Amber's (scaifea) Thread #1

Hey, everybody!

I'm Amber, a one-time Classics professor, turned stay-at-home parent/lady of leisure, turned part-time library assistant, turned once again Classics professor, and turned librarian again. I spend my free time sewing, writing, knitting, baking, and, of course, reading.

My reading life is happily governed by lists, which means that I read a healthy variety of things across various genres.

I'm 48 going on 12 and live in Ohio with my husband, Tomm; our son, Charlie; Mario, the Golden Retriever; and Agent Fitzsimmons, the Border Collie.

Favorite Books from 2023
A Court of Silver Flames
Radio Silence
Given
The Cat Who Saved Books
Bad Feminist
Snow, Glass, Apples
Greywaren
The Lost Library
Shakespeare for Squirrels

What I'm Reading Now:
-Iveliz Explains It All (Newbery Honor Book)
-And Then There Were None (mystery)
-Katherine (romance)
-Black Butler vol 2 (manga)
-Practical Magic (wishlist book)
-Swords and Deviltry (Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy Books)
-Cruel Beauty (Beauty & the Beast retellings)
-The Words We Keep (audiobook)
-Snow (from the library displays)
-Forever (Stiefvater Bibliography)
-The Prince and the Dressmaker (from my Read Soon! shelves)
-Carry On (because I loved the characters in Fangirl so much)
-Life with Father (NEH list)

The books I have going at once and the On Deck books nearly all come from the following categories and lists:

-The yearly winners of a handful of the YALSA awards (Newbery, Caldecott, Schneider, Stonewall, Printz, Alex)

-A mystery

-A romance novel

-Manga

-A book from my wishlist (it's *so* long)

-A book from the Green Dragon 1001 Fantasy List

-A Beauty and the Beast retelling

-An audiobook, which I listen to as I knit/sew/otherwise craft/clean/drive/pack and unpack cargo at work

-a book from my library's monthly displays (two of my colleagues are in charge of the adult displays and I like supporting them)

-Agatha Christie's bibliography

-Stephen Fry's bibliography

-John Boyne bibliography

-Neil Gaiman's bibliography

-Christopher Moore's bibliography

-Maggie Stiefvater's bibliography

-The NEH Timeless Classics list

-The National Book Award list

-The Pulitzer list

-An unread book from my shelves

-A book from my Read Soon! shelves

-Book-a-year challenge: A few years ago I made a year-by-year list to see how far I could go back with consecutive reads. I've since been trying to fill in the gap years.

-A full-on re-read through Shakespeare's stuff.

Books Read

JANUARY
1. Fangirl (audiobook) - 9/10
2. $2.00 a Day (audiobook) - 7/10
3. By Your Side (audiobook) - 8/10
4. Light from Uncommon Stars (Alex Award) - 10/10
5. My Hero Academia vol 14 (manga) - 9/10
6. Anna and the Swallow Man (audiobook) - 9/10
7. The Last Mapmaker (audiobook/Newbery Honor Book) - 8/10
8. Maizy Chen's Last Chance (audiobook/Newbery Honor Book) - 8/10
9. Linger (Stiefvater bibliography) - 9/10
10. The Ten Thousand Doors of January (audiobook) - 8/10
11. N or M? (mystery) - 9/10

Mario being Mario:



Simmons being Simmons:



and Charlie performing at this year's Varsity Show:

The next one's yours - come on in!

Well, where's the cake? I must have cake!

>5 scaifea: If Charlie is interested in Creative New Music (Improvisation),

you might want to find him a copy of "Roscoe Mitchell SOLO 3" =
3 CD's via mutable music - from 2003. Charlie can hear the sax played faster than any human can envision!

>7 laytonwoman3rd: *looks around, befuddled*
What cake? Who said anything about there being cake?

>8 m.belljackson: Interesting. Thanks for the rec.

Hi Amber my dear, i have starred you once again dear lady, always nice to pop in here.

>9 scaifea: CAKE! (I said it...weren't you listening?)

>11 laytonwoman3rd: *tsk* Who said anything about there being cake *before* you blasted in here shouting for it? Obvs.

hello there

Dropping in to follow along for another year of interesting reading.
And cake, it seems.

>13 Wings_14: Hi, Vivian. Welcome to the group!

>14 Helenliz: Oh. My. Goodness. Apparently I need to put a sign up: BYOC.

>12 scaifea: Somebody had to start...

Welcome back! Forgot to bring cake…

Hi Amber!

Happy new thread for the new year.

I can’t believe there have been so many posts talking about cake and no one has made the obligatory “Cake or Death?” joke. Shame!

>16 laytonwoman3rd:


>17 drneutron: It's alright Jim, so long as you don't start demanding cake...

>18 PawsforThought: I'm afraid I don't know the reference.

>19 scaifea: *sad face*

It’s from one of Eddie Izzard’s old routines, when she’s talking about the Spanish Inquisition. It’s on YouTube and I highly recommend it.

>20 PawsforThought: Ah.

>18 PawsforThought:, >20 PawsforThought:

I didn't want Amber to feel threatened...

>22 laytonwoman3rd: *love*

Dropping off my star.

Happy new year, Amber!

(I brought cake but ate it all. Oops.)

>24 katiekrug: Hi, Katie!

Oh, ffs. Fine. HERE. CAKE FOR ALL:

>25 scaifea: Well done! And worth the wait, I might add.

Happy New Year Reading! Thanks for the cake, delicious (looking).

Apparently I arrived at the right time. *settles in corner with cake*

Happy new year and shiny new thread!

Well. I sure am glad the cake finally showed up!

Happy New Year Amber! Here's to more cake in 2024 ... no pressure.

I'm beginning to feel I'm playing second fiddle to the cake around here...

(I will be making a chocolate cake tomorrow, though.)

>30 scaifea: I think you doomed yourself years ago, with all the reports of your baking treats...you see...

>31 laytonwoman3rd: Well, I suppose that's fair...

Happy New Year Amber!

Have a great year of reading and crafting!

Boy, you can't take some people's mothers anywhere without they make demands of the host for treats.

>35 lycomayflower: Oi!

>36 laytonwoman3rd: I looove you. (Go to bed!)

Hi Amber!

Wishing you a great one!

Dear Amber, I wish to you and your family a happy new year and all the best for 2024!

Happy New Year, Amber! Have a safe & healthy 2024.

>35 lycomayflower: I do give her some allowances, being what she's your relation. Otherwise the cake would have been served airborne.

Morning, all! Happy new year!

On the Agenda for Today:
Now that the Xmas Project Panic is over, I'm gonna try to get back into a routine, so I'm planning on doing some cleaning, some laundry (of course), brushing the dogs, and then possibly get back into some writing and maybe some sewing time. Butter Chicken with peas for dinner tonight, I think.

On the Reading Front:
Still plugging along with Light from Uncommon Stars and Fangirl.

The Crafting Report:
I finally made it into the sewing room yesterday and got things tidied and put away. I also did a little crocheting on Boba Fett, and, believe it or not, I started making plans for next christmas. I'm determined not to have yet another year of project panic. If I do carve out some sewing time today, I'll probably start on a pair of pajama pants for Charlie, for which I've had the fabric for a couple of months.

What We're Watching:
Some It's Always Sunny, then Tomm and I finished the most recent Psych movie and then started watching Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which is pretty good so far.

Happy New Year, Amber.

Happy new year, Amber! Looking forward to your thoughts on Light from Uncommon Stars.

Happy new year, Amber! I’ve dropped off a star!

Karen O

Happy New Year and new thread! Hope 2024 is kind to you and yours

Love the doggo pics! And Charlie! Such a young man now!

>41 scaifea:, >37 lycomayflower:

(Actual picture of me, btw.)

Happy new year Miss Amber! :)

Looking forward to your treats, projects and interesting stories this year as always.

>47 laytonwoman3rd: Lies! You ain't got no sombrero.

Hi! I'm here for the cake.

And the books.

And you, of course! Happy New Year!

Hi Amber. Happy New Year!! I know I won't keep up but I'm dropping off my star and looking forward to following your reading adventures as closely as I can.

Thanks for the new year wishes, all!

>46 ChelleBearss: I can't believe Charlie is turning 16 this year! He'll be able to get his learner's permit in March. Yeesh.

>47 laytonwoman3rd: Uh-huh. Respect works both ways, lady. Now take that hat off in here.

>48 Ravenwoodwitch: My stories are interesting?! Ooof, now the pressure's on to live up to the hype...

>49 lycomayflower: WHAT?! The hat's not even real?!

>50 AMQS: I don't think you'd want the actual cake I made this weekend, though. I tried a new (to me) cooked frosting and it just didn't want to set, so the cake is a bit of a goopy mess. Charlie says it tastes good, though. I can't bring myself to waste calories on it, though. I did, however, make a cinnamon quick bread yesterday that turned out just fine...

>51 EBT1002: Good to see you, Ellen! Happy retirement!!

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working 12-8 and hanging out with the Tuesday Teens; today we'll be playing the Oregon Trail card game, which should be a hoot. I probably won't get much done here before I go in besides maybe a load of laundry, and I have a couple of appointments I need to make which necessitate cold calls. Gross. Send thoughts and prayers please.

On the Reading Front:
Still reading Light from Uncommon Stars and Fangirl and still loving them both so far.

The Crafting Report:
News, everyone! I've already got most of a plan for projects for next christmas! Now, if I can only stick with it and follow through...
I also got started on the BFF's birthday present, which is, sadly, not nearly so ahead of schedule (her birthday is in, um, 2 days. #terriblefriendfeelsbadbutworksfrantically)
And I'm hoping to have a little down time today at work to finish up my little Yoda and maybe work a bit on Boba Fett.

