Tis the Season?

The holidays seem to bring out the best and worst in people. Sometimes the worst behaviors in some bring out the best in others.

Down under at the Tauranga Foodbank thieves broke in and stole food that was being amassed to donate to those in need. In addition to some frozen foods and sweets, the thieves stole most of their teaspoons. The foodbank director couldn't explain why they would do such a thing or why anyone would feel the need to steal from a foodbank.

At the same time, as word spread of the crime, businesses have stepped up to help replace the stolen articles and the foodbank is collecting about $400 a day in donations due in part to the despicable thieves' actions.

Across the lower 48 and perhaps even into Hawaii and Alaska, there have been reports of stolen creche, lawn decorations and a few attacks (with knives) on Frosties and other Christmas inspired plastic inflated icons.

The Lincolnshire police site offers a 'menu' of ways to deter crime this season. One I hadn't considered was: "Never leave car keys or handbag downstairs at night -- take them to bed with you." And speaking of handbags -- a colleague at work pointed out that sometimes the handbag is the reason for the theft, heck with what's inside. A Louis Vuitton purse, valued at around $1000 might be worth keeping and ditch the checkbook and credit cards. I have no fear of every owning let alone concern over such a pricey purse being stolen.

What I do have is a strange sense of humor and evidently I'm not alone because this compilation of Christmas crimes from 2006 makes me shake my head and smile. For example the parade float driver who led the police a merry chase after having imbibed a bit too much of his own eh hem holiday cheer. Or:

In Chicago, 32 plastic baby Jesus dolls were stolen from nativity scenes set up in people's front yards. The kidnappers then lined up all the dolls along the fence outside a Chicago woman's home; she rounded them up and turned them over to her parish priest.

Similar creche crimes occurred in 35 cities from Fayetteville, N.C., to Mission Viejo, Calif., according to The Catholic League, which tracks nativity vandalism.

And then there is the young woman who delivered a Christmas card to her incarcerated boyfriend -- seems innocent enough and filled with the right kind of holiday spirit. But the police took offense at the marijuana included inside the card....

And if you really want a bizarre view of Christmas and crimes. Check out Freaking News.

Book series recommendation

Since I began reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon I have been searching for something equally entertaining to keep me reading until the next book comes out in 2009. Its been a chore. She's spoiled me for just about anything else!

But thanks to Mystery Scene Magazine I have found a fun new series that I can enjoy. I review books for them and they sent me Steve Hockensmith's latest novel in the Holmes on the Range series: The Black Dove. It will be released in bookstores in February, 2008. But the good news it is the third in the series, so there are two Anthony, Agatha, Dilly and Edgar award nominated books to read before the third is released.

My review will appear in the Mystery Scene Magazine sometime before February, 2008, but let me just say here that I could gush on and on about this well written book. Truly a well written, thought out, constructed, imagined, plotted book. Love, love, love the tone, the one liners -- I laughed out loud in several spots. Just couldn't stop myself; even scared the cat.

The idea of the historic series is that two brothers, down-on-their-luck cowboys, become infatuated with Sherlock Holmes, a serial of his adventures appears in the Harper's Magazine and one of the brothers even tries his hand at writing the brothers' exploits for a magazine. These cowboys decide they want to be detectives. Told in the narration of the younger brother 'Big Red' it is hilarious. Asides and relationship issues between the dower older brother and gregarious younger sibling. Multi faceted story line.

It is as the author admits, a combining of two very different eras -- the restrictive repressive Victorian era of Holmes and the wild, wild west of the 1890s.

The part I really like is that the author does not make light of death or moral issues. He highlights them and his protagonists are moral, upright, honorable, hilarious knights of the open range.

If you get a chance, please try Hockensmith's series, beginning with "Holmes on the Range" and followed by "On the Wrong Track"

What's on your mind, matey?

Have you noticed that whatever is on your mind shows up all around you?

When the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie came to theatres, my husband and I checked it out. We watched the near three hour movie, squirming a bit before the big finale, but didn't realize how saturated with pirates, lore and treasure we had become.

In addition to the movie, the advertising blitz for the movie, and the merchandise everywhere, there was my husband's favorite joke. He tells and retells a favorite until everyone he knows has heard it at least five times.

"What's a pirate's favorite restaurant?"
He pauses, his blue eyes twinkle, a smile twitches. Next his face scrunches up in his version of pirate aplomb as he delivers the answer, "Arrrrrrrrbys."

And then there is the pirate's favorite singing group - CC Rrrrrrrrrrr. And the favorite place a pirate shops for toys: Toys Rrrrrrrrrrrrrr Us. The piratical utterance "Aargggggg" reverberates.

Pirates lingered in our thoughts and resurfaced during our Sunday morning ritual of pastries and politics. After more than thirty years together, my husband and I have become decidedly comfortable and sedentary. Sundays we savor every bite of a large bakery fresh cream cheese frosted cinnamon roll, sip fresh-ground coffee brewed just the way we like it and indulge in a string of political TV news programs.

Our three cats know they must get fed before Tim Russert starts talking, or they're on their own until Chris Matthews, Bob Schieffer and George Stephanopoulos say goodbye.
I can't remember a time when Bob Schieffer was not on television bringing us news from Washington. He's covered every presidential campaign since 1972 and became CBS network's chief Washington correspondent in the '80s.

But between bites of cinnamon roll and sips of coffee, my spouse and I saw him in a new light. That particular Sunday, Bob had interviewed the ambassador of Syria and another from Israel and was asking some columnist from the Washington Post to comment.

Bob said something about someone arming someone. After all of those political shows, forgive me if I nod off now and then. In fact the man he was chatting with had just minutes before chatted with news man David Gregory, who was sitting in for Chris Matthews on another network.

But I came immediately to attention with Bob's comment. I do believe his ancestors raised their shaggy heads.

Could it be? Look closely at Mr. Schieffer. You might see what we did when he said, "Arrrrrrmed."

This grandfatherly man with the crinkly smile and air of respectability. This man who regularly chats with presidents, dictators, secretaries of state, and foreign ambassadors. This man who is a host of a no-nonsense CBS news show since 1991. This man would arrrrrguably look quite comfortable wearing an eye patch, clenching a knife between his teeth and yes, even with a parrot on his shoulder.

I walked outside to clear my head and who should I see but Thomas our neighbor two doors down. He was barefoot, working in his yard. He wore an old shirt with the sleeves ripped off, his pants legs rolled up to his knees. His earring peaked from beneath a bandanna he had tied around his head.. And, I'm not sure, but just before I rushed back into the house and slammed the door, I swear I saw a scabbard lashed to his hip. ###

If you want to make your own Cinnamon rolls, check out this recipe on the Food Network or this Cinnabun Clone recipe by the Gordon Family.