mstrust's #6- So. This was 2021, huh?

Welcome to my last thread of 2021!
I'm Jennifer and I live in Phoenix. I've decided to spend this last thread staring at the pretty lights and eating Christmas cookies. (I started seeing Christmas commercials weeks ago.) I've nearly made it to 100 books and everything over that is just delicious gravy.

Was this year an improvement over last year? Not by a long shot. But I'm going to point out some things that made me giddy because it's the little things, right?

1. My family tolerated me fairly well and even came for a visit.

2. Mike. I think we spent every Sunday of the year together.

3. I finally got my maple book out, which wouldn't have happened without Mike's help. Also, Mikki's help. And Jeremy's help.

4. We repainted and redecorated the two ugliest rooms in the house, and that makes me happy!

5. Squid Games!

6. Tiki Oasis happened and Halloween happened.

7. My coffee hoard grew to an almost unmanageable level.
See what I mean about the little things?

8. There are so many great, fun people on LT.

So if there's a theme, it's just pointing out stuff I like. This thread is politics-free, but dressed in a sparkly sweater and singing the set list from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

2021 Reads

1. Lady Windermere's Fan- 4 stars
2. The Riddle of the Third Mile- 4 stars
3. California Hotel and Casino- 3 stars
4. Ultimate Veg- 4 stars
5. Bowie's Bookshelf- 4 stars
6. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie- 5 stars
7. Britten and Brulightly- 4.2 stars
8. A Walk Around the Block- 4 stars
9. The Little Paris Kitchen- 4 stars
10. Action Park- 5 stars
11. Trick Yourself to Sleep- 2.5 stars
12. Come Home, Indio- 2.5 stars
13. Mystery, Inc.- 4 stars
14. Almost Sleighed- 4 stars
15. Vegas Tabloid- 2.5 stars
16. Essential Herbs- 4 stars
17. The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag- 4.5 stars
18. My Life with Sherlock Holmes- 2.5 stars
19. Rez Metal- 3 stars
20. Hoodoo Harry- 5 stars
21. Bibliotheca Classica- 4.5 stars
22. Selected Poems of W.H. Auden- 3.5 stars
23. Confess- 4.5 stars
24. The Murder of Dr. Chapman- 4 stars
25. The Pretty Little Box- 4 stars
26. Fairytale Baking- 5 stars
27. Seven Years- 4 stars
28. The Golden Gate- 4.5 stars
29. Oh, The Places You'll Go!- 5 stars
30. A Likely Story- 2.5 stars
31. Animal Behavior: A Very Short Introduction- 4 stars
32. Grateful American- 3.5 stars
33. Haunted Nights- 4.5 stars
34. Miao Doa- 4 stars
35. Welcome to the United States of Anxiety- 3.5 stars
36. Skinwalkers- 4 stars
37. Miss Marple's Final Cases- 3 stars
38. The Factory Witches of Lowell- 2.8 stars
39. The Eyre Affair- 5 stars
40. And the Hippos Were Boiled in Their Tanks- 3.5 stars
41. Redshirts- 4.5 stars
42. Tiki Surf Witches Want Blood- 4 stars
43. Survivor Song- 2.8 stars
44. Not Taco Bell Material- 3 stars
45. Maigret Goes to School- 3.5 stars
46. Moby Dick- 4.5 stars
47. Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered- 4 stars
48. The Beginner's Guide to Mushrooms- 4.5 stars
49. Elizabeth- 4 stars
50. High Tech and Hot Pot- 4 stars
51. The House on Mango Street- 3 stars
52. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake- 3.5 stars
53. Night of the Mannequins- 3 stars
54. Face It- 4.5 stars
55. England As You Like It- 3 stars
56. Middle Men: Stories- 4.2 stars
57. Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont- 4.5 stars
58. Mr. Monk Goes to Hawaii- 4 stars
59. Where The Sidewalk Ends- 5 stars
60. An Accidental Bookseller- 4 stars
61. The Giving Tree- 4 stars & The Empire of the Ants- 2.5 stars
62. Mocktails & Cocktails Made Simple- 3.5 stars
63. Murder on Tap- 3.5 stars
64. The Sleep Tight Motel- 4 stars
65. I'd Rather Be Reading- 3.5 stars
66. Uncle Dysfunctional
67. Candy Coated Murder- 3.5 stars
68. Check These Out- 3.5 stars
69. Deadly Arms- 3 stars
70. I Work at a Public Library- 4 stars
71. Mr Monk Goes to the Firehouse- 4 stars
72. Murderously Sweet- 4 stars
73. Just Another Day At Your Local Public Library- 3 stars
74. Hell's Princess- 4 stars
75. The Book of Books- 4 stars
76. A Moveable Feast- 3.5 stars
77. Chocolate Covered Murder- 3.5 stars
78. A Red Herring Without Mustard- 4.5 stars
79. Mortuary Confidential- 3 stars
80. Let's Get Invisible- 4 stars
81. Death and Sweets- 3.5 stars
82. Tales From the Crypt #1 The Stalking Dead- 3.5 stars
83. Witching Hour Theatre- 4 stars
84. Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?- 3.5 stars
85. Maniac: The Bath School Disaster and the Birth of the Modern Mass Killer- 4 stars
86. Halloween Night- 2.5 stars
87. Fat Vampire- 4.5 stars
88. Fire in the Grove- 4 stars
89. Sugared Demise- 3.5 stars
90. Halloween Fiend- 5 stars
91. Son of Slappy- 3 stars
92. The Midnight Exhibit Vol. 1- 3.5 stars
93. Untimely and Tragic Deaths-3 stars
94. Alfred Hitchcock's Death Bag- 3 stars
95. Zombie Tales 4: This Bites- 2.5 stars
96. The Final Girls Support Group- 4 stars
97. Hoodoo- 3.5 stars
98. The Stranger Beside Me- 4 stars
99. All Creatures Great and Small- 5 stars
100. The Murders of Richard III- 3.5 stars
101. Discovering Dahlias- 4 stars
102. Your Inner Hedgehog- 4 stars
103. An Elderly Lady Is Up To No Good- 4 stars
104. Camp Austen- 3 stars
105. Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu- 4 stars

Happy new thread!

>1 mstrust: Lovely, just lovely.

Happy new thread, Jennifer!

>1 mstrust: Lovely topper, and indeed, appreciating the little things makes one happier :-)

Happy new thread, Jennifer!
Big things grow from little seeds.

Happy new thread! Congrats again on publishing your book! :D

>4 quondame: Thank you! That really is a beautiful shot, isn't it? When I used to drive between Prescott, Az and California, I'd be driving a two lane road in the dark, no street lights, and I'd see skies like this photo and so many shooting stars.

>5 FAMeulstee: Thanks, I'm glad you like the topper!
I think I'm quite crabby as a rule, but I believe there are a lot more little victories in life than major ones. Few of us are going to discover a new species, but we can all get a competent dinner on the table, ha!

>6 SirThomas: Thank you, Thomas, good to see you!

>7 rabbitprincess: Thanks and thank you, Princess!

Here's a plate of happiness, pass it around:

Happy new thread, Jennifer.

Happy new thread, Jennifer. I am not going to try and catch up on your old ones, but hope to keep better track of you from here on out.

Have a wonderful week!

Happy new one!

>8 mstrust: Thanks for the happiness! Happy Last New Thread of 2021!

>8 mstrust: but we can all get a competent dinner on the table
Well... I must admit not being able to do that. But that is why I married, Frank is a great cook ;-)

>9 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul.

>10 alcottacre: Hi Stasia, I'm glad you found me! You have a good week too, and try to make it over here again!

>11 drneutron: Thank you, Jim!

>12 PaperbackPirate: Hi, Nicole! Do take as many cookies as you like. And since it's the last thread, take the plate, a chair, and whatever else you'd like.

>13 FAMeulstee: Ha, I guess it's a good thing you found Frank!

