{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 03/17/2025 }

 

Good morning friends, come on in out of the cold.  

It is Monday morning, and the start to a new fresh week ahead.  It is also St. Patrick's Day, not that I've ever been a huge fan or celebrate it every year, but once in a while I do enjoy making some Irish goodies, so today we will be having a delicious Shepherd's Pie and there will be an Irish Soda Bread made.  For sure!

 

I do have a recipe on my food blog, if you want to make one for yourself.   I wish you all a very blessed week ahead.  I'm sorry I didn't get to visit your posts last week, but I will be doing today.

Now, let's get on with our Happy Homemaker Monday!

 

The weather in my neck of the woods:::

The winds have been absolutely insane.  Last week, we actually a windy day that produced a very Mars like atmosphere.  It kind of reminded me of Arizona and the dust storms we would get.  The sky turned orange, everything looked so apocalyptic, it was just crazy.  Unfortunately the winds make the allergies kick up, and we've all been struggling.  There is more wind on the way this week, and I'm not thrilled about that, but hey ho, we'll deal right?  

Monday - Sunny and windy, 87

Tuesday - Partly cloudy and windy, 89

Wednesday - Partly cloudy and windy, 57

Thursday - Sunny, 66

Friday - Mostly sunny and windy, 79

Saturday - Mostly sunny, 82

Sunday - Partly cloudy, 76

As I look outside my window:::
I'm typing up this post pretty early in the morning, it is just 7:01 am, and it's still super dark outside, so I can't see anything.

   

Right now I am:::
Sitting in bed and working on this post, while watching a video on YouTube on the telly.  I'll share the channel below, I just recently found it and have been enjoying it.  

 

 

Something fun to share (a blog, a video, a tip):::

I recently came across a channel by a very sweet girl named Bonnie Barton.  I just love watching her, she is very much like me in the sense of the things she likes, colors, themes, books and so forth.     

 

 

 

Thinking and pondering:::
I have found that this week I stepped away from social media, I was able to reconnect and reground myself.  Sometimes it's good to step back and put your thoughts together, figure out what you want, what you don't want and make some changes here and there.  

 

That is what I did.  The older I get the more I realize that I have zero patience for certain things.  I've never been one to follow the crowds, but as the years go by, I get even more selective in who I let into my life, who I allow around me and even the books that I read.  Example.....my younger self would love a romance book with smut, or naughty writing.  Today, I can't stand it, I find it gross, and I associate it with porn.  Honestly!  My mind has just changed over the years and especially as I have gotten closer to God.         

 

On my bedside table:::
My book, a vase of pretty spring flowers, kleenex, my water bottle and tv remote.      

On my tv:::
Last night's When Calls the Heart
Homemaking vlogs

Book vlogs

SIC Portuguese channel

Listening to:::

Television in the background. 

My two roosters crowing outside.

Kaia snoring next to me.

On the menu for this week:::

Monday - Shepherd's Pie, Irish Soda Bread
Tuesday - Teriyaki Steak, Rice, Egg Rolls   

Wednesday - Shrimp Pesto Pasta, Greek Salad

Thursday - Bifanas (Portuguese Pork Sandwiches), Fries

Friday - Chicken Korma, Rice, Naan
Saturday - Leftovers, Fend for yourself

Sunday - Spaghetti, Italian Focaccia, Salad

On my to do list:::
Change Bed linens

Water plants

Daily Bible reading and daily decree

Crochet 

Carpet Clean

 

 
What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
Been loving working on the Cosmic CAL.  I am on Part 6, and there are 9 parts in total.  So, not quite there yet, but getting close.   

My simple pleasure:::
Watching my live Portuguese TV.  I have a small tv in my kitchen and when I'm in there, cleaning, doing dishes or cooking, it is set to the live channel from Portugal.  It reminds of my childhood.  We always had a little tv with the Portuguese tv playing.  Just love it ♥      

Looking around the house:::
I need to carpet clean both the living room and the den/dining room area.  We had rain a few days ago and with the constant in and out, it tends to leave some spots.   