What We're Watching:
More It's Always Sunny, more Monarch, and we finished rewatching (first time through for Charlie) season 1 of Only Murders. The smarty kid predicted the end *way* before I clocked it my first time through. Yeesh.

Happy reading in 2024, Amber!

Any cake left?

Charlie getting his learner's permit?! Oh my. Where has the time gone? Good for you, not wasting calories on that cake. I don't think I could have done that!

>54 FAMeulstee:
A slice just for you, Anita:



>55 lauralkeet: Right?! Charlie has grown up among my threads here, and it really does seem crazy that he'll be 16 this year.

A year ago I wouldn't have been able to resist the cake, but since August I've been on an appetite control med that has helped me immensely; I'm down 40 lbs (I'd gained a lot on the anxiety medication) and I've learned to be much more mindful of what and how much I eat. And I'm feeling better than I have in years!

Oh, sure, Anita gets her own slice. Just because she's nice??? *sigh* I surrender the field. I mean, when your own kid won't even have your back... >49 lycomayflower: I could have a sombrero!

I'm sorry the cake frosting didn't work out, Amber. Especially since a good frosting is the whole point of cake in my view.

I saw a commercial yesterday that they are going to broadcast Season 1 of "Only Murders in the Building" on regular TV. I assume it's because they don't have enough content due to the writers' strike, but I hope it finds a whole new audience.

>57 laytonwoman3rd: I think, if you squint just right, there may be a Life Lesson in there...

>58 rosalita: Thanks, Julia. Frosting is definitely an essential part of the process and this one was a bummer.

That's great news about Only Murders! I keep wanting to recommend it to certain patrons who don't have streaming and so I keep looking for it to come out on DVD.

>59 scaifea: I just looked it up because I could not remember which network, and it's ABC. So hopefully your patrons can watch it — it does seem like the kind of show that would have a lot of appeal for an older demographic that doesn't "do" streaming, for sure.

>60 rosalita: Thanks for looking it up! I'll definitely pass that along! And I think you're right that it's a great show for that demographic, too.

>56 scaifea: Thank you, Amber, virtual cake is the best, no calories at all! ;-)

Hey Amber, dropping my annual star. Best wishes for another year of reading!

>52 scaifea: 16! Yikes! He's a full little man now!

Happy New Year and new thread!

>25 scaifea: ooh! Cake!

Happy New Year, Amber!

Happy new year, Amber! Dropping off a star!

*waves at visitors*

>62 FAMeulstee: Ha! That's very true!

>64 ChelleBearss: Right?! Except there's not little about it - he's over 6'!

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working 9-5 (sipping my ambition cup as I type), so not much else going on today. Mole Chili for dinner tonight.

The teens seemed to have fun with the Oregon Trail card game - they tried twice and all died twice. Life's hard on the prairie. The library was crazy-busy yesterday, but I managed to get a bit of time to put together a supply order - soonish I'm going to have a Bob Ross Teen Tuesday, where I'll put one of his videos on the big screen and have them paint along. I think it'll be a hoot.

On the Reading Front:
Nearly finished with Fangirl and still plugging along with Light from Uncommon Stars and loving it. I raved about it to the teens yesterday and think I convinced all of them to read it, so here's hoping it stays really good...

The Crafting Report:
Absolutely no time at work yesterday for work on the Star Wars stuff. Hopefully today...

What We're Watching:
Just a handful of old SNL sketches to wind down before bed.

>69 scaifea: Good morning, Amber. I loved watching Bob Ross when I was a kid. I'm sure I still would, too. I liked the idea of deciding where the happy little trees were going to live in my world.

>70 rosalita: His videos are just the best. And I think it'll be fun to watch the teens follow along with him. We have a fantastic large meeting room with two giant monitors and and excellent sound system, so I'll be able to play the video on the big screens and have easels with canvases set up throughout the room.

Hi Amber. Long time since I withdrew in disgrace. I think I might follow along in 2024, but not say much, if anything.

My budding classics-scholar granddaughter graduated in May and is applying to grad schools whilst currently sharing an apartment in Harlem NYC with her twin sister and two of her sister's college friends.

>72 weird_O: Lurk away; it's what I do on the threads I follow these days.

Best of luck to the granddaughter - that whole process can be rough.

I only got through 15 posts of your thread, and all I can think about now is cake!

Yesterday morning I started my day in a way that I hope to continue, with a sleep in followed by coffee, freshly baked muffins (which is just a small cake, if you think about it!) and LT!

Happy reading!

Oof, sorry your cake didn't work out, but yay for saved calories! I haven't baked much this past year in an effort to cut back on sugar, but I do enjoy it. Just baked a few batches of cupcakes for a baby shower my specials colleagues and I are throwing for our music teacher whose wife is expecting There's something very satisfying about having something wonderful baking in the oven!

>74 LovingLit: Agreed - muffins are just socially acceptable cakes for breakfast.

>75 AMQS: It's definitely very satisfying! So homey come comforting, and it makes the house smell amazing.

Thank you for the cake Amber.
Sorry to hear the frosting didn't do what it was supposed to. that's impressive weight loss, good going.
I like baking, but don't do it a lot. In September I found a recipe for a vegan apple cake, and have now made that a number of times for events, offering options for those that can't or don't do dairy. I have to admit that the oat milk & lemon juice thing, while it slightly curdles, leaves me anxious every time, but it seems to work. And if you didn't know it was vegan, I'm not sure you could tell.
Need to make it again next weekend for our first bellringing 100th anniversary event. We're having birthday cake as well, but not 100 candles!

>77 Helenliz: Thanks! I'm so happily surprised that the weight loss is happening, because I had been convinced for so long that it was nearly impossible. It feels pretty great.

It's funny how the curdling thing always seems like it will ruin whatever you're making, but magically it turns out okay!

On the Agenda for Today:
A bit of cleaning, some laundry, menu planning for the next week and prepping the grocery list for shopping tomorrow, some sewing, some writing, maybe some crocheting. Leftovers for dinner.

On the Reading Front:
I finished up Fangirl and started listening to $2.00 a Day; still working on Light from Uncommon Stars and still loving it.

The Crafting Report:
Nope. Nothing. Work was absolutely bananas yesterday with lots to do plus a steady stream of patrons, many of them annoying parents who consider the library free daycare while they willfully ignore their toddlers to browse the stacks. Ugh. So, no time for crafting.

What We're Watching:
More It's Always Sunny and more Attack on Titan.

I read $2.00 a Day several years ago and found it very good and incredibly infuriating. I wish more people would read it, but those who most need to never will. Grrr.

>80 katiekrug: It's definitely frustrating. I'm feeling guilty, though, because I know it's an important subject, but the book is just not holding my interest and my mind keeps wandering. Those who really should read it wouldn't have their minds changed even if they did, I suspect. Grrr, indeed.

1. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (audiobook) - 9/10
Cath and her twin, Wren, are off to their first year of college, and it seems to Cath that her sister is already pulling away from her, leaving Cath on her own to adjust to a new roommate who seems to hate her and whose maybe-boyfriend, Levi, is absolutely always around, making Cath even more uncomfortable than her normal anxiety-induced level of discomfort. She also worries about being away from her father, who suffers from manic episodes, and just the thought of trying to figure out the dining hall is too much for her. Thank goodness for fanfic, her safe space, and which she’s really very good at writing. She finds comfort in her fic stories – and so do her thousands of online followers. But when her creative writing professor gives her a failing grade on a fanfic story she turns in, her writing partner betrays her, and her maybe-friendship-maybe-something-else with Levi seems to go south, Cath nearly gives up and moves home. She’ll need to find some self-confidence in her very real abilities to get back on track.

I’m very, very late to the Rowell fan bus (I read my first of her novels – Eleanor & Park – last year and thought it was okay but that it didn’t really live up to the hype), but I’m definitely on board after this one. An excellent range of characters, all believable and well drawn, an interesting story and good atmosphere (I felt like I was right back on campus), and I loved the fanfic angle, especially that Rowell included bits both of Cath’s writing and excerpts from the ‘real’ books. I also love that she’s gone on to write (or so it seems – clearly I haven’t read them yet but I absolutely want to) the story that is Cath’s fanfic. Very cool.



2. $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America by Kathryn Edin (audiobook) - 7/10
A look into what poverty looks like in the states, the history of government welfare, and how it has tragically and repeatedly failed those who need it.

I recognize this as an important subject (which is why I wanted to read about it), but the delivery here is very dry and I just couldn’t keep my mind on the task.

You are off to a good start. I hope I finish one this week! I'll soon have a few more though. They will just come in groups probably.

>83 thornton37814: My audiobooks go a lot faster than my print ones, for the obvious reasons and also because I tend to listen at 2x normal speed. (I have no patience for normal-speed narration, apparently.)

On the Agenda for Today:
Grocery shopping this morning, with a stop at Target and one at the yarn shop, too. Then baking (this week's Friday After-School Snack: Pecan Chews), the weekly bill sorting, some writing, some sewing, maybe some crocheting. Frozen Friday dinner!

On the Reading Front:
I'm still working on Light from Uncommon Stars, and I started listening to By Your Side yesterday. I'm hoping to finish up the Aoki this weekend.

The Crafting Report:
I did some work on Boba Fett yesterday and worked on BFF's birthday present a bit.

