Kate Collins's Blog, page 166

WHAT TIME IS IT, MR. CLOCK?

by Kate Collins

The time change is coming! The time change is coming! Yipee!!
Now to set aside enough of that lovely daylight to reset all the clocks in my house, not to mention my watches, which, if laid end to end, could circle my wrist eight times.
I may have a slight timepiece addition. 
Don’t laugh. You might, too. Stop reading right now and go count the clocks in your house. See if yours match mine.
Beside the clocks on my wall oven, microwave, coffee maker, and four clock radios, I also have seven decorative clocks. That makes fourteen. Plus the watches and, well, you see what I mean about resetting clocks. But I still ove my timepieces.
The little mahogany one to the right sat on my husband’s desk at his law office for over thirty years. 
The starburst crystal Waterford clock he gave me as a gift one year. 
The chiming wall clock is the one and only prize I’ve ever won. 

The anniversary clock is self-explanatory and pretty old, and the others I just liked. Note the time in each one as I went from room to room taking photos.


Then there are my watches – some dressy, some playful, some practical, one that was my husband’s that I had the band changed to fit me, and all precious to me in some way.



I fear watches are going out of style, replaced by the ever-present cell phone. Ask someone the time and five times out of ten, s/he’ll check a cell phone. Maybe the solution is a product like the new Apple watch – phone AND watch. Or maybe it’ll just be the next addition to my collection.

How did you do? Are you a timepiece person like me or have you given up the watch in favor of the phone? 
Post a photo of your favorite clock or watch. I’d love to see them.

So Much Love!

by Leann

Last Valentine's Day the Cozy Chicks hosted a wonderful event celebrating readers and pets. There was much to share and I was so amazed at how much pets mean to so many. We heard many stories of how rescued pets really became the rescuers. We saw pictures, too. Beautiful pictures of wonderful friends--furry, feathered or whatever "skin type" they might be. Those animals are loved!

I'm sharing my latest picture of my new love.

If you know his name--and many of you do--then share it the comment section and you could win these glass coasters.


But I also want to give a prize right now to a wonderful volunteer who fosters cats in California and is a voracious cozy reader. Her name is Lynda Turpin. She has become a wonderful friend of the Cozy Chicks and is just a fine, dedicated and generous person. Lynda, please message me with your snail mail address and I will send out your gift. I think when you go into your "foster room" or head to Petsmart hoping your most current fostered cats will find forever homes, you'll put it on. I'm sure it will collect plenty of cat hair!

Thanks to all who took time out to chat with us last weekend and it was such great fun. You know we'll be doing it again! Don't forget to join The Cozy Chicks Group to hear when we'll be celebrating our readers! You won't want to miss it!

SUPPORT WORLD SPAY DAY!

   by Mary Kennedy                          
   Check out this basket of cute kittens!  (One of my friends calls it "The Crazy Cat Lady Starter Kit") Yes, they're adorable, but will they all have homes?                                                           Many of you joined the fun at our Cozy Chicks Love Pets Valentine's Day Party last week and it was wonderful see that so many of our readers are also animal lovers. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but please tell everyone you know that " spaying or neutering your pets is likely the best decision you'll ever make on their behalf."  World Spay Day on February 24th serves as a reminder that we have a duty to these wonderful animals and to our planet.  Every year, there are an estimated 6-8 million animals entering shelters and only half are adopted. The rest are euthanized. This is sad but true.                                                           There are over 70 million stray cats in the US.  This spring, they will begin to breed, producing millions of kittens and overwhelming the local shelter. (The cat pictured above, Calpurnia, is one of my own rescues. Luckily, she's no longer living outside as a stray. I rescued her, her mother and her daddy from my yard and immediately took them to the vet. No more babies!)                                                          And spaying and neutering isn't just for dogs and cats, it's also important for rabbits. Did you know that rabbits are the third most relinquished pets at animal shelters? Rabbits can live between 8 and 10 years, producing countless offspring.  Please do everything you can to educate your friends and neighbors about the importance of having their pets spayed and neutered. Sometimes a word of encouragement is all they need. If finances are tight, there are many organizations that will provide low cost spay and neuter services in your area. Just call your local shelter for details.                                                             To end on a happy note, congratulations to Mare Fairchild, who shared our Cozy Chicks Valentine's Day bash!  Mare, please message me with your snail mail address and your cat tote bag will be winging its way to you. Thanks for stopping by! Mary Kennedy

The Cozy Chicks Button Up Til Spring Fling!

