Thank you so much for sharing the Abby update with us. I am so very glad to hear she is doing so well! I have a feeling she is blessed with lots of arms to carry her wherever her heart desires........ I have been busy reading my Donna Andrews series installments for this year, she seems to have a new release every fall plus a Christmas story. They both arrived together so I got to read them back to back.......loved them. Sad I have to wait another year! @Robin M one thing I have been trying to do this year is wishlist interesting mystery series set around the world for next year, pretty sure I have a good assortment but I have’t attempted to compile a master list. These books were set aside more because they wouldn’t fit with Brit Trip than a desire for a geography tour, btw. ?

@Margaret in CO I love your American Girl dresses! Those girls are very lucky. Are they the same girls who received the dress pictures you posted last summer? I just spent a couple of hours cutting out pattern pieces for Christmas Reindeer dolls from the late ‘80’s. I made a set of what my kids called “moose dolls” back then that has been super well loved by many kids as they lived at my house for years before my own little blessings arrived. Dh wanted them freshened without rips and bulges enough to hunt down a pattern on eBay. Btw, This is a sweet gift to me, not critical! I starting buying the fabric last week for them and am looking forward to my redo opportunity. They were one of my first sewing projects so hopefully my new models will be significantly better constructed! McCalls 4532https://moonwishesstore.ecrater.com/p/31568198/mccalls-sewing-pattern-m643-4532-christmas

So cute! I love that it has pockets on both sides, your granddaughter will too!

Here’s my fall tablecloth! It’s something my kids would have adored 15 years ago and I want to make this Thankgiving look a bit more festive. I also wanted something that would work for the entire fall season so that it would be used. Most of the fabric was from my stash so I worked with what was available. I used some free downloads for the Turkey, Leaf, and Sunflower. My Hedgehogs are from a Sew Fresh quilts pattern with my Fox being from Elizabeth Hartman’s Fancy Forest pattern. The challenge was getting them all to fit in my octogonish shape. I have a few creatures made that aren’t included so will be making a baby quilt soon! Hopefully this photo post will work. Looking forward to hearing about what other people are making. Feel free to post pictures of your kid’s projects too!

I never start new threads but really would love to see some craft threads on the chat board so giving it a try. Please be kind! So this is a thread where everyone can post pictures and share ideas for craft projects they are making this holiday season. I know we have lots of really creative people here and would love to see what everyone is doing. The project does not need to be holiday themed just what you are making now. ? At the moment nothing is finished but I am putting the finishing touches on a Fall themed quilted table cloth which can double as a quilt, if you need an octagon shaped quilt. ? I will post a picture when the pieces are together. I have several Christmas gift projects in progress, and plan to knit some tree decorations...... So what is everyone working on?

I am another one who votes to keep it really simple. We will be having a Turkey Breast, mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing mix, Hawaiian rolls, cranberry sauce from a can, and a yet to be determined dessert. If a get really fancy I will make green bean casserole which I adore and everyone else hates. Here is a slightly different pumpkin dump cake using yellow cake mix which I normally already have. This is the one I use......... My son’s favorite .......https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/great-pumpkin-dessert/

I can’t tell you how happy your post made me! So excited for you! Sending hugs and prayers........

@aggieamy Just yuck! Pretty sure I never read that one and plan to skip it now! @Lady Florida. Thank you for sharing that wonderful quote! @Angelaboord I am looking forward to hearing more about your Sci Fi adventures! @Robin M I am thinking.........?

Loesje, I will wish her Toi, Toi!

So very true. It sounds like they are encountering this illness in a pretty honest straightforward way. I think that’s the way it has to be to not mess them up. They have to know what is real. They have no doubts that they are loved, which is EVERTHING! Total side track story and I know it’s completely apples to oranges but your kids need to know it all and I suspect they prefer to be there when you fall. So........ My dear friend recently died of cancer. When given great odds she always ended up in the losing like 3%. Always. It seemed statistically impossible. It was horrifying and messy. Her daughter at 14 always got the whole brutal truth, no sugar coating. Her daughter is a wonder. Probably the most put together young lady I know. She has mourned deeply, loves to talk about her mom, adores her dad. She is good, really.........I adore her.

