Kate Collins's Blog, page 203
February 19, 2014
Dreaming of flowers
By Mary Jane Maffini - who is sometimes Victoria Abbott
Well, it’s that time of year again. Winter arrived in mid-November and we won’t see spring in our area until the end of the first week in May. That’s the week when the trees begin to bud. We’re three months in with nearly three more months to go. Something must be done!
In mid-February I always turn my thoughts to sitting outside and relaxing in
the sun or the shade. I think of good food on the grill, and popsicles and straw hats and flowers. February with its snow, sleet, puddles and slippery surfaces, is the best time to sit inside and plan a garden. I can start by looking out my window and envisioning last summer's late morning glories.
For medical reasons we moved two summers ago to a ranch-style house that had been renovated and a back and front yard that had completely deteriorated. Except for some indestructible hostas scattered around the bad grass, there was nothing but badly overgrown trees choking each other. We worked very hard clearing the first year and putting in beds and plants the second summer. We've hardly made a dent. But we can dream.
Now my hubby and I know we have years of work ahead of us. I But today, I’ve been going through pix of gardens past, trying to decide what to plant and imagining what it might look like in five years. I love old-fashioned flowers and never look for the newest and most trendy. Have I mentioned I really love sales? I treasure end of season garden supply sales. I can't wait for local church plant sales and I really look forward to the blow-out sale from the local horticultural society.
My perfect garden will have lilacs and peonies, day lilies and creeping phlox, hydrangeas and tough northern roses. It may take us ten years to get there, but in the meantime, we’ll have lots of fun on a dreary February day dreaming our dreams. 
I can almost smell those lilacs.
What about you? Do you love to garden? Or to plan gardens? Maybe you’re lucky enough to live somewhere that isn’t completely white in February. Let’s hear about it!
February 18, 2014
The Winter of My Discontent
by Deb Baker/Hannah Reed
Cooped up all winter means weight gain, and I'm not immune. Sigh. Don't you wish there was a shot
to prevent that right along with the flu?
So a few weeks ago, I joined Weight Watchers, which once again is rated number one as the best program. I'm doing the online version. I weigh myself every Monday, record my food and exercise and try to stay within my allotted points. So far, it's working - lost a few pounds. And I love all the recipes the site provides. And the bonus points. Haven't tried PointsPlus yet though.
Have you tried a plan that works? Mainly, it's quit putting food in our mouths, right?
Cooped up all winter means weight gain, and I'm not immune. Sigh. Don't you wish there was a shot
to prevent that right along with the flu?
So a few weeks ago, I joined Weight Watchers, which once again is rated number one as the best program. I'm doing the online version. I weigh myself every Monday, record my food and exercise and try to stay within my allotted points. So far, it's working - lost a few pounds. And I love all the recipes the site provides. And the bonus points. Haven't tried PointsPlus yet though.
Have you tried a plan that works? Mainly, it's quit putting food in our mouths, right?
February 17, 2014
Do You Supplement?
by Maggie SeftonInstead of bottles of pills, I thought I'd post more photos of the lovely places we saw in Ajijic, Mexico.
Since Kate already started this subject, I thought I'd add to it. Like a lot of people,
I include several vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional supplements in my daily routine. Just like brushing teeth------taking vitamins and minerals are part of my daily routine. And, I also try to eat a well-balance diet.
A lot of us are taking supplements as a daily routine, usually because our doctors recommended them. In addition to a good all-around vitamin/mineral daily vitamin combination, I also take extra Calcium (recommended to keep bone density strong), Vitamin D3 (most Americans are seriously deficient),
Glucosamine/Chondrontin combo, Vitamin B1, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Red Yeast Rice, CoQ10, and daily Probiotics. I also add extra fiber to my morning blueberry, rice protein smoothie, as well as flax seeds.
Gone are the days---if they were ever really here---where Americans could get all the
nnutrients they needed from their daily food intake. Now. . .supplements have become even more important. Have you started to use vitamins, minerals, and other supplements? If so, which ones are you using?February 16, 2014
Enough Is Enough! Kate Fights Back
by Kate Collins
Writing about a strong-willed, courageous female sleuth has had a major impact on me. Abby Knight stands up against injustice in many forms, so the other day, I was so put out that I channeled her courage to stand up against an injustice. It happened at my eye doctor's office.
Correction. My former eye doctor's office.
Backtrack to October, 2013, when I had my first ever appointment at what I shall refer to as The Big Eye Clinic. You know the kind --branches in other cities, doctors who travel between them, lots of staff, expensive equipment, and oodles of designer eyewear. I showed up ten minutes before the appointed time of 1 p.m. to fill out forms. Then I took a seat in the waiting area and read -- for half an hour. When I tired of reading, I played games on my phone for another half hour. Finally, I was called into a room where a technician did a preliminary eye exam.
