Ramblings And What Not ~ Leap Year!

Hello Peoples! A couple of days ago, I received a message from WordPress, my blog is six (6) years old! Woot! Woot! It doesn’t seem possible. The thought never crossed my mind, when I started this blog, I would still be clicking away at the computer keyboard six years later!  🙂  Thanks to all my reader’s, followers and visitors. GROUP HUG!

Your Favorites, at the cottage, in February ~

February 1, 2020 ~ The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

February 25, 2020 ~ Top Ten Tuesday!

February 25, 2020 ~ The Classics Club, Persuasion by Jane Austen

February 4, 2020 ~ Murder at the Smithsonian by Margaret Truman

My Favorite Read in February ~

Persuasion by Jane Austen

Our refrigerator died again! *sigh* So, this weekend we are going here and going there to look at new refrigerators. I really don’t like to shop, especially for appliances and vehicles. *blah* But, I can do this! Yes! I can do this!

Friday night, us girls, got together for another Classic Movie Night! We watched ~

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

After the film, we discussed watching, in the future, more films with Cary Grant!  🙂  *ahem*

Much love ~

Kathy

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As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles by Leslie Budewitz

A Food Lover’s Village Mystery

“In Jewel Bay, all is merry and bright. At Murphy’s Mercantile, AKA the Merc, manager Erin Murphy is ringing in the holiday season with food, drink and a new friend: Merrily Thornton. A local girl gone wrong, Merrily’s turned her life around. But her parents have publicly shunned her, and they nurse a bitterness that chills Erin.”

“When Merrily goes missing and her boss discovers he’s been robbed, fingers point to Merrily — until she’s found dead, a string of lights around her neck. The clues and danger snowball from there. Can Erin nab the killer — and keep herself in one piece — in time for a special Christmas Eve? ~goodreads

Hello Peoples! A few weeks ago, Lelia, a blogger, was having a giveaway. I entered the giveaway and won! How about that??? I won this cozy mystery. Thank-you Lelia! If you would like to check out her blog, you can find her at ~

https://cncbooksblog.wordpress.com/

I love the cover art of this Christmasy mystery ~ very festive and wintry.  🙂

This was a good cozy mystery. As many of you know, I watch a LOT of classic movies. Recently, I’ve been watching Charlie Chan movies and it was Charlie Chan who helped me solve this cozy. YAY!  🙂 I did solve it. It was a puzzle. And, I don’t solve many mysteries.

Erin is a good sleuth. She’a a busy lady though. She’s planning her wedding, working, welcoming customers during the busy Christmas season and spending time with family and friends. And! When Merrily is discovered dead, someone doesn’t want Erin snooping. It’s a small town, along with plenty of gossip, there’s also plenty of support. I liked the ending.

This author was new to me and I will be reading her mysteries in the future. 5 ***** stars!

Classic Movie Friday!

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947)

Cary Grant   Myrna Loy   Shirley Temple   Ray Collins   Rudy Vallee

After appearing in Judge Margaret Turner’s (Myrna Loy) court, artist Dick Nugent (Cary Grant) has a speaking engagement at a high school, where he is to lecture on art. Mr. Nugent has a bit of a reputation. Well, anyway, Susan Turner (Shirley Temple) is among the students listening to Mr. Nugent’s lecture. She is completely smitten. Big crush, much to the distress of her boyfriend. After the lecture, Susan corners Mr. Nugent, stating she works for the school newspaper. There is a misunderstanding and she believes he wants her to model for him. To make a long story short and I don’t want any spoilers, Susan disappears, is discovered in Nugent’s home, the Judge is frantic and there is a plan, a ridiculous plan, to squelch the crush Susan has on Nugent. While all this is happening, Dr. Matthew Beemish (Ray Collins) notices the Judge is attracted to Nugent. So, the good Doctor decides to try a little matchmaking.

I seem to quote my neighbor frequently on my blog, and I will quote her again. Never in all my born days! 

Cary Grant does the most ridiculous shenanigans’ in his movies! You need to see him in this film, if you haven’t already. He’s in a three-legged race, a potato sack race, an obstacle course race. He’s dirty, wet and he looses a shoe.

Shirley Temple is older in this movie. You might ask, what is she like as a teenager??? ~ taller!

And of course, we all remember Myrna Loy. She was Nora in The Thin Man movies! Her wardrobe in this film is nice. I liked it!  🙂

And! Who wouldn’t love our matchmaker, Dr. Beemish! LOL!

