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Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Probable Paws Mystic Notch Series Reviewed

Revisiting A Favored Cozy Mystery Series

A guardian of magic, perhaps?

A few years ago, I reviewed the Mystic Notch series of cozy mysteries here on Review This. At the time of that article there were only four books in this delightful series. While looking for something new to read, I discovered that more books have been written since then.

I had forgotten just how delightful the humans and cats were in this entertaining series of mysteries! Willa and her cat Pandora are still as fun to read about as in the other books of this Cozy Mystery Series.

If you recall, Willa has inherited a bookstore from her Grandmother in the quaint and magical little town of Mystic Notch. Along with the shop, she also inherited her grandmother's Victorian house and of course the very intelligent cat, Pandora. In the 5th book, Willa is beginning to realize that there just might be something very special about her cat. Of course, Pandora is trying to be patient with this human of hers while trying to teach her the ways of communication.

mystic notch series probably paws book cover

Mystic Notch Series Book 5

Willa still sees ghosts which is an ability that she acquired after a terrible accident a few years ago. The ghosts aren't anything to fear, they are actually pretty friendly. Willa would say they are more annoying than frightening. In Probable Paws, the visiting spirit is Adelaide Hamilton who doesn't ask Willa to find the person who took her life as most of the ghosts do. Adelaide is more concerned that Willa find a certain recipe book and make sure that it gets to Elspeth. Willa remembers that her Grandmother had mentioned this same book in her will and also wanted to make sure that Elspeth got it. What could be so special about a cookbook? Well, perhaps the recipes contained it might be a clue but I won't spoil it for you.

I will tell you that Willa is not the only person in town who is searching for that book. If you remember there has been a struggle in the little town for generations between the people who know good magic and the dark ones who want to exert their evil magic into the town. So, obviously some bad people are also looking for the book known as Betty's Recipes. There is another searcher for the book that Willa is unaware of. Are they one of the good ones or a bad one? Well, you will have to read the book to find out. Will the cats of Mystic Notch be able to help the humans?

If you read the other books in this series, I think you will want to read the fifth book. I enjoyed it immensely. If you have not read any of these books, I highly recommend that you get started. You will not be disappointed if you are a cozy mystery fan, a lover of cats and don't mind a friendly ghost or two.

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

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Monday, April 16, 2018

Reviewing Poo-Pourri for the Bathroom

Writing publicly about bathroom habits is a strange thing

Poo-Pourri - Deja Poo scent.

for me - I'm not sure whether to be very concise with only scientific lingo or whether to start cracking off with potty humor. I think I'll try to keep the potty humor dialed back while I review an awesome product called Poo-Pourri. If you have ever been concerned about the unpleasant and embarrassing smells that are created while using the bathroom you might be interested in this bathroom smell eliminator.

Poo-Pourri Toilet Spray

Poo-Pourri is advertised as the "before you go" bathroom smell barrier. Spray a bit of this fragrance on the water in the bowl before having a seat to do your business. The advertising goes on to promise that the spray traps the smell under the water and all you (and more importantly OTHERS) smell is "a refreshing bouquet of natural essential oils" with no harsh chemicals -

No synthetic fragrance
No alcohol
No aerosol
No parabens
No Phthalates
No formaldehyde

The makers of Poo-Pourri advertise it as "safe to breathe and safe to flush".

When I had the opportunity to use it over several days, it did work every time. It eliminated or covered any smells that I didn't want to share with others.

My Skepticism

I was introduced to this product during a recent trip to visit my son and family. When they mentioned the spray, I was very skeptical. After all... doesn't the smell happen on the way to the toilet water? Isn't spraying the toilet water a little like closing the barn door when the horse has been running around the field?

And... the Poo-Pourri was so STRONG! I took a sniff and thought about my migraines. I thought the spray would certainly trigger a migraine.

Despite my negative thoughts, I tried it. And it did work. After flushing, all I smelled was the Poo-Pourri. The scent did not trigger a migraine - despite being very strong.

