☕Coffee's On, Tea is Brewing

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Hello fellow Crime, Mystery, & Thriller reads! Feeling chatty? Grap a cuppa and let's chat...

[Jenny]

Thanks, Gem! For keeping the group going!

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Jenny wrote: "Thanks, Gem! For keeping the group going!"

I'm happy to. This has been one of my favorite group, I've read a lot of fabulous books based on the selections made here.

And thank you for coming on board.

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Good morning! How is everyone? What's on your agenda for today?

[Britney]

I've had a nice day relaxing. Did a little reading, crocheting & watching movies. Sundays tend to be my chill day so I always look forward to them, until I realize the next day starts a new work week.

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Britney wrote: "Sundays tend to be my chill day so I always look forward to them, until I realize the next day starts a new work week."

On Saturday and Sunday I have my twin 4 year old grandbabies all day and I usually try to bake. My grandson has no interest but my granddaughter loves to help. We usually make gluten free cookies for them then something chocolate for their Papa.

[Lexie]

Busy busy - I always enjoy hitting the road (well, my desk) on a Monday morning because I make myself take Sundays off writing, so my head is always buzzing by Monday morning. But today I had to take someone to hospital for an operation then go to the dentist before I could even sit down, and then someone sent me some proper work to do!

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Sounds busy Lexie. Mondays are my Sunday. I mind after my grandbabies Thur through Mon, so my weekends are Tue/Wed. I try to take Tue off and do little or nothing and Wed I plan the week, go grocery shopping, etc.

[Jenny]

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Easter Holidays. Do not eat too many chocolates.

[Icewineanne, Moderator]

Jenny wrote: "I hope everyone has a safe and happy Easter Holidays. Do not eat too many chocolates.


"
Beautiful eggs - these are definitely too nice to eat 😄

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Icewineanne wrote: "Jenny wrote: "I hope everyone has a safe and happy Easter Holidays. Do not eat too many chocolates.


"
Beautiful eggs - these are definitely too nice to eat 😄"

That's art right there.

[Lexie]

They're certainly prettier than the rather rustic ones I'm making!

[Jenny]

Lexie wrote: "They're certainly prettier than the rather rustic ones I'm making!"

Lexie, your eggs are beautiful too because you make them yourself.

[Lexie]

I'm told they're appreciated because they're much chunkier than the commercial ones - therefore there's more chocolate in them! Just because I can't get the insides nice and smooth! But thanks!

[Jenny]

Lexie wrote: "I'm told they're appreciated because they're much chunkier than the commercial ones - therefore there's more chocolate in them! Just because I can't get the insides nice and smooth! But thanks!"

I not sure if it will help you Lexie - use a small clean artist paintbrush to add the chocolate into your mould and a flat edge knife dip in hot water and slowly go over the top of the shell. However, I would come to your place to eat them - yum

[Lexie]

Oh, bother - you know, I used to know that and I forgot! I had a brush in the kitchen drawer for the purpose, too. Well, next year! Thanks for reminding me!

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend with family and friends. Happy Easter and Happy Passover (whichever you celebrate).

'll be baking desserts today for lunch tomorrow. We're having a houseful and it's an unusual group. My daughter in law is hosting in attendance will be her family with both sets of grandparents as well as our the members of our family who live here and my mother who is visiting. This should be interesting, the older some folks in the family get the less of a filter they seem to have. Margaritas are on the menu, I'll be partaking liberally, lol.

[Paula]

⊱✿Gem✿⊰ wrote: "I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend with family and friends. Happy Easter and Happy Passover (whichever you celebrate).

'll be baking desserts today for lunch tomorrow. We're having a housefu..."

Sounds like a recipe for an interesting reunion, Gem!

Happy Easter or Passover, everyone!

[Britney]

I hope everyone had a great Easter weekend. My started out ok, but then got sick. Which I don’t get sick very often so it’s horrible. I was suppose to go to a conference for work today but wasn’t able to go since I’m down right now. So my day will most likely consist of getting rest, reading, crocheting & spending time with my cat KC.

[Lexie]

Do you know that sounds like a lovely day? I hope you feel better soon!

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

I went to my big brother's yesterday to make dinner for the crowd (my mother, brother, his sister-in-law, my nephew, his wife, their children, and last but not least my hubby). My mother (who is visiting from Louisiana) was actually well behaved (not always the case).

Dinner was Apple, White Cheddar, and Spinach Salad with Honey-Apple Cider Vinaigrette, Lasagna, Garlic Bread, and a Lemon Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Braid for dessert. I'm still stuffed.

[Icewineanne, Moderator]

Sounds so delicious Gem 😋

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

It was! Everyone enjoyed it. My job there was done, lol.

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Woots! I have internet for a minute, lol. My internet has been far more spotty on vacation that I assumed it would.

FYI. I'll be home late Wednesday afternoon and the newsletter will be sent out on Thursday since I haven't been able to work on it while I am on vacation. I hope everyone is well.

[Lexie]

⊱✿Gem✿⊰ wrote: "I went to my big brother's yesterday to make dinner for the crowd (my mother, brother, his sister-in-law, my nephew, his wife, their children, and last but not least my hubby). My mother (who is vi..."

Now I'm hungry. And it's ages till dinner time!

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Lexie wrote: "⊱✿Gem✿⊰ wrote: "I went to my big brother's yesterday to make dinner for the crowd (my mother, brother, his sister-in-law, my nephew, his wife, their children, and last but not least my hubby). My m..."

Part of my love language is feeding people!

[Judith]

I love to feed people, too. Your menu sounds wonderful!

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Thanks!

[Kirsten]

Hey, not sure where to post this, but I just saw how Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad is coming to STARZ.

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Kirsten wrote: "Hey, not sure where to post this, but I just saw how Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad is coming to STARZ."

