Vicki Batman's Blog, page 52

Simply #goldendelicious! #recipe #apples #newbook with Mari Manning #MFRWorg #RssosSisters

Recipe & Book with
Mari ManningA lot of people don’t know this, but the Golden Delicious Apple was born in West Virginia. It was the result of a one night stand between two native apple trees who met by chance. The unwelcome offspring started life as a scrawny weed on the Mullins’ farm in Clay County. Needless to say it proved itself worthy despite its rocky start and is the official apple of West Virginia.
Since my story, Holding Out for a Hero is set partially in West Virginia (and partially in Chicago) I give my favorite apple crisp. Use golden delicious apples if you want to be authentic.Mari’s Apple Crisp 5-6 Golden Delicious apples, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup of Craisins (raisins are okay, too; dried cherries are amazing as a substitute)
3 Tbsp sugar
2/3 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2/3 cup + 2 tbsp old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup brown sugar    
1/3 cup sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Toss apples with 3 tbsp sugar and Craisins in a 9x12 glass dishStir together flour, oatmeal, sugars and cinnamon. Drizzle in butter, tossing ingredients with fork to blend. Do not overmix. Mixture should be crumbly. Sprinkle over apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
One month before her wedding, Seneca Simms discovers that everything she believed about her life is a dangerous lie. Will Collin Atlee, the detective she hired to find the truth, be able to protect her when the past comes calling?Seneca Simms hurried down the narrow corridor. Her eyes scanned the numbers on the office doors as she brushed past them. When she reached number 425, she stopped. Through frosted glass and thick black letters announcing Collin Atlee, Private Investigator, the shadowy figure of a man hunkered over a computer. “Gottcha.” She twisted the knob and pushed. For a moment the door stuck in the frame. Then it gave, banging against the wall with a dull thud, and Seneca gazed at the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. His features were sharply cut, forehead high, cheekbones prominent, nose straight. His mouth was generous, almost sensual, a feature the dark stubble covering his square jaw failed to hide. Beneath blond hair and dark brows, long-lashed eyes glittered like a king’s ransom of sapphires.  A few seconds ticked by while Seneca adjusted to the presence of a handsome stranger sitting in Collin Atlee’s office. He frowned at her, perfect brows knitting over the sharp bridge of his nose. Concern creased the corners of his mouth.Seneca hitched up the heavy purse slung over her shoulder and folded her arms. “Where is Collin Atlee?” Mr. Beautiful’s eyes narrowed until the blue barely showed beneath his sweep of lashes. “If you are looking for Richard, ma’am, you’re on the wrong side of town.”“I’m looking for the guy whose name is on the door.” She jerked her head sideways at the lettered glass. “Collin Atlee.”His head tipped back. His eyes widened in surprise. “I’m Collin Atlee.” “I’ve met Mr. Atlee, and you are not him. If you don’t tell me where he is right now, I’ll-I’ll . . .” What would she do? She itched to punch him, but from the width of his shoulders, she guessed a jab delivered by a woman barely five-foot-two wouldn’t convince him to start talking. “Who are you?” he asked.   “You know very well who I am. Mr. Atlee put you up to this, didn’t he?”Mr. Beautiful rose to an intimidating height, requiring her to tilt her head to keep an eye on him. As he came around the desk, he fished something out of the back pocket of his desert camo combat pants. He produced a worn leather wallet and flipped it open. An Illinois state driver’s license with the name Collin R. Atlee stared out at her along with a fairly hot DMV photo.
 Mari Manning’s romantic suspense, Holding Out for a Hero is part of Crimson Romance’s new bundle of stories featuring hot detectives, Noir Nights. Find the bundle here: Noir Nights

You can see Mari’s weekly blogs and upcoming releases at: Website

Oh, Mari, you have no idea how much I love apple crisp! Thanks for the yummy recipe.

How about you, readers--Apple or Cherry???

Handbag & Book with #author Grace Augustine #MFRWorg #accessories #RssosSisters

Handbag & Book withGrace Augustine 
I purchased this purse at Walmart. It's an across the body purse, and it fits my needs.  I have MS and there are days when I have to use two arm crutches and am unable to carry a regular purse.










