Lucky you! I didn't find the Oz books until I had my kids. I read all of the original series out loud 3 times to make up for the deficit in my childhood! It's good that my kids loved them too! The Black Stallion series https://www.goodreads.com/series/49696-the-black-stallion was substantial. I had a hard time getting them for dd via the library due to popularity and ended up buying the first three. Pretty box set. Managed to get a few more before we moved away. Growing up my library had most of them but they were shelved with the adult books. My mom had to be there so I could check them out. It really was a big deal......the librarians were very diligent about keeping children away from the adult books. I never figured out why they were adult books......

I loved the Black Stallion books! I read all I could find and reread them with Dd. I was more of a Louisa May Alcott fan than Montgomery. I don't think my library went beyond Wrinkle in Time. Another author I was able to enjoy with the kids. ;)

I just put the first Rick Yancy on hold. Looks good and the reviews mention a comparison to The Passage which I loved! Ahhh, The Scarlet Slipper Mystery. I remember my mom buying that for me at a Kmart we visited when we were away from home. I loved that book and had been thinking about rereading it for the red shoes Bingo square. Speaking of rereads from childhood while compiling my Brit Trip book lists I ran into my long lost King Arthur book which I have posted about many times. I was about 12 when I took it off my sil bookshelf and fell in love with Arthur. All I could remember was a green cover and her name was something like Lenore. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/654401.Lionors. On order, I didn't take the new book ban pledge fortunately! Glad your hand is doing well! I have to say that cover makes quite a statement. Amazing how much what's cool has changed. I loved Trixie Beldon. I read a few of both series when dd was the right age and they weren't quite as good as I remembered. ;). Dd loved both fortunately. I did end up rereading most of the Cherry Ames series which I also loved at that age. Dd didn't like them and I felt that they deserved a read since I had saved them!

I finished several books in progress that are esssentially prereads for Brit Tripping. The first is the very first book in Ann Cleeves Vera series. It was good. I will admit I sort of knew but the reason why was a surprise. This one is set in Northumberland. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31368003-the-crow-trap The Fleet Street Murders is the third book in a wonderful historical mystery series. I had problems finding this book a couple of years ago and am thrilled that my Overdrive appears to have the entire seres now. Set in London and Durham. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30108119-the-fleet-street-murders Carola Dunn is my official Bingo Cozy square author. I enjoy her Daisey Darlrumple series because it is so gentle. Set in Kent with a village setting. Poison pen letters lead to murder. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/293064.Styx_and_Stones?ac=1&from_search=true Next books up are a Heyer, Murakami, and I am finally going to read A Test of Wills by Charles Todd.

I have Red Hat speciality fabric that I bought for a project for my mom that never happened. It’s cute and matches one of my current projects so I had it with me at my Patchwork Club in England for a demonstration. Everyone wants me to start a red hat group......most already knew about the club. My mom had several red hats including some basic knit hats for outdoor activities. She also had a purple sweatsuit and coat. Not always formal and compared to most she took her red and purple attire seriously. Supposed to be fun.

My feelings too. Dd has read and loved many of her books. I have been busy quilting and listening to Charles Finch’s The Fleet Street Murders. I am enjoying it hugely as an audiobook and have spent far more time quilting then planned today.

My mom belonged to two groups and loved it. Wide variety of ages and interests. I think there was also a third group that invited my mom (she really was a fun old lady) but they were my age and did activities that my mom knew she couldn't keep up with. I would go for it.

I was a bit negative yesterday about The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves. It is now going well and I am enjoying it but I really had a depressing start with this book. When it stopped talking about estate gamekeeper's management of grouse hunting grounds and moved on to the real story I started enjoying myself. I have been reading a few pages every time I had a spare minute!

This morning I finished a book which was discovered on one of Kareni's wonderful lists. I hope her visit with her mom and sister is going well and she is able to post again soon! :) A few months ago she found a list of books with unusual pets for me. I went through and bookmarked them all to be worked into my reading schedule this year. I can not remember the pets at all so it will be a surprise I guess. I've read the hedgehog and know there is a weasel but beyond that...... In the case of a book being part of a series I decided to start with the first and read until the animal appears. Far more satisfying than reading for the backstory later.imo Which is how I read the book I finished this morning. The Legend of the Highland Dragon was the first in a series that has an unusual pet in it's third book I believe. I have never read anything by Isabel Cooper before but have to say this book was well done. I liked the magical set against a London season. Perfectly happy to continue this rather fluffy series. Good historical romance with magical, almost steampunk elements built in. I've started my Ann Cleeves book for Northumberland and am finding it a bit depressing. So far a suicide (personal trigger) and animal(crow) abuse....the title says it all! Not quitting yet but certainly not loving the content. The writing and story are good, I just don't like parts.

Happy Birthday!!!

Thank you, I put Zola on my wish list for now. Mandelbrot the Magnificent is the other Z author I was waiting for. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35083307-mandelbrot-the-magnificent?ac=1&from_search=true I do want to read it eventually. I just didn't want to wait any longer. I don't seem to click with Zafron. I have tried several times and let myself quit after a few chapters. I found a Stefan Zweig that looks really good. I added it to the list also. Q......is always easy for me because I really enjoy Julia Quinn's historical romances. Another good Q author is a local one for me, Nick Quantrill. I am not sure how accessible his books are elsewhere because I just discovered he has an indie publisher so Bingo Square. I only read the first in his series https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7172157-broken-dreams. I read it a long time ago in preparation to meeting him at a library function. I may well have been a bit too enthusiastic on his Goodreads rating but I did like it. I plan to pick up the next in the series next week. Spencer Quinn of the Chet and Bernie series is another Q idea.

