Review This Reviews!

Wednesday, August 10, 2022

The Housekeeper by Joy Fielding ~ A Book Review

The Housekeeper by Joy Fielding is a book that will give you shivers up your spine and really make you stop and think! While it is considered a "novel", it has threads of real life tied up in there too!

Anyone looking after ailing parents or relatives will be able to put themselves into this story!

Joy Fielding manages to make you stop in your tracks and really think about the possibilities that happen when you put your trust into someone to look after your loved ones.

Image by Tania Van den Berghen from Pixabay

Those of us who were born in the 1940's, 50's and beyond and are still blessed enough to have our parents here with us, are looking at the needs of the elderly through eyes that are living the reality of having aging parents and loved ones. It is not easy!

Right now I am the one responsible for both my mother and my uncle who are 91 and 92 respectively. I am lucky though because both of them are in fairly good health and still manage to live on their own. I do a lot of running back and forth for them, but that is a minor job (so to speak). I can't imagine how much more difficult it would be should they be so ill as to not be able to live on their own. I guess that is one reason that this book really hit a homerun with me!

Back to the "Book", The Housekeeper is a rare find for Jodi! She is busy with her real estate business which just happens to be booming. Her father, Vic, whose personality is very controlling and his wife Audrey are her parents. Audrey is diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and her health is quickly deteriorating.

Jodi's father decides to stop working (he was the founder of the real estate office) to look after his wife. While this seems to be a great way to cope with their changing circumstances, it really isn't working out very well. Audrey needs more help than her husband can provide. They are well off financially, so it seems that outside help would be a good answer to the growing needs of Jodi's parents. Her father (in whose eyes Jodi never seems to shine) is NOT happy with this change in his life. He doesn't want another person in the house, yet, he agrees to give a housekeeper a chance.

Jodi sees the need to look for outside help, even though her father is still adamant that he can cope. She herself, is not able to do what needs to be done on a daily basis, so she starts her search for "The Housekeeper". Her hope is that with someone to do the cooking and cleaning for her parents, her father and mother will be free to spend their time together and still live a comfortable life in their own home. Hopefully her dad will come to realize this is a good choice to make.

That's when Elyse shows up for the job! She herself is a "younger senior", quite lively and willing to do the work that Vic cannot!

This is where things start to go wrong and yet, Elyse is the answer to Jodi's prayers, or so it seems. Her children love the "housekeeper" and her dad seems to have a little more bounce in his steps since she arrived.

What could possibly go wrong?

I'm going to leave the story here only because I know you will want to know what happens next.

The Housekeeper is a story that had me thinking for days after I finished closing the book. I know you will find it interesting and I would even call it riveting. I could not put this book down.

Maybe it's because this is where my life is at right now, or maybe it's because I never thought of the possibilities that could happen, but this book really opened my eyes.

While it's a novel and none of the story is true or real, this story could be a reality and that is the scary part. This is a thriller, murder/mystery and is due for publication on the 16th of August this year. It is a timely topic that I'm sure will have many people talking!

Put "The Housekeeper" by Joy Fielding on your Must Read List, I know you won't be disappointed.

Happy Reading!

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.”

FOLLOW US ON:

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Review Of Wolf Garten Shears For The Garden

Good quality tools are necessary when working in the garden. I prefer to use manual tools whenever possible in our garden. I find it more peaceful to use manual tools, better for wildlife and much quieter for ourselves and our neighbours. I also feel more connected somehow to our garden plants.

Sometimes power tools are necessary for the garden, but using manual tools rather than electric ones is an even greater consideration now for us that electricity prices are so high.

We find these Wolf Garten Shears easy to use with no energy costs at all, apart from your own physical power. We do like tools that are easy to use and do not require too much effort. I would also rather buy quality tools that suit our needs and aim to buy tools that are longer lasting.

Wolf Garten Shears

Wolf is one of the brands I trust for gardening tools and are one of the brand of tools I use on a regular basis to keep our garden looking at its best. We also have secateurs of the Wolf brand and you can read my Review Of Wolf Garden By Pass Secateurs here. They have also proved a really great purchase.

The shears are used in our garden for cutting back shrubs, perennials and herbs such as lavender and geraniums where we need to cut a larger area of foliage. We use them to cut back annual flowers and any straggly growth as well.

Important aspects of garden shears are that they are sharp and cut cleanly. That it is easy to use with an ergonomic grip, a buffer to reduce jarring and pressure on our hands and wrists and it has a smooth action. In my experience, the Wolf Garten shears excel in all these areas.

I do think for the price and the quality that Wolf Garten Shears are excellent shears.

Cutting Back And Pruning Plants With Shears

Perennials require cutting back in late autumn after flowering has finished and when they are dying back. Equally, we can leave them until the following Spring. A Spring cutting back means that we leave the hollow stems and cover for our wildlife.

Lavender is best cut back after flowering but it is important to not cut back into old wood as it may not regrow. We need to cut so you can still see green shoots. This cutting back ensures a more compact shrub that will have the best chance of flowering well the following year and we can also use the cut flower stems as decoration in the home.