Yesterday was our anniversary and I made salmon in a Thai chili marinade and we downed a bottle of champagne. We'd decided that our night out at the fair was our big whoop-di-do, so champagne at home was nice. And we had my homemade chocolates. I made up this recipe and it turned out really well.

Banana Habanero Chocolates

1/2 c walnuts
1/2 ripe banana
2 tsp honey
1 tbs cream
1 tsp habanero sauce
1 1/2 c dark chocolate chips
1 c white chocolate chips

Toast the walnuts in the oven. Set aside to cool, then finely chop.

Mash the banana in a bowl, then add in the honey and habanero sauce. Mix well.
Melt the white chocolate in the microwave until smooth. Allow to cool slightly. Slowly stir in the cream and banana mixture. Stir int the walnuts.
Pour this mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for several hours.

Melt the dark chocolate chips in the microwave until smooth. Remove the banana filling from the freezer. The texture will be firm enough to roll into balls. Have another parchment lined baking sheet ready.
Roll the banana mixture into one inch balls and drop into the chocolate, coated all sides well. You want to seal the filling in. Place on the clean parchment. When all the banana filling has been coated, place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least an hour.

98. The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule.
This was Rule's first book and it truly launched her career in true crime, though she had been a true crime magazine writer before. And before that, she was a cop.
Rule had volunteered at a crisis hotline in the early 70's and happened to work many of the same shifts as a young student named Ted Bundy. Like lots of women, Rule enjoyed Bundy's company, though because of their age difference, Rule saw him as an interesting friend, not a potential boyfriend. She didn't recognize that he was a sociopath.
This book covers more than 15 years of both Rule and Bundy's lives, in which Rule gets divorced, goes to Hollywood to write her first screenplay, raises her children and pursues her career as a writer. Bundy became a transient murderer and rapist who kidnapped, tortured and killed young women and a twelve year-old child. Law enforcement was often outmatched by Bundy, both because he could appear so normal and blend in, but also because once he was in custody they expected him to behave like a normal person, not to starve himself to fit through a tiny hole in the ceiling, or to jump out a two story window, which he did.
Bundy's multiple trials are included, for which Rule had a press pass. Bundy's ability to antagonize one minute and plead for mercy the next is on full display, and we see a man who prized his own skin above all else.

I've always found it confusing to hear Bundy described as handsome, as he is by many women here, including Rule. I don't get it, he's always looked like a thin-lipped, scrawny nerd to me, not good-looking at all.
I'm also a little on the fence about Rule's friendship with Bundy, which lasted for years and saw them exchange many letters and phone calls even while he was being charged with a litany of horrible crimes. Rule includes many of Bundy's written passages and transcribes many of their phone calls, which makes me lean towards the obvious, that Rule, and especially, Bundy were using each other. Rule wanted to get a career as a book author started and she happened to know a serial killer. Most people, especially women of that time, would have run the other way when a guy they knew was accused of murdering women, but Rule seems to have hung onto Bundy with both hands, claiming she didn't believe in his guilt for years, even in spite of her having worked with many of the cops who were charging Bundy. To me, it defies belief that a former cop who writes up crime cases thought that he could be wrongly charged with so many heinous crimes by multiple states. She wanted the story, and to get it, she had to be Bundy's friend so he'd keep in contact with her. And Bundy, knowing Rule talked to her former co-workers often, used Rule to get inside information about how much the police knew, but he also surely knew she would write about him and he wanted to be famous.
I really tried to finish this by Halloween as it was the October ScaredyKit theme, but I have the anniversary edition, which has an epilogue, an afterward and a new final chapter, making it a real doorstop. It's a remarkable feat in true crime writing and I see why it's a famous book.4 stars

Happy New one, Jennifer! I grabbed a handful of happiness, thanks!

Hi, Lynda! I'm happy to provide some happiness!

>14 mstrust: Belated happy anniversary!

>15 mstrust: I still own my copy of that one from back in the day. I remember reading it years ago. I may have to find my copy and give it a re-read.

Thank you!
I'm surprised it took me so long to get around to this one, as it's a classic of the genre. TBH, I always assumed it was some kind of "romance gone wrong" because of the title.

Here's a great thing that I mentioned in >1 mstrust:. Coffee! I know everyone doesn't partake, but I love it and hoard it.

It's just after 7 am here, and I'm on my first cup. Trader Joe's Autumn Maple.

Happy new one!

>1 mstrust: Gorgeous topper!

Thanks, glad you're here!

Here's another thing I like (I'm really on a roll).
There are several San Pedro cacti in my neighborhood and they're blooming. They have huge white, waxy blooms that will grow all the length of the arm and the bees love them. I haven't been able to catch my neighborhood cactus at the right time of day for all the blooms to be open, but this gives a good idea.


My reading has really slowed down since my Halloween reads are over, but I've gone back to All Creatures Great and Small. I'm halfway through and really enjoying it. It's much funnier than I expected.

>22 mstrust: Wow! Cacti are fascinating. They always have the most wonderful flowers. I had a cactus once that took 20 years to bloom. Enjoy!

>22 mstrust: I love cacti, but unfortunately, they do not love me back. I tend to kill them when I own them.

>23 figsfromthistle: They are, and there are so many varieties. Cactus flowers are always beautiful and showy.
I'm hoping my Eve's Needle blooms in the Spring as it's growing pretty quickly. I have another on the porch that needs to go into the ground. Can't remember the variety off the top off my head, but it's dangerous with thick needles.
>24 alcottacre: Is it possible that you water them like normal plants? I've done that. The gardener has an urge to do something to their plants, even the ones that do better when left alone. I do give mine some Cactus Juice about every ten days and they do well with that.

I made jalapeno cheese cracker dough yesterday and it's chilled overnight, so I'll roll that out today.
Last night Mike and I did a Scotch tasting, since one of his customers brought him a selection of aged and reserve Scotchs. This isn't normally my thing but I had two different makers and did the "chewing" that Mike told me to, and I did pick out the flavor notes. It was interesting, though I can't enjoy much of it.

>25 mstrust: Probably I did overwater them. I would like to get more at some point because I really do like them.

It's a hard habit to break, but I've found that a little water no more than twice a week in the summer does well, when we're over 100F, but I go longer than than in milder weather.

This weekend wasn't so great, culminating in the water hose in Mike's truck suddenly breaking as we were two miles from the house yesterday afternoon. His mom came and got me and the bags of groceries, but Mike had to sit with the car and wait three hours for the AAA tow truck.
But before that happened, we had stopped in the mid-century vintage store that I now adore, and I picked up a Georges Briard serving plate from the 60's. I did a little research and found he was a designer of glass and barware that was carried in Neiman Marcus from the mid-century to the 70s, and that the gold is likely 22k. Gorgeous designs and I'll likely go back for more. Here's a site that specializes in mid-century barware, including Briard.
https://retrosolstice.com/

>22 mstrust: Wow, that cactus is stunning. Do the flowers have a fragrance?
Oooph, Darn water hoses!
Neat purchase. I remember bar ware like that from my childhood. The website amazed me. The value these pieces hold astonishes me. The fact that a lot of our stuff probably ended up at a yard sale saddens me.

Cactus flowers must have some light scent because they draw bees like crazy, but the scent isn't strong enough for humans to stand back and get a whiff or for it to be used as a fragrance.
Now, in the summer the desert willow trees blooms with orchid-like mauve flowers, and their fragrance is amazing. The best way I can describe, and I've thought about this while walked past a line of them, it is if you got caught in a desert rainshower while holding an armload of Ivory bars of soap.
I'd never seen any Briard glassware before and I love it. And of course I picked the plate that has the more unusual design. I found just one other plate like mine listed online, while his Persian Garden and Celestial are everywhere. I hope the shop has more of my design left. My guess is that someone's grandma just died and she was a collector.
My own mother threw away my big collection of MAD magazines and books when I went away on a trip. Stuff from the 50s and 60s that I'd spent my childhood and teens collecting that goes for serious money now.

99. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot.
Young Scotsman Herriot had just passed his veterinary exams in the 30's when work of any kind was hard to come by. He was fortunate to be taken on as an assistant by Siegfried, and established vet with a practice in the Yorkshire Dales. Soon they were joined by Siegfried's younger brother Tristan, who had failed his vet exams but still helped on the rounds. This is a region that took adjustment for the young vet, as he was an outsider and the terrain was difficult, made worse because Herriot's loaner car didn't have brakes. He proved himself to be smart, innovative, and courageous, as he described shoving his hands in places that make the reader cringe. He does whatever he can to help both the animals and the farmers who are often on the edge of survival.

This is one of my best reads of the year. There are grim situations, but Herriot also writes of his hilarious date with Helen, when the rest of the house tried to cobble together appropriate dinner clothes for him, or the comical frustration of dealing with a boss who didn't listen. 5 stars

>29 mstrust: I remember from a zillion years ago, going to Red Rock Canyon after a monsoon, this was in July, and I'll never forget the beautiful aroma of the desert. I don't know where it came from but there's no candle that can duplicate it. It was mind blowingly awesome.

Oh, I bet your mom felt so bad when she realized what she had done.

My big fail was giving most of my old Rolling Stone Magazines for the 80's and late 70's to a neighbor. This was before ebay and at the time NOBODY wanted them. Ugh. I get a few of my favorites but I'm not willing to part with them....yet.

All Creatures Great and Small is one of my all time favorite books. After that, I wanted to move to the English countryside.

>30 mstrust: I have enjoyed all of the books in that series. Glad to see you enjoyed the first one!

Thanks for the info about watering cacti. I am going to get some for the summer and see how I do.

>31 Carmenere: The scent of the desert after the rain is so amazing. I would guess that you were smelling creosote, a short bush that has little yellow flowers and releases a strong scent in the rain.
Oh, I bet your mom felt so bad when she realized what she had done.
She did not! My mom had a habit of throwing out anything she determined I didn't need anymore, always when I was away. She also threw away my big stack of Creem magazines from the late 70's-80's. Also very collectible now. The woman couldn't keep her hands off my stuff.

I really enjoyed ACGAS, but man, that terrain and the snow sound really rough!

>32 alcottacre: I'll continue with the series for sure. Herriot was an excellent writer.
No problem with the info. I'm not an expert but I've managed to keep a few plants alive and my succulents are downright thriving. Let me know how you do with them when you get some plants.

Here's another little thing I really like-

Candied ginger, aka crystallized ginger.
It's covered in sanding sugar but because it's real ginger, it has a bite to it. I used to be somewhat of an addict but had to control myself. It may be "natural" but it's probably as healthy as eating spoonfuls of jam. So good though.

>33 mstrust: My mother gave away things of mine while I was at college when she was annoyed at me. After I moved out the problem was giving me things that she thought were my taste and expecting gratitude.

>34 mstrust: Me too! Why didn't I put that on the shopping list, oh wait! I can call! Yay, it worked!

Ha, your mom too huh? It got to the point where it seemed like she was weeding through my possessions every time I left the house.
Glad I reminded you to get some ginger! I was popping them for a little pick-me-up yesterday.

>36 mstrust: Yeah. I had to caution my daughter not to trust mothers. We're vicious.

>34 mstrust: I really like it too! I am a big fan of ginger.

Every generation of my family has had at least one soldier and I'm very proud of them.

>37 quondame: Ha! You said it!
>38 alcottacre: I never even thought about it until I made triple ginger cookies for my sister a few years ago and got myself hooked on the candied stuff. She also loves the Origins ginger body products.

I received another mystery gift yesterday. A box of three bottles of Poirier's Pure Cane Syrup came from Louisiana. No card or indication of who it had come from, so I thought it might be from my LT friend who had sent the autographed movie still a few weeks ago, but I'd forgotten that my brother told me a few weeks ago that he was going to be in New Orleans. He says this syrup is available just once a year. It tastes like a very mild molasses.

We call it Remembrance Day and we celebrated it yesterday. My Dad was in the Navy so I have a soft spot for anything military. In my family I am the odd one out as they all love candied ginger and I give it a pass. I don't mind ginger in gingerbread or even in Chinese Food, but candied ginger is just too much all at once!

My dad was in the Air Force during the Korean War, and my nephew was in the army and served in Afghanistan. My great-uncles were also in the army in Europe at D-Day. My grandfather was actually rejected due to flat feet, but he tried to go.

Candied ginger is a strong flavor, definitely not for everyone, but that's okay because I'm sure you make due with chocolate :-D

I grabbed a candied ginger and dark chocolate bar today that will go in my niece's Christmas stocking, and some hibiscus ginger beer for my sister. She isn't a beer drinker, but how often would you see that flavor? Got myself some cranberry hard cider. I also bought my nephew a big bottle of Trader Vic's Macadamia Nut liqueur. He likes unusual cocktail recipes.
On Friday my MIL was the middle car in a three car accident. Her car is smashed front and back, and it was very upsetting for her.

>41 mstrust: Ouch for your MIL. I know how that position in a wreck feels all too well.

>41 mstrust: Sorry to hear about your MIL and hope she recovers from any injuries suffered soon.

My father was in the Navy for 4 years although he was never in any active war zone. My husband was in both the Army and the Air Force and again, never served in an active war zone. My stepson was in the Army and served both in Afghanistan and Iraq. I try to never take the actions of those in the military forgranted. Their families also deserve our respect - it is not an easy road to hoe being a serviceman/servicewoman's partner.

I hope you have a wonderful week, Jennifer!

>42 quondame: Stuck between two idiots is the worst place to be!

>43 alcottacre: Thanks. She was sore the next day, but she's in her 70's so it wasn't easy on her. I'm surprised she doesn't have whiplash.
I'm happy to hear from our military families. Every year I post on LT for 4th of July, Veteran's Day and Memorial Day and hear nothing but crickets, so I just assumed there wasn't much military service around here.
Your husband is an overachiever! It's rare to find someone who was in multiple branches.
Thanks, and have a great week too! I might get Mike to dig some holes in the front tonight. I have a yucca and cactus to plant.

Mom should be receiving her Thanksgiving package from Millican's Pecans today. I've sent a bag of roasted pecans, a couple of pecan logs and a box of pecan divinity.

Another little something I like. Have you seen Mike Ehrmentraut's sandwich tutorial? You better use the correct amount of cheese:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpHuyiLkmrg

>45 mstrust: Not a cheese person myself, so I will bypass that for now.

Have a marvelous Monday!

Awe, I really feel for your MIL. I had a bit of a fender bender over the summer and it was really quite a bummer. Thankfully only bruises but the real injury is one you can't see. I was and am still troubled by it. :(

>45 mstrust: I love pimento spread but bread doesn't do it justice. You must spread just the right amount of cheese on crackers. Two crackers and you got yourself a samwich. ;)

Oh no! Glad your MIL is okay-at least physically. Eventually, she will recover from her shock.

It is interesting that many people who have a car accident suffer from shock and have almost PTSD symptoms. My friend had a rather bad accident and to this day she still has anxiety when she drives past the scene.

>46 alcottacre: Not a cheese person myself... Sacre Bleu! But what stinky thing do you melt between two slices of bread?
I wish you a terrific Tuesday!

>47 Carmenere: She was upset enough to get out of her car and scream at the driver in front of her, then call Mike crying. This from a woman who's voice is so monotone that it took me a few years before I learned to detect inflections. I've never heard her raise her voice.
Strange since I come from a Southern family, but I've never had pimento cheese in my life. My parents didn't eat it, but it sounds good. My dad ate homemade cornbread crumbled into a big glass of buttermilk. Yeah, you just said, "Ewww."

