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Author: Rachel

Review – Elizabeth Bennet: Heiress

Posted in Book Blogger

Elizabeth Bennet: Heiress

by Don H. Miller

Elizabeth Bennet: Heiress Cover

Genres: Pride and Prejudice Variation, Historical Romance, Regency, Romance
Release Date: February 4, 2021
Pages: 247
Purchase from: Amazon

My Rating: ★★★☆☆

View ratings overview

☆☆☆☆☆ – Did not finish
★☆☆☆☆ – Hated it
★★☆☆☆ – Disliked it
★★★☆☆ – Okay
★★★★☆ – Liked it
★★★★★ – Loved it
Read the full explanation of my book rating system.

This story takes up the lives of Darcy and Elizabeth and their family and friends soon after Bingley holds the ball at Netherfield Park. Mr. Bennet receives news that Mr. Collins has died, and, there being no other living male descendants of the grandparent who created the fee tail on Longbourn, Mr. Bennet may will Longbourn to the daughter of his choice. He chooses Elizabeth, with the full agreement of Jane, her elder sister. Thus, although the family fortune is not affected, Elizabeth’s personal standing is raised because she is now the heiress of a desirable estate. This story explores the effects this may have on Elizabeth’s life and her somewhat contentious relationship with Darcy.

Monday Munchies: Mac & Cheese & Cheetos

Posted in Monday Munchies

Let me preface this by saying that I never promised these recipes would be healthy. This is a holdover from my high school/college days. I rarely eat it now, because my body protests if I over indulge, but I still love it.

In high school, it was common to have the lunch lady ladle nacho cheese into a bag of hot cheetos. That combination was heavenly. But getting perfectly melted nacho cheese at home can be difficult, so I experimented, and eventually settled on mac & cheese & cheetos. I have no idea how this would taste with regular cheetos, but you’re welcome to experiment if you aren’t a fan of spicy food.

As a side note, the photo shows standard Kraft mac & cheese, because they were out of the shell version, which, in my opinion, is much better. So follow the recipe, not the photo.

Mac & Cheese & Cheetos

An Epic Odyssey

Posted in Non-Stationery Reviews

After playing through Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (2015), I gave myself a little breather, then gleefully dove into Odyssey (2018). I decided to start a new game plus (see below), one of the many awesome features introduced in Odyssey. For the record, at the time of writing, I’ve logged just over 51 hours of playtime — for this play through — at the easiest setting on my PlayStation 4. Everything that follows is based on that experience.

NOTE: This post is LONG, even for me. A real Odyssey, just like the game. I’ve done my best to give it descriptive subheads so you can scroll through it and read the bits that interest you, if you want. And I’ve added lots of photos to break up the text some. I wanted to do, and I feel I have done, this game, and my recent Assassin’s Creed review series, justice. I have one more post planned, then likely won’t write about Assassin’s Creed again until the next game is announced.

Monday Munchies: Golden Milk Dalgona Drink

Posted in Monday Munchies

I found this one on Honeysuckle’s YouTube channel. Although the video is titled Dalgona Coffee Recipes, only one is actually coffee based, and this isn’t it. The Golden Milk Dalgona Drink is the final one she makes in the video.

Combining a couple of recipes from the original video, I’ve made two different versions of this drink. The egg-based version (below) is really good for breakfast. The cream-based version makes a great dessert.

Golden Milk Dalgona Drink

What You Need (Serves 2)

  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ⅛ tsp cinnamon
  • ⅛ tsp ginger powder
  • pinch of black pepper
  • 1½ tsp sugar
  • 2 egg whites -OR- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream (see deviation below)
    NOTE: You can’t use the egg whites that come in a carton, those won’t whip up.
  • ~8oz of your favorite milk
  • 2 16oz cups (bigger cups mean less mess when you mix)

Monday Munchies: Banana Mocha Smoothie

Posted in Monday Munchies

I found this one on Girl Gone Gourmet after a Google search for healthy snacks. I’m not a fan of coffee, so I was a bit nervous about trying it, but it’s really good! I halve the recipe, because the original is practically a meal.

Banana Mocha Smoothie

What You Need

  • ¼ cup cold brew coffee (You can make your own, but I buy a small bottle of plain cold brew coffee. It lasts for quite a while in the fridge.)
  • 1 banana, sliced and frozen
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened baking cocoa

Sailor Fatigue

Posted in Fountain Pens

It took me quite a while to get into Sailor pens. I didn’t buy my first until October 2019 — 2 ¾ years after buying my first fountain pen. Not gonna lie, I’m still pretty pleased with that initial Sailor purchase — the Tequila Sunrise. It was, is, a worthy first Sailor purchase.

