Mid-February Faves

 

It's Friday again!  This week, although a bit drab weather wise, really flew by.  I'm here to share FIVE of the blessings that top my list...Susanne from this blog is our host and she calls our blessings the FAVE FIVE.  Do you have five things from your week that made you say, Thank You, God or made you smile? 

Pancake Combo: 2 blueberry pancakes with real maple syrup
2 scrambled eggs, 2 slices turkey bacon, coffee, water

• VALENTINE'S DAY:  Dave asked me what I wanted to do on Valentine's Day and I chose breakfast out at International House of Pancakes, aka I-Hop in the town to the north of us.  We had a huge breakfast of carbs and protein.  The pancakes were delicious, the scrambled eggs were ok, and the turkey bacon was ick. (i only ate a half slice...I think because I'm so used to tempah "bacon" now, I just didn't care for the turkey bacon.  I stopped eating pork products in 2015). After breakfast we ran a quick errand and then took my car through the car wash.I hadn't washed my car all winter as it's been too cold. We were so full we didn't eat for the rest of the day other than some fruit and cheese as an afternoon snack.  We watched a rom com on Disney + which was a fun storyline but sadly too raunchy with the language. So we made hot fudge sundaes with oat milk mocha fudge ice cream, mint chocolate chip coconut milk ice cream, hot fudge, blueberries, walnuts, cherries and Dave added Cool Whip to his. That was our dinner. We totally splurged on junk food but hey....at least there was no animal fat! 😃  I'm thankful we had a fun Valentine's Day and I'm thankful we don't usually eat like that! 

image courtesy of B*ston Gl*be online
Alisa Liu, American who took Gold for first time since 2002!

• WOMEN'S FIGURE SKATING:  For a few days this past week, I had time to watch the live performances of the women's short program and free skate, as well as the pairs skate.  I feel like the Asian skating athletes are doing now for the Olympics what the Russians did back about 20 years ago.  My ballerina daughter and I always preferred the more ballet-esque Russian figure skaters to the American ones.But... I was thrilled to see that our American girl made Gold and that my two fave Japanese skaters took the silver and bronze. I'm thankful we can watch the Olympics on television and that I was able to see it "live" since I was free those afternoons. 

Meatless Monday 

healthy version Taco Casserole

• DELICIOUS DINNER:  Mondays are almost always meatless for my husband and I for dinner. He works from home on Mondays and Fridays and he had come downstairs asking what I was making for dinner. I think he was hoping it wasn't yet another tofu grain bowl 😏.  It wasn't!  I had discovered a recipe from my friend Deb's blog and decided to tweak it to make it more plant-based friendly.  The original recipe calls for ground beef (I haven't had beef since 2014) and 2 cups of cheese.  I tweaked it to be plant-based "beef" (Beyond Meat), chopped red, green and yellow peppers plus the onions and diced tomatoes.  And I only used one cup of shredded cheddar and made the recipe a bit smaller in an 11x9 inch pan so that I wasn't using an entire bag of Fritos. I chopped scallions for a topping and had them in a side bowl as I wasn't sure if Dave would want them for his top. I was thankful I had all the ingredients on hand to whip up this amazing easy casserole dinner.  Paired with a tossed salad it was perfect and look at all the leftovers we have for Friday evening's meal!

• OUTDOOR WALKS/PILATES/POWER FOODS:  I had two days this week of really good Pilates workouts followed by power walks on the town park bike path before mid-day. I'm not a huge lunch person, meaning I usually just grab fruit, cheese or hummus and maybe whole grain crackers or a piece of Naan.  But most days this week, I had hummus on naan with fresh veggies, a mandarin orange and some cheese.  I'm trying to wean myself off from eating cheese and it's hard!  It's the only dairy I eat and I'd like to just stop like youngest girl did but I'm rather addicted to it.  At any rate, I just had 2 slices so that's a plus! I'm thankful for good, healthy habits and for a good pilates program I finally found on You Tube! 