Richard served his turn in Vietnam, but came home a changed man. Plagued with nightmares of the past, Richard and his friends go on a life changing trip back to modern day Saigon. Their hope...to slay the dragons that stole so much of their lives.Each deals with his own demons. Each has life changing experiences. Each finds out the importance of friendship and family.
 “Johnny! Goddamn it! Get down!” Richard yelled from his belly, the brush barely hiding him and the other four men on this clusterfuck of a mission. Just as the sound of gunfire erupted, Johnny hit the ground, not even a twitch from his body as bullets whizzed by like a thousand angry, deadly bees.
Richard kept his stomach French-kissing the ground as he crawled over to the young man who was in his charge. Blood covered Johnny’s chest and head.
“Sonofabitch! Johnny, don’t you dare die on me! Do you hear me? Johnny!”
Richard sprang to a sitting position and looked at the clock. The red digital numbers 3:00 am stared angrily back at him. He ran a shaky hand through the small stubble of hair on his head. Like so many other mornings he woke up drenched in sweat from undying memories: memories of gunfire, yelling, children crying. Memories of clear unblinking eyes and permanent looks of fear frozen into faces as still as marble. The stench of death. Vietnam.
Find  Richard’s Relics  at: Amazon
Find Grace Augustine at: Website

The Party's Over #favoritetvshows #MFRWorg #RssosSisters #popculture #Amazongiveaway

The Party’s Over

Sunday about nine-thirty seemed odd to me. Downton Abbey had just ended its last episode. I was a little sad. Video snippets with cast appeared on Facebook and were shared by many. We all commiserated. 

Sometimes, I get hooked into a show and watch and watch no matter what. I become vested in the characters and the what will happen next scenario--hooked.

For example, I religiously watch/watched:

Law & Order
Homicide
Scrubs
Who could forget the good bye episode?











Cheers
Frasier
Upstairs, Downstairs
Masterpiece Theater















Longmire   Who remembers the outrage when this program was killed and then great rejoicing when resurrected?
I know many of you feel like I do about tv programs. So share with me now! What are your all-time favorites?


AND click this link for an Amazon giveaway of Little Birdie Who...and Other Stories: Amazon Giveaway

Handbag & Book a Cutsey silk creation #MFRWorg #shoes #accessories #RssosSisters #Amazongiveaway

Handbag & Book
Several years ago, I went to a big accessory fete with a girlfriend. She was totally disgusted with me when I didn't breeze by the handbag book. Everywhere there were colorful bags of all shapes and sizes made from silk fabrics. I was like a kid in a candy store and bought...three. 
Isn't it adorable?

Approximately 10 x 10. Cute round/hoop handles with a nicely pleated panel to fasten the handles to the bag. It's lightweight and a wonderful dressy bag. The lining is black and there is a zipper pouch inside. With the great boxy design, it holds more than you think.

I spent a good *cough* hour picking out handbags. My friend toured the whole show while I was busy. She likes jewelry. LOL

It cost--you won't believe this--$30.00. Yep. 













SPEAKING OF A HECK OF A DEAL!!! How about a giveaway???     Amazon Giveaway

The latest craze - #DottoDot #MFRWorg #RssosSisters #coloringbooks #hobbies

Hobbies & Book
So a while back, a newsletter talked about the latest crazy, coloring books. I'd bought postcards for coloring when Handsome and I went to Europe. In a museum gift shop, I found a book filled with pictures of dresses which appealed to me greatly as I was a Clothing and Textiles major in college.

And the postcard idea I liked because they were useful. I would use them to send notes to friends. And so I have.

The newsletter went on to ask what would be the next craze and it mentioned Dot-to-Dot books. I was sold!

I love to embroider and needlepoint (which I show off projects in this blog). While picking up supplies at Joann's and standing in the check-out line, I noticed the bank of craft magazines. The shelves had been straightened and filled with new stock. Low and behold (haven't you always wanted to use that phrase?), I saw a Dot-to-Dot book:
 I had to have it! While perusing the "Welcome" page, I found this information: The 34 incredible dot-to-dot puzzles in this book are a challenge for ever serious solvers. Each one contains a minimum of 1,200 numbered dots. Fortunately, there are solutions at the back of the book. Have an idea what this one might be?
Looks like a mountain, but I'm betting not. I can't even find number one. LOL  So, tell me, readers--is this a craze you want to embrace?    Have you had a really bad day? Lost your job? You're not alone.      New Job. New Love. And Murder. Hattie Cook's dream job is down the toilet and her new SUV violated. Desperate for cash to cover the basic necessities, she takes a temporary job where she uncovers an embezzling scam tied to         the death of a former employee--the very one she replaced. Find Temporarily Employed here: Amazon
   

A smokin' deal w Barbara White Daille & new #westernbook #MFRWorg #RssosSisters #accessories #greatbuy

Handbag Monday with...Barbara White DailleA smokin’ deal!!! One of my BFFs can spot a sale price sticker from the other end of the mall. I’m just the opposite, so when I stumble across a bargain, it’s a big deal. And a great price on a handbag is the absolute best.