From there I went into an inner waiting room and read -- for a half hour. I was called into one of their many exam rooms to wait another fifteen minutes. I was about to complain when the doctor finally materialized, did a routine exam, then told me he wanted pics of the insides of my eyes. Fine. Except that I was returned to the inner room to wait another half hour.
This happened to me twice more before I was through, and when I left there, I'd put in almost three-and-a-half hours, spent who knows how much money on all the tests they did, and with a total doctor-patient time of maybe fifteen minutes. Oh, and my prescription hadn't changed.
Fast forward to last week, when I went to Target to order more contacts. Oops! Sorry, the optician said. You need a contact lens prescription. All you have is an eye glass prescription. She called The Big Eye Clinic and was told that I had to come back for that. Yes! Three-and-a-half hours apparently wasn't enough time to squeeze that part into the exam.
So I had to make another appointment. Half an hour before that time, I called to ask if the doctor was running on time, as I did not want a repeat of the first time. Oh, yes, I was told. On time.
Not. I waited thirty-five minutes, went through the prelim again, the inner waiting room, and finally got to see the same doctor. When he asked how I was -- I called forth my inner Abby.
"Peeved," I said. "When you go to your dentist, tax accountant, lawyer or any sort of business for an appointment, do you expect to spend four out of your eight hour day there -- waiting?"
"We're transferring over computer files to a new system," he said with a bored shrug.
Oh, no. Not getting off that easily. I reminded him that my wait had nothing to do with computers. It was about inefficiency. His 10:30 appointment took one hour. So why was my appointment at 10:45? If it takes him an hour to see a patient, why do his people schedule them so close?
He had no answers, just a guilty look. He did admit that I had made a fair case. But will that change the way they do business? I hope so. That was why I spoke up --not for me, because I'm not going back -- but for the people who will keep putting up with those long waits because they don't want to go through the hassle of starting over somewhere else.
But shouldn't they? Shouldn't we all take a stand against injustice? Shouldn't those Big Eye Clinics lose patients for that kind of rudeness? Because it is unjust to make people wait an inordinate amount of time, as if their time was completely unimportant.
I feel good about speaking up. If I had said nothing, it would have bugged me for days.
What will you do in that kind of situation if it ever happens to you?
Writing about a strong-willed, courageous female sleuth has had a major impact on me. Abby Knight stands up against injustice in many forms, so the other day, I was so put out that I channeled her courage to stand up against an injustice. It happened at my eye doctor's office.
Correction. My former eye doctor's office.
Backtrack to October, 2013, when I had my first ever appointment at what I shall refer to as The Big Eye Clinic. You know the kind --branches in other cities, doctors who travel between them, lots of staff, expensive equipment, and oodles of designer eyewear. I showed up ten minutes before the appointed time of 1 p.m. to fill out forms. Then I took a seat in the waiting area and read -- for half an hour. When I tired of reading, I played games on my phone for another half hour. Finally, I was called into a room where a technician did a preliminary eye exam.
From there I went into an inner waiting room and read -- for a half hour. I was called into one of their many exam rooms to wait another fifteen minutes. I was about to complain when the doctor finally materialized, did a routine exam, then told me he wanted pics of the insides of my eyes. Fine. Except that I was returned to the inner room to wait another half hour.
This happened to me twice more before I was through, and when I left there, I'd put in almost three-and-a-half hours, spent who knows how much money on all the tests they did, and with a total doctor-patient time of maybe fifteen minutes. Oh, and my prescription hadn't changed.
Fast forward to last week, when I went to Target to order more contacts. Oops! Sorry, the optician said. You need a contact lens prescription. All you have is an eye glass prescription. She called The Big Eye Clinic and was told that I had to come back for that. Yes! Three-and-a-half hours apparently wasn't enough time to squeeze that part into the exam.
So I had to make another appointment. Half an hour before that time, I called to ask if the doctor was running on time, as I did not want a repeat of the first time. Oh, yes, I was told. On time.
Not. I waited thirty-five minutes, went through the prelim again, the inner waiting room, and finally got to see the same doctor. When he asked how I was -- I called forth my inner Abby.
"Peeved," I said. "When you go to your dentist, tax accountant, lawyer or any sort of business for an appointment, do you expect to spend four out of your eight hour day there -- waiting?"
"We're transferring over computer files to a new system," he said with a bored shrug.
