End of 2024 and a Recipe

 

Yeah, I never was one to go out to party for the New Year.  In the younger years I might stay up to see the new year in but now, not so much.  Our traditions are for the 1st day and not so much the night before.  

Thought I would share a few last pictures of light that DD took on the way home from work last night.  We took the long way home past the park and the to the two places that Christmas seemed to have thrown up. 

The park truly looks beautiful although it was more amazing when we had snow in December.  That doesn't really happen anymore.  

Now this one is one that actually makes me a little sad because when we first moved here there were several displays but you could really look at them and space in between, now there is so much stuff you cannot see it all, one thing nearly on top of another.  I know everyone's taste is different but I liked what I saw years ago and not so much now.  

This one on the other hand does the same amount for Easter, Halloween and Christmas and so pretty much use to it - LOL.  For a very tiny yard, they do pack it in and somehow it works. 

Now a recipe that we just love for special times of the year.  Couldn't finish off the year without a recipe share -

Portuguese Cavacas

12 Eggs

2 cups flour

2 cups oil (Unico is recommended)

Icing -

Icing Sugar mixed with milk

Lemon Zest

Preheat oven to 350F.

Beat together with an electric mixer until well blended at least 3 minutes. Fill muffin pan 3/4 full that has been sprayed with pam. Bake for 40 minutes until golden and puffy. NEVER open the oven during baking or the puffs will fall. When cool spread with icing.

And so to all my blogger friends and our family and those that stop by to read what's up in my little corner - 

Favourite Walkers - Walking Alice

 

In between sharing some of my photo videos I wanted to share some of my most favourite walkers on YouTube.  These are wonderful for those of us who just are not going to get to travel very far in the world.  Whether because of finances or circumstances or just because crowds can be a real problem to manage. These people do it for us and show us wonderful sights.  I choose those who do not bounce their cameras and keep things smooth and don't spin too quickly as they view the sights.  Walking Alice is my number one favourite.  Alice goes to many places in the world and she tours inside places and takes you on the cable cars, trams and trains as well as ferries.  She also dines at restaurants choosing the local foods and letting you know where the place is (in case you do get to go) and how good the food is or isn't.  

When she is not travelling across the ocean she shares walks in New York city as well as many from Quebec City, which I am guessing is an easy drive for her. She also shares the Macy's Day Parade standing in one of the best places to see every moment.  I never thought I would get to see that parade but thanks to Alice I have seen three.  Her Christmas time walks are the best too especially those of Dyker Heights.  It was hard to choose one to share here but I thought the latest might be best.  

Here is the link to her channel - https://www.youtube.com/@WalkingAlice/featured  

Have a great week ahead as we slide into the New Year!

Weekly Musings of the 27th

 

Wow, here we are on the other side of Christmas and heading for the New Year.  The dusting of snow that we got has pretty much disappeared although through the damp cold I kept my walks to the stairs not wanting to be surprised by a patch of ice.  This morning I am driving DD to work as she starts at 8 and by that time I might get a chance for an outside walk.  

The Monday had us out one more time for a few groceries but those will take us through to next Monday.  The store was busy, busy but a lesson learned through the covid lockdown had the store use the same method for getting people to the check-out.  It worked wonderfully and standing in line really didn't take long at all with all cashes open.  Christmas eve had me preparing our usual bean supper to enjoy with our friends who arrived in the afternoon.  This time we got to share our time with DD too.  Everyone had a great time catching up and sharing stories.  It was a wonderful Christmas eve.  

I now have two Christmas t-shirts to enjoy, one for Christmas eve and one for the day (well, yes, for the whole month too - lol)  

I also learned on Christmas day that I am the kid who wakes early and wants everyone up to open our stockings.  I finally woke DD up to get her out too so I could stop waiting for presents - LOL.  She was not impressed but gave into her mom.  

Amazing how much stuff fits into an average size stocking.  Tigger was most pleased with her present of mounds of tissue paper to play in. 