No sooner have the Cozy Chicks finished our Cozy Chicks Love Pets campaign, when we're on the go with another fun even for our readers. A nd this one lasts an entire month.


Back in December, the Cozy Chicks gave eight of our loyal readers a Cozy Chicks button and asked them to spread the Cozy Chicks joy by taking pictures all across the country--and boy did they







What do we intend to do with these wonderful pictures?  Hold a caption contest on Facebook.  We'll be giving away Cozy Chicks swag and a grand prize at the end of the contest (to be determined).  What you have to do?  Check in on our Cozy Chicks pages and write funny (or sad, or witty--or whatever you like) comments.

Starting on Monday, where can these wonderful pictures be found?

Cozy Chicks Profile  |   Cozy Chicks Author Page   |   Cozy Chicks FB Group

Write as many captions as you want.  Comment on as many pictures as you want. The more you enter, the greater your chance to WIN!

Here's a sample:

Photo by Alison Marable
How would YOU caption this photo?
========================================================
Lorraine's winners for the cat pins from the Cozy Chicks Love Pets event are:'
Linda Kuzminczuk, Karolyn Yoakum, Jeanie Whitmire Jackson, Lisa Hamilton, and Denise Neubauer.

Meow!

Pets Party On with a contest for you!

Victoria Abbott and Mary Jane Maffini and various furry critters!

I write three mystery series as Mary Jane Maffini and collaborate on the book collector mysteries with my daughter as Victoria Abbott. All of them have dogs and/or cats. A book without a dog or cat just seems incomplete to me somehow. A story should appeal to our senses. What can appeal to our senses more than the soft warmth of fur, the soothing sound of a satisfied purr or the warning of a convenient bark?

I can't imagine writing without a pair of cuddly pooches curled up under my desk.



Animals add heart to our tales of mystery and mayhem.  They can show the soft side of a tough sleuth and give a touch of domestic bliss to the most footloose of protagonists. A pet ensures that a character will think about someone besides herself or himself. They need to be fed, walked and cared for.  They can’t be left behind.

There’s more to it, of course, there’s the immense pleasure we get from our pets, the unreserved affection and acceptance. You can’t buy that kind of love, my friends.
Here at the Maffini house we share our lives with dogs, because one of my daughters and a grandson are violently allergic to cats. I’ve always enjoyed cats and I miss their frisky presence, so I am glad of the fictional kitties too.  

My favorite is the little calico cat in my Camilla MacPhee books.  Calico cats are my favorite. The cat is called Mrs. Parnell’s cat because Camilla doesn’t quite see herself as a pet person. So while she takes good care of “Mrs. Parnell’s cat” over the years, it never gets a name. My Canadian publisher called me when she had the manuscript for the sixth Camilla book in hand. My editor—a wonderful young man named Allistair and a committed cat person—was distressed that (and I quote) ‘the little cat still doesn’t have a name after all these books’. 

I love that story.  I did explain that the cat’s name was Mrs. Parnell’s Cat and the fictional calico was fine with that. I may have promised to have Camilla reform. I’m working on book seven now.  We’ll just have to see how that plays out. She never made the cover and we're not sure who the black cat is!




Mysteries have been great places for me to let my dogs ‘live on’ and perhaps have more fun than they normally do.  We feed our dogs food from the vet and never take-out, but the hapless Fiona Silk in the mysteries of the same name often lets her Samoyed, Tolstoy, have take-out fries. It’s fiction and Tolstoy reminds me of my own Samoyed, Bella, now long gone.  Should I have a warning note: Kids, do not attempt this at home?


Here's Bella with Victoria, a while back.
A pair of rescued miniature dachshunds  bring some extra life to my Charlotte Adams organizing mysteries.  My own Daisy and Lily are nice little girls, therapy dogs and very cuddly are the models.  Somehow Truffle and Sweet Marie are on the wicked side, shredding toilet paper to show their displeasure and generally being spoiled.



Charlotte’s dogs can’t help it. They were found abandoned on the medium of the Interstate. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.



