Kate Collins's Blog, page 327

Life Lessons, Hallmark Style

By Heather

(Warning: Long post, but I HAD to tell this story.)

You have to love when life lessons jump up and smack you in the face when you least expect it. Which is exactly what happened with me last week.

Lots of things have been weighing heavily on me for the past couple of months. I even blogged a little bit about it at The Naked Hero a couple of weeks ago (you can read it here if you want).

One of those things was a friend who's going through a really tough family situation. One I could relate to, as my family had gone through it a few years ago. I was really worried for her, and among other ways of sharing my support, I wanted to send her a card. I put it on my to-do-immediately list.

Meanwhile, I was kind of (I'm afraid to tell you just how much) whiny about all the awful stuff going on lately. Enough already, you know? When was the good stuff going to start happening (blah, blah, blah).

Also on my to-do list was a blog I had to write. I was looking high and low for pictures of me when I was little so I could use them in the post, and I was having no luck finding them (note: I still haven't found them). I was in quite the mood when I found myself sorting through my to-be-scrapbooked bin (which has about five years' worth of clippings, pictures, programs, etc. in it) still looking for those elusive pictures.

Halfway through the bin, I found an unused greeting card. I don't remember buying it—or why I would have stashed it in the scrapbooking bin when I have perfectly good card bin (I love bins!). Then I read the card and realized it would be perfect for my friend. Just the kind of card I wanted to send her. How lucky was I to happen to find it while searching for something else entirely?

The card said:

I know sometimes there are more questions than answers…times when our hearts are weary and our strength fades—but when we cannot stand, God carries us through…and I want you to know that I'm here for you too.

After I found it, I was telling Mr. Webber about how amazing it was that I found the perfect card that very day in the scrapbook bin.

Me: "It was like I was meant to find it for her."

Mr. Webber (who suddenly bore a meaningful look ala Charles Ingalls in an episode of Little House right at the moment he gives Laura the Lesson Learned): "Not her. I think the card was meant for you."

I reread the card.

Ah.

Me.

Even now I get the little lump in my throat. Yes, lesson learned.

I didn't send the card to my friend. I got her a new one, and I kept this one for myself. Its message, definitely, was for me.

The best part? Since I found that card, a lot of the weight has lifted. Good things are happening—not just for me, but for friends, too.

Gotta love those life lessons.

So, please, tell me if you've had any good news lately. I think it's contagious!

~Heather

Answer: Ellery's Mystery Cozy Contest

The line is from E.J. Copperman's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED.
Here's the full paragraph: Once again, my team of "experts" felt that I should hightail it out of the house and go hide somewhere. Tony and Jeannie offered their home, but I declined. My mother suggested Melissa and I stay with her for the duration, but I wasn't about to stop work on the house now, and staying with Mom would only make me suicidal, which would defeat the original purpose.

I thought about asking Ned, but it would have been odd to get a guy you've only been out with twice involved in such a conversation, and besides, he'd probably want to come stay in the house with us, if only to experience its historical legacy up close for a longer period of time. It's disconcerting to date a man more interested in your house's architecture than your own.
Congrats to Vickie Browning - she's the gift certificate winner!
See you next month for another mystery cozy line and thanks for playing!

Top 10 Things You Shouldn't Give Away This Halloween7.

According to my bus stop survey (four seven-year-old boys) as of yesterday, there is a clear and definite list of food and material items children do not want to receive in their Trick-or-Treat bags.
Keep in mind, this was a very narrow pool, but I had to agree with most of the things on their list.
I've listed these in order of offense, from most offensive to least, and this is what kids don't want to get on Halloween (and how you might avoid being toilet-papered or wake up to an egg in your mailbox):1. Toothbrushes (the ultimate opposite of candy)2. Raisins (they don't like these on non-holidays)3. Popcorn balls (they don't like their popcorn in this form)4. Pencils (reminds them of school)5. Apples (even before the razor blade scare, these were uncool)6. Almond Joy or Mounds (no coconut)7. Stickers (these are for girls. Little girls!)8. Pennies (you can't buy anything decent with pennies)9. Pretzels (booooring)10. Nuts (this includes circus peanuts)
And one kid added that he knew which house gave out used Happy Meals toys each year. "I'm not going to that house!" he exclaimed huffily and I swore that I'd be sure to buy Milky Ways, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, and Tootsie Roll Pops.
Do you know how hard it is to get egg out of your mailbox?
Okay, fess up. What are you giving out this year?

Fall Kitchens

I love fall for so many reasons, but especially because the cool, crisp days take me back into the kitchen. Here in Wisconsin, the farmer's markets are brimming with vivid colors, and so on Saturday I came home with an enormous bag of sweet peppers - green, red, and yellow. Yes, it was time to make stuffed peppers.

