This could’ve been a no-shopping day, but it didn’t turn out that way. I hit Walmart, Price Chopper and Agway while I was downtown. Walmart was to pick up some things for mom, both Price Chopper and Agway were quickies for GCs. I figured I’d check Price Chopper to see if they had gotten in more Texas Roadhouse GCs and it just so happened the woman was refilling all the GCs when I arrived! I asked her about Texas Roadhouse and she pulled them out of the bin for me, so that was nice.

I also got Alaska!niece’s box packed up and went to the post office to mail it! Then I stopped at mom’s to drop off the shopping and GCs I’d picked up for her, as I knew she was eager to get some into the mail.

Sister S was at mom’s and while I was there L called because Addilyn wanted to talk to her. (She tattled about seeing me at BK. *g*) They’re currently down at CHOP for Addi to have a bladder scan to make sure it continues to work well. Apparently lack of sensation in that area is common with the spinal injury where she has it from the spina bifida. All good thoughts welcome.

I did three loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, emptied the dishwasher, went for a couple walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, hit the bank drive-thru, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I baked chicken breasts with a honey mustard sauce for supper.

I watched an HGTV program, wrote out a couple more cards, and wrote ~400 more words on my second fandomtrees fic!!

Temps started out at 17.6(F) and reached 32.7. There was more wind, so once again the walking trails were drifted in a bit and it made for difficult walking.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing okay when I saw her. ( more back here )

I did not go downtown today because I planned to visit my aunt, which is in the other direction. I still went to the McD’s there and got some writing done; ~800 words on a new fic for fandomtrees!!

I stopped at the Price Chopper there to get GCs for Christmas. (You get 6x the points on GCs this week!) And at a local diner for another GC. I managed to get a good portion of my GCs today, which is nice. (The same GC was not available at my usual Price Chopper OR this one – Texas Roadhouse. Must be everyone wanted to give some Texas Roadhouse love for Christmas? I hope more come in. It won’t be the end of the world if not as I can still get them from Walmart, but I won’t get the points.) I still have to order one (Etsy!) and pick up some at local businesses downtown.

I received a package that contained some Christmas gifts. Other than getting the additional GCs mentioned above, I need to get the package ready to send to Alaska!niece. Hopefully by tomorrow.

I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, went for a walk with the dogs, baked chicken for the dogs' meals, prepared a deposit for the LLC, and scooped kitty litter. I also hit the library to return a book and Stewart's. I pan-fried cheese and garlic sausage for Pip because he was intrigued by the idea of sausage with cheese in it when one of his employees brought it in for lunch. I’m not sure I got the right thing, but he liked it well enough.

I watched the first three eps of The Pitt. It is so easy to marathon these eps!

Temps started out at 24.4(F) and dropped to 20.8 in less than an hour, then reached 23.0 for the high. o_O And that doesn’t take into account the wind, which probably makes it feel more like 10 out there. I got to shovel again; between getting a little more snow and the wind causing drifting, I had a bit to clean off the sidewalk.

---

Mom Update:

Mom was not doing too badly when I visited her. ( more back here )

---

Aunt Update:

My aunt was not doing well. ( more back here )

I had a chiropractic appointment this morning. I hit the Pharmacy for myself and Price Chopper to pick up some things for mom while I was downtown.

I stopped by mom’s briefly to delivery her groceries etc, but didn’t stay because of the snow. I also hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, e-filed the sales and tire tax for the garage, wrote out a check for my aunt, and scooped kitty litter. I made a wacky cake because I’ve been in the mood and put together the ziti for supper.

I got more Christmas stuff done: I placed two orders and made a list so I could make sure I was on track with GC purchases. The big thing will be if I get things wrapped or bagged ahead of time. I also watched some HGTV programs.

