Have you ever tasted a persimmon?

We used to live in California and it was there that I was introduced to the amazing persimmon. This amazingly scrumptious and very sweet fruit can be so bitter when unripe. It goes from the bitterest of bitter to the sweetest of sweets.

There are a wide variety of types of persimmon plants so just about anyone from any state can grown them. Check out www.tytyga.com to buy Persimmon trees for your yard.

A Great Money Making Idea!

If you have room for several plants, consider a small orchard with your sights on a road side stand when the fruit is in season. A great money making idea for these times when we're all looking for ways to earn some extra money.

Love is in the air

I never thought of New Year's being a time for romance and a typical time for couples to become engaged but it is. Well, I learn something new ever day. My sister was saying she had read that this was so. We both were surprised.

Well, being the online shopper that I am, I wondered if one could purchase an engagement ring online as we can buy anything else this way. Well, I checked around and low and behold I found a great site to buy engagement rings. I was surprised and delighted when I came upon this site. Whiteflash.com sells all kinds of diamond jewelry, so you don't have to be looking for an engagement ring to shop there.

Do check them out. You'll be surprised at what they sell.

Christmas is almost here

Well, I got the last of my gifts purchased today. Now all I have to do is get those last things wrapped and under the tree and I'll be ready for the big day.

Today our minister was talking about how Christmas is all about us. I must say that I did a double take when I heard that. I have always thought in terms of Christmas being about Christ and celebrating His birth. Well, pastor said that is of course so too, but that if we think about it, Jesus is all about God's love for us. It was His love for is that caused Him to send Jesus to earth.

Well, once he explained himself, I understood where he was coming from. However, Christmas for me will always be a time of praising God for Jesus, and praising Jesus for dying on the cross for us. It's a time for my heart to continually thank Him for his love.

I praise His holy name! Amen.

Looking for a lawyer!

My sister just moved to Seattle and wouldn't you know it. Her husband was injured the first day of work at his new job. She was so upset, needless to say. She called me to talk. I told her not to worry and to let me see what I could find in the way of Seattle injury lawyer. I spend a lot of time doing research on the Internet and was sure I could help her out.

Well, I came across www.washingtoninjury.com, did some checking and found that they were just what she needed. I called her right back and so within a couple of hours she had things under control.

I was delighted that I was able to help my dear sister out. I'm sure once they get past this bump in the road the rest of their time in Seattle will be just fine. They're going to come to spend the holidays with us too. I can't wait to hear all about that law firm.

My grandchildren's favorite gift!

The one thing that all of my grandchildren, no matter what their age or gender want is the PS3. Not only do they want the game system, but they want all of the accessories and a list of games as long as my arm.

This system seems to have that certain something that appeals to everyone. Even our son who is in his late 40s love it. He bought his family one and is getting games for everyone for the holidays.

If you happen to be looking for a PS3, try www.buy.com. They're offering free shipping too.

Happy Holidays everyone.

The Holiday Blues

Just what is it about this time of year that can make us feel blue instead of joyful the way it should? In my humble opinion, the very fact that we feel that we SHOULD feel joyful sets us up to feel just the opposite. Don't you think?

For me, the answer to this phenomenon is to get busy and help someone in need. Reaching out to another is the fastest way to shake the blues that I know of. It's also the most useful. The second cure is to go for a brisk walk. God made our bodies with built in cures for what ails us, and walking revs up just the right hormones to give us the lift we need when we're down.

I hope this helps you if you're feeling blue. =)

Help losing weight

Who among us isn't looking for help in this area? It's a known fact that the number one New Year's Resolution is to lose weight. This year, I will be one of the many making this resolution.

I have been reading and hearing a lot about the weight loss aid, Leptovox. When I read the list of ingredients and how they help our bodies shed those extra pounds, I was impressed. It contains green tea and acia berry just to name a couple ingredients.

I intend to order Leptovox and give it a try. When I do, I'll blog on the results of my use. Before I take it, however, you can be sure I will check with my doctor. I urge you to do the same always when considering using an over the counter medication. That just makes sense.

Food for thought

Most of us will join a large majority of our fellow Americans at the first of the year and begin a diet to lose the weight we are gaining from eating all of the goodies that are everywhere during the holiday season. When you do, I'd like to suggest a great site to help you when you decide to try the help of diet pills.

Not only does www.pricesexposed.net give you a list of the top diet aids, but also tells you what's in them and how they stand price wise. I really like sites that help inform us about what we're buying.

As always, I take any aids and supplements with me to my doctor so she can check them out and tell me if it's ok to use it. That just makes good sense to me and I urge you to do the same.

Happy Holidays.

A buzzworthy free diet site

I know, I know! Nobody wants to be reminded of their diets this time of year. Whether your problem is your weight or if it's eating the right foods, we all have to watch what we eat. What we eat is as important as putting the right gas into your car. Okay, you're right, you all know this so you don't need to be told over again.

I want to share with you a great site, however. It's www.thedailyplate.com. This site allows you to search what you eat and calculate the calories. You can log your exercise as well as the amount of water you drink each day. It has it all and it's free. There are a lot of sites online but this is the first free one I have found. Very little is free these days and when something is, it is truly buzzworthy as far as I am concerned.

Check out www.thedailyplate.com. Let me know what you think.

Protecting our largest investment

Those of us who own our homes are very aware of the amount of money that is tied up in this one investment. That being the case, it's a no-brainer to realize that we must not skimp on home insurance.

At www.2insure4less.com you can compare prices and coverage of all of the biggest and best insurance companies around. It's important to yearly take a good look at what you're spending and check to see if you may be paying more than you have to for that protection. With sites like this, it's more convenient than ever to compare prices and even save some money on your home insurance.

I consider yearly reviewing insurance coverage truly a buzzworthy thing.

A great buzzworthy idea for earning money

My husband and I both work from home. We're retired, but we feel that everyone needs to have something in their lives that keeps them motivated, interested and stimulated. A home based business is a great idea for not only retired people, but moms and dads who want to be able to be home with the kids more.

That said, I have a site that you absolutely must visit. It's www.homebasedbusinessopp.com and yes, they are all about home business. This site lists categories of businesses, a dollar amount that you are wanting to earn, and franchise information as well.

I have bookmarked this buzzworthy site and I have an idea that you just might want to do the same. Share it with your friends. It is one of those sites that you want to shout about, especially during these difficult times.

Online shopping

If you haven't discovered online shopping yet, well, I am here to tell you that you're missing the greatest thing since white bread.

Instead of trying to beat the crowds, the traffic jams, and the picked over merchandise in stores, you can surf the net, find just what you want right in the comfort of your home and have it shipped to you or even to your family member.

One of the biggest pluses of shopping online is that you can find gifts that you wouldn't necessarily find in stores. Many stores carry a wider variety of merchandise on their websites than they do in their stores. If you live in a smaller community as we do, it's great to have access to stores that I wouldn't be able to get to unless I was willing to go to the city. That would involve traveling two plus hours each way.

Nope, give me online shopping any day. Especially at Christmas time. It's the only way to get that big job done. On Dancer, on Prancer, .........

A buzzworthy product review site

My kids have told me that they are tired of hearing me say, "do your research before you buy". I must admit, I do say that a lot. I'm a firm believer in finding out ahead of time all that I can. I feel that information is our strongest weapon. It can save us time, money, and our health in some cases.

This is why I feel that www.consumerpricewatch.net is a buzzworthy site. They have taken Phentermine diet pills and done the work for us. Their article on this product explains how it works when we use it, and what can be expected by way of side effects. Now that is just what we need when we are considering a product.

When it comes to anything that we are considering as a diet aid or diet supplement, as always, ask your doctor about it first. That's just being smart and safe.

George Bush welcomes Barack Obama

I was glued to my TV as I watched President and Mrs Bush welcoming the Obamas to their soon to be new home.

I didn't vote for president elect Obama, but soon he is going to be president. He won't just be the president of the Democrats, but he is the president of us all. As Americans we owe it to our country to get behind our new president and support him. We are the "United States" and I truly believe in that union and am committed to it all the way. I hope you are too.