What We're Watching:
More It's Always Sunny, and the first ep of season 2 of Only Murders. Plus, while crocheting I watched the first half of Fassbender's MacBeth. Oooof. Dark, that one. But good so far.

Morning, Amber!

I also can't listen to audios at "regular" speed, but can't do 2x. My happy spot, depending on the narrator, is around 1.35x. When TW and I were listening to one in the car over Christmas, he asked me to slow it down, and it seemed soooooo slow (it was at 1.15x). I'm sure this is fascinating to you *rolls eyes* Sorry!

>86 katiekrug: Ha! It *is* fascinating - I have a similar story: Last December when Tomm and I drove to Florida, he wanted to listen to a book together and we had to listen at regular speed. I thought I was going to pull my hair out. Serenity now!

>87 scaifea: - Solidarity, sister. *fist bump*

>88 katiekrug: Both Tomm and Charlie make fun of me for listening to books so speedily. When I turn on the car my audiobook almost always just automatically starts playing, and they both think it's ridiculous how fast the words fly by. I try to tell them, Look, my time is *precious.* Read. Faster.

>85 scaifea: I also typically listen at 2x speed, and suffer when I listen to a book in the car with Tim at normal speed 😭 how do they do it??

>89 scaifea: Omg, this happens every time I get in the car with Tim 😂 No original experiences I guess!

I've not tried listening at anything other than x1. but then I listen most when driving, so maybe taking time and not having to concentrate on listening is a good thing.

>90 curioussquared: Ha! Boys. What are you gonna do?

>91 Helenliz: I do a lot of my listening in the car and it doesn't affect my driving in the least. But I also don't have to concentrate at 2x speed, so YMMV, so to speak.

Today's After-School Snack (Pecan Chews):



First time making these and they turned out great! Super easy to put together, and they are wonderfully chewy. I'll definitely make 'em again.

So... audiobooks...

>94 drneutron: HAHAHA! Exactly! Goldblum knows what's up.

3. By Your Side by Kasie West (audiobook) - 8/10
Autumn and her friends were studying in the public library late one night before heading to a cabin out in the woods for a fun, snowy weekend, when the craziest/worst thing happens: as they’re packing up their vehicles, Autumn runs back into the getting-ready-to-close-for-the-night library to use the bathroom, and by the time she’s finished, somehow her friends have left without her and she’s locked inside the library for the entire weekend. She does her best not to panic (it doesn’t help that her anxiety meds are in her friend’s car), but then she soon discovers that she’s not alone; another student from her high school has been locked in with her, although he chose to be there…

A fair-to-middling YA romance. I found the MC to be juuuust this side of too annoying, but the main love interest (yes, there’s a triangle, which is slightly ugh, but fine) is an interesting character. There’s also a very predictable and solidly frustrating third act split, but it doesn’t last too long, and the ending is sweet. Honestly, the worst part is that you really have to stretch your tolerance for the unbelievable to swallow all the circumstances needed for them to be trapped in a public library all weekend, and I was irritated that it was merely a setting to get the Unlikely Couple in the same space for long enough instead of being a featured part of the atmosphere. I mean, hello, you’re IN A LIBRARY. And you have it ALL TO YOURSELF. That’s the romance, right there.

>84 scaifea: I usually listen to them at 1.25x the speed. I agree they are too slow at normal speed. I sometimes bump it up more if it is too slow at 1.25x. I had one recently that I was tempted to turn down, but once I got used to the reader, I was fine at 1.25x.

Happy New Year, Amber!

I haven't listened to audiobooks in a long while now but when I did, I tried 1.25X and it worked for me. I can't imagine listening at 2X! It may also depend on the book and the narrator.

Have a great weekend, Amber!

Yay for the Fangirl love. This remains one of my favourite Rowell books (I revisit Attachments frequently also). I think the Simon Snow trilogy will definitely be your jam, whenever you get around to it. :)

>97 thornton37814: I was just thinking the other day that I'm so grateful for audible and libby; I remember the days of listening to books on cd and not having the option to speed along the process. Ooof.

>98 ronincats: Hi, Roni!

>99 EBT1002: Hi, Ellen! When I first tried turning it up to 11, so to speak, I wasn't sure I'd be able to do it, but I got used to it really quickly. The brain is a crazy thing.

>100 MickyFine: Well, I mean, I'm already more than halfway in love with Baz, so...

On the Agenda for Today:
Pancakes have been made and enjoyed already (it had been way too long since I'd made them, especially since they're one of Charlie's favorite weekend breakfasts) and now I'm lounging, still in my PJs, and doing my morning compy puttering before seriously starting the day. I'll do some baking (PB&J Snack Cake), some cleaning, some laundry (including some band uniform stuff), and I need to brush the dogs today, too. I'd like to find some time to get into the sewing room for a bit, and also maybe write a bit. We'll see. Beef Stir Fry Soup for dinner tonight.

On the Reading Front:
I'll probably start listening to Anna and the Swallow Man today, and I'd love to finish up Light from Uncommon Stars this weekend.

The Crafting Report:
I didn't actually do any crafting yesterday, but I did set up my fancy new ironing board and I bought some yarn to start on the first Summer Library Program project, so I'm calling it a productive day. Hopefully I'll get BFF's birthday present finished today, and I'd like to work a bit on Boba Fett, although I think the yarn for my next knitting project is arriving today in the mail, so that may be too much of a temptation and I may start that cowl instead.

What We're Watching:
Some It's Always Sunny, about half an ep of Monarch, and an Attack on Titan ep. We also had a Family Game Night last night and played Cards Against Humanity.

Sounds like a nice day you've got planned, Amber. I think I have Anna and the Swallow Man on audio - I'll be interested in your thoughts on it.

Also, that PB&J snack cake sounds AMAZING.

>103 katiekrug: So I've just started listening, and it's immediately amazing. Here's hoping it continues that way.

And right?! This will be another new recipe for me, so I'll report back, but the idea of it already is making my mouth water.

>102 scaifea: I haven't made pancakes in a long time--and they really are not hard to make. I ate a blueberry muffin this morning.

I do a fair proportion of my listening on CD, borrowing them from the library. I'll stick at x1. I'm happy being a slow coach. >:-)

Happy Saturday. I am also starting LT in my PJs before starting my day

I learned from LT that audiobooks had different speeds! What a difference that makes! I am a 1.5 speeder and find 1 way too slow now.

>105 thornton37814: They aren't difficult, no, although I do make mine from scratch (I don't like the taste of the boxed mixes), and I do think that there's a wide spectrum of quality. I've perfected my technique over the years and pride myself on making some very fluffy, tasty ones, if I do say so.

>106 Helenliz: It takes all kinds, Helen. *grins*

>107 ChelleBearss: I was so thrilled when I switched to Libby/Audible and away from cds to discover that I could speed things up!

Hi all, I'm Pat, in Texas. I'm finishing up "Ordinary Monsters" by J M Miro. Excellent book leftover from last year. Also just finished Jodi Taylor's short story "Christmas Pies." Not sure what I will read next as I've bought so many books lately I can't pick just one LOL. I love limited edition books and signed books. I love science fiction and fantasy and I try to keep up with potential Hugo award winning books, but that's not easy! If I get one or two read, I'm doing good.

Nice to meet you all.

Pat

>108 scaifea: I have only found one pancake mix I really like. It comes in a very small bag similar to larger five pound flour bags, but I get it at Yoder's, an Amish/Mennonite store in Bulls Gap. I usually make mine from scratch too. I'd have to go look at the package to tell you what the brand is. I've got a little bit on hand at the moment.

>101 scaifea: I remember the days of listening to books on cd

Oh, Amber dear. I first started listening to Books on Tape, ordered from a paper catalog that came in the mail. It was ~$10 to rent a book on a set of cassette tapes that you could keep for a month and then send back in the postage-paid box. My twice-daily walks of Best Dog, Odie, were always 45 minutes long because that was the length of one side of a cassette. It was amazeballs. If anyone had told me someday I'd be listening to audiobooks on my phone (controlling volume and navigation from my watch, no less) I'd have politely smiled and edged away as soon as possible.

>109 Alleypat: Hi, Pat. Did you mean to post this in the Introductions thread? You're definitely welcome to visit my thread anytime, but you may want to take a look at the group wiki (https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Groups:75booksin2024) to get started. If you have questions about how to start your own thread, just ask - we're all happy to help!

I rarely listen to anything at a higher speed but I do occasionally turn up to x1.25 with a very relaxed reader. Couldn’t cope with x2 at all! Incidentally I was listening to a podcast the other day and was wondering why both presenters sounded slightly drunk. And then I remembered that I’d turned the speed down to x0.8 on the app as I’d been trying to listen to something in Welsh!

>110 thornton37814: No worries; like I said, I don't really use mixes, but I'm glad you've found one you like.

>111 rosalita: What a time to be alive, right? Ha!

>1 scaifea: Thanks for sharing your best of 2023 list, Amber! I will have to look for the ones that I have not already read.

>82 scaifea: Count me in amongst the Rainbow Rowell books. Glad to see that you enjoyed that one.

Have a wonderful weekend, Amber!

I saw last night that Rowell has a new contemporary romance coming out this year. It's called Slow Dance (couldn't find correct touchstone) and sounds good!

>115 alcottacre: You're welcome, Stasia!

>116 katiekrug: I've already added that one to the book orders list at the library!

Well, we haven't cut into the cake yet, but it looks pretty:

>118 scaifea: The cake looks wonderful! I’m practically drooling, imagining all of the PBJ goodness in it!