After greetings from Florida and getting dressed in our new Christmas sweaters from DD the 2nd, we were off to church for Christmas mass.

Our Florida Family Stockings.

Hubby and I then got the turkey stuffed and ready for the oven and the makings of Christmas dinner was on it's way while we all watched White Christmas.  

Dinner was perfect and of course we all over ate so that no one wanted to move for the rest of the evening.  

So, Boxing Day was a very quiet day too, stair walks were still the best way to get a walk in.

 Tigger enjoying Boxing Day.  And so, we are nearly back to regular stuff with DD off to work this morning and us doing a few Friday things.  All in all a lovely Christmas week.  

Have a wonderful weekend!

Books - A Cozy Cruise Ship Mystery

 

In the quiet of Boxing Day I thought I would get back to my cozy mysteries and this one I got the first 10 books through BookBub for only $1.99 and who could pass up 10 kindle books for that price?  I am not one who actually wants to go on a cruise, the thought of not just being able to pack up and go home when I want to just doesn't appeal.  However, reading all about the life on a cruise ship is a lot of fun because you get both the passenger side and those that work on the cruise.  Exotic places are described and it makes it interesting too.  

"Embark on a thrilling voyage with Rachel Prince, a fearless sleuth who's about to stumble headlong into an unexpected murder mystery…

Get ready for a whirlwind adventure on a luxurious Mediterranean cruise. After being dumped by her fiancé, Rachel's best friend Sarah Bradshaw suggests a lavish getaway to heal her heart. When Rachel befriends an elderly widow, her dream vacation turns into the hunt for a killer. A suspicious accident challenges Rachel's detective skills, and soon afterwards she finds herself navigating through more than just the ship's opulent corridors.

With trust in short supply and a deadly assassin lurking in the shadows, Rachel and friends uncover a sinister murder plot.

Hold tight for a rollercoaster ride filled with mind-bending twists and turns as Rachel races against the clock to unveil the truth before another life is extinguished.

If you're a fan of Death in Paradise or Murder She Wrote, prepare to be spellbound by "A Cruise to Murder," the electrifying debut in an irresistible cozy cruise ship mystery series."

The latest one was just as good as the first and there is another waiting to be published in June so I think the cruise series is going to be around for a bit longer for sure. 

"The clock is ticking as Rachel Jacobi-Prince races to catch a killer when a luxury holiday turns deadly…

Embark on a thrilling voyage with Rachel and Carlos in "Toxic Cruise Cocktail," a cozy mystery that will keep you captivated until the very end.

Rachel and her husband, Carlos set sail on the luxurious Coral Queen to celebrate her parents' wedding anniversary. They are hoping for a relaxing getaway filled with family bonding and tropical adventures. But their dream holiday takes a sinister turn when a passenger from her father’s past, dies under mysterious circumstances at the welcome aboard cocktail party.

As Rachel works to solve the suspicious death, she finds herself drawn into a web of secrets and lies. Driven by her passion for justice, she is certain there is more to the man's untimely death than a practical joke gone wrong.

With each new revelation, the danger escalates, threatening to ensnare Rachel and those she holds dear. Alongside her husband Carlos, whose own investigation into a missing person becomes increasingly perilous, Rachel must navigate a sea of suspects and lies to unravel the truth before the killer strikes again.

"Toxic Cruise Cocktail" is a classic cozy whodunnit filled with clever twists, colourful characters, and exotic locations. Author Dawn Brookes masterfully blends intrigue, humour, and the complexities of family dynamics in this engaging whodunnit.

Fans of Agatha Christie, Death in Paradise and Murder, She Wrote will delight in this engaging page-turner set in the captivating world of cruise ship intrigue."

And so whether you get your books from the library, through Bookbub, paperback or kindle, this one is a fun series with lots of interesting information about cruises.  

Merry Christmas!

