Time to ship..... Not the one you're thinking of

 No, I am not shipping any couples or going on a cruise (that nightmare has yet to become a reality). By the time you all have read this, I will have most likely shipped the hats, scarf, and blanket off. I will feel relieved when I get it on leg two of it's journey to it's forever home.

I really want to avoid the Christmas gift shipping rush that takes place in the days following Thanksgiving. My life is way calmer without that level of chaos. If any of you know someone who works in the postal or shipping field, give them a lot of love and respect. It is not easy dealing with the amount of packages they got to deal with.

Thankfully, it is one little light box, not fifteen heavy boxs. I would yank my hair out if I had to handle that. I am not savvy like that. I always stared in awe of those people who could do that. 

As always, free to leave me a message below.

I don't know what I did......

 I will keep this post brief. On Sunday, I realized my shoulder was super sore. Like, I pitched the entire World Series solo for funsies-type of sore. It has been several days but I still hurt. It even burns periodically. 

I am about to put some heat onto it and use our massager. I hope it will be better by next week. As always feel free to leave me a message below.

Knitting is exhausting yet so satisfiying......

 My back hurts after spending a whole week turning 31.5 ozs of yarn into a blanket. To be honest, it's more of a throw blanket or blanket shawl than anything else. I just finished it and am buzzing with the high I get when I finish a project. It's making my back pain feel worth it.

Now, all I need to do is ship it out later and then all good! Before I forget, the pictures of everything are below. I didn't forget my promise to you all. 

Our mannequin is named Mandy. You might see her more from now on so I thought I should introduce her. Mom named her. She was also the one who picked her up at the store. It was a little weird watching her carry around a disembodied head but I like to think I'm adaptable. The sibs just adore Mandy. 

Well, I am going to go take care of my aching back. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

To knit is to live.....

 Since last Friday, I have been knitting like mad. I have knitted two hats, one scarf and am about to start working on a blanket. A few weeks ago, we found out that a close family friend was diagnosed and undergoing treatment for cancer. We are several states away and unable to do more than calling daily. My mom asked me to knit some things for our family friend.

So that is what I have been doing lately. I am keeping this post brief as I have the biggest project to start. I promise that I will post pictures when it's all done. Please be patient.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

My 300th post!

 I can't believe that it's already my 300th post. To my readers (and potential bots), I thank you for bearing with me. Here's to 300 more (hopefully!😁).

In other news, I lost one of my SD cards that carried my KDrama watch list. I was devastated and am still in the process of looking for it. I am trying to recreate it on a different spare card I had on hand. I am preparing for it to be missing for a few months. I'll be honest, it's a tiresome process I don't enjoy.

Yesterday, my Mom and I went shopping and came home with so many different teas, you might think that we are having a tea party. Nope. We just really like tea. Even as I write this, I am sipping on a tea we bought yesterday. Bigelow's Salted Caramel black tea makes me think of Cremé Brulé Coffee. It's just less acidic and gentler on my tummy. I will spare you the details of what coffee does to me. 

We also bought a 5lb, 15oz can of Hot and Spicy Menudo. 7 out of my 9 siblings threw a fit. They hate that Spanish beef tripe stew. Dad isn't that fond of it either. So, my mom, two siblings and I are going to have to eat it all I guess. Whatever shall we do with all the leftovers?😏 Guess lunch is taken care of if there are any leftovers that night.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Chrissy Costanza's Solo Ep "VII"

 I have mentioned Against the Current on this blog before. Their lead singer released a solo EP with seven songs just recently. Chrissy Costanza dazzles with her vocals in this EP. I am listening to it on repeat as I write. Before AtC fans start to panic, Chrissy didn't leave. She's just exploring musically who she is outside of AtC.

If I'm not mistaken, Luke Eisner of Voilá helped co-write a lot of the songs. I do know that he is featured in one track. She is also on tour with them.

I will try to tell you my thoughts on each of the tracks so please note that these are my impressions. Do give the EP a listen and form your own opinions. 

7 Minutes in Hell ft. VOILÀ -

This song felt like it should be the soundtrack for every novel where the "good" girl falls fast and hard for the "bad" boy. Like, they both know that their relationship is doomed but whatever. The heart wants what it wants. Is it toxic? Yep. Will you need years to recover from this? Probably. Still gonna do it? Totally. This isn't going to be 7 minutes in Heaven as we both know there will be no good ending. That is how I would describe it. Basically, it's a dark romance set to music.

But, What If I Fly - 

Hope. That it is the one word that comes to mind with this one. With punchy guitar and drums in the background providing an upbeat feel, Chrissy's lyrics tell a story of breaking out of the cage and soaring. In short, it's beautiful and if she does an acoustic version, you will find me sobbing in a corner somewhere.

Pick Your Poison - 

You know the phrase, between a rock and a hard place? Pick Your Poison is about knowing that no matter what you choose to do, all paths lead to the same end. You just get to choose which end you get. But it will be an end. 

If Looks Could Kill - 

Such a jam! This one is the closest to feeling like a track AtC would release. I would say it has that soundtrack feel. The Grand entrance at a party scene after all your besties gave you the world's best Glow up. That is where I'd place it.

I Tried to Act Your Age - 

This one had me choking up. If you have ever looked back to a time in your life where you lost a bit of innocence and naïvete, this song is for you. It's about looking back and wishing you'd managed to save or say goodbye to that innocence you'd lost by acting more mature than you actually were.

Some Like It Hot - 

This track made me think of a quote I saw on Pinterest. It said " Beware the Quiet Bookworm. They notice more and have dirtier minds than the rest." This is a bouncy pop/rock jam that feels like a nod to those quiet bookworms Pinterest talked about. You know which ones I'm talking about.

You'd Be Right - 

Revenge bragging about your new boyfriend to your still single hung up ex. Very satisfying for some reason.......

In a way, VII feels like a glance back on a relationship that wasn't the best from beginning to end. There were good moments but there were fissures in the foundation of that relationship that doomed it from the get go. I think if you play with the order of that songs, the story they tell will be clearer. 