Do you have a favorite film with Cary Grant? How many have you seen?

Highly Recommend!

Giveaway! Mimi Lee Gets A Clue by Jennifer J. Chow

Mimi Lee Gets A Clue by Jennifer J. Chow

Release Date ~ March 10, 2020

Hello Peoples! Berkley Prime Crime is giving away one copy of Mimi Lee Gets A Clue by Jennifer J. Chow ~ a new to me author!  🙂  And! A fun mystery.

If you would like a chance to win this book, just leave a comment below, informing me you would like your name to be entered in the drawing. The winner will be announced, on this blog, along with my review of the book on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.  🙂

This giveaway is for the U.S.A. only. You must have a valid U.S.A. address to win.

Are you following my blog? If not, sign up to follow!  🙂

Much love ~

Kathy

 

The Classics Club ~ Persuasion by Jane Austen

“Twenty-seven-year old Anne Elliot is Austen’s most adult heroine. Eight years before the story proper begins, she is happily betrothed to a naval officer, Frederick Wentworth, but she precipitously breaks off the engagement when persuaded by her friend Lady Russell that such a match is unworthy. The breakup produces in Anne a deep and long-lasting regret. When later Wentworth returns from sea a rich and successful captain, he finds Anne’s family on the brink of financial ruin and his own sister a tenant in Kellynch Hall, the Elliott estate. All the tension revoles around one question: Will Anne and Wentworth be reunited in their love?” ~goodreads

A few years ago I read this story and to be honest, I couldn’t remember much about it. I did remember enough to know I didn’t dislike it. So, when I joined The Classics Club, I decided to read it again and I am very glad I did. I liked it. I thought it was a sweet story ~ a second chance at love. And if two people ever deserved a second chance, Anne and Wentworth did. I love Anne Elliot. She was so pleasant. I thought she had such a strength of character and integrity. Captain Wentworth was quiet, seemed to be observing, but I think I got to know him ~ very much indeed when I read the letter he wrote to Anne toward the end of the book. I liked the characters in the story, Mary was a tad ridiculous and Elliot was a cad, but I was good getting to know them. I think Persuasion is a book that grows on the reader. I liked it better this second time around. I believe I would like it even more if I read it again in a year or two. Highly recommend!

Top Ten Tuesday!

Hello Peoples! As many of you know, I don’t participate in Top Ten Tuesday very often, but I thought I would hop on board this week.  🙂  Top Ten Tuesday is provided by The Artsy Reader Girl!   http://www.thatartsyreadergirl.com/top-ten-tuesday/

This week, Characters I’d Follow On Social Media!  🙂  This list of characters aren’t in any particular order.

~ Charlie from The Hope Harbor Series by Irene Hannon

~ Lady Emily from the Lady Emily Mysteries by Tasha Alexander

~ Lulu from Lulu’s Café by T. I. Lowe

~ Leah Allen from Lulu’s Café by T. I. Lowe

~ Crowley Mason from Lulu’s Café by T. I. Lowe

~ Mimi Lee from Mimi Lee Gets A Clue by Jennifer J. Chow

I’ll be posting my review of Mimi Lee in a few days!

~ Kitty Hawk from the Kitty Hawk Series by Iain Reading

~ Raleigh Harmon from the Raleigh Harmon Series by Sibella Giorello

~ Jack Stephanson from the Raleigh Harmon Series by Sibella Giorello

~Mimi Hamilton and Rafe in the Bookmobile Cat Mysteries by Laurie Cass

Happy Reading!

Much Love ~

Kathy

 

Inside Stink!

Hello Peoples! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. The weather has been warmer here, so, I have been outside walking. The sidewalks can be wet, icy and slushy but, I manage to get around the mess.  🙂

On occasion, I give my hair a protein treatment. Yes, there is such a thing. Your welcome.  🙂  I have one brand of protein I use on my hair but the shop where I purchase said protein doesn’t seem to carry the brand I use anymore. How rude! So, I bought a new brand. Well, new to me. I followed the directions on the package and used said treatment. It was going well. My hair felt GREAT! I liked this protein treatment much better than the previous treatment I used. I didn’t care for the scent though. Well! In the evening, I was watching a movie, when unexpectedly I was overwhelmed with STINK! It was terrible, horrible. I was appalled! As moments ticked by, the scent seemed to increase in terrible-ness. So, I scurried up the stairs and into the bathroom, where I quickly washed my hair in hopes of ridding myself of this terrible smell. When I finished, I walked quietly downstairs. The odor was much improved. *whew* I had occasional moments when I could still smell the odiferous stuff, so, I wore a winter knit hat to bed. That’s right, I did. I slept in a hat all night, in hopes the hat would cover the remaining smell. LOL!!!

