Kate Collins's Blog, page 170

Exercise...love it or leave it.

We the Chicks have been talking about exercise amongst ourselves and how writing and plopping our sorry out-of-shape selves behind a computer like we do...and so many others do is no way to live a long life.

That means we got to get up and do something...anything to not get writers’ butt along with a ton of other ailments.
So the question is what to do? Going to the store for a bag of Oreos or just one more sprinkle doughnut doesn’t work...I’ve tried that exercise.
Cleaning the house they say is a pretty good workout but I’ve only gotten that info second hand.

Some of the Chicks were talking about the Leslie Sansone walking tapes. I thought this sounded familiar and sure enough there it was in the back of my closet dusty and unopened. It’s the Big Burn tape. I probably bought it because the title reminded me of steak or Cajun or maybe an unfortunate hamburger that I’d eat anyway.
Treadmilling was also mentioned as an option...and of course I have one of those too. I stack my books on it, hang a cat toy from it for Dr. Watson and Spooky and use it for drying sweaters. So I do use the treadmill but I don’t think my way  counts.
Some talked gym membership and that’s always a good idea ‘cause it takes me past the Milford Bakery and the ice cream shop. But the problem with the gym is I keep putting it off. I’m great at finding excuses to Go Tomorrow! Soooo, I never go.
My daughters tried to get me to the gym by telling me I could get a new outfit. I’m a sucker for a new outfit, I think it’s half the reason I started hiking...I like the vest and matching hat.
The only thing that works for me is Zumba ‘cause it’s a class and I have to be there and it’s a sweaty workout so I don’t have to look good. I often wear my same sweaty clothes as they will just get sweated up again. I don’t bother to comb my hair or do makeup as it will just get sweated off. The reason Zumba woks for me is I have to be there at a specific time. There is no putting it off. And if I don’t go I forget the steps and look like a total spaz...even more of a spaz than usual.

With Zumba everyone is so busy watching the instructor they don’t have time to look at the old gal in the corner sweating like a stuck pig. I’ve been waiting 6 years for that burst of energy that’s supposed to come after exercising. It NEVER happens!! I mean never! I go home and pass out on the couch like a dead fish.
I’ve been doing Zumba for a while now, have a Zumba butt that looks okay in jeans but I still have middle rolls that are here to stay unless I want to give up those Oreos and doughnuts.


So what about you? Do you Love exercise or Leave it? Do you have tapes? Do the gym? Walk? Run? Zumba? Walk the dog. Drag the cat? Forget the whole mess? 

Bridal Party Posts, Part 1

by Maggie Sefton

(Granddaughter Natale on the left beside Daughter Christine 
and Granddaughter AnaSofia below)

At last!  After three day-long trips to department stores and bridal salons in Northern Colorado and Denver, I finally found a "Mother of the Bride" outfit I like.  :)  It's a good thing I actually like shopping and going into stores and salons and talking with personnel.  If I didn't enjoy the experience of "The Hunt, " I would have thrown in the towel after the first couple of days.  But I had a certain type of outfit in mind, and I was determined to find it.  So, there's a lot to be said for Tenacity.

In case I haven't mentioned it before (she says, smiling), my daughter Serena is getting married this coming April, consequently I had to begin The Hunt early.  Wedding, bridesmaid, and Special Occasion dresses take several weeks to be delivered after ordering.  Since it had been 25 years since daughter Christine's wedding, I completely forgot about those all-important "deadlines" that occur when planning weddings.

(Left---Daughter Maria) 


I had a re-introduction of sorts right before Christmas when I was back in Northern Virginia with family.  Daughters Christine and Maria plus my 16-year old granddaughter Natale had made appointments at an area Alfred Angelo bridal salon to try on bridesmaid dresses.  And youngest granddaughter AnaSofia got to try on Flowergirl dresses, too.  It was great fun to watch.  :)


Bride-to-be Serena told her three sisters (Christine, Melissa, Maria) and niece Natale that they could each choose whatever style they wished, but the colors all had to be Claret (wine).  You can see from these photos I took that each one of them chose a different design.  Some long, some short.  Daughter Melissa in Manhattan just ordered her dress but she hasn't let on which one she chose.  (Granddaughter Natale---right)

Serena is also keeping her wedding gown a secret, but I will get an early peek when her first fitting is scheduled, perhaps in early March in Texas.  As for my Mother of the Bride dress, I promise I'll post a photo once it's ready.  But, I can tell you this. . . it's Cherry Red.  :)    

NEITHER SNOW, NOR RAIN, NOR LACK OF GRATITUDE . . .

