5.: Read a book that is part of a series
L.A. Confidential by James Ellroy (2014-02-23)
9.: Read a book with a polar vortex related word in Chapter
The Spy Game by Georgina Harding
20.: Read a book with an object on the cover that starts with a letter in rolling alphabetical order (note)
Even Money by Dick Francis (2014-02-02)

March

1.: Read a book with a red-lettered title
The Lost Diaries Of Adrian Mole, 1999 2001 by Sue Townsend (2014-03-03)
3.:Read a book with a word in the title that starts with a vowel
Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear (2014-03-07)
9.: Read a book whose title's initial letter spells out DAYLIGHT, on a rolling basis
Digital Fortress by Dan Brown (2014-03-09)

currently reading



currently listening

Hey, Happy New thread, Barb!

Interesting pictures on top!

Impressive opening shots Barbara and heartiest congratulations on making it to number 5 in threads already. xx

Connie, thank you very much. Indeed, Zürich has a lot of history and therefore a load of historical evidences.

Being first something special from Zürich. They are called Luxemburgerli and they are much better then macarons.

Paul, it's always a pleasure to have you here and thanks so much for your lovely words. xx

They look delicious, Barb!

Connie, indeed, they are delicious.

Happy new thread and Sunday, Barbara!

Rdear, my friend, it's gorgous to see you here. Thanks a lot and a lovely Sunday to you, too. *smooch*

Happy new thread, Barbara, and a wonderful Sunday!

Happy New thread, Barbara! Wow, you sure juggle a lot of books at once. How do you keep them straight?

>13 wilkiec: Diana, thanks so much. I hope you have a lovely Sunday, too.

>14 msf59: Mark, I've to admit that I read one by one. It's just my currently TBR pile. When I get to the last one, I start a new TBR pile.

Congratulations to your new thread!

Happy New Thread, Barbara!

>17 paulstalder: & >18 scaifea: Paul and Amber, thank you. I hope you have a lovely Sunday.

Those Luxumbergerli look so delicious.

I didn't know the Romans settled Zurich, although it makes perfect sense, of course. Thanks for the photos!

>20 sibylline: Hi Lucy, Zürich has a very long history which started much earlier than the Roman's were here.
I'm glad you like the photos.

Hi Barbara,
Interesting photos, as always, topping your new thread!

>22 EBT1002: Ellen, it's great to have you here. I'm happy that you like the photos.

Happy new thread, Barbara!

>24 lkernagh: Thanks, Lori. It's nice to have you here.

I'll take a box of those treats!

>26 thornton37814: Good morning, Lori. I'm writing at my smartphone now. So I can't post goodies. Perhaps later. :-D

>26 thornton37814: So, Lori, here are your Luxemburgerlis

*mampf* *mampf* all gone *sigh*

Oops, Paul ate my treats before I got to them. ;-)

sorry, but I only had two, so someone sneaked in before me.... *tries to be ashamed*

Paul and Lori, I'm glad you liked it. :-D

Have a good week, Barb. Tomorrow after work I will start packing two little cabinsuitcases and hope everything will fit. Wednesday morning very, very, very early we will drive down to Eindhoven airport and fly to Londen, coming back on saturday. So if you don't get any response from me you will know were I am!

Connie, wowowow, a couple of days in London that's great. Enjoy it and safe travel. :-D

Hi Connie, enjoy your little break in London, lots of good bookshops for you to visit, ha ha.

>35 johnsimpson: John, I hope Connie will bring an empty suitcase along to London ;-)

Next time, when my lovely daughters are moaning that everone has got a new Ipad and they don't - Ha Ha Ha - I'm ready and it didn't put a hole in my purse. I'm just able to open the cupboard and give them . . .

Funny, Barb!

Well, everything fitted in two little suitcases! I really don't like all these restrictions on luggage when travelling with Ryanair. Next time we will take the train!

See you on saturday! Keep reading!!

Thanks, Connie. Enjoy London!

>37 Ameise1: :-D

>40 EBT1002: Isn't it? :-D - Hi Ellen!

Hej Barbara, did you make pictures of your cat to send to the tax authorities of Zürich? Front and profile as requested? :)

Paul, ha ha - that was a good one :-D

>37 Ameise1: - That is fantastic!

Hi Barbara- Big hearty waves from the "still chilly" Midwest!