 

To all my blogger friends, our families and friends we see on Facebook!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Letter 2024

 

Christmas 2024

Merry Christmas to Friends and Family

This year was pretty quiet for visitors but then again most of us are getting to the point that long drives are really no fun anymore, at least not facing some of those drivers out there – LOL. The first part of the year was closing up Mom's estate which is such a long process whether things were organized or not. The bank is the biggest hang up as they don't want to be on the hook for any kind of lawsuit or any bad press of any kind so they make you jump through lots and lots of hoops. I got pretty tired of it all and just handed it all over to her lawyer and let them sort it out. By summer time it was finished. Thank the Good Lord.

I got back to my early morning walks this year finally and enjoyed 30 minutes out

watching the sun rise as I walked along. We also had the chance once more to meet my sister Anna-Marie and her hubby, Alan, in Windsor for lunch at the usual Kelsey's taking several hours to catch up and then us heading out in opposite directions, sister and hubby back to Florida and us back to Simcoe.

During the summer Melissa, DD the 1^st decided to move back to Ontario from British Columbia. Missing family and the cost of living there being two of the main reasons for coming back, we were pretty happy to hear the news. As she worked through finding a place, perhaps a roomate which would sound good and then fall through, Robert and I talked it over and suggested she move in with us until she got

back on her feet (or she could just stay). It would be easier to make plans once in the province than across the country. She and her kitty arrived back in October with her stuff arriving to be stored for the time being nearly at the end of October.

After taking a bit of a break Melissa started looking at all different ideas for where to live and what to do and as she did that she found a job here in Simcoe at the local Superstore. Moving anywhere in winter is a huge, cold pain in the patoutie and so we suggested that for now she just settle here and work and save and check things out in the spring. Who knows, she might just call Simcoe home and be done with all the moving. We kinda hope so.

Oh, and as to the kitties getting along – nope, not going to happen but then again DD's cat seems pretty happy in her little kingdom in the bedroom and Tigger is happy with that too. We think they chat at the door in the night but they both seem happier not to see each other. 

As the year closes up, we are doing pretty good all things considered especially getting another year older. Robert prefers me doing more of the driving and probably will not renew his license next time around. Aches and pains are part of getting up there but that is the way of life so all is good. With those in mind, I have given up sending out cards plus any crafting so keeping in touch with be here on the blog or facebook or email depending.

Wishing you all the best in 2024.

Alicia, Robert, Melissa and Tigger and Licorice too.

Re-run Post - Merry Christmas Lights

 

Here we are the short week of the fourth week of Advent leading to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!  

One more short grocery stop for things that had to wait until closer to the day and DD working one more shift, then friends for supper on Christmas Eve and family for Christmas Day.  I will also be posting my yearly Christmas letter, to take the place of sending cards tomorrow, plus a couple of emails too.

I thought I would share an older video of the Christmas lights here in our home town.  

Hope you enjoy!

Have a lovely Christmas Eve Eve!

Weekly Musings of the 20th

 

Well this week had it's ups and downs but it flew by just the same.  Beginning of the week was still nice for walks outside but finished up with stairway walks once more.  

I thought the two lighted wreaths on the fence of the hospital nursing home was really pretty on the walk.  

Saw both lovely decorations and 'Christmas threw up' yards too.  One I have posted the other just was too much and I was so stunned at the volume, I didn't take a picture.  Maybe later.  

Monday when I took DD the 1st to her job and I got my groceries done for the week.  One thing I never understand is people who seem to need to yell at the people who are just doing their job the best they can.  I mean really, it isn't their fault the company does this or that and taking it out on someone who is just making minimum wage is just nasty.  I always bet they are the ones who post about being kind on their social media but forget about that when it is the clerk at the store.  

We have started splitting up our weekly cleaning because, of course, we can and doing it all in one shot is becoming a bit much for us.  It is working much better too.  On Wednesday DD had a really early start to her morning and so hubby and I went out armed with our list and got all our Christmas shopping done.  I have only a bit of grocery shopping to do next Monday but the rest is done.  Having to take DD to the grocery store has really worked out well for me getting things done too at the store.  