Hebes can be cut back lightly or some can be shaped into topiary-like balls as you prefer.

Our Laurel hedge gets cut back a few times a year to keep it looking neat and manageable.

Geraniums need cutting back after flowering. If we do this it tidies it up and also there is an opportunity that it may flower again. It will look bare for a week or two but the new regrowth is fresh green and lovely.

For any perennial you are cutting back it is important to cut close to the crown of the plant but above any new growth. We need a tool that will cut cleanly and not tear the plant.

I love the way that these shears cleanly and easily slice through our thick lavender borders and cut our small conifers cleanly. In my experience, they do not pull or injure the plants. We do not want to be tearing or pulling on plants that need cutting back and these shears just make this job so much easier and quicker to complete.

For a long time, I used my Grandads shears for these cutting jobs. While I love them because they were my Grandad's and are a link to a wonderful man I never knew as he died shortly after I was born, they are not easy shears to use for a long time.

I will always love and treasure my Grandad's shears, when I hold them I feel a part of history and closeness to my Grandad. In addition, all these decades on they are still in great working order. However, I do believe these Wolf Garten shears offer an added level of comfort and features that I do appreciate these days!

Good Qualities Of Wolf Garten Shears

When I use my Wolf Garten Shears I find they are so much easier on my hands and arms and are of good solid quality. I find they are the nearest shears to the robust, quality and feel of my Grandad's shears but with the added level of modern comfort!

Nonstick coated blades mean they rust a lot less and are much better when using them to cut plants with sticky sap. I clean them with a damp cloth and sometimes WD40 and a cloth.

In my experience, they cut stems cleanly and sharply which is much better for the plants.

Comfortable handles make the task of cutting back so much easier. They are simple to use and not hard on the hands or arms.

They have a solid quality comfortable feel to the product which is important to me.

Good bright points of orange-red colour mean they are not easily lost in the garden. This is essential for me as I am always putting down tools in the garden, getting distracted and forgetting where I left them!

There is a range of Wolf Garten shears, some normal sized for general cutting jobs, others about half the size developed for topiary hedging and smaller work, it all depends on your garden and what you need your shears for.

I personally would not attempt to cut a very large hedge with these shears but for tasks such as cutting back herbs and perennials, smaller hedges, smaller conifers, some topiary, annual flowers and general everyday pruning these manual Wolf Garten Shears are a great tool to purchase and wonderful quality addition to a useful garden tool collection.

Monday, August 8, 2022

CORQUE Marshmallow Roasting Sticks Review

Did I hear S'more? Did I hear outdoor fire pit? Did I hear grilling season? This is the handy tool you didn't know you needed and will be so happy to use. Marshmallow Roasting Sticks will bring smiles to the faces of your guests and make s'more making so much easier whether it be in the backyard or campsite.

Colors & Size

Jumbo sized and so much fun! Oh sure, back in the day we just used branches. Which is not to devalue the practical branch as a tool for your marshmallow roasting, but....

I thought these Jumbo roasting sticks would be a slight upgrade for guests. Not that browsing for branches is not fun in the middle of winter... but perhaps better left for the younger guests as an adventure.

The adults appreciated these Jumbo Roasting sticks! The kids appreciated the cheerful colors.

Each of the eight sticks is marked with different colors for easy identification. No double dipping! The sticks come with a convenient nylon carrying case for easy storage.

Outdoor fire pits both large and small have increased in popularity tremendously the past few years. In our house no fire pit is complete without a christening of making s'mores. The marshmallow sticks were a hit with all and hint hint - would be a perfect gift for fire pit owners.

Gift Ideas

I also gifted a set to friends who are fervent campers and the sticks were again a big hit. The kids used the sticks for marshmallows and the adults also used the sticks as skewers for campfire cooking. Win win for all.

I also plan to gift a set as a housewarming gift this summer. The marshmallow sticks fill the I'd love to have them, probably would not buy for myself, but love to receive as a gift lane.

FOLLOW US ON:

Sunday, August 7, 2022

My Plunge Into the TikTok World for Marketing, Business and Fun!

I reluctantly took the plunge into the TikTok marketing world.

Out of pure stubbornness, I vowed to avoid that particular social media platform. However, I had a come-to-reality moment, encouraged by my son, that my riddle business would be served well by that platform.

In quite a short time, my son has nearly 27,000 followers and over 263,000 likes, all with approximately 40 personal video uploads. That's not easy to do and quite impressive!

His TikTok handle is @charles.mackenzie if you want to take a peek. Just an added note, in all fairness to us mere humans, my son has a knack for being in front of the camera. However, as I detail below, you don't have to be on camera to benefit from TikTok.

I'm A Newbie TikTok User for Business - The Basics

Since I'm a newbie, I can't give you any big secret tips, but I can provide those of you with a business, some of the things I've learned so far as it relates to my own riddle business:

Go to the APP Store on your cell phone, and download the Tiktok App
Yes, you can log in to your TikTok account on your laptop; however, I found all the creative features more accessible via my cell phone.
When you download the App, you're on the service, not registered yet to use it. You can scroll through the videos and have fun. Oh yeah, it's a bit addictive.
Create your account to set yourself up to use TikTok for business. I won't go through the steps; simply follow the instructions and prompts.
I converted my account to a Business Account. There's no charge for that. Here are TikTok's instructions on how to do it; it's easy.
In your profile, you tell TikTok your interests so that videos that align with your taste are displayed on the front "For You" page. In my case, I selected media/entertainment, inspirational (or something like that), home decor, and a few other topic areas.

