Retirement, Boring?

Whoever thought retirement is boring, and you watched The Price is Right nonstop, just doesn’t know what ours is like. We love hanging with the grandkids and they aren’t the biggest time we spend in a week anymore. They are busy with friends and school, and we are, too.

I’ve mentioned before the Babe is Quartermaster for the VFW Post 2503 in Omaha. It takes a lot of his time. He is also Honor Guard Captain. He may attend 5 funerals in a week or less. I’m proud he is so involved.

Then, there are the Veterans groups and causes we support. Today, Moving Veterans Forward, had an official ribbon cutting ceremony. Ron Hernandez, an Army Veteran and all around good person, has an organization who supports Veterans as they transition from homelessness to living in an apartment. He has used furniture, household goods, and all the things a person needs to have while establishing their home. Our Post helps collect such items, and we deliver to the warehouse as needed.

The Auxiliary ladies worked the food line and helped people enjoy the afternoon. The Mayor of Papillion was present, congressional representative Don Bacon, and many folks from the Chamber of Commerce to Ron’s volunteers. He is tireless. He is mission driven. His motto is, “I wouldn’t leave you alone on the Battlefield, and I’m sure not leaving you alone at home.” He lives this every day.

I admire the time he makes in his life for his passion. He credits his wife Kim with “letting him do these things.” I’m so honored to know these people. We’ll work more together the rest of the year. We are all better off in a community that cares so much for its veterans. He is always thinking of new ways to help Veterans restore order to their lives. He lives in their reality. No bureaucracy, no red tape, and the encouragement of their peers is the order of the day. Such good things happen.

It’s been a very long day, and tomorrow will be more of the same. Baseball game for Gavin, meeting my cousin’s grandbaby, our new vet’s open house, and the evening with Billy McGuigan. What could be better? Rock of Ages closes tomorrow night. It should be a great night. More on that later.

Have a good evening. Let’s see each other tomorrow! Stay safe out there. And I’m saying an extra prayer tonight for my friend, Ron Hernandez. He does so much good for people. We need more like him. Like Ron, be generous. Be kind. Be driven.

Smothering Our Loved Ones

Have you ever thought you could absolutely help someone manage their life if they would only do certain things in a certain way, and the results would be magnificent? Dream on!

We like to think we would be the difference that brother, sister, boyfriend, girlfriend, mother, father, sister, or child would need to quit doing all the things we know are causing their troubles in life. Nothing could be further from the truth!

If we have a situation that needs correcting in our personal lives, we need to handle it. If we are unfortunate enough to be the Adult Child of an Alcoholic, we have some distorted views of what is going on, what is wrong with that picture, and how we can repair it. Guess again.

I remember Mom thinking Dad would say something to one of my brothers about their drinking/carousing/etc., and Dad never did. Mom was on the warpath, but it did no good. It wasn’t Dad’s fault. Dad left it to each individual to check themselves. Mom was also an ACOA, so her perception was skewed. It wasn’t her fault.

Dad was right. No amount of someone else getting involved would resolve another’s issues. Period. It was a hard lesson to learn; I was co-dependent up until about 1995. I firmly believed if I could only love someone enough, they would realize they needed to change. Nothing can be further from the truth.

Once I came to my senses, it became clear I knew nothing about many things I thought I understood. I’m not responsible for anyone else’s behavior. Not even my kids, now that they’re adults. Whew! How great! The pressure was way too much.

What I have finally learned is I can offer to walk with people. They can work on themselves, and I have no responsibility whatsoever for their outcomes. I’m so relieved! As a kid, I thought I could make a difference in Mom’s happiness if I just acted super good all the time. Nope, I didn’t realize it had nothing to do with me. And that’s about as basic as it gets. My first husband had his issues, having nothing to do with me. No matter how much I did for him, I couldn’t love him into being more adult than he was at 19 years old. Or 29 years old. It was up to him.

This afternoon, the Babe and I were in a room with a group of great people, gathered for a cause. The 50 Mile Walk is starting it’s third year in the Omaha Area. Jay Miralles is the founder and coordinator. It is an honor to be associated with him, and with the organization he founded. The walk will be held in August, 2022, and will benefit Moving Veterans Forward and Guitars for Vets, among others. The walkers will follow a route from Lincoln to Omaha. Pledges are made and collected. The generous pledges donated $137,000 last year. Our goal this year is $200,000. Stay tuned for more information! It’s an amazing event.