>44 lkernagh: Lori, isn't it and I can tell you, that that what is written on the photo would definitely be the 'original sound' of my daughters :-D.

>45 msf59: Mark, thanks so much for your big hearty waves. I'm so sorry to hear that you still have to suffer the chill out there. Here some warming waves over to you

LOL - love the "eye pad"

;-)

Juli, it's soooo gorgeous, isn't it? :-D

I hope you're fine. Wish you a lovely day.

Hiya, Barbara. Those Luxemburgerli look good! New to me. I'm a cookie monster, so I've taken note.

>43 Ameise1: Hej Barbara, there were 16 Stirnlappenbasiliske (Plumed basilisk) born in the Zoo in Basel yesterday - they had a special design on their backs which is only visible under infrared light. So there was a guided tour at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon with special glasses in order to see the design properly (there were about a dozen people who really showed up - and they all received a free entry into the zoo). :)

mmm... those treats look good. What's the difference between Luxemburgerli and macarons, Barbara?

Cool photos of the Roman thermae.

Greetings

>49 jnwelch: Joe, just for you

>50 paulstalder: & >52 paulstalder: LOL, it's so amazing what people are believing. Waves to you too.

>51 cameling: Caro, first they are much smaller and the taste is much lighter and more airy in consistency. It's like flying on a cloud. I prefer the Luxemburgerli.

Architecture and cookies! Delicious looking cookies. I can almost taste them. What are the flavors in post #53 Barbara? That green one looks like pistachio and I will crawl into the screen and eat it if you say it is! :D

Roberta, indeed, this is a pistachio one. Well, I would like to see you crawling into the screen. Please, make a photo of it. ;-D

Today was another wonderful wood school. the pupils got the task to find a place where the changes of the plants will be visible during the next 7 weeks.

Some impressions of today's outdoor school:
How to find a good place

The group (left) were more into flowers whereas the boys (right) were going for the poisonous plants

Some tipical spring flowers in the wood: anemone, pilewort, common bugle

poisonous plants

>57 Ameise1: Barbara, I am sure kids get so much from lessons taken in the forest as their attention can be so animated by all that is around them. Must be great fun as a teacher too.

Have a lovely weekend. xx

>58 PaulCranswick: Paul, each Friday we are in the forest and it's always a great time. With this new task they are able to take a closer look for some plants. The kids are very enthusiastic.

A lovely weekend to you, too. xx

>57 Ameise1: When I was in high school, our biology teacher took us out on the golf course and the areas around it behind the high school to teach us about wildflowers. It was great fun, and by the end of the day, we could all identify all the wildflowers found that day.

>56 Ameise1: Barbara I could eat 6 or 7 of those pistachio Luxemburgerli. I was going to get our clerk to take a photo of me trying to crawl in the screen but we were so busy!

>60 thornton37814: Lori, I think practical experiences are the A and O for learning amd you can keep it in your mind much longer. It's great to learn the wildflowers that way.

I wish you a lovely weekend.

>61 luvamystery65: Roberta, what a pity st you were so busy ;-D. I love your humour. I wish you a marvellous weekend.

Have a wonderful weekend, Barbara.

I used to love the outings at school and with the boys scouts. It was often very interesting to learn something in the woods (and fun to get dirty and wet without being scolded too much...). I also liked to take out our kids and show them what I knew about the plants and animals in the mountains or woods.

Wish you a pleasant weekend.

>64 wilkiec: Diana, thanks so much and the same to you, too. hugs xx

>65 paulstalder: Paul, I'm an old scout, too and Ameise is my scout name. Since I was a little girl my playground and activities have always taken place outdoor. I love nature and feel so comfortable being outside. Have a lovely weekend, too.

Thanks for sharing the photos of Forest Friday! Such a wonderful idea, and I bet the kids just love it.

Amber, they really do and if you would ask them to extent those lessons they would fully agree with it. :-D

Hi Barbara! Forest Friday looks like fun! I would have benefited from learning which poisonous plants to avoid in my childhood. I had a really bad case of poison ivy when I was 9 or 10 years old. It was so bad that my eye nearly swelled shut. I've never had poison ivy since then, so I think the bad case must have desensitized me to it.