>48 figsfromthistle: Thanks. It took a few days before she got in a car again and it seems like it will be a much longer process in getting her car repaired since shipping the parts is going so slowly.
I'll tell you that I was in a car accident eight years ago where my car was spun through an intersection from being hit on the passenger side by a big pickup. It happened on a surface street, yet it left me terrified of freeways. That doesn't make sense.

100. The Murders of Richard III by Elizabeth Peters. Sir Richard Weldon has called his group of fellow Richard III cosplay friends to his castle for a grand weekend celebration. A letter has been discovered which would prove once and for all that King Richard did not kill the princes in the tower, and is now in Weldon's safe-keeping until his upcoming reveal to the press, which clamors for information outside the gates. Inside, Sir Richard and his friends dress and behave as the people who were in King Richard's circle, but they are joined by expert Jacqueline Kirby, a sarcastic American who will hopefully authenticate the letter before the press sees it. The fun is thrown off course when the participants are attacked in the order that "anti-Richards" believe the king killed his foes.
A fun, historically dense story, with Jacqueline taking a very active part in solving the mystery. Peters was Barbara Michaels, which was also a pen name for Barbara Mertz. 3.5 stars

100!!!

Here's something I like. Alice Cooper, who lives here in Phoenix, is on the glass bottles of one of our local dairies. His image is on their regular, chocolate, mocha, orange and egg nog (which I grabbed) flavors to benefit his youth clubs, Rock Solid. They teach free classes for teens and young adults in art, music and film making.

>49 mstrust: I am allergic to milk, so when I do cheese - and I do it sparingly - I use the vegan variety.

>50 mstrust: I think the Jacqueline Kirby series is a fun one. I mean, the lead character is a librarian so how could it not be?

>51 mstrust: I love the fact that the dairy supports the youth club and they in turn teach free classes.

Happy Wednesday, Jennifer!

Oh no, it would be really hard to be allergic to milk!
Jacqueline is a a fun sleuth. In a lesser writer's hands, she might come off as too arrogant, but I liked her smart mouth.
Cooper is a very active part of Phoenix. He does charity events and car dealership commercials, and then his youth club has two locations.
Hope your day is a good one!

We planted a yucca and cactus this morning, then I went to the library and got a packet of desert marigold seeds, which I planted right away. And they've built a larger book sale section since I was last there, so even though I went to borrow books, I came away with more bought books and a free pass to the desert botanical garden.
The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet
There There
Bowlaway
Thunderstruck

101. Discovering Dahlias by Erin Benzaken, photography by Chris Benzaken. From Floret Farms in Washington state, this is a big book that tells you everything you need to know about growing dahlias, including planting tubers and growing from seed, how to make cuttings, dividing tubers and storage, all with photos. But the flower photos are glorious. Going by color variety, each section if filled with photos of each variety and their characteristics and preferences. It's like a beauty pageant because all of them are gorgeous. And more variety than I expected, as I would have thought some dahlias were chrysanthemums or peonies or weird daisies.
This would make a great gift for a gardener or just someone who likes pretty books. 4.5 stars

Alice Cooper giving back to the community is so fantastic!
Nice unintended book haul. I read There There and Thunderstruck. Good choices.

>53 mstrust: I will echo what Lynda said. I enjoyed both There There and Thunderstruck.

>55 Carmenere: >56 alcottacre: Nice to hear that I made the right choices! ;-)

So my darling Coral went to the vet this morning and has cancer on her little foot. She started medication that will hopefully shrink the edges of the tumor to make it easier for the vet to cut it away.

Oh! Poor Coral! Hopefully, it has been caught in time and meds will help to get rid of that nasty tumor. Was she having difficulty walking? How's she feeling otherwise?

>57 mstrust: I hope Coral improves soon and that the vet can get rid of the tumor once and for all!

Thank you both. She had a benign tumor removed from the side of this same foot about three years ago, so we were surprised that this one is indeed cancerous. But she'll take her meds three times a day for five days and hopefully it will make the edges pull in around the tumor and he can get it all out.
>58 Carmenere: She's had no problem with walking or running, probably because the tumor is sitting right on top of the paw. But she's been throwing it up to us to shake hands an awful lot lately, so she made sure we noticed. Good girl!

>57 mstrust: >60 mstrust: How troubling about Coral's foot. It's good she keeps you looking at her toes!

She has a real talent for staying alive! The vet will remove the lump in maybe a week, so I think this will be over quickly. At least I hope so.

>62 mstrust: I am glad to hear it will be over quickly and I bet you are too!

Aw poor Coral. Sending healing vibes!

All the best wishes for Coral - and a wonderful weekend despite everything!

>63 alcottacre: Yes! And may she forgive us.

>64 PaperbackPirate: Thanks, Nicole! Like a sponge, she soaks up attention.

>65 SirThomas: Thanks, Thomas! I actually have a trip to the botanical garden planned for Sunday so the weekend won't be bad at all. You have a good weekend!

I'm sipping on my first peppermint mocha of the season, and bonus, we dropped by the hardware store and I was able to get a stack of those hand warmer packs. You know, the ones you crack and they turn into an oven. Great stocking stuffers for an old lady who is complaining about being cold when it's 80F.
I've been bingeing Glee all week because Netflix is going to remove it at the end of this month.

Sorry to hear about Coral--wishing her good luck. And you.

Hurray for peppermint mocha and Glee--love them both! Wishing you a great weekend. : )

Sorry to hear about Coral. Wishing a speedy recovery for Coral after the surgery.

>67 Berly: Thanks from both of us.
I'm loving Glee and see why it was a hit show. Even though I don't like a lot of the songs, what a talented cast. I don't think any of them have gone on to big careers though, which is surprising.
Have a great weekend!

>68 figsfromthistle: Thanks, and I'll post once she's had surgery. I expect it to be over quickly, fingers crossed! We have an excellent vet.

102. Your Inner Hedgehog by Alexander McCall Smith. Things are going surprisingly well at the Institute of Romance Philology, with the incessant and bitter rivalry between Professor Dr Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld and Professor Dr Unterholzer at a truce for the moment. Then a new assistant librarian arrives, a young woman who decides that the library doesn't need to hold twenty-two copies of Professor Dr Dr Igelfeld's opus Portuguese Irregular Verbs and clears them off the shelves. This begins the assistant's assault on tradition and respect at the institute, backed by the man in the highest position, the mysterious His Magnificence, who believes it's time to prove that the institute isn't elitist.
This is my favorite series from McCall Smith and I'm glad that he's continuing with this latest book. It's quirky and the humor frequently comes from the undignified situations that occur to this small group of utterly composed men who just want to do their research on linguistic minutiae. This book is different from the previous in the series in that it addresses current events somewhat, with a young academic who wants to be given control over the institute. 4 stars

Sending get well and healing mojo to Coral. Seems like things will be taken care of quickly and she can move on with her life.
I loved Portuguese Irregular Verbs. Is >70 mstrust: a follow up?
I just finished binging Maid on Netflix. Only 1 season. I really liked it.

Thanks, Lynda! I'll bet she wonders why we keeping picking on that same foot.
This is the fifth in the series. After the first, I believe The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs is next.
I've heard that Maid is very good so I may get to that soon. I'm slowly picking away at the new "Judy Justice" on IMBD streaming too.

>70 mstrust: I have read his other series, the #1 Ladies Detective Agency, but not this one. Off to add it to the WL!

And that reminds me, I better update my WL for her 75ers Secret Santa thing!!

I hope you get some good stuff from your Secret Santa!
I'm pulling the turkey out of the deep freeze to start thawing. And we're visiting the botanical garden this morning. We haven't been since we first moved to Phoenix, so 2000?

>70 mstrust: Alexander McCall Smith is one of those authors who has never done anything for me. I hate when that happens! I have tried several times.

Happy Sunday, Jennifer!

You've tried and it didn't click. It happens. I've tried popular authors and wondered why everyone else loved 'em.
Thanks, I had a fun Sunday!

