Thanks to Yvonne at Socrates’ Book Reviews for taking over FCFPTI
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Day One
Babygirl doesn’t even cry when I suck my teeth and undo her braid for the fourth time. If anything, I’m the one on the verge of tears, since at this rate we’re both going to be late.
Linking up with:
Sunday Salon
Sunday Post
Outside…
High of 88°, some afternoon clouds but mainly sunny, low of 61°
Reading…
Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran
Listening To…
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Books Reviewed Last Week…
Ø
Watching…
I’m hooked on HGTV. Have been for many many years. I have about 10 shows in my watchlist but there are so many newer shows that I’ve never seen.. So, I’ll be adding quite a few to my list. Have you ever seen One Of A Kind, House In A Hurry, Boise Boys, Move And Improve, Love It And List It Too, Flip Side? There are a lot more that I haven’t seen so I’ll be watching a few episodes of each to see if I want to add them to my list. I may end up deleting some of the older shows.
Weekly Steps…
My steps have been down for a week or so. I need to work on bringing them back up
In The Kitchen…
Instant Pot Hamburgers & Air Fryer Fries
Brown Sugar Meatloaf
Classic Chicken Pot Pie
Pizza
New To Me Stuff:
Since I’m not going to the stores or anywhere other than work, I haven’t tried anything new
Today’s To Do List…
Working this morning and then again tonight
Looking forward to…
Life getting back to normal
A Favorite Bible Verse…
Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
From the camera…
The sign out by the road for Bob Evans Homestead and first Restaurant at the farm in Ohio near where I used to live
Taken in December
Elizabeth @ Silver’s Reviews posts “Spine Poems”
I thought I’d try one today:
Who Knew
Johhny Got His Gun
To Kill A Mockingbird
This word is from Merriam-Webster Word Of The Day
oleaginous
adjective | oh-lee-AJ-uh-nus
Definition
1 : resembling or having the properties of oil : oily; also : containing or producing oil
2 : marked by an offensively ingratiating manner or quality
~~~~~~~
This word is from Word Think Of The Day
Contemporaneous
“The contemporaneous court cases for the two defendants.”
Contemporaneous (con·tem·po·ra·ne·ous) adj.
Originating, existing, or happening during the same period of time
I want to thank everyone for joining me the last few years for FCFPTI
I’m happy to let you know that Yonne @ Socrates’ Book Reviews will be taking over for me starting next Tuesday, the 24th.
Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros sharing the first paragraph or two of a book that I’m reading or plan to read soon
Feel free to join in by posting your own FCFPTI and linking below
![Killer Cruise: A Humorous Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery (Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Book 1) by [Winters, A.R.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51CSdLM7y-L.jpg)
Killer Cruise: A Humorous Cruise Ship Cozy Mystery by A.R. Winters
(Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries Book 1)
Chapter 1
It was with pride and barely concealed excitement that I walked down one of the below-deck hallways of the Swan Of The Seas after collecting the tools of my new trade: a smartphone and a notebook computer and a notebook computer.
Tucked under my arm were the two ugly blue bloused I’d been issued that make up the entirety of my uniform. Because of my unique role, which would see me scurrying back and forth across the entire ship, I was exempt from wearing dress pant or a skirt and was permitted to wear jeans.
Linking up with:
Sunday Salon
Sunday Post
Outside…
75° right now but the high is estimated at 89°
Reading…
Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran
Listening To…
With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo
Books Reviewed Last Week…
Edith and the Mysterious Stranger: A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho
Notes to My Son by Eric Lynn
Watching…
Katherine posted 5 Classic movies she wants to watch and now I want to watch 2 I’ve never seen:
White Heat (1949)
Key Largo (1948)
And since I’m now in the mood for classic movies, I also want to watch
Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
An Affair to Remember (1957) my all time favorite classic,
Fitness…
I’ve been eating to many carbs and not many veggies lately so I want to change that. When I lived out in the country I bought water in 20 oz. bottles (because we had a well) and I could easily keep track of how much water I was drinking. Since we moved and have city water I didn’t want to keep buying water so at the beginning of last month I bought a water bottle with time markers and a Fruit Infuser to make sure I’m getting enough water, and I love it!