OMG Carrie, I'm sorry to hear that. That must have been very awful.
For me it's very important that the pupils know all the poisonous plants.

book 20



I love the DCI Loimer's serie very much. It's not only that he and his team have to solve a puzzle but also his private life gets enough room. It makes him so human.
In this case some players, a referee and a journalist were murdered. Will someone bring Glasgow's football club Kelvin to fall? DCI Lorimer was on his way back from his holiday when he met the first victim's wife on a ferry. Henceforward his investigations take him deeper into the football scene with all its corruption, jealousy and hope.
It was a very gripping reading and it kept me guessing until the very last page who the evil one was.

This weekend the Salon du Chocolat is taking place in Zürich. What strikes me most is the fashion show, clothes made of chocolate.

>72 Ameise1: Clothing made from chocolate?

*blink, blink*

Wow.

Which new outfit did you buy? Did you eat it already?

Hi Barbara- I am not familiar with the DCI Lorimer series. It does sound interesting. Hope you are having a fine Sunday.

>73 scaifea: Amber, I've seen a documentary how they create such a chocolate garment. First they make all the pieces and then they put them right together on the model's body which takes a lot of time and patience.

So much fun here - the eye pad funny and the chocolate clothing! And then the green of spring. How I envy you! We do have two days of sun and warmish temps coming up, so there is hope!

>74 paulstalder: LOL, Paul.

First, when you would know which size I would need then you'd know that there wouldn't be much chocolate left for something else.

Second, I never ever could stand such a long time still, when all those pieces would be put together on my body. I'd be very anxious that it would burst when I'd take a deep breath.

Third, I love chocolate very much, but I'd feel sick when I'd have to eat such a lot of chocolate.

>75 msf59: Mark, I can recommend the DCI Lorimer series. I like him and his troupe very much. I think I'll buy some more when I'm in the UK in July/August.

>77 sibylline: Lucy, it's wonderful to have you here. Indeed, we are very lucky with our spring time. I really hope that the never ending winter at your place will finally vanish.
Oh yes, the eye pad joke is brilliant, but my girls won't think it is funny. Isn't it crazy what those chocolatiers are able to create?

Our famous Swiss cyclist Fabian Cancellara wins the Tour of Flanders

Chocolate clothing - it boggles my mind!

>82 lkernagh: Lori, isn't it crazy?

Hi Barbara, I suppose it would be rude to snap a bit off to eat. Hope you have a good week my dear.

>84 johnsimpson: John, LOL, I guess it would depend on which part you would snap a bit off.
I wish you a lovely week, too.

I couldn't resist making that remark.

;-)

The chocolate clothing is amazing, Barbara. What an idea! How in the world do they get it on the models wearing it, I wonder? It doesn't seem like something you could just slip on in the dressing room.

Chocolate clothing still has my mouth agape. Can't imagine suchlike!

Happy new week, Barbara!

Like the others, I can't imagine wearing chocolate.

>88 jnwelch:, >89 richardderus:, >90 thornton37814: Joe, Rdear and Lori, I have to admit I would never ever wear such a garment and I'm too squirrelly to stand still such a long time when those pieces would be put together on my body. :-D

Today was a very busy day into the new week and I feel a little bit exhausted. I'm not in the mood to do some sport but . . .

>92 Ameise1:, Hi Barbara, I totally agree with this post.

John, it's great to have someone else joining this sport :-D. I hope you had a lovely day. Tomorrow it will be raining here and I hope it will be less stressful as it was today. hugs xx

Hi Barbara, sorry to hear you had a stressful day, we had rain today but the forecast for the rest of the week is looking good. I love this "Sport" and I get lots of "exercise" doing it, ha ha.

Me too, when I'm not working. I try to read in the evening but often there is some family matter which comes first. xx

What a great thread!!!! I'd like 3 or 4 dozen of those Luxemburgerli please.....
Love the Roman pictures!
LOVE the Eye Pads!
Chocolate clothing - what a great idea!
Great Friday Fun!
And I'm eagerly awaiting your estimate of Graham Hurley. I inherited some and haven't tried them yet.

>97 LizzieD: Good morning Peggy. I wish you a wonderful day. Here, I was waken up by a thunderstorm. I'm happy that you like my thread. Indeed it's very diversified.

I have a very busy week. I guess I have to relax sometime

>99 Ameise1: Sounds like a great idea! Why are you so busy this week?

I had to coach my students this week very intensely. Since yesterday I'm at the university because of my students (meetups with their university lectures) and at school there are a lot of meetings in the evening. The next one will start in half an hour.

Good luck!