ETA: I forgot to tell you about a poll I saw on Tumblr today. Thinking about my answer to it made me chuckle. It was the last song you heard as a tattoo. I've been listening to the Top Gun CD so the last song I actually heard was the instrumental theme song, which would not make a good tattoo. But I got thinking, it would've been cool if it had been 'Danger Zone'!! And then I thought, it would have been appropriate if it had been 'Playing With the Boys', since that's what I do here on DW. *g*

Temps started out at 30.2(F) and reached 36.3. The snow started about 7:45am, but the roads were coated by the time I left downtown and picked up the dogs (on the way home so I didn’t have to make another trip). It was basically over at 3pm and we only got about 4 inches (out of a possible 8, so that doesn't hurt my feelings). The first time I shoveled the snow was pretty light, but by the second time it had gotten heavier, probably because the temp went up a bit.


Mom Update:

Please see this post for today’s update. I’ve since put in a cut for those who won’t want to read it when scrolling.

Bestselling, beloved author of The Charm Bracelet spins a tale about a lost young woman and the family recipe box that changes her life.

Growing up in northern Michigan, Samantha "Sam" Mullins felt trapped on her family's orchard and in their pie shop, so she left with dreams of making her own mark in the world. But life as an overworked, undervalued sous chef at a reality star's New York bakery is not what Sam dreamed.

When the chef embarrasses Sam, she quits and returns home. Unemployed, single, and defeated, she spends a summer working on her family's orchard cooking and baking alongside the women in her life--including her mother, Deana, and grandmother, Willo. One beloved, flour-flecked, ink-smeared recipe at a time, Sam begins to learn about and understand the women in her life, her family's history, and her passion for food through their treasured recipe box.

As Sam discovers what matters most she opens her heart to a man she left behind, but who now might be the key to her happiness.

I’m not sure why I picked up this book; I wasn’t crazy about the first book I read by this author. Turns out, this one was very much like that one. Sort of sappy and clichéd. Like a Hallmark card, and just as predictable. Plus, I get it, you like Michigan.

It probably wouldn’t have been so bad if Sam had been at all likable. But she acts like a teenager, constantly changing her mind and not being able to stick to a plan. I’m really not sure why Angelo, the love interest, even likes her. She’s whiny and tends to lash out. I thought the grandmother’s back story was more interesting, but then it turns out that now she’s practically a saint.

About the only thing I can recommend about the book are the recipes. I’m going to copy some before I give the book away.




( Mount TBR 2025 Book Links 1-45 )

46. A Path Where No Man Thought: Nuclear Winter and Its Implications by Carl Sagan
47. 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
48. Curfew by Phil Rickman
49. The King's Justice by Stephen R. Donaldson
50. Virgin by F. Paul Wilson
51. The Ancients by John Larison
52. Children of Memory (Children of Time 3) by Adrian Tchaikovsky
53. Claude’s Christmas Adventure by Sophie Pembroke
54. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
55. The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
56. Quick Fixes: Tales of Repairman Jack by F. Paul Wilson
57. Followed Home (Exalls Attacks, Book 1) by Andre Gonzalez
58. The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman







DEC - “Snuggle Up & Read”

Let’s get cozy! Read some cozy fiction, a cozy mystery, or a cozy romance book.

The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman

What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: And to All a Good Bite (Andy Carpenter Series) by David Rosenfelt and Framed in Death (In Death Series) by J.D. Robb.


What I am Currently Reading: The Serpent on the Crown (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) by Elizabeth Peters.


What I Plan to Read Next: I have a library book out, so hopefully that.

---

Book 108 of 2025: And to All a Good Bite (Andy Carpenter Series) (David Rosenfelt)

I enjoyed this book! ( spoilers )

I don't know why, but I have a soft spot for the Christmas-themed stories in this series. This one was very good; I'm giving it five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

---

Book 109 of 2025: Framed in Death (In Death Series) (J.D. Robb)

I enjoyed this! ( spoilers )

This was a good story and I'm giving it five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

I hit Walmart while I was downtown. (I got to see Baby A – should I change that to Toddler A now?!! *g* – again when I was at BK and Sister S was going through the drive-thru with her. Apparently she loves the hash browns. *g* They were on their way to PT, then school.)

I drove mom to her appointments, did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, went for a walk with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I also hit the post office and the bank.

I ended up making a crustless broccoli and cheese quiche for supper. I'll put the ziti together for tomorrow instead.