This is one of my all-time-greatest bargains ever. I picked up this bag—genuine leather and fully lined, originally priced at $74.00—on clearance for seven dollars and forty cents. That BFF mentioned above was amazed when she heard the news. In her words: “But that’s NINETY-PERCENT OFF!” J

Have you ever gotten a g


Why is Tanner Jones back in town? Seven-year-old Kevin has been a handful for single mom Sarah Lindstrom. And when the new sheriff shows up holding Kevin by the scruff of his neck for egging his car, she knows she's lost control.Sheriff Tanner Jones has no idea Kevin is his son. He lost the right to that information when he abandoned Sarah soon after graduation. Just because he's back in town doesn't mean he can waltz into her life—and Kevin's. But Sarah can't deny the feelings she still has for Tanner, or how her son is benefiting from his attention.When Tanner finds out the truth, what will he do?
Excerpt:     "Hey, you okay?"Full of concern, Tanner turned to her and placed a huge hand on either of her arms. She could have cried.Always, he had held her just that way when he meant to kiss her. Years of conditioning sent her eyelids fluttering downward. She caught herself and jerked them open. Pulled herself out of his reach. Those days of sweet kisses had ended long ago."I'm fine," she gasped."Sarah," Doc Thompson called from the front table, "are you needing my services over there?"She shook her head and coughed. "No, thanks, Doc."Shifting, she pressed her back against the wall and crossed her arms over her chest. Her cheeks burned.Tanner's blue eyes twinkled. Those sea-blue eyes, very like Kevin's. With Tanner's so-called deductive ability, how could he have missed noticing the similarity this morning?What would he do when he finally made the connection? When he finally uncovered the secret she'd spent so many years hiding, that Kevin was his son?
Find The Sheriff’s Son in Larger Print and new e-book versions at(Original version still available at Amazon) :  Harlequin
Find Barbara White Daille at: Website   Wow, Barbara, that is a deal! Congratulations on reaching pro-shopper status and on your new book!
 

The Hoochie Coochie Girls #householdjunk #agingparents #souveniers #viewfinders

Last July, my dad passed away, and in November, so did my mom. They had lived in their home for 57 years—a very long time. Both of them were Depression Era babies, and the value of saving and not wasting anything was instilled. The keep it because someone might need it idea was what the generation lived by.

Last weekend, my sisters and other family members gathered at our childhood home and began to weed through the contents. Financial docs were saved. Items each of us specifically wanted were set aside. Cupboards cleaned out. Contents taken from bathrooms, bedrooms, hall closets were sorted for the Disabled Veterans store or went to the trash. The attics got special attention, too. Anyone need four fans? Or six Dremels?Then we tackled the garage. Pops saved way too much under the someone might need it umbrella. Drawer contents were dumped into old shoe boxes for sorting. People claimed tools, and stuff identified for a second look was placed on a table.

My brother-i-law and I sorted shoe boxes of household junk. I picked up a long tube which looked as if toothpicks would have been stored inside it. Dangling from the same chain was something else. I collect Viewmasters and single shot viewfinders.
I suspected the item was indeed a single shot one and peeked through the clear end. “What??!!!” I looked at the device and lifted it to my eyes again. I laughed. My B-I-L said, “What is it?” I said, “This will make your day,” and passed it to him. His laugh was loud and drew the family’s attention. “What is it?” “A viewfinder.” We all had a look.

The truth is I never thought my dad would have one with hoochie coochie girls. LOL. I’m betting it was a Navy thing.

The three women in the pix had bare chests with sombreros strategically placed over their thigh juncture. Curls of blonde hair artfully arranged on their heads. Three legs in a matching jaunty pose. Worthy of a second look.

Yeah, everyone wanted this treasure. Have you ever found a treasure that really surprised you?   Join Hattie Cooks in her hilarious adventures in employment where someone is bound to end up dead and the detective is totally a hunk at: Amazon

