Anything a writer does is research to a certain extent. With current circumstances, we decided to take a socially distanced road trip. What if Donna and Mark took an occasional road trip and left  Legacy for a week or two? We've already seen what trouble they can get into on a cruise or even traveling to nearby Arkansas. 

We hit the road in our trusty car keeping six feet between ourself and the next car. At this point, I should say what cars? The empty road stretched for miles.  Our first stop was at a rest stop in Chamberlain, SD to visit the beautiful dignity statue. The artist used female models of three different ages to achieve the appropriate carriage and facial expression. You can judge for yourself.

The second major stop was in Wall, South Dakota. Its main attraction was a drugstore that offered five cent coffee and free ice water to attract travelers.It grew into a smaller version of Gatlinburg with unique stores and restaurants. There is lots of photo opportunities. ( This was the one place we saw lots of people. We all did a lot of ducking and weaving to keep our distance.)

Seventeen hours later and two time changes we made it to Hot Springs, South Dakota. We found a wildlife welcoming committee in Wind Cave National Park.

We had a great time hiking in the parks, visiting the Crazy Horse monument , driving through Needles Highway with its narrow tunnels carved through the rock, and visiting  the Mammoth Site with complete mammoth skeletons.  We also were able to visit the mineral springs, from which Hot Springs takes its name.  Just imagine Donna and Mark making the same trip and possibly stumbling across a murder! We also played with the idea of them driving an RV. Love to hear your opinion on this.

A great time was had by all. I'd recommend checking out South Dakota. The people and scenery are wonderful. Go early because snow can be an issue and highways close.

Back in February, I knew about the virus that went by many names, but I was concentrating on our upcoming Star Trek cruise, which we planned for over a year.  We returned to an entirely different world. We’d heard about the virus even on the ship, spraying our hands with disinfectant when entering each venue, but I wasn’t prepared with how my world had changed in the intervening week. Per my routine, I tried to order my groceries on our layover. That way we just picked them up when we got the dog. Only this time, I couldn’t. There were no open pickup times for days and even more peculiar, they were out of ordinary items such as toilet paper, chicken, and rice. How do you run out of bath tissue when almost an entire aisle is filled with various brands?

Welcome to the new normal. My pick-up-the-grocery fail meant I’d need to take time and actually go into the store. Besides not having groceries, we didn’t have the local news, which meant I hadn’t heard the rumors of everything being closed, including schools, libraries, and even churches. On Friday the thirteenth, I waded into full-scale retail panic. Produce aisles were picked bare with a few lone organic apples still remaining. It was the same with the bread, dairy, paper products, cleaning items, and chicken. Suddenly, I was buying things I never bought for the simple reason that it was food. The bright spot in my day was the upbeat, chatty cashier who checked me out.  She was definitely an unsung heroine that day.

It’s easy to focus on the negative in a crisis because the news will highlight it for you. Instead, I tried to look for the helpers as Mr. Rogers reminded us to do. At the Humane Society where I volunteer, helpers abounded. Volunteers came in to care for the animals despite what might be happening in their own lives. People still came by to drop off donations.  When the center decided to close, employees, volunteers, and just plain concerned folks fostered many of the cats and dogs in their own homes.

Hoarders might grab the headlines, but there is a small army of folks putting together food baskets for those who have lost their jobs or had their income greatly reduced. Volunteers might be wearing masks and donning gloves when they carry the baskets out, but they are still there. A big shout out to Gleaners, who is delivering the food to different food pantries, and the folks who contribute making it possible for others to eat.

Never forget those who don’t have the luxury of working from home: the medical personnel, home health care workers, fire and police officers, mail carriers, and delivery folks. Farmers and ranchers are hard at work providing food staples. Those who staff the groceries, drug stores, and gas stations are providing a vital service, too. Before pointing fingers at those on the road, keep in mind they may be delivering needed medicine or supplies. Many, despite working double shifts, still carry out their jobs in a positive manner.

This virus that goes by many names has taught us to be more creative in educating our children and maintaining social contact via the Internet. My women’s spirituality group held a ritual using Zoom. It was reassuring to see all the familiar faces. While caution has put us in a temporary time out and created a new normal, it has also slowed us down enough to appreciate the bloom of a spring flower or the blue bird at the bird feeder.