What an awesome experience it must be to become the most powerful family in our country, live in the white house etc. But then, that's a subject for another blog, I think.

Help finding a job

There are so many people out of work right now. These are difficult times for us all and nobody is left unscathed.

There is a site online where you can post your resume and do a search for jobs in your area of interest and area where you live. If you're looking for employment, www.beyond.com may be just what you need.

When you are searching for a job during times like these, I would suggest that you stretch yourself a bit and see what other employee categories you can submit your resumes to. Don't be afraid to stretch yourself a bit and think out of the box.

Good luck.

A great buzzworthy site for senior citizens

Would you believe they have talking watches now? But, think about it. For those whose vision is challenged isn't that a great idea? Also, for those who need a reminder when to take pills etc. The older I get the more I need reminders for just about everything.

Do check out this www.activeandable.com if you or someone you love is in need of help with reading telephone dial pad, dressing aids, home aids and anything in any area that they are struggling. This is a great site where I think you'll find everything you could want to make life easier.

You don't have to be disabled or a senior to help getting a zipper done up in back and nobody is around to help you. This site is for everyone. Check it out. You'll be so glad you did.

Gas is affordable again. YEA!!!!

As I have shared in the past, we bought a motorhome and plan to do a lot of traveling in it in the future. With gas way down again, thank God, it's affordable once again too.

Because of such high gas prices and the other issues of the economy these days, it appears that the bright spot in all of this is that many places including theme parks are running specials. I searched and found that Orlando vacations has some amazing price savings going for anyone who has yet to visit that amazing entertainment park.

My husband and I are planning a trip there to take advantage of the savings. After the holidays would be just perfect timing. The weather in Florida is great that time of year. It's going to be a wonderful trip.

Have you discovered "Big Lots!" yet?

Big Lots is one of my favorite places to browse and shop. Have you discovered them yet? They have the greatest selection of fun things that you might not find anywhere else. The biggest treat is the prices, though. Things are cheap, cheap, cheap. It's the best place to buy plastic containers. We all know how expensive they can be elsewhere. At Big Lots they're not expensive at all, so you can buy a bunch.

They carry everything from household items to some food stuffs. I don't buy eatables, though, as I worry about how long they've been on the shelf. However, sheets, pillows, yard ornaments, even furniture. I could go on and on and I do when I shop there. I go in to save money and because so many things are so cheap I over buy and end up spending a ton of money. Isn't that the way it goes? It takes restraint to shop at this store.

I think I'll go get changed and take a trip to Big Lots. See ya there. =)

Buzzworthy CONTEST. Win up to #33,000

COME ONE COME ALL. Let's win this contest!!!
www.shopandconfess.com is having a contest. They want to hear all about your online shopping experiences. When you go to the site to sign up for the contest, take time to view the videos. These were made by past winners and are full of great hints and tips to make your chances of winning better. I'm going to sign up and I urge you to do so as well.

When you do go to enter the contest, be sure to give them my URL www.revealedreflections.com so I'll get credit for sending you. Don't forget to include my URL . That's important.

I am going to enter that contest too. I shop online a lot and have a lot to say about it. Okay, so let's all get going and get over to www.shopandconfess.com. Let's win!!!

Sarah Palin's wardrobe hubbub

I'm wondering how many of you feel the way I do about all of the hubbub about Sarah Palin's wardrobe. I was watching the news today and the broadcaster was going on and on about how much it cost the Republican party to make over Sarah Palin and her family for the campaign. I don't remember the numbers, but it was a lot of money.

How do I feel about this issue? Really!! Seriously!!! Our economy is reeling out of control, there is a war going on, most of our states need better schools and on and on. With all of these issues that are really important, I personally don't give a hoot how much Sarah Palin spends on her clothes or anything else.

What I do care about is will my fellow Americans get out and vote for their candidate this November in the record numbers that are expected and that should be! I am praying for this election unlike any before. With all that is going on in our world, we need the best leadership we can get.

That said, let's forget about whose wearing what glasses, how much they cost and let's just get out and vote!! Urge your friends and family to do the same. It's our American freedom at it's best. VOTE!!

Our 50th wedding anniversary

We will be celebrating our 50Th wedding anniversary in 2009. Is it possible? It's certainly hard for us to believe. We are planning on a taking a special trip to a place we have never been before, to Antigua.

I plan to spend a lot of time in the sun and bring back an awesome tan so have been looking for a new swimsuit. I also need a cover-up. I found a great site for all that I need. It's www.instyleswimwear.com. They have all of the brands that I would be looking for and the prices are great too.

I'm taking my time deciding what I want to order, however, when it's time to go on our trip, I'll be ready to go.

Buzzworthy idea, for yard swings

Any men who are reading this blog may want to move onto another blog for now. This is pretty much a woman's topic.

Several years ago we bought one of those wonderful yard swings with a canopy for our yard. We have enjoyed it so much. Over time the outdoor elements have really taken their toll. The canopy had to be taken off as it was in shreds, and the cushions were really a site as well. I have looked and looked for replacement cushions and canopy to not avail. I was ready to just give up and get rid of the swing.

BUT WAIT!!! Inspiration struck. I said to myself, "I can sew, that doesn't look like such a hard job! I can do this!! " So, I tackled it.

I didn't want to invest a lot of money right away in case this turned out to be harder than it looked. So, I went to my local bargain store and bought three vinyl table cloths. Using the fiber fill of the old cushions, I laid the table cloths on them and cut the cloths to size. Next, putting right sided together, I sewed up three of the sides, then turned the new cover right side out. I then slipped the fiberfill cushions into their new covers. Voila' !!

I have to make the canopy yet and my husband has some rust stains to chase off of the patio cement, but at least you get an idea of what an easy fix this is. Give it a try. Even if you don't sew, hot glue would work too. I must add that this fix cost me $12.00!!

I'd love to see any pictures of your handiwork. Share any other ideas you have with us too. This is a problem to many. Maybe I should go into the business of making replacement cushions and canopies for those wonderful swings.

Maybe in my next life. =)

It's already Christmastime in local stores

I couldn't believe my eyes when I went shopping the other day. It's not even Halloween yet and all of the stores have their Christmas decorations out. I understand why, but I certainly don't like it.

Now that I have voiced my grievance, I must say that I'm starting to think about what I'm going to buy for everyone for Christmas. I have three grown children and when I can find a gift that they all would like, I get excited about that. It's easier for me, and I know they'll enjoy what I get them.

This year, my three are getting espresso machines. I know that they'll be thrilled with them. As an added plus, they'll be able to save money by not having to stop at those expensive coffee shops to buy their morning coffee treat.

Now THIS is a buzzworthy idea for the holidays!

The bane of teenagers

Acne!! How well I remember how frustrating it was when I was a teenager to have a face covered with acne. The only thing I knew to do for it was to put alcohol on my face. I know now how drying and bad for our skin alcohol is.

Today teens who are looking for an acne treatment have a vast array of products available to them. Acnecuresrevealed.net looks at the latest products, rates them as to quality, price and safety and lists them accordingly.

It's is great to be able to find all the information you need about the most popular products on one site. Don't you think?

A buzzworthy site

Buy.com has become one of my favorite sites. If I'm looking for something I need, it's the first website I check out because they offer such a great selection as well as very competitive prices. Whatever it is you're looking for, you'll find it there.

We live in the South. Even though the calendar says it's Fall, our temperatures are still often in the mid 80's. I needed a fan for our office now that we aren't using the air conditioner. I went to my favorite site, buy.com, and found a great selection of portable fans
and found just the one I was looking for.

Whatever it is you're shopping for, do take a look at this site. I think you'll be glad you did.

Obama and McCain, The final debate tonight

I'm looking forward to watching the debate tonight between our presidential candidates. I would love it if McCain would knock one out of the park for a change. I'd like to hear something new as well, something we haven't heard for a long time.

After watching the Democratic convention, I was ready, for this election at least, to change my alliance from the Republican party to the other camp. However, the more I listened to what McCain has to say the many times he's spoken since then, I am back where I belong, on the right rather than the left side of the street. Pun intended.

