Vicki Batman's Blog, page 67

#Movie Mom - The First Grader #MFRWorg #RLFblog #education

#Movie Mom 




A 2010 biographical  film, based on the true story of Kimani Maruge, a Kenyan man who enrolled in first grade at age 84 after the Kenyan government announced free elementary education in 2003.
My thoughts: I know very little about war in the 50's in Kenya. So setting this aside, I thought it important to concentrate on the determination of Mr. Maruge to get an education. His persistence was amazing and eventually gained support of the principal. The children were a treasure. There are some very scenic shots. 
Overall, Mr. Maruge had a profound story to tell. He holds the Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to start primary school. He eventually went on to address the United Nations on the importance of free primary education.
Probably not a superstar film, but an inspiring one of worthy note for the subject and what he achieved. 
FMI on The First Grader: Wikipedia
FMI on Kimani Maruge: Wikipedia

Who is a Crocheting Fool? Alice Abel Kemp with a generous spirit #craft #crochet #MFRWorg #RLFblog

A Crocheting Fool



Vicki invited me to do this blog about one of my hobbies--crochet. Pretty much all the time, I have at least one project going and yarn and patterns lined up for the future. Sometimes, I have a whole box of yarn stashed. I tend to go a little nuts when the stuff is on sale.


My favorite projects are prayer shawls. These use the pattern described at
http://www.shawlministry.com/crochet_... . The idea is to make the shawl with prayerful intentions for well-being, health and healing for the person wearing it. These are large shawls with generous fringe, and I can’t count how many I’ve made across the years. Most have been given away to family and friends.


I started out as a knitter, learning as a kid in a Brownie troop, but knitting is harder. I taught myself to crochet and seldom do any knitting now. I make scarves, shawls, and afghans. Crocheting becomes meditative and relaxing. It’s something to do watching TV, football especially. 


I’d intended to sell eight of these at craft shows this fall. However, my deteriorating hip and subsequent surgery prevented me from doing anything. Still, I kept crocheting them. I have the yarn for two more.  


Margaret Angelo, a New Orleans homicide detective, works to catch a serial killer, the Slasher. Despite the sexism of the NOPD, she heads the task force to stop this killer, who kidnaps women, assaults them, and gets off on licking their bodies before he kills them. Although devoted to her job, Margaret longs for a life partner. She reconnects with a high school acquaintance, Jim, whom she hires to paint her house. They begin a relationship, but Margaret is kidnapped by the Slasher and faces certain death. The other detectives manage to rescue her although the Slasher escapes their trap. He is losing control and hunts Margaret down, determined to finish her. With Jim’s support, can she escape this mad man?

Find Alice at: Website

Find The Taste of Her at: Amazon




Alice, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your generous spirit. I don't knit or crochet; however, my church does have a prayer shawl ministry and I make sure they have supplies for their work.

Do any of you do special work for church or a non-profit or just because? 

Sisters Born, Sisters Found-chat with contributor Paige Strickland on #adoption #anthology #MFRWorg #RLFblog

Today, I am featuring something quite different than my usual #handbag Monday. Last year, I  submitted my essay, "Sister Act," to the Sisters Born, Sisters Found anthology. I wanted to share more about the anthology by introducing you to Paige Strickland, contributor of "We Have Today." 
And all commentors shall be entered into a drawing for a copy of the book.

Sisters Born, Sisters Found embraces the notion that some women you meet are connected to you even though they don’t share your DNA. A group of 75 writers representing every continent except Antarctica contributed to the anthology.
Hi, Paige, and welcome to Handbags, Books...Whatever. Let's chat about you and your essay in the anthology:


What gave you the itch to look for your birth mother?  (Do you have 5 hours to hear the whole story?  Ha!)  Here is the very quick version:  I went through YEARS of denial.  I hated being “the adopted girl”.  I tried like mad to forget it.  Of course, I was always honest with my husband, and usually he honored my wishes and just forgot about adoption most of the time like me.  Then one day, we saw a preview/ad for a local TV talk show. The hosts were doing a story about adoption and people who were searching for missing family members in Cincinnati.  We decided to record it while we were at work.  I came home and watched it. For years, I was told that my adoption records were sealed and that it was impossible to find out who my birth family members were.  My adoptive parents believed this to be true.  I never knew differently, but according to this show, I learned that I could legally access my original birth certificate in the state of Ohio since I was born and adopted before 1964.  I figured, “This is my right!” I decided that summer when school let out--I’m a teacher-- that I would research as much as I could. Lucky for me, since we were all from the same town and lived within 20 minutes from one another, without even knowing it, it was easy for me to locate my birth family.