We started out at the Desert Botanical Garden. It was cool and a little breezy. We saw quail, hummingbirds, a jack rabbit, a ground squirrel and lots and lots of butterflies. They also had Chihuly installations throughout.











I bought a tiny cactus and some Christmas gifts there. Then we went to Old Town Scottsdale for lunch. Mike had a pb&j burger. We bought more Christmas gifts. And last night was pretty cold (for us), so that was great.

103. An Elderly Lady Is Up To No Good by Helene Tursten. A collection of short stories about Maud, a woman of nearly ninety years old who lives in an apartment in Gothenburg. Maud has no family or friends and she likes it that way. She enjoys traveling, and since she has lived in her apartment rent-free for seventy years, she has the means. But even a quiet old lady has problems. The difference is that Maud knows how to fix her problems quickly and go on with her business.
This is a fun little murder collection and I'd be happy to read more about Maud. 3.5 stars

Beautiful pictures - thank you so much for this!

>77 mstrust: Wow! What a garden! And I am a big Chihuly fan. Green with envy. And love the picture of you two. : )

>77 mstrust: Love the pictures of the Chihuly glass installations, Jennifer, so beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
And sneaking in a picture of you two, how nice!

>79 SirThomas: Happy to share them!
>80 Berly: It is beautiful, and I know it would be spectacular in the Spring when all the wildflowers bloom. Even now I was surprised by all the butterflies and hummingbirds. They have a bush planted here and there that has pale blue purple flowers and when we walked by a cloud of butterflies rose from it.
I thought I should show my face around here about every ten years, ha!

>81 FAMeulstee: There were maybe six or seven Chihuly installations throughout. My MIL is a fan so I picked up his calendar in the gift shop, and a 1000 piece jigsaw of succulents for my mom. She loves jigsaws and this looks difficult. My sister thinks it will drive her insane.
Mike has only recently started letting me take his picture so I'm going for it. My favorite picture of us is at the zoo, so I kept it going with the garden.

I have yet another root canal appointment in an hour.

>82 mstrust: Hope the appointment went well! I myself was at the dentist today to catch up on routine treatments that I'd put aside for pandemic reasons.

Hi Jennifer, I thought I would visit and catch up with you here on your "other" thread. So sorry to hear about Coral and I hope she is soon on the mend. I love the look of the Desert Botanical Garden such interesting landscape and so different from the rainforests that I am used to.

Thanks for the pictures, Jennifer! They are terrific.

>78 mstrust: Too bad my local library does not have that one. It sounds like one I would enjoy.

>83 rabbitprincess: Thanks for the well wishes! It actually didn't go so well with my visit. I thought this root canal would be easier because it was a tooth near the front. My dentist is good but it wasn't a smooth visit, and I'll just say that I think the Xanax they prescribed was a placebo. When the dentist has to stop and tell me that I'm too tense for him to get the needle in, I know that pill ain't working.

>84 DeltaQueen50: Thanks for visiting me on this side of town. Coral has finished the medication and the lump has shrunk significantly, so we need to get her back to the doctor.
Oh yes, our landscape is a different world from that of the Vancouver area. And we've been here for over twenty years but saw lots of plants at the garden that were new to us. Ever heard of a "Boxing Glove" cactus?


>85 alcottacre: Glad you liked them!
Awww, maybe you can put in a request?

I made the cranberry sauce yesterday and I need to get the turkey thawed all the way today. It's been in the fridge for three days and is still partially frozen.

A Thanksgiving to Friends (Lighting the Way)

In difficult times
a friend is there to light the way
to lighten the load,
to show the path,
to smooth the road

At the darkest hour
a friend, with a word of truth
points to light
and the encroaching dawn
is in the plainest sight.

Jennifer, to a friend in books and more this Thanksgiving

>87 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul, and I wish you a great Thursday!

Turkey is prepared, the cranberry sauce is made and the pumpkin pie came from Costco. I'll be making the stuffing and green beans(not casserole) and mashed potatoes. The turkey will go in at 10:30.
Hope everyone's dinner goes smoothly. No punches below the waist.

Happy Thanksgiving, Jennifer!
Ouch, I'm sorry to read the root canal was not a more pleasant experience. I hope you won't be prohibited from enjoying today's feast.
Great photo's! Mike reminds me of my husband, Bill, though his stash wasn't so long.
My turkey also went in at 10:30 and it's now smelling yummy and about an hour an a 1/2 away from coming out.

Jennifer, I am so very grateful for you, my wonderful friend here on LT. Thank you for your joyful celebration of Halloween every year. And the Tiki mugs. LOL

I wish you Mike happiness and health on this day of Thanksgiving. And cookies. : )

>77 mstrust: Chihuly installations are quite beautiful. I really need to go see one of the installations in person. I missed the one closest to me in Toronto last year and am kicking myself ever since.

>88 mstrust: Your Thanksgiving dinner sounds Yummy! Enjoy :)

I hope you had a terrific Thanksgiving, Jennifer, dental work notwithstanding.

>89 Carmenere: Morning, Lynda!
I didn't let the root canal keep me from eating my turkey dinner. I popped ibuprofen and chewed on the other side. Nothing can stop me!
What a surprise to hear that Mike looks like Bill. Mike has had this mustache for about twenty years, but at one time he had a short one coupled with pointy sideburns, ha!
We sat down to eat at 1pm. I gave Mike clean-up duties.

>90 Berly: I'll have one of those!
Thank you so much for your kind words and know that the feeling is mutual. And I'm happy to know that you like my Halloween and tiki stuff. I do treat my threads like bulletin boards, featuring whatever I've discovered or what I'm into.
I hope you got lots of good things to eat yesterday!

>91 figsfromthistle: If you ever get to Vegas you can go to the lobby of The Bellagio and see a massive Chihuly installation that's been there for years. It's pretty amazing.
It was a good dinner/lunch. We watched the Macy's parade after and the dogs spent the whole time just freaked out.

>92 alcottacre: Thank you, and I hope yours was good too!
I won't be defeated by a single tooth! I cooked everything on the menu and ate my share, plus another piece of pie around 8pm.

I will not be shopping today, too scary. But I did buy a dress and my 2022 calendars online yesterday. You shopping?

Here's another thing I like. It's the podcast "Dark Air with Terry Carnation" starring Rainn Wilson, Karan Soni, Al Madrigal, Yvette Nicol Brown and lots of special guests. Carnation is a late night host of a paranormal radio call-in show who has been mourning his late wife, then becomes suspicious that she's still alive. I'd describe it as Dwight Schrute doing a Frasier version of "Welcome To Nightvale".
https://www.terrycarnation.com/

104. Camp Austen by Ted Scheinman. Scheinman grew up with a closer acquaintance to Austen than most children, as his mother's career in academia led to him reading the classics of British literature, and she took the family to live in England for some time, where he gained more insight into historical context. Mom's connections also led the author, as a grad student, to work for the four-day "Austen Camp" in North Carolina. Which quickly led to him being pressed into service as the camp Mr. Darcy, expected to provide witty conversation and dancing to the unattached women at the camp, which was the majority of guests. He attended seminars about Austen life and literary topics while dressed in Regency clothes and affecting an English accent, and even spoke to the assembly himself.
While Scheinman does spend some time describing what goes on at an Austen Camp and introducing readers to the other guests, a few days at such an event would make slim pickings for a book, so the majority of this is an exploration of Austen's life and her work, with a critique of how her detractors tend to miss the point of her plots and characters. 3 stars

Hi Jennifer! Sorry to hear about Coral's cancer and I hope the removal goes smoothly as expected.

>69 mstrust: I binged Glee a few years ago. It's just such a catchy show. A number of the stars have met really unfortunate fates, sadly. I think Darren Criss may have fared the best out of all of them in terms of stardom.

>93 mstrust: I have already finished all of my Christmas shopping - we shipped off the box to Arizona today for Beth - except for my 75ers Secret Santa gifts.

