Murdoch Mysteries is a Canadian drama television series set in vintage Toronto, Ontario. As the series began the year was 1895. The new seasons have progressed in time to where it is now the early 1900's with new inventions and technology as they came along.

Murdoch is like a vintage mad scientist in a police officer's uniform. However, the show does take some liberties with technology and knowledge available at the time. Although they don't step over the boundary of using something not invented yet, they do invent things which reflect our modern knowledge more than a police detective could have hoped for at that time. Some history purists may not like this but, I actually think it is part of the fun. Murdoch is like a steampunk/ Victorian age mad scientist in a police officer's uniform solving crimes with science and logic.

Yannick Bisson stars as William Murdoch, a police detective and amateur scientist.

Wikipedia says Murdoch Mysteries is known as The Artful Detective in the United States. In Canada, Murdoch Mysteries runs on our wonderful CBC. I'm rewatching the series on NetFlix currently so it is getting well distributed, where ever and how ever you like to watch.

The television series is based on the series of novels by Maureen Jennings. I read the books before they were turned into television. The books stand on their own. If you want a good story, especially a good vintage/ historical Victorian story, then take a look at the books. There are seven in the series but I found them all together as a collection on Amazon. (See the link below). It's been years since I first read the books and I'm tempted to order the collection and read them all again myself.

What I remember of the character of Officer Murdoch from the books was a very quiet man, self contained, who cared about the people in town. He helped women who were out on the streets. Like people in that time period he did not date and take women home with him waving them off in the morning. There was a woman who lived in the same building and he liked her but didn't quite date her. She had a son and Murdoch was happy to spend some time with him.

This woman and her son didn't become his love interest in the television series. Instead he has a woman doctor, Julia Ogden, who helps him with his work and she becomes the woman he loves from near and afar over the series.

Muriel Dreams of a Better Life and Waits for it to Happen

Muriel dreams of a wonderful life with a fantastic wedding and a Prince Charming. She thinks having this will change her life for her. Muriel gets the wedding and the Prince but discovers those things were just dreams and her reality can be so much better when she stops waiting for her dreams to happen and goes after life herself.

Muriel is a modern Cinderella who makes it all come out right, for herself. You can be proud of Muriel because she starts on the bottom and pulls herself up again, twice. The second time even better than the first.

Muriel is a nobody girl living in Porpoise Spit, Australia. She doesn’t have a job, and spends most of her time listening to ABBA music in her room, dreaming of the life she wants. Her life has no direction, her Father makes her feel like nothing. All Muriel wants is a wedding. Her wedding.

She steals money from her Father and takes a tropical vacation, befriends Rhonda and returns home. But she doesn’t stay there. Rather than face her Father about the missing money Muriel strikes out on her own. She works in a video store and meets Tim. Rhonda is there too. You would think it would all just go along from there – but Muriel marries rich!

Muriel Gets her Dream Wedding

When Muriel does get her wedding and changes her life she discovers the life she thought she wanted so much is nothing like the life she could have on her own. She leaves her husband, an arranged marriage with a South African soccer player, finds her friend Rhonda (who is now wheel chair bound and living with her Mother back in Porpoise Spit) and together they leave for parts unknown – somewhere not Porpoise Spit, Australia.

One of the great things about this movie are the stories of the secondary characters. Muriel’s Mother (Betty) has the saddest story. Muriel’s Mother mistakenly wears shoes she did not pay for out of the shopping mall. She is arrested. The family attacks her, especially Muriel’s Father who is verbally abusive to everyone in the family and has a mistress on the side (which Betty chooses not to know). Betty, abused by all and even snubbed by Muriel at a time when she tried to connect with her, has an emotional breakdown and commits suicide.

The scene where the laundry is in rags and still left hanging on the drying rack outside – after Betty has died is one which sticks in my mind. This is Muriel’s visit home after the funeral. She realizes the life her Mother led, a quiet desperate and sad life. This is where Muriel changes her own life, again, and frees herself from her past and all those old dreams.

Muriel Doesn’t Make Changing your Life Look Easy but She Shows it can be Done

It is a wonderful movie. Without seeing it for yourself you can’t know how great it is and have that awesome feeling at the end as Muriel takes the taxi out of Porpoise Spit, Australia finally leaving her old sad life behind.

I like seeing “Muriel” in movies since 1994 when Muriel’s Wedding was made.. Of course, the actress (Toni Collette) went on to make more movies but she will always be Muriel in my mind. Muriel is too wonderful to ever be forgotten. Snort (you just have to watch the movie).

The first time I read about this doughnut baking pan was on a website I didn't keep track of. She was making such cute creations, pretty and yummy too. As I read I thought how clever or brave she was to make so many small doughnuts. Then... I read enough of her recipe to realize all her doughnuts were baked - not fried!

Have you ever tried making your own DIY doughnuts? I have made them with my sister. The part I don't like is the pan full of hot oil. It's dangerous. I do still have the doughnut cutters we used. They have sentimental value more than practical value because I've never tried making doughnuts again. But, I'd like to.

You can make doughnuts with a doughnut cutter, like a cookie cutter with an extra circle inside to cut out the doughnut hole in the middle. But, this requires frying them in oil. This method adds fat and more risk of danger with the large amount of bubbling hot oil on the stove. It's also less expensive (I think) to make baked doughnuts because you don't have to throw away all that oil (you can only reuse it a couple of times).

Doughnuts are more fun to make and decorate than cupcakes I think. Cupcakes are just a rounded bump but doughnuts are round circles with a hole in their middle. You can ignore the hole or decorate it - you can even make doughnuts from just the holes.If you miss the cupcake wrappers you can use them for doughnuts too. Just flatten them out or cut up circles of pretty paper from whatever you like. Left over gift wrapping paper is a great idea.

