Why Left-Handed Watches for Left-Handed People

Being left-handed myself, I can tell you why it's important to have left-handed watches. It's pretty simple. I want to wear my watch on my right wrist.

For all the same reasons right-handed people wear their watches on their left wrist, I like to wear my watch on my right wrist. If you're part of the minority of left-handed people, this will make sense to you. But, let's help some right-handed people understand as well.

Left-Handed Watches on the Right Wrist

Think about this. You use your left-hand for writing, for holding eating utensils, for cutting, chopping and food prep. Your left hand is more involved in sports activities like throwing, swinging or catching. If you're a crafter, your left hand most often holds scissors, needles, glue, paint brushes, etc.

Now who wants a watch in the way during all of this? Do you really want to drag a watch across what you just wrote? Of course not. That's why a left-handed person wants to wear their watch on their right wrist. Exactly for the same reasons right-handed people wear their watches on their left wrist.

The Dials and Buttons on Left-Handed Watches

Many watches now days work well for both left or right handed people because the buttons are on the face of the watch. Especially digital ones. But many watches with great functions use dials and buttons on the side of the watch.

For me, the big issue came about when I got a watch with a lighted dial. The button to light up the dial was on the side of the watch. I loved the watch, it was a gift from a beloved friend. But, it was a right-handed watch. That marvelous light-up button was on the wrong side.

Luckily for me, and all of us who are left handed, there are plenty of great watches designed with the dials and buttons for use by a lefty. That solved my problem. It can solve yours as well.

So it's time to get yourself a left-handed watch. Or pay attention to a left-handed person you may want to give a gift to. These watches make life so much easier.

Halloween and Left-handers Considerations

Halloween Considerations for Left-Handers

Ah, the joy of Halloween, but also the considerations that we all need to take. For left-handers in a right-handed world, those considerations are important. We want our kids and ourselves to have a safe and happy Halloween so there a few things to keep in mind.

Left-Handed Kids, Halloween and School

For most of us, our kids will be enjoying a day at school that includes costumes, treats and a party atmosphere for at least some part of the day. The rest of the day still involves some school work. And recess time as well. That's when we, as parents of left-handed kids at Halloween need to be aware of issues.

Kids costumes are most likely not created with left-handed kids in mind. Ergo, we need to be on the lookout for problems that might occur for your lefty child.

• Watch for costume parts that inhabit a child's left side. Not just the left arm, needed for eating and writing, but also the left leg, needed for kicking a ball at recess. 
• Pick costumes that don't have sleeve pieces to drag across lunch or Halloween treats. Sleeves that interfere with a child's ability to write in school are also a consideration.
• For Trick or Treating time, be careful of costumes and treat bags that would prevent a left-handed child from walking or seeing properly. 
• Remind yourself of basic safety tips for any trick or treating.

For Left-Handed Adults and Halloween Costumes

Much of the same advice for kids costumes applies to adult costumes as well. If you are attending a Halloween party, you'll want your left hand free to  handle refreshments. But you also want to make sure that your sleeves or other left sided costume pieces won't drag across your plate or across a buffet table.

You may think this is common sense but even right-handed people fail to take some of these things into consideration. Halloween costumes can be loads of fun to plan for the most unique or crazy. But keep in mind some basic considerations and you'll have a more fun time without unexpected mishaps.

Jana DeLeon Grows the Miss Fortune Mystery Series to 5

Redding Fortune does it again. Or rather Jana DeLeon does. As the author of the Miss Fortune mystery series, DeLeon brings about the most charming wit and hilarity to present us with a wonderful series of murder mysteries.

Every one of her mysteries are cannot-put-down books for me. And Gator Bait is no different. In fact, it's the best yet. Which is saying quite a lot!

Gator Bait is the 5th novel in the Miss Fortune mystery series. It brings back our comic hero, CIA agent Redding Fortune along with her fun cast of characters in Sinful, Louisiana, the small town on the Bayou where murder and mayhem abound.

Fair warning here. If you haven't heard of the Miss Fortune mystery series, or haven't yet read Louisiana Longshot, the first in the series, then immediately head to Mystery Book World and get your copies of all five in the series.

