If you like the humor found in Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, may we suggest:

• Murder Grins and Bears It: A Yooper Mystery by Deb Baker
• Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot
• Bubbles Unbound by Sarah Strohmeyer
• Tourist Season by Carl Hiaasen
• The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

On May 7, 2009, the federal government issued the first economic recovery payments to people receiving Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.  The payments are being issued on a staggered basis throughout the month of May.  If you have not received your payment by June 4, 2009, contact the Social Security offices at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or visit your local Social Security office (34010 Plymouth Road, Livonia, MI 48150) to report your payment has not arrived.

I realize this is a blog about a blog, but if you are a reader of mysteries/crime fiction check out The Rap Sheet. It's a blog with reviews of new and forthcoming books,  interviews with authors, and crime-fiction-related Web sites. (Photo: Raymond Chandler/AP Images)

Wayne County parks are 90 years old this year and they are celebrating with a host of activities throughout the park system. From Movies at Dusk and Jazz on the River, to Pirate Palooza or Mud Day, there's something to appeal to all tastes. Pick up your copy of the 2009 Wayne County Parks Schedule of Events brochure in our lobby and find the event that's right for you.

Memorial Day was established in 1868 following the end of the American Civil War as General Orders No. 11, Grand Army of the Republic Headquarters:

II. It is the purpose of the Commander in Chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept up from year to year, while a survivor of the war remains to honor the memory of his departed comrades. He earnestly desires the public press to call attention to this Order, and lend its friendly aid in bringing it to the notice of comrades in all parts of the country in time for simultaneous compliance therewith.

Over the past two centuries, wars continue to be fought, and Hollywood has immortalized them on film:

 

ChiltonLibrary.com contains information for most of the popular vehicles of the past 30 years, plus some coverage of specialty models. Just select a year, a make, and a model, and you can find valuable repair tips, diagrams, etc. to help make the car repair job that much easier. This database is accessible from all the library computers. Canton residents can log in from home with their Canton Public Library card number.

This month I will be attending a high school reunion.  I started thinking about the expectations, the memories, and just why do people go to these events?  Six mystery writers thought class reunions can stir up a great deal of feeling, perhaps even murderous thoughts...  Mrs. Murphy saves the day for postmistress, Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen, in Pawing Through the Past by Rita Mae Brown and Jo Dereske's Miss Zukas finds more than she's looking for at her 20th.

At $1.50 for the first page and $1 per additional page for outgoing domestic faxes (international faxes are $4.95 for the first page and $3.45 per page thereafter), Canton Public Library offers self-serve faxing at reasonable rates. But did you know that in many cases, you can scan and email your document(s) for free — avoiding fax charges altogether? Canton Public Library has flatbed (letter-size) scanners you can use at no cost. Once you have your scanned documents, simply send them to the recipient from your web-based email account from the same computer you used for scanning.

One of my favorite mystery writers, Barbara Parker, died after a long illness recently. Most of her novels were in her "Suspicion" series about Miami lawyers Gail Connor and Anthony Quintana. If you haven't read Ms. Parker's books, you'll find a strong, independent, female character in Gail Connor, a Miami attorney. Anthony Quintana was a Cuban-American, born in Cuba, whose family escaped to America in the 50s. This played a large part in the Connor-Quintana mysteries. Ms. Parker's first novel, "Suspicion of Innocence" was nominated for an Edgar Award and became a made-for-TV movie, "Sisters and Other Strangers". Ms.

Each year the Administration on Aging (AoA) issues a theme for Older Americans Month. National Aging Services Network of state, tribal, area agencies on aging, and community services providers plan activities that might take place in May or throughout the year. This year’s theme “Living Today for a Better Tomorrow” reflects AoA’s continued focus on prevention efforts and programs throughout the country that are helping older adults have better health as they age and avoid the risks of chronic disease, disability and injury.  The Canton Senior Center is offering a variety of special events this month.

Looking for something to do this week-end? Visit the ArtFest in downtown Plymouth or check out craft books at the library.  Street performers will entertain with music, chalk art, juggling, balloon twisting, and face painting. The fest is free for everyone to enjoy!
Friday, May 15th and Saturday May 16th, 2009 from 10am - 6 pm

Date: May 16, 2009
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Location: Jackson Road Boulevard, Ann Arbor
This 1st annual car cruise is a great event for any vehicular enthusiasts. Jackson Road is the "Old" US-12, the route from the Motor City to Chicago during the 1920s through the 1950s. Multiple hubs along the Boulevard display vehicles and clubs. Green and hybrid vehicles are on exhibit at the main hub. Cars may cruise the Boulevard for the public to see at set times for each hub. Free admission.

The popular TRACES traveling buseum makes a return trip to CPL on May 22 from 9 a.m. to noon with the story of 372,000 German POWs held in U.S. Army-operated work camps in the Midwest during World War II. Learn how these men worked alongside U.S. citizen German immigrants to build roads, harvest crops and roof barns. Some POWs returned to the Midwest after the war to live.

If you are providing care for an older person or a person with a disability you will want to attend the 2009 Caregiving Conference being held on Monday, May 4, 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. at Summit on the Park.  Caregivers and the adult person they are caring for are welcome to attend.  Admission is free and you can register at the conference. Additional dates and locations can be found at the 2009 Caregiving Conference website.

Update [8/31/2010]: As of September 1, 2010 we no longer offer one-on-one appointments with a librarian.

Get one-on-one assistance from a librarian on reference projects, Internet use or other library services. Make an appointment and our librarians can help you post a resume to a job hunt site, learn to navigate the web and set up email, obtain in-depth reference assistance, research a health topic, learn to use a database, and more. It’s your own private consultation with a reference librarian. Ask at the Reference Desk to set up your appointment.

Come and enjoy music and stories from Russia! Join us in the Community Room on Saturday, May 9th at 2pm for sounds from the balalaika and other traditional instruments played by Aleksandr "Sasha" Chernyak. He promises to take us all on a trip through Russia with music. This program is open to the entire family. Registration is now open.

If you've got a yen for Celtic folk music with a populist bent (think Ewan MacColl, Mick Moloney or Tommy Makem), two new CDs by famed area musician Terry Murphy will help satisfy your craving. You'll find Freeborn Man and Terry Murphy in the Folk & Ethnic section.

Crime Through Time.  Have you tried these historical mystery series?

Thirteenth night : a medieval mystery by Alan Gordon

Cocaine blues : a Phryne Fisher mystery by Kerry Greenwood

A play of Isaac by Margaret Frazer

Sweet poison by David Roberts

The Social Security office has launched a new online service.  Individuals preparing to retire can now complete the new online retirement application in as little as 15 minutes.  The application is available online at the Social Security's website.  It can easily be completed at any of our library computers.

New York City, the most fun city in the world. It has something(s) for everyone. 
Times Square, Broadway, Museums, Central Park, Rockefeller Plaza (esspecially at Christmastime), the subway (what an adventure), the Brooklyn Bridge, awesome buildings, and many, many restaurants.