 

 
From the camera:::
I'm very much looking forward to Spring and warm days, but I must say that walking by this corner every morning, and seeing how cozy it looks, it also brings to mind that even Winter has it's own charm.  

 

 

Bible verse, Devotional::: 

...those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.- Romans 8:14

{ Weekend in Review }

 

It was a good weekend, filled with family moments, homemaking, gardening, reading and some random YouTube videos here and there.

 

Saturday, Curt and I had lunch with my brother and sister in law, at our local Cracker Barrel.  It's been one of my favorite places to eat, since I can remember, although, I will say that I feel the service and the food itself is not like it used to be.  I often feel this way in many restaurants, since Covid, everything seems to have gone downhill food wise.  It's sad!

 

Sunday was a very quiet day, just basically sitting around and relaxing, making a barbecue for dinner for my daughter and her boyfriend, and just doing my usual pottering around the house.  

 

I don't have much to share, so this weekend in review is pretty short, but I didn't want there to be missing blog days.

 

 

My social media break technically ended on Saturday but I have yet to post anything.  I will more than likely do it today, but in the meantime, I went through and unfollowed and removed from my page a bunch of people.  

Some love having a huge count of followers, I prefer to have a select few that I know care about me and my life, and engage with me and my posts, than having hundreds of followers that quite frankly have never once seen one of my Instagram stories, don't ever engage in any way etc.  I think the older I get, the more I am listening to the Holy Spirit and removing from my life people, things, and situations that don't bring me joy.

 

Anyway, it was a good weekend, even if it did feel like it passed so quickly, but that's ok.  Hope your weekend was as good and relaxing as mine.

 

{ Around here }

 It's Friday, probably a day that I very much look forward to each week.  I don't know why, it's not for anything specific, other than I guess the fact that it means everyone is home from work for the next two days, I get to go to the gym, I can stay up a little later to watch something or read.  You know, the things that us older folk look forward to.

 

It is extremely windy outside, we have a warning from this morning until tonight around 10pm, with winds in the area hitting between 50 and 60 mph.  I don't need to say how I loathe winds, because I've talked about it ad nauseum.  I am already sneezing, my nose and eyes are itching and I know what is coming my way.  I will be staying indoors, that's for sure.

 

So, this past week I have taken a break from Instagram, and I will tell you that it's been absolute bliss.  The peace I have felt has been tremendous.  It's weird, it's not like Instagram stresses me out, but whatever it was, it is freeing and liberating and I have loved being by myself, in my home, without constantly reaching for the phone anytime I had a spare moment or my hands were not occupied with housework.

 

The endless doom scrolling, is a big thing, and quite frankly if I do look at it deeply, I think as much as I say that Instagram doesn't stress me out, it kind of does.  No is forcing me to post stories or even be on there, but I myself felt like I needed to and then when I didn't have to post anything, I felt like I was being lazy or neglecting the app.  So, to be free of that has been wonderful!

 

I will most likely return in the next few days, but I think even my stories on there will be few and far between or only when I really feel like it.  No more feeling pressured to do it.

 

What have I been doing this week?

 

 

 

 

Well, I have put a big dent in my Cosmic Blanket and have loved getting back into a crocheting routine.

 

I have continued my daily Bible reading plan and am very much enjoying it, and also learning new things that somehow I missed when I read these books previously.  It's like that with the Bible isn't it?  No matter how many times you read something, when you go back, it's like reading it for the first time.  At least that's what it feels like to me.

 

I got groceries done this week and as always, I am thankful to God that we can afford groceries.

 

I have continued reading my book.  I am currently reading The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, and quite enjoying it.  Of course that has sent me back into a Jane Austen mood and I'm really wanting to re watch the movies again. 

I have watched a lot of YouTube videos, and found new favorites.  I have unsubscribed from older channels too.  I do this every few months, as I find that with everything else in life, tastes change and maybe a channel I enjoyed 6 months ago, I no longer watch, so it makes sense to remove it and replace it with a new one to enjoy, for however long that lasts.

 

Some new ones I've recently subscribed to:

 

Celtic Cottage Life

Tanita Giu

Creating Cosy Home

French Vibes

Mariam Mubarik

Terramor

 

 

I also have some new books coming in the mail.  Used up some of my Paperbackswap credits I have sitting there.  One of them arrived earlier this week and I am so excited to read it.