Then plan out lots of time for thoroughly enjoyable reading. Honestly, I have a terrible time with

reading these mysteries. Mainly because I hate to put them down. Doing those mundane life things certainly get in the way of reading a Miss Fortune mystery novel.

Oh yes, I have read thousands of great mysteries. Many are hard to put down. But author DeLeon has done the most amazing job of making these the hardest to put down! I'm waiting with baited breath for installment 6 in the Miss Fortune series.

Don't overlook DeLeon's other great mystery series, Ghost-In-Law. Doesn't that title just draw you to find out more? And you won't be disappointed. Another series of the most delightful and funny mysteries on the planet.

Training Chopsticks

I'm one of those people who have used chopsticks for most of my life. Even being left handed, I was taught as a child to use chopsticks with my left hand. But, that's not the case for everyone. That's why training chopsticks are great!

The Edison company makes a whole line up of great choices for both adults and children. And both are available for lefties as well as right handed people. The cool thing is that they have a ring for the index finger to sit in and control the top chopstick.

The training chopsticks are a single piece. The two sticks are attached at the top, so you don't need to learn to control 2 different sticks at the same time. They are naturally positioned to sit properly in your hand.

The kids training chopsticks are adorable. Fun little characters adorn the tops of the sticks and make it easy for kids to learn. They also have 2 stages for kids. As they get better with the Stage 1 chopsticks, they can graduate to Stage 2 which require a bit more control.

Families with both left and right-handed people can all learn to use chopsticks. I know how well this worked for a friend of mine and her whole family.

Thanks to the Edison Company, we can now all learning to use chopsticks properly. No matter which hand orientation we are, or what our age.

The Value of Good Left-Handed Knives in the Kitchen

Yes, I do cook a lot. But it wasn't always that way. In fact, for a very long time, I dreaded working in the kitchen and preparing food. The biggest problem was not the cooking, but the prepping of the foods to be cooked. I hated it!

Of course, I hated it. The chopping, slicing and dicing was hard for me. Duh, I was using kitchen knives designed to be comfortable in a right hand, not a left hand. Rather explains why I also stopped getting good quality and sharp knives. I was regularly cutting a finger along with the food.

When I discovered quality left-handed kitchen knives, lots of things changed for me. First, holding the knife was just plain more comfortable. Good left-handed knives are balanced for the right weight in the left hand. That made chopping and slicing so much more comfortable.

Along with having the best feel for cutting, that also meant much less slicing the fingers. In fact, I was able to use really sharp knives without fear of "missing" my fruit or vegetable. That in turn made the chore of preparing foods for cooking much easier. Faster, too.

You can see that I ended up with a snowball effect. Once I started using good left-handed kitchen knives, I was able to do lots more food prep with lots less effort. Ergo, cooking became fun. No longer the chore that it had been.

Good cooks know that you use good quality utensils in the kitchen. Right-handed people don't even think about it. They get good quality. Most left-handed people don't think about either. I certainly didn't. Not until I got my first set of good quality left-handed kitchen knives.

Now, I don't even remember how I managed without them. Kitchen knives are best when they fit the hand comfortably and that's the same for left-handed kitchen knives. So do yourself a favor and get a good quality set yourself. You can thank me later!

Whacky Excuses for Reading Mysteries

I will admit it. I don't really need an excuse to read a good mystery book. But, there are sometimes when it's fun to set aside time, just because. That's where whacky holidays come into play. Yes, that's what I said. Whacky holidays.

There are literally hundreds of whacky holidays. At least in the U.S. And I mean whacky. Like Bubble Bath Day. That's one of my favorites for an excuse to read a mystery novel. Set aside time to luxuriate in a bubble bath while reading. That's sounds great to me.

With the warmer weather on the way, try Iced Tea Day. Imagine curling up in your favorite armchair, a large glass of iced tea sitting by your side and your latest mystery book in your hand. Aha - the perfect excuse to read.

Are you a junk food addict? There is Junk Food Day. Yep, I mean it. Junk Food Day. I'll bet your imagination is already working out how to set that one up.

