Saturday, February 19, 2022
Oddest Post Ever . . .
Hello. Hope your having a great day.
Today I am sharing and odd post.
I am sitting in Kroger parking lot with the dogs.
They are loving it!
One of the Mardi Gra parades here in Galveston just ended.
The Cowboy is inside doing our shopping for the week!
Odd. Yes.
I was too tired and didn't want to fight the crowds. We still have lots to move yet. But taking today (most of it) off.
We planned our Menu before shopping.
So here is what is planned . . .
Saturday Seafood Boil with Potatoes, Corn on the Cob and Garlic Bread. ( we went to Seafood Market before Kroger)
Sunday Pork Chops, Stuffing and whatever fresh veggies the Cowboy finds
Monday Chicken Alfredo, Salad and Garlic Bread
Tuesday dawng. We planned Beef Enchiladas I forgot to put the Sauce on the list! Hmm.
Wednesday Pot Roast Potatoes, Carrots and Veggie Surprise
Thursday Oven Roasted Chicken, Leftover Stuffing and Veggie Surprise
Friday C.O.R.N Clean Out Refrigerator Night
Do you plan a menu?
Menu planning sure helps me with our grocery shopping. Eating leftovers so we don't waste food.
I am also planning to use my new clean and roomy kitchen.
I have a great space for making cookies and pies.
We are planning
Peanut Butter Cookies
Pecan Pie
Chocolate Bundt Cake
I think I enjoy writing my post while the Cowboy shops.
This is multitasking personified!
Entertaining dogs, grocery shopping, writing a post!
Enjoy your day!
See you soon!
Friday, February 18, 2022
Foodie Friday-Moving Week
So tonight we are sitting in our new apartment steps from the beach.
The beach is gorgeous! Our new space is dreamy. We even have a hall way. Central heat and air. And only 20.00.
We are Blessed!
It was an odd week of cooking. But here's a recap of what we ate.
Thursday, February 17, 2022
Character Guest Post-Marty Golden, protagonist in Huh? Why? and Punch: A Silicon Valley Mystery (Book #5)
February 18 – My Journey Back – CHARACTER GUEST POST
A long time ago—long before I ever got involved with the police and all these murders started popping up … so basically a few months ago—a manager asked me in a job interview what words of wisdom I might give to a new employee who might work for me.
This was a terrible question. I wasn’t interviewing for a manager’s position and this had nothing to do with how good a job I might do as an engineer at their company. I had a difficult time coming up with anything even remotely suitable. I had to hurry since the interview took place during my lunch hour and I didn’t have much time to waste. So I threw out:
“If the appetizers are good, eat up. You never know if dinner will be any good.”
“‘No, I don’t want any shave ice today’—said no one ever.”
The interviewer wanted more business-relevant examples and I realized I was merely hungry. So I tried to block that out, but apparently my mood was still negatively affected by my recent divorce because all that came to mind was:
“Figuring out women required far more understanding than I expected to gain in this lifetime.”
The hiring manager didn’t like this attempt either. She objected a second time so I tried to come up with something—anything—appropriate. Yet, all I managed were fairly mundane ideas:
“Nodding in agreement to yourself allows you to have at least one person who clearly concurs with your opinion.”
“Don’t let reality cloud your perceptions.”
I was quite pleased with this final attempt, but apparently it didn’t mesh with the company’s core value of relentless honesty. I couldn’t see myself working for a place that couldn’t handle the occasional, minor falsehood and decided to demonstrate my own relentless honesty. Needless to say, I didn’t get the position.
Once my sister and nieces became a bigger part of my life, lots of things changed. Beyond Dad jokes returning to my life, I found myself saying things like:
“Uncle-ing wasn’t hard when you made good decisions. I mean, who didn’t like flavored ice on vacation?”
Once life began throwing dead bodies in my direction, I noticed my words of wisdom started evolving:
“Dangerous moments were best left to the police. It was good to let the professionals have the spotlight at those times.”
Finally, I think I’ve settled on my latest favorite that merges my recent experience with my lifetime appreciation for food:
“No one should face danger on an empty stomach.”
