Peacefield

Wonderful! I'm so glad I let you know about her! I was reading up a little on her after I posted and saw that she's from Minnesota, which is a double bonus!

On Saturday I bought a Nancy Harms CD entitled Ellington at Night. I hadn't heard of her until a couple of days prior and I just love her voice. I don't listen to a lot of 'new' jazz but I love this CD. Claire, I know you like female vocalists and we share a love of Ella. Have you heard of her? I would highly recommend a listen of 'Troubled Waters.'

I have an iPad mini on which I use the Kindle app so I will definitely have to check with my library to see about availability. I don't know why I haven't really thought of that before!

My horror reads don't extend very far beyond Stephen King, I'm afraid. I do remember very vividly reading a book when I was a young teen called The Tea Party by Charles Grant. I looked it up on Amazon and it has a very different cover than what I remember, but man that booked freaked me out way back when! As for Stephen King, my favorite will always and forever be The Shining.

Woke up to flurries this morning but it's a balmy 36f (2c) right now so I'm not complaining. Only 1 month to go until Spring! Yippee!!

This is another stand alone book of his, right, Muggle Not? Is it also set in MN? I have definitely added it to my wish list! This past weekend I was happy to find Purgatory Ridge at 1/2 Price Books so I'm looking forward to reading it soon .

Yes, I love it, Muggle Not! I go between that and Angie's Boom Chicka Pop, which ever is on sale. I do love my popcorn . Happy to hear your ankle is on the mend, Kell! Good news on your car, Claire. I have to bring mine in on Thursday but I'm expecting the worst so I'm pleasantly surprised when I go in. My check-engine light has been on for about a month but I haven't had time to bring it in nor has it been in the budget. Thursday is the day though! I'm keeping my fingers crossed. My week is going as usual, work and trips to the gym. This weekend my friends and I have our annual Oscar party so that'll be fun, even though I've not seen any of the films. Oops!

Mango Magic tea with milk and honey

I miss her too, Anna! She said her laptop is broken, which is why she hasn't been posting. I'm glad you loved Station Eleven, Bobbly! That bodes well for me . I'm enjoying it immensely. I had a belated birthday dinner last night with some friends and I received Arcadia by Iain Pears and I cannot wait to read it! I'm so excited. Pears is definitely one of my most favorite authors so this one I was really wanting to read. It'll be my next read! Today I went to Half Price Books and found the third book in the Cork O'Connor series by William Kent Krueger, called Purgatory Ridge. I'm excited about that one too because his books are so lovely and un-put-down-able .

Same here, Noll, currently 22f (-6c) and not a cloud in the sky. And by Friday it's supposed to hit 49f! Yippee!!

I'm generally not fan of entitlement programs, including the Social Security program we have here in the US. I would rather see people given more opportunities to earn money and then decide for themselves how to spend it rather than just handing the money out, but that's just me . I read a story today about a 90 year old gentleman in my state who is trying to plan a dream vacation to see the Canadian Rockies. He needs a passport though and cannot get one because he has no proof of his birth. He was born at home on a farm in Iowa and never got a birth certificate. It's funny, because he served in the Navy and also worked for the government yet up until now he has never needed a passport.

Thanks, Poppy, and I hope you have a fab 2016 reading year as well! And it's nice having that little bit of history, isn't it? Over the weekend I finished The Last Bookaneer by Matthew Pearl and have started Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, which was a gift from Weave. I don't know if it's my general state of mind or frequent coming and going of my reading mojo, but it took me forever to get through Bookaneer and TBH it was a struggle. I normally love Pearl's books but this one did not catch my interest and frankly it bored me, which is something I really hate to say when it comes to a favorite author . I have high hopes for Station Eleven, so I'll keep you posted!