I hope you were able to enjoy this glorious day. The Babe and I are working on a lot of things for the VFW Post and other things. It’s been a busy day, and we’ll be back it tomorrow morning. Have a beautiful evening, and we’ll see each other tomorrow. Take care, be safe.

Veterans Day, 2021

Today is a day for our very special Veterans. All that we enjoy today is because of them and their sacrifices. The freedoms we enjoy are not seen in any other country. We are safer with them at the ready. They don’t think twice about it. Love of their country and freedom are what keep them at their posts. All six branches of the services combined create the well oiled machine that is the Military of the United States of America. Old Veterans would marvel at drone technology used today. I know my dad would. He’d want to work the darned things!

I’ve mentioned before the three photos my Grandma Jewell had in her living room. Each in a corner, either black and white or sepia finished, her three sons in their military uniforms. All handsome, young, trained, and ready to go. The patriotism the men of this era had is recounted in old war movies, songs, and the general mood of the times. Folks at home planted gardens to ease the burden of the grocery system at the time, so the troops would have what they needed. Mom recounted the shortages on toilet paper, soap, and other items like sugar. Everyone did their part. Could we do that now? I would hope, but many folks wouldn’t.

The message I took away from seeing those photographs subliminally at every visit sits deep in the fabric that is me. I cannot imagine life without that early exposure to the Patriots around me. All the men in our neighborhood and family served in the military. Of my three brothers, one was 4F, one not the right age during the draft, and one went to the reserves, at the time, the 915 Transportation Unit from Council Bluffs, Iowa. He would have gladly gone if called up.

My husband Dan served in Vietnam, many years before we met. It left him a haunted soul, like many of the young men who served there. My dad, after serving in WWII and Korea, told me once, “A jungle war is so different than a war fought in cities and towns. The mindset of the enemy is very different, too. The bottom line is, the enemy wants to kill you in whatever barbaric way they can.” He should know; he was in combat as a medic “aide.” They were on the battlefield, did not have weapons, and running to assess and aid the wounded. He was a surgical tech in the MASH tents of Korea. He saw the damages. And he was awarded two bronze stars. My dad, gentleman, loving father and grandfather, and quintessential bad ass. He was a quiet man, just went about his business, never wanting any attention. Many of our Veterans are the same way.

After having these experiences, it’s no wonder our troops have difficulty merging back into life at home. They are not the same as when they left. We need to find ways to help them adjust, and we need to adjust, too. Nothing is the same once they return home.

Recognizing that, we have an Art exhibit by Liz Boutin, and an information fair at the VFW Post 2503 today. The Post opens at noon, and we have lots of tables for you to visit with various agencies and groups for the Veterans. Guitars for Vets, Moving Veterans Forward, 22 Veteran Suicide Awareness Association from Council Bluffs, grief materials from Centering Corporation in Omaha, and some vendors. Come, have a great spaghetti meal between 4 – 7 p.m. and attend our Ceremony at 6 p.m. Corporal Daegan Page’s family will receive a special gift that was sent to us by a gentleman in Texas. I will share it with you tomorrow. It’s breath-taking.

Let us honor our keepers of freedom. Let us remember their sacrifices. We can never thank them enough.

WOW! It’s Wednesday Already!

I remember my doctor (A General Practitioner) when I was pregnant with my daughter, 1978. Life was busy with a husband who came home every day for lunch, a second grader, and a little guy who was nearly three and too smart for everything. I commented, “The time is just going so fast!” He told me, “The older you get, the faster it goes!”

Did he jinx me? Ever since that conversation, time goes faster every year. I often think of him and that conversation. He was a nice man, in addition to being a kind, good doctor. My Grandmother approved of him; when she and Grandpa had the Sundries Store on 24 & F in South Omaha, he was a cab driver to pay his way through medical school. He married into the Flynn family from our parish, and Grandma knew the Flynn’s quite well. How neat, but that’s how it was back in the day. My dad and his two brothers delivered prescriptions for people who were too ill to come get them. Everyone knew who my dad was. It was kind of neat, yet at the same time, it wasn’t. I was afraid to do anything wrong, because I thought he would know about it before I got home. My brothers did not have that fear. Must have been because I was a girl, and good old Catholic guilt made me overly cautious.