The book collector mysteries (written with Victoria) have a pug who is the icon for the series.  Walter appears on every cover.  And because life can mimic fiction,  Victoria is now ‘mum’ to Peachy the Pug, who is the spitting image of Walter.  Peachy never misses a book launch either.  She is a bit more princessy than Walter, but don’t tell Victoria or Peachy I said that.   We’re not sure where Good Cat and Bad Cat come from,  but we’ve become quite fond of them.








Finally, there’s Smudge, the dog I still miss every day since he crossed the Rainbow Bridge at thirteen.  He was not easy – a pup who was on his way to the pound when Victoria rescued him and gave him to us for an anniversary gift. The gift turned out to high-strung mix of Corgi and Border Collie. handsome with no legs and a spectacular tail.  He was loyal and loving and his spirit still guards my front hall after many years.  I have an idea for a series in which he could play a role. We’d both like that!  And you my friends will be the first to know.

I’d love to hear what you like about pets in books or about your own!  But here’s a little fun to continue on our Facebook Cozy Chicks Group party whether you were there or not:



 Answer ANY ONE of these questions in a comment and you’ll be in a draw for our dog or cat-themed prize!  Win a Dog Rules Cushion or The Cat Lover's Magnetic Poetry kit.Consider this like an open book test, because the answers aren’t (ahem) far from here!Who are the dachshunds in the Charlotte Adams books?What is Fiona Silk’s Samoyed Tolstoy favorite food?Aside from Walter the Pug, there are also two Siamese in the Victoria Abbott book collector mysteries. What are they called?Does Camilla MacPhee have a calico cat?  Bonus: what is that cat's name?


Have fun and don't forget to pat your pets!

Savannah, the perfect place for murder…

New York is the place to set a book on fashion or finance, LA is the best setting for stories about the movie industry, Nashville gets the nod for stories about music, New Orleans has their vampires and Savannah is the perfect setting for a murder mystery series.
Savannah is a city where the spirits of the long ago departed still linger in sultry streets and moss-drenched cemeteries. Okay, even if you don’t believe in ghosts the homes, B&Bs, restaurants, bars, town squares where people met their end are still there. The city is built upon its dead. 
Savannah's Historic District, the largest in the country and you cannot walk more than two feet without passing over a dead body because Savannah's dead aren’t just in the cemeteries.
Hundreds of victims of the Yellow Fever epidemics of the 19th century lie in mass graves that were never marked. In 1820 there was a huge fire that burned over four-hundred homes. Many of the homes were rebuilt and some of the old occupants are still hanging around trying to get out of that fire. Talk about local color.
The Old Pink House is one of the city’s best restaurants with shrimp and grits so delish it makes a grown man cry. But in spite of the incredible food things have not always been wonderful. James Habersham Jr. built the house in the 1700s and hung himself there because he was distraught over his wife’s death. That’s terrible for sure but what is even worse is that he hasn’t left. 
Servers say Habersham is a bit of a neat freak and likes to straighten table settings and put chairs in their proper place. And he’s not alone his whole clan still hangs around. His kids like to lock ladies in the downstairs bathroom. Like I said, you may not believe in ghosts but I bet if you got locked in the bathroom you’d be a believer.
Then there’s the 17hundred90 Inn the oldest inn in Savannah. In the 1700s Anna Powers fell in love with an English sailor while staying at the inn. They married but something went wrong and Anna jumped to her death from room 204. Couples staying in that room write down their experiences…and I’m not talking amorous experiences…in a notebook on the bedside table. If you manage to make it through the night you celebrate with a  peach martini. Personally I’d be on Prozac.
Then there’s the Kehoe House that is now a B&B.  In the 1800s twins died while playing in one of the house's massive chimneys and guests who stay in rooms 201 and 203 still hear the kids playing.