The following morning I told Rick, I was inside stink! I still have moments when I can smell the ridiculous stuff.

Much love ~

Kathy

 

Classic Movie Friday!

Only Angels Have Wings (1939)

Cary Grant   Jean Arthur

Bonnie Lee (Jean Arthur) is an American traveling abroad, going here and going there. She stops in Barranca, for a few hours, to have a look around where she is happy to meet some American flyers. They’re pilots who fly over the mountains in Peru to deliver the mail, or whatever is necessary. The flight over the pass isn’t safe. The elevation is 14,000 feet and it experiences a considerable amount of fog and bad weather. Geoff Carter (Cary Grant) is the manager and operates Barranca Airways with a strictness that was probably necessary considering the conditions the pilots were flying in. Bonnie falls in love with Geoff and decides to miss the boat and stay in Barranca. Geoff isn’t happy with her decision. He wants to remain in his dangerous life, flying over the mountains. The situation is plenty complicated, but when Bat McPherson (Richard Barthelmess) arrives with his wife Judy (Rita Hayworth) a difficult situation becomes even more tense. Bat was the cause of another man dying a few years earlier.

This film has a little of everything ~ loss, grief, fear, good friendships, happy times, concern for the safety of others and a whole lotta flying. I wasn’t sure I was going to like the movie when I started watching it, but I did. It was a good film. I love Jean Arthur. She’s a good actress. She’s so cute and I call her, the lady with the squeaky voice. She’s adorable. I can usually count on Cary Grant to do something funny.  🙂

Enjoy!

Death In The Family by Tessa Wegert

A Shana Merchant Novel

On Sale ~ February 18, 2020

A BIG thanks to Berkley Prime Crime!  🙂

“When a young woman wakes to find that not only is her boyfriend missing from their bed, but a pool of blood has been left in his place, local detective Shana Merchant is called to the scene. As she tries to make sense of the family’s intricately woven lies, a storm rolls in and progressively worsens. Trapped with a group of people she distrusts more with every passing minute, Shana must face the uncomfortable truth of a murderer being in the midst, especially when the unknown culprit strikes again.” ~ Berkley Prime Crime

There was so much about this mystery I liked. A group of people stranded on a private island. A storm prevents anyone from coming or going in the wind, high waves and sheeting rain. What an atmosphere! And! Most of these people are related. Dysfunctional family! However, the profanity was terrible. And! This is a mystery for adults. There are some very messy people in this mystery and an extremely messy crime scene.

But, this book really captured my attention and held it. It was difficult to put down. It was a riveting read with so much atmosphere, the presence of danger, the threatening climate inside the house, the pace, the storm’s presence and the trapped people all worked together nicely.

The detective Shana Merchant was dealing with her own stuff. An incident in her past caused her to doubt herself and an insane fiancé wasn’t helping her at all. Throughout most of the book, I wasn’t sure about her partner, Tim Wellington. Mmmm??? I don’t want spoilers, so, that is all!

Happy Reading!

Ramblings And What Not ~

Good morning Peoples! I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day!  🙂  Rick and I went out for breakfast. It was so cold! Oh! My! Word! There was a monster wind-chill. After we finished eating, we drove home and stayed home for the remainder of the day. That horrible wind-chill kept us in the house. I didn’t feel well, so, in the afternoon I napped. I’m ready for spring.  🙂  However, today it is beautiful outside. The sun is shinning and it’s in the mid-thirties. Come on spring!!!

 

As many of you know, I joined the Classics Club. I’m off to a good start. I’m going to read 50 classic reads in five years! If you would like to check out the classics club, the link is below ~

https://theclassicsclubblog.wordpress.com/

The next book I will be reading is ~ drum roll please! Persuasion by Jane Austin. *applause applause* I read this book a few years ago and I don’t remember much about it, so, I decided to read it as a book for the classics club. I’ll be starting it in about a week. Have you read Persuasion? Did you like it? What are your thoughts?  🙂

It was nice chatting with you. Have a pleasant day.

Much love ~

Kathy