Oh, no. Not getting off that easily. I reminded him that my wait had nothing to do with computers. It was about inefficiency. His 10:30 appointment took one hour. So why was my appointment at 10:45? If it takes him an hour to see a patient, why do his people schedule them so close?
He had no answers, just a guilty look. He did admit that I had made a fair case. But will that change the way they do business? I hope so. That was why I spoke up --not for me, because I'm not going back -- but for the people who will keep putting up with those long waits because they don't want to go through the hassle of starting over somewhere else.
But shouldn't they? Shouldn't we all take a stand against injustice? Shouldn't those Big Eye Clinics lose patients for that kind of rudeness? Because it is unjust to make people wait an inordinate amount of time, as if their time was completely unimportant.
I feel good about speaking up. If I had said nothing, it would have bugged me for days.
What will you do in that kind of situation if it ever happens to you?
February 15, 2014
You're Kidding, Right?
by Leann
I grew up in the Niagara Falls area and dealt with plenty of snow and ice. That section of New York near Canada (we actually lived one street over from the Niagara River escarpment) is consistently in the top 5 of the most
annual snowfall year after year. We didn't know any other way of life. My mother used to kick us outside to play (because she was most certainly tired of having us underfoot) and we'd ice skate, sled, make igloos and then, when we were thoroughly frozen, the neighborhood kids would gather to play cards and board games.
Then I moved to south Texas. The exact opposite climate. The time we stayed indoors was summer with 95 degree temps coupled with 95% humidity. But we weren't housebound. If I got out early to do errands in the summer, 85 was tolerable. One thing that scared me to death about
the area was the hurricanes. I went through one with my two little kids alone because my husband was away on business. We were all terrified and extremely lucky because the tornadoes tore sides off houses on the next street over. Then there was a tropical storm that produced massive flooding and trapped us in our home for four days with soggy carpet that quickly grew smelly. That was the last straw. If the weatherperson said we "might" get tropical weather, I left town, animals in tow, my car packed with whatever I could grab--stuff that I thought I could never part with.
South Carolina, where we live now, seemed like such a tame option to the extreme weather conditions we had lived in. Until the ice storm that had us housebound this past week. Did I know this could happen? No. Naive me had no idea. I guess it happens about every 7-8 years here. Just like hurricanes. Sigh.
But last night put the icing on the ice.Yes, I have experienced a plethora of natural disasters--floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, ice storms, 6 foot snow drifts and now ... wait for it ... an earthquake that had me sitting up in bed thinking "What was that?" Thank goodness it was small, a rumble and a rattle, that's all. But then I just had to read about earthquakes in South Carolina. The state sits on a fault line and experiences 13-15 quakes a year--most of them small. Thank you Mother Nature. You've made my life complete.
I grew up in the Niagara Falls area and dealt with plenty of snow and ice. That section of New York near Canada (we actually lived one street over from the Niagara River escarpment) is consistently in the top 5 of the most
annual snowfall year after year. We didn't know any other way of life. My mother used to kick us outside to play (because she was most certainly tired of having us underfoot) and we'd ice skate, sled, make igloos and then, when we were thoroughly frozen, the neighborhood kids would gather to play cards and board games.Then I moved to south Texas. The exact opposite climate. The time we stayed indoors was summer with 95 degree temps coupled with 95% humidity. But we weren't housebound. If I got out early to do errands in the summer, 85 was tolerable. One thing that scared me to death about
the area was the hurricanes. I went through one with my two little kids alone because my husband was away on business. We were all terrified and extremely lucky because the tornadoes tore sides off houses on the next street over. Then there was a tropical storm that produced massive flooding and trapped us in our home for four days with soggy carpet that quickly grew smelly. That was the last straw. If the weatherperson said we "might" get tropical weather, I left town, animals in tow, my car packed with whatever I could grab--stuff that I thought I could never part with.
South Carolina, where we live now, seemed like such a tame option to the extreme weather conditions we had lived in. Until the ice storm that had us housebound this past week. Did I know this could happen? No. Naive me had no idea. I guess it happens about every 7-8 years here. Just like hurricanes. Sigh.But last night put the icing on the ice.Yes, I have experienced a plethora of natural disasters--floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, ice storms, 6 foot snow drifts and now ... wait for it ... an earthquake that had me sitting up in bed thinking "What was that?" Thank goodness it was small, a rumble and a rattle, that's all. But then I just had to read about earthquakes in South Carolina. The state sits on a fault line and experiences 13-15 quakes a year--most of them small. Thank you Mother Nature. You've made my life complete.
The February 2014 Report
* * * * * * * * * *Welcome to Dru's Cozy Report: February 2014. This month I have one new series for your reading pleasure, and highlights from recent releases. Enjoy!