I’ve stayed at the Marshall House. It was used as a Union Hospital during the unfortunate Northern Aggression. When they were rehabbing the place bones were found in the basement where they did the amputations. 
No one really knows for sure what’s going on in Savannah but something is afoot. I love the city and it’s the perfect backdrop for tooling around in a ’57 red Chevy convertible, walking Bruce Willis in the parks, eating sandwiches at Parkers or Zunzies and having drinks at Abe’s on Lincoln. 
So you see, this is why Savannah is  a great city for murder mysteries. It’s has tons of history and a lot of dead people. 
**As a continuation of Cozy Chicks Love Pets that we had on Saturday… Leave me a note on why you’d like to visit Savannah and I’ll pick winners for the doggie tote, paw-print mouse pad, paw-print notebook and adorable cat watch. 




So glad you all have fun at the Pet Bash. I sure loved chatting with you all.
Hugs, Duffy

Boots, Sunsets, and Sleeping Puppies

by Maggie Sefton


Since Winter Storms Neptune and Octavia have dumped---and are still dumping---piles of snow over the Northeast, Midwest, and now many of our Southern states, I thought I would try to bring a smile with today's post and a few photos.  It will be a mixture of all sorts of things.  But, I won't even attempt to submit snow photos.  You folks have snow dumps that totally dwarf anything we've seen out here in Northern Colorado.    

To the Right  is "Boss"----Daughter Serena & fiance Jeff's new French Mastiff---sleeping 

First----Congratulations to Beverly Couzens Archer who is the winner in my random name drawing contest from the many Cozy Chicks fans and readers who participated in the Chicks' Valentine's Day Facebook Chat this past Saturday.  Since the theme was Cozy Chicks Love Pets, we all talked about our pets.  So, I decided to give a special gift to a participant.  I'm donating $50 to an Animal Rescue Shelter of the winner's choice.  So----Beverly Couzens Archer, please email me at maggie@maggiesefton.com  with the name and address (also a website would be great) of the Rescue Shelter of your choice.





Wedding Prep Update #3----Preparations for Serena's Bridal Shower luncheon back in Northern Virginia where we have lots of family and friends is coming along nicely.  The chef and I are working on menus.  Serena decided she'd like the guests to be able to move around freely, chat, and visit with each other while she's opening gifts----so she decided on appetizers and finger foods rather than a sit-down luncheon menu.  And---Mimosas, wines, and other refreshments, of course.  :)


You can see above left that I finally found a great pair of real Texas boots which are pretty but also
very comfortable.  I refuse to buy shoes or boots that are not absolutely comfortable as I walk around the store.  And believe me, I walk around a LOT.  


There's no such thing as "breaking in" shoes.  I learned long ago that the only things that  get broken in are your feet.   Years and years ago, I had foot surgery that repaired the damage I'd done back in my  youth by squeezing into pointy-toed shoes.  Once you have healthy and straight feet again, you do NOT mess them up.  And these all leather boots (snake skin, but not an endangered species) are totally comfortable.  PS----I found them at that great Western store chain Cavender's.





And we'll finish with a pretty sunset from last Saturday night-----




Stay warm and safe, Everyone!

GOT THE DOLDRUMS YET?

