Librariandoa's Saturday Puzzles: A Fallen Phrase Answer Key For The 12 6 25 Puzzle

 Our Fallen Phrase is from Marie Benedict's mystery The Queens of Crime.

 

 

A Merry Murderous Christmas: The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson and The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie

 

I am not reading as much as I hoped.  Cooking, baking, decorating, shopping, Christmas films...

The Christmas Guest is a novella by Peter Swanson. It is largely the written diary of American college student Ashley Smith. She's invited to an English manor home for Christmas by her sometimes friend Emma Chapman.

The manor is called Starvewood Hall. Not so charming, right?  Emma's brother Adam, though! He is a dream.  Ashley develops what she describes as a crush on him immediately.

While the manor family isn't cozy, the house and all of the Christmas trimming are wonderful. 

There's a tiny crack in the charm. Adam is a suspect in the late summer murder of a local girl.  Couldn't be him!  

There's a scary Santa who strolls out of the woods and draws his finger across his throat at Ashley, walking alone in the evening.  There's an attack on Emma from a similar figure.

Through it all, Ashley only sees dreamy dream Adam.

 

The Big Book of Christmas Stories: The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding by Agatha Christie (A Novella)

 I'm reading the stories in this book of 60 (!) tales on the side.  I think each week as I write up my other Christmas books, I'll include the stories read from this book.

Poirot, who hates cold English Manors, especially in the winter, is talked into investigating a jewel theft that  might have ties to a Christmas gathering at King's Lacey.   The company gathered is interesting. The food is a revelation.  Particularly the Pudding!  It's full of things!  A silver Bachelor's Button, a pig, a thimble, 2 rings,a ten shilling piece, and a red cut stone.  I would really not like to bite into something hard and unexpected, no matter how tasty the pudding. 

The thieves are in place among the guests.  Poirot is tested by the children of the manor as they present him with a dead body.  He has one of his best holidays ever. 

Mary's Recipes Week 3

 Here's Mary and some of her beloved kitchen collectibles.  She had things tucked onto shelves of all sizes everywhere.

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

DOA On TV: Oh What Fun, Wheel of Time S2 E2,Isn't It Romantic, Nashville Pilot and Ep1, Mama Mia Re-Watch, My Secret Santa, A Royal Date For Christmas

 

 

It was a rather awful week, and I fell out of my chair and into the TV.   (Actually my iPad)

 Oh What Fun (Prime)

 Claire Clauster is a housewife who goes all out for Christmas. She decorates fantastically (though her lawn inflatables are tacky), and she bakes everyone's favorites. Everyone gets the perfect gift.  

Claire really wants to be appreciated more, and she keeps asking and hinting to her children to enter her in the Best Holiday Mom Contest, which includes a trip to Burbank, CA and an appearance on her favorite TV show.

The kids have ignored her hints and requests.  She's someone who is demanding and controlling and asks too much of everyone, from their point of view.  They are all terrible people and selfish. When she gets left behind from a special concert she's arranged for everyone, and they don't even notice she's not there right away, she packs a small bag and she's on the road to Burbank.

Her trip there isn't terribly interesting, but it is amazing she finds a way into the studio and up on the stage.   

Not a cheery film, really, but I liked Claire and her husband's characters.

 

 

The Wheel of Time Season 2 Episode 2 

 

 I loved season one of Wheel of Time. When I watched it though, I was reading the books and there were some large character and plot changes that bothered me.

When Season two arrived, I watched one episode and then never went back to the show till now.  I thought for a moment that I should re-watch episode one to catch up. Then I reasoned, whatever put me off after watching it might do so again.  Episode two was good.  I no longer have the book story so much in mind, so I can enjoy the story as presented.  I'll finish and go on to season three, I'm sure.

 

Isn't It Romantic

 

From a list of Leaving Soon from Netflix films I picked Isn't it Romantic.   I like Rebel Wilson.  She's funny and talented.  

Architect Natalie gets taken advantage of by everyone in the office.  Even her best friend there who is supposed to be her assistant watches movies on her laptop all day long.   

Her friend thinks Natalie would enjoy romcoms, and that they're lighthearted and sweet, and mood lifting.

Natalie has been trained hard by her sour mother on men and  sneers at the idea of romance and happily ever after.  Somehow Natalie knows all the tropes used in romcoms, though she doesn't watch them? Or does she? 

When someone tries to mug Natalie in the subway, and she hits her head, she wakes up to find the world is shiny, bright, and full of romantic young men.  Her new boss suddenly has an Australian accent and he is smitten with her.  Every man looks at her as if she is a revelation.

Natalie hasn't time for any of this, and moves through the romcom at breakneck speed, trying to find a way out of this absurd world.

My favorite part is karaoke night at a local bar where she follows yet another trope and cuts loose.

 

Nashville Pilot and Episode 1

 

 

I was just bopping around, and thought to try Nashville.  I was aware of it while it was on, but never watched.  

Because I grew up listening to my parents country music albums, I loved the music playing and being played throughout the episodes.  

There are two main characters, Rayna James, who plays traditional country and who has a huge fan base.  Even so, her concerts aren't filling the venues, and her resistance to changing how she handles promotion (no social media) is getting her in trouble with the music company she has always been with.