A Tough Nut To Kill by Elizabeth Lee is the first book in the new "Nut House" mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, February 2014
In small town Texas, Lindy is working on a project to help the family pecan business when the black sheep of the family arrives with a message for her mama. When he is found dead on the family farm and Lindy's trees are destroyed, the police arrests her brother who shouted to the world that his uncle had killed his father. When the cops appear to not be looking for the right killer, Lindy and her spunky grandma form an investigative team with help from an unlikely source, to unroot a killer before they strike again.Riverville, Texas, is pecan country, and the Blanchard family farm is famous for its acres of tall pecan trees and the delicious pies and cookies sold at the Nut House, the aptly named family store. Miss Amelia, Lindy’s feisty grandmother, makes the best pecan pies for several counties and the farm is attracting visitors from far and wide to sample the wares.
Until the day Lindy walks into the greenhouse to find her uncle Amos murdered and her new stock of trees destroyed, with the best of the bunch stolen. Who is out to ruin the Blanchard family? And who wanted Uncle Amos dead? With the sheriff stumped, it’s up to Lindy and Miss Amelia to save the ranch and tree a killer.
I enjoyed this new debut that started off a bit slow but as the story moved forward, it was full speed ahead as I got caught up in the family back story and I wanted to know who was behind the murder. There were plenty of suspects to keep me busy eliminating clues as it all came down to one hint and I enjoyed watching all the pieces come together for Lindy and her family. The townsfolk are a fun bunch that includes the senior twin sisters who bickers with the best of them, but are fun nonetheless and Ethelred who has her own agenda; and Miss Amelia and her "special pie." This was a good read and I look forward to the next chapter in small town Riverville.
FTC Disclosure - The publisher sent me a copy of this book, in the hopes I would review it. Other books released this month:
Days of Wine and Roquefort
by Avery Aames Series: Cheese Shop #5
Cheese Shop owner Charlotte Bessette's life seems quieter than ever with her fiancé out of town and her cousin Matthew and his children out of the house. But before she can put up her feet and enjoy a glass of chardonnay, Matthew asks her to play host to Noelle Adams, a bright sommelier visiting to help grow business for the local winery.
An affable wine aficionado, Noelle is paired well with the cheese expert Charlotte--but something seems to be troubling the secretive houseguest, and Charlotte's life is upended when she finds the sparkling woman dead. Between Noelle's hotheaded ex, the cagey owners of the winery, its jaded manager, and a wily reporter, Charlotte has her pick of suspects, but she needs to act fast--this is a mystery that only gets more dangerous with age.
Poison at the PTA
by Laura Alden Series: PTA #5
Beth has been running nonstop to be the best PTA president, bookstore owner, and single parent ever, which is why her friend Marina is staging an intervention. Beth needs to take a break—and that means letting someone else organize the PTA’s upcoming eightieth-anniversary event.
But when Cookie Van Doorne, one of the event speakers, dies of suspicious causes, Beth decides to make an intervention of her own to find out what happened. When she discovers that Cookie was poisoned, the next order of business is catching a killer whose break is almost over.
Books, Cooks and Crooks
by Lucy Arlington Series: Novel Ideas #3
Inspiration Valley, North Carolina, is bubbling with excitement for the Taste of the Town festival, and Lila is right in the middle of it all. Along with her coworkers at the Novel Idea Literary Agency, Lila is organizing a grand celebrity chef event, featuring food television's biggest stars, complete with cooking demonstrations, cookbook giveaways, and even a culinary writing contest.
But just as the celebration is about to start, the demo kitchen blows up, taking one of the star cooks with it. With all the explosive egos of the cook’s colleagues, it’s hard to find someone who didn’t have a motive to eliminate the competition. Now Lila will have to scramble to figure out which of her clients is a killer—before someone else gets burned.
Death of an Irish Diva
by Mollie Cox Bryan Series: Cumberland Creek #3
Vera's dance studio may have suffered when Emily waltzed into town, but the croppers know she's not a vengeful murderer. Lucky for her, co-scrapbooker Annie is a freelance reporter eager to vindicate her friend.
What she discovers is a puzzling labyrinth of secrets that only add question marks to Emily's murder. Just when it seems they've run out of clues, an antique scrapbook turns up and points the croppers in the right direction - and brings them face to face with a killer more twisted than a Celtic knot.
Murder with Ganache
by Lucy Burdette Series: Key West Food Critic #5
For better or worse, Hayley has agreed to bake over 200 cupcakes for her friend Connie’s wedding while still meeting her writing deadlines. The last thing she needs is family drama. But her parents come barreling down on the island like a category 3 hurricane and on their first night in town her stepbrother, Roby, disappears into the spring break party scene in Key West.