Karen O

🤤🤤🤤

That looks very pretty.

Well, *that* looks awesome!

>118 scaifea: CAKE!!! It really does look scrumptious.

Happy 2024, Amber!

>118 scaifea: Mmm, yum! Any left? :)

Happy new year of reading Amber!

Hi, everyone! The cake is delicious! And it goes really well with a cold glass of milk. Yum. I'll try to remember to post the recipe later, in case anyone is interested.

On the Agenda for Today:
We woke up to a dusting of snow, but it's the good kind that sticks to the trees and fences and such, so even though there's not much of it, it looks pretty. And it's still coming down. I'm happy that I don't have to go anywhere today, and tomorrow I just have to take Charlie to school and pick him up, which isn't far at all.

I'll do a little more baking today (a quick bread for Charlie's breakfasts this week) and some meal prep for his lunches, a bit of housecleaning, some laundry, sort out my schedule and To Do lists for next week, and then maybe some sewing and crocheting. Shredded chicken burritos for dinner tonight.

On the Reading Front:
I'm nearly finished with Light from Uncommon Stars, which, I think, will be my first 10/10 read of the year. I also started listening to Anna and the Swallow Man yesterday, and it's interesting so far.

The Crafting Report:
I managed to finish up BFF's birthday present yesterday, and then I started knitting the cowl since the yarn came yesterday - woot!

What We're Watching:
Some It's Always Sunny, some Monarch, and then we introduced Charlie to The Mummy. Oh, and I finished up Fassbender's Macbeth - amazing - and started watching Godzilla (the 1954 one).

Sounds like the perfect amount of snow, enough to look pretty, not enough to disrupt life too much.

Oh The Mummy! 😍 How did Charlie like it?

>128 Helenliz: Exactly! It's been slowly drifting down all day, but it's not significantly adding to the depth and the roads, which they were very proactive about salting on Friday, are staying clean. It's been so nice watching it fall today, knowing I don't have to go outside!

>129 MickyFine: He really liked it! And he agrees that every single person (well, not Benny) in that movie is gorgeous.

Ooh that cake looks wonderful - I'll check back if you still think you'll post the recipe.

I rarely increase the speed on an audiobook. One notable exception was when I listened to Les Miserables. I sped up the sections about the wars, the sewers, etc. If I am inclined to speed up a book there are usually problems.

>131 AMQS: See below for recipe.

Ooof, Les Mis at normal speeds would be excruciating for me, not because I don't like the book (I did), but because it would take soooooo loooong.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Snack Cake

Ingredients:
• 1 butter/yellow cake mix
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 ¼ cups (10 oz.) canned coconut milk or whole milk
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup grape jelly

1. Heat oven to 350⁰F.
2. Coat 9x13-inch pan with baking spray.
3. Add cake mix and flour to mixing bowl.
4. Add eggs, milk, peanut butter, and oil.
5. Beat on low until blended, about 30 seconds.
6. Increase speed to medium and beat until batter is smooth, about 1 minute.
7. Pour into prepared pan and smooth top with rubber spatula.
8. Dollop jelly by the spoonful on top and swirl into batter with dinner knife.
9. Bake until cake is golden brown and tester comes out clean, 28-32 minutes.

The recipe come from A New Take on Cake, which I highly recommend.

>133 scaifea: Thank you!

>134 AMQS: You're welcome!

>133 scaifea: - Definitely going to have to try this!

I stopped at the grocery store on the way home from church. They do a meat, 2 veggies, and a bread (of choice) for $7 in the deli. I often will get the chicken tenders on Sunday. The tenders are so big even though they only give you three. I put back half my meal today, so I've got enough for 2 times. The shredded chicken burritos you made last night sound yummy. I actually went in so I could get bottled tea for lunches and some snacks for my desk. I knew I had enough food for the week otherwise.

>136 katiekrug: It's super good, and the best part is it's super easy. And you can substitute whatever type of jam/jelly you'd like.

>137 thornton37814: The burritos are tonight, and yep, they're pretty delicious.

>138 scaifea: - I was hoping that was the case, as I'm a strawberry jam girl myself :)

>133 scaifea: do recipes usually start with a pre-mixed cake mix?
I have rather a lot of grape jelly, having had a glut of grapes past year. This year I decided the birds could have them.

>139 katiekrug: Strawberry would be delicious in this recipe, for sure.

>140 Helenliz: In the case of the cookbook whence this recipe came, yes.

Raspberry jelly would by my preference...I really may have to try that cake.

>142 laytonwoman3rd: Yep, that would work, too!

On the Agenda for Today:
Some housecleaning (the kitchen - not my favorite), some laundry, including more band uniforms, some baking (cookies for the Tuesday Teens tomorrow), some sewing, some writing, and posting a couple of reviews. Ham and Bean Soup for dinner tonight.

On the Reading Front:
I finished Light from Uncommon Stars, reading through My Hero Academia vol 14, and listened to more Anna and the Swallow.

The Crafting Report:
I worked a bit on Boba Fett and started cutting out pajama pants for Charlie.

What We're Watching:
Some Futurama, some Demon Slayer, and some Attack on Titan.

Boba Fett so far:

>133 scaifea: That cake looks so good -- thanks for posting the recipe! I'm going to try it soon.

Possible dumb question about the PB&J cake (which I think I had a dream about last night?)...

What kind fo peanut butter does the recipe call for? Any old commercial brand (I'm a Skippy Naturals girl myself) or the "real" stuff that is just peanuts and salt and gives your arm a workout trying to stir it enough to use (The Wayne's preference...)?

>147 katiekrug: The actual recipe (I generally use a sort of shorthand when I type them up for my recipe binder) calls for "regular or crunchy" PB, and since it also uses a cake mix, I think it's safe to assume we're talking about commercial brands, which is what I use.

People who dream about cake are my tribe.

Great, thanks! I wasn't sure if the added oil would be a problem. I think I am going to try to make it this weekend...

>149 katiekrug: You're welcome! I can't wait to hear what you think of it!

4. Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki (Alex Award) - 10/10
A family of aliens have traveled light years to escape a devastating war and are running a donut shop in the San Gabriel Valley. An older Japanese woman, who is a virtuoso violinist whom no one has heard play in many, many years, is buying back her soul by handing over the souls of her students to the demon who has hers. An Italian woman runs an instrument repair shop but doubts her abilities because the family trade secrets were only handed down from father to son. And a young transgender runaway with an extraordinary musical talent will bring them all together, changing all their lives as she struggles to find her own place in the universe and the strength to believe she deserves it.

So good. So very, very good. Unbelievably good. Strange and quirky and funny and gut-punching and just so, so good. The entire time I was reading I felt as if the story were just barely in my control; at first I had no idea how the characters could ever come together and share a plot, and then once they did I had no idea how they’d resolve what needed to be resolved in a way that would account for who they appeared to be and who they clearly wanted to be/were heading toward being. And then in the final hour it all just comes together so beautifully. You’ll be rooting for everyone and wanting to hug each one. It’s beautifully strange and weirdly wonderful and terrifically twisty in the end.



5. My Hero Academia vol 14 by Kohei Horikoshi (manga) - 9/10
Another excellent entry in the series. More of some of my favorite characters in this one, so it was extra fun.



6. Anna and the Swallow Man by Gavriel Savit (audiobook) - 9/10
A Polish girl, Anna, is left on her own when her father is taken by the Germans, but her life is drastically changed – and almost certainly saved – when a mysterious gentleman charms her with his bird calls and bids her secretly follow him out of the city and into the woods. They live and travel together as if father and child for several years during the war, always on the move and always evading one or the other group of soldiers, experiencing various meetings and partings with others on similar paths, until the inevitable happens and Anna, who, by the grace of the Swallow Man (the only name she ever has for her companion) has been able to experience a childhood of sorts, is forced to grow up and face the world.

There are *so* many WWII novels out there of all kinds, and honestly I’ve mostly grown tired of them. But I’m very glad I gave this one a chance because it’s one of the better ones I’ve read in a long time. It reminds me quite a bit of The Book Thief; it’s dark and sad and deals with awful things, of course, but it still manages to be about the magic of human kindness and the beauty that’s forever in the world, no matter what else inhabits the place.

>151 scaifea: Yes! Light from Uncommon Stars is such a delight!

>101 scaifea: "The brain is a crazy thing." Ha. Indeed!

Light From Uncommon Stars sounds like a good one!

>151 scaifea: Okay okay, I'll read Light from Uncommon Stars! I've also had Anna and the Swallow Man on my kindle for ages and I should probably get to it at some point.

>152 quondame: It really is! I've already ordered a copy for my shelves (I have the library copy now), and I'm tempted to buy one for each of Charlie's friend group, one of which is trans. Representation matters!

>153 EBT1002: Oh Ellen, you'd love it!

>154 curioussquared: Ha! Yes!!

On the Agenda for Today:
Well, we woke up to sleety slushy stuff going on outside, which wasn't in the forecast at all, so Charlie's school is on a 2-hour delay and I'm really hoping that it turns to rain and melts before I have to shovel. Thoughts and prayers, folks.

I'm working 12-8 and hanging out with the Tuesday Teens today. We're going to do a writing exercise and brainstorm about how to write a story that is only a list. I've made some cookies. Should be a good time. Between taking Charlie to school later, possibly shoveling, and then getting ready for work, I suspect nothing else will get done today.

On the Reading Front:
I started Linger yesterday - I'd read the first in the series a few years ago and loved it and I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to get back to it. I'll start listening to The Last Mapmaker today.

