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Hey all! How’s everyone doing?

We good physically?
We good mentally?
We good emotionally?


Remember to take care of yourselves!

Hi! I'm doing good:) I work from home, help my parents shop (since they're over 70 and are not allowed to socialize), take long walks and read books.

Take care!

Hey!
Good physically, yes. A bit tired and a bit more worried. Really sad that I haven't seen my family is such a long time; I usually travel back to Portugal every three months, and now I am thinking maybe I'll travel for Christmas only :( but as long as everybody stays healthy...

Let me just snick here our stats for the challenge: 52/98 books read, meaning there are 46 left. Mini: 25/45 done, 5 spell-it-out and 15 titles for the story to go.

Let us know how you're doing, keep safe and the spirits up!

Hey puddings! How sweet of you to ask about everyone, Noel! I'll admit I'm a little worse for wear lately, but I think everyone is and we're all in this together. So despite some wear and tear I'm remaining relatively on course. I'm still working outside my home, have a 4th grader doing the remote learning thing, a senior in high school missing out on a lot of "once in a lifetime" experiences who feels guilt over being upset by that loss, and a son who came home from college for Spring Break and was told not to return so the majority of his worldly possessions are locked in a dorm a few hours away.
But we're all healthy and not wondering where our next meal will come from, so these are just memorable bumps on our path.

Diana, thanks for the note on anthologies! I was REALLY hoping after trudging through it that we could count it. :) I feel like we're making good progress and we're going to finish strong! I know I still have a lot of reading I'll be getting through in the next 9 days.

Glad to hear we are all getting through it! There are good and bad days, for sure. Hopefully we can all stay together and put this thing to rest so we can have summers!


A heads up that I’m reading a memoir right now and I think it’s only going to work for the “stand alone�� category. Even if we don’t use it, I’ll still put it on the sheet.

Hey Jen, Gem, Tawni, Vicki, how about you? How are you doing?

Was poorly over the weekend, migraine not CV, so been wiped out. Feel better now but generally feel a bit zapped. I started the month so well reading wise but I’ve been a bit slow recently. I’ll be finishing one tonight then I should get my blue 1 done before the end of month but I think that might be it for me :(

Gem, don't worry! Your well-being is more important than the rest. I hope you go back to your nomal-self in no time :) Also, don't worry about the coloured cover, I'll read The Old Man and The Sea and we'll have a backup plan :)

This morning I was doing my usual check on the tracking spreadsheet and thinking: "Oh, but why is the row for The Flatshare white, I am sure I did it already!" So funny that Cyndee and Tina read the same book on the same day :)

Diana wrote: "This morning I was doing my usual check on the tracking spreadsheet and thinking: "Oh, but why is the row for The Flatshare white, I am sure I did it already!" So funny that Cyndee and Tina read the same book on the same day :)"

Right?! Wasn't even a planned buddy read. I went to update when I finished last night and had to blink twice myself at the coincidence. :)

Diana wrote: "Gem, don't worry! Your well-being is more important than the rest. I hope you go back to your nomal-self in no time :) Also, don't worry about the coloured cover, I'll read The Old Man and The Sea ..."

I know, what are the odds?!:)
What did you think of it Cyndee? I loved it!:)

Tina wrote: "Diana wrote: "Gem, don't worry! Your well-being is more important than the rest. I hope you go back to your nomal-self in no time :) Also, don't worry about the coloured cover, I'll read The Old Ma..."

I loved it too!! It was so much more than I expected it to be. I thought it'd be the stereotypical fluffy strangers-to-friends-to-lovers contemporary romance so I wasn't expecting the depth of personal baggage they'd each bring to the story. I feel like she handled Tiffy's revelations about her relationship with the ex really well!

Cyndee wrote: "Tina wrote: "Diana wrote: "Gem, don't worry! Your well-being is more important than the rest. I hope you go back to your nomal-self in no time :) Also, don't worry about the coloured cover, I'll re..."

Yes I didn't know what to expect and it was such a nice surprise! Both Tiffy and Leon grew, both as persons and in relation to other people.
I'm glad you liked it too:)

Diana, I noticed the following on the spreadsheet:
Hand 5, card 4 - no points
Hand 9, Skip - should be 25 Points, not 20 :)

Tina wrote: "Diana, I noticed the following on the spreadsheet:
Hand 5, card 4 - no points
Hand 9, Skip - should be 25 Points, not 20 :)"

Oh! 🤦‍♀�� Thank you, I corrected it now :D

Glad I could help:)

Diana wrote: "Hey Jen, Gem, Tawni, Vicki, how about you? How are you doing?"

I'm so sorry if I've been a bit MIA. I've had quite a time lately. Hubby is still working 40 hours a week as he is an essential worker, so I worry constantly about him and that he might bring it home. So that strip in the garage, leave your clothes in the washer, put everything in your pocket and from work on the table in the garage, grab the clean towel off my car and come inside and shower before touching anything! (I think he's going to divorce me! lol) While he does that I disinfect all those things he might've touched: bathroom faucet, toilet handle, doorknobs, etc. and all his things in the garage.

