June 12 Giveaways

LESLIE LOVES VEGGIES GIVEAWAYS
Baker's Edge Brownie Pan Giveaway
Win an Edge Brownie Pan from Baker's Edge {ARV $34.95} - 5 Winners  Giveaway at Leslie Loves Veggies Ends 6/26 US Only

Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss Coconut Milk Ice Cream Giveaway
Win 2 FREE Product Coupons from Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss Coconut Milk Ice Cream {ARV $13.20} - 3 Winners Giveaway at Leslie Loves Veggies Ends 6/27 US Only 

Sport-Brella Giveaway
Win a Portable Sun & Weather Sport-Brella umbrella from Sport-Brealla in Your Choice of Color {ARV $59.99} Giveaway at Leslie Loves Veggies Ends 6/27 US Only


Veggie Patch Prize Package Giveaway
Win a Prize Pack from Veggie Patch that will include the following:  Meatless Garlic Portabella Burgers, Simply the Best Veggie Dogs, & one of Veggie Patch's Meatless Sausages {ARV $20} Giveaway at Leslie Loves Veggies Ends 6/27 US Only

Ascenta Health NutraVege Omega-3 Giveaway
Win a Bottle of NutraVege Omega-3 from Ascenta Health {ARV $46.99} Giveaway at Leslie Loves Veggies Ends 6/28 US Only

Lanisoh Diaper Rash Ointment Giveaway
Win a Tube of Lanisoh Diaper Rash Ointment from Lanisoh {ARV $6.99} - 5 Winners Giveaway at Leslie Loves Veggies Ends 6/28 US/CAN  

Traverse Bay Farms Salsa Prize Package
Win a Fruit Salsa Prize Package from Transverse Bay Farms that includes the following Salsas: Pineapple, Peach, Black Bean & Red Raspberry {ARV $25.80} - 3 Winners Giveaway at Leslie Loves Veggies Ends 6/28 US Only  

Let George Clean It - Grills & More Pack-Up Giveaway
Win a Grills & More Pack-Up Prize Pack from Let George Clean It that includes: 32oz trigger spray bottle,
32oz concentrate, 3 sponges & 1 Funnel {ARV $19.95} Giveaway at Leslie Loves Veggies Ends 6/29 Continental US Only


Pillsbury Chocolate Chunk Fudge Brownies & $25 Sam's Gift Card Prize Package Giveaway
Win a Gift Package from Pillsbury & MyBlogSpark that includes the following: a $25 Sam's Gift Card, 2 Containers of Frosting from Betty Crocker, a Plastic Transport Container & a Cake Decorating Set Giveaway at Leslie Loves Veggies Ends 6/29 US Only 

Tropical Traditions - 5 lb. Powdered Laundry Detergent Giveaway
Win 5 lb. Powdered Laundry Detergent from Tropical Traditions {ARV $25.99} Giveaway at Leslie Loves Veggies Ends 6/29 US/CAN


GrillGrates BBQ Kit Giveaway
Win a GrillGrates Kit that includes 2 interlocking panels & 1 GrateTool & user guide {ARV $49.99} - 2 Winners Giveaway at Leslie Loves Veggies Ends 6/30 US Only 

Private Eyes Undies Giveaway
Win a Pair of Private Eyes Undies in Your Choice of Style & Size {ARV $12.99} Giveaway at Leslie Loves Veggies Ends 6/30 US/CAN 

Tupperware FlatOut 6 Piece Set Giveaway
Win a 6 Piece FlatOut Set from Tupperware {ARV $68} Giveaway at Leslie Loves Veggies Ends 6/30 US Only 

fibromyalgia always seems to flare when there's stress...

Sigh...I'm under a good bit of stress right now (not going to go into it) except to say I believe the intentions of the person causing the stress were good, but it's stress nonetheless.  I'm having bad issues with the fibro. pain/chronic fatigue today, not helped by an allergy flare-up either.  Sometimes, it never rains, it pours.  I really need a good deep tissue massage (and now my youngest sister who is a physical therapist and trained in massage can't do it because she is pregnant) and thorough workup at my chiropractor but have no one to watch my daughter to get that done unless I can beg it off my mom (but not for awhile, she is watching my nephew for my sister for the upcoming week).

June 11 Giveaways

SWEEPS4BLOGGERS GIVEAWAYS
Alibi by Teri Woods Book Giveaway
Win a copy of the book Alibi by Teri Woods {ARV $14.99} ~ 5 Winners Giveaway at Sweeps4Bloggers Ends 6/27 US/CAN

Death of a Scriptwriter by M.C. Beaton Book Review

Death of a Scriptwriter by M.C. Beaton


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Highlands Constable Hamish Macbeth once again finds himself wrapped up in another baffling village murder, this one in the queer Scottish village of Drim.

