Steven Helmer Publications

I had to go to the grocery store this morning for cat food. As I was leaving, I happened to notice the lottery vending machine they had by the service counter and saw it had a $5 credit showing. Apparently someone put in money and either didn't spend it all or forgot to buy tickets with it. Since nobody was around, I took this as a positive sign and opted to buy five separate $1 scratch offs in the hopes of winning some free money. I lost on every single freaking one of them. Sometimes, I think God likes to tease me.

Synopsis:  After years of caring for her now-deceased invalid mother, Eleanor Vance is all too happy to accept an invite by Dr. John Montague to investigate paranormal rumors at the secluded Hill House mansion. She quickly forms a friendship with Montague and the two other guests, an artist by the name of Theodora and the home's heir apparent, Luke Sanderson. However, as the house guests begin to experience supernatural phenomena, Eleanor's mental stability comes under question. Review:  I was in the mood to take a short break from murder mysteries and, after remembering I had seen this book at our local library, decided to check it out. Even though it was relatively short, it took me a bit longer to read than I was expecting it to and, I finally finished it early this morning. Ultimately, after a few hours of reflection, I have to say this book wound up being a pleasant surprise. I'm going to be honest, through the first hundred pages or so of this less-than-200-pag...

Our 2 1/2-year-old rescue cat, Mouse, passed away unexpectedly Saturday evening. We aren't sure what happened. He had been acting a bit "off" for a few weeks. He stopped using his litter box and seemed to spend a lot of his time hiding from us. But, when we took him to the vet three weeks ago, he was perfectly healthy (other than having a few fleas) and, when he came out of hiding at night, he didn't act sick. He wasn't losing weight, would still eat his food and drink water and would let us pet him and play with him. Friday evening, he was growling a bit and seemed somewhat lethargic. But, Saturday morning, he seemed perfectly fine again. Then, suddenly, Saturday evening, I heard him making a strange noise from under our recliner and, by the time my wife and I were able to get him out from under it, he was gone. We were all devastated by this loss, especially my youngest daughter, who would carry him around the house like a rag doll and would have him ha...

It's starting to get cooler out and we are starting to see some more birds at our feeder as a result. Here are some photos I've taken, along with a photo of Echo as he sat at the window watching them this morning.

Synopsis : Even though the rest of Lochdubh thinks the elderly Mrs. Margaret Gentle is a kind and generous woman, Constable Hamish Macbeth believes differently. And, when Mrs. Gentle tells stories about his laziness to his superiors, resulting in his beloved police station possibly being closed, it only strengthens his negative opinion of her. When Mrs. Gentle's Turkish maid, Ayesha, comes to him because she has been fired and faces deportation, Macbeth, wanting to help her and believing it will save his police station, offers to enter a sham marriage with her. But, when both Ayesha and Mrs. Gentle are both found murdered, the would-be groom instead finds himself hunting down yet another killer. Review: One of the things that really stands out for me when it comes to the Hamish Macbeth mystery series is, so far at least, there have been quite a few books that I've enjoyed so much, I had a hard time putting them down. This book fell into that category. The thing I foun...

Synopsis: After being on the road together for a few years, Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita and Little Rock decide to make the White House their new home. However, feeling smothered, Wichita and Little Rock eventually decide to head off on their own. Things become even more complicated for the group when Little Rock decides to run off with a pacifist named Berkeley just as a new, hard-to-kill, type of zombie emerges as a threat. You can read my review here:  https://wizzley.com/movie-review-zombieland-double-tap-2019/

This may or may not end up being our oldest daughter's last one. She's going to try to become a junior coach next year and would likely focus on that if she does. But, I also wouldn't rule a return to the ice, at least for the home competition again. This weekend was the annual competition at our local rink, with her skating in showcase (artistic) and interpretive (a fun one where the skater improvises a program to a random song) events. And, she did a great job. Unfortunately, the turnout for this competition wasn't that great this year and, as a result, she wound up not having anyone to compete against at her level. So, in that regard, we really don't know how she would have matched up against another skater. However, she's been doing this for a few years now and I think this is the best I've ever seen her perform. In fact, one of the coaches/judges told me later that it was one of the best showcase programs she had ever seen performed and she thorou...

Synopsis:  Constable Hamish Macbeth doesn't really like Mavis Gillepsie. But, when he wins her maid services in a church raffle, he reluctantly lets her clean his house. When he discovers Gillepsie, a notorious snoop, has swiped a personal letter he had left on his table, he decides to confront her. Unfortunately, someone has already gotten to her first and now he is stuck investigating the murder of a woman who was likely blackmailing her clients. Review: I had started reading a completely different book but, after about five chapters, realized I just couldn't stay interested. So, since I had to stop at the library anyway, I decided to pick up another Hamish Macbeth mystery. I finished it last night and, overall, I have to say I enjoyed it. I was a little concerned when Macbeth uncovered Mrs. Gillepsie's secret relatively early. This is because, normally, if the motive is obvious, the killer is too. However, that turned out not to be the case this time around and ...

I got home from work yesterday evening and grabbed the mail as I was going in the house. As I went through the mail, I came across an envelope addressed to me and decided to check it out. This note was enclosed. Of course, my first reaction to this letter was "who is Lorraine?" But, my dad new an awful lot of people so I didn't really think a lot of it at first and even wondered if maybe it was from one of the people I go to church with. Then, I realized this wasn't really a letter, it was an advertisement for our local Jehovah Witness hall. They even enclosed a flyer: Now, I'm not the type of person who questions other people's beliefs but I do have to say I think this crossed a line.