Newcomer Juliette Barnes is a powerhouse, mixing pop with her country with great success.  She embraces any way to promote her self she can find.  She is wildly popular with young teens in particular, and she doesn't seem to like that.

Add to this, Rayna doesn't like anything about Juliette's music or person.  Juliette seems to feel the same.  In order to keep Rayna marketable, her record company first offers Rayna the chance to open for Juliette on a concert tour.  Nope, not happening.

How about if she goes on tour in smaller venues with her long ago singing and songwriting partner Deacon Claybourne instead?

There are so many twists and turns and stabby stabby dramas.  I might be in the mood for this, I sure like the music.

 

Mama Mia Re-watch

 

 I confess I don't know how many times now I've seen this.  I can't get the songs out of my head, and regularly look for the songs on YouTube.

When I saw this the first time, I loved how these middle era older women were so fun and lively, definitely having the time of their lives. 

 

My Secret Santa

 

This is my favorite new Christmas movie in a long time.  I thought it was completely charming. I didn't realize how much I enjoy Alexandra Breckenridge, who I first saw in The Walking Dead.  There's something gentle and sweet and calming about her.

Here, she plays Taylor Jacobson, a single mother who just got fired from her job.  She's behind on the rent.  Her daughter just got accepted to a competitive snowboarder's camp at a snow resort nearby.  The fee is huge.

In desperation she applies for a job as the Santa for that same resort under the name Hugh Man.  Her brother is a skilled costumer who creates an outfit for her with latex mask, wig, and a body suit that is filled with some sort of grain to produce a jolly old elf.  I think the job pays $2000 a week, which will help with her rent and pay for the snowboard school.  What's a mom to do?

Once Taylor is in costume and pitches her voice lower, she's a completely captivating Santa.  I loved her in her Santa costume every time she had it on. Talk about a show stealer.  And a character with a life of his own when talking to children and adults.

 

 A Royal Date For Christmas (Netflix)

 

2023's A  Royal Date For Christmas is a Christmas romance, not trying for comedy, but for a sweet little Christmas movie.  It succeeds.

Bella runs a high end boutique featuring men's clothing.  She and her coworker offer advice dressing for all occasions.  When a man comes arrives in a hurry needing a full set of clothing for the week, having lost his luggage, Bella is able to put this order together and deliver it to his home two hours north.   

He's so pleased, and is also in need of a Plus One for an event.  Would she be willing to attend at double her usual fee?  Bella is nonplussed but agrees.

The Duke, as he turns out to be, is a bit of a stiff.  Bella, however, was so talented, hardworking, and determined to do well by her charming new client.  Despite the business nature of her being the Duke's Plus One only, there they were, a vivacious woman in red, and he, an increasingly dapper  (thanks to her)  man who finds himself falling in love.

 

 

 

 

 

Librariandoa's Saturday Puzzles A Fallen Phrase Puzzle

 Returning to DOA is the ever popular Fallen Phrase Puzzle.  Just move letters from those provided at the bottom of the puzzle into the boxes above to make words and a phrase.  It's the first line of a book, as usual.  The answer key will appear Saturday December 13th at 7 am.  Thanks for puzzling!

 

 

 

 

In Case He Doesn’t Make It Through The Night…

 He sings! He dances! He wants hugs! He’s motion activated, but we can’t quite figure out how. The dogs, to their chagrin, seem to set him into jolly motion, though.

Our Big Dog loves stuffed things. Captured here in all his Grinchy glory, just in case.

Librariandoa's Saturday Puzzles: A Cryptogram Answer

Our cryptogram puzzle is the first line from Robert Jackson Bennett's A Drop of Corruption.  Own it, haven't read it yet, but I'd better scoot because a third volume comes out next year.  

 

 

BEFORE THERE WAS MEMORY, BEFORE THERE WAS HISTORY, THERE WERE THE LEVIATHANS : THE COLOSSAL, MONSTROUS CREATURES THAT LUMBERED ASHORE EACH WET SEASON AND WENT WANDERING THE PLAINS, BRINGING DEATH AND PANIC WITH THEM.

 

 

SZLHWZ XEZWZ AJI QZQHWB, SZLHWZ XEZWZ AJI EGIXHWB, XEZWZ AZWZ XEZ YZCGJXEJPI : XEZ UHYHIIJY, QHPIXWHRI UWZJXRWZI XEJX YRQSZWZM JIEHWZ ZJUE AZX IZJIHP JPM AZPX AJPMZWGPT XEZ DYJGPI, SWGPTGPT MZJXE JPM DJPGU AGXE XEZQ.

 

 

 

Mary's Recipes Week Two

 Welcome back to Mary's Recipes.  I'm including a picture of the great lady herself with each post.  Isn't she a sweetie?  

I'm posting five recipes a week. That should keep you busy! 

 

 

DOA’s Merry Murderous Christmas Mysteries

 Here’s my stack of Christmas Murder Mysteries.  There’s one book which is coming later this month for some reason, pictured separately.  I hope to have them all read and reviewed by December 31st. Could happen!