The "For You Page" on TikTok

What I've learned about the "For You Page" is that every user who opens the App is immediately connected to their For You Page to watch and start scrolling videos.

You can like, comment, save, share, or scroll past videos. This differs from other platforms in that you go directly into the content. Content is presented to you; it's not something you choose (except via the interests you indicated in your initial profile sign-up).

I've learned that the "For You" page is a powerful marketing tool. Everyone wants their videos to land on everyone else's "For You" page.

In fact, you'll notice that some people use the hashtag #foryoupage or #fyp to try and encourage the TikTok algorithm to place their video on other people's "For You Pages." I have no idea if that works or not.

I discovered via the Analytics area that many of my own videos were put on other people's "For You Pages" before I started using or even knew about the For You Page hashtags.

The Bottom Bar Appearance When Logged In to TikTok

HOME: (that's where you get to all the fun and sometimes hilarious videos to scroll through -um, be careful, it's so addictive!)
FRIENDS: (that's where you can quickly access the videos of your friends that you've connected with)
+ Plus Sign: (That's your prompt to start the upload process of videos or images - yes, you can upload images)
INBOX: (That's where you get notified that you have responses to your videos or new followers)
PROFILE: (That's your personal profile that features your content, and your logo/image and blurb about you)

I Avoided TikTok Because I Had No Interest Or Desire to Put Myself on Any Videos!

You don't have to put yourself on camera or even make videos.

You can upload a static photo/graphic and enhance that page with fun sticker elements and commercial-free music provided by TikTok.

For my business, static Riddle Graphic photos are perfect for this!

I've already created nearly 1000 photo riddles for my website and books, so uploading them to TikTok with music and some fun sticker elements is a perfect marketing fit.

The TikTok Voice-Over Feature

If you decide to type text on static photos, you can ask the TikTok AI Voice-Over feature to read the text! You don't have to use your own voice! It's easy to use.

How Am I Doing So Far?

I started using TikTok on August 2, 2022, and today, as I'm typing, it is August 6, 2022

In 4 Days:

I've uploaded 11 riddles
I've had 5,441 video views (mainly on the "For You" pages)
I've had 29 profile views
I've had 43 Likes
I've had 17 Comments
I've had 13 Shares
I've had 5 Follows

I'm delighted with the potential TikTok offers for my Riddle business. Perhaps it's something that could work for you as well?

The Biggest Problem:

Other people's videos can consume your time - especially the funny ones. Seriously, some are hilarious!

FOLLOW US ON:

World Lion Day – An Animal Awareness Holiday Review

World Lion Day was begun in 2013 by Derek and Beverly Joubert, a husband-and-wife team with a passion for big cats. It was started as an awareness holiday to protect the remaining big cats living in the wild.

World Lion Day is celebrated yearly on August 10.

Lion Facts

Lions are the second largest big cat in the world. Only the Asian tiger is larger.
Lions weigh 300-550 pounds and are admired for their speed and muscular strength.
Today, lions are only found in the wild in Africa and certain sections of Asia when once they were found all over Africa and the Eurasian continent. This is mostly due to loss of their natural environment.
Lions are not currently on the endangered species list, but are considered 'vulnerable' because their number has been reduced by fifty percent over the years.
Researchers estimate that there are only 30,000 to 100,000 lions left on the planet.

The Three Purposes of World Lion Day

Raise awareness of their plight and the issues that the species faces in the wild.
Find ways to protect the big cat’s natural environment (such as creating more national parks and reducing the areas in which people can settle).
Educate people who live near wild cats on the dangers and how to protect themselves. Big cats and humans can live in harmony together, if they understand how to do so.

Places to See Lions Other Than in the Wild

Zoos – many zoos today designate wild areas where the zoo lions can roam outside in a simulated natural habitat. This way they do not need to be caged, yet people can safely see them.

Photo by Sylvestermouse

Sylvestermouse shares a fantastic photo of two such lions – Fred and Savannah – when they were living at the Memphis Zoo. Her interesting article with facts on the African Lion, and on Fred & Savannah, can be found on her Amazing Wild Animals website.

Wildlife Parks, such as Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard, Kansas (near Wichita) which is a family-friendly destination where parkgoers can have up-close and hands-on interaction with the animals.

Plush Lion

Luke, the crocheted plush lion

Children who wish to have a lion of their own could safely do so with a cuddly plush lion. :-)

Luke the Lion is a plump round roly-poly kind of Lion who is soft and fun to hold. He's a very friendly little lion who seldom ever roars, and likes to do 'quiet' things, like reading and playing board games.

Luke the plush lion is handmade in crochet and can be found in the Etsy Shop of Coastal Crochet Crafts.