 

 

Lost Country Life by Dorothy Hartley

This beautiful and heartfelt encyclopedia of rural life in the middle ages gets its special charm because the author, as a little girl, knew shepherds and laborers who lived in a way hardly changed through the centuries. She shares that land, now lost forever, where man was the measure of all things.

Using as a framework a 16th-century calendar of advice for farmers, she takes us month by month through the country-dweller's year, and opens up the customs and traditions of a vanished rural life.

 

The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah E. Ladd

Amelia Barrett, heiress to an estate nestled in the English moors, defies family expectations and promises to raise her dying friend’s baby. But she knows she can’t do it alone and finds herself in the surprising position of asking Graham, the child’s father—a man she’s never met before—to marry her.

When the baby vanishes with little more than an ominous ransom note hinting at her whereabouts, Amelia and Graham are driven to test the boundaries of their love for this little one.

Amelia’s detailed plans would normally see her through any trial, but now, desperate and shaken, she’s forced to examine her soul and face her one weakness: pride.

 

 

The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen

 Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.

Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch's daughter. Though he's initially wary of Julia Midwinter's reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul--and hidden sorrows of her own.

Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master--a man her mother would never approve of--but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades questions about his past. With Alec's help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village...and to her mother's tattered heart?

 

It's been a good, quiet, relaxing week.  Very much needed.  I have prayed more, gotten to know God more, spent more time in my home pottering around, read, crocheted, watched inspiring videos and have been more present with family.  Honestly, I think everyone should drop the phones, especially social media, at least for a day during the week.  It's incredible how much more connected we become with family and life, when we pull away from that.

 

As I've been reading in the Bible, the past few chapters have talked a lot about idols and false Gods, and we need to understand that those things are very much in play even in today's age.  Anything that we obsess with, or that takes all of our focus especially away from time with the Lord, IS, in and of itself, a false God and and idol.  There's something for you to think about.

 

Have a blessed rest of Friday, and I'll be back tomorrow to share what I get up to.

 

 

 

 

{ Cooking Thursday - Pepperoni Pizzaz }

 

PEPPERONI PIZZAZ
Credit: Tried and True Cooking with Heidi

8 ounces uncooked penne pasta
1 jar (28 ounces) spaghetti sauce, divided
1 package (8 ounces) sliced pepperoni
1 jar (4-1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese



Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, combine 2-1/3 cups spaghetti sauce, pepperoni, mushrooms, green pepper, onion,

Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a bowl.
Drain pasta; add to sauce mixture and mix well.

Transfer to a greased 3-qt. baking dish. Combine the tomato sauce and remaining spaghetti sauce; pour over top. (Note: for easier clean up, just empty the tomato sauce into the remaining spaghetti sauce jar, close tight and shake)

Cover and bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5-10 longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 9 servings.

{ Wordless Wednesday }

 

{ Musical Throwback Tuesday }

 One of my all time favorite singers, without a doubt, growing up, was Olivia Newton-John.  I loved everything about her, her voice, her music, she was absolutely stunning.

 

I still remember watching Xanadu, and just being so excited.  Here's a very big throwback, wonder who many of you will remember this.

 

 

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 03/10/2025 }

 

 

Good morning everyone, come on in and have a sit with me.  Let's get ready for our Happy Homemaker Monday and the week ahead.  How was your weekend?

 

We had a very rainy Saturday, followed by a slow quiet Sunday.  I spent most of my Sunday in the kitchen making some things for Jasmine's work.  They are having a potluck on Tuesday and she of course, asked me to make some Portuguese and South African goodies.  Yesterday I made Koeksisters, the recipe is on the food blog.  Today I'll be making Meat Rissois, a meat bread and Toucinho do Ceu, a delicious pudding like cake with coconut.  All the recipes are on the food blog, but I'll leave the links here for you as well.  

 

I have a busy kitchen day ahead, but I love cooking so it makes me happy.

 

Koeksisters

Meat Rissois

Meat Bread

Toucinho do Ceu

 

I hope you all have a wonderful blessed week ahead. 

