"Dotting" The House With Technology by Karen Rose Smith

Christmas brought new technology to the Smith house!  After seeing the online promotions and discussing with friends how the Amazon Echo and Dot have conveniently worked in their homes, I decided to take the plunge and gift these items to my husband.  I suppose the younger generation view these items as the newest technology and add them to their homes to keep up with the latest additions to phones and tablets.  But, as a member of an older generation, rather than fighting the technology, I look at these new gadgets as a way to help me do things with less stress on me and my body.  As a person with arthritis and tendonitis, it is much more convenient to give a voice command to turn on a light, make a phone call or listen to an audiobook than getting out of my chair or maneuvering my phone or tablet.

We have added smart speakers in my office, den and master bedroom.  Now, at night, if I go upstairs to settle for the evening and my husband is still downstairs, I can talk to him with a simple voice command, rather than getting up and yelling down the stairs.  If either of us were to fall or need medical assistance, we can call each other...or emergency services...hands free.  I can also call anyone on my phone's contact list.

Do you remember the "Clapper?"  We were still using them to turn on lights in the bedroom, but recently I was having a flareup of wrist problems and was unable to "clap" the light on.  So we added a smart plug, synced it with Alexa and now I can just ask her to turn on or off the light!








I'm sure, as we become more familiar with the technology, we will embrace it even more as we discover new ways it can make our "golden" years easier.  And it is also reassuring that if we need assistance, it can be there with one simple voice command.

Needless to say, my heroine in my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mystery series will most probably be adding these devices to her home.  Hmmm...

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NOW AVAILABLE

Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.

Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. 

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble

Cats Reign In My House

In my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mysteries, Daisy has two felines that are a part of almost every scene which is set in her barn home.  Pepper and Marjoram always greet Daisy when she arrives home from a long day at the tea garden and are her constant companions when she is at home alone.  She often talks to them about her murder investigations, allowing her to hash out loud clues that have been spinning in her mind.  Often they settle on the sofa or chair in the living room when Daisy is chatting with her daughters Jazzi and Vi or her beau Jonas.

Zoie Joy (AKA Pepper) appreciates
the current animal print trend. 

Pepper and Marjoram are modeled after two of my own felines--Zoie Joy and Miss Paddington.  My padded living room and office furniture is their favorite napping and bathing spots.  When I purchased a new recliner for my husband as an anniversary gift, all the felines had to test it before he had the chance to enjoy it.  Often when a cat has settled there for the evening, he ends up sitting in another chair, envying the cat who took his new throne.

Miss Paddington (AKA Marjoram) prefers the
leather recliner.

I was sorting through my cat photos and found numerous shots of my "royal" felines enjoying their favorite "thrones."  Here are some of them:

Zander prefers chairs with large
padded arms. 

Miss Paddington settles on the padded
cushion of a kitchen chair.

The chair's arm and back provide Zander
with a royal view of the whole living room.

Zoie Joy often chooses the back of her
favorite chairs where the view is definitely better.

Freya isn't picky about her resting spots.  She tries them all out.   

Do your cats "reign" supreme or are they willing to share their thrones? 

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NOW AVAILABLE

Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.

Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. 

   

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble