At Least the Grass is Short

Have you heard the story about the boy who broke a window, then ran and hid so no one would find out he did it?

That's not my kid!

Michael told Bob and me that while he was mowing the lawn, a rock kicked out the side of the mower and crashed through our front window. (It sure did!)

Now we can get a new window... one that opens! And we can repaint the window sill!

And the lawn in front of the window looks really, really good.

Have you ever had something "bad" turn into something "good?" What was it?

Influential

For years, I have followed my big sisters' examples. Melinda was a writer before I was. Rebecca joined beauty pageants before I did.

At last, I influenced one of them!

When Rebecca (on the left in Sunny Yellow) saw me wearing a hair bow, she decided to tie one in her hair the next day. We didn't know our clothing colors would match so well, but, hey, we're sisters, and there's a spooky-good sister connection with all five of my sisters.

When have you influenced someone? What happened?

Mother's Day

On Saturday, I drove to Mom's house to pick up my little sister, and to my surprise, I found one of my two brothers there! (Look how ravishing Mom is in red!)

OH, HAPPY DAY!

If that wasn't good enough, the next day, I got to see another brother and two more sisters. (We weren't all there at the same time and I didn't get a picture. Next time!)

One great thing about mothers is that because of them, you usually get to have brothers and/or sisters! Even though at times in childhood I wished I were a one and only, I REALLY LOVE MY SIBLINGS! (What a funny word.)

Do you have siblings? How many? Are you oldest, youngest, or middle-est?

The Only Thing I Really Never Wanted to Sew

I like to sew. I can even combine patterns, or even make them up if I want to. I think I got it from my grandma. She was a professional seamstress, and sewed my wedding dress on her treadle sewing machine. Really!
So I come by sewing honestly, plus the fact that not many clothes fit me in my teen years (a girl child of the 60's and 70's wasn't usually 6 feet tall, so I had to sew if I wanted clothing.)
In my more than 40 years of sewing, I've never sewn myself, until now. Last Wednesday, April 29, the needle went through my finger.

I was glad Bob was home to bandage it for me.

Then I went on sewing. (I had a deadline!)

Has one of your favorite activities ever turned on you? (A cook with pudding in the face, a painter sitting on a wet bench, an animal trainer with a squirrel up the pant leg...)

Just wondering!

CROOKED HOUSE by Marlene Bateman

          Someone is trying to kill Liz Johnson and it’s up to quirky private investigator, Erica Coleman, to find out who. Erica is no stranger to murder and mystery, which is why her best friend’s daughter, Megan, turns to her when unaccountable and potentially fatal “accidents” threaten her roommate’s life. 

          Once Erica arrives at the ramshackle old mansion known as Crooked House, matters go from disturbing to deadly as it becomes clear someone is trying to kill Liz.  As Erica begins to unearth secrets, she discovers a twisted web of love, money, greed, and deception. Although the police and friends sometimes find Erica’s OCD annoying, its those very traits that help her sift through evidence and see clues that others miss. Erica must draw upon her all her investigative prowess to keep Liz safe and unmask the killer before he can accomplish his deadly objective. 

          With a dash of romance and surprising twists, this thrilling mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. As with all Erica Coleman mysteries, ten delicious recipes are included. 

Excerpt from Crooked House

“I’m scared.”

Erica’s heart turned over when she heard the quaver in her young friend’s voice on the phone. 

Then Megan asked, “Can you come?”

 “Of course.” Erica’s reply was automatic. She would do anything she could to help. Although she often received emotionally-laden phone calls in her job as a private investigator, there was a difference when the call came from the teen-aged daughter of her best friend. The very fact that Megan—who was usually so calm and composed—sounded frightened out of her wits, put Erica on high alert. 

“I think someone’s trying to kill my roommate, Liz,” Megan said.

“What makes you think that?”  Erica asked. “Has someone threatened her?”

“No, but Liz has had a couple of serious accidents lately—at least she says they’re accidents, but either one of them could have killed her.”

Erica made an effort to reel in her skepticism. “Tell me about them.”

“First, someone tampered with her car. The brakes went out and Liz ended up driving across someone’s yard and hitting a tree. Fortunately, she was okay. The second one happened downtown. Liz was on the sidewalk waiting for the bus when someone shoved her. She fell into the road. A truck was coming and if a guy hadn’t pulled her back, Liz could have been killed.”

Still, they could have been accidents, Erica thought, at least until the third one occurred—this time at Crooked House.

 Author Biography

Marlene Bateman was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and graduated from the University of Utah with a BA in English. She is married to Kelly R. Sullivan.  Her hobbies include gardening, camping, reading, and enjoying her four cats and three dogs.  

Marlene’s first novel was the best-selling Light on Fire Island. Her next novel was Motive for Murder—the first in a mystery series that features Erica Coleman, a quirky private eye with OCD.  The next book in that line, (they do not have to be read in order) is A Death in the Family.                       

  

Marlene has also written a number of LDS non-fiction books under the name Marlene Bateman Sullivan. Those books include:  Gaze Into Heaven; Near-death Experiences in Early Church History, which is a fascinating collection of over 50 documented near-death experiences from the lives of early latter-day Saints, Heroes of Faith, and Latter-day Saint Heroes and Heroines.  Marlene also wrote three books about documented accounts in early LDS church history when a person either saw or heard an angel; Visit’s From Beyond the Veil, And There Were Angels Among Them, and By the Ministering of Angels.

Click here to visit Sullivan's AMAZON page.

Worms Can't Swim

When I went out walking the dog yesterday after the rain, I found all these worms (and more outside the picture frame) that sluffed swim class while they were going to worm school.

(I'll bet that now they wish they'd paid attention!)
Do you like to swim?

When the Power Goes Out and your Phone is Dead

When I came home from Provo last Tuesday, I was buffeted along the highway by winds so strong that at the north end of town, the cemetery trees hurled branches at my car. I ducked from the force of the blows, wondering if I'd have a dented body. (The car's, not mine.) Then when I reached the safety of home, I found my sons on the sidewalk with three fans spinning crazily in the air.

I wasn't sure what they were doing until I got closer and saw the power strip and the charge tester.

Then I STILL didn't really know what was going on until Brian told me the power was out and he was trying to charge his mobile phone.

Oh! Wind power to the rescue!

It was a good idea in theory, but there was something about AC/DC current that kept it from working in actuality.

What would you do if your phone was nearly out of power and the electricity was off?