I read the Amelia Peabody book and watched an HGTV program.

Temps started out at -3.3(F) (why so freaking cold already?!!) and reached 25.9 (that I saw). BRR!


Mom Update:

Mom was not feeling great today. ( more back here )

9-1-1: On hiatus until Jan 8.


Matlock: Mom and I have not yet watched this episode. I’m actually kind of dreading it because I’m worried things are going to backfire.


Tracker: This was a good ep. ( spoilers )

I had a dr appt this morning, my annual. I had been putting off several appointments I need to make while taking care of mom and driving her to appointments, so I made several today, including two ultrasounds and my mammogram. I also got a tetanus shot (which I later completely forgot about until my arm started aching a bit in the evening). I was told I could get the pneumonia vaccine, but turned it down for now. (For those of you who get it, what are your thoughts on it?)

I made quickie trips to Dollar Tree and Price Chopper while I was downtown. I had planned to stay home tomorrow morning, since I’ll be driving mom to her appointment, but now I’m not sure what I’m going to do. We’re supposed to get snow on Wednesday, so perhaps I need to get food to plan more meals, just in case. However, we’re only supposed to get 1-3, and as long as they don’t close school the roads should be fine, AND I have my chiropractic appointment Wednesday morning, which I don’t want to miss . . . Ahhh! *pulls hair* Decisions!

I visited mom, did a load of laundry, browned ground beef for tomorrow’s ziti, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. I also hit the post office to mail more cards and Stewart's (for gas and milk). I shake 'n baked chicken legs for Pip's supper and had some cheese tortellini with butter and grated cheese for mine.

I watched Tracker and read more in Amelia Peabody.

Temps started out at 10.6(F) and reached 17.4. Cold.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing okay when I saw her. ( more back here )

I did two loads of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for a walk with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and changed kitty litter. I also placed a couple of Christmas orders. I made corned beef (one of Pip’s faves) for supper.

I started the next Amelia Peabody book and watched an HGTV program and most of the Bills game. I say most because I missed the entire fourth quarter (Best Part of the Game!!) due to making supper at that time. When I left the bedroom tv, the score was 28–18, Bills losing. The final was 39–34, Bills won! I mean, I’m glad they won, but I wish I’d seen it!

I also got more Christmas cards done! (If you haven't requested one, but would like a Christmas card from me, comment here!)

Temps started out at 30.9(F) and reached 37.9. The top layer of snow melted enough to be slippery, but it didn't feel warm.


Mom Update:

Mom was not feeling well today when I talked to her. ( more back here )

They thought the cabin would be a peaceful escape. They were wrong.

When a group of friends travels to a secluded family cabin for a weekend getaway, they're expecting campfires, laughter, and maybe a little drama. What they don't expect is a stranger lurking in the woods—watching, waiting, and ready to turn their retreat into a blood-soaked nightmare.

What begins as a single night of terror becomes something far more horrifying. Because the killer isn’t finished. He’s followed them home.

Now, scattered across the city, each survivor is being hunted—stalked in their own neighborhoods, their routines shattered, their lives unraveling.

You can survive the night. But what if the night survives you?

I guess it’s horror, though it also fit in the science fiction genre. Whatever it’s supposed to be, it’s not done very well. There’s a lot of stuff just thrown in that’s supposed to explain what’s going on but really doesn’t.

I never became attached to any of the characters. It starts out with a group of guys out camping and then jumps to a grandmother who’s also a top government agent. Much grotesque killings along the way.

The “monsters” are something of a puzzle. They’re either very smart or incredibly dumb. There’s a sequel that might make sense of all this, but I’m not wasting the time.




( Mount TBR 2025 Book Links 1-45 )

46. A Path Where No Man Thought: Nuclear Winter and Its Implications by Carl Sagan
47. 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
48. Curfew by Phil Rickman
49. The King's Justice by Stephen R. Donaldson
50. Virgin by F. Paul Wilson
51. The Ancients by John Larison
52. Children of Memory (Children of Time 3) by Adrian Tchaikovsky
53. Claude’s Christmas Adventure by Sophie Pembroke
54. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
55. The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
56. Quick Fixes: Tales of Repairman Jack by F. Paul Wilson
57. Followed Home (Exalls Attacks, Book 1) by Andre Gonzalez







Written by a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) author
1. Followed Home (Exalls Attacks, Book 1) by Andre Gonzalez

But, hey, it completed a challenge.

