TASTY TREATS AND SOME TRIVIA

Raise your hand if you know what "Whisker Biscuit" or "Mush Mitten" means".  If not, you're not alone.   I heard it on Claws, a dramedy about the over the top antics of women in a nail salon and their men on TNT every Sunday night. Something outrageous always happens on the show but I've been giggling since Sunday because those words are newfound names for a vagina.(lol)  Uh...some things you just can't unhear.

THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR ICE CREAM
Seems like there is a Dairy Queen on every corner, but did you know that the first one opened up way back in 1940 in Illinois? 

There are over 5700 stores around the world calling on us to enjoy  cold scoops of goodness.

SELL IT FOR CASH
If you're thinking about having a yard sale to get rid of some clutter, studies show that that simply providing bags for your customers is a great way to make it easy for them to carry stuff and to purchase more.

LET'S GET GRILLIN'
This is the weekend where everyone will be grilling or heading to the beach.  If you're thinking of grilling corn, here are some great new toppings to try to up the flavor.

1)  Butter + Honey + Tabasco or Hot Sauce
2)  Mayo + Old Bay + Lemon Juice  (Get the low salt version of Old Bay if you're watching your salt intake
3)  Olive Oil + Oregano + Parmesan Cheese

SOUTHERN LOVE
Are you a fan of shrimp and grits and looking for a fun vacation in September?  Head to Jekyll Island, Georgia from September 14 - September 16.  It's FREE for the public, but if you want the VIP treatment, cost per day ranges from $80.25 to $160.00.  This includes all kinds of cool stuff like unlimited wine/beer and nonalcoholic drinks.  For more information visit https://www.jekyllisland.com

LOOKING FOR A HOME?
You may not have heard of 50 Poplar Hill Drive in Connecticut, but it's pretty famous.  At one time it was owned by Mike Tyson.  He actually forgot that he even still had this property that was robbed in 2017, but this mansion is owned by 50 Cent, the rapper.  At one time, this 50,000 square foot property was being sold for a little over $18 million, but Fredrik Eklund from Bravo's Million Dollar Listing slashed the price to just close to $5 Million. (About $22,000 a month mortgage payment!)

So if you're looking for a home with 6 kitchens, 25 bathrooms, a pool and a stripper pole, get this bargain quick!(lol)

WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO REALLY WELL?
One thing I wish I could really do well is draw or paint.  I literally can only draw boxes and stick people.  My artistic talent is to use stickers and washi tape for everything in my planners. 

My Birthday is Coming on August 12- Yay!

In high school, I took an elective art class and thought it would be smooth sailing - uh...definitely not. (lol) We had to draw things like hands, bottles and fruit baskets.  Everyone in that class created these great pieces of art with pencils and shading, including Eva someone I'm still friends with today.

The teacher would walk past my desk, shake her head and tell me to just keep trying. (lol) 

SOME STUFF YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW

Have you ever noticed that whenever someone's car alarm goes off, no one actually does anything?(lol)  Mostly, everyone just sort of looks around to be sure they don't have to run to their own car to shut it off, thinking it's a glitch or something. Then they just go back to doing what they were doing. (lol)

The first Margaritaville was opened in Key West, Florida in 1977 by Jimmy Buffet, but there are lots of them around the world these days.  If you can't make it to one of their locations, be sure to check out Margaritaville: The Cookbook, which has lots of fun and craveable recipes from their restaurants that are perfect for the summer season.

I chose this one because the ingredients not only grabbed my attention, but that's actually the name of their bars too.

5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE
1/4 Cup Light Rum
1 Tablespoon Passion Fruit Tequila or Silver Tequila
2 Tablespoons Fresh Orange Juice
2 Tablespoons Pineapple Juice
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Grenadine
Crushed Ice
1 Orange Wedge
1 Cocktail Cherry

Place the rum, tequila, orange juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and grenadine in a shaker some ice,  shaking well to combine.  Fill a tall glass with ice and strain the mixture into it.  Garnish the with an orange wedge and the cherry, then serve immediately.

