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Monday, September 28, 2020

The Mister's Favorite Things

 


Hello, dear friends.  I hope that you enjoyed your weekend.  The Mister and I caught up on some errands and went out for a nice lunch yesterday.  The rest of our time, as you can well imagine, has been taken up by packing.  I found the tediousness of the task is a lot more bearable if I can listen to a good book or catch up with the Real Housewives.

Today we have a guest post written by the one and only Mister.  I have asked bribed all of my family members to write a Favorite Things post.  So you will be seeing them soon.  Hopefully.

Without further ado... I will pass you over to my first husband.




Hi Everyone.  Whatever Katie wants... Katie gets.

Here are a few of my favorite things.




Amazon

I bought this "toy" for Chowdah to give our #2 for her birthday. 

Rumor has it... he loves it, and she does too.




A necessity these days.
When I sent Katie the link to let her know that I ordered masks, she asked if the guy comes with them.
For 30 years, I have been putting up with those smart-a#$ remarks. 



These are one type of an assortment of my Happy Hour treats.
Katie claims she doesn't like them, so I guess Chili has been helping herself.
Katie's diet philosophy is if she sneaks something - it is calorie-free.






I may not have a lot of hair left, but what I do have stays in place with this non-sticky, fragrance-free hair spray. 






My allergies have been miserable lately.  
I carry one of these in my pocket, which does the trick.


My #1 and my favorite son-in-law gave me a pair of these shoes, and they are the most comfortable shoes in the world. 

 

The Newlyweds were also the ones that turned me on to my other favorite shoes.





I like this lemonade better than Katie's because it has electrolytes.
Plus, mine is calorie-free and Katie's has a whole ten calories.
I remind her of that every chance I get.






I drink this every morning in my coffee after I work out. 
It keeps me full until lunchtime.  








I bought these for Katie years ago because she couldn't find a pair of earphones that were comfortable.  She loves them.
I like my Air Pods, but prefer these for my workouts.








I talk about this little key gadget every time I do one of these posts.  I can't stand the feeling of having keys jingling in my pocket.  This little key cage is compact and comfortable to carry.








No doubt about it, Katie and I both agree that this battery-operated Salt and Pepper Grinder Set was our favorite buy of the Summer.  Not only do they work well, but they also throw light on your food. They need to get these for all those dimly-lit romantic restaurants that Katie likes to frequent. 






Since our first year of marriage, I have always included a subscription to Katie's favorite hard news magazine in her stocking.

Don't listen to her if she tells you that I'm the first one to skim it.






I recently purchased a new phone, and I usually buy the same case because it is thin and is of good quality for the price.







I am very pleased with this new shaving kit.
A man can never have too many gadgets.







Needless to say, I have been spending most of my time when not packing, doing paint touch-ups.  This roller is the perfect size for small jobs.




Katie likes crosswords and I prefer Sodoku.
Can this marriage be saved?






If you need a knife sharpener, this one is great.






It was time for a new pizza cutter.





I leave this marble cutting board out all the time because it blends in with our countertops.








For someone who has OCD tendencies such as myself, sometimes it's the little things in life that bring joy.  I bought a few of these and love them.






My go-to for all of my fish dishes.







We are using these stickers to mark what is staying with the house and what is going.





These stickers will be lifesavers when we arrive at our new home.








I ordered this electric kettle for our temporary quarters so Katie can have her tea at a moment's notice.
Otherwise, Katie gets very crabby.




She looks a lot like this lady.


Thanks, Mister! 
Great job.



Until next time...




Linking up with:



Friday, September 25, 2020

Reading, Watching & Listening



Hello, dear friends.  I hope this post finds you well.  The Mister and I met with a few moving companies this week.  I had forgotten how much fun moving really is.  Many of you seasoned movers have written to me with some sage advice which is very much appreciated.  For the lovely readers who suggested that we have the moving company pack all the breakables - thank you - we are definitely doing that.  



 







Do you blame me?
 

 
I packed two whole boxes yesterday.
And you all thought I was a slacker.
Now I need to take a couple of days off.
 




I did plenty of reading, watching, and listening this Summer.  Because this post is so long, I have skipped the synopsis of the books and just gave you my impressions.







The best thriller that I read all Summer.
It kept me guessing until the bitter end.





Another great thriller.  
The main character is our unreliable narrator who reminded me of Joe in You.
Clever twists and wry humor make a very entertaining read.





I am a big fan of Chanel Cleeton's.
She did not disappoint with this fabulous tale of three strong women in the aftermath of the Cuban Revolution of 1933. 


Amazon

This one is my favorite of Cleeton's books.  
A great love story involving an up-and-coming popular politician.
What makes this story more intriguing is that our heroine works for the CIA.    





The Blue Bistro has officially been unseated as my #1 favorite Hilderbrand beach read.  28 Summers has moved into that spot. I finished the book with tears in my eyes and joy in my heart.






This novel has the whole package - exquisite writing, compelling characters, and a masterful storyline.




A riveting historical fiction that is pretty hard to put down.
There are some raw scenes that I fast-forwarded through but so worth it because the story is so darn good.




No ladies, this is not a training manual.
It is a captivating psychological thriller.
Keep your seatbelt on - mid-story there is a twist that will give you whiplash.