By Kate Collins

You’ve probably heard this saying before: “Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” It’s the motto of the United States Postal Service and a paraphrase of that motto is carved over the entrance to the central post office building in New York City.

What you may not know is that the original quotation is attributed to Herodotus (484– 425? B.C.) According to Bartleby.Com the actual quote is: “It is said that as many days as there are in the whole journey, so many are the men and horses that stand along the road, each horse and man at the interval of a day’s journey; and these are stayed neither by snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their appointed course with all speed.”

The method of carrying messages Herodotus describes was a Persian invention that enabled the messengers to travel swiftly. We later called it the Pony Express. And the reason I’m bringing this up is that, in keeping with my New Year's Gratitude List, (see last week's blog) today I want to express a huge THANK YOU to all those men and women who deliver the mail in all kinds of weather.

This seems especially appropriate now as many across the States are struggling with frigid temperatures and heavy snow or dangerous ice, all conditions that keep some of us homebound. Not the postal carriers, however, nor, as a rule our newspaper carriers, who also deserve our thanks.

Usually we hear rants against the USPS but honestly, for the price of a stamp, one letter can go a long way. And one lone mail carrier can deliver an awful lot of those cheaply mailed letters, as well as a lot of packages. So next time you have the opportunity, say thank you. They, among many of our unsung heroes such as the nurses and doctors who bravely fight their way to hospitals, and the police officers and EMTs who must be on the roads during horrendous weather conditions, deserve our gratitude.

Who else would you like to pay tribute to today?

New Year, More Books!

by Leann

All the Cozy Chicks will have new books this year--and that is great news. Some of us will have more than one. That's not me. It's an energy thing. Writing is a very labor intensive endeavor and one book a year is about all I can manage. But in August, The Cat, The Sneak and The Secret will be released. My editor loved it and I sure hope readers do, too.

But there is additional good news. I have a new contract for two more Cats in Trouble mysteries after the August release and I am busy writing up a synopsis. I will be doing a lot of thinking, in other words. Then comes the research, the first 50 pages and a complete reworking of the plot after that. That's my method and I'm sticking to it!

It doesn't end there. Audible has picked up not only the 2014 book, The Cat, The Vagabond and The Victim, but the next three books as well. Thank you, Amazon/Audible, for making these titles available to everyone. Audio books have always been very important to me for many reasons. As for when the 2014 book will be out on audio, your guess is as good  as mine. Audible gives no warning to me! All of a sudden it's just there. So stay tuned.

I am so thrilled I will get to write in such a nice, healthy home for the first time in a long time. The last 3 books were partly or completely written in the rent house from hell. I was pretty down in that awful place and now my world is much brighter! Don't know if that will make my brain cells fire better, but I hope so!

For those readers in the South Carolina area, I will be signing at Fiction Addiction in Greenville on Tuesday, January 13th at 6:30 and this includes a panel discussion with 3 other local writers. I am told there is a $10 door fee but that can be used toward store credit. I might see some of you there!!

MAKING NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS? THINK AGAIN.