In The Kitchen…
Taco Salad
Fish, baked beans, cole slaw
Air Fryer pork chops, applesauce, green beans
Sausage, eggs, toast
Tiller & Hatch Italian Style Stew with Chicken
New To Me Stuff:
I didn’t try anything new last week
Today’s To Do List…
Staying home and relaxing
Looking forward to…
It’s been almost a year since Man With A Plan aired and I’ve been missing it and wondering if it was going to be renewed. A few days ago I saw that it will be back on April 2nd, and I can’t wait! That show is hilarious!
A Favorite Bible Verse…
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Romans 12:12
Very important with what’s going on in the world right now
From the camera…
Another photo from my trip to Ohio
Book Title: Notes to My Son by Eric Lynn
Category: Adult Non-fiction 18 yrs +, 128 pages
Genre: Parenting
Publisher: Sharknado Prss
Release date: September 9. 2019
Rating: G: It’s advice for what parents should talk to their children about.
“THE GREATEST GIFT FOR DADS OF ALL AGES AND IN ALL STAGES.” “Your path is your own.” “No one can tell you how to walk it.” “Responsibility lies with you.” These are just a few of the important conversations we are gently reminded to embrace within Notes to My Son. With parenting, there are so many things we need to do and take care of, but what conversations are we having to be sure we truly impart the wisdom of our lives into our loved ones? Are we having difficult conversations, asking hard questions and talking about issues without regret? Don’t let another day pass by without this book. In Notes to My Son, you’ll discover twenty-five topics to inspire deeper, more meaningful conversations throughout your child’s life, even if your child is now an adult.
Thoughts
The notes in this book are thought provoking and would be a great gift to all parents. There are 25 notes and I enjoyed them all, but my favorites were:
Honor Your Commitments
Every Day Counts
Once You Post, It’s Out There Forever
When In Doubt, Be Nice
If I could only give you one example of what’s in this book, it would be from Note 7: “Words can be daggers to the heart, or they can lift it up.” Every child need to learn this early in life. Like “Once you post it…” Once you say it, you can’t take it back. I think words are a powerful weapon that should never be spoken in anger.
There are also quotes at the end of the notes. At the end of Note 9 there is a quote by an unknown author which says “Everything You Do Comes Back To You”. I believe this 100%.
I enjoyed this book very much, but as I’ve thought about it and have read my notes since I finished it, I find myself liking it more and more. It’s a book you can pick up from time to time and search the list of note titles and find the one that helps with something going on in your life at the time. I think this book is great for your children, but the advice can be used for any family member or your friends.
Meet The Author:
Eric Lynn spends his professional life managing workforce solutions for small, mid-sized and Fortune 1000 companies. With years of professional experience, Eric understands the value of preparation. Thus when his wife, Ashley, became pregnant, Eric sought a way to prepare for his new role as a father. Something shifted within him causing him to ask different questions of life.
Eric Lynn spends his professional life managing workforce solutions for small, mid-sized and Fortune 1000 companies. With years of professional experience, Eric understands the value of preparation. Thus when his wife, Ashley, became pregnant, Eric sought a way to prepare for his new role as a father. Something shifted within him causing him to ask different questions of life.
As he awaited the arrival of his first child, future conversations with his son, Summit, began to take shape. Eager to prepare for this new role, Notes to My Son was born.
The Lynn family lives in Colorado where they enjoy climbing 14ers, skiing, playing tennis and appreciating the abundance of all nature has to offer. Eric and his family hope that the relatable life wisdom shared in this book touches the hearts of all who read it.
Edith and the Mysterious Stranger: A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho
Book 2
by Linda Weaver Clarke
Narrated by Carolyn Kashner
Length: 6 hrs and 33 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: March 26, 2018
Language: English
Publisher: Red Mountain Shadows Publishing
In this inspirational historical romance, Edith is a nurse and has gone home to assist her cousin who is “with child.” Edith has wonderful qualities but never gives a man a second chance because her expectations are so high. However, all that changes when a mysterious stranger starts writing to her. For the first time, she gets to know a man’s inner soul before making any harsh judgments.
Whoever he is, this man is a mystery and the best thing that has ever happened to her. The question that puzzles her is whether or not he’s as wonderful in person as he is in his letters.
