Shari Lapena's What Have You Done? ~ A Book Review

Are you a Murder/Mystery Fan?  If so, this is a book that you should put on your radar!  Shari Lapena's  novel, What Have You Done? is a page turner and will keep you guessing right until the very end.  

Right now it is in pre-publishing and is scheduled for release on July 30th of this year.  

Shari does a masterful job in keeping the suspense growing in this novel.  The story begins in a small town where everyone knows everyone and nothing ever happens either!  The folks in Fairhill, Vermont are about to find out what happens when something happens......

A farmer's field and a tired farmer coming back to the homestead after a hard day in the fields, notices turkey vultures flying in the distance.  This can only mean something is out there and it could be some forest critter or something bigger.

Roy Ressler (the farmer) must go out and investigate, but he's not really looking forward to finding out  what those vultures are gorging on. He's not too fazed by what he's facing, after all he's a volunteer firefighter in the town and has seen some pretty nasty things, but nothing has prepared him for this find.

The small town is home to one high school, one grocery store and a hardware store.  There is not too much going on in Fairhill.  Until now!

This book had me reading into the late hours of the night.  I just had to find out how everyone was connected and who could possibly have caused so much tragedy in such a short time.

The author does an amazing job of making you feel like you would know these people and so you become invested in the story before the second chapter is complete.  I guess it's a good thing I'm not a great sleeper.  

Everything you ever thought about living in a small town is true in Fairhill.  No one worries about locking their doors, drawing the drapes or having a security system in place.  Everyone knows everyone and very little is ever out of place.

The kids hang out at the local graveyard telling ghost stories and spooking each other out.  But it is more comedy than anything else.

All of that is about to change.....Evan, Taylor, Riley and Diana (friends since grade school days) are about to have their world torn apart!

I don't want to give away too much of the story, so I will just let you know that there is some "colorful" language and a little bit of teenage dating angst in this story.  But nothing that is too "in your face".  

I'm sure that you will become totally involved in this story as I was. 

 As a member of NetGalley.com, I was privileged to read this book as "An Advanced Readers Copy".   I would give this novel 5 STARS *****!

 If you would like to join me and read lots of different types of books just click on the link above, but if you want to read a great book than click the link to Amazon to order your own copy!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Summertime and the Feet are Happy! ~ A Product Review

When summertime comes around I know that my feet are going to be happy.  Why?  Well let me explain!  Both my father and I suffer from hot feet!  Not just in summer time but all year long.  So the first thing that happens is the shoes or boots (especially in the winter) come off the minute we are in the front door.

But summertime is another story.  With the warm weather, my sandals must be open and toes must stick out!  

Now that is no problem in the summertime, but shoes are still an essential part of dressing for the day.  My days can be full of all kinds of activities.

Gardening, walking, swimming and more fill my days.  Now with sandals in the garden, quite often I find that my feet get quite dirty.  I love playing in the garden and I don't stop if a little dirt gets on my feet.  When I'm finished then I just get out the garden hose and give the feet a good rinse off.  

That would not be possible with a "nice" pair of leather sandals.  They would be ruined in no time at all!  But I have my CROCS!  Yes, I love my CROCS!  

Not only are they comfortable but because they are made of a really strong plastic, they are water proof and can take a really good rinse under the hose without losing their shape, color, and fit!  That would never happen with a pair of "good leather" sandals!

I love my CROCS so much I just had to get two pair!  This way I can use the light or the dark pair with whatever I happen to be wearing! But the great thing is you can get CROCS in almost any color!  With lots of different styles to choose from as well.  

These work for me in so many ways.  Even in my building, when I go for a swim, I wear a pair down to the pool, get into the pool, take them off while swimming and put them back before exiting the pool afterwards.  It doesn't matter if  I GET THEM WET or drip all over them.  I even take them into the shower.  Being a public (in the building) pool, you don't want to walk around in bare feet!  Who knows if there is a case of athlete's foot waiting on the tiles to grab your own foot.  The only thing that makes them a little obvious is sometimes when they are wet they can squeak!  

That doesn't bother me, but if it did a quick dry up with a towel and drying my feet solves that problem.  So there you go!

I must tell you that CROCS are a little more expensive than the knock-offs that are out there, but I have purchased the knock-offs before and they just don't last the way my CROCS do.  The soles are so much thicker and the treads are a lot better too!  The knock-offs are really dangerous once the tread is worn away!  In puddles, they can become very slick and be a fall hazard.  At my age, really at any age, you don't want to be doing that!

If you have never tried a pair of these sandals/shoes, I really would suggest that you do!  You just might like them as much as I do!  Plus they come in all kinds of styles and sizes for the whole family.  Baby CROCS are just so cute!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Chartres Cathedral Seen in the Best Light!.....~ A Book Review

While travelling I love to learn all about what I have seen and what really impressed me!  To that end, I found out that there was a  difference between a Maze and a Labyrinth.  It was something that I had never thought of before.  That is until I saw the Labyrinth in the Chartres Cathedral in France. Google defines a maze as " a network of paths and hedges designed as a puzzle. The goal is to find your way out or to a central "prize".