I hit Price Chopper (yes, again; yesterday’s visit to the other Price Chopper was unplanned and I didn’t get everything on my list *g*), the Bakery, and Agway while I was downtown. I stopped at the Post Office on the way home to mail the rest of my Christmas cards.

I visited mom, did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I made an oven pancake with bacon for supper. Yum! (Thanks, kat_lair!)

I finished the new In Death and watched an HGTV program. Dr. Pol was my background tv in the evening.

Temps started out at 19.9(F) (which was odd, because it was 9.7 before I went to bed) and started going down until it was 15.1 when I left the house). Better than -7, but still cold! Temps reached 38.7, but there was a breeze and it didn’t feel very warm.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing pretty good when I visited her. ( more back here )

I did not go downtown today because I planned to visit my aunt and that’s in the opposite direction and I just didn’t feel like it, you know? So I dropped Grant off at the garage like usual, then came back home and threw in a load of laundry and had some hot cocoa while I perused my f-list.

Then I headed to the McD’s in the other direction and did some writing!!! I got 500 words written on my Murder, She Wrote/Hudson & Rex crossover to bring the first draft to an end. I had typed in some of the story, then handwrote more, so I have that bit to type in now.

From McD’s I hit the post office to mail the cards I had gotten done (and pick up more stamps), visited my aunt, and hit Price Chopper (not originally part of the plan, but I had time, so . . .). I stopped at mom’s for a visit on the way home before picking up the dogs.

Additionally I hand-washed dishes, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, baked chicken for the dogs' meals, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. I had planned Italian sausage for supper, but Pip gave me a hard time about cooking it inside, so he decided on grilled cheese. *shrugs*

I read more in the new In Death. Dr. Pol was my background tv in the evening.

Temps started out at -6.9(F) (yes, that is a minus sign, as in below zero BRRR) and reached 20.1. (It was around 15 when Pip asked me if I planned on grilling the Italian sausage. I was like, are you frelling nuts?!!)


Mom Update:

Mom was feeling like crap today. Just very weak and sick to her stomach (after just drinking some water). She had to keep taking a break while attempting to make egg salad; she got the eggs boiled, then had to rest. While I was there she peeled them, but asked me to finish it up. I also filled pill organizers and washed her dishes.

I had a pedicure this morning. I went with a red-red polish. For the design she painted white stripes, so it looked like a candy cane. After that, I hit Walmart to do my regular weekly shopping. On the way downtown I remembered that I needed a blood draw for my doctor appt on Monday. (I didn’t forget about the appointment, I knew it was coming up in December, but December seemed to leap upon me suddenly!) Then I remembered that I needed to stop by the pharmacy, as well!

I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter. I finished up chili for supper and made cornbread. (The chili was not my best, disappointing.)

I stopped at the library to pick up a book. Our library didn’t have the new In Death book yet, so Librarian #2 (not the head librarian), who has already read the book, took it out from a different library where she also works, for me. I need to get that book read quickly and take even better care than usual since it’s not even signed out under my name. There was a surprise book that I had actually requested waiting for me, too.

I hung my wreath! Wreaths used to come with a little wire thingy that you could loop over the hanger, but no more. I had to wait to get a piece of wire from the garage to use.



I lit my scented candle, turned on the few Christmas ornaments that light up, and put the shuffle on my old iPod that barely works these days so I could listen to Christmas music and did a good number of Christmas cards! Very pleased with myself.

I started the new In Death book I got today and Zoo Tampa was my background tv in the evening.