April is the month to find some really crazy excuses to read. It's Frog Month, National Grilled Cheese Month, National Brussel Sprouts and Cabbage Month. You get the idea.

My favorite site for finding those crazy holidays, which become great excuses for reading mysteries is BrownieLocks. It's that website that gives me so many ideas for fun ways to read. Right, not that I need an excuse. But I take advantage of it anyway.

Just in case you need an excuse, there are plenty. Get creative a bit with this. Pick whacky holidays where you can really enjoy yourself and enjoy your favorite mystery at the same time.

Sports Season and Left-Handed Players

The season is quickly coming upon us where baseball and softball are popular sports. As parents, we want to give our kids the best advantage to have a good time and learn from these sports experiences. Those of us who have left-handed children are no different. Time to think about getting them the equipment that will help them.

Imagine how frustrating it is to have to force yourself to use the wrong hand? For us lefties, that means our right-hand.

Left-handed kids have much stronger left sides. That means in summer sports, we throw better and more accurately with our left hand. Our arm and shoulder are stronger than our right sides. So catching a ball in our glove or mitt on our right hand, then throwing it with our left hand makes us better players.

Oh, sure, many of us adults grew up learning to do things right-handed and we adapted. But, how much better would we have been if we had learned left-handed?

Give your own left-handed child an advantage. Get them lefty baseball or softball mitts. Especially as they are first learning to play sports. The benefit is a good one for them.

As long as we're at it, encourage your child's coach to help them bat left-handed as well. This is another great advantage in playing baseball or softball. Even t-ball is great for teaching lefty kids to bat with their stronger side.

Why Lefties Want a Left-handed Watch

Well, yes, I am left-handed! I'm one of those 10% of the population that got this particular gift and talent. I guess you can tell that I'm proud to be left handed. I'm also happy to say that I love my left-handed watch.

I was one of those people who spent years wearing my watch on my left arm. That's the way everyone did, I didn't realize any difference. Finally, I just got tired of having a dirty watch band by dragging it across my paper as I wrote. I was also tired of banging my watch on the kitchen counter as I sliced and diced food. I think you get the picture.

That's when I switched my traditional right-handed watch to my right arm. Wowzer, life was easier. Except, every time I wanted to work one of the dials, I had to take the watch off! Big bummer!

When I got my first left-handed watch, I was in heaven! I do still have my very first left-handed watch and I still love it. But since then, I've gotten many more. Some were gifts, which were so appreciated. Others I chose for myself. But all have been great.

There are challenges being left-handed in a predominantly right-handed world. I'm happy to say, they are getting less and less. More product manufacturers are realizing the value of making left-handed products.

If you are left-handed you need to have a left-handed watch! You will be shocked at how much easier you life will be. If you have a left-handed child, please be kind to them and get them a lefty watch. Show them early how valued they are. Left-handed orientation may be the minority in our population, but it's still a huge value!

Discovering the Miss Fortune Mystery Series

Many of you may already know of this great mystery series, but I've only recently discovered Miss Fortune. Jana DeLeon as the talented author, shows you right up front what you are getting. Hilarious mystery stories. The heroine's name is Fortune Redding!

As of this writing, there are 3 in the series, all set in the small town world of the Louisiana Bayou. My dearest wish is that Jana DeLeon is working on the 4th even as we speak! Now, that's saying something about a mystery series.

We're not talking about world literature here. We're talking about armchair mysteries. Those that allow you to curl up in your favorite armchair and spend an afternoon absorbed in the mystery. In other words, pretty easy reading. But, funny reading as well.

The author has a great talent for humor writing, along with good mysteries, plenty of plot twists and perfect layout of settings. Yes, I've been to the Bayou. In fact I still have family there, so I know what of I talk about. Reading the Miss Fortune mysteries took me back to that world so easily.

I think Jana DeLeon got it right with this series. The perfect kind of mysteries to have fun reading. Miss Fortune mystery series.
Those of us who love a good mystery with plenty of clues that make sense will love the

The first two in the series, Louisiana Longshot and Lethal Bayou Beauty  are reviewed at Mystery Book World Live. The third in the series is Swamp Sniper. Another worth reading.