• LUNCH DATE:  My friend C and I finally had time to do lunch together. I hadn't seen her in 2 years! I had her over and we did chicken salad on a croissant plus fruit salad.  She brought some delicious mini muffins she made that were all plant-based and made with bananas, cocoa, honey.  No flour or sugar.  They were delicious.  We each had one and saved one for Dave. I was so thankful we could finally get together, get caught up and share our prayer needs and what God was doing in our families, etc. We were so busy chatting that we didn't even have our phones out to take pics! 

That wraps up some faves for the past week.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! 

Wednesday HodgePodge

a place where I go to pray and meditate
trail at Fox Preserve 

I liked today's "hodgepodge" questions so decided to participate before I head over to the bike path to do my daily power walking. It's grey and dreary but walking outdoors is preferable to yet another indoor work out video. 

Head to this blog, the host of the Wednesday HodgePodge meme to join in. 

1. The Hodgepodge lands on Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent. Do you mark this season in some way? Will you be giving something up or adding something to your life in this Lenten season? 

I was raised in a Free Methodist church where we didn't celebrate Lent like the Catholics do, but it was a time to reflect on Jesus and the Good News which led to knowing the Redemption Story.  As an adult, I've gone on mini-fasts during this time...usually from things that sap me mentally and emotionally/spiritually such as social media, the national news, etc. I tend to really dig into a Scripture study based either in the Gospels or one of the minor prophets leading up to Good Friday. This year I'm doing a different Psalm each day of Lent to meditate on or journal about. 

2. Pancakes...are you a fan? Syrup or no syrup? Plain, blueberries, chocolate chips, bananas, or some other add in? Are pancakes on your menu this week? 

Pancakes once in awhile are ok. Not something I eat daily or weekly. We did go get the pancake combo at International House of Pancakes for Valentine's Day.  I love real maple syrup either ours here in NYS or Vermont. I prefer either raspberry or blueberry pancakes.  My father in law used to make the best blueberry pancakes for us adults and chocolate chip pancakes for the grandchildren. My girls loved going to the beach house as that's where they'd get the chocolate chip pancakes. 

3. Tell us about a time recently when you felt 'spread too thin'. 

I haven't felt that way since December. Almost every December (yes even with now being retired from teaching), I feel "spread too thin", although this year was better than last year as we said no to a couple of events.  

4. What's your favorite jewel or gemstone? In terms of your wardrobe would we find more gem tones, pastels, black and white, or primary colors? 

I love jade. I also love my diamond engagement ring. 

I'm a NYer so we have a lot of black and white and classic colors. (navy, hunter green, cream). I don't often do pastels......if I do, it's usually a shade of blue or green. Most of my clothing that isn't the bohemian patterns in rich gem tone colors are black, white, cream, grey. I tend to dress either bohemian style or preppy. 

5. What responsibility do you think is hardest about being in charge? 

Trying to please everyone. (you can't). Also getting people to actually follow the guidelines (I'm thinking of my hiking group I lead) and finding someone to back you up in major decisions. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I'm so over Winter. I'm very ready for Spring and getting back to this: 

on the summit of Mt VanHoevenberg
This mountain is located in the town where
the bobsleds used in the Olympics are made!
High Peaks, Adirondack Mountains
l-r: me, Celine, Evelyn, Joan....
 some of my hiking tribe

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

2026 Book Review #6:In Times of Rain and War

 

I first discovered this author in 2025 by seeing The Rent Collector on our town library historical fiction shelf. Then I read The Orphan Keeper.   This latest book was sent to me as a Christmas gift from my blogging friend Deb from this blog.  If you like historical fiction with a bit of mystery and romance, I recommend this author's book.  He does extensive research and there's a good clean vibe to his books (no swearing nor explicit s*x scenes).  However, if you're looking for a happy ending book, as in "happily ever after",  this is not it. 

STORY SUMMARY

It is September 1940 during the Blitz of London, England with World War II raging all around Europe. Audrey Stocking is  working in England and trying to blend in with other civilians who are just trying to survive the nightly bombings. 