I spent almost all of today up at the VFW Post, helping get the raffles and information displays set just right. We’re in great shape for the celebration tomorrow, and I’ll have some wonderful photos. Some, I cannot share until after our program tomorrow night. I am truly in awe at how generous people are.

And about this time tomorrow night we will have served a whole bunch of spaghetti, sauce, and all the trimmings. We want to be sure our Veterans are told what they mean to all of us, and that we remember to tell them more than just once a year how important they are.

I like to see the stories and photos some of our members post on Facebook about their time in the service. The photos are of much younger men and much more innocent than they are now. We are all much less innocent than we were many years ago, and these folks lost their innocence abruptly. They stood for something bigger than themselves and for the good of our great nation. I commend them all. Thank God for our Veterans.

It is much later than it should be, and I need to stop for now. Thank a Veteran when you see one tomorrow. Thank you for reading today, and know I appreciate your time. Take care, and see you tomorrow. Be safe.

Another Tuesday, Enjoy!

It’s another beautiful, sunny day here at the Home Office in Gretna, Nebraska. I’m spending the day at home, doing some much needed home tasks and trying to catch up on NaNoWriMo. Folks, it may take me into December to finish 50K words at this point. I’ve had to sacrifice writing time to participate in volunteering for our VFW and the groups we support. Believe me, it is worth it. The friends I’ve made and the stories I’ve heard, I’m truly blessed to be able to know these leaders and know their stories. Veterans Day is an important day. It’s when we thank our Veterans when we think of their sacrifices. This year it is important to let them know we’re behind them, we support them, and we will listen. They need that more than ever right now. The withdrawl from Afghanistan was a mess, to put it mildly. I’ll leave it at that.

Yesterday was an amazing experience. Liz Boutin, a local artist, is sharing her art work about PTSD with us for Veterans Day/Week. I was able to listen to her inspirations for the paintings, which was a gift. From her time as a Red Cross Volunteer while a military spouse in Germany, she was in the hospital where the wounded soldiers from Iraq were sent. Some stayed long enough for her to hear their stories. She was part of the worst things in these soldiers’ lives.

They would open up to her, preferring a civilian over a military doctor or shrink who would put the information in their records. She needed a way to release the burden she was carrying. Her own mental health was suffering. She started journaling about her experiences. Later, she discovered she had PTSD. Doing more research, she learned about how art is therapy for those with PTSD. Liz has poured her heart and soul into this art. And it is beautiful. Hard to see? Maybe a little. But for the depictions of what she’s seen and heard and experienced, it’s an experience that is well worth having. I believe she is gifted in the world of art, storytelling, and observations in her life. We’re so lucky she is sharing her art with us.

We also have many reps from the VA to discuss everything from registering you for benefits to letting you know what you can expect in the process. It’s a convenient way for you to get started. We will have representatives from Moving Veterans Forward, ABATE, 22 Veterans Suicide Awareness Group, and information available from Guitars for Vets, and the Centering Corporation, the oldest grief organization in America. I have learned so much from them over the past twenty years.

Come see us Thursday. Veterans eat free, and we have a bake sale by the Auxiliary, some merch from various vendors, and Liz Boutin’s art is for sale. Don’t forget about the food and clothing drive we are sponsoring for homeless Veterans. We want them to have warm clothing this winter. It’s the least we can do. Help them out. Learn something new from our information sharing day. We welcome you. Thanks for reading, see you tomorrow!

Submission Guidelines

I’m getting ready to do a thing. I mentioned earlier the Voices from the Plains Anthology by the Nebraska Writers Guild is accepting submissions for their Fifth Volumes from now until September 11, 2021. I decided to submit the first chapter of my novel this year. I’m excited and almost dreading it at the same time. Why? It’s kind of like being naked at 90th & Dodge Streets at rush hour. On the sidewalk, not in your car. And at the same time, I’m not nervous. Whatever happens will happen, I can guarantee it. It’ll be ok.

The story about my first seeing an anthology happened about three years ago. The Babe and I were driving back from Colorado and stopped at a roadside building. It was an old abandoned Burger King from the look of the building. We really appreciated the nice lady who tended the store. There were books, and of course, I had to look

I’ve always liked getting books out on our travels. I have one about the big fire at Yellowstone National Park in 1988, and I have one about the life of Walt Disney. Both fascinated me. I believe Disney would be disappointed with the amount of money people have to pay to enter each part; I don’t think over $100 per day was in his initial plan.