>96 curioussquared: Thanks, she's going to be seeing the vet when he gets back from his trip.
I waited too late to really get into Glee, so now I'm watching every other episode and hoping to get to season six before it's removed. It really is weird that three of the "kids" are gone already, and each a horrible death. But I love the show.
I saw Darren Criss the other night hosting a Queen singalong. He was good, though we stopped watching because some of those singers actually couldn't sing. And even for singers who can sing, going up against Freddie Mercury is a dud of an idea. They're gonna lose.

>97 alcottacre: We're still chipping away at Christmas presents. This morning we ordered from Zabar's, two bags of their Royale Blend coffee for me (from Mike) and a tin of their own tea for MIL. It's mostly stocking stuffers left.
Does Beth have my address so she can bring my present over?

I started on the Christmas tins yesterday, which will number sixteen this year. And I started off with candy instead of cookies, the banana habanero chocolates that I talked about a few weeks ago. I made two batches in some molds and they turned out great.
I also put together this Swedish angel chime, but wouldn't you know it, the last pieces of the metal sticks that hit the bells, making the little chimes, have square ends that are meant to go into little round holes. They don't fit.

>77 mstrust: I love going there every few years. About 5 years ago we went to the luminarias there and I definitely recommend it!
Thank you for sharing your pictures, especially your rare selfie!
P.S. Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

I've been hearing of the luminarias for years, thanks for the rec!
We were both squinting into the sun in that pic, but oh well, it's the desert and it's hard to take a pic outdoors where someone isn't squinting, ha.
And happy belated Thanksgiving to you! Anybody want some old potatoes?
Yesterday I made cranberry-orange cookies and today looks like gingerbread. Our PBS channel played the "Frank & Dean Family Christmas Special" (something like that), and of course we watched and it was great. Nancy Sinatra did a Christmas version of "These Boots Were Made For Walking".

Gingerbread poinsettias. Actually stars, but I think they look like poinsettias.

>101 mstrust: Yumm! I thought I smelled baking over here. I love ginger cookies and those are very pretty. I don't do a lot of Christmas baking but I used to. Nowadays both daughters make many of my old recipes so I don't need to repeat them. I will make my hubby some mincemeat tarts and probably a few butter tarts as well. The family is coming here on Christmas Eve and we've decided to make a couple of soups and plenty of appetizers. The girls will bring samples of their baking so we are are set.

Thanks, Judy, and you may have smelled today's batch, chocolate chip with walnuts.
The gingerbread recipe I used is called "Gingerbread Cutouts" from the old Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. It has 1/2 cup of molasses, plus ground ginger, cloves and cinnamon, so a pretty intense flavor that holds its shape very well.
Have fun with your baking. My mom makes her decorated sugar cookies, an Avon recipe that she's made for at least 40 years. My sister makes either buckeyes or peanut blossom cookies each year, plus a variety of others.
And Mom makes scrambled eggs, sausages, biscuits and gravy, grits, and stewed apples for our big Christmas breakfast.

Mmmm chocolate chip with walnuts!

Mmmm is right! I use the recipe from the Hershey's 1934 cookbook.
Today's batch will be an experiment. If it goes well, I'll post a pic, but if it doesn't I'll never mention it again. Aunt Kath sent us a three pound jar of roasted cashews from Koeze in Michigan, so I'm going to make a crispy cashew and maple sugar cookie.

One of Mike's customers dropped by the shop and brought him a feast from a local dim sum restaurant. He brought it home and at ten last night we were gorging on it.
I think it's possible that we're done with Christmas shopping. Now shipping packages.

Something I like: visiting the local chocolate factory. Ours is Cerreta's in Glendale. We went in yesterday morning, after dropping in at the egg farm. We picked up boxes of "Camelback Meltaways" (similar to turtles) for Kath and my brother, and got lots of chocolate bars for stocking stuffers, including a habanero bar for Julie. And a few of their dark chocolate orange candies for myself. Now I wish I'd grabbed a whole handful because they're so good. Their mints are big sellers that I have to try.

Good morning! Yum, those minty nuggets looks so good!

I think I was too dazzled by the variety of flavors that I didn't grab any of those. Dang!

The cashew cookies turned out really well, crunchy and the maple flavor is really nice. I have a pan of cherry fudge brownies in the oven right now.
The Zabar's box of my Royale Blend coffees arrived this morning. It smells incredible even on the outside of the bag. One of the best coffees I've ever had.

I was listening to a recent episode of "What Should I Read Next" and heard author Tayari Jones interviewed. She was so enthusiastic about reading and so likable that I have to read something from her. Leaving Atlanta sounds interesting.
And my mom's gift for us has been derailed. Mike is very hard to buy for, but two weeks ago she told us to pick out a grill from Ace or Home Depot. She was so proud of herself for thinking up a great gift and kept asking if we'd picked one yet. We'd looked and Mike has a friend who owns an Ace, so we were going to get one. He just mentioned it to his mom the other night and she told him she already bought us a grill and it's at her house. How could they both have the same idea? My mom was deflated *sigh*.

105. Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu by Lee Goldberg. When negotiations over a new contract break down, the San Francisco police force stages a call-out, known as "blue flu", and this includes Captain Stottlemeyer and Lt. Disher. The mayor offers Monk a badge, the very thing he's wanted for years as a police consultant. He's also made the captain of the homicide dept. and given a team of ex-police, all of whom were put on the non-active list for one good reason or another, as Monk and his assistant Natalie soon learn. Their first day sees them investigating the murder of an astrologer to the wealthiest citizens, and three seemingly unrelated murders of opportunity. They also investigate a serial killer who targets female joggers. And Monk and Natalie have the additional problem of being scabs during the walkout.
I believe this is the fourth in the series. 4 stars

Delicacies and good books, what more could you ask for?
All the best!

Hi, Thomas!
How about asking for a glass of eggnog? Controversial, I know. I really like it topped with a sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice. Mike won't touch it.


I suspect I'm done with my 2021 reads. I've slowed way down due to all the baking/shopping/Christmas tv shows that I can't stop.
So if I'm ending with 105 books for the year, I'm good with that.
Yesterday I made strawberry chocolate chip bars. Today's cookies are maple buttons. The dough is chilling in the fridge.

Thank you very much, this looks delicious, but I prefer to pass it on to my wife
She loves eggnog...

>111 mstrust: I am with Mike on that one. I have never cared for eggnog and I do not do dairy at all any more, so I will pass. I also do not do chocolate so I am missing out all the way around. I will volunteer my husband though, just like SirThomas volunteered his wife :)

Happy Tuesday, Jennifer!

I love Christian Brothers Brandy Eggnog. I always bought one bottle for me and one for my mom. Mom passed away last year but I carried on the tradition, so to speak, the way I know she would want me too. I bought two for myself. :)

Hot chocolate for those who, like Mike, think eggnog is "disgusting".

>112 SirThomas: >113 alcottacre: I knew there would be some people who would rather not have eggnog. It's a divisive issue ;-)
>113 alcottacre: No dairy or chocolate makes for a rough holiday. There are always sugar cookies, right? Happy Tuesday right back atcha!
>114 Carmenere: I've seen that brand, and the Jim Beam brand too, but have never tried either. They don't have the alcohol in them, right? So you have to add a shot? You won't believe it, but I tried a shot of brandy in my eggnog for the first time last night.

I just checked my bottle of Christian Bros. and yes the brandy is in it. Well, it's only 20 proof but a couple of glasses can give you a little buzz.

That's surprising, I'd always assumed they were just flavored with non-alcoholic ingredients. Thanks for the info. And now we know what Lynda is doing on those snowy nights.

