Halloween Sweaters and Accessories ~ A Holiday Review

 I am in a Holiday kind of mind because for the last few years many of our holidays have been put on hold due to the world wide COVID precautions and restrictions.  Well, the good news is that those many restrictions have been lifted and we can all celebrate together again.  That for me, is a big deal and I'm not alone!  Everyone is ready to have some fun and just kick back and enjoy the season and the holidays that are contained in there! 

What I love the most about a website that I happen to promote, is that there are so many things available to make your Halloween complete.

It's not just about the costumes (although that's the part I enjoy the most).  It's about all the other little things that make this holiday so much fun.

I happen to love the accessories page of HalloweenCostumes.com,  You have everything there that you haven't found anywhere else!  Accessories can sometimes even be the inspiration for the rest of your costume.  Starting off with a set of horns may become the impetus for one heck of a spooky or devilishly wonderful costume.  Tridents and Wands or Swords and Spears could send your costume look in a totally different direction.  The best part is that if you start now, you can tweak your costume for the next month and come out with something really wonderful and unique to you!  TIME is of the utmost importance and NOW is a great time to get started.

If you are not really into dressing the part of a Halloween ghoul or character, you can get into the Halloween spirit with a great Halloween Sweater.   Here in the north, Halloween can be quite chilly, so a warmer Halloween Sweater is perfect, especially when you are standing at an open doorway or maybe just opening and closing the door constantly.  The last thing you want as a Halloween treat is the first cold of the season.  So keep yourself ready by having a nice (scary or ugly) Halloween Sweater to compliment the night!  Some of their styles are already "Sold Out" , you don't want to miss out, so getting this done early is the best thing you can do!

If you live in the south, you might check out some lighter Halloween shirts at this ReviewThisReviews page! 

My hope for you and for me, is that after such a long absence of fun, we will all go out of our way to make the first big Holiday a fun time for all!   Then we can follow Halloween up with the best for Thanksgiving and Christmas that follow so shortly afterward.

Have a great time checking out all the good things to make your Halloween a "Spooktacliarly Good Time"

You can find everything you need right here at HalloweenCostumes.com!

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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A Review of Emergency Preparedness - Is it Really Necessary?

 

Preparing for an emergencies, what some people call "prepping" has been laughed at for decades.  It brings to mind images of crazy people putting bunkers in their back yards and sitting on hundreds of boxes of army rations.  

However.....

What about preparing for real life emergencies that could really happen?  Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and even terrorist attacks or rioting.  Any of them could really happen, but the most likely to happen is prolonged power outage.  The grid could go down for many reasons, and stay down for days or even weeks.  Would you be prepared if that happened?

What is  Emergency Preparedness?

Emergency Preparedness is planning for an unexpected, serious occurrence that could pose a threat to the health and wellbeing of you and your family.  It can be something as dangerous as a gas explosion, to something less dangerous, but still devastating, like a flood or a serious problem with your electrical supply.

How Can Planning Help?

Emergency planning helps to reduce the amount damage an emergency does to your life, the lives of your family and your property.   If the incident is catastrophic, planning can actually save your life.  In an emergency, people are scared, confused and in a panic about what to do and how to take care of themselves and their loved ones.  If you are prepared, it will significantly reduce your fear because you know you have a plan and the items you need to make sure you are safe and cared for during a bad situation.

How Can I Know What Kind of Emergency to Prepare For?

The simple answer is:  you can't.  You have no way of knowing what will happen, so the best thing to do is to take care of the basics that you need in any emergency situation.   