by Mary Kennedy                           
                                                            
  Did you know that making New Year's resolutions can be hazardous to your health?  (Your mental health, that is.).  It can lead to doubt, guilt and discouragement. Think of all the resolutions you've made (and broken) over the years. Most resolutions bite the dust by mid-January. I have another idea that you might like to try. Instead of making "resolutions," choose six "habits" that you'd like to incorporate into your life. Six sounds like a lot but the beauty of this plan is that you don't have to tackle all six at once. They are sequential. You add one each week until you have accumulated (and hopefully mastered) all six.                                                             One of clients came up with this plan to help her control her weight and to "eat healthy" throughout the coming year. She did a lot of research and chose six "must have" habits that combined food choices with behavioral techniques to guide her on her way. Here's her plan; you might want to use it as a guide for your own journey.  Week One :  Night eating. "The kitchen is closed at seven o'clock every night. I keep myself so busy all evening, I don't even think about snacking." One of her main problems was "night eating," and she knew she had to come up with an alternative plan. So she enlisted the help of a neighbor (always good to have a buddy system) and in nice weather, they go for a walk every evening at 7:00 pm sharp. In cold weather, she walks on her treadmill and treats herself to an episode of her favorite crime show on TV.  Week Two . No snacking between meals. This is a tough habit to break. She conquered "mindless snacking," by incorporating two healthy snacks into her new eating plan. Home-made salsa on a rice cake, maybe a few nuts and a handful of grapes and she's satisfied. Just google "healthy snacks under 100 calories" and you'll get loads of ideas. In winter, a cup of hot soup is also a good choice, it's comforting and filling. Studies show that people who have a cup of soup mid-morning, eat fewer calories at lunch. And if they have the soup mid-afternoon, they eat less at dinner time. A win-win!  Week Three.   No more sugar. This was a tough week for her because she was determined to eliminate "processed" sugar from her diet. Did you know sugar seems to be in everything?  And it's highly addictive. Books have been written on "sugar cravings," and "sugar highs." She managed to conquer her sugar cravings by sugarless gum and fresh fruit. A couple of slices of fresh cantaloupe can be delectable and satisfying. Add a few strawberries and top it with a big spoonful of plain (not sugary) Greek yogurt.  The jury is still out on "diet drinks" so it's probably best not to indulge if you're trying to eat healthy. And she eliminated all "bad" carbs that go right to sugar in your body (cakes, pies, pastries, etc).                                                            HALF WAY THROUGH ! And time to evaluate. She looked back over the first three weeks and realized that she had managed to maintain all three "new habits." But the mid-point of any program is always dicey and it's easy to slip back into old ways.  Week Four  Drink 9-10 glasses of water a day. This became her mantra. She gave up all sodas, all fruit juices and all forms of alcohol. Her "new" drink is club soda with a twist of lemon or lime and she treated herself to one of those gadgets that lets you make club soda at home. She says she has no desire to go back to her diet sodas, and doesn't miss them a bit.   Week Five.  Write it down. Ah, the power of the pen. She kept a food diary as a way of "accountability" and "keeping on track." She could look over the diary at the end of every week and see if she had managed to keep up these new "habits." Happily, she had.  Week Six.  Slow down and really focus on your food. But if you do that, won't you eat more? No, you'll eat less. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to realize that you've eaten and to quell those hunger. People who eat in a hurry tend to eat more, not less, and they're careless about their food choices. So slow down and enjoy every morsel. I hope you find this idea helpful and ditch your New Year's resolutions for 2015! Good luck and Happy New Year. Mary Kennedy

All cracked up!

by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett

Ever since I can remember, I've started my day with a cup of tea. There's something comforting in pouring that first cup of the day. It makes life worthwhile, even on the darkest of days. A cup of tea makes a nice dessert into a spectacular one.  Takes a piece of chocolate to the next level.

But for a period of about three years, I couldn't drink tea at all.  I couldn't eat anything that had any kind of acid.

That was a tough three years.

And then ... one day ... poof!  My stomach troubles just ended.  Yeah, just like that. And I could drink tea again.

A few years back, Mr. L bought me a lovely shamrock teapot from the local Irish store. Poor thing had to sit there with cobwebs for those three years, but then suddenly it was back in action! I wasn't drinking tea on a daily basis, but at least a couple of times a week.

But then fall 2014 came and I started drinking tea every day again. (And loving it!)  Alas, Mr. Shamrock Teapot was getting stressed, but I didn't realize it until last week.  I went to make a pot of tea and -- hello! -- it looked like Mr. Teapot had been splattered by some really nasty grease.  As Mr. L and I don't cook with a lot of oil (and certainly don't have a deep fat fryer), it took me a few moments to figure out what was going on.

Mr. Teapot was suffering from a multitude of stress fractures. Yup, like a skater who trains too much, Mr. Teapot was going to have to retire.

OH NO!