All I can do is send hugs and prayers. FWIW, My understanding is this is a issue that is determined by what state you live in.

I started that one a couple of weeks ago when I accidentally grabbed it instead of the Mary Stewart i couldn’t put down on my way out the door to an appointment. I had a relatively long wait and probably read the 50 pages (no bookmark and I wasn’t too fussed) and haven ‘t opened it since. This is why a kindle is superior! Now that I have read your review I am not sure I feel like bothering to find my place!

FWIW I loved The Three Body Problem 5* which ended in a manor that forced me to continue on and was well worth the read. The second book The Dark Forest was no where near as wonderful 3*, ending on the high note would have been a good idea. Imo VC, totally agree that those are considered Guy books. In my house Guy Books are lengthy books based on intricate minutiae of historical battles. I don’t read those ever....... The good stuff with spies etc I read in spurts. I used to trade spy books with my Fil. We both loved Cold War themed books. Truman Capote is definitely something I might read.......think I did in the past. If you are in the mood for a read along, let me know. The Tarzan movies were enough for me but I liked the Lost Worlds.......... I think it is a matter of moods and interests. Right now I can not handle anything heavy but like Jenn seem to be feel a bit of a pull towards Sci Fi which I would consider to be more guy if I was stereotyping. I have no long history with Sci Fi beyond movies etc. so I am more finding my own way with lists from Kareni and recommendations from here. I feel fortunate that I can read the more fluffy things with no one really commenting to much. I am so grateful for the privacy Kindles offer when I want to read something with a scandalous cover. There is a whole lot of great stuff that many men won’t go near. I once borrowed an awesome stack of Kim Harrison’s from hubby’s buddy. We frequently trade books and shows. In my experience a paranormal loving guy is rare and this friend and I love talking books. Btw, My husband kept referring to the stack as the wife’s the whole time I had it. ?. No dear it belongs to your friend! @tuesdayschild we are in consultation regarding Christmas London.? The Cadefel list is wonderful and made me realize I don’t think I know them all. Right now I put Morbid Bones on hold because I may want to read in order. If I decide to go with Amy’s recommendation The Lepor of St. Giles is available. Giving myself a couple of days before I commit.

I even forgot my own age along the way.......I was 46 twice! ? Completely missed 47, Dh broke the news. I never even tried to do grades. I used the Jan to Dec schedule also. As an ex pat dd’s Bf was always consulted about what year the kids were when I had paperwork......we were lost because of the hard cutoff’s and no one ever held back, no one ever skips a grade either. Somehow rigid rules made it harder to remember? ?

Geokitty, sending more hugs and prayers. I just wanted to let you know that I have been praying for you and your children.

So cute!

I had several book finishes at the end of the week that I haven’t posted..... A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan is one with an incredible cover that severalBaWers were interested in. I listened to the audio for this particular fantasy novel and am not sure that I would have made it through if I had been reading. The world building was a bit too based on this world for it to be interesting, I sort wanted to scream that these are the Brits, those are the Russians, and you all are in some Eastern European mountain village. Story wise it was fine, although I don’t care for the main character which was a problem. When I finished this book on Thursday I had been thinking I would listen to more since my library has them but the further I get away from that book the more I think one was enough. I gave it 3*. Murder in All Honour my latest in Anne Cleeland’s New Scotland Yard series was satisfying. I really liked this one. I am enjoying reading this series in slow sips but totally get how Kareni binge reads the whole thing occasionally. Vicous by VE Schwab is a book by an author that @ErinE recommended about a year ago. I quickly got hooked on the author’s Shades of Magic series but missed Vicious (different series) which was apparently published back in 2013. I just tried to describe this book (which I totally loved ) to Dd. My50 something self wanted to say it was Flatliners(Keiffer Sutherland and Julia Roberts) meets Marvel but knew my daughter has no Flatliners knowledge......I sold her on the milk obsessed computer nerd with a Marvel type sidekick. This is a great anti hero romp with some really dark bits. A new book in this series is being released soon. Currently reading The Kill Artist by Daniel Silva and enjoying it. It is definitely the series that I read a couple of in the past.? Also reading Donna Andrew’s Toucan Keep a Secret which is fun. I adore her cozy mysteries. My audiobook is Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey which is really good so far.....It’s almost 20 hours long and I am about a third done. This is a Sci Fi trilogy that I suspect I will finish. Interesting world and characters.