Image Courtesy of Pixabay Three time outs per half. Three as a child and three more as an adult. You can use them to figure out your next move or catch your breath. And, you can choose to save one until the very end so you can spend a few extra precious seconds with those people you love. You always have a coach on the sidelines to help you figure things out. You also have a variety of assistant coaches available if you need to focus on one specific aspect of your life. The referees will make sure life can't cheat. If it does, a flag is thrown and you are given the opportunity to do things over. Up to three reviews per lifetime. If you feel life is treating you unfairly, an independent review can be requested to either overturn the injustice or show you (via instant replay) why you are getting what you deserve. You'll have a cheering section. Who couldn't use one of those? There would be a scoreboard. No more questions about whether or not you are winni...

Image Courtesy of Pixabay I wake up each morning wondering Where my life is heading, what I'm supposed to do. There seems to be this great uncertainty ahead of me And my future is hidden by a fog I just can't see through. Some days it's frustrating To the point I want to act out in a rage. It's like I'm living in a mystery novel That seems to be missing the last page. Each day I pray to the author for some guidance, Just something to help see me through. I don't need Him to give me all the answers. I just wish He would occasionally give me a clue. His silence can be overwhelming And leave my spirit feeling beaten and worn. As I continue to live out this great big mystery novel Out of which, the last page is torn.

Synopsis: While driving to San Diego with her brother, Cal, Becky Demuth gets sick and they need to pull over on the side of the road. When they hear a child calling for help from the nearby tall grass, they decide to find him. However, when they get separated and can't find each other or the road, it becomes apparent there is something else going on. You can read my review here:  https://wizzley.com/movie-review-in-the-tall-grass-2019/

Synopsis: Newcomer Effie Garrand is determined to make a life for herself in Lochdubh and even sells some of her handmade crafts to the locals. However, when artist Jock Fleming comes to town, she is immediately smitten with him and, when he doesn't show any interest in her, makes up a story about him getting her pregnant and proposing. When Effie is later found dead following a confrontation with Jock, everything points to suicide. But, Constable Hamish Macbeth isn't convinced and, despite no help from his superiors, goes in search of a murderer. You can read my review here:  https://wizzley.com/book-review-death-of-a-dreamer-2007/

Just sharing information about the Halloween Open Skate I'm organizing with the help of my daughter. October 26 at the Beaver Dam Family Center.

Synopsis: A group of misfits form a club centered around their shared obsession with horror movie monsters. What they don't realize is their expertise will soon be needed as Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, the Mummy, the Wolf Man and the Gillman come to their hometown in search of an amulet that, if destroyed, will allow evil to take over the world. You can read my review here:  https://wizzley.com/movie-review-the-monster-squad-1987/

Synopsis: In 1954, an unsuccessful traveling salesperson, Ray Kroc, stumbles upon a successful restaurant owned by two brothers. Impressed with their business model, he convinces them to let him franchise their restaurant, McDonald's. However, his dreams of creating a restaurant empire are hindered by the brothers' conservative approach to business. You can read my review here:  https://wizzley.com/movie-review-the-founder-2016/

Synopsis: While on spring break in Mexico, a group of college friends meet a college student named Carter and follow him to explore an abandoned mission. When Carter suggests a game of Truth or Dare, the group reluctantly agrees. What they don't know is the game is actually controlled by a supernatural entity that will force them to continue playing until they slip up and die. You can read my review here:  https://wizzley.com/movie-review-truth-or-dare-2018/

Synopsis: The villagers of Lochdubh love their television sets. So, when writer John Heppel moves into the area and offers a writing class, Constable Hamish Macbeth is surprised when it draws a large crowd. However, there's just one problem. Heppel seems more interested in talking about himself than actually teaching anything and, when he finally does "help" the villagers, he is very rude. As a result, when Heppel is found murdered, the villagers of Lochdubh are the primary suspects and it is up to Hamish to prove otherwise. You can read my review here:  https://wizzley.com/book-review-death-of-a-bore-2006/

As someone who has worked in the customer service/call center environment before, I do think I tend to be a bit more patient with companies than the average person. At minimum, it takes a lot for me to reach a point where I want to take my business elsewhere. Direct TV (aka AT&T/Direct TV) has managed to do that over the course of a 30-minute phone call. Our service has been down since at least yesterday evening (when we first turned on our TV and discovered it). The box seems to be able to detect the dish on the roof and the dish seems to be able to detect the satellite. But, after that, nothing happens. It just says it is receiving satellite info forever and forever without ever getting above 0%. Based on my own troubleshooting skills, my best guess is the heavy rain we've had this week either knocked the dish out of alignment or has a tree branch weighed down to the point it is blocking the signal. After spending some time trimming the closest tree to our house this morn...

Product Description: Hot breakfast sandwich from the Kwik Trip Kitchen Cravings brand consisting of a beef patty, egg patty, bacon and American cheese on a hamburger bun. I purchased one of these sandwiches while at Kwik Trip this morning and wound up having it for breakfast before heading into the office. You can read my review here:  https://wizzley.com/review-of-kwik-trip-kitchen-cravings-breakfast-burger-sandwich/