FAMOUS CLOCK
Big Ben in Britain weighs a whopping 6 tons, and can be heard up to 5 miles away!  It's accurate up to 1 second, but it was wrong just once.  In 1949, a flock of birds landed on the minute hand causing it to be off by a little over 4 minutes.

Are you a Book Blogger, and looking for more ways to get books for FREE?  Be sure to check  out http://www.booklookbloggers.com/

SNAG THIS GIG
If you have time to spare from Sunday through Thursday each week, feel free to work for Bustle as a Lifestyle Writer right from your own living room! All you need is 1-2 years writing experience (yes blogging counts!) and a sense of fun. Click here- Bustle 

MAMA MIA!
They say that everything is BIG in Texas, and as the new winner in the Guinness World Book of Records, Moontower Pizza Bar proves it with their slightly over 8 foot long commercially available pizza.  But this isn't just a publicity stunt.  If you give a 2 day advance notice, you really can order this mammoth 1 Topping treat called  "The Bus" for just  $299.95 + tax to feed all your friends and family, or maybe even the whole neighborhood.

MOVIE NEWS YOU'VE FORGOTTEN
If you were born in 1961, the biggest movie was West Side Story, ($43.7 million) and the best picture winner was West Side Story. 

But even if it didn't win the Oscar, it still was a movie that people still raved about.

If you were born in 1972, the top grossing movie was The Godfather which raked in $135 million in the US, and it also won top honors of best picture too.  

If you were born in 1982, you definitely phoned home as ET earned a whopping $359 million in the United States .  But Ghandi took home the Oscar for best picture.

If you were born in 1992, Aladdin grossed $212 million in the US, but Unforgiven, which happens to be the only western I've seen 8 times, and starring the amazing Clint Eastwood won a Best Picture Oscar. 

VALUABLE BRANDS
Even if you don't use them, these brands are still at the top of the list according to Forbes.

1.  Apple - Brand Revenue:  228.6 billion
2.  Google  - Brand Revenue: 98.4 billion
4.  Facebook - Brand Revenue: 35.7 billion
5.  Amazon -  Brand Revenue: 169.3 billion

FOODIE FLAVORS
Do you love experimenting with different flavors when cooking, but can't find the right ingredients?

Try shopping at these sites for something unique:

www.Latienda.com - Spain
Tokyocentral.com - Asian
Mediterraneanfoodsny.com - Greek

THE END IS PERMANENT
About 3 years ago, a friend gave me this pretty amazing kate Spade bag that can hold everything.  It's one of the only purses I haven't destroyed. (lol) 

Anthony Bourdain would have been 61 today, June 25.  I have a few of his books, and have watched him on television for years, falling in love with his sarcastic wit.

On June 18, the stats for veterans were released stating that suicide rates had increased for both Veterans and Non-Veterans, underscoring the fact that suicide is a national public health concern that affects people everywhere.

This is not my platform, and to be honest, it's normally a topic I stay away from because it hits so close to home, as a veteran and a daughter. 

I found my mother in our basement dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  Screaming, I called the police then ran back downstairs, hoping there was something I could do to save my mother.  Holding her head in my lap, she whispered she was sorry, as she struggled to hold on.  I wondered if she wished she could have changed her mind, and put that bullet back into the chamber, as I prayed that she would make it. Shortly thereafter my brother arrived,  as we waited numbly for the police and ambulance. 

We  hear about these things, never thinking it could happen to someone we know.  Once it does, the reality of it is almost unbearable.  Those pictures in your brain, and the feelings inside can't be undone.  The loss of a loved one is traumatic in itself, but it leaves those left behind with confusion.

We were questioned for a few moments, but it seemed like hours,  as we begged to ride in that ambulance with our mother, only to be denied.

Only 17, and with a 16 year old brother, we tried to make sense of the whole thing, wondering what we did wrong, or if we should have come into the house earlier, somehow preventing what had happened.  What were we going to do?  To make matters worse, the hospital sent me a bill for my mom's death and the cost of the ambulance, which I had to fight to have removed.

It took us years to overcome feelings of guilt and regret, so I know the families left behind from those who commit suicide are grieving and wondering what could have been done differently.  

