Team Moonwalker Madeleines

[Alissa]

Morning. I read most of the day yesterday and then went to a lacrosse game last night. It was a lot of fun.
Today I have to go into work - boo.

Finished The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

[Allison Ann]

Fantastic - everything updated to here.

[Allison Ann]

February Cards 56/86

8 Green (E) - Allison
5 Green (I) - Erica
5 Green (I) - Nicole
8 Blue (E) - Rachel
1 Blue (O) - Brooklyn
7 Red (V) - Paula
1 Red (O) - Rachel
WD4 - 8 Blue - Allison
WD4 - 1 Blue - Rachel

0 - 0 (Z) CARDS
6 - 1 (O) CARDS - III
7 - 2 (T) CARDS - III
7 - 3 (H) CARDS - II
8 - 4 (F) CARDS - IIIII I
6 - 5 (I) CARDS - IIIII I
6 - 6 (S) CARDS - III
10 - 7 (V) CARDS - IIIII III
8 - 8 (E) CARDS - IIIII I
6 - 9 (N) CARDS - III
7 - SKIP (K/P) CARDS - IIIII
10 - REVERSE CARDS - IIIII III
2 - WILD CARDS
6 - DRAW 2 CARDS - IIIII I

[Rayne]

I'm changing my current read because I'm just not feeling it and I want to enjoy what I read. Should I just remove that row from the spreadsheet?

[Denise]

Competition post

Relatively Normal
Read 2/9

1 first in series
2 character Travis
3 character last name Hawthorne
5 location Illinois
6 character Sam
8 character Ethan
9 character Nan
Skip character kitty

[Allison Ann]

Brooklyn wrote: "I'm changing my current read because I'm just not feeling it and I want to enjoy what I read. Should I just remove that row from the spreadsheet?"

No problem Brooklyn. No one has to finish a bad book. You can delete the book or the row. :D

[Allison Ann]

Thanks Denise. And that's our last Draw 2 finished!

[Denise]

Allison Ann wrote: "Thanks Denise. And that's our last Draw 2 finished!"

I took a peek at the spreadsheet earlier. We are making some serious progress.

[Paula]

yees, we're doing really good

I just started and I'm already 120 pages in, I think I can finish it by tomorrow =)

[Nicole]

Completion post for Two Dark Reigns. Added to SS. Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend! It is perfect, rainy reading weather here in KC

[Paula]

Allison Ann wrote: "Paula wrote: "I finished a book just now and I might finish another.

Today I might go to a Beer Fest, I don't like beer, but there'll be some bands performing, so I'm looking forward to that and f..."

Dind't drink beer, but the waffles and the music were great =)

[Nicole]

Completion post for The Hand on the Wall. Added to SS and works for Green 5 if needed

[Paula]

Nicole wrote: "Completion post for The Hand on the Wall. Added to SS and works for Green 5 if needed"

Good to know, thank you Nicole.
Updated to here.

[Allison Ann]

Erica wrote: "I’m the warranty manager for a marine diesel engine company... My employees were in training so I was trying to catch up the work so that we wouldnt be behind for month end and the system upgrade t..."

That's very cool. Does your company just make the engines or could you score me an excellent deal on a workboat? :D Used is fine! ;)

Hope you got a little free time this past weekend. When you are ready to post some books, just let us know if you have any questions.

[Allison Ann]

I feel like I've been reading nothing but fluffy, cozy mysteries lately. I think I need something a bit more serious. I started , but it is so non-linear that it's going to be a start and stop book for me. Anyone else read it? I absolutely love The Handmaid's Tale but this is a whole different kettle of fish, not bad, just different.

Anyway, we are doing really great with our cards. We only need 4-5 of each of the cards we have left. Including Reverse, very impressive team. Thank you all for your excellent reading and reporting. I'm going to go see if there is enough snow to bother shoveling yet and if not, probably start a new book. Good Monday afternoon to you all.

[Rachel]

I've seen mixed reviews for The Testaments. Hope you enjoy it.

Its been a long time since I've read The Handmaid's Tale.

[Allison Ann]

Added to the SS for Reverse.