Plus my 2 year old granddaughter had to be tested for COVID this week. :( She had a fever over 102 and she was coughing, so they did a test and thankfully got the result an hour later and she was negative; however, she did test positive for RSV, another fairly common respiratory virus that can get bad. I worry about her still and her baby brother who is only 7 weeks old. I sure don't want him to get it too! But it's viral so I'll continue to worry and pray for him and the entire family, of course.

Otherwise, I'm good as far as no symptoms. I go nowhere except to walk my dog and if I even see a person a block away, I cross the street. I hate feeling paranoid, but with my age and having a compromised immune system and (I think) 3 high risk health conditions, I might have reason to be. I don't go to the stores at all so hubby or one of my kids shops for us. If one of my girls does shopping, we meet them and they put the food in our trunk and we don't get any closer, so that's about every two weeks.

The worst thing is emotional. I miss my family something terrible! I am used to seeing my grandkids (some of them) several times a week but I haven't seen them now since March 19, the day Governor Newsom gave the stay-at-home order. Plus, I had a trip planned to Arizona to see 3 of my grandkids for one of their birthdays mid-April and we had to cancel that. I am home alone a lot since hubby works and he's gone from 2:30 PM till 11:45 PM so nights are very hard for me.

I try to stay positive because I know this will be over one day (sooner rather than later, I pray). I can't wait to hug all my grandkids and my kids and their spouses and better halves. I plan to go to southern California to meet my newest great-granddaughter born January 21.

Did I ever tell you not to ask me anything because I'm an open book, a retired English teacher, and I love to write? LOL Sorry, that's just who I am.

Oh, I had something super cool happen to me this week. One of my ex-students from 1992 that I had in Honors English I (freshman advanced class) message me. He had been a news reporter, which I knew about. What I didn't know is that he has become an English teacher now. He was asking me about a poetry unit that I did with his class in 1992 because he loved it and wanted to pick my brain so to speak. It was very rewarding to me that he'd contact me of all teachers and then he posted it on FB about how I had been motivational to his interest in a writing career. Funny because he and this other boy named Dano used to literally compete for the best comments from me on their papers. It was too funny. If I put superb on one and awesome or exceptional on another, they'd "argue" over which one was the better word used. LOL

I hope and pray that all of you are doing well and continue to do well. Stay safe everyone!

Vicki wrote: "Diana wrote: "Hey Jen, Gem, Tawni, Vicki, how about you? How are you doing?"

I'm so sorry if I've been a bit MIA. I've had quite a time lately. Hubby is still working 40 hours a week as he is an e..."

Oh Vicki, I hope your granddaughter recovers soon, and that her brother doesn't catch it. I feel emotionally drained, I miss my family so much, and worry so much about them. I think we all are feeling more or less the same and we all can relate to what you're feeling.

Please do write to us anytime you want :) and actually... would you like to start on our story for the mini challenge? We have to use 15 titles (list below) and create the story of a tea party. We don't have to use the complete title, we can use only parts of it. Btw, Team New Wave Upside Down Cake (whose recipe we chose) co-captain is pregnant and it would be fun to incorporate somewhere in the story our very best wishes. What do you say?

A student from 92?! Wow! Incredible! I teach maths at university and I really, really love it. It is such a rewarding experience. I wish I'll get those emails in 30 years as well :)

Titles for the tea party story
Art & Soul
Fixed on You
The Pianist
Middlegame
Bone Crossed
Gone for You
Never Let Me Go
Under The Greenwood Tree
Rules of Engagement
In The Unlikely Event
My Education
Evelyn, After
Half a Heart
Life After Joe
A Certain Smile

Jen, did you finish "Crescent City"? Could you add it to your read shelf, so that I can have a read date?

Diana wrote: "Jen, did you finish "Crescent City"? Could you add it to your read shelf, so that I can have a read date?"

No but i filled out the filed because i was donr with each option haha. Im hoping to finish it tonight, at the latest tomorrow. Its the Red 6 we needed.

Do we really need 17 more books to finish the month?

Jen wrote: "Do we really need 17 more books to finish the month?"

Actually, only 13 left :) I think we're actually in a pretty good place at the moment. We can do this :) I'll finish today my Alice in Wonderland book, and I can try finishing Don't Overthink It until the end of the month.

Cyndee, you'll read "Love her or lose her" for Yellow 7, right?

What's everyone's plan?

Diana wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Diana wrote: "Hey Jen, Gem, Tawni, Vicki, how about you? How are you doing?"

I'm so sorry if I've been a bit MIA. I've had quite a time lately. Hubby is still working 40 hours a week..."

Thank you so much for your concern for Lily (my granddaughter). She seems to be doing well from the videos my son-in-law has sent me. She still is dealing with a fever but it's not holding her down.

I don't mind starting a story for us. I assume we can use other words and not only the titles, right?

Diana wrote: "Jen wrote: "Do we really need 17 more books to finish the month?"

Actually, only 13 left :) I think we're actually in a pretty good place at the moment. We can do this :) I'll finish today my Alic..."