We're supposed to rain all day tomorrow and Friday, so maybe I'll get to use the fireplace. We ended up getting an artificial tree on Sunday. Our regular Douglas firs have gone up to $80, so this was the incentive, though Mike has been pushing for a fake tree for several years now. He put it together in about 20 minutes. I kept waiting for the cussing to start because that goes along with setting a tree up, but he got it all done without any problems. The lights were already on so I decorated and it was done. It's okay. I'd wanted some of those pine-scented icicles to hang in it but they were sold out.
I'm making chocolate crinkles today.

I love chocolate crinkles!!

Also, I think "can be assembled with no profanity required" is an excellent endorsement of an artificial tree, or any item of furniture really :D

>115 mstrust: There are always sugar cookies, Jennifer, unless like me, you are allergic to sugar, lol.

Happy Wednesday!

Your doorbell's broken and I've been standing outside FOREVER! BTW, it was really sweet of you to leave so that bourbon in the crawl space under your front stairs. But you really have to do something about that smell...

I hear you on Christmas greens. I went to buy five wreaths to hang in the windows and I almost coughed up a hairball at the price. I had had them add googas to tart them up so I couldn't even say 'oh hell no'. And that is why I don't have a Christmas tree this year.

>119 alcottacre: I do too! But I also love the strawberry chocolate chip bars. I've made so much chocolate stuff already and have to keep from snacking on it by putting it all in the deep freeze immediately. Today will be almond sugar cookies.
TBH, I had gotten so used to Mike throwing a hissy while setting up the Christmas trees over the years that I was amazed when he silently finished putting this one together. Is it really a Christmas tree if nobody swore at it?

>120 SomeGuyInVirginia: Oh, man! Sorry! But I'm sure you've adjusted by now and enjoy something non-sweet just as much.
Happy Thursday to you!

>120 SomeGuyInVirginia: Why on earth were you standing outside? That big brick under the window is my emergency key.
Arrrrgh, I knew that eventually some wino would find my hidey-hole of bathtub liquor and old root vegetables. I was looking forward to a very soft, very black stew. Christmas thief.
I'm sorry to hear you won't have a tree, but I'm sure the wreaths are beautiful. Look around the neighborhood. Someone is bound to have a lovely tree in their yard and you seem like someone who owns a hatchet.

The first month of 2022's ScaredyKits is up. It's haunted houses, hosted by me. Come join!
https://www.librarything.com/topic/337466#unread

Over the last few days I've made dark chocolate peppermint truffles and I believe we're all done with shopping. We went yesterday and bought champagne for both Christmas and New Year's. I've sent out Christmas cards and have received several, and even a present from Vermont.
I go back to the dentist on Wednesday and get my permanent crown put on, finally.
Today will be vanilla coconut balls, maybe the last cookie. The tins will go out on Saturday.

I've received The Crime at Black Dudley.
I've made blueberry,walnut & vanilla chip cookies the other day, and today will be oatmeal maple chip.

Sounds like you've got it all together for Christmas. Wow! 17 tins, that's incredible and what a joy for the recipients!

Oatmeal maple chip truly sounds awesome.

I've got one batch of cookies in the freezer but since it's rather small I'll really put the pedal to the cookie metal this weekend. Besides that everything else is pretty much caught up here too.

>121 mstrust: Is it really a Christmas tree if nobody swore at it?

I hope so as ours this year is ceramic - we have 2 kittens who would love to play with (ie., tear apart) a fake Christmas tree - so we got a one piece ceramic one.

>124 Carmenere: Seventeen tins is my highest number ever, so I'm still churning out cookies. The maple chip oatmeal that I made today are so, so good. Slap my hands good. I used a recipe from the Magnolia bakery in NYC that originally calls for peanut butter chips.
Oooh, what cookies will you be making?
I talked to my sister yesterday and she asked if I was done shopping. I said yes and asked if she was done. She hesitated, then said, "No. What do you want?"

>125 alcottacre: A ceramic tree sounds very sophisticated. And clean. I've seen the ceiling Christmas tree in the store, the ones that are put upside down on the ceiling to keep pets from knocking them over, though I can see a determined cat jumping up to pull it down.

>126 mstrust: This is the one we ordered, https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B099DNCQ4T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s0..., only in a more traditional green. We have it on our gaming table, which has the benefit of raised sides, so it cannot roll off if they knock it over.

Very cool!

We think so!

Dropping in to wish you a great weekend. All that baking sounds delicious!

Mmmmm oatmeal maple chip sounds divine!

>130 figsfromthistle: Thanks so much, and to you! I believe that I'm done with baking now as the first three cookie tins went out this morning.

>131 rabbitprincess: They really are. Good recipe, I think I'll put it in my Christmas rotation from now on.

Something I like, even though I haven't found a package in years:


Growing up, we always had these silver strands on our tree. My dad insisted on it, it was his thing. He never helped in decorating the tree with the ornaments, instead he'd sit at the kitchen counter until we said we were done decorating, then he'd come in, look over the tree and tell us where we had gone wrong with the tinsel placement. Every year. It was both aggravating and funny. And we didn't throw the tree out in January with the tinsel still on. The kids had to gather it up and try to lay it flat in the box to re-use the same tinsel the next year even though by now it was all mangled.

>133 mstrust: Mike brought home several packages this year. One was enough to sparkle up our tree.

Yes, especially if you hang it neatly, the way it's supposed to be done. It makes for a beautiful tree. As kids, we'd grab a handful and throw it at the tree.

>135 mstrust: One time, back in the day when I had energy and initiative I saturated a tree with tinsel after the lights were draped but before the ornaments. It was impressive.

This year I just threw it on.

Holy cow, is that your tree??!!

One tradition I always like growing up. Our church believes that when Christ was born the son never set that day, so every Christmas Eve Mom and Dad would leave the outside lights on all night long. It was nice.

>135 mstrust: That is one gorgeous tree!

>136 quondame: Now I want to get a pack of tinsel for next year. It provides a je ne sais quoi that makes the tree seem finished.

>137 SomeGuyInVirginia: No! I just found a tree that was liberally doused with tinsel, and it's beautiful. You can tell it's not my tree because there are wrapped presents under it. Coral wouldn't allow it. She's already helped herself to the unwrapped presents that I had organized on shelves upstairs.
Now that's a tradition I've never heard of, and I'm glad you're thinking of your family traditions. We were allowed to open one present on Christmas morning, then we had to have breakfast before unwrapping the rest.
And here's a memory that stands out and makes me laugh because I'm mean: Julie is a few years older than me and we were sharing a room when I was around five or six. She had asked Santa for a bike for Christmas because the one she had was old. I have no idea what I asked for, but I know it wasn't a bike. Really early on Christmas morning, Julie snuck to the other end of the house, to the Christmas tree. She came back and was so excited, telling me, "I got a bike!"
I got the bike.

>138 alcottacre: Isn't it? Someone knows how to do up a tree!

Nine cookie tins went out this morning. Two more on Monday, then two big ones to go to Vegas at the end of the week. We'll be having Christmas on Christmas Eve as Julie and Wade will have to go back home on Christmas for work.

If anyone's interested, I posted the recipe to my maple cashew cookies in The Kitchen: https://www.librarything.com/topic/327648#7672020

>139 mstrust: I got surprised by an unasked for bike at about 7. It was much bigger than I felt comfortable with and I don't think I rode it for a couple of years, but really it was probably only months.

Ackshly, the tree in >135 mstrust: does look a little Cousin It. Maybe we should call him Cousin Lit.

>140 quondame: I felt bad for her when we found out it was my bike, she was so disappointed. But getting a bike on Christmas is one of those big Christmas moments.
>141 SomeGuyInVirginia: :-D Oh, you. Let me hand you a mug of something 50 Proof festive.

Poor baby Coral had surgery today, removing three lumps. Two on her left leg that we know are cancerous, and one on her right that will be biopsied. She's unhappy and stoned and her left foot is bandaged from the toes to the ankle. It's a rough day. She got revenge though, as both the vet and assistant mentioned what she did while on the operating table.
I'm glad we took him some Christmas presents.