But, Audrey has a secret! She is not British...she's  a German Jew and her fake passport and almost perfect English have allowed her to work hard to blend in and help take children out of the city into the country where it's safer.   Audrey really wants to reunite with her family in Germany, but this double life she is leading is forcing her to stay in England.  Combine  that with the British Military Intelligence and the bombings, and she must stay put. The one thing that greatly disturbs Audrey and the woman she calls Aunt Claire who is helping to rescue children, is that she has horrible nightmares that are vivid and seem all too real. Are they a premonition of what's to come or are they stemming from past trauma? 

Wesley Bowers (aka Wes) is a lieutenant for the United States of America. He is over in England to train with London's Bomb Disposal Company 5.  He meets Audrey when an air raid leaves an unexploded bomb in the flat she is living in. Wes finds Audrey to be an attractive, intelligent and very compassionate person and of course there's an immediate connection between them. They get to know each other and Wes realizes that she is the one bright spot in this horrible war.  Even with the constant threat of death, he finds himself drawn to Audrey and she to him. 

But...will Wes still feel the same way when he discovers the secrets that she's hiding? 

MY THOUGHTS

This is a well-developed story with good character sketches and descriptive settings. 

There's a bit of science in the story regarding the bombs and fuze things and honestly I found myself getting bored with those parts.  Probably because I just don't like bombs, war, the science behind it is something I don't fully understand, etc. 

The plot moves quickly though despite the description of the fuze team work and I was intrigued as to where the author was going with the fictional character of Audrey.  There are actual real people who appear in this book: characters that were real, I mean during this time.  One of them is the American, Wesley Bowers. He really did survive, along with only two of the other team members.  The rest of his story in the book is fictionalized. The fictional character Colonel Moore was based on the real person named Stuart Archer, who really did dig the explosive out of a damaged and ticking SC 250 and discovering a new type of fuze because of it. 

The real men who lost their lives that day were William Ash, Leslie Foster, Leslie Hitchcock, Jackie Lewis, and Titchie Websdale.  

The character of Lady Reading is also a real person.  She was  the founder of the Women's Voluntary Services and her background which is described in the story is real. 

Other real people  who are depicted in the story are Bob Davies, Herbert Gough, and the Backroom Boys.  None of these names were ones I knew about regarding WWII and I had never heard anything about the Backroom Boys. 

The gifted German fuze designer, Herbert Ruhlemann, who tried to sell his designs to the British government before the war only to be turned away, then did return to Germany and convinced his own country's leaders of their worth, and therby history was changed. I never knew this!!  This is all discussed in the back of the book under Author's Notes. 

The book deals with trauma and how the brain hides the trauma of the horrible things we see but that eventually it does have to be dealt with. I won't go into the trauma that Audrey witnessed as that would ruin the plot for you. I also am not going to tell you how this book ends but I will say it was unexpected, sad, and just so.....indicative of what war does. 

The very last part of the ending though is wonderful and it raised my rating from an 8 to a 10. It is so well done and everything wraps up so poignantly even though sad. 

 There's a lot of foreshadowing in this book that I loved and there were some good quotes that jumped out at me.  Here are a couple I really liked: 

"...a meaningful life---one in which you step outside of yourself and make a difference in the world---comes only when you face tribulation head-on with determination and perseverance." (pg 41, In Times of Rain and War by Camron Wright, c. 2021)

"....life isn't a scale where the good is balanced against the bad, squaring the sides to declare a winner.  Rather, our experiences, both the despair and the joy, are weighed on the same side, intertwined together to create the thread that weaves the cloth of our lives." (pg 273)

"If this sad and sorry war is teaching me anything, it's that what counts are friendships and family.  They will be the measure of a life well-lived." (pg 289). 

 

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 14 and older. 

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 10.

Valentine Nine

I was only 2 years old when the song shown above came out but I liked the questions to today's "Saturday nine" meme so decided to play along. Herb Albert to me is the "Taste of Honey" and I only know this because I had a jazz type album once with it on it. 