So the difference for all of those like me who have never ever thought about it is, a Maze is a place where tall walls of greenery send you down a path with many different directions in which you can go.  They are made so that  you can get lost in them and take a lot of time to find your way out.  In North America Mazes are a fun aspect to the Halloween holidays.  Corn mazes spring up in the country side just waiting for people to try and find their way out!  It's a lot of fun for people of all ages.

A Labyrinth on the other hand, is also a path that twists and turns but has no sides to make you feel isolated and you can easily see where you should go next.  A labyrinth in the 1200's was a geometric pattern on the floor that was used mainly for meditation.   The idea is to walk the path slowly, meditating on whatever is pressing on your mind, walking the path until you reach the center. At that point you just may have found the solution to whatever it was that was on your mind.  

Today,  Mazes and Labyrinths mean pretty much the same thing.  

This past spring My other half and I made a trip to Portugal, Spain and France.  We are particularly interested in old churches, the art, architecture, artistry and history of the churches.  

Chartres Cathedral was amazing but when you are on a tour, your time in that place is limited.  So what do you do?  You take lots of pictures, hoping to capture the beauty, the space, the art and statues, stained glass windows, doors and floors and so much more.  

After you come home you realize that your pictures just don't do justice to the beauty that filled you with awe!  So you go looking for something that will help you to remember the beauty.

The Hubby found a most beautiful book with pictures that really do make you re-live the time you were there.  When you consider that this church was built in 1260, it certainly has aged well and the history within it's walls is truly amazing.  

I love books that will tell me all about how it was built, Who commissioned it and how long it took to complete and all the history that happened since the time it was built.  

This book is the finishing touch to a trip that had us both spellbound and wondering how on earth the workers could build something so beautiful, mathematically precise and long lasting without all the tools that modern day builders have today.  It truly is mind boggling.

When you travel and enjoy the sights, sometime a great book is the best gift you give yourself to remember the beauty that you had a chance to see up close and personal. Usually the pictures in these books are also clearer.  The day you visit might be rainy or windy making your pictures less than perfect.  With a well done book, everything that is pictured was taken at the right time and conditions.    Now you can revisit whenever you want and share the beauty with your friends too.  Chartres Cathedral is a place that you should put on your bucket list.  We continue to enjoy it even after the suitcases are put away.

The pictures shown in this review are taken from the book which we continue to enjoy.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Keeping Things Belted Up is Easy ~ A Product Review

There is one thing I really dislike and that is a belt that looks like it has seen better days,.  Belts are a necessity for many men, but they seem to get ratty looking before too long and that drives me to distraction.  

Well with Father's Day coming up just around the corner, I thought I would share a great new belt that my husband loves and it looks so good all the time.

This belt has a buckle, but the extra part of the belt that  goes through the loops, doesn't have anyholes in it.  It is a nice flat piece of leather. What holds it together is the ratchet like buckle.

Let me show you a picture to make you understand this better.

Normally a belt is a long piece of leather that may be tooled or smooth depending on the look you are trying to achieve.  There is a buckle with a tongue that goes into a hole on the other side and the belt is tightened to fit comfortably around the waist.

This new  "Ratchet" belt that we found has a buckle, but no tongue.  The extra portion of belt goes through the buckle and sits like a regular belt around the waist.  There are no holes in the belt.  There is no tongue on the buckle.  So the wear and tear on the belt is minimal.

It also allows you to tighten the belt in smaller increments than the 1 or 1.5 inches between the holes in a regular belt.

It looks neat and tidy all the time.  If you go out for dinner and eat just a little too much a quick flick of the wrist will loosen the ratchet belt enough so that you are comfortable at all times.  I am impressed with this fashion find for my main squeeze and he really likes it too.  Not only is it a great look, but it also comes in so many colors that one may just not be enough.  At this price point having more than one is easy.

Talk about a win -win situation.  It's affordable, neat, tidy and really looks good.  Holding up the pants with ease and style is a great thing. 

If you need another suggestion for a Father's Day gift, this just might be it!  I would say that every man should have at least one Ratchet Belt in his wardrobe.  

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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A Song of Silence, Steve N. Lee ~ A Book Review

 Everyone who has read some of my book reviews knows that I love historical novels.  I am fascinated with the World War II era, as it has impacted my family as well.

War  is horrendous and of that there is no doubt, but I think we all need reminding that war can turn "normal" humans into savage beasts.  

A Song of Silence is a book that is hard to read and harder to put down.  Steve Lee's characters are all based on true life people that were able to corroborate the "horrors" that were inflicted on so many people all over Europe, during the uprisings in 1938-1939 and beyond!

A Song of Silence is a love story and a story of unbridled heroism and self-giving. 

