I use FriXion http://pilotpen.us/categories/frixion-erasable-ink-pens/ when I quilt to mark my lines. Compared to most of my quilting friends I am really brave because I do designs on white etc. Heat makes the ink disappear so ironing or blow drying cleans an area up quickly. I can’t see it and I am picky......white thread on white is just fine. So far I have only had to reapply heat to a couple of small spots that got way too much ink. The ink can come back in cold temps but easy to disappear again......experiments lead me to believe it will only come back about four times. Washing and drying seems to work too.

I think I would go with a fun really American birthday dinner with a well decorated cake. An American cake with what many consider disgusting white icing......think Target bakery. ? Since I know you guys like board games, maybe a travel sized game you all enjoy. Maybe play the game for an hour or two after dinner with the big version. Someplace Dh and I have a travel sized London Monopoly from our honeymoon that is about the size of a kindle that we keep lugging around with us, it’s special. If you can’t decide on a small gift and your dd is excited about the makeup idea I would probably pack both girls off with modest gift cards to an Ulta and let them pick out some new makeup together. If she hasn’t already been Ulta is such a girly experience and you can send your dd with someone who will love it! Sort of a win win. ?. Plus the makeup will be consumed by May.....

My 90 yo neighbor did actually win the lottery and that is what she did with it after giving each of her kids a windfall. She used the same ship and went on pretty much all of their cruises, knew the crew etc. The ship was retired by the cruise line a few years ago and she retired with it!

Hugs, This is exactly my fear in terms of a second marriage. I could and would do my best to care for my husband who I actually have a forty year history with, but to give that level of care to a relatively new person in my life, no thank you. My father had dementia and caring for him was really hard. We were fortunate because he turned very sweet and the real him was really not. My BF’s dad turned mean with dementia, he was such a gentle man before. The personality changes strokes can cause alone would make me totally choose not to put myself in this potential situation. I think that is true. At one point after I left home my dad had my mom give he cooking lessons......he could do all his favorite crockpots by the end of the lessons ?........because he figured his friends were mainly remarrying in desperation for a live in cook. My parents were just short of 60 years of marriage when my father died. Thanks to my bed rest pregnancies hubby is pretty self sufficient so I don’t expect to need to teach him how to cook anytime soon! I also think that traditionally women have been left poor widows with a need to remarry to improve their standard of living. What I am reading here is many have financial plans in place to be able to live the old age they expect without remarrying. I will admit I also wonder a bit if our group of homeschool mama’s might be a bit burnt out in terms of caregiving. ? I know I am tired from my years of being responsible for so much for my family and even now I am becoming rather selfish with my time. I no longer “do” as much in terms of committees and outside commitments that have “work” attached to them. I have actually scaled way back in the past couple of years so I can spend more quality time with hubby and the kids when they are available.

That is a great way to make sure you read it! Hopefully I will manage to listen to it before that.......after my post I discovered the Lady Trent series is only available in audio on my Overdrive. I remember having it in paper form which seems to make me less likely to actually read the book. Ten years ago I would never have believed this, I would have been utterly shocked at my future self! I finished Robin’s Apple challenge from a couple of weeks ago by reading One Bad Apple by Sheila Connolly. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2685034-one-bad-apple I enjoyed it greatly for what it was the start of a cozy mystery series. If you are interested in historic apple varieties (I happen to be) these appear to be a fun easy read. I am not jumping immediately into the next but I am sure I will read my way through these over the next year or so. Once again I have found a series I enjoy with a bit of a nudge in a new direction from Robin. Thank you! I also read When Red is Black by Qiu Xialong for my Alphabetical Author challenge. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14663.When_Red_Is_Black. It is the third in the Inspector Chen series and once again I learned a bit about living in China in th 90’s. I have read the first two in the series and believe this one was a bit more concise, not as much extra background being given but these are totally stand alone so far. My overdrive’s supply of this series has ended but I discovered the library has a few more. I requested the next.

No, honestly can't imagine going through old age with someone I would never really know. It might be different if I was younger but at 55 I can't imagine combining my (really our) life with an outsider. Also I learned from one of my mom's friends who decided to remarry in her mid sixties after being alone for a few years. Two weeks after the wedding she found herself caring for a sick helpless belligerent jerk who she didn't really know......turned out he was actually close to broke so she got to support him too. She thought she knew him! Admittedly the stroke was unexpected ......... Anyway watching her was the a real lesson on why one should stay single after the death of a spouse!

Quill, Sending hugs and prayers.

Hugs, right now it is all hard but in two weeks it will all be starting fresh.......enjoy!

While searching for A Natural History of Dragons I ran across what looks to be a fascinating book with real home ed potential if you enjoy rabbit trails......The Chemistry of Alchemy by Cathy Cobb https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18630610-the-chemistry-of-alchemy. It has over 20 hands on experiments although I wonder how feasible they are as the cover states from Dragon’s Blood to Donkey Dung! At some point I will be checking this out.......would it be a microhistory?

Kareni, Love the links! The monster books look fascinating. I think I will start with A Natural History of Dragons sometime soonish. The Lady Trent series is something I have wanted to read for years but never manage to actually read even when it is in my stack. I have had the first book checked out a few times and return it due to lack of time. I haven’t even opened it because I want it to be special! ? I need to hunt for The Mere Wife because I generally like all things Beowulf. My ds recently pointed out in a rather disgusted way that we “did” Beowulf many times in the home education journey so he knows all about that story, wherever mom could make it fit she did! ?. ETA.....on a rather long hold. I am looking forward to continuing KL. Hopefully I will be able to pick up my copy soon! I never read the third Cormoran Strike book because I disliked the first few pages and I suspect it was due to be returned. Last week I listened to the first few chapters and enjoyed them and am now waiting for the book. The audiobook is longish, 17 hours, and I can read quicker. I have Lethal White on hold btw so let me know how you like it. ? I am putting it on hold as I type! I can’t wait to try a Dracula prequel. Also thanks for the review on the new Carrie Vaughn series, it is one I keep seeing but haven’t been sure if I wanted to try. A positive review makes a big difference! Penquin, I hope your mom’s return home goes well!

