{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 02/17/2020 }

Good morning dear friends, welcome back to my blog and to our Happy Homemaker Monday feature.  How was your weekend, or rather, how is your extended weekend going?

Mine has been great so far, and I even took some pictures and was planning to post last night, then fell asleep.  No surprise there.

I have Curt home today but Jasmine does work, so we will have to take her in, in a few hours.  I don't have much planned for today, just going to potter around the house, maybe get some seeds going and things of that nature.

For now though, I'll continue sipping my hot coffee and working on this post.

I hope you all have a blessed week :) 

♥♥The Weather♥♥
Weather is still struggling with it's identity, doesn't know if it's coming, going, if it's spring or winter, summer or fall.  Barbecue weather on Saturday, foggy and cold weather on Sunday.  Good grief!      

Monday - Sunny, 66
Tuesday - Mostly Sunny and Windy, 57
Wednesday - Mostly cloudy, 54
Thursday - AM clouds, 43
Friday - Partly cloudy, 47
Saturday - Showers, 53
Sunday - AM showers, 61


♥♥How I am feeling this morning♥♥
Pretty good.  Slept quite well, which is always a plus and seems to set the tone for the rest of the day. 


♥♥On my mind♥♥
Schooling.  Just going over what lessons Nick has and what is due today or overdue.         


♥♥On the breakfast plate♥♥
Having a hot cup of coffee, I'm the only one awake at the moment.  Not sure what I'll have for breakfast, probably toast as usual.  Or, cinnamon toast, haven't had that in forever.          


♥♥On my reading pile♥♥
Currently reading  Resistance Women from Jennifer Chiaverini.  I then have Mercy House and The Hunting Party, to read.  My bible and my devotional as well.

♥♥On my tv♥♥
Well first and foremost, the new Outlander, which was SOOO good.  I also spent a bit of time going through the Firestick and finding new shows and movies to add to my favorites list, to watch later. Aside from homemaking vlogs, I really don't have anything else on the list, I think I'll just watch whatever I fancy at that moment.


♥♥On the menu this week♥♥
I will be going grocery shopping on Friday, so don't have meals yet planned for Saturday or Sunday.  Also just remembered that when I last went shopping, they didn't have my wonton wrappers for the chicken egg rolls I planned to make on Thursday, so will have to make something else for that day.

Monday - Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Fried Cabbage with Bacon
Tuesday - Olive Garden Fettucine, Homemade Garlic Bread, Salad
Wednesday - Honey Mustard Chicken Fingers, Potato Wedges
Thursday -  Chicken?
Friday - Yummy Hero Sandwiches, Fries
Saturday -
Sunday -


♥♥From the camera♥♥
My absolute, all time favorite books.  I've talked about them many times before, especially the first in the series which is These is My Words.      

♥♥Looking around the house♥♥
Until about 10 minutes ago, it was quiet but for the sound of my husband and dog snoring.  Now hubby is awake and both he and Marley are playing fetch with a ball, on.the.bed.  Weirdos!
I'm worried my laptop is going to go flying off my lap, any minute.  There's playful growling, Marley jumping up and down from the bed, and tennis balls flying all over. 


♥♥Chore I'm not looking forward to today, or this week♥♥
Ordered a new part for the washer so hoping it gets fixed this week.  If not, guess what, I'll still be hand washing dishes. 
Let me just reiterate the fact that I don't hate doing it, and I think I've actually gotten into a routine now and quite enjoy washing them by hand, but there are days that I truly cringe when I see the sink full of dinner dishes.  Though, the minute I get in there to do it, I quite enjoy it.         


♥♥To relax this week, I will♥♥
Not even sure, but hoping to get some time in the garden.          


♥♥On my prayer list♥♥
The President, our country.
My mother in law Pat and father in law Ken, their continuing health issues. 


♥♥Devotional/Bible Verse♥♥
"Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi."
Genesis 25:11

Hagar had once found deliverance there and Ishmael had drank from the water so graciously revealed by the God who liveth and seeth the sons of men; but this was a merely casual visit, such as worldlings pay to the Lord in times of need, when it serves their turn. They cry to him in trouble, but forsake him in prosperity. Isaac dwelt there, and made the well of the living and all-seeing God his constant source of supply. The usual tenor of a man's life, the dwelling of his soul, is the true test of his state. Perhaps the providential visitation experienced by Hagar struck Isaac's mind, and led him to revere the place; its mystical name endeared it to him; his frequent musings by its brim at eventide made him familiar with the well; his meeting Rebecca there had made his spirit feel at home near the spot; but best of all, the fact that he there enjoyed fellowship with the living God, had made him select that hallowed ground for his dwelling. Let us learn to live in the presence of the living God; let us pray the Holy Spirit that this day, and every other day, we may feel, "Thou God seest me."