That's it, folks! I hope you enjoyed this post. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

The BFF Role by Jaysee Jewel: A review

 Last year, I read a book I found delightful. I really enjoyed it but I forgot the name of the title and the author. I have spent months searching for it through my vast ebook library but couldn't find it. All I could remember was the book cover. I tried Googling it but some how got recommendations for Dark Mafia Romance. Yeah, not what I was looking for. Incredibly, I managed to find the book in my ebook library on Monday. So, without further ado, allow me to introduce The BFF Role by Jaysee Jewel.

'Not every girl wants to be the hero of her own story.

Zilla is an average high school senior aspiring to become a nurse. The only unique thing about her is that she adamantly believes she is living inside a poorly written romance novel and her best friend Cindy is the main female lead.

Taking her role as the best friend very seriously, Zilla dedicates her free time to protecting her best friend from the author’s drama-hungry fingers, preventing the writer from interfering with Cindy’s love life. However, just as things are starting to go well between Cindy and the sweet boy-next-door who just moved in, a rival appears who could screw up Zilla’s plans.

The school’s notorious playboy, Axel Burns, decides to ask Cindy out for prom, singlehandedly turning what was going to be a sweet love story into a love triangle. Zilla won’t stand for it! But when Zilla tries to draw Axel’s attention away from Cindy, she accidentally turns it toward herself and ends up in a romantic side plot she doesn’t want any part of.

Fans of Love, Rosie and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before will adore this trope-subverting, coming-of-age love story about friendship, relationships, and overcoming one’s flaws.'

I found the author's clever use of irony a fun and fresh take on tropes that can be dry and boring if not handled right. Zilla is a snarky and sarcastic bestie that anyone would want to have in their corner. As often as she labels herself a side character, she practically radiates with Main Character Energy, especially when paired with Axel. Zilla and Axel have incredible chemistry. Their banter practically sparking off the page. I also enjoyed the growth and character development that they all underwent. 

 I started rereading the book as soon as I found it. I hope you all can give this book a try. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Memories of the Alhambra: Kdrama partial review

 Memories of the Alhambra is the series that my siblings and I are currently watching together. We have only got four episodes into the show so this is truly a partial review. All I can say is that we like what we have seen so far!

Super brief synopsis time: Brilliant Programmer Kid calls Rich Dude in the middle of the night to tell him that he wants to sell his game to him as the other potential buyer seemed like a "Bad Guy". Programmer Kid tells Rich Dude where to meet him in Granada, Spain then promptly disappears into the ether. Rich Dude arrives at Hostel Bonita, a very run down hostel run by Programmer Kid's Sister. Here's the trailer.

If I tell you more, I will probably give away the plot. The questions it raises about Augmented Reality (AR) and its potential impact on society are very subtle and intriguing. LB4 has recently discovered LitRPG and has found a fondness for it so this series is right up his alley. The other kids feel a similarity to W:Two Worlds, a show they have watched before.  All in all, Memories of the Alhambra has the makings of being a big hit with us all.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

If the bag looks old, just say no.......

 On Monday, I reluctantly got up early to put a pot of beans on. The bag I grabbed looked like it had been around for a while but I just wanted to be done with it so I used it anyway. I now regret that.

You see, my mom later told me that she remembered buying that bag....... A year ago. It had looked old and beat up when she had bought it, leaving her to believe that it came out of some hidden corner from storage. Where it then proceeded to avoid getting cooked for A WHOLE FREAKING YEAR. I don't know how I kept missing it. But I wished I had continued to do so. 

The beans were cooked in a slow cooker for over 12 hours and still were too hard. I cooled them down, refridgerated them, and cook them for a few hours more on the stove top the next day. Still had a bit of a bite to them. I honestly don't think I can do anything else to these beans. Sidenote: it gave me the worst gas ever.

So, consider this a PSA. If you have a bag of dried beans and they look like they took a road trip so long ago that are now one with the dust they traveled with, maybe use those said beans to make a Collage. Don't cook them. All you will get is regrets, half-cooked beans and a bad case of gas.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Squishmallows, Stove Burners, and 18-inch Lizards.....

 Last Friday, I bought a Squishmallow. I then spent the whole weekend trying to keep my Squishy to myself. My mom and Siblings are constantly trying to slip my Squishmallow away from me. I can't blame them though. Look at how cute it is!

Orin the Orange is its official name. I renamed it Sunshine Squishmallow aka Squishy. LB3 insists on calling it Plushy. He is also leading the charge in trying to take Squishy away. At least we are all on the same page when it comes to keeping it away from our dad. We know that if he sees it, it will become his and getting it back will be hard. We might as well just buy him his own. Maybe. We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

Also bought on Friday were two new stove burners that we needed. Only thing was, they were the wrong size and weren't for our stove. Undeterred, Mom bought another set on Sunday that match our stove and they came in on Monday while she returned the first set she bought. And they fit.......the burners that we aren't trying to replace. So, earlier today she searched and finally found the correct ones and proceeded to take four hours purchasing it online due to an incorrect zip code. She was about to give up when everything was finally sorted out. So, finger crossed everyone. I should give her some Squishy time so she can cheer up.

On Saturday evening, an 18-inch long lizard crawled out our upstairs bathroom sink and freaked my mother out. We'd taken the drain stopper out for some reason or another and forgotten to place it back. The lizard had a straight shot and took it. Mom was preparing to take a bath and got the fright of her life. She REALLY doesn't like lizards. Especially when they get cozy on her clean clothes that she placed on the counter. LB1 took care of said lizard.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Audiobooks that cost nothing!?!?!

 No, I am not taking about Audible. I am talking about LibriVox. When I began my book worm life, I began with books in the public domain because I was a broke teenager who wanted books more than I wanted to shop at the mall (yes, I know that dates me). I never made a MySpace or Facebook account because I was too busy learning when the PD cutoff was and finding new and exciting old books online that I could download. 

Old books are fascinating to me. Contemporary fiction of that time is now considered Historical fiction. It's like getting a peek into the psyche of the time and getting a glimpse of a world that has ceased to exist. Growing up with a History Buff Dad rubbed off on me and my love of old books and history are intertwined. I burned so many CDs full of PD books (I have no idea where they are now). My parents let me be as there are much worse hobbies a teenager could have and the sites I ventured to were safe.