The Crafting Report:
No crafting yesterday beyond band uniform mending. *sigh* I did, however, discover that my Viking machine has an excellent mending stitch! (One of the percussionists had a tear right on the front of his jacket from the drum harness and it stitched up beautifully.)

What We're Watching:
Some Futurama, some Demon Slayer, and some Attack on Titan.

>151 scaifea: You've been doing some stellar reading, Amber! Both Light From Uncommon Stars and Anna and the Swallow Man sound great — I loved The Book Thief so that's a promising comparison. And I know what you mean about feeling like you've read your fill of WWII books. But this one sounds so good.

Sorry about the sleety slush, though.

Ooh, I think I have Light From Uncommon Stars around somewhere - terrific review!

>157 rosalita: Oh, I hope you love them both!

It's raining pretty steadily now so I don't have to shovel - woot!! But it does make for a dreary cold day. Lots of tea drinking and cardigan wearing at the ol' library today, I think.

>158 AMQS: It's so good, Anne, I hope you love it as much as I did!

On the Agenda for Today:
Very similar to yesterday, except there's no 2-hour delay for schools this morning. So, I'm working 12-8 again and not planning on accomplishing much before I leave besides maybe a load of laundry.

The teens seemed to have a good time with the list short stories and came up with some very cool ideas, including my favorite: a bucket list written by a ghost.

On the Reading Front:
I only managed a few pages in Linger yesterday, but made some good progress with The Last Mapmaker. Both are good so far.

The Crafting Report:
Nope, nothing here.

What We're Watching:
An episode of Demon Slayer.

Your teens sound like a delightfully creative group.

I hope your evening shift flies by!

>161 MickyFine: The kids are definitely alright.

On the Agenda for Today:
I have a salon appointment at 12:30 and a few errands to run before that, then I'll pick up Charlie from school, so I'm hoping there's a bit of time in between the haircut and when school ends for some guilt-free reading in the car. I also need to do my menu planning and get my grocery list ready for shopping tomorrow, some laundry, and a little cleaning. I'd like to get some sewing and writing in, but I suspect I won't find the time today. Oh, and I owe a review here, so I'll try to get that done today, too. Takeout of some kind (we haven't decided yet from where - pizza? Chinese?) for dinner.

On the Reading Front:
Still working on Linger, but I finished The Last Mapmaker and started listening to Maizy Chen's Last Chance.

The Crafting Report:
Nope. Not time for crafting again yesterday.

What We're Watching:
Attack on Titan.

Morning, Amber. Sweet Thursday. We are bracing ourselves for an even bigger snowstorm which arrives later tomorrow. Ugh! I also remember enjoying Anna and the Swallow Man. I may have to revisit that one.

>164 msf59: Morning, Mark!

You may have been the reason AatSW was on my list in the first place. I really must start making notes...

Tomm's in Iowa right now but flying back today, hoping he can get back before that next storm hits. Fingers crossed.

G'Morning Amber!
I love salon visits so I hope you leave feeling refreshed and drop-dead gorgeous ;)

>166 Ravenwoodwitch: Morning, Angela!

Ha! Well, I don't know about gorgeous - she's a stylist not a fairy godmother. And honestly I usually leave feeling groggy; getting my hair messed with usually puts me to sleep! I appreciate the pipe dream wishes, though!

I usually leave the hairdressers feeling itchy in my kidneys, I have this strange thing that someone touching the back of my neck makes my back itch in the vicinity of my kidneys. Nope, i have no idea what's going on there. Never met anyone else that has the same reaction (or not that is prepared to admit to it). Yup, I am a tad odd.

The bucket list written by a ghost is an excellent twist. What an inventive bunch you have to nurture & stretch (in the nicest possible way).

Hope Tomm gets back safe & not too badly storm tossed.

I also find having my hair/head touched very relaxing and always want a nap after a visit to the salon. Bliss.

No itchy back here (*gives Helen the side-eye*).

I echo the hope that Tomm's trip home is uneventful.

>169 katiekrug: Yeah, I know, I know. It's just very weird.

>168 Helenliz: I've met a fair few people who don't like having their hair cut at all because they just don't like people touching it.

Teens who voluntarily attend weekly library events are already a bit of a hand-picked group, to be honest, but yeah, these kiddos are particularly fun and smart.

Thanks for the good Tomm wishes - here's hoping.

>169 katiekrug: And the shampoo process is wonderful, too. *sigh*

Thanks to you, too, for the travel hopes - from your lips to Hermes' ears.

I made the PB&J cake -- it's yummy!

Ah, the scalp massage during a shampoo at the salon is one of my favourite things ever.

>172 foggidawn: Well done, you!

>173 MickyFine: Isn't it, though?

7. The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat (audiobook/Newbery Honor Book) - 8/10
A young girl lives in a tiny, rundown set of rooms with her shiftless/shifty father and his partner in petty crime. They think she works a menial job at the docks market, but she secretly has managed to become an apprentice to a mapmaker, and she’s exceptionally good at the trade. When the chance presents itself for her to follow her boss on a sea voyage to discover unknown lands, which may or may not be inhabited by dragons, she jumps at the opportunity to free herself from her father’s clutches and possibly change her lowly stars. The expedition is not without dangers and troubles, though, and no one on the ship seems to be who they claim to be, with hidden lives and motives everywhere.

It's…okay. It’s a nice story, and the couple of little twists at the end are interesting and fun. I also think certain members of its intended audience (this is a middle grade novel) would have a great time with it. I just don’t feel that something extra, though, to make it Newbery Honor Book worthy. *shrug*

>175 scaifea: I was 3/5, but basically the same opinion, a good enough story, not at all great.

>82 scaifea: I read fangirl a while ago and really ( surprisingly) enjoyed it. This reminds me to read the next one.

>93 scaifea: Looks delicious!

Happy ( almost) Friday!

Found you before your first thread is over!! LOL. How did the haircut go? Congrats on reaching #7 already. : )

>177 figsfromthistle: I love the idea that she's written Fangirl's fanfic as an actual (series) of books! Such a cool idea and I can't wait to get started on it. I hope you love 'em too when you get to them.

Those cookies were really good, in fact; I love a chewy cookie like those.

>178 Berly: Haircut was standard fair - I just get the same thing every time. This new stylist is great, though, and remembers exactly what I want done. She's extremely chatty, though, which I find a little exhausting, but she's sweet and very friendly.

On the Agenda for Today:
Grocery shopping this morning, weekly bill sorting, baking the Friday After-School Snack (Gooey Turtle Bars), maybe some writing, and maybe some sewing. Tomm came home late last night, so it's good to have both Scaife Men back under the roof. Frozen Friday dinner (although I'll probably opt for some leftover soup)!

On the Reading Front:
Still enjoying Linger and hoping to finish it up this weekend. I did finish Maizy Chen's Last Chance yesterday, so I'll try to get the review up today. I'll start The Ten Thousand Doors of January today.

The Crafting Report:
Still nuthin' to enter here. Maybe I'll get some sewing time in today? We'll see.

What We're Watching:
More Demon Slayer and Attack on Titan. Both such happy shows. *sigh*

Tomm's home, hurray! Hopefully his travels were free of weather-related nonsense.

Gooey Turtle Bars sound fabulous. Save me some okay?

Glad Tomm made it home!

>181 lauralkeet: Yes! He's managed to sandwich his home trip between Iowa storms, thank goodness.

This is a new-to-me recipe, so I'll report back on how it goes.

>182 katiekrug: Thanks! Me, too. And the ruckus the dogs made at 1am when he came in indicates that they're happy he's home, too. *eyeroll*

The Gooey Turtle Bars are out of the oven:



Grocery shopping is done, and obvs the baking is too. That's probably all that'll get accomplished today; I'm so sad that we've lost Julia and it's really thrown me. I broke down twice in the grocery store and felt like an idiot. She was such a cool person and also one of the kindest, and the world is just dimmer now.

>184 scaifea: - I totally understand the sadness, Amber. ((Hugs))

>184 scaifea: It's such a hard thing, and so sudden and unexpected. Take it easy on yourself. Hugs to you over the ether...

Karen O.

>184 scaifea: I completely understand your reaction to Julia's passing, Amber. I only recently connected with her and never met her in person but still, I have been thinking of her all day. She was a bright spot here on LT and will be greatly missed.

Thanks, everyone. I've spend a quiet afternoon thinking of Julia and snuggling with The Gals, whom Julia adored. I ended up taking a much-needed nap (with Mario as a napping buddy), and that helped some, too.

As I mentioned over on Katie's thread, I've decided to remember my friend by working my way through Springsteen's catalogue and getting to know the artist she loved so much (and with whom I'm not at all very familiar). I'm determined to become a fan! It's generally like pulling teeth to get me to listen to new-to-me music, so this may be a bit of a challenge...

8. Maizy Chen's Last Chance by Lisa Yee (audiobook/Newbery Honor Book) - 8/10
Maizy Chen and her mom travel from LA to Last Chance, Minnesota for an extended stay with her grandparents while her grandfather is ill. Her grandparents own a Chinese restaurant, and Maizy finds herself getting to know the locals through their visits to the Golden Palace. She watches as her mom negotiates her rocky relationship with her own parents, learns from her grandfather about the history of her family and the discrimination that Chinese Americans have long struggled against, all while experiencing it firsthand in this small mid-western town. When the beloved bear statue, for years has stood outside the restaurant, is stolen, Maizy sets out to solve the mystery and discovers racism in obvious and surprising places.