Thoughts
This is the second book in the series, and this time we meet Edith, a nurse, who has gone back home to help with her cousin Melinda’s pregnancy and birth. Melinda and her husband Gilbert are from book 1 in this series, as is Jenny, Gilbert’s daughter and Melinda’s step daughter.
I loved the first book so I thought I might like the rest of the books in the series. I’m not a big fan of historical fiction, but I loved the first 2 books in the series, so I will be listening to the rest.
I loved the “secret admirer” aspect of the book and spent most of the book trying to figure out which man he was. There was one part that threw me off a bit but I kept reading and pretty much had figured it out by the time he was revealed, which didn’t take away from the book at all.
This book was a nice short read (listen) and I liked it from the beginning to the end. It had a bit of everything, friendships, first loves, humor, and even a few situations that were a bit tense.
As I said above, I’m not a big fan of historical fiction, but this series is changing my mind.
Highly recommended whether you’re a fan of historical fiction or not.
Last chance for someone to take FCFPTI over
Leave a comment if you are interested, I would love for this to continue
Thanks to everyone who has joined Diane & I over the years!
Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros sharing the first paragraph or two of a book that I’m reading or plan to read soon
Feel free to join in by posting your own FCFPTI and linking below
Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran
Prologue
Dawn rose over Clew Bay and the small Irish village of Ballinacroagh. Had Thomas McGuire stopped to admire the fanfare of saffron rays, he might have missed teh beginning of the end of hus rule over the sleepy seaside town. But as was often the case with men of his temperment, Thomas had little time for daydreams. The obstinate businessman had charged out of his hard bed at five-thirty that morning, determined as ever to tend to his growing empire of three pubs, two spirit shops, and one in on Main Mall.
Linking up with:
Sunday Salon
Sunday Post
Outside…
High is supposed to be 75°, sunny, & cloudy
Reading…
Notes To My Son by Eric Lynn
Listening To…
Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
Watching…
Friday I watched And So It Goes with Michael Douglas & Diane Keaton and loved it! If you haven’t seen it and like movies that give you good feelings, watch it
I also want to tell you about a movie a friend of mine told me about named Remember. It was a very good movie from start to finish, but the ending? WOW! Shocked me more than any movie I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen a lot of movies. I paused the tv and just sat and stared at it for a while with bug eyes and mouth open! If you watch it please let me know what you thought
Weekly Steps…
Averaging 9,000-10,000 plus steps a day
In The Kitchen…
Easy Corned Beef and Cabbage (Hawaiian Style)
Slow Cooker Pork Loin in BBQ Sauce, shredded for pulled pork sandwiches
Taco Salad
Pork Chops, Applesauce, & The Best Classic Pea Salad
New To Me Stuff:
The other day I bought a new meat thermometer & food scale, both recommended by many food bloggers
Today’s To Do List…
Working this morning and might go to IKEA and out to eat
Looking forward to…
Having Saturday the 14th off because it’s been a while since I had a Saturday free
A Favorite Bible Verse…
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25:37-40
From the camera…
I miss the mountains etc. where I used to live
You sure don’t see anything like this in Florida
Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros sharing the first paragraph or two of a book that I’m reading or plan to read soon
Feel free to join in by posting your own FCFPTI and linking below
Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
Chapter One
A Door Opens
Melvin Butler, the personnel officer at the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, had a problem, the scope and nature of which was made plain in a May 1943 telegram to the civil service’s chief of field operations. “This establishment has urgent need for approximately 100 Junior Physicists and Mathematicians, 100 Assistant Computers, 75 Minor Laboratory Apprentices, 125 Helper Trainees, 50 Stenographers and Typists,” exclaimed the missive. Every morning at 7:00 a.m., the bow-tied Butler and his staff sprang to life, dispatching the lab’s station wagon to the local rail depot, the bus station, and the ferry terminal to collect the men and woman-so many women now, each day more women-who had made their way to the lonely finger of land on the Virginia coast. The shuttle conveyed the recruits to the door of the laboratory’s service building on the campus of Langley Field. Upstairs, Butler’s staff whisked them through the first-day stations: forms, photos, and the oath of office: I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…so help me God.
Linking up with:
Sunday Salon
Sunday Post
Stacking The Shelves
Outside…
70 °
Reading…
Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
Listening To…
The Library Book by Susan Orlean
Books Reviewed Last Week…
Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service by Gary Sinise
Watching…
My regular tv shows and I also want to watch the movie Where’d You Go Bernadette (on Hulu) I loved the book.