The tragedy was painful, but has made me sympathetic to the plight of those who suffer from mental illness.

We didn't understand about depression back then, but there are many options and crisis resources out there now for those who feel hopeless or alone.  Please reach out to someone for help, and don't give up.  You are not alone.

If you know someone who's in trouble, you can still help, even if you're not a mental health professional.  Remember the #5, listed above.



National Suicide Prevention Hotline

Call 1-800-273-8255

Available 24 hours everyday, including a chat line

Call 800-273-8255 and press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text to 838255.

TALL, DARK & UNDEAD - A GREAT BEACH READ FROM SANDRA COX

I met Sandra Cox about 2 years ago via my blog, and she is nothing short of phenomenal and fun.  Not only is she a prolific writer, but she's good at lots of really neat stuff and has a wicked sense of humor.  

Here's a little more info about her book for your reading pleasure at the beach this weekend!

Tall, Dark & Undead Book Bite  

Book Blurb

Gutsy, kick-ass Suzanne James has no intention of complicating her life by falling in love…especially with a vampire. But it’s hard to stay objective when a drop-dead gorgeous male rescues her from three assailants in a dark alley. All but unconscious, she could swear her hero has glowing red eyes and two sharp, pointed teeth.

Adrian Caine has spent the past hundred years, in vampire parlance, a vegetarian. When he rescues a beautiful blonde in a dark alley, it takes all of his formidable control not to backslide. Attraction turns to desire. Even though it’s not in Suzanne’s best interest, he can’t stay away.

Book Excerpt

“Three men jumped me and I kicked their asses.”

Kess gave me a pained look. “That’s why you’re black and blue and in a hospital bed instead of upstairs doing your job?”

“Details, details.” I made a dismissive motion with my hand.

“You were out walking late at night again by yourself, weren’t you? How many times have I told you to take a taxi when you work late? You take a few kickboxing classes and think you can take on the world.” He tapped a toe encased in spit-shine, black leather. His face registered extreme disapproval.

“It’s rude to say ‘I told you so’, Kess.” I sat straighter and tried for injured dignity.

“A lot of good it does. You don’t listen.”

“In this case you were right.” I ran the fingers of my good hand through my tangled hair. I must look a mess.

“I’m always right.”

“And modest too.”

He grinned. “Are you going to tell me what happened?” He took another gulp of his rapidly cooling coffee.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to do but you keep interrupting me.”

“Don’t whine.  It’s unbecoming.  Just tell me what happened.  I heard a Good Samaritan brought you in then disappeared.”

“It was pretty odd, Kess.”

“I’m not sure ‘odd’ is the word I’d use for getting beaten up and a shoulder dislocated.” His voice dry, his glance shifted to my shoulder. He frowned.

I sighed. Kess just wasn’t going to let this go.

“Not that part. My…err, Good Samaritan.” I fidgeted on the bed and plucked at the sheet. Somehow the term “Good Samaritan” just didn’t fit. Goosebumps roughened my skin and my heart galloped as I remembered fangs and glowing red eyes. “Kess?”

“Yes?”

“Do you believe in vampires?”

“If you don’t want to talk about it you could have just said so.” He lifted his chin and started to rise.

I looked at the door. No one was in the hall. I hunched forward and whispered, still clutching the sheet. “Kess, he had fangs and his eyes glowed.”

He frowned and straightened. “They told me you didn’t have a concussion or any kind of damage to your head. Apparently, they were wrong. I’ll have Dr. Brown run an MRI. I should have made them do it last night.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my head,” I yelled.

“Suz, you think you were rescued by a vampire.”

A picture of one of the menagerie

More Cool Stuff About Sandra:

Sandra’s a vegetarian, animal lover and avid gardener. She lives with her husband, their dog and several cats in sunny North Carolina. 

Isn't this fun?

Another peek into Sandra's Cool Garden

Besides paranormal, she also writes historical and time-travel romance, young adult fantasy and non-fiction.

Buy Link:  https://tinyurl.com/TallDarkUndead

Don't forget today is National Donut Day, and there are lots of freebies and bargains available.  Check in your neck of the woods for possible deals.