When Hayley hears that two teenagers have stolen a jet ski, she sets aside her oven mitts and goes in search of Rory. She finds him, barely conscious, but his female companion isn’t so lucky. Now Hayley has to let the cupcakes cool and assemble the sprinkles of clues to clear her stepbrother’s name—before someone else gets iced.
Throw in the Trowel
by Kate Collins Series: Flower Shop #15
Flower Shop owner Abby Knight has just returned from a romantic honeymoon with the man of her dreams. There’s no reason for the bloom to be off the rose just because she and Marco are returning to normal life. But when Marco discovers a skeleton buried in the basement of his bar, it is a bit of a mood killer.
When the body is identified as a carpenter who went missing back in the 1970s, Abby and Marco decide to cultivate the clues to solve the cold case. What could be more romantic? But the deeper they dig, the more desperate the murderer grows. And if Marco and Abby don’t unearth the killer’s identity, they may not live to see their first anniversary.
Scandal in Skibbereen
by Sheila Connolly Series: County Cork #2
Bostonian Maura is beginning to feel settled in her new Irish home, just in time for summer tourist season to bring fresh business to her pub. But the first traveler to arrive is thirsty for more than just a pint of Guinness. Althea Melville is hot on the trail of a long-lost Van Dyck painting.
Maura agrees to help Althea meet with the residents at the local manor house, the most likely location of the missing art. But when the manor’s gardener is found murdered, Maura wonders what Althea’s real motives are. Now, to solve the secret of the lost portrait and catch a killer, Maura will have to practice her Irish gift of gab and hunt down some local history—before someone else is out of the picture.
Blackberry Pie Murder
by Joanne Fluke Series: Hannah Swensen #17
It's been a sleepy summer for the folks of Lake Eden, Minnesota. In fact, it's been a whole four months since anyone in the Swensen family has come across a dead body—a detail that just made the front page of the local paper. And that means Hannah Swensen can finally focus on her bakery. . .or can she?
Life is never really quiet for Hannah. After all, her mother's wedding is a little over a month away and guess who Delores put in charge of the planning? Yet just when Hannah believes her biggest challenge will be whether to use buttercream or fondant for the wedding cake, she accidentally hits a stranger with her cookie truck while driving down a winding country road in a raging thunderstorm. Hannah is wracked with guilt, and things get even worse when she's arrested. . .for murder! But an autopsy soon reveals the mystery man, his shirt covered in stains from blackberry pie, would have died even if Hannah hadn't hit him. Now, to clear her name, Hannah will have to follow a trail of pie crumbs to track down the identity of the deceased, find a baker who knows more about murder than how to roll out a perfect pie crust—and get herself to the church on time.
Town in a Strawberry Swirl
by B.B. Haywood Series: Candy Holliday #5
Summer has arrived! But as the community gears up for another festive strawberry-picking season, the villagers are shocked when local berry farmer Miles Crawford is found dead in a hoophouse near his strawberry fields. Rumors have been swirling around about a secret real estate deal between Miles and Lydia St. Graves. And now Lydia is missing after she was seen fleeing the scene of the crime.
When Henry “Doc” Holliday becomes involved in the mystery, his daughter Candy finds herself caught in the jam as well. But things turn very sticky when Lydia suddenly reappears and asks for Candy’s help in finding the true murderer.
A Tale of Two Biddies
by Kylie Logan Series: League of Literary Ladies #2
Summer can be the best of times or the worst of times for the resort town of Put-in-Bay on Lake Erie. For Bea Cartwright, business is booming as guests storm her B and B for the Bastille Day celebration. In honor of the holiday, the League of Literary Ladies is reading the Charles Dickens’ classic, A Tale of Two Cities. It would be hard to make a more apropos selection—especially when they have their very own Defarge sisters, elderly twins Margaret and Alice, who run the local knitting shop.
On Bastille Day, the head-banging rock band Guillotine shows their chops for the tourists—but the celebration is soon cut short. With something needling the Defarge dowagers and secrets that lead to murder, solving this mystery will be a far, far better thing than the Literary Ladies have done before. They’ll just have to make sure to keep their heads while they try to stop a killer’s reign of terror.
A Fatal Slip
by Meg London Series: Sweet Nothings #3
For Valentine’s Day, Emma Taylor and her aunt Arabella have organized a special evening for men only to shop for their sweethearts in the Sweet Nothings lingerie shop, complete with champagne and hors d’oeuvres. But when a former valentine shows up, Aunt Arabella is not her usual bubbly self.