1. Food -  Have some food that you can eat without having to cook it, even better if it does not have to be refrigerated.  Peanut butter, crackers, beef jerky, protein or granola bars, honey, cookies and things like this are easy to store and will keep you going if you are in a situation where you have no electricity and can't cook.  It is always safer to have your own food available when a bad incident occurs so you don't have to go out, which in an emergency can be dangerous.  Keep your emergency food in totes in a cool dry place and don't forget to switch it out for fresh a few times a year so it does not go out of date.  
2. Water - Water is something most people take for granted as always being available, and therefore it is not necessary to store it.  This is not true.  Your water supply may become contaminated or your local water treatment facility could break down and stop supplying water.  The best way to be prepared for this situation is to store some water.  You can buy cases of bottled water, or 5 gallon plastic jugs that are available in most big box stores.  Having clean water to drink and wash yourself with is one of the most important things in an emegency.  Never take water for granted, it can be the difference between life and death.
3. Shelter - The other part of having shelter is having a way to keep warm, should something happen in the winter.  Your house is normally excellent shelter, but if you lose the ability to heat it, it can be nothing but a giant refrigerator.  If this happens, find one room that is small and can be closed off and get a propane heater like Mr. Heater  that is safe to use inside the house. Bring in blankets and warm clothes and stay in that room to keep warm.  If you have a situation where you are forced to leave your house, such as a fire, flood or earthquake, you need to have a tent or tents to stay in outside, along with clothing, food and water to take with you. 

Is There Anything Else I Should Stock Up On?

There are so many things that are good to have but here are some of the most important:

• Flashlights and batteries
• First Aid Kit
• Candles and the means to light them
• Power Bank Charger to charge your cell phone
• Knife
• Aspirin
• Garbage Bags
• Sleeping Bags or Blankets
• Heavy Socks and Hats for all family members
• Firewood (if you are able to build a fire outside where you live)
• Some type of weapon to defend yourself

Last Thoughts on Emergency Preparedness

These ideas are just the very basics you will need for a short term emergency, for longer term situations the list of what you would need would be much longer.  The above mentioned items are minimum of what every household should have in case of an emergency.  Having these items on hand will make you feel calmer, safer and better prepared should the worst happen.  Pick up a few items a week until you have what you need and as they say about being prepared for anything:

It is better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it!

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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Reviewing The Snake Grabber Tool

Today, I am reviewing the 60" Snake Grabber. This is not a glamorous review. Nor is it a fun tool to write about (not for me anyway). But wow, am I glad I had made that purchase and it worked better than I had expected. Snakes are not a fun thing to discuss for many of us. And that is all the more reason I need to share how well this Snake Grabber worked for me. This is one tool that you should consider owning if there is any chance at all that you'll deal with snakes. 

There are so many tools in our lives that we hope never to use. It seems a waste of money to purchase something we may never use. Frankly, to purchase something we hope to never have to use. For example, a lug wrench for changing car tires. Most folks call roadside assistance for flat tires. Easy peasy. But, if you get stranded with a flat tire, in an area with no cell service and no way to reach someone to come to the rescue, you are super glad that you have that lug wrench. Or, if your electricity goes out in some hurricane or ice storm for days. Investing in those expensive items such as generators may have felt frivolous at the time but they ended up being super important tools to have.

That's how I feel about the 60" Snake Grabber. It was not something I looked forward to using. In fact, I hadn't taken it out of it's box after it was delivered. But I used it last night and it probably saved lives (Quail lives). It made snake removal many times easier and quicker than my first experience.

Awhile back, I had a snake trying to get at my quail in their hutch on the deck. It was late in the evening and there I was trying to find things to poke at the snake to convince it to leave. Things that were strong enough (broom) were too large to fit where the snake was. Things that were thin enough (wall trim) were too flimsy to move that large snake. And most things were far too short. NO WAY was I going to get within inches of that thing. Luckily, I was able to harass that first snake for long enough that it chose to crawl out of the quail hutch pan, across my deck, and out of sight.  

Within days I ordered the Snake Grabber. 

 60" Snake Tongs Foldable Reptile Grabber Catcher Wide Jaw Handling Tool with Auto Lock and Non-Slip Grip HandleCheck Price

 

And then I let it sit in the unopened box. Until last night.

Well after dark the quail were making a huge commotion. I instantly knew that a predator was out there. The first snake experience taught me that even if the snake doesn't enter the cage, it can cause serious/fatal injuries to quail by grabbing their toes from the underside of the hutch. I had to work quickly.

I wish I had practiced with the snake grabber. It took me a minute to unfold it and secure it. Then another few minutes to figure out how to open the "jaws" after I had squeezed them shut. But once I sorted through those two things, I was outside and grabbing the snake.