I am purchasing some Poo-Pourri of my own. I really like the "in a pinch" sized bottles. I can carry them with me into public restrooms. I have to admit that when I travel (and when I've been fighting migraines) my schedule is off and I end up using public bathrooms. I don't like feeling like I have to wait until the sink area of a public bathroom has to clear before I dart out of a stall... pretending as though "that wasn't me!"

Now I can exit a public bathroom stall smelling as fresh as a flower garden.

Poo-Pourri "in a pinch pack"

There is a variety of Poo-Pourri scents to choose from. Deja Poo, Original Citrus, Secret Santa Claus Christmas, Royal Flush, Tropical Hibiscus, and more. You can shop the Poo-Pourri store on Amazon or you can check out the Poo-Pourri website for more information.

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Sunday, April 15, 2018

Supermarket Flowers by Ed Sheeran - A Review of An Incredibily Moving Song that Will Bring You to Tears

More Songs for Mom Here - Photo via Pixabay

Have You Heard Supermarket Flowers by Ed Sheeran?

If you haven't heard this song, and you've lost your mom or a mother figure, you're going to cry.

During my research for a unique list of songs to honor moms, I tripped on 'Supermarket Flowers' by Ed Sheeran, and was shocked by it's incredibly touching mood music and personal story telling lyrics that most of us can relate to.

At least thirty times; that's how much I've listened to this song since yesterday. Being one of the fortunate ones who still has her mother living, it caused me to pick up the phone to call her again today!

The song gets right to the story with painful lyrics that describe clearing out the room of someone loved and recently passed:

I took the supermarket flowers from the windowsill
I threw the day old tea from the cup
Packed up the photo album Matthew had made
Memories of a life that's been loved
Took the get well soon cards and stuffed animals
Poured the old ginger beer down the sink
Dad always told me, "don't you cry when you're down"
But mum, there's a tear every time that I blink

By the second line, "I threw the day old tea from the cup", you know exactly what the song is about, and it hurts in a beautiful way.

If you've ever had to pack up the belongings of someone recently passed on, you know just how incredibly emotional it is. Everything holds a memory, there's a time marker on each of item, and as your hand touches each piece, you remember, and you cry.

Hidden amongst the pain is a hopeful message, "Oh I'm in pieces, it's tearing me up, but I know, a heart that's broke, is a heart that's been loved".

About Supermarket Flowers:

You'll find Supermarket Flowers on Ed Sheeran's 2017 Album, 'Divide'.

In an interview with MTV, Sheeran revealed that the song is about his grandmother.

He said she was in hospital close to the studio and had passed away during it's production. He wrote the song as a personal tribute from the point of view of his mother, and it wasn't initially intended to be included on the album.

However, when he sang the song at this grandmother's funeral, his grandfather encouraged him to include the song; and so it was, as the final track.

Get the Tissues Ready, As Ed Sheeran himself Said, "It Was Written to Make You Cry"

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Saturday, April 14, 2018

Dolphin Review for National Dolphin Day

Dolphin Photo - Pixabay

National Dolphin Day is celebrated each year on April 14th, an unofficial holiday that mainly focuses on bringing awareness to the ban on the hunting of dolphins.

Dolphins are mammals and are related to whales and porpoises. They range in size from 4 feet up to 30 feet and are found all over the world in the shallow seas around the continental shelves. I have even seen them in the inland waterway between Savannah, Georgia and Beaufort, South Carolina and in the Savannah River, both of which have access to the ocean.

Dolphins are very social animals and live in groups called 'Pods'.

No one knows who originally started National Dolphin Day, but many organizations promote it, including conservation groups, zoos and aquariums.

Things to do on National Dolphin Day

Visit a zoo or an aquarium near you.
Go on a Dolphin Tour if you live near the ocean. My son & grandson took such a tour on the Savannah River in Savannah, Georgia last summer.

Watch this amazing video about dolphins

Read a storybook about dolphins to a child.
Watch a movie about dolphins. Remember Flipper?

Pink Dolphin in Plush

Read about the rare Pink Albino Bottlenose Dolphin in this article by Sylvestermouse.

