I Like Thursday #150

 Welcome to my 150th I Like Thursday post.  I almost totally forgot.  Thank you LeeAnna for encouraging us to find things that we like or love and share weekly.  

Last week was my birthday.  I had the day off and it was a quiet day.  My oldest daughter sent me these beautiful flowers.

The youngest gave me a cute birdhouse.

I tried making a recipe of a fresh banana cake.  I will say it was not spectacular.  

I have been looking for recipes for 1 or 2 and I have seen several where you make individual casseroles.  I have found some that are even low calorie, and low fat.  But I needed some ramekins.  I bought these for myself for my birthday.

 

At the beginning of February I decided I needed to lose weight, and get a bit healthier.  Perhaps it would help with the aches and pains of old age.  If not help, at least make it so there was less stress on those joints.  

I started tracking my food using an app called My Fitness Pal.  I can use it on my computer, or on my phone.  I feel much better already and have a lot more energy.  Also the joints are feeling better.  

I have also been using my treadmill so that I get at least 10,000 steps a day, even on my days off.  Jeff bought it for me just before he died, and it has pretty much sat unused for the past 4 years.  

Walking on a treadmill can get boring.  I usually listen to a book while I am doing it, but I found this app which I downloaded onto my IPad called BitGym to give me a new view.  It will synch with the treadmill, and I get to hike trails all over the world.  

The app tracks elevation if you incline your treadmill, and tracks your steps per minute.   Also there are pop ups with information and history of the area. 

I saw a new quarantine towel at work.  It made me giggle.

Also there were Easter Togs for Dogs.

Trying to get my steps in, does take a big chunk of time out of my days, so not a whole lot of sewing going on.  I did finish up the 2nd month of Bringing Home the tree, including the embroidery.  I need to work on some of my embroidery skills.

 

I have been prepping blocks 3 and 4 as of late.  

 

I finally finished the Valentine Table topper.  

I like that all of the fabrics was from my stash.  I especially love the background.  I was also happy to use up pieces of fabrics for the back.

I read some really good books this week.  

 

A Buried Past by Alexandria Clarke.  Jacqueline (Jake) Fry is in England to care for her friend.  Jake's interest in serial killers makes a Jack The Ripper Tour a must do.  Imagine when people start showing up dead in the same manner as the Jack the Ripper victims.

 

Death Distilled is the 2nd installment of the Whisky Business Mystery by Melinda Mullet.  Abi Logan returns to  Abbey Glenn to check on her distillery.  Abi meets her girlhood crush Rory Hendricks, the lead singer of The Rebels.  Rory invites Abi to be his photographer on the groups comeback tour. 

People associated with the group keep meeting with accidents, but are they really accidents?

Effigies by Mary Anna Evans is the 3rd installment in the Faye Longchamps archaeology series. 

Faye and Joe are in Mississippi working a dig for the road department.  A nearby mound is enticing, but when they ask to dig at the mound, the farmer gets angry and begins to level it.  Soon the farmer is found dead.  

The Corpse Wore Tartan is the 3rd installment in the Liss MacCrimmon series.  The Spruces the newly opened Grand Hotel is hosting the Scottish Heritage Appreciation Society, they seem to be a surly bunch, and after the Robbie Burns Banquet one of the guests is found murdered.  Throw in a blizzard, which makes leaving impossible, and takes out the electricity will they find the murder before they kill again?

The Plot is Murder by V.M. Burns.  Samantha Washington has dreamed of owning her own mystery bookshop.  Before her shop even opens a local realtor is found dead on her property. 

I liked this book because Samantha is also in the process of writing a book so there is a story within the story.  

Now head over to LeeAnna's at Not Afraid of Color to check out the other I Like Posts.