This snake grabber fit PERFECTLY in that 2" space. I placed the jaws around the snake and squeezed the handle. The grabber was secure around the snake. I had a difficult time pulling the snake from the opening but that was because the snake was so large and powerful. The Grabber was solid and I never once felt that it was going to collapse or let go of the snake. I moved the snake to a bucket and was able to relocate the snake.

This was NOT an easy task for me. But it was possible because I had the right tool. 

More About the Extra Heavy Duty Snake Grabber

Just a few quick details about this Snake Grabber:

• this 60" long snake grabber keeps you a more comfortable distance away from the snake
• the tubes are heavy duty stainless steel
• the grabber can be folded in the middle for storage or transportation purposes
• the tongs or jaws close easily when the handle is squeezed
• an automatic locking mechanism keeps the jaws shut until you release it 

The only possible drawback that I read about in reviews and I experienced first hand is that the locking mechanism automatically falls into place after you squeeze the handle required both hands to release it.  Which felt clumsy. But in hindsight, I was happy to know that it was not going to accidently release the snake before I was ready. So I'm not entirely convinced that is a drawback after all.

Related Link:

If you would like to see me actually using the 60" Snake Grabber, you can watch me here:

 

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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A Portable Air Purifier For Single Room Use - 5 Star Review

We needed an air purification system for our bedroom that was non-intrusive and effective.

Fortunately for us, our son already had this particular model in his room for several years.

Since we knew the product had been tested, we decided to go ahead and get one for our bedroom.

The RENPHO Hepa Air Purifier Filter Replacement

Before purchasing this item, I asked my son about filter replacement. 

There are two dogs in his room, so it's safe to say that this filter gets a run for its money.

Although you can't wet this filter, he extends the use by cleaning the external dust off of it with a small portable mini-vacuum. 

He doesn't replace the filter very often; he said a few times per year is all. However, he pointed out that his filter gets a good workout because of his dogs. Since the dogs aren't in our bedroom, I expect that replacing the filter will only be once a year for our room - maybe twice.

What I Like About the RENPHO Hepa Air Purifier

• It's lightweight. It only weighs about 6.5 pounds.
• It's not very large and sits comfortably on a tabletop surface. 
• It measures 11 by 5.7 by 11.4 inches.
• No assembly is required, just remove all the plastic and plug it in.
• No batteries are required.
• It has rapid purification refreshing the air 5 times an hour in a room of 103 ft² / 9.6 ㎡, and is made for a room of approximately 206 square feet. Our room is about 300 square feet, and it cleans the air nicely.
• It has a three-in-one Hepa filtration system capturing 99.97% of airborne contaminants as small as .3 microns (such as pet hair and dander).
• Has 4 fan speeds.
• A quiet feature also reduces the fan noise and turns off the light at night.
• Easy to use. Plug-in set your fan speed, and that's it.

Here's a photo of the filter on our dresser:

We purchased our Hepa Air Filter from Amazon. There's additional detailed information at that link on the Amazon page. 

If you need a compact air filter, personally, I give this product five stars.

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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What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline – Book Review

 I have just finished reading What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline, and all I can say is ~ WOW!

I have been a fan of this author for many years and have read all of her books to date.  My favorite ones are her entire series of Rosato & DiNunzio novels, which follows the adventures of a group of women lawyers in practice together in Philadelphia. The characters are all clever and competent and downright enjoyable to follow. The story-lines are terrific and they are a fast-paced and often witty read.  

In addition, Scottoline has written a group of stand-alone novels, all of which are excellent, but somehow more serious, and even a bit darker, than her Philadelphia lawyers series.

This bring me to the most serious and tension-filled one to date. What Happened to the Bennetts will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. The WOW-factor comes in because I never saw the ending coming and the solution is surprising. 

Synopsis

The story revolves around a family – The Bennetts – who live a normal suburban lifestyle. Jason Bennett is the dad who owns a court-reporting business. His wife, Lucinda, has her own photography studio.  Daughter Allison is 15 and plays lacrosse. Her brother, Ethan is 13. And don't forget the dog, Moonie. 

While driving home from Allison's lacrosse game one night, a pickup truck begins tailgating them. Suddenly, the truck pulls in front of the Bennett's vehicle, two men jump from the truck and pull guns on Jason in what appears to be a carjacking. The violence that occurs then changes the Bennett's life drastically. 