Thanks a lot Diana. hugs xx

Your week sounds exhausting. I'm knackered reading about any kind of sequential meetings.

Hi Barb, finally, finally getting to your thread! And wow, the chocolat clothing looks amazing and I love your Fun Friday's!

Big hugs for you! And try to relax a bit this week! XXX

Luxemburgerli, chocolate clothing and # 99, what else can you wish for (except for a book maybe)?
Stopping by to let you know how much I like your thread.

>104 richardderus: Rdear, thanks a lot for your lovely words. The evening meeting went well and I was at home at 9.30pm. Tomorrow after the meetings at the university I'll have lunch with some friends and I'm really loking forward to it.

>105 connie53: Connie, the chocolate garments are indeed very fascinating, but only to look at them. I wouldn't like to have one :-D.

I will try to relax this weekend, hopefully. hugs xx

>106 Trifolia: Monica, I'm glad that you like my thread. I love to post funny pictures and other extraordinary pics. Well, I try to catch reading times and normally I'm able to read one book a week. The book I'm reading currently (In The Kitchen) is a bit lengthy and not one of my favourite ones.

>99 Ameise1: Oh, that bath looks like a lovely idea! I haven't had a good, long soak in 5+ years. Hmmm, I wonder why...? Ha!
I hope you've found some time to relax from your busy week, Barbara!

Happy Friday, Barbara! Hope you have a nice weekend planned.

>110 scaifea: Amber, since lunch time I'm relaxing. After a busy morning at the university, I went for lunch with some friends.

>111 msf59: Mark, I hope I'll get a relaxing weekend. My elder daughter who is studying in Lucerne will come this evening. I'm looking forward to seeing her.

Today I've had lunch with some friends at the old Swiss Army Cavalry Stable which is now a fantastic restaurant. It's so warm today that we could eat outside in the courtyard. Because we haven't had something else on our agenda we had a lot of time for eating and chatting. I enjoyed it very much. Here some photos of this restaurant:

Oh, wow, what a neat-looking restaurant!

Amber, and the lunch was delicious. Eating outside was like being on holiday. :-D

>113 Ameise1: That looks delightful! I'll be able to enjoy dining outdoors in New Orleans this summer, but the humidity will make it a rather miserable experience for the most part if you do it later than the morning hours.

>113 Ameise1: What a wonderful restaurant, Barbara! It looks very inviting. I hope you have a good weekend with lots of relaxing and fun things! And Books!

Hi Barbara, hope all your meetings went ok, hope you and Thomas have a really good weekend my dear.

Hi Barbara - just stopping in to catch up and wish you a happy weekend!!

>116 thornton37814: Lori, I agree with you that humidity can make ones feeling miserable. Luckily, at our latitude we don't have such humidity like in other parts of the world, so eating outside at any daytime is always lovely.

Hope you can get in plenty of reading in this weekend.

>113 Ameise1:- Any good beer here?

>117 connie53: Connie, waves. I really hope that I'll get some reading time this weekend. I'm currently writing the reports for my two students and I must tell you that's hard work because both have their problems to fulfil their targets. So, I try to write what's good and where they have to make improvements in a way that they know what they should do and don't lose the joy for teaching. *sigh*

Post number
Thank you all for visiting me so frequently. hugs xx

>118 johnsimpson: John, the meetings at the university were very informative. I always guessed that my students weren't the most busiest ones and that they should do more to fulfil their target. They had very often excuses why they haven't prepared this or that. Now, that I was able to talk with their university lectures, I know that the two are a bit lazybones.

>119 SuziQoregon: Juli, waves and thanks a lot. Happy weekend for you, too.

>121 msf59: Mark, thanks a lot for the gorgeous smiling sun. We have another wonderful spring day. For the beer: Zürich had a couple of breweries. Unfortunately, in the 90s, they were all sold to the world wide leading breweries. In Switzerland there exist still small breweries with special sorts of beer and there are a lot of restaurants which are serving them.

>123 Ameise1: Wow Barbara, 1000! Congratulations :-)

I hope you're having a lovely weekend. I love the restaurant photos. What a great atmosphere!

>126 wilkiec: Diana, thanks a lot. Due to everybody's postings and friendliness I was able to get so far.

>127 cbl_tn: Carrie, thanks a lot and I hope you have a lovely weekend, too.