Learn How to Pair Wine and Cheese

Wine and cheese are great together. That's all there is to it. Fine, you say, but why? That answer is simple. Because good wine is meant to complement food. The aging of good wine and the aging of good cheese are just natural complements to each other.

Now to know which goes with which. The best way to determine that is by your own tastings. Really. Set up a time for yourself or have a wine and cheese tasting party. Try them out. Every single person has a slightly different palate. So different wines and different cheeses taste slightly different. You need to know for yourself what works best.

Having said all that, there are some great places to start. Getting to know the wine varieties is the best place to start. But there are also some basic guidelines for what most people like to put together.

Traditionally, heavier cheeses go better with darker wines. Soft cheeses go best with white wines. The rule of thumb is to match the darkness of the cheese with the darkness of the wine.

But, every rule of thumb was meant to be broken. I personally enjoy a good cheddar (dark cheese) with a good Chardonnay (the driest white wine.) I also love a good Merlot (medium dry red wine) with Brie cheese (soft cheese). You can see that your own taste buds will be the best deciding factor.

Of course, that's what makes it so much fun to have a wine and cheese party. You can have plenty of different choices. And then you and your guests can determine for themselves what wines and cheeses pairs best.

Children's Mystery Books: Lacey Pinkerton

Joshua Clark, father of 2 daughters, brings child sleuth Lacey Pinkerton to life. And does it gloriously. At least in this reader's opinion.

Granted, I'm not a middle grade student, but that didn't mean that I didn't love these stories. So far 2 are out in the series. The first is The Mystery of the Stolen Double Fudgey Fudge Ice Cream Sandwiches. The second is the The Mystery of the Stolen Mr. E. OK, you have great titles to begin with.

But, Clark didn't stop there. He writes with the kind of charm that makes any age reader enjoy these books. And he knows how to put together some good mystery books for kids.

If you're too embarrassed to claim you read kids' mystery books, then read one of these to a child. My own 10-year-old granddaughter and I had a great time discussing the mysteries. Yes, we have read them both and are anxiously awaiting the next one to be released.

Lacey Pinkerton is a fun child detective. Her mysteries are solved with great clues. The settings are her school, but they are well put together. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with a Lacey Pinkerton mystery book.

The Delicious Pairings of Wine and Chocolate

Are you ready for a great taste treat? Try wine with chocolate. I'm serious! This is a flavor combination that is amazing.

The basic idea behind wine is to enhance the flavor of food. Certain wines really do taste better with certain foods. And therefore, different foods taste better with different wines. The same is true for chocolate.

Actually, the drier the wines, the darker the chocolate, is a rule of thumb. If you enjoy wines like Merlot and Zinfandel, try a bite of dark chocolate with a sip of your red wine. Really!

I enjoy white wines as well. The driest white wine is typically the Chardonnays. And they go delightfully with dark chocolate as well. Sweet wines are usually recommended with desserts. But, the enhance the flavor of dark chocolates, too.

Plus that, now you can buy wine chocolates. I'm serious about that, too. The chocolate makers understand this flavor combination and make use of it. Which is great in my book. What an easy and delicious gift idea that is. In fact, my Christmas gift to Dad this year was a large box of wine chocolates. He was thrilled.

Don't make the mistake of bite and swallow. Instead, hold both the chocolate and the wine in your mouth for a moment or two. Let them both float over all your taste buds. You will discover some extra amazing flavors. This is definitely worth trying if you love either chocolate or wine, or both. You may just have a new love in your life!

What Are Cozy Mysteries?

Oh, yes, we have heard the term cozy mysteries and wondered what that means. Does that mean they are all about teddy bears? Nope. The name comes from their setting and cast of suspects. Let me explain.

It was in the 1920s with authors like Agatha Christie that the term cozy began to apply to mystery fiction. The settings were confined to a single place and the cast of suspects were all known to each other. That created a very cozy setting for murder to take place. It also provided a nicely cozy way for the sleuth to gather the clues and arrive at the solution.