I learned about LibriVox then. At the time, I paid no mind to it as I had no way to really enjoy it. But all that changed when I received my first mp3 player. I filled it full of my favorite Jane Austen novels from LibriVox and the rest is history. As a lover of old books, it made exploring new authors easier and fun. 

LibriVox is a non-commercial, non-profit and ad-free project that is volunteer run. Their mission is to bring the books in the public domain to the world in the form of audio books for free. You can download any audio book there for free. No limits. You are always welcome to donate but you are not obliged. Volunteers read the books for free and post them online. They are always putting up something new in a wide range of genres. I hope that you all can check them out.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Under the Mulberry Tree, We Grill......

 As I write, I am in front of our grill cooking sausages. I was told that I was grilling today as soon as I woke up. I don't think I ever stood a chance.I am covered in mosquito bites. 

Upside of grilling:

1. Get to enjoy the shade

2. Can lay in the grass later with LB7

3.FOOD, 'nough said

Downside of Grilling:

1. Mosquitoes

2. Smoke smell sticking to my body

3. Mosquitoes

As you can probably tell, I am having a tough time with the mosquitoes. I will be keeping this post brief as I am kind of busy right now. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

I dragged my mom into Kpop......no, I don't feel sorry

 Do you all remember my post from August 7th? I mentioned that I was excited about a singer I was fond of releasing a solo album. Well, I found out that one of the songs was produced by "Babyface" Nelson and remember my mom used to have a CD of his when I was little. So, I showed her Jaehyun's album trailer. She surprised me by wanting a copy of his album too.

Now, Jaehyun's solo album "J" is on repeat. I hope she doesn't wear it out for the kids. They will definitely blame me for this one. I currently got his album on repeat as well so if they thought I would stop her, that's a no go.

For those who are curious, I'll put the album trailer below. My mom's favorite song is "Can't get you out", the song Babyface produced.It has a very jazzy vibe. I don't have a favorite. I like them all.

I hope you enjoyed that. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Oops, Wrong Number

 As a teenager, I used to daydream about falling in love with someone who called the wrong number.  As an epic homebody, it would've been the perfect meet-cute. The thought of having long, deep conversations with someone who you met by accident and have no idea what he looks like? That fed my little romantic daydreamy soul. Until reality backhanded me across the face. The age of cell phones makes wrong numbers a more rare occasion than before. Plus, all the call were from some lady looking for Jack.<insert very big sigh> 

So yeah,  that daydream was a bust. But,my fellow book worms, never think I didn't live vicariously through a book. In the three books below, our main characters got to live out my dream (with varied results).

Becky Monson - The Accidental Text

Wrong number. Right guy?

Once upon a time, Maggie Cooper lived for adventure. Jumping out of planes was child’s play. Now she can’t even work up the nerve to ask out her coworker. For a bit of self-therapy, she begins to text her recently deceased mother’s phone—the only problem is that the number has been reassigned and for weeks she’s been unknowingly texting a stranger her deepest thoughts and feelings. There have also been some not-so-deep texts, like the ones about her appreciation for her coworker’s butt.

When Chase Beckett, the unsuspecting stranger who has more in common with Maggie than he’d like to admit, texts back, Maggie is beyond mortified. But message after message and night after night, Maggie realizes that Chase’s wit, charm, and advice are exactly what the doctor ordered. Is it enough, though, to get her back up in the sky? And what about her heart? Can she risk taking a leap of faith for the man on the other end of her accidental texts?

I adored this one. It is a clean read so you can feel safe reading it out loud to your grandmother, if you so choose. It did get me a little choked up here and there though. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Allie York - Recipe for Disaster

World’s best Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 Step 2: cream the butter and sugar until light Step 3: Add eggs one at a time Step 4: Forget you have a new phone in a new area code and call a random guy Step 5: Continue to text random guy until you develop not-so-random feelings....

Aimee’s life was stable, normal, and loving; until it wasn’t anymore. In the blink of an eye, she lost her childhood home, her best friend, and her sanity in one swoop. But a misdialed number brings her an unexpected friend and a lot of new feelings. Life is finally looking up and Aimee sets out to live life to the fullest with her newfound friend. That is until...Aimee’s text life and real life collide to ruin everything.

This one is a cute coming of age romance. It is also one you can feel safe reading in front of your mom. You will be craving muffins though..

Elle Casey - Wrong Number, Right Guy

When a mysterious text message summons May Wexler to a biker bar in downtown New Orleans, she knows something is very wrong. Her sister has sent out an SOS, but when May gets there, she’s nowhere to be found and May is the one in trouble—she’s wearing pink espadrilles, she’s got a Chihuahua in her purse, and she’s in the middle of a shootout.

After tall, muscular Ozzie comes to her rescue, May has no choice but to follow him to safety. At the headquarters of his private security firm, the Bourbon Street Boys, she finds a refuge for the night—and the offer of a job. But it’s not long before a gun-toting stalker isn’t the only complication in May’s life: the more time she spends with Ozzie, the less she can deny that they’ve got some serious chemistry. A wrong number got her into this mess…Will it also get her the right guy?  

Spice Level: 3 out of 5 🌶 

It is as spicy as a pot of gumbo.You might not want to read this one out loud. There are some very spicy, should-be-rated R moments. Other than that I found May delightful. While May's quirky off-beat character is highly relatable, all the trouble I ever landed in has only left me getting scolded (so thankful for that). 

So, I hope you all get to enjoy one (or all, no judgement) of these books. As always feel free to leave me a message below.

My wireless headphone journey (so far)

 Yeah, remember that post from a month ago. I really liked my Bluetooth headphones. I really did. Then the battery life started to plummet and before I knew it, it became a mini popcorn bag. I think the one I bought was a dud. Ihip is a brand that does put out reliable products. Life happens and Li-ion batteries can be finicky. 