Saturday 9: Won't You Be My Valentine? (1961)

 

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

1) Dore Alpert sings that while he considered asking others to be his Valentine, he's sure that this is the girl he wants to love "forever more." What do you think is the secret of a long-lasting romantic relationship?

In my opinion, long lasting relationships are enduring due to good communication skills on both people, along with shared interests as well as outside interests/friends. 

2) Dore is better known as Herb Alpert. He used the name "Dore" early in his career because he thought it was more befitting a teen idol than "Herb." Who made you swoon when you were a teenager?

David Cassidy made me swoon when I was in 6th grade.  Also Andy Gibb and Shaun Cassidy followed by Parker Stevenson and Robbie Benson.  Can you say age 12-13???? 😂

 

3) Herb found he was a better trumpeter than singer. Between 1962 and 1969, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, had 12 consecutive gold albums. They were so popular that in 1966, they sold more records than Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Of those artists (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, The Beatles and the Rolling Stones), which is your favorite?

the Beatles.  My husband would say it's a tie between Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin.  I do like both of them, too Rolling  Stones I can do without although they had a couple songs I liked. 

4) He found his greatest success as an executive. Herb and partner Jerry Moss founded A&M Records and signed an array of talented artists including Cheech and Chong, The Carpenters, and Cat Stevens. Herb was happy to step away from performing and run the record label. Are you comfortable in front of an audience or crowd? Or would you prefer to be behind the scenes?

Of course I'm comfortable in front of a crowd. I had to conduct/lead IEP meetings as a special education PreK teacher, act as a family court advocate for certain students, and perform piano as a piano major. I also was on a music ministry team years ago in various churches in my late 20s/30s and currently I sing with our church choir. We average about 1200 people at the 11 AM service or special services like Xmas Eve or Easter so yes, I'm used to being in front of an audience. 

I like being in charge as well as behind the scenes.  In high school I was often the stage manager, house manager or props manager for our spring musicals. I was only in one play my senior year.  

5) Karen admitted that when The Carpenters were first signed by A&M, she had a crush on Herb and liked his aftershave lotion. Do you usually wear a fragrance?

yes my fragrane is Satsuma:  i have it in perfume, body butter, shower gel.  If I can't get Satsuma then some other combo of orange/lemon/citrus is what I lean towards. Fresh and crisp. Other scents I like (these are my Spring ones): Peach, Cherry Blossom, Jasmine.  In the summer, because I do a lot of hiking in the woods/mountains and scents are to be avoided as they do attract bears, I typically use an unscented deodorant or a very light fragrance like Avon's Skin so Soft body lotion as that also helps to keep biting insects away.  For my hair I use a purple shampoo for my silver tresses that smells like wildflowers or a coconut/lychee scent by Raw Sugar. I also like jasmine scented body sprays for summer leading into Autumn.  But usually....it's something orange-y/lemon-y. 

This is our Valentine's Day Saturday 9 and so this morning we shall focus on the holiday. 

6) The holiday is also known as The Feast of St. Valentine. Do you have a special meal planned for February 14?

We decided that if we don't go out to breakfast or brunch, we will order from my fave Italian restaurant and bring it home to have picnic style in the family room. We are also making our own hot fudge sundaes with oat milk ice cream (mint chocolate chip and mocha fudge are the choices). 

7) Thames River Cruises offers special dinner cruises for Valentine's Day that give lovers a view of London. Some cruises offer live jazz, others classical music. Which would you prefer: jazz or classical?

I'd like both!!  I love classical of course and jazz is wonderful. in fact, we had a dinner cruise down the Hudson one year and the band was all jazz.  Super fun!

 

8) Women buy and send more Valentines than men do. Who received the last greeting card you sent?

My friend Ann in Ohio got the last card I sent. It included a gift card as she won a contest I was having on facebook. 

9) Men buy and send more roses at Valentine's Day than women do. What's your favorite flower?

My fave flowers are tulips but I also really love the wildflower known as "Indian paintbrushes" (found in the Adirondack mountains) and trillium, another wildflower in the mountains. 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!