Temps started out at 30.2(F) and reached 30.9. When I got home around noon, it was 29-something and just kept hovering in that vicinity, 28, 29, 30 . . . It was also very windy. Very. We weren’t supposed to get any snow, but suddenly I’m getting warnings for snow squalls from TWC app. We got enough snow that I had to go back out and shovel after supper clean-up, while Pip was out blowing open the trails again. (Between the snow and the wind, the trails had gotten pretty clogged in certain places.) It had already fallen to 15 degrees by that point, so it was chilly out, and still windy.



Mom Update:

Mom was doing the same, sadly. She’s still eating, thankfully, but not all of it is sitting well. She tucked herself away in her ‘den’ where she is hidden from seeing what the weather is like because she didn’t like seeing more snow coming down, and watched a Hallmark movie that she enjoyed, then her usual Love Boat and Mama’s Family. *g* One of her friends from work called her, which was nice.

TV Talk:

9-1-1: On hiatus until Jan 8.


Matlock: No new ep this week; new eps return Dec 4.


Tracker: Good ep. ( spoilers )



TV News:

Scarpetta: I just read that they’re making a tv series out of the Kay Scarpetta books! I didn’t keep up with the series, but I enjoyed I (for the most part). I’m looking forward to seeing this and hoping it’s worth watching! Nicole Kidman Suits Up as ‘Scarpetta’ in First Look at Amazon’s Crime Thriller Series (variety.com)

I had a chiropractic appointment this morning. I hit Walmart while I was downtown and made a quick stop at Dollar General on the way home. This was not my usual Walmart trip; I needed to pick up a new vacuum cleaner and some cute outfits to send to Alaska!niece for Hazel. (I already bought Hazel a Green Bay Packer’s t-shirt, because that’s her mom’s favorite team. *g*)

I immediately put the vacuum cleaner together and used it in the living room. My old vacuum has not been able to do that rug in ages. Even raising it as high as it goes, it feels like it’s sucking the rug in and I need two hands to move it. This vacuum moved over that rug like a dream! I may actually start to enjoy vacuuming now! (Haha, no, not really!)

I visited mom, then stopped at Sunnycrest (to pick up the wreath I’d ordered) and Stewart’s (for milk) on the way to pick up the dogs at the garage.

I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, went for several walks with Pip and the dogs, cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, scooped kitty litter, and showered. I used the leftover chicken and broth to make chicken and gravy over rice for supper.

I napped and watched an HGTV program. I also ‘started’ my Christmas cards! (Since I got to it late in the day, and Pip came home early, I managed to get two written out, but it’s a start!!)

Temps started out at 22.1(F) (when I got up, but dropped to 15.8 before I left the house) and reached 36.7.


Mom Update:

Mom was not feeling well when I visited her. ( more back here )

Book in a series: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62226126-the-last-devil-to-die
Multiple POVs: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/136276174-the-search-party
Female author: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/210795013-here-one-moment
Friendship: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/196764063-the-day-after-the-party
Name in the title: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/197627190-the-reappearance-of-rachel-price
YA: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/174163045-the-dare
Biography/memoir: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211163702-kingmaker
Scifi/fantasy: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36630924-here-and-now-and-then
Book from TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28016509-the-girl-before
With a woman protagonist: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200638897-the-fortune-teller
Ebook/audiobook: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204587595-her-majesty-s-royal-coven
Set somewhere you've been: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13614116-natural-causes
From the library: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/179312410-has-anyone-seen-charlotte-salter
Free space: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60092195-the-shadow-cabinet
Thriller/suspense: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213900857-the-footage
Over 300 pages: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/73062.Scarlett
Crime/mystery: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/217002158-with-a-vengeance
LGBTQ+: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60218498-one-last-stop
Anthology: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63874788-in-these-hallowed-halls
POC Author: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40317428-my-sister-the-serial-killer
Banned book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22628.The_Perks_of_Being_a_Wallflower
Non human POV: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/529907.Whisker_of_Evil
Movie / TV tie in: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23843001-sins-of-the-father
Recommended: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216371549-the-pretender