Special friend, special gift

Handbag Monday  I have a friend who was my handyman for many, many years. Several years back, he fell ill and had to retire. So every so often, I call him up and take him to our favorite hamburger joint for a chat.  This past time, I took him home and settled between him and his girlfriend to bore them with pictures of my Europe trip. She noticed the ring I wore, one I inherited from my mom. She used to sell jewelry and loves jewelry. I love handbags.  She said knowing I love handbags so much, she had something I might like, a handbag which belonged to her mother. And here it is: This lovely creation was made in the forties or fifties. It has a label which says "Jill-Empress, Guaranteed Handmade, Japan." Here's the label:
The bag is fashioned of silk and covered with bugle beads. It's exquisite.  When I did an internet search, I found this particular Jill-Empress brand of handbags were very affordable, anywhere from $12.00 to $60.00. On several occasions, friends have gifted me with handbags which had belonged to relatives because they know how much I love them and I will always treasure them. And as always, the gesture truly touches my heart.   An unemployed buyer who loves handbags + detective trying to solve the murder of the women she replaced at work = Temporarily Employed. Find TE at: Amazon Want to catch all the action? Sign up for my newsletter here: newsletter signup 

Another one bites the dust—changes around my neighborhood #MFRWorg #Rssos #neighborhoodlife #realestatedevelopment

Last week, I said in several places how I wanted to celebrate Valentine’s Day—not with flowers, expensive dinner, or chocolate. I wanted a walk to my neighborhood donut shop with Handsome and the Adora-poos.
Handsome is a huge donut fan and had no problem with this request.
So with wonderful springtime temps, we took off. I was so excited. Like Handsome, I love donuts, but don’t indulge very often because of the unwanted calorie thingy. And sometimes, Handsome brings home a box of glazed, but that variety isn’t really my favorite. I like buttermilk cake ones. Basically, it is a cake donut, slitted across the top, deep fried, and dunked in powdered sugar glaze.
He went inside and came out with...regular cake and a lowfat milk. LOL. So he blew it on the donut part, but hey, we were there and happy. Until he asked, “Did you see the notice on the door?” “No.” “The shop is closing on the 29th. The owner said the property company raised the rent and wouldn’t talk to them.”I was shocked. However, the more I thought, the more I wasn’t. Several years ago, a large real estate company bought the shopping center. They did some great renovations. And then, the hardware store left and a drug store took its place. The yoga studio? Gone. The restaurant serving down home food shuttered its doors. Pizza and pet stores...gone too.

Does my neighborhood have to be that upscale?

We did get a fabulous burger store. A pub. A high-end Mexican cantina. A gift shop. A small pet store. A barbecue spot. Another restaurant.


Are you seeing what I’m seeing? Lots of places to eat with very little parking. I am worried the cleaners I’ve frequented all my married life, whose employees are friends, could be next on the chopping block. The point being the center NEEDS cleaners and donut shops and something other than restaurants. My part of town is known for “family-owned businesses” and now, they are disappearing to elsewhere.

Sure, that’s how the world has always evolved. Civilizations have always built on the foundations of the old. But I want my donut shop.   Have you experienced unwanted changes in your neighborhood?    

Celebrating v-day -- What is the most interesting gift you've been given? #MFRWorg #Rssos #Mondayblog

 How did you celebrate V-day?  
This year, I said to Handsome to not buy me anything. No chocolate as I have found myself eating way too much (am now on week four of not having eaten any). No flowers. No fancy meal. Instead, I wanted to walk as we always do on a Sunday with the Adora-poos and stop at the donut shop.

Have I said how much I love donuts?

I really do and especially the buttermilk cake ones. But unless I go buy them (which I don't because I'd eat mass quantities), I don't get them. Handsome will on occasion; however, he gets plain ol' glaze. Don't get me wrong--nothing wrong with glazed donuts. I just love buttermilk cake more.

As a single girl, even though I dated, I didn't get many Valentine's gifts. I'm thinking it is because those guys thought they felt a gift meant commitment.

Hardly.

I did get something unexpected once. In fact, so unforgettable, I wrote a story around it. The rain was drizzly. I exited my car and trotted toward my apartment, noting something white stuck in the door frame. That seemed odd. Once there, I found a note, in fact, a Dear John letter.

I was livid. How dare some moron write a girl a Dear John letter on Valentine's Day? And the more I thought, the angrier I became. If he did it to me, he'd do it to someone else. On behalf of all women in America, I was NOT going to let that happen.

I phoned him. Multiples times. He didn't answer which was probably smart on his part.

A girlfriend popped by and when I showed and told what happened, she stuck out her hand and said, "Give it to me. I need matches, too." I followed directions well and gave them to her.

She went to the fireplace and touched the flame to the paper. Then she sang, "Feelings."

I died laughing. "Nothing more than..."

Together, "Feelings."



So THANK YOU to the Valentine moron. You gave me laughs, a great story to remember, and write about.

Sometimes, the littlest Valentine from our honey is really what we want.


Share anything about Valentine's Day with me!