Suspect - Michael Robotham

“A cold wind was blowing from the north, and it made the trees rustle like living things.”
 ― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

Book Title:  Suspect
Author:  Michael Robotham
Genre:  Psychological Thriller, Mystery
Main Character:  Joe O'Loughlin
Story Setting:  England

Story Summary:  A psychologist, Joe O'Loughlin, has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. He has a former patient, Catherine, that was murdered and believes one of his current patients, Bobby, did it.  However, the plot twists, and the head detective believes that Joe did it, because he knows too much and has no alibi.  Joe goes on the hunt to find evidence that Bobby did it.  Meanwhile, he's struggling with his disease, his wife is mad at him, he's mad at his long-time friend, and people are dying all around him.  It's Christmas-time and he's just trying to stay out of jail, find the predator, and trying to get back to his family.

Review:  The book is definitely a page-turner.  I think Michael Robothom is a great writer.  I normally wouldn't read a book like this, but I am now more open to reading his books.  It was action-packed, and almost every page had a new twist.  I'm a new fan.

 

Lunar New Year

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” ― Oprah Winfrey

Me on Feb 18, 2024  

Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou!  That means, "Happy New Year" in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.  

I am of three cultures, Ilocano, French-Canadian, and Korean.  I was raised with two New Year's celebrations.  Mom always called it the Korean New Year, but as I got older I learned other Asians celebrated it and have other names for it.  Most people I knew, called it Chinese New Year or Tet.  I just call it Lunar New Year to be more inclusive to all people who celebrate.  

This time of year, people usually put money in a red envelope as a gift.  The Chinese have a phonetic saying, "Gung hey fat choy," which does not mean "Happy New Year," but more along the lines of "have more money."  How cool is that?  

It's like Christmas all over again.  Gift-giving and well-wishes.  I was able to give to a woman I befriended when I lived in Oregon.  She lost her teenaged son to gun violence a few months back (article).  And then someone stole her clothes off her clothesline, so her younger children had no winter coats and she lost all her scrubs for work.  I wish people would take into consideration that some people are really struggling in life and financially, and that taking from others is damaging them more.  According to her surveillance camera footage, it was a teenager who stole the clothes.  

I hope that my little bit of money, which was basically money earned from a gratuity, can be used for warm coats.  I hope everyone does better this year.  If January 1st wasn't the beginning of a New Year, at least we have February to start again.

새해 복 많이 받으세요 (Happy New Year in Korean)

Valentine's Day 2024

My new book, "The Musubi Man."

Happy Belated Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day came and went.  I like the holiday, but I really love Christmas more.  My husband said he really searched high and low in stores for a Chia Pet for me.  I love houseplants and I never got a Chia Pet before, so I was really hoping for one.  

We didn't exchange gifts for the actual V-Day, but I did get him Green Bay Packer's slip on sandals, and a teeshirt a week before Valentine's Day.  He got me chocolates and a forever rose from the Valentine's section of the local drug store, but two weeks before Valentine's Day.

Still, I'm more obsessed with Christmas.  I know we didn't get the annual Christmas ornament this past Christmas.  So, I was thinking I'd buy a Christmas book.  I made a mistake.  I should have read it first.

I automatically assume Gingerbread men are Christmas-related.  But, they aren't.  I don't think I ever read the full story of the "Gingerbread Man," the one that says, "Run, run, run, fast as you can.  You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man."  I found a Hawaiian version called "The Musubi Man."  There's nothing Christmassy about it.  It came in the mail today, and I was totally disappointed.  But, I will add it to my Tiki things, because I also collect Tiki mugs.  I'm bummed.  So, I am still on the hunt for a Hawaiian Christmas book.  I guess, I should get the Pidgin version of  'Twas the Night Before Christmas, this time.  

Merry All Year Long!

🥒Pickle Tradition🥒

“Christmas isn’t about candy canes or lights all aglow, it’s the hearts that we touch, and the care that we show.” – Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas

I usually shrink my photos, but I left his one large so you can read the purpose of the Christmas pickle.

I posted a Christmas pickle ornament quite a few years ago, before my split with my children's father.  When I moved away, I didn't have any of my holiday décor, as I moved over seas to Hawai‘i and couldn't take anything with me.

When I came back to the Mainland, I moved to Oregon.  I found a Christmas pickle in a Salem, Oregon Dollar Tree, and knew I HAD to have it.  It was far brighter than my old pickle ornament, and who doesn't like shiny???

Even though I'm more about tropical décor these days, I still want to have a pickle in my tree.  There's no harm in that, right? 

So, here's to my future Christmas tree.  

A side note, because my last name is now Dillard, I love finding pickle things to represent the "dill" part of my name.  It's just fun for me.  I even have a pickle tattooed on my leg holding up the shaka.  It says, "Big Kine Dill." It's a play on pidgin for "Kind of a Big Deal."

In the future, I want to buy a Christmas book written in Pidgin, it's about the Musubi Man instead of the Gingerbread Man.  I think that will be a great addition.  I have been slacking.  I used to always buy a Christmas-themed book out, because I'm not much into watching Christmas movies.  I think I would love to display the Musubi Man book and start reading more, again.  

Our Annual Christmas Ornament

I was cracking up. Trevor called his mom wondering where his annual Christmas ornament was. She normally sends a Christmas ornament to us every year. We didn't get one this past Christmas. She's been spending much time in the Pacific North West with family, rather than her home in Hawaii. She said, "I looked, but all the ornaments up here are ugly."

I could only imagine a list of ugly ornaments...

• Sasquatch ornaments being #1
• Redwood tree ornaments
• a fish with a hook in its mouth ornaments
• pinecone or acorn with glitter on it for a ridiculous price
• Smokey the bear ornaments
• fruit and veggie ornaments reminiscent of farming

I'm not saying those are ugly-ugly.  I'm just saying it's not for us and if I know my mother-in-law, it's definitely not her, either.  

I love decorating, and since I have been with Trevor, the theme has been tropical since both of us are tropical people (he was raised in Hawaii, we met in Hawaii, and I'm proud to be part Ilocano). So, I'm very specific on what I put on display. Though, my sister's decorations dominated the holidays the last two years (hers are a mix of everything from snowmen, gingerbread, Christmas mice, candy canes, traditional Santa, angels, etc) I would love to open our holiday decorations up, again, too. I generally stick to one theme. She doesn't have a theme. Her theme is "if it's cute, it's on display."

For Christmas 2023, in the tradition, Trevor Claus sent his sons in Florida candy-stuffed Christmas stockings made of fabrics from Hawaii with Hawaiian print, so they could have something from where they were born. We got them from a booth at the monthly Aloha Fair (many of the vendors are Poly Mainlanders with ties to the islands or Hawaii locals who moved to the mainland). Going to the fair is my way of getting Trevor involved in OUR community without a membership card as well as mingling with people who understand pidgin, hear music he grew up with, and can let him be himself without question. As the fair grows in popularity, new vendors come out of the woodwork, too, as well as Hawaii locals traveling from other cities and counties to get to it.