As an example of how finicky they are, let me tell you that my cousin had her cell phone catch fire while charging. Those headphones just weren't meant to be. So, I went to Walgreens and bought a set of off-brand Wireless Bluetooth headphones. And for a whole day, I was happy. They worked beautifully. Then the charging case died. As in, it stopped charging the buds. At that point, it was starting to feel like a me problem. The sibs were annoyed by my moping. 

I went back the next day and got a refund. (Sidenote: Was mildly surprised that they didn't ask why I was returning the headphones. But that was just me).  I had originally bought off-brand as I was trying to be cheap. For the second time, I purchased from a brand that I am immensely familiar with. JVC Gumy headphones are pretty much the staple headphones of our house. They are super reliable and long-lasting. So, I decided to give their wireless Bluetooth headphones a try.

I got mine in white. So far, the range is great and I haven't had any problems. I am hoping they last long as my audio jack is well and truly gone. I am trying my best to not be too excited. I don't want to be disappointed again. Honestly, my mom seems more ecstatic than me. She took a bud and spent the whole charge listening to kpop with me as we worked. It was a fun bonding experience. She tested the range capabilities for me.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below. And if anything changes in the headphone department, I'll let you know.

When you're a fan, not a fangirl....... Or stan

 I may or may not have mentioned that I enjoy listening to KPop music. Just today, I found out that a member of a group I am fond of is putting out a solo album later this month. I am super excited because this member (who will remain nameless as I don't want to be teased) has a voice that I enjoy listening to. It's a smooth, rich tenor voice that is incredibly flexible. R&B, Pop, Rap, Funk, his voice manages to shine. Taking into account that he is singing in a group with 8 - 11 other people, the fact that I can easily spot his voice is part of the reason I am a fan.

Anyway, I was excited but suddenly found myself with no one to share that excitement with.  Every time I get excited about something, the sibs accuse me of being a Fangirl. I am most definitely not. I don't have the funds, energy, or wish to be more than what I am. A girl who gets excited when some one she knows does something noteworthy or new in their life. My walls have pictures of nature, not singers or actors. I am not about to fly to wherever it it is they're at and wait outside for hours to try and get an autograph. If you all want to do that, you can have my place. I'm rooting for you to stay safe and be successful! 

My mom even teases me about being a fangirl. I told her repeatedly what I've said earlier but I think she's ignoring me so she can have fun. It might be extended payback because I didn't give her the chance to have that epidural. Her teasing is annoying but at least I know she is joking. The kids seriously think I am a fangirl-type of person. Now, there was an time in my teen years when that may have almost applied to me but not any more. They should let up.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Just a wee bit stormy.......

 I was having trouble thinking of a post today when I looked outside and realized how stormy it was. Since Sunday, we have been having nasty storms. It messed with my sleep. 

I can sleep through a storm. That is not my issue. LS2 gets worried and can't rest so I promised long ago that whenever it storms at night, I would stay awake so she can rest. And that, my friends, is why my brain feels fried.

I want to nap but it looks like another storm is coming. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Dry Bar Comedy

 As you all might have gathered, I spend a lot of my free time in the company of minors. I enjoy listening to stand up comedy but a.lot of comedians have sets that are not child-friendly.  Last thing I need is having to explain to my mom why her kids are making age inappropriate jokes. I like living. It's a great look on me.

Dry Bar Comedy is a clean comedy club in Provo, UT. They have a YouTube channel that I listen to often. They provide stand up comedy that I can listen to around the Sibs without putting my life on the line. The youngest sib likes to bring trouble to me sometimes. But, I'm not going down this way, the little pip squeak.

Below are some of the comedians that perform at the club.

I hope you got a good chuckle in. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Wireless headphones are cool

 My tablet audio port (or jack) is acting super fritzy so I purchased a pair of wireless headphones from Jade Sales. I wasn't expecting much but the quality is pretty awesome. 

I know that I am slow on the uptake sometimes but I am quickly finding the upsides and downsides to wireless headphones. Upside #1: I have more mobility and don't have to worry about the wire catching on something. Downside #1: I can't binge-watch an unlimited amount of content. I will have to stop to charge. Upside #:2 I can't watch unlimited content so I will either have to read or sleep while it charges, both of which are very important things.  #priorities Downside #2: Time management will probably have to be used so I don't drain it over nonsense. Upside #3: I can finally break free from the shackles of the endless cat videos! Downside #3:We all know that's a lie. Cat videos are too cute to relinquish.

So, yeah. That is where I am at right now. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Emarosa : a KY hidden gem

 One day, I was rambling around YouTube as one does and was recommended a band I never heard of before. As soon as I heard their music, I knew that my mom would love it too. I was right.

Their last two albums are a mix of 80's pop rock/synthwave. They sound like a summer mixtape. The good kind you pull out when traveling with your besties for a day out. I honestly want to blast their music while on the highway. I adore Emarosa's album, Peach Club. I am in the process of going through their older music too. But, Peach Club will stand out as my favorite album.

 Emarosa  was started in Lexington, Kentucky in 2006. The band currently consists of lead guitarist and founding member ER White and lead vocalist Bradley Walden, who joined the band in 2013. The group has undergone several line-up changes throughout its career, with lead guitarist ER White being the sole remaining founding member, according to Wikipedia. Vids below:

The last song is from the last album that had a AltRock sound. I hope you all can give them a listen. They deserve it.

It took me a bit put this piece up as we were working on the Wi-Fi today. So, that happened. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Eww, Brother, Eww......

 I was talking to my mom earlier today and I was telling her how awkward it is when people say my brothers are handsome. Internally I'm like, " Where? Are we looking at the same person!?" I don't see it because they are a pack of snot-nosed twerps to me. She said that she feels the same when complimented on her handsome sons. She still sees her babies.

I guess our relationships color our perspective a lot. Siblings and children are seen in the light of "that kid I raised/grew up with" and we are occasionally(or fully) blinded to their appearance. I am fully blind to my sibs appearance. Like, I can help you look decent and your best so you don't embarrass me by looking like a slob, but Where is the supposed handsomeness? I don't see it. All I see is a little brother who threatened to flick a booger in my hair half an hour ago. All I said was that it was hanging out your nose. 