The debates should be interesting. Watch it with me.

Palin's debate score

Did you watch the vice presidential debates last night? We did. We were actually glued to the TV and after a while weren't even annoyed that we were missing out on "Grey's Anatomy".

How do you feel that Palin did? I felt that she did a good job handling herself. She came off confident and knowledgeable.

Do I feel that she gained any ground? I don't think so. I like her, I really do. She's loaded with personality. Do I have confidence in her as a potential president if the unthinkable should occur? No, I don't. Would I rather have Biden in that case? Yes, I would. So, will I vote for Obama? No, I will vote for McCain. See my dilemma? I need a McCain/Biden ticket. Better yet, I need a McCain/Condoleza Rice ticket. Now THAT is a ticket that I think would be a hands down winner. What do you think?

It's just plain good sense

Yearly my husband and I shop for car insurance. We used to just stay with our tried and true company, but have learned that we can save a lot of money on insurance if we take the time to get quotes. So, that's just what we do.

I have found that there are many reliable companies online that will give you quotes from all of the well known insurance companies. All you have to do is answer a few questions about your vehicles, your life style, where you live and they will give you a quote.

Now that is easy, convenient and just good sense. Shop around and see if you can't save yourself some money. These days, every penny counts. Don't you agree?

A new answer to an old problem? Here's the buzz!

There is a fairly new site on the virtual horizon, www.eyefloaters.info. As the name of the site implies, it deals with those annoying eyefloaters. My sister has complained a lot over the years about having eyefloaters, but until I experienced this first hand I didn't realize how annoying and frustrating it can be.

www.eyefloaters.info explains just what floaters are and what makes them occur. I found that to be very interesting, as I had never been given a straight answer before when I asked my doctor about them.

Besides the usual specks of floating substance in our eye, there are other floaters as well. Some people suffer from spider web type substances, as well as strings or streaks, and even fog or cloud like substances that can blur your vision.

We need to be able to see clearly. That is for sure. When there is a product available to clear eye floaters up for us, I for one feel that it's worth a few dollars to get the help I need. www.eyefloaters.info guarantees their product and wants their customers to be totally happy or will give them their money back.

That inspires a lot of confidence in me knowing that they stand behind their product to that extent. I also appreciate that they take PayPal for payment. That makes buying online a lot simpler for me and safer as well.

When you receive your eyefloater cure in the mail, as always I recommend that you show it to your doctor and get an okay to use it. That's just good sense. Always err on the side of caution when it comes to your health. That's my motto.

I'd be very interested in hearing about your experience with this new product, so do write and let me know how much better you are able to see without having to look through floaters. My email address is mary1440@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you on this.

By the way, I will let you know how it works for me as well after I order my own eye floater cure.

Fixtures that add style

Creating a style in a room is done through the details that you chose. A bathroom is one room in which you can make a huge statement by the style of bathroom faucets that you chose. At www.faucet.com you can select all of your fixtures and have them match the decor of your home.

I'm very partial to Victorian style decor, and have found the most unique faucets at this site that I have yet to see anywhere. If you're having trouble finding bathroom faucets that makes a statement, this is the site for you. You'll find variety and prices that aren't over the top.

A truly buzzworthy site!

Growing up way too fast

We have nine wonderful, amazingly outstanding and talented grandchildren. They are incredible. Have you heard enough? =) They are, however, growing up way too fast for me. I often wish I could just stop time and keep them young.

It seems that all of them are sharing the woes of those preteen and teen years and the skin problems that come with that. I tell them that I fully understand what it's like to suffer with acne. Luckily, they have so much more available to them in the way of treatments. Every one's skin is different so I urge them to try different products until they find the one that works best for them.

When we talk about this and other issues, I just hug them tightly and reassure them that this too will pass.

A mother's heart broken......

Many years ago, after trying for a long time to have a family, out friends told us that they were expecting their first child. We all were so thrilled. It wasn't long after the birth of their son that we were told that their precious angel had cerebral palsy. It broke our hearts and the hearts of all of the rest of the friends of this dear couple.

Since that experience I have heard it said that often times this terrible disability is caused by medical mistake during delivery. In that case, I think that getting guidance from cerebral palsy lawyers who are specialists in these cases are what should be done. If for no other reason, to investigate and determine if indeed there was error on the part of the hospital or staff. It just makes sense to not let it go investigated. Don't you agree?

A buzzworthy site for your home media center

When I find a site that I think is exceptional, I try to review it here on my blog. Well, I've found just a site and you will certainly want to check it out if you need anything for your media center. The site is www.theaterseatstore.com. Not only do they sell
a great variety of home theater seating, but you also need to check out their accessories section.

This site has anything that you would possibly need to make your media room into a theater. They have popcorn machines, theater ropes, posters and frames for your walls, and other decorator items.

I love to decorate and could get all that I would want for our media room right there at theaterseatstore.com. Truly a buzzworthy site!

Another great review site

I really appreciate the time and effort that goes into reviewing products. We all need all of the information we can get. Our computers are the best research resource there is.

As a great example of a super review site, check out Sybervision Reviews on best diet pill/. They offer info on not only diet pills, but a host of other product categories such as colon cleansers and sleep aids.

I'm always happy to promote a great site that is definitely one that we all should bookmark for future reference. Sybervision Reviews! Truly a buzzworthy site.

A super buzzworthy idea!!

We have grand kids off to college this year, and my very smart daughters ordered their
textbooks online. What a great "buzzworthy idea!! Not only does Buy.com have the best sellers in all categories available, children's books etc, they have textbooks as well.

Back to the textbooks, though. Isn't that a great way to save money and hassle? I remember what a mad rush it was to get textbooks when I was in college and how there were often times when I would have to wait for my text. That was frustrating and stressful. Where was Buy.com when I needed it? =)

Sarah Palin

This lady has my attention!! I must admit that at first I wondered what McCain and his camp were thinking by choosing her to run on his ticket. In my opinion she doesn't have a lot to bring to the table. "What are they thinking", I asked myself.

I am still not altogether sure what she brings to the "presidential table" as far as running a country is concerned. However, as I listened to McCain's speech during the Republican convention, it was clear to me that this man is determined to bring change to Washington and to America. He wants to return our country to the values it has lost sight of. How better to do this than by choosing a running mate who is yet unspoiled by politics. A running mate who still has a clear picture of what our country is suppose to stand for and one who can get in there with Mr McCain and fight for real change. Change in politics, change in Washington, change in America.

Go McCain and Palin!!! I stand with you.

A little help with that diet......

No matter how much I vow to eat right, get me on vacation and all thoughts of eating right and not gaining any weight go out the window. Well,I found a great site that has a variety of diet pills available. I've ordered a couple of different kinds.

As always, I will take them to my doctor and get her approval before I take anything. Along with that, I am a firm believer establishing some good eating habits and having a regular exercise routine. Some diet pills to help with those cravings, though, can really help us through those times when we've had all of our allowed calories and are still craving something. It can often be just what we need to get us over those rough patches.

Let me know what you think.

Another buzzworthy site for movers....

So many people I know are relocating. I don't know why this is so, though we all go where the job take us.

One of my friends was telling me about a really great option for those moving. There is a company that offers moving trucks, but with a twist. They drop off the trailer that you pack your things into. In a few days they come back, pick up your packed trailer and drive it to your destination. I love that idea. It saves a ton of money, yet you don't have to worry about driving a big rig that is beyond your driving comfort zone. They even give you a free estimate online. How easy is that?

A truly buzzworthy option for those who are moving.

We love our Digital Cameras

We really do enjoy our digital cameras. My husband and I take a lot of pictures of family and friends when we go for visits.

Photography has been a hobby of mine for a long time now and I find it's so much easier today with the cameras that are available. Not only that, but the memory stick of today not only offers more storage, but they are faster and use less power too. That little feature enables our camera batteries to last longer.

The latest thing in digital camera memory sticks! Faster, and more efficient. Truly a buzzworthy addition to our camera accessories.

