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Carolyn J. Rose grew up in New York's Catskill Mountains and emerged from the University of Arizona with a degree and a tan. Following two years with Volunteers in Service to America, a series of coincidences and chance encounters led her to TV news and 25 years as a researcher, writer, producer, and assignment editor in Arkansas, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington. Her substitute teaching experiences and her sometimes rocky relationship with dogs led to the Subbing isn’t for Sissies series and the creation of the canine character called Cheese Puff. Other than writing, her interests are reading, swimming, walking,...

Okay, you know the Other Secret Sister Animal I was telling you about in the last post - the one which didn't fit the stereotypical chunky Menagerie shape? This isn't it. I've changed my mind - we'll get to meet that elusive critter in the next post. In today's, however, you get to see what I call a Last-Minute Menagerie Animal instead, which is what happens when I have a creature in my head that I can't shake off even after trying for weeks and eventually give in but I have only a couple of hours to design and sew...

  1. Spacesaver Spacesaver Premium Vacuum Storage Bags. 80% More Storage! Hand-Pump for Travel! Double-Zip Seal and Triple Seal Turbo-Valve for Max Space Saving! (Jumbo 6 Pack) Spacesaver - 6 x jumbo size bags can fit 4 pillows or 1 queen size bedding set per bag Store away your duvet bed sheets towels blankets and more 80 more space than other bags on the market Increase your storage space without having to clean out your closet Our spacesaver bags are an ideal solution for adding more storage space to your wardrobes closets garages basements lofts and suitcases Free travel pump...

Dressing for the fall and winter months is a marathon, not a sprint. Although we experience these chilly seasons each and every year, jacket fatigue inevitably occurs. Once that first long-anticipated crispy day of the year hits, the urge to pull out all wool and puffer coats arrives in full force. But pace yourself, people: You're going to be stuck wearing them for the next six months if you're in the north half of the country.We've rounded up 25 quilted jackets that'll postpone strictly puffer attire until it's absolutely necessary. Plus, when winter arrives, these quilted pieces are light enough...

It’s a quandary every reader has run into: you’re enjoying — or at least tolerating — a book for a while, then start to lose interest in the middle of a book. What do you do? It’s easy to call it quits when it doesn’t entice you from the start, but what about once you’ve invested some serious time into it? What happens when you’re more than halfway through a book and *still* haven’t caught feelings for it? We’ve written extensively about the cult of DNF (did not finish) and how to determine when to quit a book. Those guidelines...