I also enjoy doughnuts because they can be a bit crispy compared to all cake-like.

Baking doughnuts in the oven is such a sensible idea. Grease the pan and let them cook into the doughnut shape while you wait. Nice and simple. Look for a recipe for baked doughnuts versus the traditional fried doughnuts. As you get the hang of it you can adapt recipes yourself.

Spelling Doughnut versus Donut

Doughnut is still the correct spelling. Donut began in the US. Eventually donut is likely to become the accepted spelling but for now it is more like a short form of the true word.

I've never understood the draw of scary movies. I can read about scary things, frightening and horror books are interesting when they have a real story behind them. There are very awful, frightening and horrifying things in the world. I guess having experienced my own personal, real horror, I don't want to see it illustrated with extra violence, blood and aggression in moving pictures. Besides, the books rely on your own imagination so you can use your own inner censor (or just skip a few paragraphs, pages or chapters even). When you watch a horror movie the best you can do is close your eyes and hum while you view someone's nightmare.

Is Horror like Culture Shock for you?

So, I don't enjoy horror on the screen. I did watch Fearless Vampire Killers on television last year, however. I liked the campy 70's feel to it. I liked the cleverly stupid humour. I liked that it was intended as a satire. So, even though there were some awful moments which I did cringe through, it was easier to consider them as part of the satire than to think of them as something more.

One odd thing about the movie was the sexuality. In these days, about 40 years later so much has changed. Yet this movie is pretty open about sexual relationships, specifically homosexuality. Watching it, I wondered if this is more open and somewhat perverted than would be accepted in our media/ movies now.

I loved the historical costumes and the costumes in general from Fearless Vampire Killers. One thing I do enjoy about vampire movies and TV shows are the costumes, the clothes and even the home style too when it's more than just bland background. Especially nice is the scene where they dance in their old fashioned ball gowns, suits, wigs and all. The castle is shown well too in several scenes. The rooftop still stand out in my memories of the movie.

Also, the surprise ending was pulled off well, even though I was expecting it. I was still surprised.

What do you think of horror movies? Do you watch the satires or must it be all out gore and dripping blood (no funny stuff) to please you?

Would rather read a book than see the movie... try one of these paranormal writers - my personal picks and among my favourites.

Betsy, Queen of the Vampires is the main character. MaryJanice Davidson is credited as the first to write paranormal fiction with humour. She is very prolific as a writer. It is easy to wind up spending the night reading in bed and realizing you have read through the night just because you could not find a place you wanted to stop reading and put down the book.

Gerry Bartlett writes about a plus sized vampire babe, Glory. I started reading the series just for that reason. But, the story drew me in and I have read all but the latest two. It is a shame the books don't come out in standard paperback here. I end up waiting to find them in secondhand bookstores. Which suits me fine but does mean there is a lot of waiting involved.

Kimberly Raye is no longer writing this series. A huge shame because I loved the characters in her books. The heroine, Lil could be a fashionable shoe diva type (which I am not) but she was so much more and she did not let her shoes keep her from adventure, even if it meant getting dirty. The male characters are not just cardboard cut outs either. I liked that Lil's men could be grumpy, could even be jerks but still feel like a guy you wanted to notice you, in a good way.

These are three paranormal writers who write about vampires with humour, fun and the occasional blood letting for those who must have some element of the traditional horror in their vampire tales. I am involved in reading each of the series of books below. However, Kimberley Raye's Dead End Dating series ran aground and it doesn't seem to be continuing.

I would be glad to have suggestions for more paranormal books with humour in the comments. There are a few others I have read but these are my favourites, so far.

I strongly recommend Kim Harrison too, especially if you love adventure more than satire or humour.

Have you ever written a letter from Santa Claus in reply to your (or other/ any) children? J.R.R. Tolkien wrote letters and created illustrations which he mailed to his children - he wrote letters from Father Christmas.

The first letters were written to Tolkien's son, John, when he was just three. Tolkien wrote about his (Santa's) travels and adventures and gave the letter a stamps and postage marks which he drew himself. Sometimes the letter was written by Santa's secretary, an elf. Other characters and helpers came into the story through letters, like the North Polar Bear and his cubs,

The letters were written from 1920 to 1942 and were released posthumously by the Tolkien estate. Earlier editions did not have all the letters and drawings. In 1999 the book was republished with more of the original letters and drawings. The book was also changed from the first title: 'The Father Christmas Letters' to the current title ' Letters from Father Christmas'.

Canada Post will reply to all letters to Santa Claus. Send the letter to:

Santa Claus North Pole HOH OHO Canada

I never wrote a letter to Santa Claus when I was a child. I was the oldest of four and maybe just too serious in all the responsibility of looking after younger brother and sisters. Instead of being the one writing to Santa I wrote for Santa. I left letters from Santa with the milk and cookies and carrots for his reindeers. My parents took a nibble of cookies and I drank the milk (I still love milk). We put the carrots back in the fridge but left some of the green tops as evidence. Then I wrote a reply, pretending to be Santa Claus. Just a simple note, not a full, long winded letter. Santa was pretty busy after all.

Did you ever write a letter to Santa Claus?

• Yes, many times over the years.
• Yes, I still write a letter to Santa each Christmas.
• Yes, now I write letters to Santa with (my) children.
• No. I'm too naughty to hope for anything but a lump of coal anyway.
• No. I leave it for the children.
• No, but I do write replies from Santa Claus for the children.
• No. We don't celebrate Christmas.
• No. I'm a Scrooge.