We used Galloping the Globe many years ago but wanted to say it was one of my all time favorites. It allowed me to incorporate all sorts of enthusiastic purchases I had made over the years in a sort of organized fashion. For instance my Zoobook subscription actually got used beyond a quick look. We loved the science book they paired with it too. Each child made a planet mobile that I still have somewhere. We paired it with a Geography Song cd that I already had. I suspect we could all still sing them! https://www.christianbook.com/audio-memory-geography-songs-workbook-map/larry-troxel/9781883028138/pd/28142

Last year I almost missed completing my alphabetical by author challenge because my planned Z book never came off of hold. I found something else but decided to get Z out of the way early this year because I already had a book on hold. Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33590214-young-jane-young is the story of a young woman caught in a political scandal (think Monica) and the aftereffects on her life and those around her for the next several years. Told through the eyes of the women in her (and his) life. It was essentially a beach read but it did make a statement. I probably won't be reading more by this author unless I really need a Z again. It was fine but didn't care for the multiple first person style. I actually had another Z that I just cancelled my hold on so that I can use it next year! :lol: Authors with last names starting with Z will forever be associated with lengthy hold line's in my mind. I also finished my audio book Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper. Planning to listen to the rest of the Dark is Rising series over the next couple of months. Mom Ninja, I am glad your well is working again. VC, I hope by now you have hot water.

I have had really good luck with dry beans also. Mainly black beans and chick peas. I simply followed the basic directions that I found online. They involved pushing the bean button so easy. Haven't tried freezing.

I use it mainly for rice and potatoes but have to say I love it. No more soggy potatoes because they can't soak up too much water while boiling. We love roast potatoes and I make them weekly. We eat quick stir fry meals frequently with rice as the side. They are so easy to get on the table now that I can simply do the rice and leave it on warm in the instant pot until my family is all ready to eat. I can get a meal on the table in just a few minutes if the rice is ready to go and perfect. I actually bought an extra insert recently more as a just in case.

Praying for a positive outcome. :grouphug:

Yeah! Your dd will enjoy Alan Bradley also. She might like Maisie Dobbs but you read them first. I thought I picked Dutch on librarything. Fat fingers! Lol. Library thing allows sorting that is nice. I used it to sort counties for my Brit trip project.

Loesje, I have been looking on goodreads trying to find a cozy translated to Dutch beyond Christie. So far I haven't been successful but Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series appears to have potential. The series appears to be widely translated although I haven't found a Dutch edition yet. Are you able to check online for that author? https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/462033.Maisie_Dobbs?ac=1&from_search=true Also not sure if Librarything would be helpful or not but here is a link in Dutch. I have no idea what it says but I generally find it to be a helpful site. https://dk.librarything.com/search.php?search=Jacqueline+winspear&searchtype=newwork_titles&searchtype=newwork_titles&sortchoice=0 Eta.....I found a cozy that has been translated! Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11432011-de-smaak-van-venijn. You don't appear to have read it. There is a new one at the end of January.

Praying

I just erased my post in case anyone ends up confused. I should have looked at the bingo card! I agree with Penguin but would love Robin’s interpretation of Crime. I had been thinking along the lines of a gritty police procedural but am now thinking true crime. Cozy mysteries have a non professional sleuth. In recent years many have been written involving food, knitting, and about any hobby one can think of! Miss Marple is a perfect example. I think of them as gentle mysteries that you can give a young teen easily. They can involve murder but the description is gentle along the lines of ‘Mr. Green was found on the floor of the library with a candlestick beside him’ for the scene of the crime. I am using a Carola Dunn for this square.

:grouphug: I am so sorry for your loss. I saw your post on the other thread and feel so bad for your kids(and you). My kids lost their friend that was like their grandpa three years ago. It was so hard on them because he spent a lot of time with them and attended all their stuff. We still spend a lot of time with his wife. Their presence in our lives has been a really special blessing. :lol: I hope it was a good book! My next audio book is going to be the first in The Dark is Rising Series. I also finished the Pinball portion of Wind\Pinball I enjoyed it. I am looking forward to moving on with my Murakami month with The Wild Sheep Chase. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24013720-wind-pinball. BTW, because the name for Wind is really Hear the Wind Sing I am using it as an H for Chrysanthemum. I also used it as my translated boom in Bingo.

I will be thinking of you and sending some positive prayers your way. :grouphug:

:grouphug: I am so sorry to all who have lost someone recently.

A friend makes this for potlucks. Yummy.....

Your mention of Sweet Plum Spice tea had me looking for something similar at the store today. Another fan of flavored teas. My current favorite is Twinning's Lemon Ginger. I really can't complain but it's cold and that flavor warms me right up. It's actually snowing here. The little boy next door is super excited. :lol: Then there is me who wonders why I didn't pick up more milk at the store just in case. Forecast for tomorrow is sunny and high 40's so I am just paranoid. I finished a good series mystery today which is part of the Duncan Kincaid series by Deborah Crombie. He is a current day Scotland Yard Detective who travels around England solving cases which will be great for Brit Tripping. It's also on my list of series that I want to read more of so it is perfect for this years plans. This one was set mainly in Cambridgeshire. Hehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/573127.Dreaming_of_the_Bones and is number 5 in the series. I have huge problems with being out of order in series and read the first 4 over the past 2 years but suspect that for most this book could stand alone. The bits of needed background are filled in. Tuesdayschild, Glad you are enjoying DE Stevenson. I've been saving the Bundle series to read for when I need nice.......Was it good?