The restaurant looks so inviting! We are making progress here - today it is raining and in the forties and tomorrow it is supposed to soar to near 80!!!! We are hoping that will open up our pond where the water is stubbornly clinging to crystalline form! Oh, and then a bit of snow Tuesday night to spice things up. Charming!

Lucy, I'm so glad to hear that spring has finally arrived at your place. I hope the weather progress is going on quickly. Also here, April is doing what it will and we do have all seasons in one month. Luckily, winter hasn't much chance anymore because the sun is much stronger.

book 21



It took me a length to drop into the story and it wasn't an easygoing reading. I was very often confused about all the subjects which were leading the plot. There were bipolar disorder, conflicts and exploitations of in-migrants, complicated love lives and family matters as a dying father, a demented grandmother and learning secrets about a dead mother. In my opinion the introduction and links of all those subjects haven't been so straight. Only in the last quarter of the story the reading went fluently and made for me some sense.

Barbara, Fabian Cancellara looked very strong today but the move seemed to just catch him out a little. What a performance it would have been to have won both Flanders and Roubaix two years running.

By the way you are the first of the "rookies" this year to pass 1,000 posts on your threads - well done my dear!

>132 PaulCranswick: Paul, I had the feeling that Fabian has been 'sleeping' on the last 6km. I don't know if he had the feeling of not having enough strength when he would have taken the lead. Nevertheless, third place is fantastic, too.

I'm surprised that I already passed 1,000 posts. Due to everybody's visiting and kindlyness I got so far. Thanks a lot for your encouragement and lovely words. hugs xx

*waves to Barbara* Hope you've been having a good weekend, Barbara.

>134 jnwelch: Joe, I had to write reports for my students and I can tell you, that was really hard work, especially one of them has a lot of problems.
But I was able to finish one book and started to read another one.
Waves right back and I love the Moore's sculptures photos. xx

>131 Ameise1: Oh dear, that does not sound like a fun read. I read her book Brick Lane and disliked it a lot, so I have never picked up another one. Sounds like a good thing.

>136 richardderus: Thanks a lot Rdear, I won't pick up another one. Luckily , there is a load of good books which are calling to be read.

O.k. - perhaps it's already too late to start with.

Hi Barb, congrats on post 1000. I have no idea how many I have. I have to count them someday!.

Happy week!!

Hi Connie, thanks so much. I hope you have a lovely week, too.

>135 Ameise1: Okay, writing rapports is not relaxing, but you did some reading too! That's good.

Connie, the worst thing I had to do, today, was to explain one of the students that it isn't enough what she is doing and when she won't start making a major effort she won't pass. I can tell you that it wasn't an easygoing discussion we had.

>131 Ameise1: - Sounds like Ali threw everything - including the kitchen sink - into that book. I am not always a fan of that approach to story-telling so your review is a very good one for me to keep in mind!

>138 Ameise1: - Its never too late. You can always take my approach in that the chocolate Easter eggs will be consumed regardless - this year and next - so why all the fuss? ;-)

>143 lkernagh: Lori, I won't read another Ali in a while. There are too much good books waiting to be read.
I'm very chocolate addicted and definitely will eat chocolate Easter eggs. :-D

Mid-week check in, hope it's going along fine and you are enjoying your current read(s)! Warming back up here today. Yah!

>145 msf59: Mark, waves. I'm glad to hear that the temperatures are improving at your place. I've some days off, so I hope I'll get enough reading time.

My favourite newspaper has a weekly photo contest. Until last Monday the title of the photo contest was 'private library' and the winner was the photo below.

>147 Ameise1: Nice, but I'd get the books insight for the night :-)

>148 wilkiec: me too, Diana, but nevertheless I love this library.

>147 Ameise1:, I love this library.

>150 johnsimpson: John, me too. Isn't it fantastic, books are made from trees and the library is a tree. :-)

>147 Ameise1: Lovely!

And I can see how difficult that is to tell a student. I'm so glad I don't need to have that kind of talks. How did she react?

>151 Ameise1:, Exactly Barbara, there is a certain synergy in this, a circle of life.

>152 connie53: Connie, ther were a lot of tears. We have made a plan now and I really hope she'll do a major effort so that she'll reach her target.

>153 johnsimpson: John, it definitely is. hugs xx

>154 Ameise1: It sometimes takes just a talk like the one you had to get real! I will keep my fingers crossed she gets it right and follows the plan!