As always, feel free to leave me a message below. I would love to hear another sibling out there relate.

Venetia by Georgette Heyer: The Audiobook

 I am relistening to Venetia lately. I got a headache and other than classical music, a Georgette Heyer audio book is soothing. I felt the yearning for one of my favorites of hers. Synopsis below, courtesy of Goodreads:

Twenty-five-year-old Venetia Lanyon's beauty is rivaled only by her sensibility. Intelligent and independent, her future seems safe and predictable. Lovely Venetia despairs of ever meeting the handsome hero of her romantic dreams but is nearly resigned to spinsterhood, thanks to the enormous amount of responsibility she inherited with a Yorkshire estate and an invalid but precocious brother, Aubrey. She lives in comfortable seclusion in rural Yorkshire, she has never been further than Harrogate, nor enjoyed the lackluster attentions of any but her two wearisomely persistent suitors. She can not accept to marry the respectable but dull Edward Yardley - she will only marry for love.

Then her long-absent neighbor, thirty-eight-year-old Lord Jasper Damerel, returns home to Yorkshire. In one extraordinary encounter, she meets the infamous neighbor, who she knows only by reputation - a gamester, a shocking rake, and a man of sadly unsteady character - and before she knows better, she finds friendship with a libertine whose way of life has scandalised the North Riding for years. Lord Damerel finds Venetia to be the most truly engaging and wittily perverse female he has encountered in all his life and determined to woo and win her, he pursues her with a passionate abandon that is soon the talk of the ton. And after her encounter with the dashing, dangerous rake, Venetia's well-ordered life is turned upside down, and she embarks upon a courtship with him that scandalises and horrifies the whole community.

But Venetia has no intention of losing her heart to the rakish lord until she is sure that beneath his swashbuckling ways and shocking manners lies a tender heart belonging to her. And Lord Damerel would marry her in a heartbeat if he did not think it would ruin her. Then she discovers a shocking family secret that changes everything ... It was therefore particularly provoking to find that occasion, Lord Damerel could make up his mind to be idiotically noble....

I am just going to chill and let this book play. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Sleep deprived........

 I pulled a 24 hour all-night-and-dayer. I managed to fall asleep last night but I feel like it was not enough. Especially when I have to do math with younglings.

I also got to help LB2 bake a bunch of cakes for a relative who is getting married. I think I might need to take a nap before that. I am having trouble keeping my eyes open.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Voíla and Against the Current did a song together!

 Yes, just like my title said. Two groups I love collaborated and made the most angsty rock jam, words fail me. I loved it. The video is a work of art that is going on my next mini movie playlist. Chrissy and Luke had incredible chemistry. And the vocals, #vocalgoals. I got this song on repeat. 

Video below:

The lyrics get to me though. It somehow made me yearn for a non-existent ex to pine over and reminisce about. It made me want to think about good times I never had and a love that doesn't exist. It made me ache from a breakup I never had. As someone who has been single since birth, that's kind of hard to do. But, a girl can dream right?

This song is definitely a summer song, a song of remembering past lovers who were only for season. Of remembering those honeysuckle-scented kisses and firefly lit nights. You may have only been there for a moment, but it was your moment, forever frozen into a summery amber-hued memory. A beautiful golden memory, treasured.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

When a love story is not a love story.......

 I found a channel on YouTube called Love Story. It has a bunch of hour-long videos that are full stories. Not all of them have a happy ending. It honestly feels more like a romantic tragedy.

I am not saying that the videos are bad, just more sad than happy. I feel a bit jaded after listening to a whole bunch of them. Of the thirteen videos I watched, only three ended in an actual love story way.

Also, sorry for the late post. I got so busy I forgot about my post. Thankfully, I remembered it later. As always, feel free to leave me a message below. Especially if you know of a channel like Love Story.

A Murder to Remember: A Partial Review

 I recently got an Audible original audiobook, A Murder to Remember by Brynn Kelly. It is a funny Cozy Romantic Mystery that I am finding delightful. Blurb below.

It was the perfect vacation fling. And then a body showed up.

Jane Austen fan Amelia Bennett sneaks away from a dull tour of an English country manor, only to run into a man more dashing than Mr. Darcy himself. About to lose his ancestral home to family debts, charming aristocrat Tom Calder invites his American guest to join him in drinking his way through the estate’s priceless wine collection. But when they wake in his bed the next morning, they’re convinced that in their drunken haze they witnessed a murder.

Problem is, the body has vanished and no one believes them—except the shadowy figures stalking them through the estate's empty halls and lonely woodlands. On the run for their lives, Amelia and Tom must piece together their shifting memories and a string of baffling clues to expose the crime—while navigating their morning-after awkwardness and the undeniable sparks between them. As their unexpected bond deepens, they begin to wonder if their own love story could be one for the ages—if they manage to survive at all.

I am 5-hours into this 10-hour adventure. I do admit this audio book is a change of pace for me. I have been sucked into the world of Chinese and Korean Web novels lately. It is a bit of a reset to listen to a book where English is definitely the first language. I am enjoying it.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Bridgerton Season 3 Part 1!!!!!!!!!

 I would like to Netflix for breaking the season into two parts. I was able to get to sleep at a somewhat decent hour thanks to that. I liked that they kept familiar elements from the novel. 

My Mom and Dad were excited for this season as well. LB2 had already watched it before the three of us. My Mom watched this season before my Dad. She will probably watch it again with him. It still weird me out that he likes it.

Well, now we will wait for June. Can't wait to see what will happen next. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

P.S. Congrats to Nemo for winning Eurovision 2024. I should have mentioned it in my last post but I was a bit preoccupied with my book recovery efforts. They are still ongoing, by the way.

When books get wet.......

 A few weeks ago, my mom and I were cleaning the basement and I discovered that some of my books that I had stored down there had gotten wet. How and why that happened I will spare you the details. Just know that they were wet and starting to mold.

I immediately went into recovery mode with LB2 as my assistant. We covered the damp books in baking side to draw out the moisture and we wiped the mold away with a paper towel soaked in warm water we put castile soap into. When the books covered in baking soda showed signs of drying some, we used an old toothbrush to brush off the damp excess soda before we used the blow dryer on them. 

