January at a glance...

Jan 4...a late lunch/early supper at a favorite restaurant after a long-talked-about visit to the National Pacific War Museum 

Jan 6...trying out my Christmas gift from Kasey and family...Ninja air fryer ♥

Jan 10...way too much of this kind of procrastination going on

Jan 13...new Swish card game at Sunday family supper...and we like it!  The cards are transparent and have 'rings' and 'dots' on them in various locations and colors.  The cards are laid out on the table, and players attempt to visually determine pairs or multiples of cards on which colored 'rings' will stack with the same colored 'dots'.  When a player thinks he has found a match, he (or she) yells, 'SWISH!' before picking up the cards to prove the match.  If they match, that player keeps the cards, and player with most cards at end wins.  Flipping and/or rotating the cards is allowed to match the patterns.

Jan 14...new Birkenstock canvas sneakers...so cute.  Worth the new-shoe blisters?

Jan 15...deer herd in front yard...daily occurrence...one reason I don't garden

Jan 16...Goodwill drop off

Jan 17...Pineapple Banana Bread fresh from the oven

Jan 18...filling in at my favorite branch, and it just happens to be the one closest to my house.  :)

Jan 19...mending...the thread looked like a close match until I started sewing...oh well, good enough for these pants' purpose

Jan 20...'dirt' pudding (crushed Oreo cookies layered in and on top) for Sunday family supper's dessert at Caitlyn's request

Jan 21...day trip to visit Carey's mother

Jan 22...more cross-stitch tags...relaxing and instant gratification  :)

Jan 23...port flush today...taking care of my equipment so it takes care of me  :)

Jan 24...Rudy...his tail is always a blur!

Jan 25...hot chocolate mug cake...à la Blue Bell mode

1 pkt hot cocoa mix, 4 T flour, 3 T water, 2 tsp melted butter, 1/4 tsp vanilla, 2 T choc chips

Stir together and microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes,  or till set but still melty in middle.

Jan 27...another new game for Sunday family suppers, and another one we like!  This one is called Dabble.  Draw 20 letter tiles, then make 5 words: a 2-letter, a 3-letter, a 4-letter, a 5-letter, and a 6-letter word.  First person to make each of those shouts, 'Dabble!' and all players get the point values for the words they were able to complete, with the person who completed all five words getting a 25 point bonus.  First player to reach 500 points wins. 

Jan 28...Having some trouble with 2019 reading challenge already...too many books set in other countries that I want to read.  This reading challenge may end up being a multi-year challenge for me.

Jan 29...oh my aching back!

Jan 30...My friend Cat called to talk about a baby quilt she is making soon but didn't have a pattern for.  We were looking at a picture online of the quilt pattern she was leaning toward, when I realized the pattern book cover looked very familiar.  I checked my Amazon purchase history and, sure enough, I own it.  Miracle of miracles, I was able to FIND the book in my messy house.  Happy to share it with Cat...even if she did raz me about not updating my blog enough lately.  LOL  She's right.  I'll try to do better.

Jan 31...trying to catch up

What I am reading Wednesday...

Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay

A couple of days ago I knocked over a stack of mail and catalogs on my coffee table.  Apparently it had been growing there for quite awhile, as this book was in it, and I have no idea where it came from.  I don't remember buying it.  So I read the first paragraph to see if it rang any bells...and I finished the book about 24 hours later.  :)  Reminds me a bit of The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, probably because it also deals with occupied France during World War II.

I am Mrs. Jesse James by Pat Wahler

Now I've moved on to this one which has been on my Kindle for awhile.  Thought it might be an interesting take on what has been committed to folklore, and I'm pretty sure it is set in Missouri, so it will tick another state off the challenge list.

What I'm reading Wednesday...

The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

I've listened to the author's radio show occasionally, but I've never read one of his books.  

I've always been pretty good with money.  I know how to live within my means.  I save for a rainy day and retirement.  But I've never understood how to make a budget.  I mean, I understand the concept, but I don't get the day-to-day dynamics.  Keeping cash at home?  For all monthly needs?  

Anyway, I decided to read this now since I could borrow the ebook from my library.  I believe a friend is thinking about reading it as well, so we can discuss.

It doesn't really fit in my annual reading challenge since it doesn't have a 'setting.'  The author lives and does his radio show in Tennessee, so I think I will file it under that.