A great idea

When it comes to investing money, we have always been reluctant to venture out on our own. Until, that is, we discovered an online broker who deals in futures trading. I found the site and showed it to my more savvy husband. He did some research into this site, asked his friends who are more investment savvy and once reassured that it was safe, he invested a bit in futures.

So far we're very pleased with the results and are so glad that we came across this site. We like knowing that we're not alone in our investing, but there is an educated broker guiding us and educating us as we go.

Maybe one day we'll feel we can totally act on our own in the investment field, but for now, this is a great option.

Buzzworthy Notebooks

I recently discovered and then purchased a Sony Vaio notebook. This laptop computer is a quality product that our performs many others on the market today. When I find a product that is exceptional I have to "shout" about it and this computer is all that and more in my humble opinion.

I ordered mine online from Buy.com. I have found that whatever I purchase from them without fail lives up to what they say about it.

We have here a buzzworthy online site and a buzzworthy product. I can't say enough about it nor urge you strongly enough to visit the site and consider the product.

Summer entertaining

Living in the South lends itself to entertaining outdoors in the evening. The balmy evenings are so enjoyable. This summer we added some extra accessories to enhance the ambiance of our patio. We weren't sure what we wanted so I did some searching online. I found this site that sells fire pits , and I knew that a fire pit was just what we needed.

We have been so pleased with this purchase. Even on a warm night it adds a coziness to the atmosphere. We use it every time we're sitting out on our patio, whether or not we have guests.
It has truly paid for itself over and over again in the hours of enjoyment we've had. It'll extend the length of time we're able to enjoy the outdoors too.

Buzzworthy Site for Acne sufferers

We have a grandson who is 17 and who suffers terribly from acne. He is very self conscious of it.

The other day I was searching the web desperately trying to find some information on treatments that are available and I found a site that is dedicated to just this problem,acne treatments. I was overjoyed to see a site that is all about the different creams and ointments that are on the market. It even rates them as to their effectiveness.

Well, I bookmarked the site for myself and emailed it to my grandson. He called and thanked me for finding it for him. He's sent for the number one product that they recommend and he's hopeful that this will really be the answer to his acne problems.

Getacnetreatments.com! Truly a buzz-worthy site.

A "buzzworthy" site

Those of us who work online are always looking for more secure ways to conduct our transactions. Recently my husband decided to offer the option of paying by credit card for his online antique business. He found a great site authorize.net that offers a secure and economical way to processing credit cards.

Merchant Focus is the name of the company. Check out their site at the link above if you're looking for help in this area.

Are you ready for summer?

I wasn't ready for summer before, but I certainly am now. I'd tried on every swimsuit in town and still didn't find what I wanted.

Then, I got online and found the best site for swimwear. They have every style and size, and specialize in designer fashions. They have not only swimsuits, but cover-ups, shoes and accessories as well. Their prices are competitive too.

After spending days scouring the stores here in town, I can't say enough about being able to go to this one site, order what you want and before you know it, you have it arriving at your door. It just doesn't get any easier than that.

We're back but leaving again... =)

We just arrived home last night and will be leaving again next week on another trip. We certainly do enjoy retirement and our motor home.

One thing we've found that gives us added peace of mind is travel insurance.
Something we didn't know before but found out the hard way was after having paid for a cruise last year, my husband was hospitalized so we couldn't go. The cruise lines informed us that they never give refunds and that they recommend people take out travel insurance to cover the unexpected. It was too late for us then, but we didn't waste any time contacting Travel Insurance Center and making sure we have coverage in the future. Especially when traveling out of the country.

You'll be amazed at the things they cover. Do check them out if you're traveling this summer. You'll be glad you did.

Happy new home owners.........

Our daughter and son-in-law just bought a new home. They are so excited. The whole process is so easy these days. With all that is available on the internet, they were able to shop mortgage lenders from the comfort of their own home. They both work, so that was a wonderful advantage for them.

They were able to submit an application for a loan, have their credit checked and be notified as to whether they were accepted or not all without leaving the comfort of their computer desk and chair.

That is as easy as it gets and if anything was buzzworthy, Somerset Mortgage Lenders most certainly is.

A buzzworthy bathroom redo

I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself. We are redoing our master bathroom and I do mean redoing. We are gutting it and starting from scratch.

I've always thought that I wanted a pedestal sinks. That was before I did some online searching and came across vessel sinks. It was truly love at first sight!!! Now my problem is deciding which one I want!! The selection of styles and the variety of stones that they are made up of is so varied. I was also pleasantly surprised to see how reasonable they are.

I think I have settled on the round marble bowl style that looks like it is sitting on the counter top underneath the faucet. Then again, there is that round chocolate travertine bowl that is built into a tile counter top... This is not going to be an easy decision!! I love them all!!!

Anyway, do check them out and see for yourself. You are going to be amazed!!

Thoughts on our carbon footprint

Some time ago my husband and I decided that it would be a good idea to look into water purifiers. Even though our water is fine right now. I don't think we can take our health for granted and I would rather be safe than sorry.

Rather than buy those individual bottles of water, we fill our containers with our own purified water. We save a bundle and feel good about not throwing a ton of plastics into our landfills each year. We see it as a win-win situation.

My favorite "buzzworthy" website, Mahalo.com

I truly am impressed by this new search engine, Mahalo.com. The quality of the pages always impress me. I like that I can go to Mahalo, search for a given subject and then find the very best links all right there for me to click on. These links are also separated into category making it easy to go right to the site that is in your area of interest.

I may be a little prejudiced because I also work for Mahalo.com and write pages for them, but I have only written a few. The rest I just enjoy and marvel over the content and quality.

You really must do yourself a favor the next time you may be looking for some info on a given subject and try Mahalo.com If you were to find that they don't have a page yet on the topic that you are searching, drop them a note and they'll add it to their list and write it just for you. How great is that??

Mahalo is truly the best thing to come along on the Internet in a long time. Try it out and see for yourself.

Until next time,

Mary

"Thoroughly Modern Mary"

I can hardly believe this is true, but I am going modern!! After all of these years of liking overstuffed furniture, tables covered with what-nots, I now find I am drawn to the sleek, clean lines of a room done in modern furniture.

I think this is so because I function so much better in a neat environment, and modern furniture is all that and more. Modern furniture is clean lines, function, and simplicity. Most of all it's uncluttered. I really like that. With something to fit every environment and taste, it's extremely affordable too.

I do believe that "Thoroughly Modern Mary" is here to stay.

Until next time,

Mary

I love the beach.........

We have decided that life is too short to let the gas prices keep us home this summer. So, we have a couple of trips planned to see family and friends already.

Gary and I were talking this morning over coffee about our trips and how we both want to see the East Coast again. We thought for this trip we'd get in touch with a Realtor and rent a place right on the beach. I did some searching and found Wilmington real estate. I was pleased to see that they not only sell property on the North Carolina coast, but also have rental properties available. We had a place rented after one phone call. It doesn't get any easier than that. I plan to take plenty of pictures and will share them with you all.

Until next time,

Mary

Saying I love you with a special meal buzzzzzzzzz

My husband worked today. He has an antique business so has two booths in a local antique mall here in town. Part of the deal is that you must work one day per every so many square feet of space that you rent. He usually works two days a month. Not bad and it keeps him in touch with his customers etc.

I knew he'd be hungry and tired when he got home tonight so I fixed him one of his favorite meals. After 48, almost 49 years of being together, one runs out of new ways to say "I love you". So, this was my way to say it to my beloved today. When I dished his meal up, he was happily surprised and exclaimed, "What a treat!!". I smiled and told him that it was a special "I love you" for him, just because. He smiled, kissed me, and devoured his special meal, exclaiming about how good it was all of the while. I enjoyed his pleasure more than anything.

Buzzworthy buzz comes in many forms, even with hamburger as a base. =)

Until next time,

Mary

Buzzing About A New Recipe Site

I made a big ham portion for dinner a few nights ago because our teen aged grandson was here. When he's here I think big because he eats a lot!! Well, he's gone home now and we're still sitting here with a ton of ham to eat. I can freeze some, but I wanted to get another meal out of it before I did that. I'll make bean soup out of the leftovers, but I have a lot of ham to use up before I'm ready to make soup.