We have gotten the majority all taken cared off. We intended to place the mostly dried books in the sun so it could finish them off. Sadly, our weather has been either rainy or cloudy. It'll get done eventually.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Second lead syndrome

 I caught Second Lead Syndrome again. I watched A Shop for Killers last week and Lee Dong Wook's acting was just that good. I loved the character he played. It left me wanting more. So, I searched through his filmography and found a series that was close another to fix that little case of SLS (Not Sodium Lauryl Sulfate). 

I chose Bad and Crazy. I got three episodes left and by the time you all read this, I will have finished my series. I will not give you blurbs for this series as I just know I will end up giving spoilers.

I explained Second Lead/Second Male Lead Syndrome to my mom and LB2 a few days ago. They started laughing uncontrollably, saying that it sounded like a full fledged disease. I was not amused.

For those who don't know, Second Lead Syndrome is where the actor who played said role did such a wonderful job that you want to see them in a similar role again with more screen time. They brought their role to life. It is a testament to the skill of the actor. 

Second Male Lead Syndrome is where the writer made the second male lead so lovable and perfect, you start questioning the female leads eyesight. Like, why are you falling for this dude who is still hung up on his ex? There is a man right next to you who would give you the world if you asked! FL will choose the hard route and leave the second male lead alone in the world. Not all the time does the storyline look like this because there are many variations of this theme. Girl has two options.  She chose one we knew the story needed, while our hearts yearned for the other one. Anyway, end result is that the audience feels like taking the second male lead for themselves. Or finding another series that has him in it as Male Lead so we can feel satisfied with the outcome. 

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

A baby blanket.......

 My dear Cousin E is expecting her second child soon. I am almost finished knitting her a baby blanket. It is my gift for the new little girl who will soon join our family.

The first picture is how the blanket looks. And the second is how much yarn I have left. I am using Bernat Baby Blanket yarn in the color Raspberry Kisses. It is so soft and plushy. I am actually concerned that Baby's mom, dad or older sib might use it more than her. Oh, well. As long as someone gets use of this blanket, I think I would be happy.

I used a loom to knit as I am challenged when it comes to knitting needles. I can cast on but that's it. I don't know what I am doing wrong.

I think I will be able to have it off the loom by the end of this week. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Gardening stress......

 My mom has planted a whole bunch of seeds for her herb garden and today they all got knocked down. LB1 is all "this life, you can't call yourself a gardener unless you feel this pain" and (to the one responsible for all this)"you don't care about anything and that's why you weren't careful". Honestly, I feel like I should've stayed in bed.

This drama happens every year, a couple times a year. It's draining. Also, I do believe Mom put her plants in an unstable place. I can't wait until they get outside.

As always, feel free to leave a message below.

P.S. Yes, LB1 can be that Intense. He's mainly pretty chill, though. He does his thing and don't you dare mess with his plants.

My Dad is a Bridgerton fan...... This is not awkward at all

 Since my post last week, my father has watched season one and two of Bridgerton. My mom got him to watch Queen Charlotte a few months ago and he finally got around to binge-watching the rest of Bridgerton. E in now eagerly waiting for season three.

While I am so happy that he has a show he enjoys, I also find it uncomfortable. I read some of the books as I wanted to know more. I have shared book spoilers with my mom and brother but I will not do that with my Dad. I can't. Awkwardville is big enough. No need to expand it further. LB2 knows I can be a romantic sap at times and my Mom knows the identities of all my crushes. But this is a subject that has never been brought up around my dad, who once told me I couldn't date until I was 30. We don't go there. 

So, mom will have to be our go between for this. Sorry, Mom. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Eurovision 2024!!!!!!!!!

 It's Eurovision time again! This year's competition will be held in Malmö, Sweden. Our lovely Queen of Eurovision, Loreen, will perform the opening performance. I can't wait to see what she will do. Her last one was *chef's kiss*. 

But enough of that, we need to get down to the contestants for 2024. Please note that the following comments are my opinions and they may vary from other people.  ⭐ means it is my pick for the finals.

1. 5Miinust & Puuluup - (Nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi - Estonia - I can see this being a crowd favorite. Such a bop.

2. Aiko - Pedestal - Czechia - Punk rock vibes. I can see this being something teenage me would rock too. Well, I can rock to it now.......⭐

3. Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil - Teresa & Maria - Ukraine - The way they spit bars...... 10/10⭐

4. Angelina Mango - La Noia - Italy -Vacay vibes! I should make a summer vacation playlist and put this at the top of the list. ⭐

5. Baby Lasagna - Rim Tim Tagi Dim - Croatia - uhhhhhhh, what? A little mind trippy....

6. Bambie Thug - Doomsday Blue - Ireland - Well, that happened.....

7. BESA - TITAN - Albania - Can't wait to see the fan Choreographies for this song! I feel faint echos of Flash Dance. 

8. Dons - Hollow - Latvia - Such a strong voice. A beautiful song. 

9. Eden Golan - Hurricane - Israel - Movie soundtrack ready? That romantic drama where tears are going to be shed. Use it there.

10. Electric Fields - One Milkali (One Blood) - Australia - Funky House Music. I wonder what their semifinal performance will look like. I can see this making it to the finals. I would be surprised if it didn't go far.⭐

11. FAHREE feat. Ilkin Dovlatov - Özünlə Apar - Azerbaijan - This song is making me sway. I love the little ethnic touches that make this song yours and not a generic pop song cranked out by the industry.

12. Gåte - Ulveham - Norway - Rock, Girlie, rock! I mentioned before that my parents were on a whole Vikings binge. This is now giving me Viking Rock music vibes, but in a good way.

13. Hera Björk - Scared of Heights - Iceland - A bouncy fun song! The type you can sing into your hairbrush at 3 am on a girl's night in.