Photo by Olya Kobruseva on Pexels.com

Among this little former bookstore turned rest stop offerings was a volume of the Anthology published by the Nebraska Writers Guild. It was that book that led me to joining the guild, connecting with people, and getting started on this journey. I love how it started since I deeply believe God gives you nudges throughout life. This was a huge nudge, and I investigated all about writing. Well, not everything. But you get my drift. It’s free to submit poetry, essays, short stories, etc.

I plan to check the chapter a few times with Pro Writing Aid and on my own. I will submit it by September 1, or sooner, if I feel it’s ready. Then we wait. I’m super excited about the process. The book will publish around Deember 1. I’ll keep you in the loop!

In two hours, the Babe and I will go to Nebraska Brewing Company, in LaVista, Nebraska. We will be in the crowd welcoming walkers who walked 50 miles overnight, from Lincoln to Omaha. The purpose of the walk is to raise awareness to PTSD, homelessness, and other issues our Veterans deal with on a daily basis. With the terrible events this week in Afghanistan, there is a definite uptick in our Veterans needing help. Triggers are very real for them. They aren’t just drama in a movie. They are real terrors that are triggered and must be dealt with in order to live their lives. They sacrificed for us, and now it’s our turn to sacrifice for them. If you’re in the Omaha area, come on out. Our friends from VFW Post 2503 will be there, too. It’s the least we can do for them.

Meantime, I’m going to edit and re-edit my Chapter. Thank you for reading, I believe by the end of this calendar year great things are going to be happening. Stick around, we’ll go on this journey together. See you tomorrow!

p.s. If you’d like to donate to the 50 Mile Walk benefitting Guitars for Vets and Moving Veterans Forward, go to www.givebutter.com and donate!. At this moment, they have raised their goal, let’s help them go over by a bunch! Thank you, and you’re all the greatest!

Memories on Monday

Today, I’m reflecting on the wonderful weekend we had. I’ve already shared about my reunion; making lots of new Facebook friends from that. Saturday was a day that warmed my heart just full of gratitude, awe, and pride in America.

My husband and I have met and grown to love a lot of the Greatest Generation, and we are so thankful for what they and thousands of others did for our country. The couple pictured in the header picture are our friends, Mary and Marion. They have been together for 22 years, and look out for each other as best friends. They live at a retirement complex near our VFW Post and maintain separate apartments. Their attitude here is “Why get married and ruin our friendship?” I applaud them. We all need a best friend.

Mary called me last week, after reading our article describing a new program through Moving Veterans Forward. We have partnered with MVF since last October, and have donations every month of things they may need to set up a homeless veteran in an apartment of their own. Of course, the Vet needs to abide by certain rules, certain behaviors, etc.

A program Ron Hernandez introduced recently is one which allows foster visits with a Vet and their children can take place at his MVF warehouse, in the Rec Center. He refers to the Rec Center to as “The Fox Hole.” Prior to this, the Vets often had to meet the case worker and kids at Walmart and walk around talking. Ron offers the Fox Hole as a comfortable place, where they may fix a snack and talk, or go out back and fish. It’s a relationship building environment for sure. It is a Court approved meeting place now. We’re collecting snack packs, jello, crackers, etc.

Friends, Mary asked me if they could donate some things that weren’t on the list. It hurt their hearts, thinking of kids having to visit their parent like that. They decided at breakfast that day, “We have to do something.”

This brings tears to my eyes. Marion is 97 years old, a Purple Heart Veteran from the Italian Front, the Battle of Anzio. I don’t know Mary’s age, but they are of the same spirit, the same giving heart. For all these people have experienced in their lives, they still have generous hearts. We should all take a lesson from them. They went to Dollar Tree and picked many comfort snacks for our other friends going through these visits. Below are some donations we made this week, with the help of Marion, Mary, and others.

It is an honor to know them, and a privilege to call them both our friends. They have asked if they may meet Ron Hernandez and thank him for providing the services he does through Moving Veterans Forward. I will make that happen, for sure. Friends, learn all you can from our elders. Learn about our history; and about their lives. Learn about how the world was. And learn about loving selflessly.

Make a new friend today. It may surprise you what you learn! Be kind out there. It will come back to you. I’m off to take Mom to the doctor! Have a beautiful day, thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

VFW Post 2503/Car Show/And MORE!