Mirek Kozlowski is running an orphanage for children who have been displaced by marauding Nazi henchmen.  Mirek takes in all the children that are brought to him.  People in his village know that he will take care of them and give them some much needed "normalcy" in a world gone crazy.  His orphanage houses over 80 youngsters,  Mirek feeds and houses them all and treats each one of them like they were his own son or daughter. There is the classrooms where Mirek insists the children learn to read.  It is what a child between the ages of 6 to 13 should understand, schooling!.  Mirek's hope is to give these children a loving and caring home where they should have no fears.  So many of them have already seen much more than a child should.  

His little town in Poland so far has not been noticed by the Nazi's and he hopes that it will stay that way until the war is over.  But, that will not be the case.  

Mirek knew it was a long shot that they could remain unscathed from the realities that was happening all over Poland.  But he was an optimist at heart. reality tells him to have the children ready for anything!  The worst case scenario would be to taunt the Nazi's with "Polish" sentiments and identity.  He needs to train the children on what to do if that worst case scenario actually happens.  Everyone has been trained on what to do in case of an "unexpected visit" by the Nazi's.

Everything Polish has been put away and all things German now fill the classroom.  It was a sickening sight for Mirek and the children, but needed to be done.  Safety of the children was most important and after all and this was just window dressing.

Ania (Anne Maria) Kisiell comes to work with Baba Hanka (the housekeeper) and meets Mirek for the first time.  Ania and Hanka work to keep the children fed and the house in a reasonable state of order.  Hard to do with so many youngsters.

This is the background of Mirek and Ania's story, the start of a love story that you will not soon forget. But I must confess that I won't tell you anymore now!  This book has to go on your reading list and I know that you will be touched by the self-sacrifice and love that both Mirek and Ania shower down on the children in their care.

I could not put A Song of Silence down and I have read many World War II novels over the years.  This one will be etched on my mind for a long time.  A Song of Silence is one book that you should not miss!

This book gets a ***** (Five) Star rating from me and I don't give those up too easily.  

It is out on May 12 and available to you through Amazon.com, Kindle edition and many national book retailers. Steve N. Lee is a masterful story teller, you will not be disappointed!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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How to Organize and Digitize Old Slides EASILY ~ A Product Review

My other half and I had a big problem! We both grew up in the 1960's and 70's when cameras were filled with films that had to be taken to the store  and then processed.  We would have to wait a week or so until we knew whether the pictures were any good or not.  Most of the time we used our Kodak Brownie Cameras, as the better ones were way out of our price affordability.  Even our parents took pictures with those cameras. Now what happened to all those pictures and were they memories that we wanted to keep or were they just garbage photos?

Well it's spring time and that means cleaning up, clearing out and donating lots of things to various charities.

But one box had us in a quandry!  It was full of slides and negatives from who know when, where or how long they were in there. 

Could these be long lost family pictures or just a bunch of scenic areas that we would not recognize without some obvious sign posts?

This is the mess that we were faced with. We were pretty sure there would be some pictures in there that we would like to keep.  But, how do you do that without taking this mess to a dedicated service that will scan these?  And at what cost to us?

Looking into a professional service, we found out that it would cost us .25 cents to 1.00 per slide to be digitized.  

That was a cost that we just could not swallow.  You would pay for each slide whether they were worth keeping or just junk shots.  So this was not an option for us.

Thank goodness for the internet and Amazon!  A quick search and you can find out just about anything.

For just under 15.00 you can get a PICSCANNER !  What, you may ask is a Picscanner?  Well it's a small platform for your mobile phone.  The platform is about 3 inches away from the bed of the scanner.  This allows your phone to actually take a picture of your slide or negative. This is what the box looks like and you can see exactly how it works:

 Upload it to your computer and voila, you have a digital copy of what was a slide or negative. Just like this one:

This is a digital copy of a negative film strip. With a few programs on the computer it is easy to turn this negative into a proper picture.  Like this:

It works great!  What I really like about this easy to use slide digitizer is, that it is inexpensive and it lets you see what is on that slide or negative without having to print it first.  Once you see what's there, you just might decide that is is worth having it printed professionally!  But, I bet that most of them will just go into a Picture file on your computer. You have not spent hundreds of dollars on getting worthless (to anyone but yourself) pictures digitized.  

Today with our cell phone cameras and digital professional cameras, we can skip this step completely.  But again if you were born in the 50's , 60's and 70's, I'm sure that this Picscanner will be a valuable tool for anyone who has boxes and boxes of negatives or slides kicking around. Just imagine being able to take all those slides and negatives, organize them and keep the great ones and discard all the rest.  It's a job to do it, but, when it's done you will enjoy the fruits of your labors!

As an added bonus, this would make a great Father's Day Gift too!  Most of the Dad's I know are the techy types that love to fiddle with a new toy!  

Happy Photo Editing to all!

**These pictures are my own, the Cups in the Photos are "One of a Kind" handpainted and fired by my uncle!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Great Suggestions for Mother's Day in Long Term Care

Mom's love to be pampered at least one day a year and we call that day Mother's Day!  But if your mom is in long term care and has restrictions because of age and infirmity, you need to get creative!   Creativity needs to be tempered with Wisdom and Insights.   Not everyone ages the same way and things in their lives are subject to change.  If you are not sure, ask the floor nurse or the PSW (Personal Support Worker) if your ideas are in line with her care. 