Tigger is having a problem with dry skin and been over-grooming. 

 Being feral makes it really hard to take care of her but she lets me run the brush that has a steamer as well as using coconut oil to rub into the patches.  The last vet that saw her traumatized her so badly it is impossible to take her or have anyone other than hubby look at her.  So far the home remedy is helping her skin and we shall keep it up and keep watch on her.  She is not in pain nor upset by it all so we will do the best we can.  

Our poor old computer (dated 2013) has had a few crashes recently with the blue screen coming up which is what happened on Wednesday.  I figure at that point it was late enough in the morning and we wanted to get all those errands done just to leave it alone.  It still does all that I wish for this old thing to do, so we let it be.  

Canada Post has gone back to work and things have started to arrive once more.  Although I still am not going to send cards out anymore.  I will post my yearly Christmas letter on Christmas Eve with greetings to friends and family plus reach out to a couple old friends through email but that is it.  I am doing the same for birthday cards.  My hands are just done with doing too much writing and I am okay with that too.  

And so, that was the week.

Wishing you a lovely weekend. 

Books - Tea Shop Mysteries

 

This series has been around awhile set in Charleston and with really wonderful characters.  There is a quirk with this series though.  The first three books in the series is on kindle and as ebooks in the library however books 4 to 12 can only be gotten in paperback and seems the publisher has no interest in putting those on kindle at this time (although I keep checking from time to time) 

"FIRST IN THE TEA SHOP MYSTERY SERIES!

When a man is poisoned by tea, Charleston shop owner Theodosia Browning must prove her innocence and track down the real killer...before someone else takes their last sip.

Meet Theodosia Browning, owner of Charleston's beloved Indigo Tea Shop. Patrons love her blend of delicious tea tastings and Southern hospitality. And Theo enjoys the full-bodied flavor of a town steeped in history—and mystery.

It's tea for two hundred or so at the annual historical homes garden party. Theodosia, as event caterer, is busy serving steaming teas and blackberry scones while guests sing her praises. But the sweet smell of success turns to suspense when an esteemed guest is found dead—his hand clutching an empty teacup. Trouble is brewing, and all eyes are on Theo...."

I do love the history and local information about the city of Charleston as well as the lessons in tea and recipes shared too.  The mysteries are not super deep and most times you can figure out the person who did it but reading how Theo gets there is fun, especially with the quirky regulars around her.  

This is the latest one out in the series - "Murder at an Alice in Wonderland–themed event threatens to send Theodosia Browning through the looking glass in the latest entry in this New York Times bestselling series.

During the Mad Hatter Masquerade, a fundraiser hosted by the Friends of the Opera on the grounds of the old Pendleton Grist Mill, Harlan Sadler, husband of Cricket Sadler, the chairwoman, is killed. He’s been hit in the head with a croquet mallet, and his body hung on the chains and paddles of the grist mill. Nobody can figure out why since Harlan was much beloved by everyone. It’s only after Cricket and Delaine beg Theodosia to investigate that she realizes the killer might have mistaken Harlan for his crazy son, Duke. After all, Duke is a slum landlord and recently injured a woman in a boating accident."

There is another already waiting in the wings for the new year and on my list.  So, if you enjoy light cozy mysteries with characters that become old friends over time in spite of the weirdness kindles and paperback, this one is a good addition.  I would say that it is best getting through the library or free (like through bookbub) and that you really do not have to read them in order because, of course, trying that through the library is near impossible.  

Oh! And P.S. I didn't get a blog out yesterday, as my computer did the blue screen crash and I just wasn't in the mood to get it going again and time was getting away from me - LOL.  More about that tomorrow in my weekly review.  

Have a great Thursday!