This was kind of heartbreaking, as just the week before I'd had to retire Mr. Electric Teakettle, a dear friend I've had since I first moved out on my own (mumble, mumble) years ago.  My Dad had rescued him from the junk heap just a few days before he fell ill for the last time by replacing the cord, and that's what killed him (the kettle, not my Dad). The cord melted, and boy was I glad it was plugged into the ground fault breaker socket. Luckily, I had a spare.  (Well, actually two.)

Ahem. So, I like to be prepared for any emergency. It just so happens that I have at least four other teapots.  Of course, two of them are "good china" ones, that will probably never be used, but I also had a couple waiting in the wings that I planned to give away during Teacup Tuesday .... whenever I get around to resuming that charming ritual on my own blog.

I'm back in business and drinking my tea once more.

Do you get sentimental about cups, teapots, and small electrical appliances?
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P.S.  With Baited Breath is now available! (And coming soon to audio, too!)

Trade Paperback | Kindle US | Kindle Worldwide

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Seven tips to cope with January

Cheerfully brought to you by Mary Jane Maffini aka Victoria Abbott 



















According to my weather service, with the temp and the wind chill, it feels like minus 35 today.  The princess dachshunds hold me responsible, but I know there’s no one to blame.  I’ve decided after 33 years, to stop fighting Ottawa winters and just go with the snow.  If you live in central Canada or the mid-west of the USA, you may find these tips useful.  If you live somewhere warm, mild or even just rainy, feel free to send sympathy.  But maybe we don’t need that.  We have ways of coping and even being happy.

Here are my favorite tips for keeping the smile on my face despite what’s happening outside.
1.   Make oatmeal for breakfast.  Add maple syrup, brown sugar and cream.  There has to be an upside to these temps.  It’s probably too cold for calories to do whatever it is they do and anyway there was a frost quake in our region this week (yes, it's a real thing!)  and so we need a treat to make up for that.







2.       Curl up with some warm pets.  In time they will forgive you for the bad weather. In the meantime, they feel wonderfully cuddly. Of course, you might have to hunt for them: Lily tried hiding in a pillow case but was quickly detected.






3.       This may be the best time of year for reading:  think about it, here you are, warm and dry and reading up a storm despite the frigid exterior, slippery roads and wind. I’m almost through the twenty-nine Ngaio Marsh books that my friend Nancy gave me. It’s all research for the fourth Book Collector mystery and therefore work. The fact that I love reading them is neither here nor there.  Peachtree the Pug is impressed.








4.       Oddly enough, I am grateful: for a well-insulated house and plenty of hats, mitts and scarves at hand.

 

 Many people don’t have that. It's good time to make a contribution to one of the many organizations that help people who may be homeless, cold or hungry. Sharing our good fortune can make any day feel better.


5.       Take a tip from bright flowers. These geraniums have survived in my bedroom since they were brought in at first frost last fall. If they can do it, so can we.






6.       Step outside.  No this doesn’t mean having lunch in the screened porch, although I love that in summer.


But to get a bit of natural light can do you a world of good. I’m merely stepping out here to find where the newspaper has been ‘delivered’. 






7.       Consider firing up the grill. What? Oh maybe not today as it’s frozen shut. In that case, take comfort in the warmth of the great friendships that flourish in our reading and writing communities, not matter what the weather.







And now, over to you my friends.  Any tips of coping with January?  Wherever you are, hunkered down inside or strolling barefoot on the beach, let’s hear from you.   We recently Skyped with friends in Australia. They had tips for keeping cool in their heat wave.  All to say, we’re open to everything, here under our fuzzy blanket. 

Organized or You got to be kidding!

It’s a new year and ever January I make the same attempt to get more organized. Just one little thing I tell myself can make a huge difference.
If I put all that tax mail in one place I won’t be running around like a chicken with my head cut off on April 15th.
If I can just put all my notes in one notebook instead of post-its all over my computer and wall I won’t be crawling around on the ground for that phone number for the plumber.
If I just put all the things to mail in a basket they wouldn’t get kicked under my desk, lost behind the computer, crunched under my office chair.