The first and most important gift you can give is some of your time.  A visit doesn't have to last long, but it has to happen.  If it can't be on Mother's Day, them find a day soon after or even before and spend some time with her!

Bring pictures of family and friends and have a great chat about these people and how they are doing.  What is happening in their families and any other interesting events.  If they have dementia it might just bring back some nice memories for them. You may even find yourself having a good laugh at something that happened in the past!

Here is a small list of things that everyone can use and it would make Mom's day just a little more special.

• Scented Body Wash while many places like to be scent free, these are so subtle that they won't be offensive to other residents.
• New Slippers, even if Mom is in a wheelchair she might like a new pair of slippers that would give her some choice in what's on her feet!
• A Blanket Hoodie, When Mom is wheelchair bound, sometimes a chill is in the air, then this lovely Blanket Hoodie will keep her feeling warm and toasty!
• Paper Pop Up Cards, mom probably got flowers in her earlier years, but now that might be too much trouble for her or the staff, so problem fixed with these lovely Pop Up Cards!  No water required!
• Digital Calendar Alarm Clock, even when mom doesn't know where she is, she will know what day it is and what time it is too!  These make great gifts for those with memory loss.
• Blanket Throw for Bed, I love sending my mother greetings so she knows I'm thinking about her and this Blanket Throw fits that bill perfectly!
• Window Suncatcher, most Long Term Care homes make sure that every room has a view, a lovely suncatcher in the window would be a lovely reminder of you!
• Solar Garden Cat Figurine, not just for the garden, but also for the window sill.  I know my mom still misses her cat, but this would be a nice reminder and it doesn't need to be fed either!
• Decorative Angel, something to remind her of you.  Available in many different colors you can match the decor in her room or choose her favorite color.
• Ceramic Jewelry Dish, this one can be used for anything (I don't recommend jewelry for Nursing Homes, (too difficult to keep track of that stuff).  But put some chocolates in there for mom to share with the PSW's or the nurse/doctor on the floor!

This is just a small list of the things that could make Mother's Day in the Nursing home just a little bit brighter and I'm sure any one of them will bring a smile to a face that you love.  Making memories is an ongoing task for all of us and this is one you won't forget either.

Oh, just a reminder for you, Mother's Day is on May 12 this year!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Early Spring Seeds to Plant NOW! A Garden Review

 At this time of year every gardener I know has itchy palms and fingers that are just craving some dirt!  Yes, you heard me right,  DIRT!

It doesn't matter where you garden, whether above the ground or right into the ground, there are things that need to be done and then the fun can begin.

I'm going to take you to my balcony garden, because that is where I have been doing all of my "dirty" work!  I have containers and planters that I use for my flower beds and vegetable beds too.

What's great about this time of year is that you can start those flowers and vegetables that really prefer the cooler days.  And if you don't think there are quite a few of them, you would be wrong.

So let's start by taking a look at what loves to be planted outdoors NOW!

Flowers:

1. Sweet Peas are my #1 cool weather seeds to sow!
2. Marigolds (for protection from some bugs)
3. Nasturiums (they can be eaten you know)
4. Sunflowers (not for balconies)
5. Pansy
6. Rudbeckia or Black Eyed Susan
7. Snapdragons

Vegetables:

1. Broccoli
2. Cabbage
3. Peas
4. Cauliflower
5. Beets
6. Brussel Sprouts
7. Carrots

This is just a little sample of what can be sown right into the planters right now!  If you are lucky enough to have garden space in the great outdoors, the list is even bigger and right now is the perfect time to start those seeds in the ground.  Check out West Coast Seeds for their great selections.

My balcony is not too big and yet it is also not too small, so I manage to plant quite a few on my favorites.  I don't plant more than two or three of any variety of vegetables, but the flowers I can go crazy if I choose to.

On the balcony the most important part of getting your garden going is probable going to be the watering!  Spring can sometimes be very wet or very dry.  The best way to check that is to push a finger into the soil and see how far down it can go before it feels wet.  Too much water and the seeds will drown and too little water will have them sprouting and then dying off.  So a good balance needs to be maintained.  

Keep your containers happy and the seeds will sprout and you will have a prolific garden all your own.  I love getting quality seeds from a reputable company.  I love West Coast Seeds because not only are they quick, reliable and cost effective, but they also have lots of videos and blog posts for any problems you might have.  There is always something to learn!

So if you have been holding back, it's time to let go and get those hands and fingers back into the Dirt!  Come and join me for some fun in the garden where ever that may be for you!

Just for your information this is a Canadian Company and most of it's Non-GMO products are available for shipping to the US.  There are some exceptions and West Coast takes this into account when you order.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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The Lake of Lost Girls ~ A Book Review

 The Lake of Lost Girls is a novel that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat right up until the very end.  

Stella and Rachel are two podcasters who follow up on cold cases involving murder!

Their followers are also tracking the evidence and speculations run rampant about the "Whodunit?"