Jazz is always best, Poet I'm listening to a Senate Finance Committee hearing on the new 2017 govt budget proposal. Exciting, right? No, but I need be informed about where my tax dollars may potentially be spent

I guess Alaskan sneakers makes sense, Frankie, since boots are probably the most common thing to wear up there! In my neck of the woods we probably call Wellingtons as rain boots, galoshes or rubber boots. I wish bitterly cold meant 31f in my state, Virginia! Then I could wear short sleeves in February! It's 9f here today . -12C...

I don't generally dip my chips in anything, and the same goes for my fries . Although if I'm at a restaurant and someone gives me ketchup I'll use it. Tbh I don't have fries often so when I do I figure I better keep the calories at a minimum, if that's even possible! LOL

Hello and welcome to BCF, Sammie! Glad you found us Do you have any favorite crime/thriller authors?

I'm so glad you've been enjoying Krueger, Muggle Not! I agree, they are fast reads because you just cannot put them down. His descriptions of northern MN are spot on so rest assured you're getting an accurate picture of what life is like up there. My best friend's parents grew up very close to a local Indian reservation up there and I've heard many stories about what it was like living alongside the Native Americans. If you ever want to read a stand alone William Kent Krueger novel, I read a book of his last year called 'Ordinary Grace' and it was just outstanding . Happy reading!!

Hey, Muggle Not! How goes it? I see you've already read more William Kent Krueger than me! I've only read the first 2 of the Cork O'Connor series but I love them

It sounds as if February has started out with a bang for all of you - excellent stuff! Noll, good luck with your new housemates! And yay for an American one! I hope she represents us well. Is she going to school while she's living there? I know you said Raj works at the same college you do, right? I'm glad your little one and dog are both feeling better, Anna. Hopefully the little one will be back to 100% soon! At least you didn't add to your collection of secondhand books, right, Athena? You made an even trade! I'm very jealous of your getting to argue over paint samples and other new design things, Chalie! I love that and also love hearing about other people doing it! My design background makes me so. And YIPPEE to your daughter coming to the US! What will she be doing while she's here and where abouts will she be? Sort of a quiet week so far for me. I went into work on Monday but Tuesday and today I'm working at home since we had a nice wee blizzard yesterday in the upper midwest. I'm so thankful I can be in where it's warm! I'm on vacation Friday and am surprising my mom with her 1/2 day at the spa for her 80th birthday. She doesn't know I took the day off OR about her present so I'm excited to tell her about it come Friday morning. We'll then go out for a fancy dinner to celebrate both of our birthdays (mine was on the 1st).

That's too bad about your govt keeping Amazon from selling Kindles in Belgium, Needle! Perhaps you can get one on eBay? My mom has an older Kindle but I prefer my Apple iPad mini. I have the Kindle app so although it's very rare, I'll read books on that.I prefer paper books but when I travel it's much easier to use a tablet. I just like being able to do everything on one tablet. Reading, email, and internet, rather than having a 2nd thing just for reading. But that's just me

I had a lazy morning and watched Tron with Jeff Bridges. Man, I have clear memories of seeing this in the theatre when I was just 10 years old and I remember thinking it looked cool, but the store was lost on me. When I watched it today I couldn't help but laugh at its dated-ness but it was still fun to watch and remember good ole' 1982

Hmmm, what are Alaskan Sneakers?? I agree, it is hilarious in a way. It's all about preparedness, people! It was in the 40s here today, yippee!

I'm in Anna's crocheting camp! I love doing it but have had an afghan half-done for ages. I've never tried knitting but would love to give it a go. Glad you're feeling better and got some meds, Abby! What kind of stuff do you like to do at the gym? I worked a short day yesterday and hit the gym last night. This morning I drove out to meet the people I will be house/dog sitting for in March, for 10 days. The have a very sweet Brittney Spaniel named 'Chuckles' Afterwards I met my friend for an early dinner. Tomorrow I'm staying home so I can get things done! Have a good weekend, everyone!

Greetings and welcome to BCF, Needle! Glad you joined us

Oh I completely agree, Raven! I seem to remember the same line in the old Star Trek movie, The Wrath of Khan, and I laughed back then because it was so cheesy!