Only I wasn't in the mood to make the traditional ground beef variety, so I went online, mixed and matched recipes, and came up with this. And let me tell you, even the males in my family loved the recipe, scarfed the stuffed peppers up, and clamored for more.  This coming Saturday? Back to the outdoor market before it closes up for the season.

Stuffed Peppers

6 large peppers - cut in half, seeds removed
3-4 T. olive oil
1 large onion - chopped
3 cloves garlic - minced
Seasonings to taste:
Salt (Kosher or sea), pepper, oregano,
Garlic powder (really love the stuff), onion powder
Shrimp - 1 pound, peeled, deveined, chopped
Andouille sausage - 2 links, chopped
Rice - 1 cup, uncooked
Chicken broth - 2 1/2 cups
Tomato sauce - 8 oz can
Hot sauce to serve on the side
Blanch peppers by dipping them in boiling water for 3 minutes In large pan, saute onions in oil until softAdd garlic and seasonsAdd shrimp and sausage and cook until shrimp is pink (about 5 min.)Stir in riceAdd chicken broth and tomato sauceCook 15 minutes or until the rice is doneStuff the mixture into the peppersBake at 325 for 15 minutesEnjoy What dish in your family signals fall at its fullest?

Fall Foliage, Friends, & Family

This post will be shorter than usual because I've just returned home tonight from my trip Back East for a combination Leaf Peeping tour of New England and visits to old friends and family time in Northern Virginia.


My Colorado friend and I were fortunate to have an entire week of sunny weather and 60 degree temps for our wonderful leaf tour. We landed in Boston and set off through Portsmouth, NH, York, ME, Portland, ME, then into New Hampshire and Vermond (weaving back and forth on scenic roads, then down into the Berkshires in Massachusetts and returned to the New England Seacoast and Portsmouth, NH, and Newburyport before heading back to Boston Logan airport and out of town.
My friend stayed with family in Boston suburbs while I flew to Washington Dulles and Friday Night Lights Football with family! Then I spent the weekend with old friends I grew up with in Arlington, VA, who now live in woodsy Vienna, VA. If it weren't late and I wasn't so sleepy, I'd give more details. But. . .I did post daily accounts of the New England leaf tour on Facebook. So, you can check it out for more details.
Meanwhile, I'm back in Colorado, and even in the pitch black dark of night, I can tell our leaves have turned while I was gone. I can't wait to see how pretty they are. . .when I wake up. Right now, I'm heading to bed. Take care, everyone. I hope your Fall Foliage is equally pretty.

Is It Better to Have Loved and Lost?

by Kate Collins

As I struggle through my maze of grief, trying to make sense of the new life thrust upon me, my children are not only dealing with their own grief, but also are having serious doubts about relationships. Of the five children my husband and I have between us, three are young adults, never married, still looking for THE ONE.

Only now, maybe not so much. Both my children and step-children have witnessed marriages that didn't work, followed by a marriage that was almost too good to be true, that rare combination of two people who were perfectly suited and incredibly happy to be together. What they are seeing now is the pain of that one person left behind, and they are wondering, is it worth it?

Several months before my husband died, he said to me, "Sometimes I regret falling in love with you, because now I have so much to lose that I don't think I could bear it." I understand now what he meant. But if I had a do-over, would I not marry him? No way.

Do I tell our children that it's worth this horrible pain? I'm not really handling it all that well myself. What advice would you give them based on your experiences? Do you think it's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all?

Difficult Day, Long Night

by Leann

I usually write my Sunday blog on Saturday, but I am now writing at 5:30 in the morning on Sunday after I nearly lost my kitty Agatha Christie yesterday. She has diabetes, as most of you know, and yesterday she had a hypoglycemic seizure--a seizure from low blood sugar that left her unconscious on my bedroom floor. That scared me so much that thoughts of writing a blog left my mind. I have awoken about four times in the night to check on her and only now did I remember I owe you all a blog.

It isn't the end of the world, of course. Pets get sick quicker than we'd like and their health fails. With some intervention on my part yesterday, Agatha came back quite nicely. But if I hadn't been shopping online for something I did not need, I might not have found her in time. Funny how that happens. I have this "shoe thing" and when I am anxious, I shop for shoes. Since I cannot go out much--stores and malls exhaust me--I buy shoes online. Way too many shoes. I'd found a pair that looked tempting but I wasn't sure if I wore a 6 1/2 or 7 in that brand. So I went to the bedroom to check and see if I had a similar pair to give me a hint. That's when I found Agatha nearly lifeless on the floor.