I’ve bought 13 more Sailor pens since then, all in the Pro Gear family, 10 of which I’ve kept. Not a bad ratio, and compared to my total pen purchases, not too terribly many. However, it does encompass the most fountain pens I’ve purchased of the same general model. It ties with TWSBI 580s, at 11, for most fountain pens I own of the same general model.

To be honest, I’d likely own more Sailor Pro Gears if they were less expensive and more easily purchased. But, fairly often, the ones I found interesting were from super small runs through stores that don’t sell online. And we all know what eBay sellers do to prices. But I digress…

Missing Pen Shows

Posted in Pen Shows

As I reviewed some old blog posts the other day, it hit me that: 1) I never wrote a post about the 2020 Baltimore Pen Show and 2) that it’s been over a year since my last pen show, and I really miss them!

I’m well aware that I’m incredibly privileged to live near two pen shows, BWIPS and DC. While BWIPS will always be my favorite, both are tons of fun, dangerous for the budget, and an opportunity to see pen peeps.

And that camaraderie, that sense of community, is part of what I miss so much. I can buy pens — for the most part — at any time, but I can’t see people. Video calls, while nice, are not the same. Especially in an analog hobby, so much gets lost in a digital “meeting.”

Monday Munchies: Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip

Posted in Monday Munchies

I was skeptical when I came across this recipe on womenshealthmag.com. However, one bite was all it took to hook me. This is actually delicious! I’ve done the math so that you can just use a typically yogurt container, instead of measuring out the ½ cup called for in the original recipe. I list exactly what I purchased, but I don’t think brands are all that important, quantity is more important.

What You Need

  • 5.3oz container of Chobani Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt
  • 1 tbsp + 2¼ tsp Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Mix
  • 7oz container, or larger, with lid

Indie Pen Makers Update

Posted in Fountain Pens

About 2.5 years ago, I wrote about Indie Pen makers (can you believe I only owned 20 pens? Incredible!). Since then, I’ve learned about many more pen makers, both that have started recently and that I simply didn’t know about at the time.

Do not expect this to be a comprehensive list, that’s virtually impossible these days. However, if you know of a maker who meets the qualifications below and is not included, please let me know. Also, if you know the location of a maker that doesn’t have one listed, let me know that, too.

To qualify for this list, a pen company needs to meet the following qualifications (I need some way to limit this list, otherwise it would be enormous):

  • Small company (1-4 people working on the pens)
  • Only or regularly works with customers to make unique/custom pens
  • Fully handmade, uses CNC lathes with hand finishing, 3D prints custom pen designs, or designs and develops custom pens to be manufactured
  • Creates kitless pens
  • Not sold in stores (or only sold in local brick & mortar store)
  • Makes one-off or short runs

Monday Munchies: Matcha Latte

Posted in Monday Munchies

I’m starting a new series: Monday Munchies. I’ll be sharing recipes that I prepare often. These may be slightly modified recipes I’ve found online or in cookbooks — I’ll give credit where credit is due — or things I’ve “invented” or even recipes passed down in my family. Regardless, they’ll be recipes I find delicious.

My matcha latte
Morning Deliciousness

I’ve dubbed this week’s recipe a Matcha Latte — although Matcha Milk Tea would work, too. This recipe didn’t come from any one place. I just really like matcha tea, and wanted to try making it at home during the lockdown last year. I drink one of these every morning; it makes a good breakfast substitute for those of us who don’t like to actually eat breakfast. I hope you like it, too.

Ritz: Shy Guy to World Class Thief

Posted in Cat

As Dante, Bumbledore, and Sandy have all had dedicated posts, it’s only fair that Ritz get one as well. However, you should read Dante’s post before this one, as I won’t be repeating much information.

Early Life

I didn’t interact much with Ritz before we abduct — erm… adopted him from “the streets.” Technically, it was an under-porch den, but that doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Jim describes him as “very cautious and standoffish.”

On the day we’d planned to catch the siblings, we managed to nab Angus without too much trouble, and wrangle him into the carrier. We foolishly thought that, because they were small, we could fit them into a single carrier without much trouble. Oh, the naivete.