Synopsis:

Lindsey has been living in the shadow of what ever happened to her sister so many years ago.  All of a sudden out of the blue, the lake, the police and the crime scene tape is being played out yet again.

Body parts have been found by some young boys fishing in Doll's Eye Lake!  Could it be they are the remains of  Jessica (Jessie)?  Will her disappearance finally be solved?  Can Lindsey finally get out from under the cloud of grief and loss?

This story will have you turning pages and not wanting to put this book down for anything including coffee!

Jessica is a college student who comes home for a visit and her little sister is the last person to see her.  It took ten seconds for her to disappear and never be seen again!  How can anyone live with that kind of torment?  Lindsey was only 6 years old when her sister disappeared.  Twenty four years later body parts are coming to the surface.

Now back in the 1990's more than one college girl went missing, so could this be one of those girls or could it really be Jessie?  

Back in the day when these girls first were listed as missing, the police did not have enough evidence to charge anyone with a crime.  They also didn't have any bodies!  No evidence and only a lot of hearsay about some of the professors  and young men on campus!  

What was going on here?  

Well let me tell you, I had to read the book from start to finish in less than four days!  My husband was busy cooking, because I was busy reading!  He's great though and didn't mind.  He's also a great cook, but I digress!

What I'm trying to tell you is that this book, The Lake of Lost Girls, should be on your MUST READ LIST!

It is available for pre-purchase as it is only coming out on November 5th,  of this year.

If you have family or friends that love true crime novels, this one is for you!

I am a member of NetGalley (www.netgalley.com) and this book was made available to me for my honest review.  The Lake of Lost Girls,  does not leave you disappointed as you will engage with the disturbing and quick downfall of a responsible girl who does not cope well with college life .  The aftermath of her disappearance leaves her younger sister with emotional scars too.  All of this is very understandable and I think in a way relatable.

Bring in a few "shady" characters and you start to see how lost a young person can become when their lives change so quickly.  No one gets out of this mystery without being touched by it in some way!  

~ Mark your calendar for this release date!  November 5, 2024!~

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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What Happens When Life Isn't a Bowl of Cherries? From the Heart Review

Life with all of its wonders, hopes, dreams and desires is a wonderful thing.  But sometimes, life isn't that bowl of cherries that everyone would have you believe.

What do you do when that time in your life happens?  I promise it will happen to all of us at one time or another.  Are you prepared for those days when you just feel like you are at the end of your rope and the knot you tied in it is unravelling faster than you can hang on?

For years, women especially, have known that there are times when you have to sit back, count to 10 or 1,000, and just do nothing!  It's like taking a little time to push the reset button or restart button on your computer.

You can let everything go and concentrate on nothing else but the numbers.  

Self care is the "big  phrase" these days!  While I'm not an expert in any such field, I do know that many of us need to recognize that Self Care is important, especially during stressful and anxiety filled days.

There are literally millions of ways to take back a little time for some much needed SELF-CARE!

Review This Reviews. com is a great place to start!  

You will find hundreds of book reviews on all kinds of topics.  Pick one and just sit for an hour and read!  It could be a novel, a autobiography of someone you admire, a book of riddles or a book of cartoons, like my favorite Calvin and Hobbs!

Another great way to reset is to watch a movie and again Review This Reviews has a whole lot of very worthwhile movies to watch and you can find a list right here.  Movie Reviews let you know right away whether it is a subject you would enjoy and you won't spend a lot of time flipping through all the channels.

Maybe just maybe you'd like to learn something about what others do when life is overwhelming for them.  I suggest taking a look at From The Heart.

Baking or cooking can sometimes be the way out of a dark little spot in life and we have you covered there too.  Sam Monaco, Sylvestermouse Cynthia, Wednesday Elf and a host of others share some of their most asked for favorites.  Why not whip up some goodness to help you feel better?

Self-Care is not just one way to help you through the trying times in life, because everyone is different and self-care is just that, it is something that resonates with you personally.

I know that I'm going to check out some of those recipes and make myself something delicious and magical that I can share.

Then I'm going to sit back and read another chapter in one of my favorite books!  Who knows, by this evening I just might curl up with a good movie and let life just happen.

Life right now is not the bowl of cherries that I love, but I know that tomorrow or the next day my bowl will be full again.  With Faith in Tomorrow, I will make it through this too!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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No Bed Sores or Discomfort for Us! ~ A Product Review

Caring for the Elderly brings you to all kinds of new ideas to make life comfortable and cozy, especially when most of the time is spent in bed!

If you have been following my blog posts you know all about how we (my other half and I ) are caring for my mother!  She is in her mid-90's and not in the best of health.  After a fall and a hospital stay, she is pretty much bed-ridden at this point in her life.

That is  not particularly  great for anyone but when you are elderly, it can be even more problematic.  Bed sores from constant pressure on certain body parts are a reality that must be dealt with.  

A while ago Margaret Schindel did a whole series on her new bed and the amazing mattress, you can read some of her review here..  She highly recommends it and what stuck with me was the memory foam layer in the mattress construction. 