>156 connie53: Connie, thanks a lot. I really do hope she will catch up.
I hope you had a lovely day. I'll go back to work next Tuesday, but only for four days. Then we have two weeks spring holiday.
This afternoon I drove our car to the garage owner. He is Marina's godfather. He'll change the winter tyres with the summer ones and a new exhaust pipe is also requiered. The old one has got a hole and the car made sounds like a tractor. Tomorrow afternoon I can fetch it.

Oh, boy. I don't really miss those tearful office hour visits from students. Never easy.

>158 scaifea: Amber, it definitely isn't. Last night she wrote me a mail what she will do better to improve. I hope she will.

>147 Ameise1: Barbara, we have several "little libraries" in our neighborhood but that one is particularly cute. If we get a sunny day soon (ha) I will go around the neighborhood and take photos of them. And then post them, too! :-)

I hope you are doing well.

>147 Ameise1: That's a wonderful photo, Barbara! Made me smile all over.

Barbara, that little library is a visual treat, but I'm not in favor of carving holes in trees!!! - surely it is a dead one!?!?!
I'm guessing that your student shouldn't have been surprised that she is in danger of failing. I know it was still not fun for you to have to confront her, and I hope she makes good on her pledge to improve.

>159 Ameise1: Well, she sure is thinking about how to improve herself, so let's hope she start doing so.

Happy Easter!

>160 EBT1002: Ellen, I'm looking forward to seeing your photos. Are you using those 'little libraries' yourself? We don't have such outdoors libraries here in Zürich. We have some at the public swimming pools or in hotels you can find them, too.

I hope you have a good time.

>161 richardderus: Rdear, indeed it is a very lovely library and I like it very much. I hope you have a good day. smooch

>162 LizzieD: Peggy, don't worry, that 'tree' is a long stump, so to speak not anymore alive. I think it's a gorgeous example what one can make out of it.
This student definitely shouldn't have been surprised because I was talking every day to her that she should make improvements, but she only started to realise it when I discussed my written report with her.

>163 connie53: Connie, she defintely starts with it. I got a lot of mails from her with good thoughts for the lessons she'll held next week. I hope she'll keep up with it.

>164 wilkiec: Oh Diana, those little bunnies are so cute. Thanks a lot for this lovely photo. Happy Easter to you, too. xx

Yesterday night I was in a baking mood and made a Tiroler Cake. Well, it must taste good than it gets smaller quickly. ;-)

Yummy! And I'm off to google "Tiroler Cake".....

>169 LizzieD: Peggy, it's very easy to make it. I can write down the recipe but it's with gramms, millilitre and grade Celsius

125g butter (stir in a bowl softy)

add

150g sugar
1 pinch of salt
4 egg yolks
(stir it until everything is bright)

add
200g ground hazelnuts
50g rough chopped hazelnuts
150g dark chocolate- rough chopped
100ml coffee cream
(stir into the mixture)

4 egg whites with a pinch of salt (whisk stiff)
125g flour mixed with 1 tablespoon baking powder
(flour and beaten egg whites mix in carfully with the rest)

Fill it into a form and bake it by 180C for 55 minutes

>147 Ameise1: A library tree! I knew that there are trees housing squirrels, birds and stuff - but books. I hope the tree survives and grows larger shelves :)

Wish you a blessed Easter

>171 paulstalder: Paul, luckily trees can have all sorts of purpose :-D.
I wish you Happy Easter, too.

>168 Ameise1: Oh, yum! I'll be right over...

>173 scaifea: Amber, at >170 Ameise1: you can recipe. It's very easy to make it.

hi Barb, happy Easter!!

Thanks Connie, the same to you, too. :-D

book 22



It was a very gripping and fast-paced reading. I love Baldacci's stories. This was my first one of the King-Maxwell series and it won't be the last one I'll read. In this story a lot of different family stories are told especially the different kind of love and protective instinct within those families. Some are based on jealousy, others on revenge and others on keeping power. Sean King and Michelle Maxwell have their hands full trying to solve the cases and bring the evil ones to justice.

Hope you have nice weekend planned, which of course includes reading.

>177 Ameise1: Baldacci is quite popular in our library.

>178 msf59: Mark, thanks a lot. This Bunny-Garfield gif is cute. Unfortunately, it's too cold to take a sun bath but nevertheless I'll have a fantastic weekend. Waves to you and Happy Weekend, too.

