Movies: You've Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, While You Were Sleeping, Somewhere in Time, Frequency, Fried Green Tomatoes, Steel Magnolias, Never Been Kissed, Maid in Manhattan, Wedding Planner, the Fugitive, Peggy Sue Got Married, the Slipper and the Rose, (Richard Chamberlain was such a hunk in that. ) classic musicals (ie Meet Me in St. Louis), old romantic movies from the 1940s Oh, and of course that sweet holiday flick, ELF.

Television: old classics like Dick Van Dyke and Andy Griffith (only with Barney - not so much the newer ones). Then there's Murder She Wrote, Columbo, The Waltons, Touched By an Angel and 7th Heaven, the Jeffersons - stuff like that. Used to love Hart to Hart and McMillan and Wife - sure wish those reruns were on. I enjoy most of the movies on Hallmark and some on Lifetime. I enjoy the History channel, TLC, National Geographic and travel channel, too. Current favorites include most things on HGTV (especially house hunters!) and Food Network. My very newest favorite is Cold Case which I just discovered a few months ago.

While getting ready for church on Sunday mornings I enjoy watching James Merrit, Adrian Rogers, David Jeremiah and Joel Osteen.

I'm a very tranquil person. I love Christian music - a lot of praise and worship (just not at an earsplitting level which tends to take the worship factor out for me); romantic love songs from World War 2 and even the Beatles in their mellow love ballad phase.

Once in a while, when the mood strikes, I enjoy old show tunes and love to belt them out in the shower! But no one would ever guess that in a million years because I'm usually a pretty quiet girl.

Books: I enjoy Lorena McCourtney's Ivy Malone series and other mysteries and suspense stories - with or without the love aspect

David Jeremiah and Max Lucado are also high on my list.

Red

Roast beef

I became a Christian at the ripe old age of 5 and feel blessed to have been raised in a Christ-centered home. My husband, Bill, and I have been married since 1973. We have 3 beautiful grown-up daughters and 4 perfect grandchildren (ages 6-11)

Currently, we're busy raising an overly spunky, 130+ pound, 4 year old red lab named Brinkley. He hasn't left his puppyhood behind yet. He's convinced he's a lap dog. Trust me, he isn't! We rescued him from the shelter on the very morning he was going down. The other 4-legged member in our family is a pretty Maine Coon old lady cat named Maggie. (She simply cannot tolerate her baby brother - although he adores her.)

I'm a PK - or more accurately, Parsonage Survivor. I lived in 7 states while growing up - California, Illinois, Minnesota, Montana, Pennsylvania (albeit briefly), Michigan and finally put down roots in Indiana at age 14...and have been a Hoosier ever since.

A close friend and I worked 11 years as local leaders of senior adults in three churches and then 5 years as district directors for our denomination in northern Indiana. Following that, I put in an additional 2 years on the district board as "technical adviser" to the new directors. Both the local and district directorships were fantastic experiences and ones that we will always cherish.

During this time we conducted several workshops for leaders of senior groups. In our opinion, we never outgrow the need for lots of fun and laughter. We were also guest speakers for both ladies groups and senior groups at other churches.

We incorporated a lot of what we learned about growing older into writing a cozy mystery/suspense. I've written devotionals and some magazine articles, too.


My Heroes: Our men and women in the military. I was quite fond of Ronald Reagan. (I was a long distance telephone operator and placed a call to Reagan while he was still governor of California. I was asked to call him Ronnie-Boy...and guess what - I did!)

Some of my general interests include: Writing - been doing that since I was a little girl.
I really, REALLY enjoy cooking for large groups, so my husband and I entertain quite a bit.

I love Christmas, especially the true meaning!

Sketching used to be one of my favorite things to do, but have been told with this gift it's either use it or lose it. and I think I lost it.

Other favorite things include: winter, snow and I'm crazy about mooses.

Loud music really sets me on edge

I'm into antiques, decorating our home

I collect cookbooks and then cook and bake for my family. (I think they appreciate my hobby, too)

My family's favorites include homemade breads, cinnamon rolls, cream puffs and roast beef dinners with all the trimmings.