Completing the Alphabet Book Challenge

 One of the reading challenges people were doing in the Friends and Fiction Facebook Group was the alphabet challenge. The challenge was to read a book that started with each letter of the alphabet A-Z. At the end of October, I decided to see how many letters I managed to read so far this year. It turns out I had 4 letters left K, Q, X, and Z. Since I already read Sue Grafton's alphabet previously, I had to find other books that started with those letters.

Between my kindle and the Libby app, I managed to find 3. I put the 4th on hold at the library. I finished the challenge a few weeks later.

Here are the books I read this year for the alphabet challenge

A -- All Summer Long by Dorothea Benton Frank
B -- The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner
C -- The Cloisters by Katy Hays
D - Dear Carolina by Kristy Woodson Harvey
E -- Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave
F -- Forever, Interrupted by Tara Jenkins Reid
G -- Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close
H -- The House of Eve by Sadeqa Johnson
I  - Iona's Iverson's Rules For Cummuting by Clare Pooley
J -- Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
K-- The Keeper of Secrets by Julie Thomas
L - Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
M -- Mastering Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge
N -- Now is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson
O -- One Summer In Savannah by Terah Shelton Harris
P -- The Perfumer of Paris by Alka Joshi
Q -- Quick and Dirty -- Stuart Woods
R - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
S -- The Spectacular by Fiona Davis
T -- The Twelve Dogs Of Christmas by Susan Wiggs
U -- Unladylike Lessons in Love by Amita Murray
V -- Vinyl Moon by Mahogany Browne
W -- The Women -- Kristin Hannah
X -- XOXO by Axie Oh
Y -- Yours Truly by Abbey Jimenez
Z -- Zoo by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

When I created this list, I tried to pick the one of the most recent books I read that started with each letter with a few exceptions. Some books were such amazing books that I had to share them. 

My favorite was Remarkably Bright Creatures. Girls in White Dresses was probably my least favorite.

I challenge you to the Alphabet challenge. You can choose to do it in a year or maybe it will take you two or more years. Next year, I think I want to do a middle grade or picture book Alphabet Book challenge. There are some really good picture books out there. 

Ooh Look... Kites!

 Andrea and I had another croffle date. On the way back from Eb Flo, I noticed several brightly colored kites flying high in the sky. I said we need to check it out. Andrea is used to my random Ooh look moments and directed me to where the kite flyers were.

There was a strip of land near the lake just off the evil roundabout. Here there were several kites set up. I say set up there were multiple kites on one string that one person fly or was staked to the ground.

One string had 1 big kite and like 6 smaller kites attached to the small string. With such a blue sky and bright it was definitely eye catching.

There were about 5 or 6 kites in the air at a time -- all on long strings. It was just nice and relaxing seeing bright colored kites flying on a gorgeous fall day.

We were not the only people that stopped to watch the kites. I'm sure the kites are they often but for me it was my first time seeing multiple kites flying on a bright blue sky. 

If you ever get the chance to stop and watch brightly colored kites against a bright blue sky, do it. It is the perfect self care activity that does not cost anything and will make you fill a kid again. 

Seeing the Avenue of Trees

 As part of Light it Up Appleton, downtown businesses sponsored and decorated a Christmas tree. These trees were displayed along College Avenue. All the trees were donated by Grandpa Dan's Christmas Tree Farm. As we collected our treats from various businesses, we also checked out the trees.

Each tree was unique. Some went all out and others kept it simple.

You could vote for your vote by scan the QR code. Heather and I voted for the Charlie Brown Tree.

I also voted for the Oscar the Grouch Tree.

Victoria's Tree, which I didn't think was that spectacular was the winner so I don't have a picture of it but you can see on the Appleton Downtown Facebook Post about Light It Up Appleton.

Hopefully next year they will do this again and have more trees.

7808. Throw an axe

 I have always said I will never go to one of those Axe Throwing places that have been quite popular. It would not be safe for me or others. Once, in Germany, in a boot throwing contest, I threw the rubber boot backwards. I probably would do the same thing with the axe and someone would get injured.

However when I saw that during Light It Up Appleton you could do axe throwing, I decided I wanted to at least try. It was free and really if they were doing it at Light It Up, how dangerous could it really be. 

Appleton Axe had a trailer outfitted with two throwing lanes. They gave you safety instructions and pretty much got out the way. They really only allowed 1 person to go at a time and only one of the two workers was in the trailer with you. I still had my fears of beheading someone.

The safety instructions were 

1. Keep Your Body facing forward
2. Bend your arm at a 90 angle, elbow in
3. Keep the blade away from your face
4. Swing back with the 90 degree angle as you step forward
5. Release

I heard the instructions three times and I was still confused on how to throw the axe but I didn't let that stop me.

All three attempts went forward. All three attempts failed to stick to the wood. They all had the distance but apparently I rotate my wrist when throwing and the axe hit the wood sideways.

I can say that I have crossed it off the bucket list and I don't need to do it again. I think it was great that Appleton Axe was able for people to try axe throwing without paying for an entire session.