Miss Patricia Martin-Broyd, whose mystery books have been out of print for decades, finds herself delighted to learn that Strathclyde Television Production company wants to film her book "The Case of the Rising Tides", with the hope of landing a spot on Scottish BBC.  It will mean Patricia's precious - if dated - books go back into print, something she has long been dreaming.  However, little does the writer realize her work is to be sexualized and badly rewritten by scriptwriter Jamie Gallagher.  The village of Drim is settled upon as the locale for filming, and village women are vicious trying to land parts as extras in the film.

When Miss Martin-Broyd discovers that her precious book has been sexualized and transformed from her original vision, she is furious at the scriptwriter.  The author isn't the only one angry at the scriptwriter.  Lead actress Penelope Gates promised her husband this film would be a good respectable role, and he is furious when he learns otherwise.  There is discontent among the film staff for having to cater to Jamie's whims and some fleeting unease about trying to pull the wool over Miss Martin-Broyd'd eyes and assure her this will be a family friendly act.  Between his threats of having people fired, few on the film set feel much sorrow when Jamie Gallagher is found dead, apparently hit on the head.

As the filming struggles to continue, Hamish realizes this case may soon be one of his failures if he doesn't find the killer, especially when a second murder occurs.  Hamish is thrown off the case by the new lead investigator, but Miss Martin-Broyd implores him to find the killer and because something in her strikes a chord with him, Hamish agrees and seeks to clear Miss Martin-Broyd's name.

This is the first Hamish Macbeth mystery I've read.  I've long been a fan of M.C. Beaton's Agatha Raisin series, and this series seems to be a winner too.  The conclusion to the mystery was not altogether satisfactory to me, but I did love the characters, and especially the protagonist, Hamish Macbeth.  I will definitely continue to read this series!

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I Scream, You Scream by Wendy Lyn Watson Book Review

I Scream, You Scream by Wendy Lyn Watson


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Tallulah Jones is newly divorced and struggling to keep her fledging ice cream parlor, Remember the A-la-mode off the ground.  Unfortunately, part of keeping her business solvent means agreeing to cater the dessert for her ex-husband Wayne's annual Weed & Seed party.  This year the party is to have a luau theme, and Wayne wants bright neon green, his business theme color, to be featured in the ice cream desserts.  Tally can manage to whip up a green topping for some tropical sundaes, carefully keeping Wayne's dessert cups specially marked, due to his pineapple allergy.

It grates that Wayne seems to have a new, much younger thin girlfriend, Brittanie who seems to be his new "sugar".  As Tally dishes up dessert at the party, folks seem drunker than skunks and the night ends with a stressful confrontation with Brittanie.

The next morning, Brittanie is found dead in bed, and it doesn't seem to be of entirely natural causes.  The police have their sights set on Wayne, but even though Tally knows Wayne Jones to be a two-timing snake, she just can't believe he is capable of murder.  Wayne won't come clear about where he was the night Brittanie died, and asks Tally to alibi him.  Tally won't lie for her ex, but she does agree to poke around a bit.

It seems plenty of folks have reason to want to kill Brittanie.  She seems to have slept with half the men and several of the women of Dalliance and made enemies of her fellow Zeta sorority sisters.  Even chipper Lady Shapers guide Ashley seems to have been snubbed by Brittanie.  Later, evidence turns up that there was antifreeze in the dessert cups marked for Wayne--the same dessert cups Tally served at the luau, and suddenly, the police seem to be focusing undue attention on her. 

With her cousin Bree and niece Alice at her side as well as Tally's newly arrived ex-boyfriend from high school, she seeks to clear her name before she ends up in jail for a crime she did not commit.  Can Tally keep her good name and her ice cream business afloat?

This is the first book in the Mystery A La Mode series, and on the whole I enjoyed it.  I found the action well-paced and did enjoy the culinary aspects related to ice cream.  I'd give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

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Taking a break from blogging...

Having some problems (anxiety-wise & weight wise - am failing to gain weight & it is affecting me more than it should).  I will be taking a break from blogging for awhile and focusing on my daughter and catching up on reading, which I also love to do.  I am fine, but really in a difficult bind right now.

CSN Giveaway pulled for now

Need to work on some wording issues with the CSN Giveaway post.  I am so sorry for all who entered.