Recipes - Peanut Butter Squares

 

In the week or two before Christmas break we had many gatherings of staff at our school.  Most of these included favourite dishes and secret pals with surprises.  One staff member always brought her peanut butter squares which were such a treat and lucky for us, she shared the recipe before I retired.  So, here is T's peanut butter squares for Christmas.

1 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cups peanut butter

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

4 cups icing sugar

1 1/2 cups melted chocolate chips (which ever kind you prefer, hubby likes dark chocolate)

Mix first four ingredients and press into a 16 x 11 cookie sheet. Spread with melted chocolate over the top.

Chill and enjoy.

Have a great Tuesday!

Light Show with Carol of the Bells and More

 

The 3rd week of Advent is Joy and in that spirit I shall share a Christmas light display that begins with the Carol of the Bells and lots more.  I know it is a little longer than I usually share but this light show is truly amazing and you can also see why these people have no neighbours around them - LOL

I do hope you enjoy this special presentation.

Weekly Musings of the 13th

 

So, it is the final 13th of 2024 and I am sure there will be some brave bikers who will brave the cold and head to Port Dover for the fun.  Looks like it is the 75th ride as well.  Wishing them a great time, other than driving DD to her job today, I avoid the whole thing which is what most residence do unless they have a motorcycle.  

We had a pretty quiet week with the exception of driving DD to work and picking her up which I really don't mind doing as it actually gives the car more of a run than we usually do which is good for it and gets me out more often because I am one who is happy just to stay inside.

I couldn't do much walking because I had a bit of dizziness due to an extra vitamin that I took which turned out to be a mistake on my part.  Looking down made me dizzy and I can tell you that you don't realize how often you look down until you shouldn't.  Which really meant the stairs were out this week.  

This one really made me smile and I did always like Endora.  I am not very mean but I like the idea sometimes, although I don't drink wine nor coffee but I drink tea so not like Endora at all but I do appreciate her - LOL.

So, it was a week of lots of reading, enjoying spending time with hubby and staying warm inside.  

That's true although I probably am around for DD's (sorry honey - LOL) 

Have a great weekend my friends!

Books - A Southern Ladies Mystery

 

The author that writes the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries wrote a side series as well that is just as much fun.  You just have to smile at the title of the first book and having a few books of the Ducotte sisters you know will be fun.  

'New York Times bestselling author Miranda James returns to Athena, Mississippi, with the first Southern Ladies mystery featuring Miss An’gel and Miss Dickce Ducote, two snoopy sisters who are always ready to lend a helping hand.

With the Mississippi sun beating down, An’gel and Dickce are taking a break to cool off and pet sit their friend Charlie Harris’s cat, Diesel, when their former sorority sister, Rosabelle Sultan, shows up at their door unexpectedly, with her ne’er-do-well adult children not far behind.

Rosabelle’s selfish offspring are desperate to discover what’s in her will, and it soon becomes clear that one of them would kill to get their hands on the inheritance. Suddenly caught up in a deadly tangle of duplicitous suspects and deep-fried motives, it will take all of the sisters’ Southern charm to catch a decidedly ill-mannered killer…'

And yes, the picture of a cat, who is not Diesel and a dog are part of the story too and it is as fun a read as reading about Charlie and Diesel.  

There are only four books in the series and I am not sure if there will be more of them, so far the next book by the author will be another Cat in the Stacks, but in the meantime these four are worth a read.

'It’s autumn down south, and An'gel and Dickce Ducote are in Natchez, Mississippi, at the request of Mary Turner Catlin, the granddaughter of an old friend. Mary and her husband, Henry Howard, live in Cliffwood, one of the beautiful antebellum homes for which Natchez is famous.
 
Odd things have been happening in the house for years, and the French Room in particular has become the focal point for spooky sensations. The Ducotes suspect the ghostly goings-on are caused by the living, but when a relative of the Catlins is found dead in the room, An'gel and Dickce must sift through a haunted family history to catch a killer.'

Have a great day all and here is a little something for a smile too.

and of course it's filled with books :)