I searched "recipes ham leftovers" and this is the site that came up. http://www.recipetips.com/
They suggested some that I already knew about, but also have some great suggestions that I would never have thought about. Ham loaf?? YUMMO!!! That is just the beginning. When they give the recipe for say 4 servings, you have the option of putting in the number of servings you need and it'll adjust the recipe. How great is that?? You can print it out on recipe cards too. That is a great option. I'm madly in love with this site. Do check it out. You will love it too. It is truly buzzworthy.

Jewelry, it's a girl thing.......

I am crazy about jewelry. I especially like unique pieces, so when I found this website for handcrafted jewelry I was really thrilled. I couldn't get over the variety of styles. There is something for every mood and occasion. Pieces to go with a more casual look, or for those times when you really want to dress up and have just the right necklace and earrings to complete the look you're going after.

I plan to send my husband a link to this site so he has it available when he's shopping for me. We girls have to think ahead, after all.

Until next time,

Mary

Buzzworthy Shoes!!

I have the worlds worse feet. I can't look at a catalog, find what I want and order it. Well, at least I couldn't in the past, but I sure can now!!! I have discovered a brand of shoes that I will find comfortable "right out of the box," as their slogan says. Merrell shoes. They look AND feel great.

In researching this company's product, I find that a lot of effort,research and technology has gone into developing a shoe that will give the support and protection that active people need in a shoe. Style and good looks aren't compromised either.

I am the worlds biggest advocate of online shopping, so when I find a product that lives up to it's advertising, I have to shout about it. Merrell shoes are truly Buzzworthy! You owe it to yourself to check them out.

Until next time,

Mary

Looking for the best price......

I always shop around before I buy. I feel that it's well worth the time it takes, and always yields a sizable savings. While pricing a PS3 for my grandson's birthday recently, I found just what he wanted and at a really good price. With the money I saved on the system, I was able to get him a couple of games as well and still stay within my budget.

With prices of most things going up and up these days, I'm always happy when I can find a bargain. Shopping online not only saves money on the item, but saves on gas as well. You can't beat that for a bargain!!

Until next time,

Mary

Buzzworthy Candlezzzzzzzzzz

My family is very important to me and because of that, my home is as well. Creating an atmosphere that is welcoming and warm is always my goal. I find that one of the quickest, easiest and most effective method of achieving this atmosphere is the use of candles.

I group my candles together in varying sizes and shapes when possible. If using scented candles I will group together candles of the same scent. Obviously, different scents would conflict and the desired effect lost.

I use candles in every room of my house with no exceptions. I like to end my day with a long bubble bath in my garden tub surrounded by the indirect light of candles all around the rim of the tub. Hmmmm........truly buzzworthy blisszzzzzzzzzzzz..

A Truly Buzzworthy Mop

My mother always insisted that a good housekeeper got down on her hands and knees and scrubbed her floors that way.

Well, I am here to tell you that for Spring cleaning, that's fine, but for weekly jobs, I use a mop!! I have recently discovered the microfiber mop. After trying mine, I ordered one for my mother, my sister, and my daughter. I've been telling them what a great product this is, so now they will get a chance to find out for themselves.

My mom promised she will give it a try. Always willing to try new things, I think she is going to love her new mop as much as I do mine.

Until next time,

Mary

A New Blog On The Block, .....PennyPlus2.com

Penny For Your Thoughts is a new blog about things of interest to young adults. Penny has posted on "how to scrapbook", so a visit to get some great ideas and perhaps inspire you to give this hobby a try. I know I'm eager to get started on it myself after reading her articles.

Penny is a young wife and mother and her issues are the same issues that other young moms of today are dealing with. I strongly urge you to take a look at her blog. I think once you read it you'll be hooked.

Do leave her a comment so she'll know you've been there.

Until next time,

Mary

"Searchles"

What in the dickens is Searchles, you might ask. It's a new networking site and I am impressed with it. There is an user friendly atmosphere about it that appeals to me. I think you just may like it too.

Searchles is new, so when you join you'll be getting in on the ground floor with me. That's okay, though. I enjoy helping another entrepreneur get a start. I've had help so I feel that it's a good thing to pay it forward.

See you at "Searchles". I think you'll like it.

Mary

Truly Buzzworthy Gifts For Father's Day

I have been married to my husband for 48 years. We've been through a lot, have raised three amazing children and are now enjoying our 9 grandchildren.

Father's Day is coming up and I decided that this year I would get something special for him to show him just how happy he makes me. I truly couldn't have picked a more wonderful man to be the father of my children. He is adored by them, and by me always.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to get for him, but got online and started doing some searching. When I saw the name Patek Calatrava
I knew I had found it!! The perfect gift for the perfect man.

I'm having trouble waiting until Father's Day to give my husband his gift. I've invited the kids over for his special day, so they too will be here to see his face when he gets his special gift too. I can hardly wait.

Visit my other blogs

I hope that those of you who read this blog will click on the "my other blogs" links and check them out as well.

On "Random Reflections" we are all memorizing scripture verses, a new one each week. I think it's important to hide God's word in our hearts. That way the Lord can use those verses stored in our memory to speak to us and to comfort us as needed.

Besides all of this, there are studies that show memorization is very good for our brains as well. It's like our brains are getting mental aerobics. Sort of like our brains get on a "brain treadmill" and walking a mile or so. Hm, I just had a visual on that. =)

Give it some thought.

Mary

Health Issues

As we get older it seems that every time we turn around there is something else driving us to see our doctor. That always leads to tests, x-rays, and so on. Luckily, we have good health insurance coverage. The peace of mind is worth more than I can say.

I don't think anything would be more frightening than to be sick and to have to worry about paying a lot of bills on top of it all. It's bad enough to not be feeling well. I'm sure you'll agree with me on that.

Until next time,

Mary

Girls Night Out

My two daughters and I got together last Saturday night for a girl's night out. We went to dinner and then went to a movie. We had the best time!! The dinner was just great, the company was the best, and the movie super.

I feel so blessed to have these dear girls in my life. I can't believe that I had a part in helping to make them the amazing young women they have grown up to be. They are a blessing to their dad and I and I thank God for those girls and our son, daily.

Of course, they aren't girls anymore, but are very much ladies. To their dad and me, though, they will always be our little girls. =)

I plan to make sure that we have more nights like the one we had Saturday, that's for sure.

Until next time,

Mary

Substance abuse

I was talking to my neighbor yesterday, and she mentioned that she is so concerned about the young people that her daughter is hanging out with. Her best friend just got out of drug rehab, and my neighbor is afraid that this friend is a bad influence.

I told her, that in my opinion, anyone can make a mistake. Anyone can get caught up in some bad habits. However, not everyone is able to see that they are on the wrong road, nor are they willing to do what they must to get straightened out.

I applaud anyone who has the strength of character to grab hold of their lives and do what they must to make things right, whatever the problem may be. As the saying goes, "If it's going to be, it's up to me". I love that saying. Truer words were never spoken.

Until next time,

Mary

The Windy City

Things are certainly a lot different today than when we got out of school. Our granddaughter Jill graduated from college this year. She really loves the Chicago area, and said that she found a site online that lists Chicago jobs. This site enabled her to check out some of the opportunities that are available, post her resume, and put her in touch with companies looking for graduates with her qualifications. It doesn't get any easier than that.

She's going to call us when she finds out if she got the job or not. What did we ever do without computers?

Something to "buzz" about

I have an allergy to some drugs so my doctor advised me to get a medical alert bracelet. She said that I could get one at the local drug store.

Before getting one locally, however, I decided to check online to see what I could find. I was amazed!! I typed in medical bracelet and found this site that has a wide variety of styles. They have fancy ones, plain ones, small or large. I was able to get a medical alert bracelet that is also a beautiful piece of jewelry. One that I will wear with pride. I'm so glad I found this site!! Do check it out. I think you'll agree that it's more than "buzzworthy".