Making it Monday...

We went to see Carey's mom today.  I wanted to take her something.  She writes notes to family and friends often, so I made some cards last night.

I used the August 2018 Paper Pumpkin from Stampin Up.  Paper Pumpkin is a monthly subscription that comes with everything you need to make a number of projects.

I thought of Carey's mom as soon as I saw this set, and as usual put off until the visit was imminent to make an assortment of cards. 

I finished in the wee hours, so the lighting is really atrocious, and the colors look washed out, but the colors in this kit are actually so vibrant.  

I added other cardstocks to make card bases and layers to stretch the number of cards I could make.  On most I used MS Publisher to design and print the interiors of the card bases with Bible verses.  I also used various sentiment stamps from my collection that are from other companies.

 

There were enough supplies in the kit to make duplicates of some of these, plus I have quite a bit of the vellum leaves, twine, glue dots, and dimensionals left over.

 I included a couple of books of floral postage stamps so she would have everything she needed.

We had a great visit and lunch out.  Carey and I got home about 8:00 p.m.  It was a long day, for sure, on how little sleep I had.  

What I'm reading Wednesday...

The Window Trail by JJ Rusz

I haven't finished last week's book yet; it is full of information that takes some thought and sometimes backtracking a page or two.  It is extremely interesting to me, as I search every photo to see if one or both of my parents might have been in camera range.  Living and working among the crowds, high rents (if you could find living space to rent), shortages and rationing must have been true culture shock for my mother who was raised on a Nebraska farm, and my father from small town Nebraska.  

Last week's book is also a paperback, and I prefer to be able to slip my Kindle into my purse for appointments, waiting, etc.  So I started The Window Trail (see photo above) because it is on my Kindle.  This one is set in Texas (my home state) in the Big Bend National Park area.  Readers who know me IRL know that I hate am not fond of the Big Bend area, or deserts in general.  My husband and both of our children love it, however.  The family joke is that I think they should spread my ashes there after I die; not because I like it, but because I know they will come visit me.  :)

2019 Reading Challenge...

I took 2018 off from reading challenges, but I found one that piqued my interest for 2019.  It is the 2019 Literary Escapes Challenge, and the goal is to read a book which is set in each of the 50 states in the U.S. and the District of Columbia...so 51 books total.  

I may not get them all read within the year, we'll see how it goes.  I'll keep track of them on my 2019 Reading Challenge page which can be found by clicking the link under the blog title photo.

I'm starting off with the District of Columbia, and reading...

Lipstick Brigade: The Untold True Story of Washington's World War II Government Girls

by Cindy Gueli

This one is a non-fiction that has been sitting on the shelf for awhile.  I purchased it because my mother was among the young women who jumped at the chance to move to the nation's capital and work for the government as it geared up to enter World War II.

2018 year in review...

Best Read of the Year:

News of the World by Paulette Jiles

Best Buy of the Year:

My Victorinox paring knives.  For fifteen years I've had one paring knife that I loved, and kept buying others that I hoped would live up to that one.  This year I decided to research my fave, buy more of them, and get rid of all the rest.  Sooooo happy I finally did this.

Best decision of the year:

Decided to give Weight Watchers another try.  I've tried their plan several times over the years, and this newest version makes the most sense to me and is the easiest yet.  I've lost 20 pounds.  

As far as how I did on goals:
     Being more productive?
          I worked a lot, and I created a lot.  Success!
     Getting jobs done that needed doing around the house?  
          Not so much.
     Healthier diet?  
          Yes.  Increased fresh fruit & veg; 
          decreased sugar and unhealthy fats.
     Reset sleep patterns?  
          Utter fail.  Must work on this.
     Eat breakfast?  
          Yes and no.  I definitely do it more often than before, 
          but I'm not consistent.
     Write it down?  
          Love my to-do list!
     Finances?  
          Did pretty well here, but rethinking methods for 2019.
     Home projects?  
          Utter fail.  House always suffers when I work more.
     Reduce possessions?  
          Utter fail.  
     Read the One-Year Bible?  
          Complete!
     52 Letters in 52 Weeks?  
          Complete!
     Quilting -- complete 10 projects?  
          Seven of ten projects completed!  Not too bad.

All in all, I am happy with how 2018 went.  NEXT!