[Paula]

Finished La Maldición del Maestro by Laura Gallego García added to the ss

[Brittany]

Completion post: When You wish upon a rogue- Finished 2/11



Card 3- Book 3 in series
Card 4- Character named Fiona
Card 6- Character named Sophie
Card 7- Character named Violet
Card 8 - character named edmund
Skip- Character last name Kendall

[Nicole]

Allison Ann wrote: "I feel like I've been reading nothing but fluffy, cozy mysteries lately. I think I need something a bit more serious. I started , but it is so non-linear that it'..."

The Handmaid's Tale is one of my all time favorite books- it is so beautifully written. I was expecting The Testaments to be similar in style, and it was not at all! I was really disappointed in it. It seemed like it was written more for fans of the TV show.

[Nicole]

Finished Five ​Dark Fates. Added to SS

[Allison Ann]

Thanks Nicole. I'm with you on The Handmaid's Tale and I never in a million years would have thought it would become a big TV hit. So weird. I haven't watched it, I'm not going to and I really can't blame Atwood for capitalizing on her success and hopefully making some money on The Testaments. I'm about halfway through and at least two of the three storylines have connected up somewhat. So that's an improvement. And I'm hoping it will have a great finish that will make me forgive the beginning. :D

[Brittany]

Completion Post: Gone with the Rogue- Finished 2/12

Card 2- Book 2 in series
Card 4- Character named last name Feld
Card 6- Character named last name Stockton
Card 8- Character named last name Etchingham
Skip- Character named last name Periwinkle

Proposing to a duke- Finished 2/12

Card 1- Book 1 in the series
Card 2- Character named Tibby
Card 3- character named Horace
Card 5- Character named Isabella
Card 6- author last name Stone
Card 8- Character named Edward
Skip- Book title starts with “P”

[Allison Ann]

Thanks Brittany - updated!

[Erica]

Allison Ann wrote: "Erica wrote: "I’m the warranty manager for a marine diesel engine company... My employees were in training so I was trying to catch up the work so that we wouldnt be behind for month end and the sy..."


Updated to here." We only sell and service the engines :-)

I am a little lost.... i am looking at the spreadsheet... did I miss where the hands were posted?

[Erica]

I have added the books from my Kindle to my Uno shelf... I need a little help identifying which cards they match up with...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

[Allison Ann]

Erica wrote: "I have added the books from my Kindle to my Uno shelf... I need a little help identifying which cards they match up with...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list..."

No problem Erica. I see you have added 16 books to your UNO shelf, but none of them are marked read. Have you finished any books in February. If so, mark the dates you read them and I will show you how to mark them for cards.

[Erica]

Allison Ann wrote: "Erica wrote: "I have added the books from my Kindle to my Uno shelf... I need a little help identifying which cards they match up with...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list......"

I marked the 2 that I finished and the one that I have started.. I will probably get through 2 or 3 more over the weekend :-) ..

[Allison Ann]

Okay great.

So first book is The Strays - it shows you as having started reading it on January 12, 2020. If you did, we can't use it. If you started it on or after February 1, 2020, then can you please change the start date.

Second book is I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness - finished on February 8, 2020. That one needs a start date also, but otherwise it's ready to go. We're using it for 5 Green because the title starts with an I, so we don't need any other info.

Third book that you have started today is Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. Non fiction books can only be used for title and author (and standalone, but we don't need any of those this month), so when you are finished that book we will use it for Card 6 - author whose name starts with S - Stevenson.

Make sense so far?

[Rayne]

Finished The Watchmaker's Daughter on Feb 12. Updated the SS.

[Erica]

Allison Ann wrote: "Okay great.

So first book is The Strays - it shows you as having started reading it on January 12, 2020. If you did, we can't use it. If you started it on or after February 1, 202..."

