Safari (7.1.3) forgets preferences in Mail 7.3, when "search with Google"

When in Mail 7.3, "Search With Google" on any selected text causes Safari (7.1.3) Icon to bounce in dock and when selected, it opens with a screen to set up my preferences. As if it were the first time I used Safari. None of my extensions are installed in the safari preferences.

When I open Safari first THEN open Mail, then Safari behaves normally. I am using a non-standard "home page" but Google is my default search engine. I am running Mavericks ) 10.9.5.

Tho it is easy to work around this issue, over time it has made me curiouser & curiouser. Any help or ideas would be most welcomed,

Thanks...