Turns out that the carjackers were members of a dangerous drug-trafficking organization. One of the men is the son of the mob boss. When he is killed, it places the Bennett family in critical danger.

The FBI advises the family to enter the witness protection program immediately. They do, but serious problems arise. You see, WITSEC was designed to protect criminal informants, not law-abiding families. Think about it. Ordinary families have connections – friends, classmates, teammates, co-workers - all of whom start searching for and wondering about What Happened to the Bennetts! Social media and news outlets keep the Bennetts in the headlines, while at the same time the criminal organization is searching for them.

But the Bennett family discover that they cannot survive in a witness protection program if they are going to keep the family from falling apart.  

Then, Jason learns a shocking truth and realizes he has to take matters into his own hands. 

Summary

What Jason ultimately does to find a solution to the situation is amazing.  The ending will surprise you.

For more book reviews, check out ReviewThisBooks.com 

*What Happened to the Bennetts book review was written by 

~ Wednesday Elf.

Latest Psychological Thriller by Lisa Scottoline

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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The Social Tutor Book Review

If you are looking for a sweet, romantic easy to read book, you will love "The Social Tutor" by Sally Britton.  It is the first book in her Branches of Love series and quite a delightful read.

Earlier this week, I was without electricity for approximately 5 hours. Since I couldn't cook, work around the house due to the dark, or even work on my computer, I grabbed my Kindle and settled in to read. I opened it to "The Social Tutor" and was immediately allowed to relax as I was pulled into a lovely story set in the early 1800's in England. A time when women were expected to marry someone who benefited their family whether they were in love or not.

I am a huge historical fiction fan and I prefer clean romantic stories. "The Social Tutor" was the perfect choice for me!  When the electricity was restored, I was already so deep into the book that I didn't set it down until I had finished reading the entire book.

The Social Tutor Book Synopsis

It had been made perfectly clear to Christine Devon that she would marry someone who would bring wealth, business associations and hopefully a title to her family.  Her father would give her one season in London to complete this mission.

Christine was the second daughter in the household. Her older sister had failed to make the desired alliance and was relegated to overseeing her father's household. He would not waste any more money on her.

 The Social Tutor: Branches of Love, Book 1Check PriceBecause she was under so much pressure, Christine knew she would need help. Since her mother had died years before, she had never been taught how to attract a man's attention, engage him in an acceptable conversation, and make him choose to marry her out of all of the eligible young women in the "marriage mart". 

Thomas Gilbert had been friends with Christine's mother. They had shared a love for horses and Mrs. Devon had taken him under her wing to teach him about horses. It was Thomas's desire to add a horse breeding venture to his family's farm.  With the right horse selections, he believed he could bred champions and sell them to society members who demanded the best. 

Christine decided she would ask Thomas to tutor her. In exchange for the lessons, she would allow him to borrow the horses she had inherited from her mother.  Even though Thomas wasn't exactly sure at first how he could help her, the offer was too good for him to pass up. After all, Miss. Devon owned the best horses in the area and their offspring would be highly desired.

They agreed to meet every 3rd day until Christmas (only a few months) to prepare her for the social season which would begin immediately thereafter.  Thomas had no idea just how naive and trusting Christine was.  He knew she would be eaten alive by both the men and the women of society and he suspected that is what happened to her older sister. Without their mother's direction and oversight, it would be like a lamb among wolves. Out of loyalty to her mother, he could not let that happen to Christine.

Perhaps, you think you have already figured out what happens. Maybe you have, maybe you have not. Either way, it is a charming romance to read. I have no doubt, you will want to continue reading through the entire series.

 

Read More Book Reviews at
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Barking to the Choir - Book Review

Some books change us by flipping what we think we know, or what we think we are about, on its head. Barking to the Choir is one of those books. I am not the same person I was when I first cracked open the cover of this book.

In showing me what radical kinship looks like—in living it out on these pages—Gregory Boyle has me wondering: 

What if outreach to the marginalized is really about being willing to be reached by them?

What if it's about receiving rather than giving or doing?  You know—truly receiving the unwelcome with a welcoming embrace?

What if I came to know, deep within my core, that you are the other me, and I am the other you... that our separateness is only an illusion?

