Something for Sunday

I'm actually trying to "clean up" my computer before leaving town. So, I've written this a couple days ago. 

I have a few things I would like to share:

1. Five star books (in my opinion):

Truths I Never Told You--by Kelly Rimmer--love the back and forth in time--I didn't necessarily agree with the message, but the book definitely held my interest. I love books where each time period leaves you with a little cliffhanger.

The Girl With No Name--by Diney Costeloe--(pay attention to the author as there are many books with this title)--I particularly like books that take place during WWII. This one is about a little 6 year old Jewish girl who is put on a train to England. She can't speak the language and doesn't understand what has happened to her family. A lot of tragedy, but it ends well.

The Final Days of John Lennon--by James Patterson--Another book that goes back and forth through time culminating in his murder. Lots of interesting details. And, besides, it's the Beatles plus James Patterson!

The Last Thing He Told Me--by Laura Dave--The ending is a little unrealistic to me, but still a great read.

A Good Marriage--by Kimberly McCreight--My sister, Joyce recommended this one. I really loved all the twists and turns.

2. Shows to watch:

Netflix: The Social Dilemma and The Great Hack--both are eyeopening and somewhat scary!

Evil--I don't like the tile, but the storyline is really good. It's about a guy studying to be a priest, an atheist psychologist and a tech guy trying to solve mysteries of miracles and possession. It's creepy but interesting too.

Hulu: McCartney--OMGosh! I love documentaries--especially about people in the music industry. Paul McCartney talks about the stories and inspiration behind most of the songs. So, so good!

HBO Plus: Tina--the life of Tina Turner and how her abusive relationship overshadowed everything in her life. The Bee Gees--I always liked The Bee Gees, but was not exactly obsessed by them. I didn't even own one of their albums until Saturday Night Fever came out.

I mostly watch documentaries, but I do like some good trashy reality shows. Love is Blind  on Netflix is a good one for that.

3. New word to learn: ironmongery--so before I get to the definition, I have to tell you the backstory. My blog friend, Deb from England left a comment from my "Five Things Thursday" post with the picture of the "loose screw." 

She said: "That is a lot of ironmongery in your ankle - that must have been a bad accident. Can you imagine the surgeon hunting for that screw? "How many did we start with? Can anyone see one on the floor?" 

I had never heard that word before, so of course--even though I could garner the definition from her comments, I HAD to look it up!! The definition is as follows: something made of metal; especially, British: hardware. Yep, that just about covers it!

Thanks, Deb, for teaching me something new! Check out her blog here: Deb's World.

4. A new recipe: Pickle roll-ups are a family favorite at Christmas. When I came across this recipe, I thought it would be much quicker to make, yet very similar. I haven't tried it yet.

Dill Pickle Dip

• 16 ounces (2 packages) cream cheese softened
• 3 tablespoons dry ranch dressing seasoning mix
• 1 cup whole dill pickles chopped
• 1 cup deli style ham chopped (measure 1 cup after being chopped)
• 1 green onion diced

Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the cream cheese and ranch dressing mix until smooth. Add the chopped pickles, ham and green onions. Serve with crackers, chips or veggies.

5. A couple sneak peeks: I'm thinking about a French Farmhouse look for the guest bedroom and bath remodel. Here are a few floor tile samples that I'm considering:

I really like this last one. Plus, I've reconsidered about replacing the wall tile. This would go really well with that. We'll see....luckily I'm in France (when you are reading this). I'll be keeping my eye out for unusual tile. And, I plan to get a few accessories and art direct from the French countryside!