Visit the tour
Click Here
Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Sunday, February 13, 2022
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
A Cocktail Recipe featured in Scones and Scofflaws Great Escapes Book Tour
Recipe for Spotlight on My Journey Back – Feb 10
Each of the books in the Cape May Cozy Mysteries with a Twist series feature a classic cocktail. At the end of each book, I share the recipe as well as a little history about the drink. For example, the term “scofflaw” was coined as the result of a competition in 1924. A wealthy prohibitionist wanted a word that would refer to lawless drinkers. He sponsored a contest and two participants came up with the same term: scofflaw. Scofflaw the drink was also created in 1924, in the midst of prohibition. But it was created at Harry’s Bar in Paris, not in the United States. We can guess it was named Scofflaw as a way of taunting those poor Americans who would be breaking the law if they drank it!
Scofflaw
Ingredients:
2 oz. Bourbon or rye whiskey
1 oz. dry vermouth
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. grenadine
2 dashes orange bitters
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. Serve in a cocktail glass. As with all cocktails, modify quantities to suit your taste!
Visit the tour
Monday, February 7, 2022
Friends Forever by Julie Thiessen
Feb 8 - My Journey Back – book review / giveaway
Book Details
Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 64 pages
Genre: Juvenile Fiction/Early Chapter Book
Publisher: Mascot
Release date: February 1, 2022
Content Rating: Rated G. Suitable for everyone
Book Description
Meet Reese and Addie―two girls, one great friendship. It’s summer break! Reese is on her way to vacation at Camp Lake Shore with her family. When Reese meets a new friend, Addie, the two immediately connect and form a lasting friendship. Swimming, boating, laughing, and soaking up the sun are just a few highlights of their summer vacation. The girls become best friends. When their vacation comes to an end, Reese realizes she may never see Addie again. Determined to stay in touch forever, can Reese and Addie find a way to continue their friendship and share their adventures?
And I thought . . .
Delightfully charming! I wish I had found this book when my grand daughter was the right age.
Sigh . . .
They grow up too fast!
I really enjoyed Reese and Addie. I know your daughter will enjoy this sweet read.
Very sweetly illustrated.
And maybe be encouraged to get a PenPal.
I received a complimentary copy.
My review will appear on Good Reads and Retail.
Click Here.
Sunday, February 6, 2022
Saturday, February 5, 2022
Love Is In The Air feat. Strength in the Storm by Laurel Blount
Welcome to Love Is In The Air and today's
Excerpt
“I came home to help my sister get well, Sam, and instead all I’m doing is making her worse!”
Emma slammed the knife down flat on the cutting board, so hard that Sam jumped. And then she buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
“Ach, now,” Sam said helplessly, shifting his weight from one boot to the other. “Everything will come right, Emma, sure enough.” He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do, but he couldn’t stand by and do nothing, so he reached out and put one large hand gently on her back.
He’d meant only to comfort her, to reassure her somehow, the way he would soothe a horse, with a touch. But to his astonishment, she turned and buried her face against his chest.
He froze, stunned.
Joseph was right. Something was wrong, because Emma didn’t fall apart like this. That was something he’d always liked about her—that she had more spunk than most other girls. She was soft-hearted, true, but there was a steely strength behind her sweetness. If you pushed her too far, she’d pop back at you, like a string of barbed wire that had been stretched too tight.
In fact, back in their schooldays, he’d goaded her on purpose more than once, just to see her snap at him, her eyes spitting blue sparks. That was a sight to behold.
Now that same girl was crying against his chest—he could feel the warm wet of her tears seeping through his shirt.
“It’s all right,” he repeated desperately.
She shook her head against him, her voice tight with tears and frustration. “Everything has gone wrong, and I want to fix it, but Ich kann naett!”
Oh, ja, he understood that—the desire to help, to make things right—and the frustration when, instead of helping, all you did was muddle things up more. How many times had people looked at him in exasperation? Mind yourself, Sam, they’d say. You don’t know your own strength.
He patted her back awkwardly. “Ich help dich.” He closed his fingers around her forearms, mindful to be gentle, and pulled her a little away so he could look into her face. “I will help you, Emma,” he repeated.