Cozy mysteries are hugely popular today as well. Think of all the modern mystery writers. Think of the series where one sleuth, usually amateur, goes about solving the crime. The settings tend to be small towns, resorts or bed & breakfast inns. Everybody tends to know each other in some way. All the suspects are typically known to our amateur sleuth as well. This is what makes them cozy.

Although cozy mysteries aren't a true sub-genre of the mystery fiction world, they do form a great category for those who love fun and interesting mysteries. Modern day writers like to add a sense of humor to the story. Which makes them even more fun to read.

Even more, cozy mysteries are short works of fiction. That doesn't mean they are short stories. They are still book-length fiction. But, they can typically be read in a single day. With a couple of hours of time to yourself, grab a cozy mystery and enjoy yourself.

Convenience of Left-Handed Watches

Being left-handed, I wear my watch on my right arm. For very simple reasons. Which means I need a left-handed watch. A watch that I can work the dials and buttons using my left hand.

The reasons are very simple. My left hand and arm are much more active. I use my left hand for eating, writing, and for most activities. I handle my crochet hook in my left hand. I use a slicing knife with my left hand. I even golf left-handed.

That means I need my watch out of the way. I don't want it to be dragging across my writing or art work. I don't want to drag it across my food either. So I went looking for a new left-handed watch. And I found plenty.

Luckily, I can also use some watches that have no dials at all and can be worn on either arm. But I like having practical watches, too. Those that have a light for night time. Even some with a more sporty look.

That means my left-handed watches need to worked using my left hand. That's what left-handed watches are. And these same reasons are why any lefty needs a left-handed watch. So consider gifting one to yourself, or any other lefty on your gift list. You will be thanked, I'm sure!

Gourmet Food Care Packages for College Students

Many of us have students away for school. It's just one of those college things. But, we also know that college students are always in need of extra food. Why not send them a special gourmet food package?

Gourmet foods are most likely things they can't easily get around the dorm or college campus. So a care package of these special foods makes a great addition to their regular food options.

Any of our kids living on their own, whether as college students or in their own apartments, can certainly use the boost of some extra gourmet food. Most likely, they are on a tight budget. They may not be aware of those special treats. Or, they just don't even think about gourmet foods in their regular shopping.

A care package for our students is more than just food. It's a way to show we are thinking of them. When my daughter was at school, it was easy to make a point of sending her a care package regularly. I kept choosing different types of things for her, but always included some kind of special foods.

Every time she got one of these packages, I would get a thank you phone call. It was quite nice to hear from her other than when she needed money! But that's a different story. She was delighted with every package. She was also the hit of her dorm. That certainly wasn't what I had planned, but it was a nice side benefit.

With gourmet food baskets, so much is included. Things that I might not have thought of. Sometimes, it's just nice to place the order and know it will be delivered. The hassles of buying the goodies, packing them up and shipping them off are gone. That's a huge value for us all.

T-shirts for Left-Handed Folks

Showing off the fact that I'm left-handed is always a fun thing for me. That's where funny t-shirts come into my wish list. My first one was a gift and I loved it so much, I actually wore it out. The day I finally tossed it into the rag pile was a sad day for me.

Since then, I've gotten a few more fun t-shirts just to show my lefty-ness. Let's face it. All of us lefties should be proud of our great gift. So why not show it off with a left-handed t-shirt?

I have to admit my favorite saying on a t-shirt is: I'm left-handed. What's your super power? Now, I have that saying on 3 t-shirts in 3 different colors. And, I'll probably get a few more, just to make a fashion statement!

If you have a lefty on your gift list, a t-shirt can be a perfect gift. Adults and kids can enjoy showing off their great super power. But, there are plenty of other funny and cute sayings just for us lefties.

Great left-handed tees make wonderful gifts even if it's a gift to yourself. Believe me, this one I know well. Every August 13th I gift myself a new one. Oh, August 13th is International Left-Handed Day, in case you didn't know.

Mistress by James Patterson

Any James Patterson fan will want to read this review of his latest, Mistress. Not one of any of his on-going series, this mystery is a stand-alone.

Very popular author James Patterson almost exclusively co-writes his mysteries. Mistress is co-written by David Ellis. Another very talented author, Ellis continues in the Patterson quality for intriguing plots and engaging characters.