How did your adopted family feel when you decided to pursue this journey? My adoptive dad felt very insecure.  He blamed my parents’ divorce on my “need” to do this search. I tried to convince him, “No, It’s because of a TV show and learning of my legal rights.”  He had a hard time accepting this.  My adoptive mom, on the other hand, was very accepting.  Her response was, “I was wondering what took you so long.”  The only thing that took me so long was being unaware of the law / my legal rights in the state of Ohio.

I always wanted a brother, and you always wanted a sister--are we crazy?  Haha!  I wanted the Brady Bunch for a family!  I wanted kids all over the place!  My childhood was too quiet and controlled!  My own children now currently have about 30 cousins. Guess I solved that problem!

Why did you submit your story to the Sisters Born, Sisters Found anthology?  I found out about this anthology project because of a post on Linkedin last winter.  I composed my piece in one day.  I have five sisters, which I found after doing my adoption search.  They are all very different but equally wonderful people.  I am so thankful for their presence in my life. Four of them attended my daughter’s wedding in 2012, and I had the photographer take a picture of the five of us together. I felt very motivated to write about this because I think the world of them.  Of course, I am also always looking for ways to promote my adoption memoir book, and this writing event helped with that, but honestly, even if I hadn’t ever written a book about growing up adopted, I would have wanted to find a way to celebrate the fact that I now have sisters.  Two live locally and two live on the west coast.

Have you always been a writer? In many ways, yes.  I was that “weird” kid in school who loved essays and other writing assignments.  (I HATE taking A-B-C-D tests!)  I just want to write and explain my thinking.  In 4th grade, my Language Arts teacher was very encouraging and motivating for me.  She seemed to love the stories I turned in.  That kept me wanting to write more. The more books I read, the more I wanted to write myself.

What lies in your future? I am working on a follow up memoir/sequel to my adoption memoir, Akin to the Truth: A Memoir of Adoption and Identity.  (no title yet) The second book focuses more on adult life as an adoptee instead of all the growth and development and coming of age adoption issues I faced.  It also will feature more about how my search and reunion has played out in the past 25+ years.  I am also working on a memoir about my life as a teacher and aide to special needs students over 30+ years in the profession.

Here's a bit from We Have Today: "Paige, this is Tammy." I'd waited twenty-six years to hear those words. After searching for ten months, I finallty found my birth mother's oldest daughter, and now I had something I'd wished for all my life: Sisters! I found an older sister and a younger sister. My older sister was Tammy, and we connected first.

I grew up as an adoptee in a small family. I had one brother who was six years younger, and no cousins my age. It seemed every girlfriend I had had a sister or two, and I always admired how my friends and their sisters looked so much alike, traded clothes, and shared girl-talk. My brother was a great guy, but our relationship could never be like that.

Find Sisters Born, Sisters Found at: Amazon

Thank you, Paige, for sharing your sister story with me today!

#Oscar animated short films - Have you watched these because you might be missing something good! #movie #AcademyAwards

Movie Mom Last fall, Handsome and I attend a short film festival sponsored by our local paper. We were blown away. 

When we were younger, the only indie theater around showed short films, kinda the way they were shown way back when--in conjunction with a larger movie. I always loved this. 

So when the large indie theater we now go to announced the showing of shorts--live action and animated--Handsome and I were on board. We chose animated.

The Bigger Picture by Daisy Jacobs and Christopher Hees Tensions arise between two brothers as their elderly mother requires more care.

http://oscar.go.com/nominees/short-fi...



The Dam Keeper by Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi A lonely little pig in charge of maintaining the town dam is cruelly bullied by his classmates.

http://oscar.go.com/nominees/short-fi... 


Feast by Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed The story of the relationship between a young man and the stray puppy he takes in is told through the food the dog receives. 

http://oscar.go.com/nominees/short-fi... 


Me and My Moulton by Torill Kove Three sisters growing up in an unconventional Norwegian family ask their parents for a bicycle.

http://oscar.go.com/nominees/short-fi... 


A Single Life by Joris Oprins A mysterious vinyl single gives a young woman the power to move back and forth through the years of her life.

http://oscar.go.com/nominees/short-fi... 