Yes it does.... i have a pretty free weekend this weekend so i should be able to get plenty of reading done

[Brittany]

Completion Post: Deceiving an Earl- Finished 2/12


Card 1- Character named Oliver
Card 2- Character named Thomas
Card 3- Character last name Hillgrave
Card 4- Character last name Fairview
Card 6- author name Sharon
Card 8- Character named Ellen
Skip- Character named Phillip

[Rachel]

Finished The Vanishing Stair and what in the world with the most abrupt ending ever... updated SS

[Paula]

Thanks Rachel, please remember to mark the book as read and rate it =)

Updated to here

[Alissa]

Allison Ann wrote: "Thanks Nicole. I'm with you on The Handmaid's Tale and I never in a million years would have thought it would become a big TV hit. So weird. I haven't watched it, I'm not going to and ..."

I'm also a fan of The Handmaid's Tale but my mom gave me The Testaments months ago and I just haven't been inspired to read it.

[Rayne]

I’m trying to find a new audiobook. Can we get an update on what cards we still need so I can find something that will work?

I was gonna start one and realized it only worked for one card. I’d rather read something that gives you more options. But I’m not sure what we still need more of.

[Allison Ann]

No problem! Also, everything is adjustable, so unless the only card it works for is Card 0 (which we don't have at all) you can still read it.

Card 1 - 3
Card 2 - 4
Card 3 - 5
Card 4 - 2
Card 6 - 3
Card 7 - 2
Card 8 - 3
Card 9 - 4
SKIP - 2
REVERSE - 2
WILD - 2

Also, the mini-challenge will be starting tomorrow (Feb 14) at 2 a.m. CST. So I'll be posting the requirements for that probably later today. Should be fun!

[Allison Ann]

Alissa wrote: "I'm also a fan of The Handmaid's Tale but my mom gave me The Testaments months ago and I just haven't been inspired to read it."

It is a super slow starting book, but I'm about 2/3 in now and I'm enjoying it. However, it isn't at The Handmaid's Tale level at all.

[Rachel]

Hopefully the mini challenge is not impossible. Last year's wasn't too bad but the year before... yikes!

[Allison Ann]

Perky Space Chef! February Mini Challenge

This is an optional mini challenge for our UNO players. This month we are baking a delicious space treat!.

We have given you a recipe for Astral Pavolva. All underlined words need to be found as words in text or title, items on covers or cover colours. All underlined numbers, are matched to books read by page numbers, series numbers or publication dates. To make it easy, these are listed below.
For each book read you will receive 10 points.

Underlined Words -
There are 5 categories:
word in title
word in text
colour of book cover
item on cover
colour of item on cover

Underlined numbers -
There are 3 categories:
page numbers
series number
publication date


Creativity is the key to the challenge, not rules.
So, diagonal lines on the cover? That can work for "diagonally".
A green coloured book? Is the green a bit like a "lime"?!

Words can be in different contexts, so, for example, "peaks" could be a picture of mountain peaks on the cover

Numbers for the publication date can be the month or the day or the last two digits of the publication year. (3 digit numbers can not be used for publication date)
Publication date is for the edition being read (and shelved).

If you complete every item in the recipe your team will receive 30 bonus points


But wait... there's more!

Have your team create a recipe for your team name and submit via message to the UNO Pixie by Feb 29 to receive an additional 30 bonus points.

◈ Books can be started at any point since the start of the UNO challenge (Feb 1)
◈ Books need to be finished after the start of this mini challenge on February 14, 7pm AEDST (countdown is here) and before March 1 at 7pm AEDST (Countdown to March is here)


◈ Books used for this mini challenge do not need to be separate books for what you are claiming for your UNO hands
◈ The usual book length rules apply
◈ Team spreadsheets will be updated with a mini challenge tab so that you can track your books and claim your points

So put on your aprons, grab a carton of eggs and lets get started!

[Allison Ann]

Astral Pavlova Recipe

INGREDIENTS
6 eggs, separated
. 3 carefully measured teaspoons of orange astral syrup
As much celestial powder as you can stomach
1 1/4 cups (270g) Caster Sugar
2 teaspoons cornflour
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
. 300ml thickened cream
2 tablespoons Pure Icing Sugar, sifted
Finely shredded rind of 2 limes
juice of 2 limes
2 Lady finger bananas, thinly sliced diagonally
3 golden kiwifruit, peeled, thinly sliced
12 moon berries, thinly sliced
2 starfruit, thinly sliced
Pulp of 2-3 passionfruit