Ohhh, poor Coral! I hope removing the cancerous lumps on the left and having the right bump removed and biopsied will prove to be all the treatment she needs. I wish her many more days of running and romping.
Good for Coral - she did all she could do under the circumstances and I'm sure she wasn't the first to let it all out.

I sure hope so too. Growing tumors on her legs and feet seems to be her thing. And she's not happy. She'll go back on Tuesday to have the bandages changed. She's being babied in the meantime. I slept on the couch in the den last night because it's near the doggie door and she has a bed there. Once she settled down she slept through the night and hopped as fast as she could to get her breakfast this morning.

Oh no, I just read this. Poor baby girl, I hope she completely recovers from the cancerous tumors. Ugh, that's really made me sad.

I wasn't trying to make anyone sad! She's going to be okay and she's been getting belly rubs and treats and we're paying even more attention to her, which I didn't think was possible. She's having a nap on a big fluffy bed as I write. She's a survivor!

If The Fates Allow: A Short Story by Rainbow Rowell. This is an Amazon Prime Original. The story takes place in Nebraska on Christmas 2020, then Christmas 2021. Reagan and her grandfather have both lived in terror of Covid for most of 2020, isolating themselves from everyone for nine months by the time Christmas comes. The two refuse to join the rest of their family, instead choosing to quarantine for weeks in order to spend Christmas night together and talk about how irresponsible their family is being. As the story continues, we realize that both Reagan and her grandfather have already been leading solitary lives, so the pandemic may be providing justification for their extreme loneliness.

We're starting out early tomorrow.


Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Glad Coral is making a good recovery! Merry Christmas!

>139 mstrust: Tinsel was a must on our tree when I was a kid, too. And my husband has never stopped missing it, because we have almost always had a cat or a dog in the house, and I won't use it when there are animals. Their tails wreak havoc on it, it ends up everywhere, including, on occasion, inside the critters, which is not fun.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!!! And I hope Coral feels better. I am sure the tummy rubs are helping a lot! : )

Merry Christmas, Jennifer! I hope you have a wonderful holiday and wish Coral a speedy recovery!

All the best for you and Coral, Kim - and Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Jennifer and Mike and Coral, may it be magical and filled with family and friends!!

Yeah, 2021's been like that.

>155 SomeGuyInVirginia: Oh! I am so sending that to my dyslexic daughter. She will love it.

Have a lovely holiday, Jennifer.

Happy Holidays Jennifer

"Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain."
Zig Ziglar

With you and the group life is like a dance class - thank you.
I wish you and yours all the best in theese days and Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everybody! Thank you for coming by throughout the year and making LT a fun place!

Merry Christmas, Jennifer! The high today still probably top 70. I'm going to go throw styrofoam peanuts out of the windows to make it feel like a real dickensian Christmas.

These were our family ornaments this year and, despite COVID, a merry time was had by all. I hope the same is true for your holiday and here's to next year!!

>149 PaperbackPirate: Coral had a good time in Vegas eating turkey and having naps with the new blanky her grandma bought her.

>150 laytonwoman3rd: I do remember at least one of our Boxers eating tinsel from the tree. What a glamorous surprise a few days later!

>151 Berly: I hope you had a Merry Christmas too! Coral did okay. I'm sure she would rather not ride around for hours, but she had lots of petting once she was there and loves seeing her "vacation home".

>152 alcottacre: Merry Christmas! The only thing that would have made it better is if one of us had hit a jackpot. Vegas was tight this year!

Coming back in a bit!

>153 SirThomas: I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, Thomas! And I'm Jennifer ( I know there are several Kims around LT) :-)

>154 Carmenere: Merry Christmas, Lynda! Our Christmas was indeed magical, full of sugar, champagne and casinos.

>155 SomeGuyInVirginia: It's almost over, Larry! It's hard to have high hopes after this crap-fest of a year, but...no, that's all I've got.

>156 figsfromthistle: Thank you, and I wish you a Happy New Year!

>157 Berly: But will she wear the makeup?

>158 PaulCranswick: Such a cozy scene. Have a Happy New Year, Paul!

>159 quondame: Thank you, and I wish you a very Happy New Year!

>160 SirThomas: Awww, you're so sweet! Happy New Year, Thomas!

>162 SomeGuyInVirginia: Wow, that's a hot Christmas. Vegas was around 55F.

>163 Berly: Very cool ornaments! We had a fun Christmas, though we celebrated on Christmas Eve because my sister and niece had to be back at work. Christmas day was quiet for the rest of us, and we went to the casino, which was also very quiet. They weren't letting anybody win.
Yes, we shall pin our hopes on a better 2022. Good thing wishes don't cost anything because the prices would have doubled.

So, we had Christmas on Friday and went through four bottles of champagne, which is one of our traditions. Mom cooked turkey and picked up a Honeybaked ham. She made her mac & cheese, stuffing and croissants, along with a big veggie platter. And boy did we have cookies. I brought three cookie tins and Julie brought a container of peanut butter chocolate chip and bourbon balls.
Christmas night, Mike and I went to a casino that was having a special menu and I had an excellent lemon sole covered in a miso glaze with potatoes, mushrooms and asparagus.
On Sunday night we went to the tiki bar and had a Rum Rum Rudolf, which was very tasty, but also had a Navy Grog. This turned out to be the only cocktail I've ever sent back. It was so, so strong that after forcing myself to take about five sips, I told Mike I couldn't do it. And our anniversary mug wasn't there. We were expecting to pick it up, as we do every year, but the manager had taken it home. Safe keeping or hoping we wouldn't show, who knows. We'll pick it up in January. Still, had a fun night.

Books I acquired:
From The Writer's Block-
Life Among the Savages
Sting-Ray Afternoon
Be My Baby- the autobiography of Ronnie Spector

Library sale-
The Case of the Demure Defendant
The Case of the Terrified Typist
The Case of the Daring Decoy
The December Boys
Waiting
The Stephen King Story

I've also come home with lots and lots of coffee, wine, cookies and candy, and a stomach and liver that need a break.

>166 mstrust: Sounds like you had a great time! Also, Rum Rum Rudolf is an excellent name for a holiday cocktail.

And a tasty cocktail it was!
It was a fun holiday. I hope yours was great too!

Come see me at my 2022 75 thread!
https://www.librarything.com/topic/337913#unread

>166 mstrust: Nice haul, Jennifer!

>169 mstrust: I will be there after the New Year :)

>165 mstrust: Congratulations, you passed the Alzheimer's test, Jennifer!
Unfortunately, I did not...
I'd like to blame the mix-up on the alcohol, but it was 10:00 in the morning....

>169 mstrust: I will visit your new thread next year, then I can enjoy the anticipation longer.

>170 alcottacre: Thanks, I'm happy with what I brought home! And I'll look forward to your visits in 2022!

>171 SirThomas: Ha, I'm happy to pass a test of any kind, so I'll take it!
I'm gonna look for you in 2022!

>166 mstrust: Sorry the money didn't fall in your lap, dang it. But the rest of the holiday sounds great. I'll take any extra cookies off your hands, you know, to help give your stomach a break. ; )

Oh, how I wish I could send you the extra cookies that are in my deep freeze! I went produce shopping this morning to make myself feel healthy. I might even eat some of it.

Maybe.....

Hi Jennifer, Your Christmas sounds wonderful, glad you got to spend it with your family in Vegas.

I'm looking forward to your new year's thread and all the unusual/interesting and tasty things you have going on. Have a wonderful New Years and I'll see you next year!

I'll do my best to provide lots of interesting things for my 2022 thread. Happy new year, and I look forward to seeing you often in 2022!

Wishing everyone a Happy 2022!

Forget your stresses and strains
As the old year wanes;
All that now remains
Is to bring you good cheer
With wine, liquor or beer
And wish you a special new year.

Happy New Year, Jennifer.

Thank you, Paul, and Happy new year!