A solid middle grade novel about family, loss, friendship, difference, and the importance of family roots and history. All of these elements are nicely blended, and the characters feel believable and interesting.

I'm sorry for your and everyone's loss, Amber. I never met her (I don't remember it at least) but it sounds like she was beloved and so important to people here. For all of my new friends here, you included, I'm so sorry.

>84 scaifea: WHAT?? Oh no! I'm so sorry. I met Julia when she came to Colorado and we had a meetup in Boulder. This is awful.

(feels icky to post in the same thread)

>175 scaifea: I was underwhelmed by The Last Mapmaker also.

>189 scaifea: I really enjoyed Maizy Chen. It is a Battle of the Books selection for my district this year, and we changed the way we write the questions in the battle. I was assigned to write ALL of the questions for mock battles, school level, and district level battles for Maizy Chen, so I feel I know it inside and out.

That's not an idiotic reaction at all. These days when we're spread far & wide, we often interact on a daily basis with virtual friends in a way we don't with the real life ones. The nap sounds like the ideal response.

Good luck with the Bruce project. I've been known to sing along to the well known ones, but that's my limit.

>190 Ravenwoodwitch: Thanks, Angela. What a lovely thing to say, and you said it so well.

>191 AMQS: It really is awful. She was so cool and wonderful and I will miss her tons.

>192 AMQS: (I felt icky doing normal stuff all day yesterday, so I get it, but also it's not icky and I'm glad for the company here.)

I'm glad I'm not just being a grump about The Last Mapmaker, although I'm sorry you didn't like it, if those two things make sense together.

Oh, I think Mazy Chen is part of our school's battle of the books this year, too! We get the list from the teachers and try to order in several copies of each at our library each year, and I'm sure I've seen Maizy coming across the desk for that. And wow, yeah, that would make sure you knew the book better than pretty much anyone, writing all those questions!

>193 Helenliz: I was thinking about that yesterday, too, how losing a dear friend who is far away, whether one you've met online or otherwise, adds dimensions of difficulty to the grief.

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working the Saturday shift and then probably coming home to an afternoon nap. Tomm's in charge of dinner: hamburgers and fries.

On the Reading Front:
Still reading Linger and The Thousand Doors of January.

The Crafting Report:
Another day with nothing to enter here. Maybe I'll get some time for Boba Fett today at work *prays for a slow Saturday*...

What We're Watching:
Some It's Always Sunny, some Monarch, an episode of Our Flag Means Death, and a Futurama.

I finished up Yoda for the library display:

>196 scaifea: I love your Yoda! It (and you) are so clever!

Karen O

>197 klobrien2: Aw shucks, thanks Karen!

>196 scaifea: Oh he looks so cool! Nice work :)
Hope you're doing okay. The couple days after a big loss I find are really hard. Make sure to make time for yourself if you can.

Just dropping in to say that I am having trouble LTing today as Gabby the tabby is too interested in my lap, and there isn't much room for my laptop as well!
I think she missed us while we were away, aaaaw.

>199 Ravenwoodwitch: Thanks! I'm pretty happy with how he turned out.

And thanks for the kind thoughts. It's snowy and *very* cold here today, so I think a cozy day inside with warm beverages will be just the ticket.

>200 LovingLit: Animals and laptops rarely make for a productive combination.

On the Agenda for Today:
Laundry, some baking (banana bread for this week's breakfasts and a Fudge Spoon Pie for dessert), meal prep for Charlie's lunches, brush the dogs, dust the house, call the parents, sort out my schedule and To Do lists for the week, and then hopefully some sewing and reading time. I'm trying out a new recipe for dinner: Cherry Chipotle Pulled Pork.

On the Reading Front:
I finished Linger yesterday and listened to more of The Ten Thousand Doors of January.

The Crafting Report:
See my little Yoda above, plus I worked a bit on Boba Fett.

What We're Watching:
Some It's Always Sunny, some Monarch (FINALLY Godzilla shows up. FINALLY. I mean, we're only 5-6 episodes in, for sobbing out loud.), and then we watched a funny/cool movie with a great cast, Extract. I'm surprised that we'd never heard of it before because it's full of actors we adore.

Yoda looks great! Will there be a Chewbacca (my personal favorite)?

I have a dim recollection of 'Extract' coming out but never saw it. I'll have to check it out because Jason Bateman :)

Hoping to make that PB&J cake. Did you use coconut milk or whole milk? I can't get my head around coconut in it, but maybe the flavor isn't very strong?

Enjoy your cozy day indoors!

So sorry to read about Julia's passing. Hope you, and all who knew her, are doing ok.

That Yoda is adorable! My SIL is pregnant with her first and I'm going to attempt to crochet a little octopus baby toy in the coming months.

>203 katiekrug: I have a pattern for a Chewie, but I don't think I'll get him done in time for the display. That doesn't mean I won't eventually make him, though. And one of my colleagues has made an adorable ewok...

I think you'll like Extract. Bateman is excellent in it. Do you listen to his podcast, Smartless? It's Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes. As you may guess, it tends to be hilarious.

I used coconut milk. You can't taste coconut at all when you use it for baking; because it's thicker and creamier, it makes for richer and moister cake.

>204 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle.

And good luck with the octopus!

9. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater (Stiefvater bibliography) - 9/10
(2nd in a series, so there are spoilers ahead)

Grace and Sam have fought so hard to be together, and just when as they’re settling into the idea that a future together is possible, things start to unravel. Again. The new werewolves made by Sam’s adoptive father, Beck, seem potentially problematic, to put it lightly, while Sam is struggling to fill the role of Human in Charge/Den Father that Beck left behind at the same time as he’s trying to negotiate being all human all the time. But when he’s with Grace, all of his uncertainty and worry crumbles. Until Grace herself becomes a source of worry for him. She becomes nearly constantly ill with a high fever and stomach pains, and no doctor can suss out what’s wrong. But both Grace and Sam secretly and separately fear they know the real reason she’s sick…

I adore Stiefvater, as you all likely know, and I’m really enjoying her version of the werewolf romance trope. But. Hoo boy, there is a *lot* of teen angst in here, and a lot of frustrated love feels, neither of which are usually my jam. But it’s Maggie and I love her and her writing is still amazing and I have faith that the ending to the series will be Maggie-style amazeballs.

Yoda looks very sweet. I'm in awe of people who can do stuff with yarns & sticks.

>202 scaifea: You'll have to let us know how that Cherry Chipotle Chicken turns out. It sounds interesting. I plan to make a big pot of vegetable beef soup tomorrow. Comfort food for a snowstorm! If the power goes out, it will be cheese and crackers or peanut butter and jelly or banana.

>208 Helenliz: Thanks, Helen.

>209 thornton37814: If it had turned out as chicken I would have been concerned...

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm not working today, although the library is open, and Charlie is off school, so if feels like the weekend still (poor Tomm has to work, though). I'll do some laundry, a little housecleaning, bake cookies for Teen Tuesday, and then probably some writing and sewing. Pulled Flank Steak with Red Peppers and Potatoes for dinner tonight.

The Cherry Chipotle Pork was really good! The tart and spicy went really well together, and I love pork cooking in the instant pot because it always comes out so fall-apart tender.

On the Reading Front:
I started N or M? yesterday and already love it because I adore Tommy and Tuppence. Still listening to The Ten Thousand Doors of January.

The Crafting Report:
I spent some time on Boba Fett yesterday and he's coming along, although he looks a little weird without arms:



What We're Watching:
I watched a bit more of the original Godzilla yesterday while crocheting, then there was some Always Sunny viewing, some Monarch, and an ep of Only Murders.

Hi Amber!

I read N or M? last year and expected absolutely nothing from it - but I really, really liked it. (And now I wish that I’d bought a copy of it instead of borrowing it from the library.)

Maybe I liked T&T better this time around because they’ve matured?

>212 Fourpawz2: So far I don't find Tommy and Tuppence any different from their younger versions, but I've also always adored them.

You could be right about them, Amber. I see, after checking previous Tommy and Tuppence reads, that it’s been almost exactly 15 years since I read one and it’s the only one I’ve ever read. Guess I need to read more of them and reassess.

>214 Fourpawz2: I prefer them to Poirot, although in general I like the mysteries associated with P better. And the more I think about it, the more I think it probably isn't related to maturity, because I don't really see that they've matured in this one, which is a big part of their charm.

On the Agenda for Today:
It's Tuesday, so you know what that means: 12-8 shift and I get to hang out with the Tuesday Teens. It's book club week, and we'll be talking about mysteries. I also made some Chocolate Toffee Bars for them. Not much else going on today; I'll probably do a load of laundry before I go in, but otherwise just putter.

On the Reading Front:
Tommy and Tuppence are getting closer to solving their mystery, and I'm still listening to The Ten Thousand Doors of January.

The Crafting Report:
I crocheted Boba Fett's arms yesterday, but haven't sewn them on yet. I also worked a bit on those pajama pants for Charlie.

What We're Watching:
Some It's Always Sunny, some Monarch, and a couple of Attack on Titan episodes.

And apparently I need to watch Bear? It seems to have won a ton of stuff at the Emmys...

>216 scaifea: - 'The Bear' is excellent! Very intense and stressful at times, but really well done.

Have fun with your Tuesday Teens!

>217 katiekrug: Huh. Intense and stressful isn't usually my jam. But I may have to try it, just for curiosity's sake.

>218 scaifea: - Yeah, I'm not sure it would be your cuppa.