 

The weather in my neck of the woods:::

I don't know what our weather is doing, think it's the last hoorah before Spring temperatures kick in.  It's a bit all over the place.  I'm fine with these temperatures, the only thing I don't like is the windy days because they absolutely destroy me with the allergies.  It's awful!  

Monday - Abundant sunshine, 79

Tuesday - Sunny, 85

Wednesday - Partly cloudy, 81

Thursday - Partly cloudy, 84

Friday - Sunny, 77

Saturday - Partly cloudy, 65

Sunday - Sunny, 70

As I look outside my window:::
The sun is coming up, I see some birds flying around and chirping really loudly, as well as a squirrel running back and forth from the tree, to my window sill and so forth.   

   

Right now I am:::
Sitting in bed while typing up this post and watching one of my favorite Brazilian YouTuber.  

 

 

Something fun to share (a blog, a video, a tip):::

I know some of you are still dealing with very cold weather, so here's a sweet ambience video for you to feel Spring at your fingertips.  I love these types of videos, I leave them playing on my telly as I go about my day.   

 

 

 

Thinking and pondering:::
Nothing in particular, just a running to do list in my head that I need to get on paper so I don't forget.       

 

On my bedside table:::
My book, water bottle, flower vase and my empty cup of coffee.    

On my tv:::
Last night's When Calls the Heart
Homemaking vlogs

Book vlogs

House of David on Amazon Prime 

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

Listening to:::

Television in the background. 

Birds loudly chirping outside my window.

The low hum of the heater in my bedroom.

On the menu for this week:::

Starting the new meal plan on Wednesday, so as usual I'll be working on the new meal plan.  Tonight, Jasmine is coming over with Issac her boyfriend, to have dinner and pick up the food for the potluck.  My brother in law offered to pick up pizza since I'll be in the kitchen all day.  

Monday - Dominoes Pizza
Tuesday - Yogurt marinated chicken, roast potatoes and zucchini   

Wednesday - 

Thursday - 

Friday -
Saturday - 

Sunday - 

On my to do list:::
Change Bed linens

Water plants

Daily Bible reading and daily decree

Crochet

 

 
What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting or creating:::
I've set aside the Nordic Afghan.  I am a bit of a seasonal crocheter, so don't really want the winter afghan on me, because I'm really wanting Spring to arrive.  So, I've pulled out my Cosmic CAL to continue.  I love it so much, it makes me smile.   

My simple pleasure:::
Crocheting, it relaxes me like nothing else.     

Looking around the house:::
The house is clean and tidy, thankfully, because I need to concentrate on cooking and baking today and not cleaning anything.  I do need to vacuum and dust, but those are quick tasks that I can get done early this morning and get them out of the way.  

 

 
From the camera:::
It's warm enough that I can start drying my clothes outdoors.  I always love seeing my Cath Kidston tablecloth hanging on the line. ♥     

 

 

Prayer List:::
Oh my goodness.  I don't even know where to start, I'll just say that there are so many on my list.  I have actually decided to do a week hiatus from social media, because my soul can't take all the bad things going on.  The biggest prayer at the moment is for all the Christians in Syria who are being murdered, entire villages and families, women and children just being massacred.  It's heartbreaking!   Please pray for them.

Bible verse, Devotional::: 

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"- John 1:29

{ Hiatus from Social Media }

 

I am taking a week long, maybe longer, hiatus from social media. I won't be posting on Instagram stories, won't be active on the app at all, and may even delete it for the next week so that I don't have the temptation of opening it up. 

 

Over the years, I have unplugged at different times, when I felt the need to.

 

I think it's one of the reasons I am so grateful to God, that I am not an influencer and needing social media to earn my living.  I would have a very hard time doing that, I don't like the pressure, I don't like the feeling of being forced to be on something constantly because I need to.

 

Unplugging for me is much easier than maybe for most.  I am not a person that goes with the crowd, never have been, matter of fact I am the type of person that if everyone is loving something a certain month, I will immediately dislike it.  I have never liked the hive mentality, feeling like everyone needs to like something, do something, dress the same way, read the same books, eat the same things.  I dislike it with a passion, honestly.  It's quite funny actually to think of the visceral reaction my body has to things like this.

