GOOD DAY FOR READING

Very snowy in Minneapolis today, so perfect day to make some soup and read a book! Maybe put a log in the fireplace too.

I just made homemade vegetable soup from The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook - the best. It will be perfect for dinner tonight. I also have my first loaf of No Knead bread underway. We cool our house down at night, so it's taking longer to do the first rise than I had planned. However, the loaf should also be done for dinner. Can't wait. Found a ton of good sites with pictures and info on how to make the bread, so that helped.

I am totally into reading. In 2006, I read 118 books, and so far this year I have 20 under my belt. Could this be why my house is a disaster???? Don't really care!

Just finishing the new Vince Flynn - Act of Treason. I am really enjoying his stuff. It reminds me of Tom Clancy - but set in post 9/11 and the characters are MUCH easier to keep track of. I would recommend starting with the first Mitch Rapp so you have background info as the story progresses. Think first book in the series was Transfer of Power.

Another author that I have really enjoyed is John Lescroart. Great stories. Again, you get to know the characters better if you start with the first - I think in this case, Dead Irish.

Also reading A Garden In Lucca - Finding Paradise in Tuscany - by Paul Gervais. A memoir about 2 guys who bought a house in Lucca and the journey of reclaiming the house and garden. Reminds me of the Frances Mayes books a little. Makes me want to buy a house in Italy (or France or England or Spain or Switzerland or...) and garden. The best line so far is an Italian quote "Quello che non amazza, ingrassa!" which he translates as: That which doesn't kill you makes you fat. I LOVE it!