>179 thornton37814: Lori, I've read six Baldacci's so far and a lot more are still waiting to be read. I guess his spelling style isn't too complicated and his stories ate gripping and fast-paced and that's the reason why a lot of people are reading his books.
I wish you a Happy Weekend.

I have a little question. Could someone explain me what ARC means. Thanks a lot.

>182 Ameise1: ARC = Advance Review Copy

Happy Easter to you, Barbara! And thanks for posting those lovely images on our threads.

Happy Easter Barbara! I hope you have a lovely long weekend. The cake looks yummy, and thinking about the combination of hazelnuts, chocolate, and coffee makes me drool!

I think the only Baldacci I've read is The Christmas Train, and I thought it was a very nice holiday story.

>183 kidzdoc: Darryl, thanks a lot for the explanation. Unfortunately, I'm not able to see the picture you have posted. Perhaps I'll see it later or never?

You're welcome. I love pictures and I think, they can make a thread much more friendly. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

>184 cbl_tn: Carrie, thanks a lot for the lovely wishes. I guess I'll find a lot of time for some good reading over the weekend. Our younger daughter is colouring the eggs. It's the first time since more than 20 years that I or my husband don't do the Easter surprise. Our daughters are doing it now.
Indeed, Tiroler Cake is yummy and I can strongly recommend it. I like Baldacci's books very much but I haven't read The Christmas Train.

Happy weekend to you, too.

>183 kidzdoc: Darryl, with googlechrom I was able to see the pic. It's lovely, thanks so much.

Hi Barbara, hope you and the family have a very happy Easter weekend my dear.

Hi John, we'll have a very lazy weekend ahead. On Tuesday I'll go back to work. Thomas and Marina have already spring holiday. Isa went to Munich with her boyfriend.

>185 Ameise1:, >187 Ameise1: Hmm...I couldn't see it either, although I could earlier. How about now?

I hope you are having a wonderful Happy Easter weekend, Barbara!

>190 kidzdoc: Darryl, now it's perfect. Thans a lot. I've noticed that you join the Readathon, too. I wish you happy reading.

>191 lkernagh: Lori, thanks a lot. I definitely will have it. Waves and a fantastic weekend to you, too.

Hi Barbara, hope you have had a good Saturday so far, managed to finish another book today.

I wish you a blessed Easter Sunday.

>194 johnsimpson: John, I'm half way through No Lovelier Death (DI Joe Faraday) by Graham Hurley. I love the DI Joe Faraday series.

Hi Barb. how are you this sunday morning. Here the sun is shining and it promises to be a lovely day. I will spend it reading and watching The Amstel Gold Race on tv. We could go and see it live since it's only 40 km to the south of were we live. I suppose Eveline and Cyrille are somewhere along the route watching. But traffic is allways too bad to get there.

Hi Connie! We have lovely weather, too. I just finished some work which I need for school. Now, I start reading again. I'm in the middle of No Lovelier Death (DI Joe Faraday) by Graham Hurley and I hope that I'll finish it today.
This afternoon is the tennis ATP Final at Monaco with our two Swiss guy Federer and Wawrinka. It's a first that two Swiss players are in a Final. So, I'll watch this on TV.

Happy Easter, Barbara!

That tiroler cake looks so good!

>199 Crazymamie: Thanks a lot, Mamie. This pic is adorable.

>200 sibylline: Lucy, it's already eaten. I'm sorry that I'm not able to offer you a slice.

book 23



I'm a huge fan of the DI Joe Faraday' series and that one didn't disappointed me neither. DI Joe Faraday keeps himself more in the background and his younger colleague Jimmy Suttle is doing the most work up front. They are facing not only the homicides of two young people but also the murders of persons which are related to Faraday's nemesis Bazza Mackenzie. Mackenzie has got help in an ex-cop and Faraday's ex-colleague Paul Winter. Winter holds the threads and clues in his hands and therefore it's not only difficult for Faraday and his team to solve the puzzles but also to lay the blame on Mackenzie.
It was a very fast-paced and gripping reading and let me guess until the very last page.

Hi Barbara - just passing through and waving Hello!

Hi Juli. *waves*

Good Morning, Barb! I hope your Easter Monday will be fabulous!!

Hi Connie, an hour ago I finished work for school. Now, I'm reading. It's book number three for the Easter holiday. I hope you have a lovely day with your family.

Morning, Barbara! Just passing through...

Good morning Amber, I wish you a splendid day.

Please, join me on my new thread