 

Anyway, I have been finding that lately, no matter which social media app I open, it is just filled with bad news, horrible things, death and dismay and it's starting to affect me.  I am constantly sad, anxious, worried and it's not a good way to live.  As always, the Holy Spirit steps in at times like these, and prompts me to look elsewhere, and to unplug and that is what I'm doing.  I started on Saturday and I have to say, just one day of not constantly grabbing my phone, has done wonders for my soul.

 

So, you won't see me posting on Instagram at least for this week, maybe longer, I am not sure, I will wait until Saturday to see how I feel.  But I just wanted to let you know, in case you follow me over there too, so you wouldn't wonder where I suddenly disappeared to.

 

I am devoting my time now to reading, praying, crocheting and blogging.  All things that make me happy and fill my soul with joy instead of dread.  

 

Here's to a week of soul searching, contentment and happiness.  

 

{ Spend a rainy Saturday with me }

The rain began last night. At first just a few heavy drops here and there, followed by loud thunder, bright lightning and the constant barrage of millions of raindrops pounding down on the roof.  

 

The temperatures dropped, meaning the blankets I had already folded and put in the basket near the couch, were pulled back out to warm my achy bones.  Arthritis, my arch nemesis.  I never in a million years would have thought that I would develop osteoarthritis, especially before I even turned 50, and when it appeared I was quite sad about it, but I have learned to live with it and to accept that things happen, we don't control all the ailments that come upon our bodies as we age, and some things, just become part of the aging process.  It's ok.  

 

It's a Saturday morning, the slowness of the weekend has arrived bringing with it a laziness that has become synonymous with naps, slowness, pottering around, snacking, drinking coffee and tea, reading or watching a show on the telly.  I'm all for it.

 

So I'm bringing you along on this rainy day, from morning to night.  You might want to grab a cuppa and settle in, there are quite a few photos in this post.

 

 

:::: MORNING ::::

Before the world starts stirring, I am up.  I am an early riser, I guess because I go to sleep every night, around 8 or 8:30, so by 4:30am, I am wide awake and ready to start the day.  Week days or weekends, it doesn't matter, I am up.  You may think it is too early, but I find that I get so much more out of my day when I am up this early.

 

I make my coffee, I sit on the couch under a blanket and I read a little and then watch some quiet slow vlogs.  This morning however, I had the added ambience of a thunderstorm, some lit candles, and just the coziness that comes with this kind of weather.  

After about an hour, I start waking the house up.  While everyone else sleeps, I open the front door, open the curtains, and head into the kitchen to make my breakfast.  I love eating my breakfast back on the couch, while watching something on the tv.  

It's the slowness of the day that I really enjoy.  Dark, quiet, just me and my kitty.

I start a load of laundry and fold the one that just came out of the dryer.

Tidy up the couches, fold blankets and put the dining table back to order, runner, flowers and lamp and put back in place after being removed the night before for dinner and family games.

 

Some nights I get to do this before retiring for the day, but other nights I am the first to head to my bedroom, and the boys stay up playing, so this kind of chore moves to the morning.

I also water the plants.  I have recently set up our little indoor greenhouse with some of the first veggies and flowers we have started. 

As the sun starts rising, and the day starts waking up, I open the back door, light the scentsy warmer and fluff up the pillows on these couches. There's a sense of accomplishment when the day starts with the house fresh and tidy for the day.  No matter what comes our way later, everything seems to just fall into place.

 

:::: AFTERNOON ::::

 

The rain continues, sometimes a slow and steady drizzle, other times bringing all it's force with loud thunder that comes out of nowhere, making you jump out of your skin.  Yes it happens to me a lot.  

 

I do like stepping outside during the storms, to just smell the wet earth, to listen to the rain and to take in nature in all it's glory.  I love being outside in the rain, well, not exactly out in the rain itself, but sitting on my porch, just listening and taking it all in.

We went to the gym in the morning, not even the rain would keep us away.  I find though that the days we go to the gym, I am always slower and tired and just want to sleep the afternoon away.  I don't do it, but it definitely tires your body out.