All I can tell you about this thriller is that it is one heck of a wild ride.  The twists and turns are real stunners that I never saw coming.  Not only is the story captivating, but the audio
narration deserves five stars.





A beautifully written  Historical Fiction novel with a gripping storyline and a heroine that you can't help but adore and applaud. An added bonus: a heartbreaking love story.




If you are a person of faith and suffer from a healthy dose of anxiety, this book is for you.  It's a short one and I finished listening to it in a few hours.




Pure escapism.
You know I couldn't resist another novel based on Jackie Kennedy.




I spent most of this well-crafted novel on the edge of my seat.  Mid-way I wondered whether there were enough pages in the book to tie up all the loose ends.





This thought-provoking novel explores a friendship between an au pair and the mother of the child.  J. Courtney Sullivan's greatest strength is creating rich, well-developed characters and true-to-life relationships.





A husband talks his wife into buying a sailboat in Panama and sailing around the world with their seven-year-old and two-year-old.  You heard me, two-year-old.  This would never happen in our family but it made one heck of an entertaining story.  

Has anyone read this one?  Leave a comment as to your take on the unique ending.  I'm still scratching my head.




Domestic thriller at its finest. 
I listened to it in one day.





I loved Behind Closed Doors. This novel had a gripping storyline riddled with many surprises.  I did not give it 5 stars because I found the lead female character a bit whiny and irritating.





I have had the pleasure of reading most of Shari Lapena's thrillers.  I have yet to be disappointed.  This one centers around a close-knit neighborhood and a teenager who likes to break into some of the homes for the heck of it.
Thanks to this book, I am watching the teens in my 'hood very closely. 




A refreshing and surprising love story taking place around the time of 9/11.  Be prepared for a huge bombshell halfway through the book.  Something Blue still remains my favorite of Giffin's books.  






About a hundred years ago, I served on a jury.  I enjoyed it so much that I still look back on it as my favorite job of all time. This legal thriller is smart and well written.





A wife who is a successful defense attorney defends her husband who is being charged with the murder of his mistress.
This fast-paced thriller is a bargain at $3.49.




Staub has a way of taking serious issues and humanizes them.  Her characters are intriguing as well as amiable and the family dynamics are well-mapped as well as believable.




The story weaves all of the human emotions that the family members deal with including grief, sibling rivalry, and unresolved mother issues.  The Imperfects is well-written and entertaining. The narration is done by one of my favorites, Cassandra Campbell.






This debut novel touches on many aspects of love - parental, sibling, and last but not least, undying love.  The narrator gives an outstanding performance and reads with her heart and soul.







 As I tried to put the puzzle pieces together while reading this thriller, I became more confused with the effort. It is jam-packed with suspense and twists.  It is the perfect book for a long flight - the time will fly by.




Amazon

This is a slow-burning thriller where the main character tries to run away from her infamous past.  This story hits the gas midway and doesn't stop until the last page.



Amazon


I found this novel to be an utter delight. 
Poppel has a gift for creating colorful, likable characters.  The audio narration was music to my ears.  No pun intended.




Amazon


  This thriller will take you on a rollercoaster ride that won't allow you to exit until the final page.  I listened to this dynamic read in one sitting.  The narration was nothing less than spectacular.






I found myself very distracted this Summer.  It was apparent in my reading and listening skills.  Almost all of the below-mentioned books got very good reviews on Goodreads.  They just weren't for me at that time of my life.




Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors.  As a matter of a fact, I started a book club for the sheer reason that I wanted to hear my friend's thoughts on My Sister's Keeper.
Unfortunately, The Book of Two Ways missed the mark for me.  There was way too much Egyptian History and talk about death which kept me away from finishing the book.




I might have liked this one more if I read it instead of listened to it.



Amazon

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon








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I loved the first season and the second season topped it.




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Julia Ormond stole the show.



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I enjoyed this almost as much as Downton.
I said almost.




If you loved Mr. Selfridge, you are going to love this one.



I wish that there were more shows like this one.


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This series is so refreshing!
Great cast too!




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I liked this more than I thought I would.
There's only so much teenage mood swings and whining that I can take.
I'm glad that stage is over with my girls.



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This one was a pretty good time filler for sheltering in place.






Has anybody seen this show?  Phil is the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond. If you are a foodie and have a sense of humor, you are going to love this series.

Every episode makes me smile.



Pretty good.



This series is dubbed in English which didn't bother me.  I would rather have that than subtitles.  The Mister and I really enjoyed it. It's a combination of The Sopranos and Succession.



I think Liam Neeson produced this movie to showcase his son's talent.  It's a little predictable, but a cute movie.




One of HGTV's most entertaining shows.
We look forward to it every Sunday.



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We've been big fans of Below Deck but have never watched the Mediterranean version.
Later, Captain Lee.
We are now Team Sandy.


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Another show that is dubbed but a great storyline.


If you're looking for me this weekend, I'll be in front of the tube catching these shows.




I'd love to hear what has kept you entertained lately.
Drop me a line or leave me a comment.





Last, but certainly not least...

 Happy Birthday to our #2!
I hope that you experience as much joy in your life as you have given Daddy and me throughout the years. 


Have a great weekend.




Until next time...
 







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