If you look hard enough you will find the helpers. You can be one of the helpers, too. It doesn’t take much—a call to see how someone is doing or even a text. Write a letter and put it in the mail. Make sure to tip the delivery person who brought you dinner or groceries. Take time to walk in the sun with your dog. Tell your spouse how much you appreciate him or her. Play a game with your children. Smile, even if it is only at yourself in a mirror. This won’t last forever. In the end, let’s emerge like the butterfly, changed by the experience for the better.

Late For Shuffleboard
The Way Over the Hill Gang Book 3
 
The senior sleuths are hot on the trail of a veteran’s murderer and a missing dog in a cold case that’s raising eyebrows and causing a stir in their tightknit community.

The clock is ticking. Only a few short days before the victim’s home is razed and all the potential evidence is wiped clean.
With new complications at every turn, the Senior Sleuths feel the heat as the impossible deadline approaches.

Can they close this case before the truth is buried for good?
 
**Only .99 cents!!**
Add to Goodreads
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo
 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46002548-late-for-shuffleboard
 
Buy Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Late-Shuffleboard-Over-Hill-Gang-ebook/dp/B07S1X6YKB
Apple: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/late-for-shuffleboard/id1472585613
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/late-for-shuffleboard-m-k-scott/1132452139
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/late-for-shuffleboard

Late For Square Dancing
The Way Over the Hill Gang Book 4
 
A missing woman. A surprising suspect. A curious conundrum.

The senior sleuths have a knack for sniffing out trouble, but when a missing woman cold case falls in their laps, all hands must be on deck to solve it. Unfortunately, this case hits a little too close to home, and quickly becomes an active case with dire consequences if they’re not careful.

To complicate matters, Heloise is planning an authentic barn dance for the residents of Greener Pastures Convalescent Center. She needs the senior sleuths’ help, and that means they must forgo their investigation.

The group will have to employ their best tactics to stay under the radar to root out the true culprit and avoid a barn dance disaster.
 
**Only .99 cents!!**
Add to Goodreads
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo
 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49344276-late-for-square-dancing
 
Buy Links
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0821LQCHV
Apple: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/late-for-square-dancing/id1494752689
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/late-for-square-dancing-m-k-scott/1135985085
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/late-for-square-dancing
 
 
 
About the Author
M. K. Scott is the husband and wife writing team behind The Painted Lady Inn Mysteries. Morgan K Wyatt is the general wordsmith, while her husband, Scott, is the grammar hammer and physics specialist. He uses his engineering skills to explain how fast a body falls when pushed over a cliff and various other felonious activities. The Internet and experts in the field provide forensic information, while the recipes and B and B details require a more hands on approach. Morgan's daughter, who manages a hotel, provides guest horror stories to fuel the plot lines. The couple's dog, Chance, is the inspiration behind Jasper, Donna's dog. Murder Mansion is the first book in The Painted Lady Inn Mysteries. Overall, it is a fun series to create and read. Drop Dead Handsome is the second book in the series. Killer Review should be out in October 2016.
 
 
Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
 
Author Links
Website: http://www.morgankwyatt.com
Blog: http://www.writerwonderland.weebly.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMorganKWyatt/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/morgankwyatt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morgankwyatt/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/m-k-scott
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/M-K-Scott/e/B01M4JGK1A
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2863959.M_K_Scott,
 ​

Joyful Chicken 

1 can whole cranberry sauce
1 pkg onion soup mix
8 oz western French (Catalina) dressing
Chicken (breasts, tenders, drumsticks)

Mix 1st 3 ingredients together. Place chicken in 8x12” pan, pour sauce over chicken, cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1hr. Serve over rice. Yum!!

Alice Hazelbaker 

​Lemon Whippersnappers
 
1 box lemon cake mix
2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed (Cool Whip)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon lemon extract
Powdered sugar for rolling the cookies in. ( 2 or 3 cups)
 
Empty the cake mix into a medium bowl. Add the whipped topping and mix together. Add the egg and extract and mix thoroughly; the dough will be rather sticky probably.
 