Did you just believe all animated films were long mega release ones? 

Food = Good w#author Karen Sue Burns: Crockpot Baked Beans & Sausage & new book #MFRWorg #easyrecipes

Food = Good


Crockpot Baked Beans and Sausage1 pound package, great northern or navy beans1 medium onion, minced2 garlic cloves, minced1/2 cup packed brown sugar1/2 cup molasses3 teaspoons dry mustard1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon black pepper2 tablespoons ketchupWater as needed1 package beef sausage links, sliced
The night before, place beans in a pot and cover with one inch of water. Bring to a boil on the stove, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let soak over night.Next morning, place beans and water in crockpot. Add all ingredients except sausage in the pot and additional water for cooking. Cook at high for 6-7 hours, add water as needed, and stir occasionally. Add sausage and turn heat to low. Cook an additional 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender.Serve with buttermilk biscuits or cornbread.   When the worlds of a reluctant innkeeper and a former video game creator collide, stars explode over Texas, a ghost settles his past, and two lovers find their forever home.Find Crazy for Home at: Amazon

Find Karen Sue Burns at:  Website

Augustina Van Hoven says a purse is very personal & sharing her book! #MFRWorg #fashion #handbag

Augustina Van Hoven on
Handbag Monday
       A purse is a very personal item.  Most people have very specific things they look for when purchasing one.  When I set out to buy one, it usually takes me days to find exactly what I am looking for.  A purse becomes such a part of me that I will use it until it literally falls apart.  I learned from experience that when I find a style I like I try to buy two so I have a backup when the first one is no longer serviceable.          Several years ago, I found a purse style that I really liked and used.  Just before the last purse broke, I went back to the store only to find the manufacturer had discontinued that particular design.  I looked everywhere both locally and online to locate a similar one but to no avail.  As luck would have it, the son of a good friend developed an interest in leatherwork and started making custom purses.  I brought him my beloved bag, now in a desperate state of decay, and commissioned a new one with a few style improvements.          My first requirement in a purse is that it must have a shoulder strap.  Most of the time my hands are full and I need the ability to sling my purse over my shoulder so I can deal with the rest of the stuff I need to carry, like my coffee.            My second requirement is that the bag has many compartments.  By force of habit, I carry a lot of things with me and I like to be able to lay my hands on something quickly rather than dig through a bunch of other stuff before I can find what I want.  This purse is ideal.  The two front compartments hold my iPod and iPhone, respectively.  There is a zipper compartment for things you don’t want to lose.  The center section opens and closes with a magnetic snap and holds larger items like notebooks and pens.  Behind that is another zippered compartment where I can keep my wallet, flashlight and other items.  Inside this compartment is another zippered one for smaller things like nail clippers and lipstick.  


A DISTANT PAST In 1882, Rose Van Buren loved the wrong man and paid for it with her life. Now, more than a century later, the angel Gabriel has granted her another shot at living. In exchange, she must convince a smart, handsome, up-and-coming lawyer to set aside his lofty ambitions. A FUTURE PRESENT Stephen Winship is headed straight for the governor’s chair. He has a brilliant career, solid allies, and a seemingly perfect girlfriend. But night after night he finds himself dreaming of a heavenly beauty, a luminous but long-dead girl. Like some altered Ghost of Christmas Past, she shows him her own tragic tale in order to “save him.” And he’s beginning to see Rose is risking her heart as much as baring her soul. Yet falling for her will cost him everything—and open him up to a happiness he never imagined.
Find THE KISS OF A ROSE at: AmazonFind Augustina Van Hoven at:Website  Facebook  Twitter

Happy V-Day! #valentinesday #MFRWorg #RLFblog #heart

To all of you, have a wonderful day with the ones you love.

#Movie Mom - Mr. Turner #MFRWorg #RLFblog #film #greatpainter

Movie Mom 


Mr. Turner is a biographical movie about British artist J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851), written and directed by Mike Leigh, and starring Timothy Spall as Mr. Turner and Dorothy Atkinson as his housekeeper. Profoundly affected by the death of his esteemed father, loved by his housekeeper--whom he takes for granted--he forms a close relationship with a seaside landlady with whom he eventually lives incognito in Chelsea, where he dies.
Throughout all this, Turner travels and paints oil paintings of landscapes and the sea.(Wikipedia)

My thoughts: I rarely do fantasy, sci-fi, and blockbuster movies. I tend to watch something different and this is a gem of one. Mr. Turner's paintings are outstanding and this movie gives a glimpse into his life and how he worked. I was captivated by the incredible cinematography. Almost every frame is a masterpiece worthy of the artist, making me say, "I want to go there." Kudos on the costume work as well.