Prayers

I am so sorry!

I finished my latest Matthew Shardlake historical and just plain loved it. My favorite Tudor series ever I think......that is saying something because Tudor settings are a huge favorite! I love how Sansom deals with very small portions of little known (or popularly cared about) Tudor history and makes them come alive. I just experienced the sinking of the Mary Rose, yes fictionally, but close enough for me......He also does a great job on the history of the British legal system which tends to give me the background for things I have been wondering about. Life in the UK still holds many mysteries for me they just tend to be a bit more obscure than where to buy something I need! Culturally I still get surprised all the time and occasially these books manage to give me the historical explanation for something in my life that I have not been able to understand. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7027569-heartstone. This book was so good I would love to just sit down and read the next chunky (probably 700 pages) installment but my Overdrive is filled with great books right now, many returning this week! I will take a break and read some of the books I have waiting and dive into KL when it arrives! I also want to let my BaW friends know that in the coming year I will be posting more than normal from a different time zone. I am trying to post this a bit discretely for our privacy so be patient. ?. Actually I really hope I will be able to do this whole experience without blurting out to the world my house is empty right now! My kids need to experience a bit more of life on the other side of the pond before making some big decisions and hubby’s work seems to be taking him across more frequently so we are going to embrace it. Who knows what our new normal will be!

That’s my favorite too! A friend complimented my lipstick the other day and asked what I was using which has never happened before. I like the Rhubarb color also.

Praying!

A big hug and I will be sending prayers.

Hugs and prayers

For Flavia fans I just learned that there will be a new book released in 2019! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38763327-the-golden-tresses-of-the-dead. I really thought the series was done. I am looking forward to the next book......

I am glad you reviewed the Lacey Flint because I have been waiting to hear what you thought of the third one! ?? I liked the first two and I think I gave up on the last one......may have quit but read the last bit. I thought it might be just me because I know someone who liked it. ? Pretty sure you will enjoy Bess Crawford. I rode along with Dh again today so I finished a book, the first in Susan Mallery’s Happily Inc. series. It was a light romance about a weddding planner that had a Y in the title. I will be reading the rest of these and may even go back and finish the Fool’s Gold series. It was nice to just read fluff! I know Robin is wondering why a Y when this month is Lotus for the flower challenge.....I originally filled out my notebook with Egyptian Lotus back in December and when I went in to see if Lotus was done I discovered that all I needed was a Y and N for Egyptian too. So I need to read my N book next. I finished Midnight Riot my audiobook this evening. Loved it! It was a reread for me and I am so glad to be reading these again. When I first read the Rivers of London series I did it in one big gulp and I missed bits I think in my eagerness to get to the next book. Lots of bits that I was glad to refresh my memory on because they are referred to in later books. Kareni, Glad to hear you enjoyed the eighth Anne Cleeland. I have to admit I am curious about the Dublin setting now!

I have a classic dinner mil story too. My in laws moved 500 yards away around our second anniversary. That summer I was laid off from my job and deciding what I wanted to do next which meant I was cooking very fancy recipes for my ability. Dh had picked that night’s meal out and I had spent the entire day shopping and preparing our feast. He promised to be home at 6. Around five I looked out the window and his car was in front of mil house so I continued cooking knowing he would be home. At 6:10 no Dh so I called, she answered, I was super polite and just asked her to tell Dh dinner was ready to eat. She hung up on me saying Dh was HERS. Dh showed up about 20 minutes later looking like he had escaped from something dreadful with no idea I had called. I couldn’t even be mad, just apologized because the meal was overdone. He never stopped on his way home after and we started looking for a new place to live.

My mil was Hyacinth Bucket, the tv character on Keeping Up Appearances, even looked like her. She was challenging and mean with views that changed to suit her control freak purposes. My Dh was perfect and I was awful until I had kids which was about the same time she had a stroke. I became a saint and Dh couldn’t do anything right after that. It was much worse that way......broke my heart.

Great job and good motivation to start walking further! I have been suffering from similar foot injuries and have stalled at about 2 miles a day but I did 5 before injury. Thanks for the pictures!

I finally finished The Five Red Herrings by Dorothy Sayers and all I can say was I wish it had been condensed into a short story. All that speculation about all those incidents and characters was just incredibly confusing and took forever. Add that to very little Whimsey and Bunter being barely there so I gave it two stars. The deciding clue was sort of clever of Whimsey but ugg.........I have decided I love Harriet best! Right before we got to Gateshead Dh spotted a Welcome to Tyne and Wear and happened to read it to me. I think today was my day to finally learn that Gateshead is in Tyne and Wear! ? VC, Several sources say Right Ho, Jeeves is set in Worcestershire, also Lady Susan by Austen and at least one Cadefel. I suspect I am not overly helpful but I can confirm Piers Plowman is set in Worcestershire.........

I just had to share.......in preparation for my ride along with Dh today I googled Costco Gateshead for potential bathroom stop hours. It is in Tyne and Wear the county I have not been able to complete. I was so confident Gateshead was in Northumbria I never checked, it is a suburb of Newcastle and they connect in my mind. I think I may have had a book visit Gateshead already this year .........if not I am confident I can find something with Gateshead!

I found the Cozy Mystery series with apples on the covers. The first one is One Bad Apple and I had to put a good on it. I have always meant to read one from this series so will take advantage of the challenge! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2685034-one-bad-apple?ac=1&from_search=true