About the book
In this touching Amish romance, a brokenhearted woman and a steadfast man discover that the safest place to weather tragedy is in each other’s arms.
After the murder of both her parents, Emma Hochstedler returns to the small community of Johns Mill, hoping to resume her quiet existence. Reclaiming her place proves harder than expected—especially now that a movie is being made about her family’s loss. But then, an old friend offers her a lifeline that gives her new purpose.
Amish builder Samuel Christner is the biggest—and the strongest—man in town. In fact, the gentle giant has only one weakness—Emma. Even though she broke his heart, he won’t let his childhood sweetheart face her troubles alone. He hires Emma as a nurse for his elderly aunt…and finds himself falling for her all over again.
But while romance blooms, storm clouds gather. And when darkness falls, it will take all Sam’s strength—and all their love—to see them through.
Buy the book
Chapter 1 is available on Amazon.
Available on for preorder
QA addresses addressed addresseeOn
Amazon
Click Here
Friday, February 4, 2022
Love Is In The Air-About Finding Love in Big Sky by Angela Ruth Strong
Love is ON The Air
Love isn’t only in the air, it’s going to be ON the air. The movie based on my book Finding Love in Big Sky has already aired in Canada, but if you live in the United States, you can expect to watch it this spring.
This has been a dream come true for me. The book was actually optioned for film before it released five years ago. Every year, I’d hear, “We plan to film this year.” Every year my hopes dwindled a little more.
Then in March, I was standing in line at Walmart when I got the call from my publisher. “Filming starts in five days.”
It was really happening!
From the beginning, I’d fantasized about dancing in the cowboy ball scene. I asked if this was a possibility, and they said yes. So I went dress shopping. But I was still afraid my movie experience couldn’t possibly live up to my imagination.
My husband and I drove up to the ranch in Montana, where I watched the story I’d simply made up in my brain actually come to life. I met Josh and Paisley, Sam and Charlie. I looked around and knew things that nobody had to tell me. “That’s Josh’s sports car. That horse is named Butch and that one is Sundance. That truck is going to break down because I wanted it to break down!” I mostly got it right. Though they corrected me on one part: “The truck, Big Red, really did breakdown.”
There couldn’t have been a better day for me to be on set. We got to see both kisses, the mentor scene (that made me get teary eyed), and the cowboy ball. The weather was gorgeous and the actors treated me like the VIP.
Right as we got there, Josh and Paisley (aka Jonathan Stoddard and Hedy Nasser) were filming the scene where he gives her a necklace with her ranch’s logo on it. We introduced ourselves and watched in awe as the crew set everything up. Then the cameraman turned and yelled at me. “Angela! Run inside and get the necklace!” I took off running, and I heard him joke with my husband, “She didn’t know we were going to put her to work, did she?”
I went inside the beautiful ranch house and asked around until someone got me the necklace specially designed for the film. It was gorgeous. Unique. A treasure. I wished I could take it home with me, but I didn’t dare ask.
So many other wonderful things happened that day. At the cowboy ball, they filmed me signing up for the silent auction to win a hot air balloon ride, which had been my first official date with my husband. Jim and I recreated the kissing scene where Sam and Charlie cheer from the fence. And Jonathan Stoddard also filmed me (on his phone) making one of those sign videos where I told the story of how a year before I’d been going through chemotherapy, and I encouraged viewers to push through the hard stuff to get to the good stuff.
My husband, Jim, was a little bummed they weren’t filming the mechanic shop scene because he’d brought his jumpsuit just in case they would let him be an extra with his head under the hood of a car. We shared this with the actress who plays Charlie, and she suggested they could add him via a greenscreen. They didn’t, but when we watched the movie, she calls inside her shop to a “Jim.” I messaged her about it, and she said that was her idea in honor of my husband. He was so touched.
On our last day we went out to breakfast at The Western Café, which is also a film location. The whole trip was so magical that even if I get another book made into a movie, I don’t think this experience could ever be beat.
My husband did top off the whole experience with a special birthday gift.
He bought me the necklace from my movie. I may not have the ranch to go with it, but I’m overflowing with love, which is just what I need to create all new romance novels to share.