KITCHEN TOOLS
Oven
Foil
Pastry Brush
Pen
Electric Mixer
Measuring Spoons
Measuring Jug
Sharp Knife
Spatula
Serving Plate
Airtight Container
Ceramic or Glass Bowl
Space gloves

METHOD
Step 1
Preheat oven to 120°C. Line an oven tray with foil. Brush with melted butter and dust with cornflour, shaking off excess. Mark a 24cm-diameter circle on foil.
Step 2
Use an electric mixer to whisk egg whites in a clean dry bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, until meringue is thick and glossy and sugar dissolved. Using space gloves, measure the astral syrup and add to the mix. Rub a little meringue between fingers. If still "gritty" with sugar, continue to whisk until sugar dissolves. Add cornflour, vinegar and vanilla and whisk until just combined. Spoon meringue onto the foil, using the marked circle as a guide. Smooth sides and top of pavlova. Use a small spatula to forms little peaks around edge of pavlova. Bake in oven for 1 and 1/2 hours or until pavlova is dry to the touch. Turn off oven. Leave pavlova in oven with the door ajar to cool completely. When completely cold, transfer to serving plate or store in an airtight container until required.
Step 3
Use an electric mixer to whisk the cream and icing sugar in a medium bowl until firm peaks form. Spoon cream onto the top of pavlova. Pour lime juice into a ceramic or glass bowl. Add banana slices and toss to coat with juice. Drain. Decorate pavlova with banana, kiwifruit, starfruit, moon berries passionfruit and lime rind. Sprinkle over the celestial powder.

[Allison Ann]

List of Words/Numbers to Find

airtight
bananas
circle
cold
cornflour
diagonally
dry
eggs
electric
glass
gloves - Allison - cover
kiwifruit
lady
limes
moon
orange
passionfruit
peaks
pen
plate
pure
sharp
shredded
spoon
starfruit
stomach
sugar
thickened
touch
vanilla
white
1
2
3
6
12
24
120
270
300

[Allison Ann]

Question for those of you who use the spreadsheet. Would you be okay with an extra column in the February ss to add mini-challenge words/numbers or would you prefer a completely separate sheet to record the mini options?

[Nicole]

I can cover the 120. Reading a book published in january ‘20. I am fine with adding the challenge to the existing spreadsheet, but I don’t have a strong opinion about it, either way.

[Allison Ann]

What I have done for now is hide the rows that we have completed and added to the official spreadsheet. So everything you can see we can use for the mini (if you finish after the start time in just over 9 hours. I have added a column at the end to enter what mini options your book might work for.

Also, feel free to claim some books if you are already reading them. When possible, please add a second option.

I am currently reading a book with gloves on the cover, so I'd like to claim that one. Hopefully I can find another word in the text, or possibly the cover is orange enough. Same as with characters, just mark everything you find that will work. Thanks.

Please don't claim more than you can finish. :D It's addicting I know. And if you don't claim anything, that's fine, just let us know as you find items.

[Allison Ann]

Nicole wrote: "I can cover the 120. Reading a book published in january ‘20. I am fine with adding the challenge to the existing spreadsheet, but I don’t have a strong opinion about it, either way."

Actually I'm afraid the 3 digit numbers can't work for publication date. Here's some info from the mods.

Numbers for the publication date can be the month or the day or the last two digits of the publication year. (3 digit numbers can not be used for publication date)
Publication date is for the edition being read (and shelved).

[Alissa]

These are my favorite parts of the challenges.

I have this which I hope works for something. I admit I borrowed it from the library just because of the cover.

[Rayne]

My book would work for quite a few words on the list as "word in text".
Do you want me to list the possible words? Do we need to provide partial quote or anything as proof, or is it just an honor code type thing?

[Rayne]

finished The Edge of the World 2/14. Updated the spreadsheet.

Also added my two new current reads.

[Allison Ann]

Alissa wrote: "These are my favorite parts of the challenges.

I have this which I hope works for something. I admit I borrowed it from the library just because of the cover."

The garbage can is a lovely shade of kiwifruit, too bad it isn't bigger. :D I'm sure you'll find something in the text to work.