Scrabble on Saturday

Just a quick post...not that I want to be posting...but just to post it.

Here's Saturday's Scrabble Game.

I played against Rick and Dan. I won. They lost. 251-194-151.

After the game we went to Curt's, met up with some other friends and celebrated Rick's birthday with pizza and brownies and a movie (National Treasure). My continuing to beat Rick has, I'm sure, made his one win against me all the sweeter...

I'm taking a break from the blog

You should know that I'm taking a break from the blog and will probably take it down at the end of April. It has been fun, but time to move on to other things...

Robb, J.D. - Promises in Death

The newest Lt. Eve Dallas book was wonderful. If I'm ever murdered, I want her to be assigned the case...yes, I know she's fictional, but I think she could do it. What an awesome detective.
Read the series...but start at the beginning. It's worth it.
rj

Saturday's Scrabble

I won Saturday's scrabble game 306-253, but Rick noted that I didn't trounce him...and while I maintained a lead throughout the entire game, he also noted that he was "on my tail feathers" the whole way. Um, sure. But he still lost.

Berg, Carol - Restoration

I finished book 3 of the series this weekend. While I enjoyed it very much, I kind of felt a little let down by the ending. It just, um, ended...like it could have gone on for another 100 pages or so of story. It was a happy ending, don't get me wrong, but I still had so many questions about the characters and what happens to them next. Sigh. I guess I'll just have to "create" their endings in my head.
rj

Scones - Raspberry White Choc or Banana & Choc Chip

Here is the recipe for scones. I actually used an English Tea Scone recipe and then modified it for the two different types I like. So, first the basic recipe:


English Tea Scones
2 c flour
1/4 c sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
milk

option 1
1 c raspberries
1/2 c white chocolate chips

option 2
2 mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. With pastry blender or two knives, cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine egg with enough milk to measure 2/3 cup; stir into flour mixture with fork just until mixture holds together. Fold in optional ingredients. Gently form into a ball with fingers; turn onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently 10-12 strokes. With floured rolling pin, lightly roll dough on floured surface to 1/2" thickness. Cut with floured 2 1/4" cutter, re-rolling dough as necessary. Arrange scones on ungreased baking sheet about 2" apart. Bake in a preheated 425 oven until lightly browned (8-10 min.) Makes 16 scones.

The Boringness of Daily Life.

I am a bit flummoxed of late.
Mom tells me I need to write more in the blog. I say I don't feel like writing. She says, "write. Then you'll want to write more."
Um, sure. Whatever.
So, randomness.
I bought some Cadbury Mini Eggs today. I am glad they are only sold at Easter. I love them and find them addicting.
At home I am watching season 2 of Eureka. A great show from the Sci-Fi channel. My sister Libby bought season 1, so I watched that when she was done with it. It was so good, I bought season 2. I'm already half way through it. It is tempting to just watch several episodes each evening rather than do household chores like laundry and dishes and sorting through the mail pile.
Work has been very busy this week. The onslaught of questions and needs has been very random. I feel exhausted just from trying to keep up.
I spelled flummoxed and onslaught wrong.
I am tired of winter and wish that Spring would, um, spring now.
I keep forgetting to bring the raspberry white chocolate scone recipe into work to type it into the blog for Rick.
I haven't really cooked much in the past week. Mostly I've been eating cereal, fruit, veggies, frozen dinners and the like... oh and candy.
I've been craving BLT's lately and have had 3-4 in the past several weeks. I don't remember the last time I had a BLT (before the craving started).
I continue to read the bible every morning and I'm in Deuteronomy and Mark. Some mornings I don't really want to read, but I'm always glad that I have. And I usually find some nugget of wisdom to help me through my day.
I suck at eating well and trying to lose weight. What really sucks is that I know all of the rules and just don't seem to have the self-control to do what's need.

Is that enough writing? I still think it's not very interesting. The Boringness of Daily Life.

Scrabble Rematch

I won. 360 to 303. But at the beginning I thought I would lose...Rick got his highest one-play score ever (93), and I was mighty nervous as I was staring at 4 I's. Nasty little vowels. So hard to use. Once I played them and made a seven letter word, things started to look much better for me.

Berg, Carol - Revelation

I did enjoy book two. It got a bit long in the middle, but the ending was lovely and I am looking forward to starting book three today at lunch.