We have a hospital bed for our Omi (that's her nickname), that helps us to position her so that she can watch TV, read, or just relax.  It also helps us to take care of her other needs as it raises and lowers so that our backs aren't quite so stressed.  But while those are great features, the mattress left a lot to be desired.

Within a month she was feeling pain in certain areas of her back, so we knew we had to do something to mitigate that pain.  Enter the Memory Foam Mattress Topper!

We decided to go with a 3 inch Gel Memory Foam Topper with a removeable cover.  With elderly people you have to be able to wash the cover often, but we also have mattress protectors for double insurance against leaks and other problems.

We love that this Mattress Topper is affordable and has some really great features as well.  It is made of high density foam that gives great back and general body support while still being breathable. 

Having the body supported fully lets the spine relax in a neutral position and the muscles also relax.  Sleep is enhanced and there is no morning soreness.

The Bamboo Fiber Cover is skin friendly and breathable.  It has adjustable elastic straps and an anti-slip surface so that once placed on the mattress, it will not move easily.

We like that it comes with a 10 year warranty.  The only downside was that when we first got it, we needed to let the topper air out!  It did have that new foam smell to it, but with it being placed out on the balcony for a day, that completely disappeared and we have not smelled it since.

All in all, this topper has been a life saver and Omi is no longer complaining about  soreness anywhere.  So we know that it is doing what it's supposed to do.

In our later years, we all want to be as comfortable as possible and this is a great, affordable and easy fix.  Bed Sores are not something that anyone would want to have and if they are left untreated, they can become infected.  So let's stop them from happening!  We have enough problems without adding ones that don't have to be there.

I hope this helps anyone else in our position, or anyone who has difficulty sleeping.  Try a Memory Foam Topper for your bed and see what kind of a difference it can make for you!

 

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Caring For Elders Requires Attention and Willingness ~ A Product Review

Life brings us all opportunities to learn something new everyday!  I'm learning about caring for a Senior that I happen to love dearly, but, is having difficulty with day to day activities.

Caring for Elders requires that you be willing to do things that you thought were impossible and yet you know you have to do those things anyways.  There is a willingness to go beyond what we thought we would be doing and learning to do those things that might be distasteful and generally keep us moving away from the responsibility.  

But there are things that make all the distasteful things a little easier to complete and one of these are pre-moistened and good sized  Adult Wipes.  We happen to have found the one we like called Inspire Premium Washcloths!

Back in late January, my elderly mother had taken ill.  She was in hospital for almost a whole month recuperating from pneumonia and the flu.  These illnesses can be quite debilitating for the elderly.  While in hospital, the signs of early dementia, turned into true brain fog, with doctors hoping that once she was home, that fog would clear up.

Such has not been the case.  She is now bed-ridden and the leg muscles so weak that she can no longer hold herself up.  So, we are learning to cope with our new reality.

Incontinence has become the major "problem".  While we have all had our share of diapering babies, we never think of the possibility that we will be diapering our parents.  With a little humour we can get through this stage of our lives.  

What's that old joke about diapers and the elderly?  Why don't they call diapers for adults Huggies and Pampers?  Because it Depends on who is in the will!  Just kidding of course.

Caring for adult skin in the nether regions is important especially when they are elderly, bed-ridden and have other health complications.  Bed sores are nothing to be scoffed at and can become infected causing even more problems.

With caring for the skin in those intimate areas, dependable quality wipes are a must.  Tiny wipes used for babies just don't quite cut it when it comes to adults.  You need something that will hold up and yet be soft, strong, gentle and do the job!  

We found that the Inspire brand Wet Wipes for Adults, was just what we needed.  They are large enough (8 inches x 12 inches).  they are moist without dripping all over the place. Latex and alcohol free,  they are Ph balanced and have Aloe Vera and Vitamin E for skin health included in each sheet.  The only down side is that they are NOT Flushable!  But when you are dealing with disposable diapers, that is not a game changer at all, they just go into the garbage with the diapers.  Quick and easy, clean and neat all in one package.

For anyone who has a need for a quick, easy and strong washcloth, these disposable ones are the greatest.  I love that they are not overly scented, yet they have a nice soft feel to them and one or two do the work and hold up through whatever mess you are facing.  These can be used to clean a face, hands or a butt......so many different places that you will find them useful. 

I'm signing off for now, but I'm sure I'll have more to share with caring for the Elderly in another Product Review right here on Reviewthisreviews.com.

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There's a New Game That Has People Talking! ~ A Product Review

Have you heard of the new Game in Town?  TALKING POINT, It has everyone talking and actually interacting with each other!  

With all of the "Tech" toys that people have these days, it seems that we are talking to each other less and less.  If you don't TEXT someone, they are likely to ignore you completely because they are hard wired to the cell devices or their Tablets.

What ever happened to actually talking?

Well there is a new game in town to help you rekindle that ability to look at each other and find out what you are actually thinking, It's called TALKING POINT!  

My other half actually picked up a set of these cards in the hopes that it would foster some conversations with my mother.  She tends to be very quiet and lost in her own world, so he thought it would be a great way to get her to open up a little and see what is happening in her gray matter!