The hero of Mistress is a new character in the James Patterson world known affectionately as Ben. Written in first person style, entirely from Ben's point of view, Mistress is another mystery with the kind of plot twists and turns we expect from a Patterson novel.

The review of Mistress is written by mystery reader and reviewer Mandee. As always, her reviews give you just enough of the plot without doing any spoiling. But, you also get her take on the story, the characters and the setting.

The bottom line is that Mandee is a James Patterson fan. She has a voracious appetite for any of his novels, mysteries especially. So you get this review of Mistress from one who should know whether we are talking about good book or not. Time to read it yourself: Mistress by James Patterson.

Wines for Thanksgiving: Serving and Gifting

Wines are a tradition with many meals and Thanksgiving dinner is no exception. Many people like to serve wines for these special occasions but which of the thousands are appropriate. How about taking a bottle of wine if you are a guest at Thanksgiving dinner? Luckily we have some suggestions for you.

Although there are traditions for serving different wines with different types of foods, these are not hard and fast rules. Choosing wines is more about choosing what you enjoy. First, let's look at those traditions as a guideline.

Wine enhances food and vice versa. So some wines go very well with some types of food. With a Thanksgiving dinner wine, you will look at what foods you are serving. If turkey is your main course, the tradition would dictate a lighter red wine or a drier white wine. But, if you like to serve a roast or other red meat, then a drier red will complement your meat better.

Red meats, red wine, lighter foods, lighter wine and sweet foods, sweet wines. That's the tradition. But, if you like the driest red wines and you are serving turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, enjoy your red wine with it.

These same guidelines go for bringing a bottle of wine to your hostess. If you don't know what kind of food will be served, then pick a wine you like. You may just introduce the other Thanksgiving dinner guests and your hostess to a new variety. And that's a great idea for any wine drinkers.

Great Gift for Me: Gourmet Coffee Samplers

Happily, I can tell you all one of the best gifts for me is a gourmet coffee sampler. Really, it's highest on my wish list. I love trying different kinds and brands of coffee.

When my sister returned from a trip to Maui, she brought me several varieties of coffee from Hawaii. It was such fun to try out the different kinds and compare flavors. It seems when ever I visit a place where I can get locally roasted coffee, I like to try them out.

OK, so top of my wish list is gourmet coffee samplers. These are a group of coffee packages, usually making a single pot of 8-10 cups, that have a variety of the coffee types made by that manufacturer.

Let me explain how I enjoy my coffee. First up in the morning, I prefer non-flavored coffee. The standard rich coffee is my preference then. But later in the morning or the afternoon I enjoy making a pot of nut, chocolate or other kinds of flavors. So a coffee sampler of either flavored or standard is just great with me.

As a hint to those who are giving me gifts this year (doesn't that include you?) any kind of coffee sampler is a great idea for me. A mix of flavors works well, too. Coffee lovers are just like that. Tasting new coffees and flavors is fun. So give to any coffee lover on your list, including me, a gourmet coffee sampler. The more varieties, the better. And thanks in advance!

On Being Left-handed at Halloween

For both children and adults who are left-handed there are some considerations to keep in mind for Halloween activities. That includes trick or treating, parties and school time in costume.

When it comes to costumes, they aren't necessarily made for left-handed or right-handed persons. But, remember that 90% of population is right-handed. You can just imagine that most costume designers and companies don't even think about left-handed wearers. That means we need to.

If you are picking out a costume for your left-handed child, please aware of safety issues. That left hand will need to be free and clear of incumberments like sleeves, gloves, and other costume parts. Remember, too, that the whole left-side of the body is stronger in lefties. Which means children will need to have legs and feet clear to kick balls, run and climb.

These are considerations you want for every child no matter whether they are left or right handed, but something that parents of left-handed children need to be extra sure of.

Think about these considerations as well as an adult. You want your own costume to allow your left side free for eating at parties, playing party games and accompanying children for trick or treat.

Find out more thinks to keep in mind at Considerations for Left-handers and Halloween. We all want to have a fun and safe holiday, so do a little planning first.