May the Lord Jehovah be as a well to us, delightful, comforting, unfailing, springing up unto eternal life. The bottle of the creature cracks and dries up, but the well of the Creator never fails; happy is he who dwells at the well, and so has abundant and constant supplies near at hand. The Lord has been a sure helper to others: his name is Shaddai, God All-sufficient; our hearts have often had most delightful intercourse with him; through him our soul has found her glorious Husband, the Lord Jesus; and in him this day we live, and move, and have our being; let us, then, dwell in closest fellowship with him. Glorious Lord, constrain us that we may never leave thee, but dwell by the well of the living God.

{ The Second Midnight by Andrew Taylor - TLC Book Tour }

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; Reprint edition (January 28, 2020)

From the international bestselling author comes a World War Two tale of one boy’s fight for survival in Nazi Europe

A secret mission…
1939. As Europe teeters on the brink of war, Alfred Kendall is tasked with carrying out a minor mission for the British Intelligence Service. Travelling to Prague, he takes his troubled young son, Hugh, as cover.

A terrible choice…
When Hitler invades Czechoslovakia, Alfred is given an ultimatum by the Czech Resistance. They will arrange for him to return to England, but only if he leaves his son Hugh behind as collateral.

A young boy stranded in Nazi terrain…
Hugh is soon taken under the wing of a Nazi colonel – Helmuth Scholl. But even though Scholl treats Hugh well, his son, Heinz, is suspicious of this foreigner. And as the war across the continent intensifies, they are set on a path that will ultimately lead towards destruction…

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Andrew Taylor

Andrew Taylor is the author of a number of crime novels, including the ground-breaking Roth Trilogy, which was adapted into the acclaimed TV drama Fallen Angel, and the historical crime novels The Ashes of London, The Silent Boy, The Scent of Death and The American Boy, a No.1 Sunday Times bestseller and a 2005 Richard & Judy Book Club Choice.

He has won many awards, including the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger, an Edgar Scroll from the Mystery Writers of America, the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award (the only author to win it three times) and the CWA’s prestigious Diamond Dagger, awarded for sustained excellence in crime writing. He also writes for the Spectator and The Times.

He lives with his wife Caroline in the Forest of Dean.

 

My thoughts:
If you love thrillers, more precisely historical spy thrillers that take place in World War II time, then this is the book for you.  No jokes!!!

You have got to pick yourself up a copy and start reading right away.  (you can find links to purchase the book, above)

All the book reviews I've done lately have been about, or taken time during World War II, which is brilliant, it's an era I love reading about.

In The Second Midnight we meet Alfred Kendall and his young son Hugh.   A father and son, not always getting along well, which is to be expected when you have a young spirited, but albeit troubled young boy who has just been expelled from his boarding school.  Things need to change, and Hugh's father Alfred finds the perfect opportunity when he is sent by the British Intelligence, on a small mission, or so they say.

Unfortunately this happens to coincide with the time that Adolf Hitler is invading Czechoslovakia.  The only way Alfred can get out alive is by making the choice to leave behind his young son.

Maybe being a parent myself, I had a hard time seeing how this would ever have even crossed my mind, but I guess when people find themselves cornered they will do whatever they can.  I still would never have been able to leave my 12 year old behind in a war torn country, but that is just me.

Hugh is left to his own devices, he goes into survival mode and ultimately saves the life of a high ranking colonel, who in turn takes him into his family and raises him as one of his own.

The novel not only touches on the brutality of World War II, but the intricacies of relationships and the spirit of survival.

I loved every page, and was super excited to find out that it is part of a series, being the first in the Blaines Book Series.  I'll be interested to read the remaining two books and hopefully enjoy them as much as I did this one.


 Thank you to TLC Tours and the publisher for providing me with a review copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

{ A Sister's Courage by Molly Green - TLC Book Tour }

Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Avon (January 21, 2020)

It’s 1939 and the threat of war hangs over Britain…

The most ambitious of three sisters, Lorraine ‘Raine’ Linfoot always dreamed of becoming a pilot. As a spirited seventeen-year-old, she persuades her hero Doug Williams to teach her to fly.
When war breaks out in 1939, Raine is determined to put her skills to good use. She enlists in the Air Transport Auxiliary, becoming one of a handful of brave female pilots flying fighter planes to the men on the front line.

Raine embraces the challenges of the job, despite its perils. But when Doug is reported missing after his Spitfire is shot down, she realises the war could tear apart not only her country, but also her heart…

A gripping story of family, friendship and courage, perfect for fans of Natasha Lester, Lizzie Page and Call the Midwife.

Purchase Links

HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Molly Green

Molly Green is a seasoned author of fiction and non-fiction. She has sold lipstick in a Denver store, modelled in Atlanta, assisted the UN Narcotics Director in Geneva, chauffeured a Swiss Gnome in Zurich, assisted a famous film producer in the UK, and cooked in a sanatorium in Germany. She now lives and writes in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

 

My thoughts:

 It is no secret that I not only adore and practically inhale anything history related, but that one of my favorite eras is anything to do with World War II. 