Substitution list:
*Author you've never read before - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64417442-the-final-party
*Book older then you are - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/483103.The_Seven_Dials_Mystery
*Fairy Tale or Fairy Tale Retelling - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216857140-spellbound
*Graphic novel or Comic - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213477761-fate
*Pet or Animal Companion
*A main character over the age of 30 - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/201465867-you-are-here
*Under 100 Pages - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63945326-the-gift
*Romance Plot or Sub-plot - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203416581-a-novel-love-story
*Translated https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61448964-g-kungen
*Humour - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/206033088-why-we-were-right
*Non- fiction - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237892424-now-what
*With a Blue Cover - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62792245-five-bad-deeds
*Horror or Paranormal
*Colour in the Title - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31453016-the-blue-pool
*Seasonal Read - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208447806-the-summer-dare
*Book made into a film or tv series - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36306720-the-perfect-couple
*Historical (fiction or non-fiction) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27153431-katherine-of-aragon-the-true-queen
*Number in title - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61653791-four-found-dead
*Female author - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35528896-the-treatment
*Three word title - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37819454-three-days-missing
*Craft, Hobby or Cookbook
*Written by an author from your state or country - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34500823-the-shadow-queen
*Animal on the cover
*Disability or Mental health - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52033886-silent-night
*Read a book from the year you were born - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46019.The_Skull_Beneath_the_Skin
*Mythology - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/202104248-the-end-crowns-all
*Title begins with first letter of your name - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40770941-her-pretty-face
*Dystopian - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214471703-sunrise-on-the-reaping
*Book mentioned in another book - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29292832-the-woman-in-cabin-10
*Diverse reads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56425440-last-night-at-the-telegraph-club
*One word title - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218455872-sleep
*Award Winning/Bestseller - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54860229-the-mirror-the-light
*Disabled Author - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36538483-the-brightsiders
*Non-western Setting - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63247547-last-resort
*Set in your state/country - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39926632-her-last-move
*Title is at Least Five Words Long - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/203019749-things-don-t-break-on-their-own
*indigenous author - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60839741-bad-cree
*Has illustrations (but not a comic or graphic novel) - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62715477-fire-and-blood
*Set at a school/university (my old one, in fact)- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/219491276-when-we-were-killers
*No sex/romance
*Re-read - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51901147-the-ballad-of-songbirds-and-snakes


My Goodreads is here, feel free to follow: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/46625765?ref=nav_profile_l

What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Dogged Pursuit (Andy Carpenter Series) by David Rosenfelt and The Black Wolf (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel) by Louise Penny.


What I am Currently Reading: And to All a Good Bite (Andy Carpenter Series) by David Rosenfelt.


What I Plan to Read Next: I have a library book out, so hopefully that.

---

Book 106 of 2025: Dogged Pursuit (Andy Carpenter Series) (David Rosenfelt)

I really enjoyed this book! I was afraid I wouldn't ( spoilers )

This book was wonderful! I'm giving it five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

---

Book 107 of 2025: The Black Wolf (A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel) (Louise Penny)

I enjoyed this book. ( spoilers )

I really liked this book and am giving it five hearts. I hope that Penny continues this series!

♥♥♥♥♥

I did not go downtown today. I did put a pork roast in the crock pot so I could make pulled pork for supper, though. *g*

I shoveled snow, whee!! I was smart enough to do it over three times, instead of all at once. Much easier to do an inch or two at a time. It helped that the snow was dry and light. I not only did the sidewalk, I did the deck! (When the snow is heavy, I can barely get the sidewalk finished without killing my back, there’s no way I could do the deck.)

I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, went for a walk with Pip and the dogs (after Pip blew out the trail), cut up chicken for the dogs' meals, and scooped kitty litter.

I lit a scented candle! I made myself an actual breakfast (ham and cheese scramble with toast). AND I read through, edited, and posted two fic!! (One won’t be revealed until Jan 8, though.) I also read the newest Andy Carpenter book. Zoo Tampa was my evening background tv.

Temps started out at 22.6(F) (which was a surprise, because it was 12 when we went to bed last night!) and reached 29.2. The forecast had changed from 3-5 to 3-8 but my estimate from the shoveling is that we only got about 3 1/2. Not upset about that.


Mom Update:

Mom did not feel great today. ( more back here )