Art dealer Hugh Granger is still a charmer, though. He invites the women to a ball he’s having to celebrate his birthday and his return to Paris, Tennessee. But when Granger is pushed from the balcony, it paints a sinister picture for Aunt Arabella, who gets framed…for her old flame’s murder.
Green Living Can Be Deadly
by Staci McLaughlin Series: Blossom Valley #3
When Dana Lewis organizes her Green Living Festival, complete with free range fauna and tempting delicacies of tofu and tempeh, she hopes to inspire Blossom Valley into reducing their carbon footprint.
But for some participants, saving the planet should have come second to saving their skin, like green energy guru Wendy Stevens, just found dead in her invisible Prints booth. Now Dana needs to work fast to stop a killer from turning her big event into the next great environmental disaster.
Beewitched
by Hannah Reed Series: Queen Bee #5
Beekeeper Story Fischer has stocked the shelves of her market, The Wild Clover, in preparation for the influx of produce-crazy tourists about to invade Moraine, Wisconsin. In fact, with the apple cider and caramel apple stand on Main Street and the corn maze out at Country Delight Farm, the whole town is ready for the swarm.
But when a self-proclaimed witch moves into town, the neighbors are all abuzz with questions. Is the quirky newcomer a good witch or a bad one? Story thinks Dyanna Crane is perfectly nice, albeit a little eccentric. But after an entire coven shows up for a new moon ritual—and one of the witches ends up dead in the corn maze—Story must comb through both fact and fiction, before anyone else is murdered under the cover of magic.
February 13, 2014
Life Transitions
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
Pete Townsend (of The Who) wrote: "I hope I die before I get old."
Never has a phrase been as poignant than that for Mr. L and his sister and me.
You see, Mr. L's mother is 99.5 years old. In the past year or so, she's had several bouts of congestive heart failure, and this week we were told that her arteries and a heart valve are so clogged that she needs more care than the wonderful assisted living facility where she has been for the past 2.5+ years can give.
So, Mother must go to a nursing home.
: (
The thing is, Mother (as Mr. L and his sister call her (to me, my Mom is Mum)), is pretty darn sharp. It's not her mind but her body that has finally betrayed her. And as of this writing, she has no clue what awaits her in the next day or so. She cried and wailed when we moved her from her home of more than 50 years into an apartment (because the neighborhood had deteriorated so much) when she was 89. And she cried and begged and pleaded "DON'T MAKE ME MOVE" when we brought her here to Rochester almost 3 years ago when it was apparent she could no longer live on her own, to an assisted living facility no more than 7 minutes from our house (less if you make a couple of green lights). But then she quickly came to appreciate that her baby boy came to visit almost every day, and she enjoyed the things the home offered: BINGO, church services, ice cream socials, and more.
But now we are at a different place. She needs more care than the assisted living facility can give.
As of this writing, we don't know where she will end up. It's all about space available.
Sadly, I've been there, done that--bought the T-shirt--when it came to the end-of-life decisions I and my mother had to make for my Dad. Everything we're going through has churned up all those feelings which I thought were long past. They're not. They're just as fresh today as they were in the fall of 2009.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't simply get over the loss of a loved one in a matter of days, weeks, or months. Grief, as our own Kate Collins has spoken of many times, takes a long and terrible toll on your soul.
The truth is, my mother-in-law and I were never close; but Mr. L and his sister love her with all their hearts. How could they not? She is their MOTHER! We have strived to make sure that my mother-in-law has been in a safe place where people can take good care of her. Nobody deserves less.
I am so sad for this woman who loves to read. She lost her sight last summer, but thanks to cataract surgery got it back this fall. And what is she currently reading? The large print edition of my latest Booktown Mystery, thanks to the author copy I recently received.
The thing is, nobody escapes this life alive. There are only two eventualities: death and taxes, and sadly, death is all my mother-in-law has to look forward to.
Like George Bailey, she's had a wonderful life, but it's breaking our hearts to know that her life will soon end and the sadness we feel is overwhelming, for never can one recover from the loss of a parent, sibling, or child.
I'm not asking for prayers or good wishes or anything else. I just needed to vent. I know almost all of you have gone through this same kind of soul-searching grief. We are one in our sadness.
Valentine's Day is supposed to be a happy event, and I'm sorry but I just can't muster it today. But I do thank you for listening, and I invite you to share your own stories of grief in honor of a loved one. If nothing else, we can commiserate.
Pete Townsend (of The Who) wrote: "I hope I die before I get old."Never has a phrase been as poignant than that for Mr. L and his sister and me.