Having just finished a previous book also about the same era, I have to say that this one fell a bit short for me.  I kept reading, pushing through and hoping that it would finally click, that I would have that moment where you connect with the story and become almost a part of it.

The premise itself was quite interesting as it focuses on the roles that women played during the war, and this one a bit more interesting in that Raine, one of three sisters, is determined to be a fighter pilot and do her part in the war, much to her mom's chagrin.....not to mention the resistance she met from male pilots who felt that women had no place in that sort of work.

I wanted so badly to enjoy this one fully, to be able to say that it was a well written story and that I loved every page, but it fell flat. 

Somewhere along the way it became more about romance and two possible love interests for Raine, and that just didn't do it for me.  I love romance novels, and I love history novels and when done correctly both genres in one can be quite a good read, however in this instance it just didn't do it for me.

The characters didn't feel developed enough, for example the main character Raine, was not believable as a kick butt female fighter pilot in a time where women were very much discriminated upon.  It all felt a bit discombobulated, which in turn made for a slow, bit confusing and all over the place story.

 Thank you to TLC Tours and the publisher for providing me with a review copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

{ Happy Homemaker Monday - 02/10/2020 }

Good morning, welcome back to my blog.  How was your weekend?

Mine was so good, nothing exciting happened but it was just what I needed, a good two days of being home with my loves, pottering around, organizing and so on.  If you want to know exactly what we did, check out yesterday's post below.

I am home all day today, but the rest of the week is going to be quite busy running back and forth.  I also have painting and some more organizing I want to get done.  Will it actually happen?  I don't know, we will see.  I always have the best of intentions to do a ton of things, but sometimes it doesn't exactly work out how I planned.   I think that is perfectly normal for everyone.

Let's get on with our Happy Homemaker Monday and see what everyone is up to.

♥♥The Weather♥♥
Last week snow, followed by almost 80 degrees this weekend, and now we are back to 30's and a rainy week ahead.  Ask me again why everyone is constantly sniffing around here?    

Monday - Rain, 40
Tuesday - AM showers, 40
Wednesday - AM rain, 47
Thursday - Sunny, 48
Friday - Mostly Sunny, 53
Saturday - Mostly Cloudy, 62
Sunday - Partly cloudy, 67


♥♥How I am feeling this morning♥♥
Rested.  That's not a word you will see very often, but I really do feel rested.  I think I got good sleep last night.  Most nights I'm either struggling to sleep, or finding it hard to get comfortable, especially with my right shoulder.  Then there are nights like last night, where I am comfortable, no pain, and sleep very well.       


♥♥On my mind♥♥
Nothing in particular, just the usual thoughts of what I want to do today or need to do around the house.       


♥♥On the breakfast plate♥♥
So far just my cup of coffee with my Creme Brulee creamer.  I'm thinking some air fryer toast with melted cheesey goodness, will be my breakfast later.        


♥♥On my reading pile♥♥
I finished Wolf and got the review up last week.  If you love history, WWII and are maybe curious about Adolf Hitler and who he was or how he got to be the evil man he became, be sure to read the book.  It was phenomenal!

This week I have a review coming up for A Sister's Courage, as well as The Second Midnight, and I'm currently reading Resistance Women from Jennifer Chiaverini.


♥♥On my tv♥♥
Curt and I have started watching the last season of Supernatural, since we've finished Star Trek.  We tried watching The Expanse but really didn't enjoy it.

Yesterday I started watching the documentary that just came out on Oxygen, called The Witnesses.  Didn't quite finish so will do that some time today.  You can watch it on Youtube. 



Anne with an E (Season 3)
Luna Nera
Call the Midwife (Season 9)
Turn
Thieves of the Wood



♥♥On the menu this week♥♥


Monday - Mexican Lasagna, Salad
Tuesday - Spaghetti Pizza Pie, Homemade Garlic Bread
Wednesday - Chicken Stroganoff, Mashed Potatoes, Fried Cabbage
Thursday -  Beef Curry
Friday - Yummy Hero Sandwiches, Fries
Saturday - Easy Cheesy Topped Burgers
Sunday - Homemade Pizza


♥♥From the camera♥♥
Some of my crochet blankets and works in progress.    

♥♥Looking around the house♥♥
It is quiet dark even though it's almost 8:00 AM.  Dark cloudy skies and rain outside are the culprits.  The house itself is clean and tidy, the kids are asleep, Marley is asleep and the only sound is that of my tv playing in the background.     


♥♥Chore I'm not looking forward to today, or this week♥♥
Still washing dishes by hand.  We've put in a work order for the washing machine and are waiting for them to come out to fix it.  Like I said previously, as much as I love washing dishes by hand, I can't do it too much because it kills my lower back.  If I stand for long periods of time, my back just goes out.    