Toy Dolphins

An Etsy Dolphin Pod in Plush Handmade Crochet

I am a crochet crafter who has lived near the sea for many years and toy dolphins in plush crochet are my favorite animals to create. I have them in many colors in my Etsy Shop Coastal Crochet Crafts.

Dolphins are usually gray or bluish gray with a lighter gray or white underbelly. But cute crochet dolphins are toy stuffed animals, so they can be any color you can imagine!

For more crochet dolphins, visit Crocheted Handmade Toy Dolphins by Wednesday Elf on Crochet, Crafts and Cute Critters.

National Dolphin Day

So enjoy this magical of creatures, the wonderful sea animal known as the dolphin.

An image of a row of crocheted plush dolphins

Plush Dolphins on Etsy at Coastal Crochet Crafts

National Dolphin Day

Every April 14th

The Month of March is

Dolphin Awareness Month

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Friday, April 13, 2018

Navigating The Heart Movie Review

The movie Navigating The Heart starring Jaclyn Smith and Tim Matheson was actually released in 2000. However, I only discovered it this week. I love it when I find two of my favorite actors in a old movie that I have never seen before. I know I am guaranteed a wonderful movie experience. I was certainly not disappointed with this one.

Navigating The Heart is a great romantic movie where two people from completely different backgrounds fall in love. What makes this movie even better is that it is based on a true story. The book entitled "Fishing with John" was written by Edith Iglauer, the main female character in the story. She tells the story of their love and sadly brief life together in this bestselling memoir. The movie only captures the story of how they met and fell in love. For the details of their subsequent life on the boat, you would need to read the book.

To be completely honest, if it were not based on a true story I would have a hard time believing a beautiful, sophisticated city woman would fall in love with a small town fisherman. Normally, we would have to suspend reality to embrace this story, but not with Edith Iglauer (Jaclyn Smith) and John Daly (Tim Matheson).

Navigating The Heart Synopsis

Edith Iglauer is a somewhat arrogant, although justifiably so, writer for Manhattan magazine, which has just been taken over by a new owner with very different ideas about how a magazine should run. Previously the "literary journalists" were allowed to choose their own article subjects. Now, they will be assigned.

This decision to assign subjects and articles burns right to the core of Edith's literary heart. She is not happy about the idea and doesn't hesitate to express her opinion. She feels her 15 years of dedication, as well as her contribution to the popularity of Manhattan magazine, should be rewarded and praised. It is beneath her to be treated like an upstart that needs to be spoon-fed or assigned specific boring subjects to cover.

Her first assignment is to write a piece about the excessive price of salmon. Needless to say, Edith is outraged at the idea. After all, her expertise is in covering politics. Interestingly enough, when she investigates the industry for her assignment, she does find a huge political influence. But she doesn't know that will be the case as she reluctantly heads to British Columbia, Canada to get background for her article.

I had to laugh out loud when Edith arrived at the fishing pier dressed for the office, wearing toeless heels and pulling her luggage on wheels. It really is the perfect illustration of how out of place she was in a fishing town.

After learning that John Daly is the best source of information for her article, Edith asks a local female fisherman to take her out to John's boat. He is no happier to see her there than she was to have been assigned the article. However, after some persuasion, he allows her onto his boat and proceeds with the business of catching, cleaning and icing fish. Needless to say, Edith is sickened by what she sees and smells. Again, I had to laugh when she quoted Mark Twain, "fishing is a jerk at one end of the line waiting for a jerk at the other end".

Determined to write a story and not be beaten by this assignment, Edith ends up back on a John Daly's boat in spite of how much she really dislikes him. At constant odds with each other, while exchanging hateful barbs, Edith makes bad matters worse by accidentally starting a fire on the stove. Later that night, in the midst of a storm, they hit a log and the boat starts taking on water. Declaring "mayday" and requesting assistance, John does his best to seal of up holes, and then they wait. Ironically, it is during that time of waiting for help, possibly facing death, that they talk and a friendship is forged.