Thursday, February 3, 2022
Love Is In The Air-Fate And Second Chances Author Sharon Sharon Michaels Love Story
Fate and Second Chances
I love reading and writing second chance romances! I am a big believer in second chances, always have been. But when it happens in your own life, it can take your breath away.
What I am sharing could be straight out of a happily-ever-after romance novel…
Let me back up to July 1984, my twenty year high school reunion. Yes, I am that old.
I was newly single, in graduate school and not looking for a relationship. A male friend was going to be my date, so I wouldn’t have to walk into a room of former classmates alone. My date cancelled at the last minute. Darn. I decided to pull up my big girl pants and go anyway. Something in the back of my mind was telling me I needed to be there. Thank goodness I’ve learned to listen to my instincts.
That Saturday I spent the entire day getting ready – seriously, all day. I bought a slinky blue silk wrap dress. I had my hair highlighted, cut, and styled. I even splurged and hired a professional makeup artist to apply my makeup.
I was ready to impress! Why did I feel the need to impress? My nickname all through school had been either four-eyes or Olive Oil. Now you see why I spent the day getting ready. I looked good. No, I looked darn good!
That evening turned out to be purely serendipitous.
No one recognized me as I walked in except the boy (of course he was now a grown up handsome hunk of man) who lived a couple of blocks over from us. He’d been the neighborhood paperboy, he and a friend painted my parent’s house one summer and we sat across from one another in a few classes. In high school we were both too shy to say hi, let alone go on a date.
We started talking like we’d seen each other yesterday, not over twenty years ago. The same tingle of attraction was there, only this time it was grown up attraction.
Strange how things happened the way it was supposed to. Oleg was supposed to have had a date, but when that fell through, he’d shown up alone too.
The only table with a vacant chair was at the table where he was sitting, right next to him in fact.
We danced, laughed and had a great time. I was surprised how fun and easy it was to talk with him.
When Oleg asked for my number I gave him a made up phone number. Why? Because I thought I was swearing off of men forever. Before I drove away, a case of guilt and conscience kicked in. I went back and gave him my real phone number.
The rest of the story as they say is history. The two of us had a great time on our first date, second date and all the dates after that. We were married five months later, just before Christmas.
Oleg and I recently celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary. I am thrilled to say that we are happily in love and enjoying the lives we’ve built together.
See why I am a BIG believer in second chances!
To learn more about Sharon and her books visit her website. Click Here
Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Book Spotlight-Honey Roasted by Cleo Coyle Great Escapes Book Tour
February 1 – My Journey Back – SPOTLIGHT
Clare Cosi is busy as a bee planning her honeymoon when murder buzzes into the Village Blend in this all-new mystery in the beloved New York Times bestselling Coffeehouse series by Cleo Coyle.
While struggling to find a romantic (and affordable) destination for her upcoming honeymoon, coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi whips up a honey of a drink made from honey-processed coffee. Clare plans to serve her outstanding new Honey-Cinnamon Latte at her spring wedding to her longtime honey, NYPD detective Mike Quinn. The culinary world is also abuzz about the amazing honey that Clare was lucky enough to source for her shop’s new latte. Produced by Madame’s old friend “Queen” Bea Hastings, the rare, prize-winning nectar from Bea’s rooftop hives commands a premium price, and top chefs compete for a chance to use it in their signature seasonal dishes.
This cool recipe guide is offered over at the blog you page . . .
Click Here
One night, a swarm of escaped bees blanket the Village Blend’s chimney, and Clare discovers Bea’s unconscious body after she seemingly fell from her high-rise rooftop-hive setup. The police want to rule it as a tragic accident or possible attempted suicide, but Clare does not believe either theory. Like Madame, she knows this Queen would never abandon her hive. To sort out this mystery, Clare investigates a world of cutthroat chefs, culinary start-ups, and competitive urban beekeepers. But can she uncover the truth without getting stung?
Buy the book
– Amazon – B&N – Kobo – Google Play – IndieBound – Penguin Random House – BAM
Visit the tour
This cool recipe guide is offered over at the blog you page . . .
Click Here
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