Berg, Carol - Transformation

I just finished the first book in a trilogy by Carol Berg. I do have to agree with Holly. She is a great author. Very engaging characters and stories. Plus a few plot twists and turns that keep you guessing up to the very (happy) ending. It's a fantasy book with magic and good vs. evil.

I started the second one this morning and had a hard time putting it down so that I could get to work on time. (Don't worry, I did it...but I also brought it with for my lunchtime reading...)
rj

Because I promised I'd post it...

The fate of the game hinged on the last play. I was up by 16 points after Rick decimated my 70 point lead with his 78 point word "equine." I came back from "equine" with a 24 point word...which left me up by 16 and holding 3 tiles that equaled 4 points. He had two tiles left. I was going to lose my 4 points. He was going to gain my 4 points. That put me up by only 8...if he found a 9 point word, he'd win. If he went with the 7 point word we found, he'd lose...

I saw the spot seconds before he did. I put my head down to keep from revealing it--To keep myself from telling him where it was...but he found it. On his own. Without me. And placed "hoe" up in the left hand corner for, you guessed it, 9 points.

I lost. By one. Rick won his first victory against me...

Against my better judgement, I have agreed to a re-match on Thursday. Those who know me well, know that I am not a good loser...

I do, however, make an excellent winner.

rj

Walls, Jeannette - The Glass Castle

I loved this memoir and am passing it on to sister Holly to read next. I recommend this book to anyone who ever thought his/her childhood was a bit crazy and abnormal. This family was downright nuts. But a feel-good story too.
Read. Laugh. Cry. Wonder at the craziness...feel good about your own parenting/family.

best ever scrabble game

Here's that scrabble game from Saturday. Check out my seven letter word "RELISTED" right in the middle of the board. 448 for me...

vacation week is over

Ah it was so lovely. I did so many wonderful things. And I got lots of rest in too. I made my favorite dish (Cape Malay Curry). I read four books (see below). I shopped. A Lot. I napped. I spent time with various family members. I cleaned (a bit). I played several games of scrabble.

(I'll post a picture of my record-high game tomorrow after I get it off of my phone's camera. I scored 448 points. Rick scored 200something...It was awesome! Well for me anyway. Though he assured me that he enjoyed watching me do it. My lowest scoring word (except for the last one when I used my last two tiles to go out) was 22 points. Wow!)

The cats enjoyed my vacation as well. And not just because they love naps. (I think they would have taken those whether I'd been home or not.) What they really liked was conning me out of extra cans of cat food. On "normal" days, they split 1 can when I get home from work. During the vacation, they managed to beg 2 cans out of me every day...fat cats.
rj

Fairstein, Linda - Lethal Legacy

It has been a long time since I've read on of Fairstein's books...a long time since she's had a new one out. One thing I love about my favorite characters in my favorite books is how picking up a new one instantly transports me back into their story. This new book was no exception. It was great to reconnect with my old friends Alex, Mike and Mercer...and the mystery kept me guessing right up to the very end.

Berg, Carol - Daughter of Ancients

A perfect end to the story; though I would love it if the author would write more "chapters" to it.

Berg, Carol - Soul Weaver

I read book three of the series in one day...cover to cover...with a few breaks in between. I love vacation days.

Berg, Carol - Guardians of the Keep

Book two was much better than book one and hooked me into the series. Perfect vacation read.

very busy week

I have had a very busy week so far. Work has been intense. A big chunk of my job is sorting through details and solving problems. Monday and Tuesday brought a whole host of them. My hope is that today will be quieter.
Next week I am on vacation. Traveling up north for a couple of days and then I'll have a few days in town to wander aimlessly...maybe some movies, plays, coffee shops, books, buy some stuff to make the condo better. The week is wide open.
rj

Berg, Carol - Son of Avonar

I liked the ending of this book more than I liked the beginning. In fact, I almost stopped reading it about half way through. It started in present time and then tried to tell the history of the story as though it was memories of the main character. It really didn't gel very well.
Hopefully now that we are well acquainted with the main characters, book 2 will start out great and continue great and end great as well...
rj

Harris, Charlaine - From Dead to Worse

Alright, book 8 was all about character development. There was a small mystery, but for the most part it was about extending our knowledge of our favorite characters and adding a few new ones to keep the series alive.
I still loved it and am looking forward to book 9 "Dead and Gone" which comes out on May 5.

Now for a little break from reading as I put my messy house in order and give my head a rest.
rj