Dante: Feral Kitten to “Evil Genius”

Posted in Cat

A few posts back, I wrote about silver linings, mentioning our kittens. Those two are such sweethearts. Dante and Ritz have such distinct personalities, there’s never a dull moment around the house.

In the Beginning

Dante, especially, is a unique little fruitloop. He started life as an unnamed feral kitten with 3 brothers fed by half the neighborhood. Jim, however, was one of their two primary benefactors, and decided to name them Angus, an all-black kitty; Boo, a grey tabby; Ritz, our posh tuxedo boy; and Sparky, the fancy, multicolor tabby (later Dante).

From foreground to background: Boo, Ritz, Sparky/Dante (left), Angus, and Mama Moon.

Kudos to Etsy

Posted in Random Reflections

With April right around the corner, the time approaches that many dread: Mother’s Day. With a deceased mother, I especially dislike the multitude of emails “reminding” me how important it is that I find the right present.

But this year, there’s a shining light of hope that I won’t have to go through this every year until I die.

I want to take a moment to applaud Etsy for being the first — that I’ve seen — to make a move that, admittedly is long overdue.

Día de Muertos, Making of the Pen

Posted in Fountain Pens

I’m back with the second entry in the chronicle of my Día de Muertos pen. If you read my first entry then you know that this means I received permission to share the mock-up images for my custom pen.

Be forewarned, it will likely be a while before my next update. I’ll explain why I think so a bit later. For now, let’s pick up where I left off.

Teleworking, 1 Year Later

Posted in Random Reflections

As the COVID vaccine rolls out and we really start thinking about “life after COVID,” I find myself wondering what work will be like. Today marks one year since I started teleworking 100% of the time.

At first, I was concerned about it. I didn’t like working from home, mainly because I didn’t (still don’t) have a good office setup — I sit at my dining room table. Also, I was sure that the distractions and easy access to food/snacks would prove problematic for me. The lack of dual monitors struck me as an additional hurdle to leap.

It’s Not Bad, Though

As time marched on, I began to see the benefits of teleworking. My commute is seconds long. Pajama pants are perfectly acceptable. Furry coworkers are abundant.

Unpopular Fountain Pen Opinions

Posted in Fountain Pens, and Paper

Alright, I’ve got a potentially (probably) divisive post for you today. I’m sharing opinions I have that seem to be unpopular based on what I’ve seen and heard in fountain pen groups and gatherings. Let’s jump in, shall we? I’ll start slow, leaving the doozies until the end.

“Rainbow”/”Iridescent” Finish

It’s been on a lot of pens in the past couple of years, and I think it’s ugly and overpriced. From Visconti’s Rainbow Watermark to TWSBI’s Vac 700r Iris and Conklin’s Duragraph Rainbow, pens at all price points are using the colorful finish.

I don’t know what to call it. It’s not a proper rainbow — the colors aren’t in order and there isn’t a good red or purple. It’s not iridescent — the colors don’t change, or even appear to change, at different angles. Regardless, I bought a seven piece cutlery set with the same finish about 3 years ago for $11 thinking it would be super cool and ended up woefully disappointed. I definitely won’t be investing in a pen with it.

Keeping to My Goal

Posted in Fountain Pens

As I’ve stated previously, my current pen rule is to be more thoughtful with my pen purchases. I’m doing my best to purchase pens that will make me happy to own, not just happy to buy.

It can be difficult sometimes. Pens may have misleading marketing photos — I’m looking at you, Sailor Pro Gear Slim Red Supernova — or zero size reference, for example. So, pens you think will be be fabulous may turn out to be not so great, or even totally wrong for you.

The question then, is what do you do? My plan was always to immediately return any pen that didn’t make me 100% happy upon unboxing. I put that plan in place after the Red Supernova debacle. In theory, it was a great plan. In practice, it hit a major snag the next time a pen didn’t meet that standard.

Replaying an Old Favorite

Posted in Non-Stationery Reviews

In the past, whenever I try to go back and play previous Assassin’s Creed games, I find myself disappointed. Usually, the improvements in newer games, both in mechanics and technology, make older games feel dated and clunky.

However, after my poor response to Valhalla, I decided to seize a small silver lining and replay the older titles that I’d enjoyed. My original thought was to replay Odyssey (2018). However, with how much I’d enjoyed Syndicate (2015), I decided to try going back to it. Be aware, there are likely spoilers in this post, but if you haven’t played it in 5 years, I don’t think you’ll mind spoilers.

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