In The Kitchen…
Pork Chops and baked potatoes
Slow Cooker Chicken Tinga Tacos
Corned Beef & Cabbage
Looking forward to…
Having Thursday & Friday Off
A Favorite Bible Verse…
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer
Romans 12:12
From the camera…
Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service by Gary Sinise
Narrated by: Gary Sinise
Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 02-12-19
Language: English
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
As a kid in suburban Chicago, Gary Sinise was more interested in sports and rock ‘n’ roll than reading or schoolwork. But when he impulsively auditioned for a school production of West Side Story, he found his purpose – or so it seemed.
Within a few years, Gary and a handful of friends created what became one of the most exciting and important new theater companies in America. From its humble beginnings in a suburban Chicago church basement and eventual move into the city, the Steppenwolf Theatre Company launched a series of groundbreaking productions, igniting Gary’s career along with those of John Malkovich, Joan Allen, Gary Cole, Laurie Metcalf, Jeff Perry, John Mahoney, and others. Television and film came calling soon after, and Gary starred in Of Mice and Men (which he also directed) and The Stand before taking the role that would change his life in unforeseeable ways: Lieutenant Dan in the Academy Award-winning Forrest Gump.
The military community’s embrace of the character of the disabled veteran was matched only by the depth of Gary’s realization that America’s defenders had not received all the honor, respect, and gratitude their sacrifices deserve. In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, this became Gary’s mission. While starring in hits like Apollo 13, Ransom, Truman, George Wallace, CSI:NY, and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Gary has worked tirelessly on behalf of those who serve this country, entertaining more than a half-million troops around the world playing bass guitar with his Lt. Dan Band, raising funds on behalf of veterans, and eventually founding the Gary Sinise Foundation with a mission to serve and honor America’s defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need.
Grateful American is the moving, entertaining, profoundly gripping story of how one man found his calling: to see that those who defend this country and its freedoms are never forgotten.
Thoughts
I’ve been a fan of Gary Sinise for a lot of years. I love his acting, how much he’s done for vets, his band (Lt. Dan Band), and after listening to this book I like him even more.
The book is full of so many stories about his life from childhood through adulthood. I learned about things that he and his wife have gone through in their marriage and as parents, and so much more. He has led a very interesting life full of ups and downs, and if you read this you’ll find out what an amazing man, husband, and father he is. I knew quite a bit about what he’s done but this book is full of things that I had no clue about.
I loved this book and recommend it whether you are a fan of Gary’s or not.
This tag was started by Girl Reading
While I wasn’t tagged directly, I am taking advantage of the open invitation extended by Helen’s Book Blog
E-Book or Physical Book?
Both
Paperback or Hardback?
I’ve been a hardback snob since I was little
Online or In-Store Book Shopping?
Mainly online, but I do love book stores too
Trilogies or Series?
I don’t read much of either but have a few series on my tbr for this year
Heroes or Villains?
Heroes
A book you want everyone to read?
Zoya by Danielle Steel because I am NOT an historical fiction fan but I read this in the early 70’s and it’s still one of my top 3 favorite books
Recommend an underrated book?
The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit, it only has a rating of 3.3 on Amazon but I loved it!
The last book you finished?
Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service by Gary Sinise
The Last Book You Bought?
You Carried Me: A Daughter’s Memoir by Melissa Ohden
(recommended by my sister)
Weirdest Thing You’ve Used as a Bookmark?
Bread twist tie
Used Books: Yes or No?
Yes, but “like new”
Top Three Favorite Genres?
Literary fiction, non-fiction, True Crime
Borrow or Buy?
I buy but also borrow from libraries & book apps
Characters or Plot?
Both
Long or Short Books?
Short
Long or Short Chapters?
Short
Name the First Three Books You Think Of:
Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman (the book that started it all)
Zoya by Danielle Steel
Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo
Books That Makes You Laugh or Cry?
Laugh, it’s the best medicine
Our World or Fictional Worlds?
Fictional
Audiobooks: Yes or No?
Most of the books I “read” are audiobooks
Do You Ever Judge a Book by its Cover?