Until next time,

Mary

Fighting the battle

Summer is here as are shorts and swim suits. Over the winter I have put on a few extra pounds, and the older I get the harder it is to shed them too.

My husband and I have decided to start walking each day for one thing, but that isn't enough. We need to cut back on what we eat as well. I have been looking into weight loss pills to help curb the hunger and give us that extra boost to our metabolism. I look forward to a slimmer me very soon.

Until next time,

Mary

"Sex and the City" the Movie

You're going to have to forgive me for going on and on about this event that begins Friday night across America and maybe the world. Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha, and Miranda will once again grace the big screen with the "Sex and the City" movie.

The name of this series kept me from watching it for the first few seasons. Then I heard my daughters talking about the relationship between these four friends, the clothes, the honesty between them and most of all, the acceptance of one another. Extremely different types of people, these four young ladies go about their lives in very different ways and with different sets of values, but they do it together. Oh that in real life we could find it this easy to embrace the "not always easy to take" differences we encounter in the people in our worlds.

The relationships, the clothes, the honesty all joined together to make this series one of the most popular ever, and are now making this movie a anxiously awaited event as our heroine, Carrie Bradshaw marries the love of her life, "Mr Big".

My two daughters and I have already bought our tickets for the movie. Saturday night we're going to go out to dinner and then to the movie. We can't wait!! I suggested that we all dress in fashions that would make these Sex and the City gals proud of us, but my girls said I could but they didn't want to. (such chickens I raised!! lol)

Anyway, expect a review of the "Sex and the City" movie here on Sunday or Monday. I'll tell you all about it.

If you too are going to see the movie, do let me know what you think by posting a comment here. If I get enough response I will publish them in a blog posting just for your comments.

Until next time,

Mary

How to play "Hearts"

Today is a great family day and so I thought some of you might enjoy the instructions for playing the card game "Hearts". I recently learned to play this fun game so wanted to share it with you.

These instructions were lovingly "borrowed" from the link below, they are not my own.
How to Play Hearts by Cindy Bond

HEARTS

The object of the game:
Players don't want to end up with tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades, but they do want to end up with the jack of diamonds.

How many can play:
Three to seven players (four players is the best!)

The cards:
You need a standard deck of 52 cards. Each player is dealt the same number of cards. So, if you have 4 players, each receives 13 cards (13 x 4 = 52). If you have 3 players, deal each 13 cards, then add the leftover cards to the kitty. The person who takes the first trick will take the kitty, too. In each suit, the cards are ranked from the Ace, with the highest value, on down: K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2.

How to deal:
The players cut for deal. The lowest cut is the first to deal. The whole pack is dealt out clockwise, one card at a time, each placed face down.

After the cards have been dealt, each player chooses three cards to pass to an opponent. Players pick their cards after they've looked at them, and before they've received cards from their opponents. Cards are passed to the right at the first deal, to the left with the second, and across with the third. At the fourth deal, players keep their own cards.

Note: after each hand, the deal passes to the player on the dealer's left.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is such an important day in the year of our county. It's a day of honoring those who have given their lives for our freedom. We Americans take this amazing country of ours for granted. Our way of life is unlike anything in the world, yet because most of us have never known anything else, we just live it and rarely give it much thought.

My husband is a naturalized citizen. Though he is from Canada, a wonderful country too, he still considers it an honor to be an American and is a way better citizen than I have ever been. He would never miss a chance to vote and is always ready with a flag to proudly display, for any national event such as this one honoring our military dead.

As a born and raised Americans, I hope that you all will join me on Monday with a prayer of thanks to God for all who have fought and given their lives so that our country and others can remain free.

Join me also in a daily awareness that our freedoms are a wonderful gift from God and that anything that keeps others "imprisoned" or made to feel less than the human beings that they are, should be and will be squashed. We as a people must continue to fight for freedom on a day to day basis for all people everywhere.

Let this be so always.

Mary

"Hillary, go home honey!"

I really feel that as a woman I should be shouting, "GO HILLARY" but I can't. For one thing I don't know if I'm ready for a woman president, but I do know that I'm not ready for any Clinton to hold office in this amazing country of ours. My gut doesn't trust her and is tired of hearing about her.

I'm not excited about the Republican candidate either. I think our party could have come up with someone who would represent some new ideas and encourage trust in a party that frankly is floundering in my opinion.

When "Bill" was running for office, I had a strong sense of he was doing it all for himself rather than for our country's well being. I feel that same way about Hillary.

The other day I heard part of a speech Randy Pauche (The Last Lecture) was giving. He said that he didn't get married until late in his life because it took him that long to find a woman whose happiness was more important to him than his own. I loved that and feel that way of thinking is what I need from a presidential candidate. I need to hear from someone that the well being of the United States is more important that anything. It's been a while since I have heard that from a candidate...but just maybe, John McCain does give me that.

Any thoughts on this? I'd love to hear your opinion.

Until next time,

Mary

Our Special Angel

Meet our grandson, Stevie Jr. He will be 10 in July and has autism. Whenever I read of something new in the field of autism research, I get excited at the prospect that perhaps this will help to enrich Stevie Jr's life a bit more.

While browsing CNN.com I came across a video about a young girl who has an "autism dog". This is evidently the newest thing being tried to help to integrate these special needs kids into the world around them. The program appears to work much like the "seeing eye dogs" for the blind, though for an autistic person, the connection with a dog seems to give them a calm about unfamiliar surroundings. Often times our little guy will act out when put in a new situation for the first time. Our son, his father, works hard at making sure Stevie gets out around others as much as he can. He tries to expose his son to all sorts of experiences and with each new one, our little Stevie gains another big bunch of confidence in his world.

I'm hoping that there is a program for dogs near where our Stevie Jr can perhaps take advantage of it as well. Daily they find out more about this terrible affliction. They can't seem to find enough fast enough to suit this grandmother. =)

Till next time,

Mary

My mystery......

I so hope that you all enjoyed the first chapters of The Mystery of Poplar Cove. I plan to finish it and then publish it in totality on another site. I will link to it here when that happens.

I find that writing stories is an amazing experience. One's mind is transported to the time and place and age group of the characters that are being written about. For that time, you are there. Pretty much like the experience of reading. That's why I enjoy reading as much as I do too. What a tremendous experience.

If you enjoyed my work, I would appreciate a comment. If you didn't enjoy it or have criticism to offer, I would appreciate that as well. That's how we learn, by constuctive criticism.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Mary

The Mystery of Poplar Cove: Chapter Three

Written by Mary More

Chapter Three

Alex and Penny gobbled down their lunch. “Slow down, twins”, said their mother. “You act like you’re going to a fire”. “Okay mom. It’s just that we have to meet Kate and Kenny……..” Penny kicked Alex under the table and frowned at him, warning him not to say too much. Finishing their last bite, the twins went bounding out the door taking the porch stairs two at a time as they headed down towards the river. Their mother yelled, “Hey, wait. You didn’t brush your teeth”, then sighed a heavy sign of resignation as she realized they didn’t hear a word she said. “Those twins!” she exclaimed, smiling and shaking her head as she went back to washing the dishes.

On the outside, the “fort” looked like the rest of the trees and brush close to the bank of the river. Alex and Penny walked around to the river side where there was a well hidden entrance. They looked up and down the banks to make sure nobody was watching before they separated the brush, bent down and crawled into the fort.

Inside there was a large natural clearing where brush had died off leaving an empty space about 8 feet long and 5 feet wide. It was just the right size for the four of them. The boys had discovered the clearing when they were only 6 years old, and had laid claim to it as their hideout. The four of them had spent many hours there, the girls playing house, the boys talking and planning tricks to play on the girls. The girls had made the clearing into a little room, complete with a couple of old crates that doubled as shelves. They had found an old discarded area rug in someone’s trash, and that was on the floor. There were pillow cases filled with dried grass and leaves for them to lean against or sit on. It had all of the comforts of home. Each of the twins had contributed in some way to the things that made up this little private getaway. The boys had found arrow heads, and interesting jars and bottles that sat proudly on the shelves. They had also rigged up a trap that they armed whenever they left the fort. If ever some unwelcomed visitor were to enter their fort, the trap would be tripped, and the intruder would be pelted by the pebbles that filled the pail. So far, nobody had invaded their fort, but they continued to set the trap anyway, just in case.