Before I forget my A to Z by Author challenge list: A.....Airth, Ronnie......River of Darkness 4* B.....Brett, Simon.......Mrs. Pargether’s Point of Honour 2* C.....Crombie,Deborah.....Dreaming of the Bones 4* D....Dunn, Carola.......Styx and Stones 4* E....Emerson, Kathy Lynn.....Face Down in the Marrow Bone Pie 4* F.....Ferrell, Sean.....Man in the Empty Suit 3* G....Graham, Caroline....The Killings at Badger’s Drift 4* H....Harris, C.S.......When God’s Die 5* I....Indridason, Arnaldur.....The Shadow District 4* J....James, Miranda......Claws for Concern 4* K....Klepas, Lisa.....Hello, Stranger 3* L....Lou, Cixin.....The Three-Body Problem 5* M....Murakami, Haruki....A Wild Sheep Chase 5* N....Norton, Mary....Bednob and Broomstick 3* O....O’Brien, Anne....The Virgin Widow 3* P.... Penrose, Andrea....Sweet Revenge 3* Q....Quantrill, Nick......The Late Greats 3* R....Robb, J.D.......Dark in Death 4* S.....Sloan, Robin.....Sourdough 4* T.....Tey, Josephine.....The Franchise Affair 4* U.....Undset, Sigrid.....The Bridal Wreath 4* V.....Vale, Maria......The Last Wolf 4* W.....Wentworth, Patricia....The Case is Closed 4* X.....Xiaolong, Quilt.......When Red is Black 4* Y....Yip,Mingmei......Song of the Silk Road 1* Z.....Zezinho, Gabrielle.....Young Jane Young 3*

Hugs, I am sorry your sister died. That set is really lovely but I can see how a parent would need to quit. I never finished the cross stitch I had with me in the hospital when I was in while pregnant and that was a happy ending. The sweater I worked on while sitting by my dad’s bedside is unfinished, I would never wear it and it was for me. That is almost 22 years tucked in a box.......needing about 3 inches on a sleeve.

That’s such a beautiful quilt. I do a lot of hand piecing but am shifting to doing more machine quilting. I think I am going to try Bonnie Hunter’s Good Fortune QAL so will definitely need to bit more orange shades in my stash. I seem to always be short a half yard of this or that which adds to the stash.

Robin and Jenn, So glad you guys posted! I have been out all day without the ability to post but have been hearing news reports and thinking of you.

I inherited a friend’s stash. I have no clue what I have beyond an incredible amount of yarn. We loved to go to yarn shops together so I know I have more of things I know I have in the original stash. I could knit for years. So much and not knowing is really paralyzing and I haven’t knitted anything since it arrived over a year ago. I need to do a sort but don’t honestly know how to start it. Everything is in big Rubbermaid bins.....hubby tossed it in bins, so whatever organization there was is gone completely. My fabric stash is pretty heathy too! That I am working on but I keep buying too!

?. Considering Fred’s pet Llama destroys a football field at the start of Geometry this could be a good match. All sorts of really absurd things happen in those books.

?Wonderful news! ?

Christmas meals out are a BIG deal in the England and restaurants start advertising the menu and to book in early summer. By that I mean every group you belong to schedules a lunch or dinner out in December. These are full meals with a Turkey Dinner almost always being a choice. Not cheap, figure £15 to £30 an event without drinks. A few years ago I knew someone who had booked one nearly every day in December, mostly Turkey. By the 15th she was complaining! The most I have ever done is Two, plenty imo.