 

This afternoon, I chose to turn on the fairy lights on the bookshelf, and settle in bed with a warm blanket, and my Ellliott asleep nearby.  If you don't see him, he is right on the bottom of the picture, under a blanket.  He stayed in my bed all day long, under that blanket, only getting up once to use the litter box and eat some food, and then went right back to his spot.  He loves rainy days as much as I do.

 

:::: NIGHT ::::

 

As the evening rolled around, I start the preparations for dinner.  Since it's been raining all day, I had a craving for chili, so after the gym this morning, we went by the base commissary and picked up what we needed.  I came back home and popped it all in the slow cooker.

 

There's nothing quite like a rainy day, with the scent of a delicious chili bubbling away in your slow cooker.  I get to go about my day without worrying about dinner.

Every night before dinner, and while I actually get dinner finished, I have my apple cider vinegar shot.  I've mentioned it before, but basically, I do 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon, then I fill the rest of the little measuring cup with cold water.  I think it's about 8 ounces all together.  

It helps me a lot with my stomach.  I used to have horrible issues from perimenopause, constant stomach cramps, runny tummy, gurgling, indigestion and just unwell stomach most of the time.  This mixture has helped me a lot.  You can look up the benefits of taking apple cider vinegar every day, and remember that with everything, talk to your doctor first, don't take my word for it.  I am merely sharing what I do and what works for me.

I made some homemade pita chips for myself and anyone else that wanted, because I don't eat tortilla chips or chips of any kind.  These are a great way to make homemade chips that are much healthier than store bought, and they go great with a chili or soup.

 

We had our delicious chili, played a game of cards, and I retired to my bedroom.  Took my wonderful shower, and by 8:30am I was asleep.  

 

The rain continues pounding outside and will more than likely go all night.  

 

I sure do hope you enjoyed spending the day with me and having a peek at what I do on a weekend day.  

{ March Reading list }

March has quickly crept up on us.  I blinked my eyes in February and the month was gone, just like that.

 

So here we are, a new month, a blank slate, a chance to catch up on all the books we've been wanting to get to, but haven't yet managed to.  I didn't read much in January and practically nothing in February, I may have managed one book, if I'm being honest.

 

But since March arrived, and albeit it only a few days ago, I have already made it through 2 books and am well into my third.  I tend to go through phases, some months I read non stop, other months I hardly touch a book, and that's ok.  

 

It used to bother me, I couldn't figure out why I could read so much and enjoy reading, and then be ok without a single word making it from a page through my eyes and into my mind.  But just like normal life with it's ever changing phases, so goes reading for me.  I've embraced it and so now, when the reading bug bites, I enjoy it as much as I can.

 

So, here are my books for this month.  This is just a general idea because I do have some books coming in the mail from Paperbackswap.   I've had 4 credits sitting there for a while, and was able to use them last week.  Those books will either be added to this list, or moved to April.  We will see!

The first one, which I'm actually already reading, is The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James.  I am quite enjoying it.  I am a huge Jane Austen fan, I have all her books and have watched every movie and adaptation of each movie available.

 

But in this book, we are privy to Jane Austen's personal life, as she takes us through her younger years, pre famous book author, to even talking about a mysterious gentleman that may have been the love of her life.  There's always been rumors of this, but never anything concrete to prove or disprove.  A few years back, apparently the lost memoirs of Jane Austen were discovered behind a wall at Chawton Cottage.  The author created a fiction novel but based on those memoirs, giving us an insight into Jane Austen.  It's fascinating and like I said above, I'm really enjoying it so far.

I get pretty much all of my books, at Thriftbooks online and Paperbackswap, with very few books purchased new. I know most people prefer new books that no one has ever had, but I love old books, and don't mind used books that have been loved by previous hands. I think it gives them a certain kind of charm. 

 

Recently, I also came across Book Outlet online which is like Thriftbooks. I haven't purchased any books from there yet, but will be giving it a try soon and will let you know what I think. What are you reading for March? Do you have a stack of books or do you prefer to just read as your fancy strikes?