What if I said yes to entering into the fullness of kinship with you, and you, and you?

What if we meet there at the edge of I and Not I and discover unity?

What if we lifted one another out of isolation by merely showing up... every time?

Perhaps radical kinship begins with living these questions. 

Perhaps compassion is the answer to every question.

Perhaps the welcoming embrace begins there—begins here.

I open myself to it... to being it.

I invite you into this beautiful kinship. 

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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WHAT SOLD ON EBAY? FOURTH EDITION

Wondering what sold lately on eBay? Well, as always, the sales from my store have included an eclectic mix of new, used and vintage items. Welcome to the the fourth issue of my What Sold on eBay series. What follows are six items that sold from my store during the first two weeks of September, 2022. 

MY FAVORITE ITEM - A STEIFF SOCCER BALL

Favorites are always hard for me to pick but I liked this mohair Steiff soccer ball. It was manufactured by the famous German teddy bear company of the same name and was only one of a number of interesting Steiff pieces in my eBay store.  

See the rest of my Steiff collection on eBay by clicking here. There are no more balls but there are, as you might expect, a selection of teddy bears as well as a circus clown, an elephant, a camel, two egg cozies (yes, egg cozies) and even an adorable snowman. If you are looking for a small Steiff gift item perhaps to use as a stocking stuffer, I also have a number of felt Steiff elephant keychains. 

HIGHEST VALUE ITEM - A TORCHWOOD MINI-SERIES SET

Torchwood: The Complete Original UK Series was the highest priced item that sold in my store during this time period. This series was a popular British science fiction show that aired from 2006 to 2011. This boxed set was in excellent condition and complete. I never watched this program but now that I have handled and sold it, I will admit that I am curious about it. Have you seen it?

INTERNATIONAL SALE - A MINIATURE METAL BUG

The cost of international shipping from Canada means that I do not sell many items beyond Canada and the United States. It makes sense then that my one international sale during this time frame was for this small metal bug. I have sold small metal bugs before and as it turns out, people collect bugs. Would you entertain the idea of collecting bugs?

LOWEST VALUE ITEM - A SEAGULL PEWTER BOOKMARK

This bookmark, though a handsome piece, had been waiting for quite awhile for the right person to come along and buy it and so, the price was greatly reduced and it was very affordable. I do sell Seagull Pewter items fairly often, though most of them do not sell at this low price point. 

Seagull Pewter pieces are designed and handmade in Nova Scotia. The company started with just three employees in 1978 and now employs over 360 people. It makes a wide variety of products and is a popular tourist destination. Find all of my Seagull Pewter items on eBay right now by clicking right here. 

NEW ITEM - A DISNEY CARS PLAY-DOH SET

I sold a number of new items including this Disney Cars Lightning McQueen Play-Doh set. Someone, likely a little boy who loves the Disney movie Cars, will have hours of fun playing with this set. My boys would have loved it. Still might, actually. See all of my Play-Doh, including more of this fun set, on eBay by clicking right here.

OLDEST ITEM - A QUEEN ALEXANDRA 1902 MUG

Queen Alexandra was the daughter of Christian IX of Denmark. In 1863, she married Edward VII and throughout her life, she called Marlborough House in London, Sandringham House in Norfolk, Buckingham Palace in Westminster and Windsor Castle in Windsor home. 

This item was a small, antique mug with a fairly simple outside design and a portrait of Queen Alexandra on the inside.  It was not in perfect condition but it was 120 years old. Interesting that people collected royalty memorabilia even as early as the 1900s. 

While this mug has been sold, you can find more royal family items here in my store.

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I hope you enjoyed this peek into my world on eBay. Want to see more? Visit my store, Treasures By Brenda, by clicking right here.

Brenda

QUICK LINKS:

What Sold on eBay? First Edition
From baby quilt to dipping bowls and chimney sweep, discover what sold from my store one weekend in October.

What Sold on eBay? Second Edition
From fanny pack to wind-up toy to knife block, discover what sold from my store one weekend in November.

What Sold on eBay? Christmas Edition
From Christmas ornaments to mugs and toys, discover the items that sold as Christmas was approaching.

More eBay stories from Treasures By Brenda

Looking for more eBay related reading? Visit this link. 

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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