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200 Conversation Cards - Put Down The Phones & Connect with Your Family - Get to Know Each Other Better with Meaningful Talk - Let Kids Express Themselves, Great for Dinner Table & Road Trips

200 Teens Conversation Cards - Connecting Parents with their Teenagers - Reduce Screentime with Fun & Deep Conversation - Avoid Conflict, Improve Communication & Learn More About Your Teen Boy or Girl

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200 Conversation Cards to Get Kids Talking and Listening During Car Rides and Family Dinners

Now in our case, it hasn't worked the way it was intended to, but it sure has us (the other half and I) talking a lot more. Each card (and there are about 200 in each set) has a question on it and everyone gets a chance to answer.

Not everyone will agree with everyone else's responses, but it will definitely get you talking!

The first question I picked was: What household chores do like to do and which do you try and avoid? Now that really made me stop and think, because being the mom (now retired from that position), you always have chores to do and delegating some to the offspring is generally a great idea. Wouldn't it be so much easier if you knew ahead of time that your daughter doesn't mind doing the laundry, but hates hanging up the shirts?

The other question that I love in this family set of Talking Point cards is: How did your parents meet and fall in love?

I wonder how many children actually know those stories and how it might make them smile to know those little tidbits of family history.

Family time would be a great time to make some pizza, grab some drinks and sit down together and ask some of these questions.

Can you just imagine the looks on the kids faces and maybe even the parents'. I'm sure the discussions around the table would be interesting and maybe even open an eye or two.

How about a question for the kids, Like: Are friends more important than family? You might just be surprised by some of the answers.

All I know is that in this day and age when people are busy looking down at their phones, something has to happen to engage our families with each other. Camping nights and cottage visits would be a great time to take along a small box of conversation starters that will have everyone laughing and enjoying each other without any right or wrong answers.

Just answers that might shed some light on other parts of their lives, or be a way to open a door to more pressing concerns or just great conversation with those we love.  

These cards get a big High Five from me and seeing how many have been sold already, I'm guessing that they are a hit with a lot of people from all over the world.

This is a great way to enjoy FAMILY DAY in February!  And you have lots of time still to get a set!

I hope that it will help you to get to know each other better and have a little (or a lot) of fun along the way!

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Fantastic Kitchen Necessities You'll Wonder How You Did Without

A Product Review

This past year has been a struggle for our family and what was "normal" and "easy" is NOT so anymore.  Since bringing my mother to live with us, our lives have been turned upside down.  That includes doing all the things we took for granted.  I'm complaining, but not really complaining.  We are blessed that we can do what we are doing even though it causes some disruption to our routines or changes them altogether.

The point I'm trying to make is that we started to do things that don't take us out of our home as much. Mom needs constant supervision, so someone has to be with her.   Preparing for Christmas this year meant not going out so much.  We ended up  doing things in our home so that we worked together and got to include her as well.  She was more than a taste tester.  .

Baking was one of those things that we decided to do more of. .  We always baked, but this year saw us baking much more and sharing that baking with friends and family.

When you are gifting tins of cookies, you want to make them as presentable and pretty as possible. We are not professional bakers, but still like to make our gifts beautiful and a feast for the eyes.  Uneven and lopsided cookies just don't look or present themselves as nicely.  When your cookies are all the same thickness and baked just right, they make the gift that much nicer to present to your friends.

One tool that we found that has helped us immensely is this Adjustable Rolling Pin. 

 

All our cookies this year came out the same thickness thanks to this roller.  And the added silicone mat was helpful as well. 

It is filled with all kinds of information and size guides to make those pies just the right size.  A regular rolling pin just doesn't do that.  The baking mat has sizes in Imperial and Metric measurements too.  So that's a bonus for sure.

Made of stainless steel you can also chill it when working with pie crusts so that your crusts will be tender without being overworked.

I have been cooking for years and did not know that something this simple existed.  Well, let me tell you that baking will be something that we will do far more often now that we are truly kitchen tooled for the occasion.

The other must have that we love and can't do without is Parchment Baking Paper.  This was a game changer in our home.  I don't remember being able to get this wonderful paper years ago, but now it is available everywhere and I am thankful for that.  

Clean up has never been so easy!  Lining baking sheets with this parchment makes your cookies slide off of the baking pan without having to grease and flour the pans ahead of time.  Step savers are always welcome in this kitchen.  We use it constantly now, not only for baking cookies but for anything that we bake in the oven.  Scrubbing baking sheets is a thing of the past.  

When you have the right tools everything is much easier and less complicated.  For us, these are two of our most favorite new gadgets.  They are in use weekly for sure and not relegated to some corner of the kitchen where they will never be used again.  I guarantee that once you have these you will wonder how you did without them.

Are you looking for a great cookie recipe?  Well let me tell you that the Linzer Cookies we made are so tasty and look so elegant that you will want to try them for sure.  With Valentines Day coming up, just imagine Linzer cookies in a heart shape for all the ones you love.  

You can do it and this is the recipe that I liked the best! 