by Kate Collins

For much of the United States, winter has hit in a big way, with too much snow, frigid temperatures, and wind gusts that make it unpleasant to step outside. A week or two I can take, but when it drags on and on, I can feel the doldrums setting in. Have they hit you, too?
I was thinking about that word today – doldrums. It’s obviously plural so it made me wonder: Can one have a single doldrum or do they only come in sets?
 As is usually the case when I ponder a word, I have to look it up to see when it originated and why. So I hoisted my ginormous Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary off the shelf and began my research.
Doldrums, n. 1. a state of inactivity or stagnation as in business or art; 2. The doldrums, a belt of calm and light baffling winds north of the equator between the northern and southern trade winds in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans; 3. A dull, listless, depressed mood; low spirits. (1795-1805. )Obscure origins, dold, stupid (see dolt) + rum(s) (pl) n. suffix (see trantrum).
Three observations: 1. Why are the winds baffling? Can no one figure out where they come from? Why isn’t there an explanation? Must I look up baffling, too? (See tongue-in-cheekcomments.)
2. The word doldrumoriginated from another word meaning stupidplus a suffix. Would that be stupid-ish? Stupid-ment? Again, no explanation. Come on, Mr. Webster, I need more!
3. Doldrums is preceded by: Dolce vita, Italian, sweet life; the good life perceived as one of physical pleasure and self-indulgence (usually preceded by la). Ergo, I would surmise that too much la dolce vitacan bring forth a case of the doldrums. Wait. A pair? A set? A flock?
But I digress.
Digress v.i. 1. To deviate or wander away from the main topic or purpose in speaking or writing; depart from the principal line of argument, plot, study, etc.  (1520-30) L. Digressus, ptp of digredi to go off, depart.
But I di . . . Anyway, back to the origins of doldrums, and having been told to see tantrum, I looked up tantrum, only to discover this: Tantrum, n. a violent demonstration of rage or frustration; a sudden burst of ill temper. 1740-50, orig. uncert.
Seriously? Explanation?
Here’s my theory. The reason that tantrum is associated with doldrumsis because they both end with rum, which, when consumed, may help one forget the doldrums and/or calm the tantrum resulting from not finding enough of an explanation from a dictionary entry!
 A final observation: If you will note, the word digress, which is widely popular now, originated in the early fifteen hundreds. So if you think you’re really with it when you pause to say, “But I digress,” think again. You’re much better off using a really cool phrase like “Easy peasy,” or “Glam-glam” or “Par-tay!”  Am I right?
Ennui: French, n. a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from satiety or lack of interest; boredom. 1660-70, Syn: listlessness, tedium, lassitude, languor.
Someone hand me the rum.
Kate
P.S. As part of our Cozy Chicks Love Pets Valentine’s Day celebration, one person will be chosen from the comments on this blog to receive a special gift – a donation to your favorite animal shelter/animal charity group.

The February 2015 Report

* * * * * * * * * *Welcome to Dru's Cozy Report: February 2015. This month we have one NEW series for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!



By Book or By Crook by Eva Gates
Series: Lighthouse Library #1
Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime

For ten years Lucy has enjoyed her job poring over rare tomes of literature for the Harvard Library, but she has not enjoyed the demands of her family’s social whorl or her sort-of-engagement to the staid son of her father’s law partner. But when her ten-year relationship implodes, Lucy realizes that the plot of her life is in need of a serious rewrite.

Calling on her Aunt Ellen, Lucy hopes that a little fun in the Outer Banks sun—and some confections from her cousin Josie’s bakery—will help clear her head. But her retreat quickly turns into an unexpected opportunity when Aunt Ellen gets her involved in the lighthouse library tucked away on Bodie Island.

Lucy is thrilled to land a librarian job in her favorite place in the world. But when a priceless first edition Jane Austen novel is stolen and the chair of the library board is murdered, Lucy suddenly finds herself ensnared in a real-life mystery—and she’s not so sure there’s going to be a happy ending.

I love it. A library in a lighthouse, what a perfect setting that captured my attention from the first page all the while making feel at home, as I read my way to an ending that was justifiably served. I love the ease of how the story progressed that made it hard to put down, as it quickly became a page-turner. Lucy is a gutsy heroine who took a stand and made a new beginning for herself and showed her loyalty by gathering as much clues as she could to prove her friend was not responsible for the murder and thefts. The mystery kept me glued to the pages and I love all the twisty turns to make me ponder who was behind these acts. Boasting a diverse cast of characters, engaging conversations, and a small home town-feel, this was a very enjoyable read and I can’t wait to see what happens next in this delightfully charming debut series that I hope is here to stay.

Reach out to Eva at www.lighthouselibrarymysteries.com

IT'S a PARTY!

by Mary Kennedy                               
 Everybody knows by now that the Cozy Chicks are big-time animal lovers. The adorable doxies pictured above belong to Mary Jane Maffini and below is a picture of Leann Sweeney's adorable little tuxedo kitten named Lynley.                                                                Since Valentine's Day is all about love, we decided it would be fun to honor our pets on this special day. So we're throwing a fun Valentine's Day bash from 2-4 today with prizes every fifteen minutes (yes, every fifteen minutes) plus loads of fun chats. Here's how to be part of the celebration.                                                            Have you joined the Cozy Chicks Facebook Group?  Click this link and join ... and then you can join us today for our 2nd ever Cozy Chicks event, The Cozy Chicks Love Pets .  It's today from 2-4 pm.  We'll have prizes, virtual food, and lots of party favors. See you there? Please say yes! It won't be the same without you.  See you at 2:00 pm today!  Mary Kennedy