You see, Mr. L's mother is 99.5 years old. In the past year or so, she's had several bouts of congestive heart failure, and this week we were told that her arteries and a heart valve are so clogged that she needs more care than the wonderful assisted living facility where she has been for the past 2.5+ years can give.
So, Mother must go to a nursing home.
: (
The thing is, Mother (as Mr. L and his sister call her (to me, my Mom is Mum)), is pretty darn sharp. It's not her mind but her body that has finally betrayed her. And as of this writing, she has no clue what awaits her in the next day or so. She cried and wailed when we moved her from her home of more than 50 years into an apartment (because the neighborhood had deteriorated so much) when she was 89. And she cried and begged and pleaded "DON'T MAKE ME MOVE" when we brought her here to Rochester almost 3 years ago when it was apparent she could no longer live on her own, to an assisted living facility no more than 7 minutes from our house (less if you make a couple of green lights). But then she quickly came to appreciate that her baby boy came to visit almost every day, and she enjoyed the things the home offered: BINGO, church services, ice cream socials, and more.But now we are at a different place. She needs more care than the assisted living facility can give.
As of this writing, we don't know where she will end up. It's all about space available.
Sadly, I've been there, done that--bought the T-shirt--when it came to the end-of-life decisions I and my mother had to make for my Dad. Everything we're going through has churned up all those feelings which I thought were long past. They're not. They're just as fresh today as they were in the fall of 2009.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't simply get over the loss of a loved one in a matter of days, weeks, or months. Grief, as our own Kate Collins has spoken of many times, takes a long and terrible toll on your soul.The truth is, my mother-in-law and I were never close; but Mr. L and his sister love her with all their hearts. How could they not? She is their MOTHER! We have strived to make sure that my mother-in-law has been in a safe place where people can take good care of her. Nobody deserves less.
I am so sad for this woman who loves to read. She lost her sight last summer, but thanks to cataract surgery got it back this fall. And what is she currently reading? The large print edition of my latest Booktown Mystery, thanks to the author copy I recently received.The thing is, nobody escapes this life alive. There are only two eventualities: death and taxes, and sadly, death is all my mother-in-law has to look forward to.
Like George Bailey, she's had a wonderful life, but it's breaking our hearts to know that her life will soon end and the sadness we feel is overwhelming, for never can one recover from the loss of a parent, sibling, or child.
I'm not asking for prayers or good wishes or anything else. I just needed to vent. I know almost all of you have gone through this same kind of soul-searching grief. We are one in our sadness.Valentine's Day is supposed to be a happy event, and I'm sorry but I just can't muster it today. But I do thank you for listening, and I invite you to share your own stories of grief in honor of a loved one. If nothing else, we can commiserate.
February 12, 2014
Squirrel TV – where the fun never ends. No subscription fee!
by Mary Jane Maffini aka Victoria Abbott
Lily - glued to Squirrel TV 
I rarely watch television in the day, unless I’m really sick. It’s too much of a distraction, but at any rate, it’s no match for the entertainment in the back yard (especially if I'm fighting a deadline) Yes, I’m talking about squirrels. As my dogs will tell you, we have more than enough: splendid black, glamorous gray and mean little red ones.
I will deny this if the dogs are around, but the squirrels are quite entertaining. This means that I finally got over the incident of the bushy tailed rodent that ate the blooms off every single geranium in my planters and tossed them onto the deck floor. Squirrels don’t eat geraniums, but they understand their dramatic payoff. That’s the thing with squirrels, they seems to be actors and acrobats and so much more. They may be the next big thing after Netflix.
Here’s the kind of programming we get on Squirrel TV (SQTV) and how it matches up with what else is on.
Teasing small earthbound dogs (Long running sitcom) We will find a way to get all that birdseed (Action adventure) I’m going to chase that gal up a forty foot tree and live happily ever after (Romance) Tree-to-tree mogul jumps (Winter Olympics) Streaking along electrical wires (The Amazing Race) Hanging from guttering by a toenail to get at the sunflower seeds (Summer Olympics) Rebuilding damaged nest at minus thirty degrees (Love It or List It)
Busy black squirrel rebuilding damaged nest in minus 30 weatherThese are some of the recurring characters: 2 big puffy grey squirrels, very glam (Lola and Mamie) 2 small mean red squirrels (Bitey and Scratchy) 99 very industrious black squirrels (too busy to give their names) Daisy and Lily – a pair of frustrated dachshunds trapped in a house by unfeeling owners Flocks of birds Put them all together and they spell hours of entertainment, free of charge, if you don’t count geraniums and bird seed.
Oh and, they're watching you too.
NOTE TO REEDERS: WE HOPE YOU DIDN’T BELEVE A WORD OF THIS.SINGED.