Yes, I’ve been a cover snob since I was a little girl, I’ve passed by a lot of books that were probably very good because I didn’t like the cover (I know, shame on me)
Book to Movie or Book to TV Adaptations?
I like watching movies based on books but I think the book is always better
A Movie or TV-Show You Preferred to its Book?
None
Series or Standalones?
Mostly standalones
I’m tagging:
Anyone who wants to play
If anyone wants to take FCFCTI over, let me know in the comments by 3/7
Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros sharing the first paragraph or two of a book that I’m reading or plan to read soon
Feel free to join in by posting your own FCFPTI and linking below
![Kelly's Koffee Shop (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series Book 1) by [Harman, Dianne]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51CsOO7XNuL.jpg)
Kelly’s Koffee Shop (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series Book 1)
by Dianne Harman
Chapter 1
The fading moonlight cast a warm glow on the quiet waters of Cedar Bay as Kelly and her big boxer, Rebel, drove the six blocks from her home to Kelly’s Koffee Shop located at the end of the pier that jutted out into the bay. At this early hour of the morning, the only traffic was the occasional logging truck that rumbled through town. Cedar Bay was quite small and only had one stop light, at the intersection of Main and Cedar. The city fathers had installed it many years ago to keep the logging trucks from speeding through town.
Linking up with:
Sunday Salon
Sunday Post
Kaiyo
On Feb. 3rd when I got home from work (I only work from 7-11:30 am) my dog Kaiyo couldn’t use her back legs. When she would try to walk her back legs would buckle. I called my son Anthony and told him what she was doing so he left work, came home, and we took her to the animal hospital. They checked her out and said she has Intervertebral Disc Disease. They kept her overnight to give her IV steroids and we picked her up at 4:30 the next afternoon. They gave me 2 different pills to give her. I took her back in a week and they said she was doing better but to keep giving her the pills until they were gone. The vet also gave me a walking harness for her for free! She’s walking better little by little so I’m hoping she keeps getting better until she’s back to normal. I had to keep her in a kennel when we weren’t home to begin with but now she can stay on the floor and I let her on the bed with me when I’m watching tv or reading. At night she stays on the floor. I don’t want her jumping off the bed and hurting herself. She goes back to the vet on the 10th and I’m hoping he says she’s doing very good. I’ll update you then. Thanks Tina for checking on her ❤️
Outside…
75° with big fluffy clouds in the sky, and not much of a breeze
Reading…
Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
Listening To…
Grateful American: A Journey from Self to Service by Gary Sinise
Books Reviewed…
Forever and Ever, Amen: A Memoir of Music, Faith, and Braving the Storms of Life by Randy Travis
Watching…
Movies I plan on watching this week: The Farewell , The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, The Silence Of The Lambs, Terms of Endearment. The only one I’ve seen before is the last one, and that was when it first came out
Weekly Steps…
I averaged between 8000 and 9000 steps a day even with my aching knee
In The Kitchen…
I have no idea what I’m making for supper today
New To Me Stuff:
Fried Plantains. My husband loved them but I never tried them. My daughter in law fried some Friday night and I tried one, and was surprised that I liked them
Today’s To Do List…
Relaxing. My leg is bothering me again and I had to take a few days off it was so bad, but it’s not hurting so much now but I’m still trying to stay off of it and keep it propped up as much as I can
Looking forward to…
Going to the beach as soon as possible
A Favorite Bible Verse…
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
Hebrews 11:1
From the camera…
Last Sunday was the gender reveal for my great-grandbaby (my grandson Jordan’s baby)
The didn’t do pink/blue, they did purple/green
It’s A Girl! Due July 4th!
My daughter in law Susie made these Dino cookies
Aren’t they cute? And they were good too!
I’ve have decided that March 10th will be my last week to host FCFPTI
If anyone wants to take it over, let me know in the comments
Every Tuesday I host First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros sharing the first paragraph or two of a book that I’m reading or plan to read soon
Feel free to join in by posting your own FCFPTI and linking below
The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes and Stories of My Life by Pat Conroy
Chapter One
Nathalie Dupree
The first actual cooking teacher who took both my money and my grief for imparting culinary secrets to me was the inimitable, un-classifiable queen of the Southern kitchen, Nathalie Dupree. Though Nathalie does not know this, she is one of the few people in my life who seems more like a fictional character than a flesh and blood person.