>219 katiekrug: I just saw a headline that said something like, "How in the world did Bear win as a comedy?!" So yeah, maybe not.

>220 scaifea: - It's so dumb that it keeps getting nominated in comedy categories. Yes, there is some humor to it, but it's a drama.

>221 katiekrug: I've decided to let Tomm watching and he can just tell me about it. Ha!

On the Agenda for Today:
A bit of cleaning, then menu planning and prepping my grocery list for...wait for it...Saturday. Ugh. I work tomorrow and Friday, so I won't be able to go shopping until Saturday and I loathe grocery shopping on the weekend. So I'll want to have the list ready to go first thing, but won't have time to work on it in the next two days. I swear, figuring out when to get groceries and when to wash my hair are both akin to advanced calculus. I also want to get into the sewing room for a bit today; I need to get those pajama pants finished. And then maybe I'll do some writing? We'll see. Smoked Sausage Gumbo for dinner tonight.

On the Reading Front:
Still working on the Christie, and I'll finish up The Ten Thousand Doors of January this morning (I think I only have about 10 minutes left).

The Crafting Report:
No time for crafts yesterday.

What We're Watching:
An episode of Drunk History.

I always enjoyed the cool and interesting articles that Julia would post, so as another way to remember her, I thought I'd try to curate some fun links on occasion (i.e. when I remember). So, to start,

Wanna live on a remote Welsh island? No indoor toilet, but...MERLIN

I mean, it kind of sounds horrible, but also kind of amazing?

>224 scaifea: Oh darn, you have to speak Welsh. Other than that, it sounds ideal. HA!

Have a great day Amber, I hope you get the grocery list done.

>225 lauralkeet: Right? Hopes = dashed.

And thanks for the thoughts and prayers. We'll see how it goes.

>222 scaifea: - Smart!

>223 scaifea: - I hear you about figuring out when to go grocery shopping. I've got it down to Wednesday mornings when it's not too busy (though I have to go in the afternoon today because I have to take Nuala to the vet this morning) and, if I can get my ass is gear, early-ish Sunday morning (busy but not unbearable so). Of course, this is all great in theory, but things inevitably come up and I'm thrown off schedule and have to go when I don't want to and I come home in a bad mood :D

>225 lauralkeet: - You should let Rhian (Sanddune) know about the opportunity!

>227 katiekrug: The business of the store is definitely a huge part of the complex equation, plus the weekends are my only time to sleep past 5am, so I get really grumpy when I have to give that up, but I will NOT go grocery shopping on a weekend day any later than 9am. It gets just too bananas in there after that. *hrmph*

Doesn't that job 'opportunity' (catastrotunity?) feel like either a setup for a great horror or comedy movie? I mean, it could go either way...

>228 scaifea: - One of the few things I miss about Texas is the giant grocery stores, where even if it's busy, there is still room to maneuver. Here, our stores are much more cramped and people don't seem to have any self-awareness about blocking, leaving their carts in the middle of the (narrow) aisle, etc. *hrmph back*

There's a very And Then There Were None vibe to the isolated island, for sure!

>229 katiekrug: Oh the aisle blocking! Serenity now!

>229 katiekrug: Last time I went grocery shopping, two people had pulled up for a 10-minute chat right in the middle of an aisle. You'd think they'd take a hint from the many annoyed shoppers trying to go around them/get to things they were blocking, but no, on they chatted.

>231 foggidawn: - GAH! So tempting to just crash one's cart into theirs....

>231 foggidawn: >232 katiekrug: My mom used to say that she wished she'd brought a cattle prod with her when that happened. One time she said it loud enough for the stock person near us to hear and he laughed so hard we thought he'd fall off his step stool.

>233 scaifea: - HA! I don't have a cattle prod, but maybe a pitch fork would do?

>234 katiekrug: Yes, I suspect that would have a similar effect.

>224 scaifea: >225 lauralkeet: I've been reading about Ynys Ennlli in my Welsh course - it does sound lovely. As long as I could take lots of books for when it was raining. I could probably cope with the day to day Welsh now, although North Wales Welsh is VERY difficult to understand for Southerners like me.

>228 scaifea: sounds like the perfect prompt for a story writing exercise. There are several ways you could take that.
Darn, no Welsh. What a shame.

We go shopping in the supermarket on a Monday a bit before lunch. in the UK monday is the lowest revenue day in supermarkets, so out theory is that means it is the quietest day.
I then collect bread on a Friday morning and do a top up shop round town on Saturday for fresh meat & vege and the like. #CreaturesOfHabit.

>236 SandDune: It does sound lovely in theory, but the whole lack of hot water and the toilet situation would be a dealbreaker, I think.

That's interesting about the dialect difference. There are certainly places in the US South where I could stand the help of an interpreter, too.

>237 Helenliz: Oh, man, only one trip to the grocery store per week for me. Any more than that would be torture. I prefer to go on Friday mornings, mostly because I like to cook the bigger meals on the weekends, so it feels right to get supplies just before then.

10. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow (audiobook) - 8/10
When January was a young girl, she found a door that opened to another world. But Mr. Locke (her father’s boss and essentially her surrogate father, since her own dad spent almost all his time traveling the world looking for treasures for Mr. Locke’s collection) severely punished her for having such fanciful thoughts, so she put it out of her mind and went on with the business of growing up. Now, at 17, she’s told that her father is dead, and things begin to happen to and around her that make her return to the idea of worlds behind doors…

An excellent idea for a story, and the world(s) building is nicely done. I enjoyed the book just fine, but I fell just shy of *loving* it, mostly because the characters felt a little flat. I was interested in where the story was going, but I never felt fulling invested in the people involved. Still, a fun read.

>238 scaifea: North Wales Welsh and South Wales spoken Welsh can be very different, as there's never been an official spoken version of the language, just several dialects. Traditionally, there is an official written version, the language of the bible translation of the sixteenth century, and that literary language is also grammatically very different from today's spoken language. They don't even start teaching literary Welsh until you're fairly well advanced in your studies!

>240 SandDune: Interesting! Differences between written and spoken languages throughout the ages is something you see in various languages, and I'm always fascinated by it.

Re: grocery shopping days, when I was working I shopped on the weekend (ugh). After I retired, I continued planning meals from Saturday-Friday (Friday usually being takeout), and shopped on Fridays preferably in the morning. I can't seem to break my notion of when the meal-planning week begins. That said, these days I try to shop on Thursdays because that is senior discount day at my local supermarket. I thought it would be mobbed with befuddled seniors who can't find their checkbook (!!) but it's no more crowded than Fridays.

>242 lauralkeet: Oh gosh, I'd forgotten about the way-back days of working full time and shopping on the weekends. The Worst.

I'd love to do one grocery trip a week, but I can't seem to make it work. I plan for a whole week (Sunday to Saturday) but the produce never seems to stay fresh enough, and I like a bit of flexibility. Hence, my usual Sunday and Wednesday trips. I also admit to liking the self-checkout, and it has a 25 item limit so that's a bit of a challenge for a whole week's groceries...

>244 katiekrug: I'm honestly surprised that I don't have more issues with produce freshness toward the end of the week, but somehow it all seems to work out. I do have a few magic tricks up my sleeve, mostly involving paper towels and ziplock bags...

On the Agenda for Today:
Busy day today: I'm working 9-2, then I'll pick up Charlie from school, then we'll go straight to his haircut appointment (new guy for him; fingers crossed that he likes him), and then we may do a bit of window shopping before coming home. He told me yesterday that he'd like to host a Pasta and Painting party for his friends, so we're going looking for some inexpensive canvasses. Leftovers for dinner, thank goodness.

On the Reading Front:
I finished N or M?, started Deryni Rising, read 20 pages or so and realized the writing is awful with raisins, and quickly abandoned that one. I'll start Lair of the Lion today and we'll see how that one goes. I also started and stopped an audiobook yesterday - Hummingbird, which was heavy on the "Everything happens for a reason and God is great despite children being born with incurable illnesses" chestnut, so no thanks - and then started another one, The Words We Keep.

The Crafting Report:
Boba Fett has arms now, so that happened yesterday. I also made some progress on the pajama pants.

What We're Watching:
Some It's Always Sunny, some Monarch, and a couple of episodes of Our Flag Means Death.

Today's article:

Leave it to government admin to suck all the joy out of life.

I mean, come on. How, exactly, are these signs distracting?! Party poopers.

>248 scaifea: - Annoying! I've seen some great ones along NJ highways.

>245 scaifea: - I should probably learn how to properly store produce. I tend to just chuck it in the crisper drawer :-P

I can kind of understand the concern about drivers not from New England being confused by one of those signs, but can’t can’t imagine anyone getting so confused that they run off the road in puzzlement. Massachusetts natives are probably the drivers most likely to need reminding and all of us know what a blinkah is.

>248 scaifea: spoilsports. That does sound like micro-legislating.

>245 scaifea: vege is OK. Bread, I just prefer it fresh from the bakers that the supermarket. Also I get a cake if I go down on a Friday, and it gets my steps in, as I walk to town & back. Pre-emptively walking off the cake, you understand >;-)

>249 katiekrug: Apparently we're not allowed to have joy in our lives. Yeesh.

Honestly, I over-sold my magic abilities; essentially I just wrap the green stuff in some paper towels, put it in a ziplock bag, and get as much air out as I can before sealing it up. And *then* chuck it in the crisper.

>250 Fourpawz2: Yeah, no, I don't see it at all. I'm certainly not a New Englander and I didn't have any trouble breaking the code.

