Meet Artist Suzy Toronto

Hi Puzzler,

Today we would like you to meet artist, Suzy Toronto. We have been receiving lots of kudos from puzzlers about how much you love Suzy’s work. I even heard from one of our puzzlers who said she had planned a girls-night puzzle-party around the Wonderful Wacky Woman puzzle! I wish I lived closer, I’d be crashing that party. Good friends, food, wine and a puzzle…. Ah, life is good.

This picture is of Suzy and Ted at a show in Atlanta. Suzy said, “When I'm not at an art show or sitting on the beach, this is where you'll find me -- working on a new idea or project that kept me awake the night before. The bottom line is I love to create. Whether I'm painting fine art in my studio, drawing my wacky characters on location at shows, sitting at my pottery wheel on my back porch, or writing at my computer, the creative process is liberating beyond words. I am forever exploring new ways to express the energy inside me. But I feel forever blessed to have these gifts and vow to never take them for granted.

I'm 47 years old, live in Tangerine, Florida in a house surrounded by 100 year-old oak trees. I share that space with my husband, Al, and my 28-pound cat, "Bob." I eat chocolate truffles while I paint -- and when they run out, I quit. I drink Perrier sparkling water so much I'm considering taking out stock in the company. I practice Yoga, which for some strange reason I think will help compensate for my horrible diet, and I go to the beach every chance I get.
I have five grown children and ten grandkids who love me as much as I adore them. I've taught them to dip their French-fries in their chocolate shake, make up any words they want to any tune they like and to never, ever color inside the lines. (However, they all feel the need to assure their friends that they also have another set of grandparents who are 'normal').”

Thanks, Suzy, for tapping into the souls of all Wonderful Wacky Woman!

Happy Puzzling!

Puzzle Of The Month Club

Hi Puzzlers,

Is it just me or are you also, finding it difficult to find that perfect gift? You know, the one thing THEY really want that YOU can afford. Something that has meaning and won’t end in the trash by the end of the month-or worse, as a re-gift!

I went through the “experience gift” phase, which is when you give a concert, theater, sports ticket or a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant. This “experience gift” allowed us to give a memory. Having run out of ideas, and getting bored with it, this phase had to come to an end. So began the search for the next trend, which I am happy to report has been found! It’s the GIFT OF THE MONTH Club!

I was amazed to find OF THE MONTH Clubs on what seems to be every item from apples to perfumes! I want to give a gift that invokes happiness when received and keeps one looking forward to the next shipment. The excitement of getting something via the mail or FedEx. (other than a bill) is just plain fun! I occasionally get this feeling when I have ordered something for mail delivery and forgot I ordered it. I go to the mailbox and find the yellow package card in my mailbox and for a few moments I get excited and wonder what’s in there. Can you imagine giving that feeling every month? Well that is just what White Mountain Puzzles has done!

White Mountain Puzzles is now happy to offer the “Puzzle Of The Month Club”. For a very modest cost we will supply you or someone you love with a featured puzzle. It's the perfect way to enjoy this healthy and fun activity on a regular basis. It's a thoughtful and unique gift idea that keeps on giving year-round. Prices include shipping and handling. A note card will also be included to let them know they have been enrolled. It's a puzzle-lover’s dream!

Happy Puzzling!

Finding Holiday Money

Hi Puzzlers,

Lately I have been reading a lot about the different ways to save money. Some articles even say SAVE a $1000 by Christmas. Oh really, I think to myself, how possible is that? These articles go on to give you all kinds of advice to shrink your daily living expenses and cut the so-called non-essentials like your landline telephone. I don’t know about you but I love my landline phone. There are no delays in conversations and the reception is much better than the cell, so how can I give it up? I won’t give up my landline but I like to save money, so I went on to experiment with a few of these tips and found that by just cutting my food expenses I saved the most.

The number one way to save a ton of cash is to make a weekly menu. Then make a grocery list of the items you need and stick to the list. I have been doing this for a month now and I can tell you it works. I have been saving on average $50 a week or $200 a month!

Next on the list is lunch. Lots of people eat lunch out each week or buy lunch at the work place café. These lunches average $8 to $10 dollars a day. My husband’s work place lunch cost on average $7 a day and my daughter’s school lunches are $3 a day. That’s $50 a week just for lunches or another $200 a month. While they still do eat the occasional lunch at work or school, I make sure they bring their own drinks. The saving on just this step is extreme. (Case of water bought at the store $3.99 divided by 24 equals less than 17 cents a bottle versus the $1-$2 they charge at the cafes.)

Last on my list is the favorite coffee shop. You know-the frappe, mocha, and latte joints, the place where you go and indulge on your favorite yummy caffeinated drink. Go on-you’ve worked hard-you deserve it! We would go to these places a few times a week as a family. The cost for these little indulgences were $10 a visit or $20 a week. Which, when I did the math, was $80 a month! What? $80 a month for coffee? After I came to on the kitchen floor I realized I would never knowingly spend this much money on coffee or any drink each month. Looking at my food spending habits and converting them into monthly expenses was a real eye opener and a wallet saver.

So, total saved in my one-month experiment with just food was $480! Yes, I get to keep my landline phone!

Happy Puzzling!

Legends Of The Rails

Hi Puzzlers,

Hot off the press is our Legends Of The Rail puzzle by artist Mark Karvon. This puzzle is beautifully detailed and invokes thoughts of the past. Growing up in a small paper-mill town I was fortunate enough to see the trains pulling box, tanker and hopper cars. My favorite was the bulkhead flatcars filled with pine trees-oh, how I love the smell of fresh cut pines. It’s like your Christmas tree smell times a thousand!

Locally here in New Hampshire we are also fortunate to have The Cog Railway and the Conway Scenic Railroad operating as scenic passenger lines, the latter fully equipped with dining cars.

In 1852 Sylvester Marsh wanted a better way to reach the summit of Mount Washington and began building his mountain climbing train with assistance from inventors Herrick and Walter Aiken. The first cog-driven train climbed 6,288 feet to the summit of Mount Washington on July 3, 1869. “For the first forty years of Cog's operation, wood-fired boilers powered the train to the 6,288-foot summit. Around 1910, coal was introduced.” So if you want spectacular mountain views with a touch of exhilaration then this is the train ride for you.

The Conway Scenic rail line began servicing passengers in 1872 and its skilled carpenters designed the North Conway Station to be a masterpiece fit for a prestigious summer resort. “For nearly 90 years the station was a landmark for train travelers. Passengers, mail, express, and newspapers arrived and departed through the station. Snow trains began running in 1932 to the town that was home to the "birthplace of American skiing.” Countless skiers rode the snow trains as the sport of skiing grew with the development of ski lifts.

One of our local ski enthusiasts recounted his experience on the snow train. He said, “ I would get on the train in Boston with my friend and we would hurry up and get our homework done, and then watch the people. It was a long ride and when we finally got there my friend’s parents would meet us at the station. Other travelers were picked up by hotel wagon or cars and driven to the hotels they were staying at. The next day we went skiing at Mount Cranmore! It was very exciting and fun.” The Conway Scenic Railroad is now a National Historic Landmark.

Puzzlers, we would love to hear about your train stories.