14. Iolanda - Grito - Portugal - Why is this song so beautiful? It made me tear up before the chorus. Her voice is simply stunning.⭐

15. Isaak - Always On The Run - Germany - I love it! I going go break my replay button on this song.⭐

16. Joost Klein - Europapa - Netherlands - LB2 hates this song so I am going to sing this song often. It is so catchy and fun. ⭐

17. Kaleen - We Will Rave - Austria - Glow sticks! We got a club-ready song here. I had glow stick somewhere.......

18. LADANIVA - Jako - Armenia - It makes me want to dance and spin in a circle. The live performance of this is going to be so fun! Can hardly wait!

19. LUNA - The Tower - Poland - The 80's aesthetic is so good. It's a catchy song that should be on a Road Trip playlist.

20. Marcus & Martinus - Unforgettable - Sweden - Yes, they are twins and they came to make you dance. So, just dance already. Be unforgettable on that floor. In a good way.⭐

21. Marina Satti - ZARI - Greece - Jam Time! Get those hips moving and dance!⭐

22. Megara - 11:11 - San Marino - Wow, just wow.  80's Rock.

23. Mustii - Before the Party’s Over - Belgium - Epic Jam! ⭐

24. Natalia Barbu - In The Middle - Moldova - Epic Violin!  

25. Nebulossa - Zorra - Spain - I can see this being another crowd favorite. More 80's vibes.

26. Nemo - The Code - Switzerland - A musical journey. To where? No clue.

27. Nutsa Buzaladze - Firefighter - Georgia - The urge to dance will hit you! Also, loving that faint tribal vibe there. ⭐

28. Olly Alexander - Dizzy - United Kingdom - Another club-ready song. Are your feet sore yet?⭐

29. Raiven - Veronika - Slovenia - Hello Epicness. Just slam into my life and make me wish I knew modern contemporary dance. ⭐

30. Saba - Sand - Denmark - Another Road Trip song. It has just the right amount of jamable and epicness to keep you awak at the wheel.⭐

31. Sarah Bonnici - Loop - Malta - This song is saucy! This one is giving Saucy Summer Vacay Vibes.  

32. Silia Kapsis - Liar - Cyprus - The breakup song is here. This is one for the Breakup with Confidence playlist. Because you don't need a liar, honey. 😘

33. Silvester Belt - Luktelk - Lithuania -  We have a bopping jam here! 

34. Slimane - Mon Amour - France - Him, I want him to win. Slimane for the win! You can hear that this man is putting his soul into this song Why does no-one sing like this to me?🌟

35. Tali - Fighter - Luxembourg - Ahh, those vocals.... 

36. Teya Dora - Ramonda - Serbia - So soothing. It feels like a deep cleansing breath.⭐

37. Windows95man - No Rules! - Finland - What was that?!?!? I can't even process it. I don't think my brain is wired for this song. LB5 wants this song to win. 

So that is this year's lineup. If you're interested in hearing any of these performance, check out the Semi-finals on May 7th and May 9th. The Finals will be held May 11th. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Scatterbrained

 I am feeling a little scatterbrained today. I can hardly get all my thoughts in order. I have a to-do list that feels a half mile long and can't focus on it. So, I am just going to leave this here instead of giving you something truly lackluster.

 As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Math and I ......don't talk much

 I am currently helping the sibs with math today. I really don't feel confident in my advanced mathing abilities but I can handle most little things so here we are. So uncomfortable.

I had a wisdom tooth episode yesterday that made one half of my face so sensitive that sunlight burned my face. So this is what I call a double dose of misery. 

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

So it's Vikings now.....

 So, my dad is currently binge-watching The Vikings. My mom is a semi willing co-binger. She has already seen these seasons but she is his guide through Midgard. He also wants her nearby for spoilers. But mom is a tiny spoiler girl. She'll tell you you little things but she refuses to give big plot points away. This almost caused an argument last night.

The kids finished Feel Good To Die earlier this week. They started Shopping King Louis yesterday. I thought they might like it and I was right. It feels good to have people who watched a drama with me. It feels less lonely.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Georgette Heyer audiobooks and my least favorite trope...

 I am currently listening to The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer. I have always enjoyed her work and I came across a longing to hear her work with Spring time coming. After I finished this on (which I almost am), I plan on listening to The Quiet Gentleman. I love her sharp and sparkling wit, engaging humor, and sweet, sweet romance.

I adore romance but there is a trope I sincerely hate. I hate harem tropes. I can't stand it when a character leads multiple love interests by the nose like a pack of animals. I know people out there may like it but I can't. It enrages me beyond measure. I'm like, pick one already! I feel like harems are HFNs instead of HEAs. 

I'm going to stop here. I will just repeat myself. As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Funky audio ports and eye allergies.....

 A couple of days ago I thought that a pair of brand new (and pricy for a budget girl) headphones died. I was so sad as I love these headphones. My Jelly's have love audio quality. Any way, my mom gave me another pair of headphones but the audio was muffled. I got used to it after a day. Last night I wanted to show LB2 something on my tablet but he didn't like my aq so he suggested using his Jelly Headphones. Well they didn't work either. He had just been using them so they weren't dead. Realizing that it might be a port problem, I gave him my headphones to test. Long story short, it was the port.With a little bit of tension, I got my Jelly's back!

In other news, my left eye swelled up and was a mucus factory yesterday. It was disgusting and painful. I thought it would go away if I washed my hair as my hair acts like an allergen trap sometimes but it didn't. I think all the awakening plants outside have aggravated my eye. So life sucks on that point.

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Is this year the year of sequels and franchises?

 One of the things I do as soon as a new year comes around is check out the films slated for release on Wikipedia. I noticed that this year had a ton of sequels, remakes and new franchise additions. It left me a little puzzled.

I'm not saying that it's a bad thing. Just...... Do we need a musical Mean Girls?Didn't we already have like two Garfield movies? And for how long are you all intending to milk The Lord of the Rings series? Why, just why?

I mean there are some good original films coming out. I just can't name them right now because I forgot their names. What I mentioned so far are films that left me puzzled by their existence.

The sequels and additions I don't mind are few. I am actually bored by this years offerings. I think I will stick with my tbw list of K-Dramas. I actually think they have better quality and content than most of Hollywood's work. 