Put the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Drop the cookie batter by rounded teaspoons full, a couple at a time, directly into the sugar - this keeps your fingers from getting TOO sticky. Roll the balls in the powdered sugar and place on a greased cookie sheet. A dozen per sheet is good. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes. The bottoms of the cookies will be nicely browned. Cool on cooling racks then store tightly covered; the cookies do remain soft and chewy. These cookies freeze well also. Makes about 3 dozen.
 
*I have made many variations of these including Snickerdoodles using a white cake mix and vanilla extract, putting some cinnamon in the batter for extra flavor and rolling them in cinnamon sugar. 
 
 
Mary Lynn in Pennsylvania

Easy Cream Cheese Fruit Dip
 
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme
1 Tablespoon milk 
1/2 t vanilla
In medium bowl, beat all ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. 
 
 
Carol Knudtson

What is Love?
Men have pondered this question throughout the centuries.
Women have only considered  the implications publicly the last thousand years or so,
Due to the belief that, while excellent mothers, they were unable to love deeply.
The Greeks coined the term brotherly love, but never sisterly love.
Was this the start of female backstabbing?
 
What do women really want?
Hallmark tells us cards, as they inform us on every significant holiday.
Commercials would have you believe a life-size teddy bear is every woman’s dream.
Lingerie composed of lace strings resembling more a puzzle than clothing is the way to go.
Florists make up bouquets of both roses and junk food to cater to various appetites.
These things fade, are eaten, and are often hidden away.

​Valentine’s Day causes widespread panic among males anxious to prove their love.
Tired men, picking through cards and clutching stuffed animals and roses, crowd discount and grocery stores.
Some assume whatever gift they choose will be wrong, and decide to forgo the search.
More breakups happen in January than any other month.
Not surprisingly, many couples get back together after February 14th.
This should tell us love is hard to find in a heart-shaped box.

​I saw love walking along the sidewalk one frigid Valentine’s Day.
It was sleeting, making driving hazardous.
On my way home from work, at a stoplight, I watched men slide into the Walgreens frozen parking lot.
They emerged later with balloons and red candy boxes.
An old man and woman walked in the freezing rain.
She with her walker with bright yellow tennis balls and he with the umbrella held over her head.
 
Icicles hung off the old man’s bearded face.
The expression on his face wasn’t one of disgruntlement due to the weather.
Instead, he beamed lovingly at his petite wife.
His other hand rested at her elbow,
Ready to catch her if she should slip on the slick pavement.
I saw love that day.

​I’ve seen it demonstrated on other days in a myriad of ways.
People often think animals can’t love.
I did once, too,
Until I caught my younger dog
Performing an act of selfless love
And calculated deceit.
 
Silently, I rounded the corner to see him open the cabinet door,
Pulling out a pig ear, not for himself as I thought,
But carrying it to our blind spaniel.
He pushed it up to her mouth when she couldn’t find it.
Finally, he chewed on it when it proved too tough for her aging teeth.
When he offered it to her again, she accepted it with delight.
 

Genuine acts of unselfish love bring tears to our eyes.
Grand gestures that expect nothing in return,
Their sole purpose is to bring happiness, joy, even comfort to their beloved.
Would you retype a book for someone who lost it?
Who needed it to submit a full request? Better yet,
Would you do it in a night?

​ 
My husband did.
For me, this is my perfect example of love.
 
What’s yours?
 

Famous People born on February 14th

Hugh Downs
Woody Hayes
Florence Henderson
Jimmy Hoffa
Vic Morrow

Not So Popular Gifts
1. broom, mop, vaccumn
2. cleaning supplies
3. shapewear
4. Tickets to sporting events or 
concert that the woman/wife 
never wanted to go to.
5. Diet book
6. Gym membership ( when you didn't want one.)
​7. Anything similar to what your mate gave his ex.
8. Itemized list of how to please your husband
9. Soap, shampoo, inflatable foot bath ( Anything that looks like you ran to the drugstore at the last minute.)

What is the weirdest gift you ever received?

Popular Valentine Gifts
1. Jewelry
2. Perfume/Cologne
3. Chocolate
4. Flowers
5. Lingerie
6. Gift cards
7. Dinner out
* One of my favorite presents from my husband was he wrote me a love poem. He did a nice job of it, too.