This isn't a blog about a sick cat, it's a blog about fate, about how things happen for a reason. It's about being in the right place at the right time. I got lucky because Agatha is sleeping next to me and she will be all right for now. What about you? Has fate intervened in a difficult time in your life? Given you another chance at something important? I'd love to hear.

Goodbye Big Blue

By Lorna

Once upon a time, I decided I wanted to be a writer.  After killing my Dad's manual typewriter, we decided I should buy a typewriter of my very own.  Since I'd just got my first "real" job, I borrowed a couple of hundred dollars from my parents and bought an original IBM Selectric.  It was used and had seen some hard wear, and I was a writer who liked to work from clean copy.  Therefore, I'd type and retype all my drafts. That machine lived for a year before I traded it in for a brand new Royal electric typewriter.  Sadly, it was not built for the kind of punishment I dished out; RIP Royal typewriter -- in only 13 months.

By this time, I was writing--and constantly retyping--up a storm.  It was time to go for the big one.  A brand spanking new Selectic.  Not only that, but a Correcting Selectric II with a sound baffle.  (My brothers complained when I typed late into the night and kept them up.)  I had to take a loan out to get the Selectric and it was my pride and joy.

When I moved to California, it came with me (via air freight).  When I came home again, it rode in the back seat of my car.  I typed thousands of manuscript pages, hundreds of stencils, and probably a million letters to my friends.  I used up carbon ribbons by the boxload.

But after only a few short years, I was seduced by a new lover:  my first computer.  Talk about primitive.  It had two drives, one to hold the software and one to hold the disk with my stories.  (I used WordStar.  Oh, Wordstar ... how I miss you.)

Fast forward many years and now I have an iMac, a laptop and a PC (and use them all).  But Mr. Selectric II has sat in the closet for the past ten years gathering dust.  I couldn't even use it for envelopes any more because the power cord needing replacing.  Sometimes when you plugged it in it worked, and sometimes it didn't.

I've mentioned on my own blog how I've been trying to reclaim my messy office, and so it was with great sadness that I hauled Mr. Selectic II out to the curb on Tuesday for trash day.  Oh, how I loved that typewriter.  It was the first major purchase I ever made . . . and now it was tossed away, like an old, uselesss boot.

I'll always remember it fondly.  (But I'd much rather write my books on a computer, thank you.)

Do you remember the first BIG purchase you ever made with your own hard earned bucks?

Dru's Cozy Report: October Reading List

Welcome to Dru's Cozy Report. I will be sharing, on a monthly basis, my views on current cozy mysteries. This month I'm at the PTA quilting numbers and tattoos.

[image error]Murder at the PTA by Laura Alden is the first book in the new "PTA" mystery series. Publisher: Obsidian, October 2010

As the owner of a children's bookshop in the quaint town of Rynwood, Wisconsin, and a mother of two, Beth Kennedy has a full plate. So when her best friend, Marina, asks her to become the secretary for Tarver Elementary School's PTA, Beth can think of better ways to occupy what little free time she has. But after some arm-twisting (Marina's favorite activity), Beth agrees to come on board. The course of PTA meetings never has run smoothly, but when Tarver's unpopular principal turns up dead, Beth realizes that making bake sales wheat-free and funding class trips weren't the only things on the agenda. Then the local gossip blogs, WisconSINS, starts fanning the flames of speculation, and it seems like everyone is a suspect—especially certain members of the PTA. Beth knows she must race to find the killer before he teaches another fatal lesson.

What a great debut novel. Meet Beth Kennedy, divorced mother of two who is lovingly coerced into running for PTA secretary by her best friend Marina. Immediately upon taking over the role as secretary, the controversial principal of her children's school is found dead, murdered. Leaving the investigation up to the police seems like a good idea, until Marina is threatened. This light-hearted murder mystery will have you chuckling as straight-laced and honest Beth snoops while being prodded by Marina and when her family is threatened, Beth springs into action and a killer is caught. The witty conversations, the friendship and support and a little romance with the new guy in town made this an enjoyable and delightful read. This is a great start to a wonderful series and I can't wait to read the next one because the PTA will never be the same again.

Visit Laura Alden's website at http://www.lauraalden.com/

FTC Full Disclosure - I bought my copy of "Murder at the PTA"

[image error]The Double Cross by Clare O'Donohue is the third book in the "Someday Quilts" mystery series. Publisher: Plume, September 2010

Nell Fitzgerald is thrilled to be able to take a break from her complicated romantic life in Archers Rest as she helps the women of Someday Quilts ladies teach a quilting class at a new bed-and-breakfast in upstate New York. Her hopes for an idyllic escape disappear, however, when the inn's proprietor is found shot through the heart—and one of the members of the quilting group is named as the chief suspect. With smart, spirited Nell leading the charge to clear her friend's name, the ladies must rely on their craftiest thinking as they embark on their most personal case yet.