Mr. Spall contorts his face, makes funny and odd sounds, almost in a socially unacceptable way. 

I was never bored and truly liked seeing something different. Highly recommend.

FMI: Wikipedia

.@VickiBatman - traveling #accessories by author Marilyn Baxter #MFRWorg #RLFblog #fashion #shoes

Clapping hands as one of my very favorite short fiction--and now, long fiction--writers, Marilyn Baxter, is with me today and is showing off her craft: shoe bags!
The whole idea of shoe bags came about because I was going to Ireland in the fall of 2013 and had combed the internet for every bit of packing advice I could find.  One article mentioned putting your shoes in shoe bags to (1) protect your shoes from scuffing and (2) protect your clothing from any dirt that might be on the shoes.

I was packing light and I only planned to take the walking shoes I would wear on the plane plus a pair of black oxfords in my suitcase.  I had an old Reebok shoe bag from when I'd bought a pair of Reebok walking shoes back in the 80's.  I hunted through my closet and found it only to discover it was rotten and pulling apart at the seams.  I can do basic sewing and I had some fabric on hand, so back I went to the internet to Google shoe bag patterns.

The first one I made was actually a reusable shopping bag I had made several years before after seeing a blog about making them.  I just shortened it and added a casing and ribbons at the top.  It isn’t fancy, but it did the job.  Then I found several patterns and combined the parts I liked best of each into my own pattern.  

Christmas was approaching and I was trying to decide on gifts for my best writing buds and since our RWA chapter, Heart of Dixie RWA, is often referred to as the “Cult of the Shoe,” I decided to make them shoe bags.  From the photos of the one with my fancy sandals and the photo of the group of shoe bags, you can see I’ve refined the project and fancied things up. 
I pick colors I know the person will like, and I added the zebra stripe applique with a button at the toe.  So far, I haven’t had a soul be disappointed.  And several members of the “Cult of the Shoe” now travel with their Stuart Weitzman and Marc Jacobs shoes lovingly protected by my shoe bags.




 Maddie Prescott has a plan to get a baby – a withdrawal from a sperm bank – but Jack Worth has his own plan, and he’d rather it be a direct deposit.

Find Direct Deposit at: Amazon

Find Marilyn at:Facebook

.@VickiBatman ~ author Rebecca Grace on #handbag Monday w The Family Handbag Tradition #MFRWorg #RLFblog #accessories

Handbag Monday
            My mother and I didn’t have many things in common. She knew the man she would marry when she was only ten, while I could never stay in one place long enough to settle down. However, we shared two things–a love of storytelling and handbags.  We just loved purses of all shapes and sizes--big , small, clutches, over the shoulder, short handles—we could never figure out which ones we liked best. Any time she had extra money, she bought a new purse. Even though she kept getting rid of bags, she still left us with two large boxes  when she moved from Colorado to a Phoenix nursing home. Where she was always looking for something different or unique, I get stuck in ruts of the same style for years at a time. Back in the 70s, when I lived in San Diego, I kept buying big leather handbags from Mexico. Then it became Gucci bags in the 80s, everything from coin purses, to wallets to full size bags.  That was followed by Coach in the 90s.
About five years ago, I fell in love with Marc Jacobs bags, and sometimes, I feel like I’m a walking ad for them. From extra large down to a small shoulder bag for evenings, I can’t seem to get break myself of them. And if they look alike, it’s because they are–just in different colors and sizes. I need a large one to carry my ipad. I like the fact that they have smaller zippered compartments for my makeup and little pockets for my phone and keys so I never lose them in the big bag. The smaller bag has a zippered flap with a large separate compartment where I can keep my writing notebooks and pens. (in case the urge to write strikes me at any time, and it does quite often so I always need a handy notebook).
Rebecca, there is that saying "buy one in every color!"


No one believes TV anchorwoman Kimberly delaGarza didn’t kill her cheating ex-boyfriend, and the only man who might help her is someone she once dumped!
Find Blues at 11:00 at: The Wild Rose Press
Find Rebecca Grace at: Website


  Thank you, Rebecca, for showing off your handbags today!