♥♥To relax this week, I will♥♥
Read, watch some tv or crochet.  Mostly read though, I've been enjoying finding my reading mojo again.        


♥♥On my prayer list♥♥
The President, our country.
My mother in law Pat, had her last radiation treatment last week and the growth has shrunk.  So thrilled with the news.
My father in law Ken, finally had his heart surgery to clean up the blockages.  He is doing very well post op, so praying for his continued recovery.     


♥♥Devotional/Bible Verse♥♥
My morning devotional from Charles Spurgeon:


Philippians 4:12, NIV: "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

{ Cleaning, Organizing and new book shelves }

Since we've bought this house, we have had a running list of projects we want to do, things we want to change and organize and so on.  We our whole lives to do them in, and we plan on working slowly through that list, but in saying so, there is also excitement in knowing that all the ideas and plans we had over the last 5 years, are finally allowed to be put into action.

There's a big difference between dreaming of what you would change or do, when you rent a house, and actually having the freedom to go forth and do it.

So as much as we want to take it slow, we also have small things that we can't wait to go ahead and get done.



Saturday morning we took Jasmine to work, then stopped at Tractor Supply for some mouse traps.  Yes, you heard right, mouse traps....and I just shivered from head to toe saying that.

We haven't had mice in this house for about 3 years now.  All of a sudden, we have mice again and I'm left wondering why.  Then again, we live in the country so it's pretty normal to deal with these little buggers.  By the way, for the longest time people would think that mice only stayed in a house if it wasn't clean or tidy. 

I'm here to tell you that is a total lie.  It doesn't matter how clean your house is, if they want to come in, they will come in.



But anyway, after we picked up the mouse traps, we were headed back home and decided to stop at a local thrift store.  It was one of those spur of the moment decisions, we haven't been to this store in about 2 years and had no intention of going, until we drove by it and both said "we should go in there, we haven't been in a while"

I guess God knew we needed to pop in there, because low and behold, we came face to face with some bookshelves we had been wanting, for a while.

If you remember, I had those white shelves in the green living room, one of which had never been finished.  I started painting it and then left it with the intention of finishing it off, and 5 years later, here we are, unfinished bookshelf and none the wiser.



Of course, that meant, removing the old bookshelves and all it's contents, and cleaning, and organizing and trying to figure out where to put the shelves, then putting it all back together.

We decided to put them in our bedroom.  Our bedroom is huge, and we had a lot of empty wall space.



Curt anchored them to the wall as they're a bit wobbly.  I packed them all nicely with my books, crochet and such, and I love the way they turned out.  But, alas, they're still not fully painted and look awful.  I will be painting them black this week to match the rest of the bedroom furniture.

The wall color?  Still that ugly salmon/peach that I've disliked since we moved in.  That will be painted white within the next few months, you can take that to the bank.  Haha





The new shelves in the living room were just what I had wanted.  They are tall, sturdy, and just perfect for all my books.

We put all the books on the shelves and I added some of the other decorations here and there, but they are not organized at all.  I need to go through the books this week and organize them, probably by color again (like I had them previously), or by author, not sure yet.







I just love seeing things come together, and rooms taking shape.  I am still very unsure on the green walls, I said previously that I will probably just leave them and work with them, but I just don't know, I may end up changing the color altogether.

The couches have gone back to their original state.  I don't like the way they look at all, they are very 70's looking, but the slipcovers I bought for them last year, were cheap and so they ended up tearing and going really gross in no time.

Will I get new ones?  Probably because the couches are still in good shape.  I would love new couches, because our recliners are also really old and torn and falling apart.  There is only so much you can do to cover that up, and pretty soon no matter how many blankets we cover them with, or throw pillows we add, they will need to be replaced.





I'll share everything we change, as we go.  I'm not doing it because I claim to be some sort of decorating guru, I honestly have no clue how to do any of that, I just put things together that I love, or that I think look pretty.

Key words here "I think look pretty."  That's the thing with decorating our homes, likes and dislikes are very personal and what I may like for my home, may be completely different to what you would have in yours, and vice versa.  I see a lot of homes that are beautifully decorated, but yet I would never want the same look in my own house.

So, yes, I'll be sharing everything that I do in my home, mainly for my own record because this is my little spot on the web and I take immense pleasure in going back over the years, seeing what our previous houses looked like, and funny enough, how my own tastes in decorating have changed over the years.

Goodness, I feel like I've just rambled about nothing in particular.

I better get on out of here and get the house ready for bed.  That means, closing curtains, locking doors, making sure the kitchen is clean, letting Marley out for the night and so on.

I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend.  I will be back in the morning with our Happy Homemaker Monday, until then, stay blessed and have a restful night :)