Kenny and Kate were already there when Alex and Penny came in. They all were so eager to talk about the exciting developments of the mystery they had found themselves smack dab in the middle of.

Kenny pulled out his small notepad so he could make a list, and began to think aloud. “We need to get organized. We need a plan! First of all, let’s take inventory of what clues we already have, and what we need to do next.”

Penny and Kate both presented their finds. Kate opened the tissue carefully revealing the hair she had discovered. “I found this in the shower drain!” “Awesome”, exclaimed the boys. Having been wrapped in tissue, the hair had dried, and they could see that it was red. Penny then opened the envelope to reveal the red hair strands she had recovered. “We found these up in the Cragen’s bedroom on the pillow”, she exclaimed. “Red hair”!! Some stranger was definitely in that house, was lying in that bed and even took a shower. This red hair couldn’t possibly belong to one of the Cragens”. “Good job, girls”, said Kenny as he began to list their findings on a page he had entitled CLUES.

1.Strands of red hair from pillow.

2. Red hair from bathroom drain.

3.Broken kitchen window. (Obvious break-in)

4.Bloody shoe print with “S” pattern on sole

Kenny again asked himself, “Where have I seen the “S” pattern of that bloody shoe print before?” He pondered that........."where?"

Kate reached behind one of the crates and into the brush pulling out a tin fishing tackle box. She opened the lid and put the tissue and envelope containing the hair samples inside. Placing the box back into the hole in the brush, she carefully arranged the twigs, completely obscuring the “safe’s” hiding place. There! The clues were safe.

Kenny reached inside of the backpack he brought back to the fort. He had flashlights for everyone, his digital camera, baggies to put evidence in, candy bars for quick energy, rope just in case, a whistle, just in case, qtips, because they used them on CSI, notebooks and pencils for the others, four bottles of water and a book. The book was entitled “Unsolved Mysteries”. He was reading it and wanted to have it in the fort for reference.

Penny put the water and candy bars into an old cooler they had in the fort. It didn’t have ice in it, but it kept ants out of their supplies of food and drinks. Kate had gathered some wild flowers earlier, and they were in a jelly jar sitting on top of the cooler. “Pretty”, thought Penny. “The boys never even noticed, I bet. Boys!!!” she sighed heavily.

“We need to go back to the Cragen’s,” Kenny told Alex. “I think that the girls should stay here, this time, though.” Simultaneously, the girls yelled, “NO WAY!”. They all laughed. That happened so often. They had decided that twins have an ESP that others don’t have, and that it works back and forth between pairs of twins as well as between the siblings themselves. They were convinced of this, and each time they saw evidence to that fact, they were all the more sure that the four of them could communicate on a level that other “regular” siblings and friends could not. It made them feel special and gave them a special bond as well.

“Okay, okay, you girls can come too. Sheeezzzzzz….a man can’t get away from his sisters for a minute!” Said Alex as he reached over and tugged lightly on Kate’s hair. Kate let out a fake “Ouch” and fowned, though the frown fast became a grin. Alex had called her his sister too. She liked that.

“This is what we’ll do”, said Kenny quietly, in case anyone was listening that shouldn’t be. “We’ll scatter and then meet back in that small clearing outside of the Cragen’s place that we hid in earlier. We’ll go back into the house. I want to recheck under that kitchen window to see if there are any footprints out there. Alex, you and I need to go down into the basement and see what we can find down there. The girls let out a little screech and hugged one another. “Girls, we need you two to stay upstairs, gather some samples of blood from the chair and the footprint, so take some q-tips and baggies. Also, we need you to look around for other clues like mail, or notes. Check desk drawers and that sort of thing. See what you can find that doesn’t appear to belong there.”

“Okay, we all have our jobs set for us,” said Alex quietly. “Ready? One, two, three, SCATTER” he whispered as loudly as he could. The twins took off once again, all in different directions. Kenny, grabbing his backpack, stayed a moment longer to set the trap and then he too was off.

The adrenalin was flowing through Kenny unlike anything he had ever felt before. He couldn’t believe that he had an actual mystery to solve. He’d read mystery novels since he had learned to read. He knew that he was meant to be a detective or a spy, and this adventure was doing a lot to reinforce that desire in him. He was a natural. Totally lost in his thoughts as he rank Kenny didn’t see the raised branch on the ground in front of him. He tripped and fell. Picking himself up, he bent down for his backpack. In doing so, something shiney caught his eye. Brushing the leaves aside, shining in the sunlight was a necklace. It was a large cross that he recognized immediately. It belonged to Mrs. Cragen. She wore it all of the time and was so big, you couldn’t miss it. Even his mother had remarked about it while talking to Mrs. Cragen one day. Mrs. Cragen had said that her grandfather, a silversmith and had made it for her. She treasured it and never took it off. Kenny shivered involuntarily. For a moment he wondered if they hadn’t gotten themselves into something that was bigger than they were. Maybe they should tell their parents. Maybe the police should be called. But then, the latent detective in him took over once more and he knew that this case was his big chance to prove to everyone that he was indeed a detective. He needed his chance to solve this case. He just needed a few more clues. Back to business at hand, he once again took off running in the direction of the meeting place. Maybe this time they would find the missing pieces to the mystery that would make it all come together and make sense of what had happened.

Mystery at Poplar Cove, Chapter Two

Chapter two

When they got to the house, the four of them split up, the two boys went around one side and the two girls around the other. “Hey guys. Come here”, yelled the girls. The guys came running around the back of the house to where the girls were standing. Kate was pointing up at the window. It wasn’t just broken, all of the window’s glass was knocked out so that someone could crawl through it without cutting themselves. Kenny tried the back door and it was unlocked too. Very strange! Very strange indeed!
Kenny opened the back door and started into the house. Alex followed him, putting up his hand to signal the girls to come in behind them just in case. They had entered the kitchen, where the intruder had broken in through the window. “The glass is on the floor. That indicates that the intruder broke it on the outside. The glass fell inwards”. Said Kate as she walked around careful not to step on any of the glass. Alex was crouching down over the blood on the floor. There was a partial footprint made from someone having stepped in some blood. Where had he seen that shoe sole pattern before?? The grooves were shaped like the letter “S” up and down the bottom of that shoe sole. Hm…. Kenny went into the living room to search for more clues. He wished he had brought a flashlight. They always used a flashlight on TV when they did crime scene investigation. He took out his pad and made a note to himself to get flashlights for everyone.
Kate and Penny took off in the direction of the stairs. They wanted to see what other clues they could find upstairs. They were careful not to touch a thing. They watched CSI and knew the drill when investigating a crime scene. Their eyes combed the walls and other surfaces for signs of finger prints or blood splatter as they made their way up to the second level of the house.
Once up stairs, they walked down the hall to the left. They saw a bedroom. Glancing in, they saw that the bed was made, the room was tidy and undisturbed. They turned around and headed down the hall in the other direction, past a bathroom. Again, it was tidy, no signs of anything out of the ordinary, but wait!! Kate walked over to the bathtub and pulled back the shower curtain. “I thought so”, she said. Someone had showered and there were traces of hair in the drain. Hm……DNA, thought Kate. Lacking any forensic supplies or tools, she just stuck her fingers into the tub drain, took out the hair and wrapped it carefully in a tissue she’d had in her pocket.
At the other end of the hall was another door. This lead into what was apparently the Cragen’s bedroom. There were two twin beds, a night table between them with a lamp on the table. In the corner sat a dressing table and stool.
One of the beds was made, though had been sat on, while the other had been slept in. The girls walked over closer to take a look. Hm…..no signs of blood there. Penny leaned closer as she gazed at the pillow. On the pillow case were some strands of long red hair. Red hair!! Mr. and Mrs. Cragen both had short gray hair. Now this was very strange! Very strange indeed! Penny picked up the strands of hair. They were at least 12 inches long. She looked around for something to put them in. Kate rushed over to the dressing table in the corner where she found an envelope. “Perfect!” and she rushed over to Penny so they could put the hair strands inside of it. “There, safe and sound. Let’s go see what the boys have come up with”, said Kate, as they headed back towards the staircase.
Once they reached the stairs they saw the boys were just about to join them, but seeing the girls coming down, they waited for them at the bottom of the stairs. “ Wait until you see what we found”, said the girls, holding up the envelope with the hair strands and the tissue with the hair from the drain.
About the time the girls reached the foot of the stairs they all heard a loud BANG come from the basement. Kate let out a scream as the four of them bounded out the front door, down the stairs and off into the grove where they could hide. They dove into the bushes and crawled into a small clearing that was hidden on all sides. Their hearts were beating so fast they could hardly catch their breath. They sat huddled together, peeking through the bushes at the house, afraid to take their eyes off of it for a second. They heard what sounded like a door slamming, some footsteps and then quiet again. Someone had been in there while they were, and had gone out the back door. Kate and Penny both started to cry. The stress and fear welling up inside of them. Alex and Kenny put their arms around their sisters, and comforted them. “Don’t be scared. We aren’t going to let anything happen to our favorite sisters.” This made the girls giggles. “We’re your ONLY sisters”, laughed Kate. “And the best ones you’ll ever have,” added Penny grinning.
They watched the house for a while and nobody came out and there was no more strange noises so they all relaxed.
Kenny looked at his watch. “Listen everyone. Let’s scatter for now and meet later at the hideout. First, synchronize our watches. It’s 12:00 noon” The others nodded in agreement. “We have to go back home for lunch. Let’s meet at the hideout in an hour. Agreed?” Again, everyone nodded in agreement. “Okay then, SCATTER!!” whispered Kenny as loudly as he could, and off they all ran in different directions, circling back to their own cabins.