From Ali on Gimme Some Oven
See Her Recipe to Make These Cookies by Clicking the Link on the Picture

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The Taverner's Son by Leslie Park Lynn ~ A Book Review

 The Taverner's Son is a well written deeply moving novel that has a beautiful story line that everyone can really sink their teeth into.  Family secrets, tragedy and a small village help to make this book a real page turner.  I love the characters and each one of their with own "quirks".  

What family doesn't have some sadness and misunderstandings that get in the way of family connections?  I don't think there is one family out there who can't relate in some way.

So it is with Will Kendrick.  He has lived most of his adult life away from the small town that was his home.  Misunderstandings and pride make it difficult to get through to the part where we still love each other.  And sometimes it's too late to do anything about it!  

Will gets a phone call letting him know that his father has passed away.   Living on the west coast for many years,  Will had not given his father too much thought.  Now he is in shock and trying desperately to make sense of it all, realizing that there is no more time left.

Will makes the plans to return to the little fishing village of Apalachicola.  First he had to make his way from California to Tallahassee and then drive from there to what had been his home.  As he drives the roads back to his "home" memories come flooding back to him. 

Of course there are the people of the town whom he had known growing up and many that had left the small town for bigger and better opportunities.  But there was also one of his oldest and dearest friends from his childhood who remained.  Jess, his long time friend from grade school, who had always been there during his childhood, made her life in the small town of Apalachicola.

Will is making his way around town and sees the tavern where he spent many days helping his father.  Homework was done on one of the small tables in the back.  Penny, the cook and keeper of the kitchen took Will under her wings when Will's mother had died.  Will was only 3 years old when his mother died.   Penny and her husband were the imaginary parents that Will wanted.  His father had become distant and depressed, withdrawn from his son and anything that reminded him of his beloved wife.  Will was the spitting image of his mother.  So that made things even harder for Will's father.  And now Will is standing in the Tavern that now belongs to him.  

Will has a lot to learn about the father he didn't know so well and more about his mother too. When you lose your mom at 3 years of age, you really don't know too much about her.    As you get into the book, the story takes on a life of it's own and you will be hard pressed to put the book down.  So many questions that Will has and so few answers, yet, there is something going on that doesn't make sense.

I don't want to give too much of the story away, but, I would encourage you to pick this book up.  It really is a riveting story of family, family secrets and how they impact the people who are being "saved from the truth".  This book is masterfully written, a love story with twists and turns that you will not see coming.  It is a page turner that you won't want to put down.

I received this book from VoraciousReadersOnly with the promise of sharing a review.  It was my pleasure to read this book and review it for you here.

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Sci-Fi Lovers, Project Hail Mary is For You! A Book Review

Anyone who has been reading my reviews knows that I am a typical Historical/Suspense novel lover.  Once in a while I get out of my comfort zone and delve into something completely different.  Project Hail Mary was one of those leaps into a genre that I normally don't gravitate towards!

I can imagine that anyone who loves Science Fiction and Mystery stories would absolutely love this book.  So if there is a Sci-Fi Lover on your Christmas List this book is one for them.

 This book is a #1 Best Seller on Amazon and has won much acclaim!

Synopsis:

Ryland Grace is the lone survivor on a mission that has been set into motion at some point in the past.  He's not sure exactly when or where and what the mission is all about.  He's been in a prescheduled coma for a while and his mind is kind of fuzzy.

Looking around he finds himself millions of miles away from earth with only his two deceased comrades for company.

What has happened and what is happening?  His memories are slowly coming back and he realizes that he has an almost impossible task ahead.  One that will be either the salvation of mankind or it's complete demise.

The sun is losing it's strength and the earth is cooling.  There is another ICE AGE on the horizon unless he can find a way to capture and/or disarm the alien entity that is causing this loss of heat energy.  

What else can possibly happen while Ryland is on this quest?  

I found this book to be a total all encompassing read.  While there were many parts that I could not wrap my head around, I think the author did an amazing job of making all of this believable, even though I don't necessarily understand all the science around it.  I let my imagination run with the possibilities!  

Is Earth the only planet that will suffer if the solution to the problem isn't found?  Are there other possible populations in outer space that will also suffer this fate?  It's time to pick up this book and find out.  I can almost guarantee that once you start, you won't want to put this book down again.  

I did have to re-read a few chapters in order to get a clearer picture in my mind's eye, but that was not a deterrent or a difficulty because I really wanted to understand the situation better.  

Would I recommend this book?  You better believe I will.  As I said earlier it's not my favorite genre of book, but I think I will need to make an exception in this case.  I might even have to get his other book, The Martian and read it too.  Broadening my horizons is part of why I love reading. 

I'm sure that a Sci-Fi lover would find this book totally engrossing and even the ending has a poignant cast to it.

I think my next read by Andy Weir will be The Martian, that's how much I enjoyed Project Hail Mary!

If you sign up for an Audible Trial you can enjoy both of these books free of charge.

I'm sure that these books will become a favorite for any Science Fiction Lover!  Enjoy it, I sure did.

 

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