If I hurt someone feelings by saying that, I'm sorry you failed to capture my attention. You lost it awhile ago and the chance of you getting it back was small. Books were always better than movies anyway.😎

As always, feel free to leave me a message below.

Musical time!

 So, earlier today I gave my Dad Hamilton and Les Miserablé, both the film and the 10th anniversary concert. My dad has listened to the soundtrack of Hamilton many times (sorry, not sorry) but he never saw them on stage. I hope to fix that. And as for Les Mis, my Dad has always been a fan of Victor Hugo's masterpiece. I bought the book and he insisted on reading it first. He will drop what he is doing to watch the 1960's dubbed version or the Liam Neeson version.

Now, concerning Les Mis the musical, I prefer the concert to the film (Sorry, Hugh Jackman). The Concert has more details and you could feel the love in the performances. The actors were having the time of their lives bringing this tale on stage and it showed. The film felt abbreviated and slightly flat after watching the concert. Also the concert is closer to the book than the film. And as a book girlie, the closer to the book it is, the more I am guaranteed to like it.

 It's now up to my Dad to see if the musicals live up to the hype. Side note, if any of you are wondering why I limited my Hamilton talk, it's because one of my Siblings said that I talked too much about it and need to lay off a little. This is me laying off a little.

As always, feel free to leave a message below.

Why, Netflix, Why?!??!?

 Well, Bridgerton season 3 comes out this year! The first part comes out in May while the second part comes out in June. I'm so excited!

The only thing I have to say is,  why two parts?  We always got one whole season so we could lose sleep in that everlasting chase of romance. I want to lose sleep, not wait a whole month to binge. It is sick and cruel. Netflix is mean.

That's all. I am going to pout in a corner, all by my single self. As always, feel free to leave a message below.

Being landlocked sucks sometimes.......

 Once upon a long time ago, my family and I lived along the coast (which one, not telling😋). There are days when I miss it and there are days when I am so happy we moved inland. Hurricane season way has less impact on us here.

It has been so long since I visited a beach that I have all but forgotten how it smelled. I forgot the what the sound of natural lapping waves with Gulls screeching in the background is like. I miss standing at the water's edge, feeling the sand shift and churn beneath my feet, slowly drawing me closer. I want to stare at the ocean and realize how small I am in the world. I even miss getting sand in my shoes! A thing I used to hate, I now miss. 

I normally don't miss being close to the water this much. But, for some reason, I miss it today. Am I being overly sentimental? I feel like I am because I can only remember all the good and none of the irritating. I'm sure it will come to mind later. But now is not later.

As always, feel free to leave a message below.

I think I am a Banana........

 If People were fruit, I would be a banana. Why? Because I bruise way to easily and can never figure out how it happened. It doesn't help that my Dad's nickname for me is Banana. (Yes, I get my naming skills from him.)

Just last week, I found two bruises on my legs and, for the life of me, I can't figure out how I managed to hurt myself. Some of my past bruises I totally remember getting, i.e. the time I tripped on my skirt and fell against the corner of the metal bedframe. Then we have the once a week "how did I bruise my arm/leg/thigh...ect." fiasco. I literally have no memory of it happening. Also, I once bruised my knees by resting my elbows on them for too long.

This is why I say I think I am a banana. To the best of my knowledge, banana are one of the more easily bruised fruits around. As always, feel free to leave a message below.

I know I read it.........

 You see, it's like this.... I got the audio books of the Bromance Book Club series by Lyssa Kay Adams. Now I read all but the last two books (life and other books stopped me). Anyway, I got them and I just started listening to the first book. I forgot how funny it was.

It got me thinking about how even though I already read the first book, it was good to revisit it and get familiar with characters that pop up from time to time. Each book can be read as a standalone but it is better to do the whole thing as a series. That way you won't miss a thing.

I don't feel bad about listening to a book I have already read. To me, it is on the same level as rereading a favorite novel. Only thing is, now, I am able to be mobile while enjoying an old favorite.

As always, feel free to leave a message below.

On to the next one......

 The sibs have finished one series and jumped into another. We are now watching W - Two Worlds. I now have a whole crowd as the majority of my siblings joined the viewing.

We got up to episode three and I am excited to see their eyes pop out in the upcoming episodes. It's going to be so much fun.

Also sorry about not posting yesterday. Life got mildly chaotic along with me not feeling well. As always, feel free to leave a message below.

Little late but...... Happy Public Domain Day!🎉🎊🎉

 As a teenager my favorite books were obscure and forgotten public domain novels from the 1800s to early 1900s. (Yes, I was cool like that....) I'm talking May Agnes Fleming, Elizabeth Gaskell, Jean Webster, The Brontë sisters (not Emily. Sorry, not sorry), Charles Dickens, Alexander Dumas, George Sand, Frances H. Burney and Bithia M. Croaker to name a few. Some of these names you all might recognize. Some you may never have heard before. I would never have read any of these authors works if it wasn't for the public domain.

My parents homeschooled on a budget. There was no funds for extra non curriculum books. If I wanted to read for fun, I either had to find a ride to the Library or cull through the books online that weren't paywalled. Meaning I got to read some awesome books that were in the public domain.

For those who may not know what Public Domain means, here's what Wikipedia says: "The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable. Because no one holds the exclusive rights, anyone can legally use or reference those works without permission."

January 1st is not just New Years Day, it is also Public Domain Day. The works from way back when are now available year round for free (kind of). You may not walk into B&N, grab a copy of Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South and proceed to walk out without paying. What they mean is there are works out there that we can either read online for free (in some places) or we can make our own spin on it now without cease and desist letters finding us. Since a new batch of media comes to the PD each year, I hope you all have fun weeding through 2024's batch before new year's batch comes.

As always, feel free to leave a message below.

Not complaining....

 So the whole reason this post is late is because LB7 demanded his episodes of Are You Human? I never meant for the K-Drama thing to affect him so much.

In other news, I feel like I'm falling apart. My left knee and right elbow feel stiff and very lockable. So I am a little preoccupied by that. My knee is so temperamental that I find myself slipping into "Black Widow" stance to get thing on the floor. You Marvel fans will know what I mean.

As always, feel free to leave a message below.