Mystery at Poplar Cove Chapter one

Mystery at Poplar Cove

by Mary More

Chapter One

The Carson’s SUV pulled into the drive and stopped in front of their cabin. Twins, Alex and Penny Carson scrambled to get out of the car. Kenny and Kate Randall, also twins, were waiting anxiously to greet their friends. They had seen the car drive up, so had come running outside and were standing there with big grins on their faces. Kenny and Kate’s parents, Mr and Mrs Randall, stood on their cabin’s porch waving a welcoming hello to the Carsons as well.

This year Halloween fell on the last weekend of the season at Poplar Cove. All of the residence of the Cove gathered for the usual “end of the season” pot luck dinner the last weekend of October. Everyone was there getting their cabins ready for winter. On Saturday night they would have the pot luck, and later would gather around the camp fire for smores and scary stories. It was the last big party before they all closed up their cabins for the winter months. This year, being Halloween made it all the more special. Everywhere you looked there were Halloween decorations. There were witches, goblins, jack-o-lanterns, spider webs, and scarecrows up and down the cove.

Poplar Cove was on the Cottonwood River in Southern Minnesota, and got its name from all of the Poplar trees in the cove. There were six cabins nestled among the tall trees. The Carson’s and Randall’s cabins sat side by side in the center of the cove, separated only by a grove of Poplar trees. The Randalls lived on the right, and the Carsons on the left. The twins, were 12, best friends, and the four of them spent every minute together while they were at the cove.

Besides the Randall’s and Carson’s cabins, there were four others in the cove, six in all. There were the nice Madisons, a middle aged couple with grown children, the Bronson’s, a young couple with a cute little baby girl, Mindy. Next to them was the Jacobson's place. They're an older couple who keep to themselves most of the time.

Up on the very top of the hill on the far left, overlooking the cove, was the one cabin that was set off all by itself. You could barely see it as the trees and shrubs had been allowed to grow up around it, obscuring it from view. It gave the cabin a closed, unfriendly appearance which fit quite well with it’s owners, old Mr. Cragen and his wife. They were alone except for their scraggly old dog Bruno. Bruno would growl and bark if the kids got too near the cabin. Mr. Cragen would yell at them to get off of his property if a ball when anywhere near his place. He and Mrs. Cragen lived there year round, and the twins had heard stories that Mr. Cragen had been married once before, but his first wife left and never returned. That didn’t surprise the twins. They all thought that grouchy old Mr. Cragen would drive anyone away.

As they got out of the car, Kate and Penny hugged one another as they always did. Alex and Kenny just laughed at the girls and punched one another on the shoulder. “Gotcha”, Alex yelled as he ran off towards the river. The others followed close behind him. “Be back by dark, kids” yelled Mrs. Randall. “Stay out of the water” added Mrs. Carson. The mothers hugged too and stood there talking for a while as the men unloaded the Carson’s car.

The twins were out of breath by the time they reached their “hideout” down by the water. Kenny and Kate were both so excited they were talking at the same time. “WAIT!” shouted Alex. We can’t understand a word you’re saying. “Kate? Kenny? What’s going on?”

Kenny put his hand up to stop Kate so he could talk. “You guys aren’t going to believe all that has happened. Yesterday afternoon, Kate and I were walking up by the Cragen place. When we walked by there was no dog barking, no grouchy Mr. Cragen yelling at the dog to shut up, AND their door was WIDE OPEN.” “What?” Alex and Penny said in unison. Twins do that a lot. “Did you shut the door for them?” Asked Penny. “Well we started to do that, but when we got up to the door and looked inside, we saw BLOOD!” exclaimed Kate. “BLOOD?”, Alex and Penny asked again in unison. They all laughed at that, then Kenny went on, “Yes, blood. You can’t blame us for feeling we just had to go in and see what that was all about. We called for Mr. or Mrs. Cragen, but didn’t get any response so we went on in. There was blood all over the place. In the living room on Mr. Cragen’s recliner, in the kitchen on the floor, everywhere. We were going to go upstairs, but were too scared so we just ran out.” “Did you tell your parents or call the police?” inquired Penny, the practical one. “Well, no, there’s more,” said Kenny. “Later after we gathered our nerve again, we went back to do a little more investigating and we found this!” and Kenny pulled a folded piece of paper out of his pocket. “Look!”

The four twins huddled together as they strained to read what was in the note. In a scrawled handwriting was the message, “You have until Midnight. If you don’t pay up, you’re dead!”

The four children stood speechless, mouths agape as they looked at the note, then at one another. “I think we should go back there and see what else we can find. Maybe we can solve this mystery ourselves”. Said Kate. “Let’s go” yelled Alex as he took off up the hill in the direction of the Cragen’s house. “WAIT!” Yelled Penny. “I think we should call the police or at least tell our parents”. “We can’t!” exclaimed Kenny. “Mom and Dad have warned us to stay away from that house and if they found out we went in there, our heads will roll. I think if we can solve this case ourselves, they’ll be so proud and grateful for that, that they will forget that we disobeyed them. Besides, you know that I want to be a private investigator when I grow up and this is my FIRST BIG CASE!!” “ I know that we can solve it. So, let’s go!” and off he ran with the others close behind him.

400 Children Rescued? What were they thinking?

I am at a loss for words over this happening. I usually have an opinion on most everything, but this situation has me struggling for answers. The number of children taken from the Texas polygamist compound, to begin with, boggles my mind. How can any authorities get at the truth in this situation? My heart goes out to those mothers whose children have been taken. Surely they aren't all abusers. And those little ones whose lives are so simple and protected as a rule, to be thrust into this strange environment and away from their parents for the first time. They surely are traumatized. That breaks my heart. How can the authorities even expect to get at truth?? What were they thinking??

I don't know. It appears to me that the ones who planned this whole thing weren't thinking, but just reacting. 400 kids, 800 parents (or so) Surely there had to have been a better way than this to find out what was going on. What do you think?

Let me know. Either email me at mary1440@gmail.com or leave a comment here. Let me know what you think. We'll all be watching with interest as this story unfolds.

Until next time,

Mary

American Cancer Society denies this group a spot at local Relay For Life