August 5-7

With the ending of our epic Wisconsin (almost cow free) road trip our visit with Karyn was also drawing to a close. It is always hard to say good bye to visitors doubly hard when it is a dear aunty. So on the 5th we snuck out, just Karyn, myself and MISS TRINITY for some girly shopping time. Just the normal stuff… Joann’s, the mall, Caribou…

I have to say Trinity is a fun shopper. She and Karyn picked out a special book for her to bring home and read. It was our last chance of true visiting time before we had to see her off and it was so much fun!

The next day it was time to see off Aunty Karyn as Ken drove her to the airport.We were all a little downhearted at this point.

Though the kids snuck off with Ken to the Home Depot monthly craft first. We have missed ONE in the past couple years!

We did have some fun mail to balance off our sad good bye. I had won a draw on Facebook for some nails. I need to find a moment to sit down and work out how to apply them! Thanks Heather!

We also had a lovely package of Canadian snacks for the shark slippers I had made and mailed off. I made sure to request a bag of ketchup chips for the kids. A once in a while special treat.

OH and another exchange… baby booties and socks for Canadian school supplies… favourite scribblers with the familiar map of Canada on the front and duotangs… folders with prongs. A family favourite. Thank you so much Tammie! I hope you enjoy the crochet bits.

On Sunday we had our first day of Sunday school for ALL of the kids! I was so proud of Echo. She went off willingly with her siblings to the music and then onto class. She is growing up so quickly! The twins have a good friend in their class and were very excited to see him for the first time since VBS.

In the afternoon we were off to Shandai and Ravyn’s for a special belated(VERY)Christmas celebration. They have such a nice home to visit at. Though we do have to keep a but of an eye on the kids. We had so much fun… playing in the backyard (which is gorgeous), watching a Disney flick in the basement and playing with the cats.

We had a delicious dinner and then opened presents. It was so gratifying to see how much Shandai liked her crocheted items. She is such an amazing artist that I love that I can make her something she would enjoy!

So we made up for our sad with a rather busy series of happy times. We miss you Karyn!!! Thank you so much for visiting.

I have lucked out with a string of amazing stories lately and Sue Ann Jaffarian’s Ghost a la Mode was no exception. This first book in the Ghost of Granny Apples Mystery series and I honestly hope it is far from the last! You start the story with Emma Whitecastle, a woman in her early 40’s going through a lengthy divorce from her famous (but not so nice) talk show (cheating) husband. They have a daughter (Kelly) and lives with her parents. Cue in Tracy, the best friend whose friendship had been renewed with her leaving of her husband. 

Together the two of them head to a seance (on Tracy’s insistence), cue the clairvoyant Milo who has a message for Emma from a great great great grandmother… Granny Apples known as Ish. What does this spitfire ghost need from Emma, not much, just vindication that she did NOT murder her husband as she was hanged for! Add in that Emma’s mother has had contact with Ish before and the mystery is on! 

You join Emma on a sojourn to find out about her roots, to help Ish and to find out what this new talent of not only HEARING but SEEING ghosts means for her. Visit the real town Julian, California with Emma and meet the characters that live there (not so real), ghost and living. I don’t want to give away too much, but there is some romance, lots of action, history, and of course a spunky lady on a mission.

I am definitely going to read the next books in the series! There are few things that I truly love about this book – ONE she doesn’t hide things from the police… granted it is not easy and she does come off a bit crazy to them BUT she is true to herself and TWO yes there is murder but there is NOT huge amounts of gore. The ghosts are varied, the people hilarious and the story absolutely fabulous! Check it out!

Ghost a la Mode