>251 Helenliz: Micro-legislating indeed. How about spending that time on, oh, I don't know, maybe gun legislation?

Bread can be an issue on occasion, but if I need more I try to send Tomm out to get it.

>248 scaifea:, I mean....who decides what's funny? "Hands on the wheel, not on your meal" is just plain useful. Not even worthy of a grin. Is "Don't drink and drive" out now because somebody might envision a driver wearing a lampshade on their head?

>253 laytonwoman3rd: Excellent point! (And I will now and forever see someone driving with a lampshade on their head whenever I hear or read that phrase, so thanks for that.)

11. N or M? by Agatha Christie (mystery) - 9/10
Tommy and Tuppence are now middle-aged and chafing at the idea that no one seems to want to let them help out in this war effort like in the last one. So when an old friend recommends Tommy for a spy gig on home shores, he jumps at the chance, even though they’re both told that it’s men’s work only – and finds Tuppence already undercover and waiting for him when he arrives. Their job is to try to uncover a German spy mastermind in a small resort town while posing as boring old ordinary citizens on extended holiday and staying at a boarding house.

It’s Christie, so of course everyone is a suspect, and the plot is fast-paced and fun. I’m always delightfully shocked by the reveal, and as always, I adore Tommy and Tuppence.

>254 scaifea: You are quite welcome. And I won't mention that I was driving into town the other day, and in traffic this other car kept coming up beside me, one of us getting ahead and then the other, as you do....and the man driving it was holding his cell phone up by the steering wheel, texting and reading the whole time. I don't think he would have been distracted by amusing electronic signs...just saying. ALSO, how about all the electronic billboards that aren't funny...like the scrolling one at the junkyard that flashes from red to green and scares the bejeepers out of me all the time. Or the insurance agency signs with alarming messages about inadequate coverage swapping from English to Spanish and back again. Are those going away too?

>256 laytonwoman3rd: Sing it, sister! Or how about the nearly-billboard-sized Trump flags waving around in some people's yards? Not the interstate, I know, but still extremely disturbing and distracting...

>245 scaifea: Those tricks really do help - but out of sight out of my mind usually prevents them from doing the good they could.

>246 scaifea: The suck fairy really hit Katherine Kurtz hard. I remembered when her approach to technically presented magic was so cool and her angsty hero all that. I thought he was a dork but my BF was smitten so I zipped it.

>247 scaifea: So cute.

>258 quondame: I didn't even get far enough with the Kurtz to experience her bad characters or story (although I was already getting a hint of the un-nuanced plot) because the writing was so, so bad.

On the Agenda for Today:
I'm working the Dolly Shift (that is, if they don't close the library - the school district has announced a snow day), so that'll pretty much be my day. Frozen Friday dinner!

The snow started yesterday afternoon and I was glad that the salon had already called to reschedule Charlie's haircut (his stylist was out sick) because I didn't want to drive in a potential mess. Plus, it meant a pleasantly unexpected nap opportunity, and believe me, I took advantage. Bliss.

On the Reading Front:
I abandoned another one after 10 pages of Lair of the Lion. I lost count of how many times the wind was described as "lashing," and there were so many awkward phrasings, and it was all tell and no show. Very amateur feeling. So just...no. (Apparently 2024 is the year that I Brook No Nonsense when it comes to my reading. And I'm okay with that.) So then I read through The Prince and the Dressmaker - review to come later, but I will say that it is FABULOUS - and started Practical Magic. I also listened to a nice chunk of The Words We Keep. The title refers, at least in part, to a scene in which the main characters work on a black-out poetry project, which is a nice little bit of serendipity since that's what I've planned for next week's Teen Tuesday craft.

The Crafting Report:
Nope. Nuthin'.

What We're Watching:
Some It's Always Sunny, about half of a Broken Lizard movie called Slammin' Salmon (it's hilarious so far), and an episode of Only Murders in the Building.

The Article of the Day:

Robert Smith vs. Toxic Masculinity

The Cure helped shape my formative years, and any time I hear one of their songs, I'm transported right back to the late 80s early 90s me, large hair, pegged jeans, penchant for songs that would make me cry. Ah, the good old days. And Robert Smith should rule the world.

I just finished a book that I really should have just DNFed, so I fully support your Brooking No Nonsense!

Our snow isn't starting until later this morning but they went ahead and canceled school here. The neighborhood is very quiet :)

>262 katiekrug: No luck on the library closing here. *sigh* At least my commute isn't bad.

>259 scaifea: I'd say the plot, for its time at least, was not the problem with Deryni Rising. Predictable, but with interesting detail. But since we are not entering the 1970s, and Katherine Kurtz's oeuvre has become a baseline incorporated by many more skilled writers, nothing there would appear inventive or even interesting.

On the Agenda for Today:
Welp, I *was* planning on doing the grocery shopping this morning, but we were blessed with more snow last night and the roads look a mess. I'll wait until tomorrow and just readjust the menu a bit. So today will be all the non-baking, non-meal prep stuff: laundry, dusting, brushing the dogs, and hopefully some sewing time. No idea what's for dinner. It'll be an adventure in What's in the Freezer!

On the Reading Front:
I listened to more of The Words We Keep and read a chunk of Practical Magic yesterday. Enjoying both just fine so far.

The Crafting Report:
Boba Fett is done!



What We're Watching:
More It's Always Sunny, and then the first have of Dear Evan Hansen.

Whoops, been awhile since I visited, so I hope you don't mind me going back a bit over the discussion...

My preferred day to shop is Wednesday mornings (I work 12-8 that day), but I couldn't do it this month. Right after work or the weekend are nuts, and there isn't a lot of parking at my closest grocery store, but if I go just a tad later, at about 6:30, it gets quiet again, and that's what I ended up doing this week on Thursday night. Good luck going tomorrow!

I had similar reactions to The Ten Thousand Doors of January, but I like her later books better. Starling House was really excellent, as was the novellas that start with A Spindle Splintered.

And Boba Fett look great!

>266 bell7: I've never tried going later in the evening (I'd be way too tired); it's interesting that it slows back down! Smart! I'll have no trouble shopping tomorrow morning, since it'll be just us heathens; the non-sinners will all be at church!

Thanks for the tip about Harrow's later stuff - if I come across them, I won't immediately dismiss them, then.

And thanks! I didn't get a very good photo, but he has a little cape, too.

I hope there's good things lurking in the freezer!

I hope there's time for fun things after all that adulting you've got planned for the day.

My feelings about The Ten Thousand Doors of January pretty much exactly echoed yours. I own her second novel, The Once and Future Witches, on Kindle, so will at least give that one a try at some point.

I took Marina to the airport this morning - we left the house at 5:00. I so like my leisurely mornings on the weekends and so I took advantage of the early morning out to get it out of the way and boy am I glad! Hope your snow gets cleared.

>268 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky.

>269 curioussquared: My boss said the same thing about the January book, so that must be a pretty common reception. I mean, I frequently have the thought, "If only Gaiman had written this one," but the wish was really strong for this one. I have tOaFW on my list but didn't make the connection that it's the same author. Fingers crossed that the writing is a bit better in that one.

>270 AMQS: Ooof, 5am on a weekend is criminal! My condolences. You're right, though, that it frees up the rest of the day!

On the Agenda for Today:
Once I finish my first cuppa I'll head right out the door to get the grocery shopping over with. *sigh* The rest of the day will be laundry, baking (Maple Nut Coffee Cake for this week's breakfast and a No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie for dessert), meal prep for Charlie's lunches, typing up some new recipes that passed the Scaife Men Test, sorting out my schedule and To Do lists for the week, calling my parents, and then getting a new thread started and writing up one (possibly two at that point) review(s). Pulled Pork in Peanut Sauce for dinner tonight, probably with a side of broccoli.

On the Reading Front:
I'm very nearly finished listening to The Words We Keep (I'll probably finish up while grocery shopping, there and back again), and I made some progress with Practical Magic.

The Crafting Report:
Charlie's pajama pants are finally finished! If I find a couple of spare minutes today, I'll tidy up the sewing room and figure out what's next.

What We're Watching:
More It's Always Sunny, some Monarch, and we finished Dear Evan Hansen, which is a gut punch and a half. So, so good, though, and Ben Platt was stunning. Definitely recommended, but be sure to stay hydrated.

At least as far as grocery shopping goes, our day looks similar :) And baking! But I'm making chocolate peanut butter chip cookies. No crafting or cooking for me today. And you're probably not going to watch football :D

Have a great Sunday, Amber!

>273 katiekrug: Ha! Ew, no football for me, thanks.

So these cookies. Are they chocolate and have PB chips? Or is it a regular cookie batter base with chocolate chips and peanut butter chips? Or chocolate chip cookies with PB in them?

>274 scaifea: - They are chocolate cookies with pb chips. I was going to do chocolate with chocolate chips but decided to take a walk on the wild side. Ha. The "recipe" uses a box of choclate cake mix, and they are supposed to come out chewy, which is my preferred cookie texture.

>275 katiekrug: Those sound good! In my experience cake mix cookies usually do come out nice and chewy.

>275 katiekrug: I made cookies like that once or twice a long time ago. I think there was (is?) a recipe on the Reese's PB Chips bag. But it didn't call for cake mix. That sounds yum.

Me, I'm now craving peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips. Since I just made cookies the other day I am not going to rush into this; just making a mental note.

>277 lauralkeet: That's funny because your oatmeal chocolate chip cookies made me hungry the other day!

The new thread is up:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/357544