They say the third time is a charm and that is what The Double Cross brings to the table. Nell and friends head up to an upstate B&B for a quilter's retreat to help one of their own lead a class. When the owner is found dead, Nell is worried that her friend Bernie will be the primary suspect, so she begins an investigation and this time with the blessing of Jesse, who is becoming more than just a friend. What a great read! The mystery kept me turning the pages as I tried to guess the killer's identity along with Nell. Nell's curiosity about the inn's guest's peaked when hushed words were whispered; items disappeared and reappeared, and hidden secrets were exposed. While paying attention to the clues along with Nell, another mystery popped up that I didn't see coming. The author's tone is nicely paced where you are wrapped in the warmth of the characters and the feel of the setting. This was an enjoyable read that was pieced together nicely. I'm especially looking forward to the next book in this series.

Visit Clare O'Donohue's website at http://www.clareodonohue.com/

FTC Full Disclosure - I bought my copy of "The Double Cross"

[image error]A Deadly Row by Casey Mayes is the first in the new "Mystery By The Numbers" mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, September 2010

Savannah is happily churning out some tricky puzzles in the rural beauty of North Carolina when a call comes for her husband, Zach—a retired police chief who now does consulting work. The Charlotte police need his help, and Savannah goes along for the ride—to support her loving hubby. Mayor Grady Winslow has been receiving sinister threats from a killer. The clues show that Winslow is intended to be the next victim in a twisted game. Savannah gets bumped from supporting role to key player as this is one puzzle she might be able to solve—before the next box to be filled is the mayor's coffin.

This was a great read. We are introduced to Zach Stone, medically retired from the police and his wife Savannah who creates puzzles for newspapers. Zach, now consultant for the police, is asked to come back to Charlotte to help solve a murder, especially since the mayor may be the next victim. I liked how the plot was played out as each turn of the page revealed more clues as to the identity of the killer. I had my suspect and enjoyed watching the author put several red herrings to throw me off. It was fun meeting Savannah's uncle and figuring out the mystery of the hotel owner who was very gracious towards the Stones. A good plot and likable characters made this a fun read. I'm looking forward to solving more adventures with Zach and Savannah.

Visit Casey Mayes' website at http://www.caseymayes.com/

FTC Full Disclosure - I bought my copy of "A Deadly Row"

[image error]Driven to Ink by Karen E. Olson is the third book in the "Tattoo Shop" mystery series. Publisher: Obsidian, September 2010

Las Vegas is a rocking place where impersonators of the legendary Rat Pack—Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.—are alive and well and performing nightly at clubs all over town. Except they're not all. Alive, that is. When Brett lends her car to Sylvia Coleman and Bernie Applebaum for a drive-through wedding, she's not expecting to get it back with a dead body in the trunk—much less one who looks like Dean Martin and sports a clip cord from a tattoo machine around his neck. As for the newlyweds, they vanish before they can start their honeymoon, so Brett and Jeff, Sylvia's son, go undercover as bride and groom to sniff out the rat who seems to be targeting the impersonators. Whatever's going on, it's not amore.

Brett finds a body in the trunk of her car after she loans it to Sylvia. When Jeff is concerned about his mother's whereabouts, and despite her brother's request, Brett once again gets involved in a police investigation. The more Brett gets closer, the more the killer is determined to stop her. I like the growing friendship between Jeff and Brett and her relationship with her brother and friends as they helped with her investigation. The plot, the cast of characters and the non-stop action kept me turning the pages until the killer was revealed with some surprising twists. You don't have to know anything about tattooing to enjoy this colorful story. This was a good read that left me wanting more.

Visit Karen E. Olson's website at http://www.kareneolson.com/

FTC Full Disclosure - I bought my copy of "Driven to Ink"

For more of my book musings, visit my website at http://notesfromme.wordpress.com/

Ellery's Cozy Mystery Contest

It's that time of month again!
I'll give you one line from a contemporary cozy and you have six days to email me the title and author at elleryadams@comcast.net
Please DO NOT POST the answer. You can certainly post a comment saying that you read the book or feel pretty darned confident that your guess is accurate, but no titles or authors in the comments, okay?
The winner will receive a $10 gift certificate to Mystery Lovers Bookshop.
Here's the line: It's disconcerting to date a man more interested in your house's architecture than your own.
Ellery's hint: This book's cover is perfect for Halloween!