Nice! I've been wanting to read that series but haven't gotten to it yet, athough I've heard good things.

[Icewineanne, Moderator]

My favourite series! Hopefully it’s done well. We don’t have starz here so I’ll be interested to read everyone’s thoughts on this.

[˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜, Moderator]

Does anyone celebrate Christmas? My girls and their families were here Saturday for dinner and to exchange gifts because my youngest daughter needed to be home today because here in laws came in from Delaware. Today I went to my daughters, who lives close by, and her 3 children and I decorated gingerbread houses.

[David]

My family does. My daughter's in from Hawaii for 2 weeks and my son will come over tomorrow (he lives 8 miles away) and we'll gather in the living room and open our presents then have dinner (lasagna) and spend the day together.

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Although my husband is Jewish, he is non-practicing and loves Christmas. We've only been together a few years and are still in the process of developing "our" traditions.

So far what we do is starting on Thanksgiving night and watch our first Christmas movie and every night from then on we watch a Christmas movie or the Christmas episode of some of our favorite tv series. We watch Polar Express on Christmas Eve and Christmas Story on Christmas day, repeatedly, lol. I make a particular coffee cake for breakfast, we go to the movies, and then bring in Chinese for dinner.

[Paula]

We do!

[˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜, Moderator]

Quillracer wrote: "My family does. My daughter's in from Hawaii for 2 weeks and my son will come over tomorrow (he lives 8 miles away) and we'll gather in the living room and open our presents then have dinner (lasag..."

Great about your daughter coming. Does she get to come every year. I lived in Hawaii for a while I didn't like that it was 80° all through the month of December. We had lasagna for Christmas dinner one year. We sort of mix it up from year to year.

[˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜, Moderator]

⊱✿Gem✿⊰ wrote: "Although my husband is Jewish, he is non-practicing and loves Christmas. We've only been together a few years and are still in the process of developing "our" traditions.

So far what we do is star..."

You watch a Christmas movie or show every night for month?? When my daughter and her son were here the other night we watched part of The Polar Express. Can you believe I've never seen it all the way through. We went to Bryson City, NC and rode the train year before last though. Did you see a movie today? Which one?

[˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜, Moderator]

Paula wrote: "We do!"

do you have any special traditions or fun things you always do. We, like Gem, used to go to the movie every Christmas day and I'm not sure why we stopped that. I think for a few years there just weren't any movies we wanted to see and then we never started back.

[David]

Sheri wrote: "Great about your daughter coming. Does she get to come every year. I lived in Hawaii for a while I didn't like that it was 80° all through the month of December. We had lasagna for Christmas dinner one year. We sort of mix it up from year to year."

Yep, all but the first year she was out there, She had just started working for the military unit that locates, recovers, and identifies the remains of missing U. S. service men and women (she has a PhD in forensic anthropology) and didn't have any leave accumulated that year.
Lasagna has been our Christmas meal for between 20 and 30 years.

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Sheri wrote: "⊱✿Gem✿⊰ wrote: "Although my husband is Jewish, he is non-practicing and loves Christmas. We've only been together a few years and are still in the process of developing "our" traditions.

So far wh..."

Yes, a Christmas movie or Christmas episode of tv programs, the first one on Thanksgiving the last on Christmas. Christmas is always A Christmas Story.

We love trains. When we fly out to Chicago this past July we rode the train home.

[˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜, Moderator]

⊱✿Gem✿⊰ wrote: "Sheri wrote: "⊱✿Gem✿⊰ wrote: "Although my husband is Jewish, he is non-practicing and loves Christmas. We've only been together a few years and are still in the process of developing "our" traditio..."

I meant we rode The Polar Express train out of Bryson City. Was fun.

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

There is a Polar Express north of here too it's the Grand Canyon Railway. I didn't know there was on in Bryson City too. My parents used to have property there, it brings back lots of memories.

[Icewineanne, Moderator]

Hope everyone had a pleasant Christmas!
We have a ‘polar express’ train up here too. It’s decorated in lights & of course only runs during Christmas.
Wishing you all a happy new year & all the best in 2019 🎊

[˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜, Moderator]

I threw away the rest of the leftovers this afternoon and got a lettuce wrap from Jimmy John's for dinner. I do better with a lighter type of food than the normal holiday fare.

The last 2 days our weather has been lovely. It's nice to be able to be outside on Christmas day.

Anybody do baking during the holiday season?

[Viva]

I do some baking during the holiday season. Mostly sugar cookies.

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Sheri wrote: "Anybody do baking during the holiday season?"

I bake all year long, which is why hubby and I look like Santa and Mrs. Claus!

[Viva]

I wish I had the patience to bake. I get distracted and/or bored and tend to burn whatever I’m baking. :(

[Gem , Moderator & Admin]

Viva wrote: "I wish I had the patience to bake. I get distracted and/or bored and tend to burn whatever I’m baking. :("

I've recently been inspired to do some more complicated things, I decided to start after the holidays. I want to try my hand at making puff pastry and then using it to make pastries.

[˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜, Moderator]

Gosh, I wish we had a LIKE button on here because Viva home made sugar cookies are my favorites. No icing please and the store bought ones just aren't what I call sugar cookies. And please don't get distracted cuz I don't think I'd like them burned. :)

Gem, maybe we can hire you guys to play Mr. and Mrs. Santa in our Christmas play next year. 😊🎄

I love watching The Great British Baking Show. I don't like the American one as well.

[˜”*°•.˜”*°• Sheri •°*”˜.•°*”˜, Moderator]

Looks like we're going to have some great crimes, mysteries, and thriller book discussions starting any day now. Hope everyone will join in. I know I'm looking forward to reading about Ted Bundy, horrible as he was.