What else do we need to complete our 13 books?

Vicki wrote: "Diana wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Diana wrote: "Hey Jen, Gem, Tawni, Vicki, how about you? How are you doing?"

I'm so sorry if I've been a bit MIA. I've had quite a time lately. Hubby is still working 4..."

Excellent news. I hope she continues doing well!

About the story, sure! Any words you want.

To complete our 13 books, we don't need anything in specific... The coloured cards are *done* (there's a Yellow 7 assigned to Cyndee). And the Reverses, I, E, V, N, are all done. At the moment we are missing:
0 - Z - x1
1 - O - x1
2 - T - x2
3 - H - x1
4 - F - x1
6 - S - x2
Skip - K/P - x1
Wild - x3
But I can always move things, so that's not to worry, really. Read anything you want and I'll find a place for it :)

Diana wrote: "Cyndee, you'll read "Love her or lose her" for Yellow 7, right?

What's everyone's plan?"

Yes, I'm reading it right now and am almost finished. I'll be able to finish up on my lunch break at work.

I have another one that I'll finish later tonight as well. Then I should have at least 2 more complete before the end of the month, possibly more.

I’m almost done one more and then I might be able to squeeze in another two books before the end of the month!

I will be done with mine but it’s non fiction and will only work for P

Fi bk ished crescent city last night, started book 5 pf the mercy Thompson series today. Should definitely finish before the wnd of the month. Ill try to do 2 before the end, itll be close but i think i can do it.

Just realized that I never put some books in! Please hold - I'm working on it now!

Okay guys, I updated. I'm absolutely sick that I forgot about these books. I'm reading them with my nephew (via Zoom) for the first time and it didn't even occur to me that I should add them.

I sincerely apologize!

Gem ~Zero Shelf Control~ wrote: "I will be done with mine but it’s non fiction and will only work for P"

Ok! I have the Skip saved for that one :)

Noel wrote: "Okay guys, I updated. I'm absolutely sick that I forgot about these books. I'm reading them with my nephew (via Zoom) for the first time and it didn't even occur to me that I should add them.

I s..."

Oh, but those are great news Noel! This means we only have 8 books left. :) Easy :)

Noel wrote: "Okay guys, I updated. I'm absolutely sick that I forgot about these books. I'm reading them with my nephew (via Zoom) for the first time and it didn't even occur to me that I should add them.

I s..."

I LOVE that you are doing this with him! I just recently finished reading through them with my 9-year-old.

Diana wrote: "Noel wrote: "Okay guys, I updated. I'm absolutely sick that I forgot about these books. I'm reading them with my nephew (via Zoom) for the first time and it didn't even occur to me that I should ad..."

I originally wasn't even going to put them in ŷ������ because I didn't want them to count towards my reading goal this year, but then I realized that I could just eliminate them later and have them still count for us. :)

Cyndee wrote: "I LOVE that you are doing this with him! I just recently finished reading through them with my 9-year-old."

It's so great to experience the story again through his eyes. We were using the illustrated versions (we finished 4 yesterday) but now we have to go with the original chapter books because the illustrated versions haven't finished just yet. He's sad but my arms are happy because that fourth book got HEAVY holding it up.

LOL! Those illustrated editions are HUGE! Counts for your daily arm workout. :D

Cyndee wrote: "LOL! Those illustrated editions are HUGE! Counts for your daily arm workout. :D"

And that's the only working out I've done so far! :P


I just put two more books into the spreadsheet (thanks to reduced work hours & Dewey's 24-hour readathon). I should be able to get one more and maybe even another. I have to see what short books I have on hand!

I've just updated the spreadsheet with my finished book and I will not be able to read another before the end of the month:(
Go girls!

One question: do we need to specify the sentence where we found each word for the Mini challenge? Or is it enough to just write the page/loc?

Tina wrote: "I've just updated the spreadsheet with my finished book and I will not be able to read another before the end of the month:(
Go girls!"

Hey hey! No worries! :) Only 2 books to go. We absolutely rocked it this month :)

For the mini the page/loc is ok :)

I know, we're awesome:)

Aaaaand we are DONE! Well done puddings! :D

Only the story left so that we can get 10 additional points :)

Yay!

Oh amazing. Well done everyone!

Vicki, any progress with the story? :)

I'm sending you a PM of the story. Feel free to change it, delete it, publish it (or not!). LOL I'll let you look it over.

Thank you Vicki! I just posted it on the team's thread, here! :)

(I just added the first sentence, to connect it to a tea party.)

So, this is it. We completed every single task we were thrown in the past three months. We're not at the top of the points table, but I am really happy that we managed to read so, so much! :) It's been great fun, and a great distraction from the outside world for me. Thank you all for joining, and I hope I'll see you around. Maybe we'll meet again next year for another UNO. :)

Stay safe puddings!
xx

This was so much fun! I'm extremely grateful to have been part of such an amazing team!!

I had a blast these three months and am happy to have met you all! We did great and I hope I'll see you around as well.

It was great to read with all of you! Feel free to add me as a friend on here and let’s stay in touch! Love ya, puddings ❤️