I guess this makes me pretty much of a chaos person...actually a hopeless chaos person. I finally got all my fav recipes stuffed into the front of my fav cookbook. I bought one of those picture binders to put them in but buying the book was as far as I got to organizing them.
As for balancing my checkbook I gave that up years ago. I figure the bank can add and subtract...least I hope they can. When I go into the bank the tellers weep.
As I’m writing this I’m trying really hard to think of one...just one advantage of being a member of the chaos club. Maybe it lets me think out of the box...mostly because I can’t find the box.
So why am I like this? It’s got to be genetic that’s all I can figure. Some relative in my distant past had to have a head of spaghetti just like mine...probably the same person who gave me the no musical talent gene and made it impossible for me to jump and clap at the same time.
So what about you? Are you one of those neat-nicks or a member of the Where the heck did I put that club? Do you know where your keys are right now? Do you know how much is in your checking account? If you had to write something could you find a pencil or would you have to hunt one up?

If you are one of the organized people I so envy you and the big question is...how did you get that way?
Hugs from Duffy

Back On The Straight And Narrow

by Maggie Sefton



Ahhhhh, yes.  The Straight and Narrow.  We all know what I'm referring to, even if everyone has another name for it.  I'm talking about getting back on a Healthy Eating and Exercise routine.  As much as I love my favorite holidays---Thanksgiving and Christmas---they create havoc with my "regular" routines, particularly the healthy eating and working out.

Maybe you folks are made of sterner stuff, but I confess I am really susceptible to snacking on holiday candies, cookies, and other yummy treats while I'm visiting family and old friends.  This month, I started my holiday travel early, flying off on December 18th for Houston, Texas to visit daughter Serena and fiance Jeff for a few days.  While there, I helped them prepare for Serena's annual Christmas Tree Decorating party.  Of course, that  entailed making some delicious treats to serve.  The guests also brought dishes to share, so there were tempting calorie-laden goodies everywhere you, uh, I turned.

Then I flew off for Northern Virginia/DC Metro area to spend the days before Christmas at daughter Christine's home in Vienna, Va.  It was a full house, believe me.  Not only my daughter and son-in-law Tim plus three of my four grandchildren but my in-laws were also there.  :)  And, boy did we have food---especially for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner.  And that doesn't even include the holiday baking.   Plus, daughters Melissa and Maria joined us.

Of course, I have to admit I am guilty of adding to the holiday calorie count  because I had already made lots of my chocolate mint fudge and mailed it to all my family members before I mailed the boxes of gifts.  So-----everywhere I turned, there was my tempting fudge.  Daughter Maria, a former U.S. Navy officer, calls it "Weapons Grade."

If you haven't gotten back on the Straight and Narrow yet, the recipe for Maggie's Chocolate Mint Fudge is included in the 6th Kelly Flynn mystery, FLEECE NAVIDAD, also the COZY CHICKS KITCHEN.   Enjoy!  :)  

GETTING DOWN WITH DOWNTON

by Kate Collins

Are you a Downton Abbey fan? I only became one the season before last but I'm firmly hooked. I had to go on Downton Abbey binges to catch up, but I didn't mind at all. They're addictive, aren't they? But why?

My theory is that as we follow the main characters from week to week, we get to know them. We know their likes and dislikes, their habits, their peccadilos, and their strengths. They become friends. Add to that those charming British/Irish/Scotch accents, those wonderful costumes and antique autos, and that majestic house, and what's not to like?

Isn't that also how a book series works? Readers get to know the main characters, their strengths and weaknesses, their manner of speaking, their senses of humor, and soon they become like family, too.

As it turns out, it works that way for the series' creators, too. I always have my eye out for people who remind me of Abby Knight, Marco Salvare (haven't found one in normal life but I did see a Greek tour guide who was pretty close) cousin Jillian (I've seen a number of Jillians) Taras, etc. There's a waitress at a Chicago Italian restaurant called Volare who is exactly how I picture Lottie Domkowski.

I've been writing The Flower Shop Mysteries for over ten years now, so the characters are very close to my heart. And now in my new book, A ROOT AWAKENING, out February 3, you'll get to meet a new character whom I absolutely love already. I hope you'll feel the same.

In the meantime, stay healthy, be happy, and enjoy the new season of Downton Abbey with me. And I have to ask, who is your favorite character?