YOUR FRENDS, DAISY AND LILY THE DACHSHUNDS
Hey, you two! Get off my keyboard! How many times do I have to tell you … Oh never mind.
So, my friends, how about you? Pro or anti-squirrel? Do you watch Squirrel TV? Do you do portraits of squirrels like Victoria has been known to?
February 11, 2014
Daydream Believer
by Deb Baker/Hannah Reed
“Where do you get your ideas?”
That’s the question authors are asked most often. And it’s the hardest to answer. Usually, we don’t have a clue. Ideas just arrive, unannounced and unexpected.
But I’m convinced that daydreamers have an edge up. We were the kids gazing out the window while school was in session, lost someplace inside our heads, having conversations with imaginary characters. Our grades weren’t all that good.
Living in “the now” is pretty much impossible for daydreamers. We hang out in alternate worlds, made up of characters we imagine into being. The same sort of world many of our readers love to escape to, only we get to make them up.
Lately, I’ve been exploring the concept of a brainstorming team. It would be great fun to gather with other mystery authors and throw around ideas, kill off a few bad guys in creative way, work through a few tough scenes together. Although it’s difficult here in Wisconsin where there aren’t so many of us.
Those plans are in the early stages. I'm working on a glimmer of an outline. For now, I have my daydreams, and oh the places they take me.
Oh, I could hide 'neath the wings
Of the bluebird as she sings.
The six o'clock alarm would never ring. ~ The Monkeys
“Where do you get your ideas?”That’s the question authors are asked most often. And it’s the hardest to answer. Usually, we don’t have a clue. Ideas just arrive, unannounced and unexpected.
But I’m convinced that daydreamers have an edge up. We were the kids gazing out the window while school was in session, lost someplace inside our heads, having conversations with imaginary characters. Our grades weren’t all that good.
Living in “the now” is pretty much impossible for daydreamers. We hang out in alternate worlds, made up of characters we imagine into being. The same sort of world many of our readers love to escape to, only we get to make them up.
Lately, I’ve been exploring the concept of a brainstorming team. It would be great fun to gather with other mystery authors and throw around ideas, kill off a few bad guys in creative way, work through a few tough scenes together. Although it’s difficult here in Wisconsin where there aren’t so many of us.
Those plans are in the early stages. I'm working on a glimmer of an outline. For now, I have my daydreams, and oh the places they take me.
Oh, I could hide 'neath the wings
Of the bluebird as she sings.
The six o'clock alarm would never ring. ~ The Monkeys
February 10, 2014
Springtime in February
by Maggie Sefton
It's hard not to love Mexico. The people are joyous and friendly, the climate in many
places like Ajijic is the same as Springtime in Colorado----warm and sunny. Temps are in the high 70s & low 80s. Sunny every day because the rainy season comes later in the year. Ajijic is a little over a mile high, like Fort Collins, Colorado. The two-story house where Deb and I are staying is very pretty with screened porches off all the bedrooms plus a lovely inner courtyard in the front and two rooftop terraces which are perfect for writing. I promised photos so here they are. Above is a photo of Lake Chapala which is a block away. There's a lovely pathway that runs all alongside the lake, filled with people walking, jogging, and taking their dogs out. Lots of dogs and kitties everywhere. All that I see are well-fed and relaxed. :) Mexico does that to you. Good food everywhere and relaxing surroundings. And----believe it or not, Deb and I are writing every day. :)
This is bougainvillea along the street we walk everyday.
Here and below are some of the patios and screened porches.
You can understand why we're outside most of the days.
Writing retreat----- Believe me, it's easy to write in a setting like this.
It's hard not to love Mexico. The people are joyous and friendly, the climate in many
places like Ajijic is the same as Springtime in Colorado----warm and sunny. Temps are in the high 70s & low 80s. Sunny every day because the rainy season comes later in the year. Ajijic is a little over a mile high, like Fort Collins, Colorado. The two-story house where Deb and I are staying is very pretty with screened porches off all the bedrooms plus a lovely inner courtyard in the front and two rooftop terraces which are perfect for writing. I promised photos so here they are. Above is a photo of Lake Chapala which is a block away. There's a lovely pathway that runs all alongside the lake, filled with people walking, jogging, and taking their dogs out. Lots of dogs and kitties everywhere. All that I see are well-fed and relaxed. :) Mexico does that to you. Good food everywhere and relaxing surroundings. And----believe it or not, Deb and I are writing every day. :)
This is bougainvillea along the street we walk everyday.
Here and below are some of the patios and screened porches.
You can understand why we're outside most of the days.
Writing retreat----- Believe me, it's easy to write in a setting like this.