Yes, I played hooky again yesterday. It was a busy day, with taking Mom to the doctor, and then getting her home so I could meet the fine folks from “Guitars for Vets, Omaha.” We met Daniel and David Mike (yes, they are guys with a first name for a last name). David is the Dad, Daniel the son.

It’s often said Omaha is just a big small town. And it’s true. Daniel went to Bellevue East High School, with our daughter- and son-in-law. He detoured via a career in the Military, taking him on four tours of Afghanistan. We know many of the same people, and they feel like familiar long-time friends already. The people we meet by volunteering! It’s enriched our life so much.

The VFW Post, at 90th & Military Road, in Omaha, Nebraska is sponsoring a Car Show on Sunday, May 2, 2021. Registration begins at 8 a.m. sharp! The actual show is free to the public and begins at NOON. We had over 110 cars last fall. We’re hoping to have as many this time. It’ll be perfect, out in the sunshine, people coming and going, raffles, and information for Veterans. There are so many who suffer from PTSD. It can be crippling. We want to raise awareness in the community of all the groups available to Veterans and their families. We will have representatives from:

Moving Veterans Forward

Guitars for Veterans, Omaha

Operation 22 til Freedom

Aside from getting to know these groups, we want to establish relationships and find out how we, as a VFW Post, can help them get their message out to those who need them and their services. Where there is great need, we can offer a hand. It’s what we’re here for. Local support. Veterans helping Veterans. It’s a beautiful thing to witness. I’m grateful for the opportunity.

Now, this is my personal blog for today.

#600 Club? Already?

How time flies! Today, this is my official 600th blog post. I’m finally on a roll! Things are coming along with the writing I’m doing. Just wish there were more productive hours in the day, I’m working on that. As we’ve chatted before, Family First, then I split the rest of my time writing/volunteering/reading/learning/etc.

Nearly two years ago, when I started this blog, I never had a clue I’d need to spend so much time learning and reading to become an author. To get the writing every day habit started, I blogged. Most of what I read talked about marketing yourself (hard for an Irish Catholic girl from South Omaha to do) and get your brand out there.

My brand? Well, that’s a tough one. I’m first a survivor of a lot of things. Breast Cancer. An unhappy marriage (first one). A “pioneer” woman in the 80s in I/T (or MIS or coding, or whatever you want to call it). I think my life as the only girl with three brothers toughened me up for working with mostly men, typical of the workers in that era.

Survivor. Wife. Mom. Grandma of 5. Sister, Daughter, Cousin, Loyal Friend. Author. Yes, Author, who always wanted to write a children’s book. After starting there, I have three separate drafts. The first, “ROXIE! What Are You Doing?” is about our Grandson Gavin and his life with Roxie, our naughty rescue dog.

The second, “Bonus Grandmas,” is about a little boy confused at the number of women in his life he calls “Grandma.” No one believes he really has that many Grandmas! But he does.

The third, “Grandpa’s Gone,” is a book for families. It recounts my real-life story that changed our extended family and our memories of Christmas Eve. When I was 12 years old, our Grandpa died of a heart attack at 60. On Christmas Eve. Grieving was hard in 1964, people didn’t talk about loss like we can now. This story recalls my memories of the Christmases that followed. And upon hearing a very special song about that very event, I learned we weren’t the only kids who experienced that kind of loss on such an important day.

I also have a novel in progress, “The Freeing of Katie Fitzgibbons.” A young woman marries, leaving home in 1970. The novel follows her through several years of an unfortunate marriage, growing up, and gaining the knowledge and confidence she needs to make the break for freedom.

Yes, we’re very busy here at Raabe Ranch, the home office of Jewell Publishing, LLC. Thank’s for staying with us through 600 posts. More to come! We appreciate your time and are eager to share more with you. Be Kind. Be Safe. Be Thoughtful. We will see you tomorrow!

Thankful Thursday

It’s been pretty busy here at Raabe Ranch today. I had a great book talk with Sam Tyler, my coach this morning. I’m feeling a little sad because we agreed to take December “off,” and resume in January 2021. By now, I feel I’ve learned enough of what I didn’t know before that I can proceed on my own, with good guidance from a couple of books certain authors have written to guide other writers in their trade. Changes are hard, and I know we have become friends along the way. That is the best benefit.

I finished with shopping for the VFW Post donation to the homeless vets being served through Moving Veterans Forward. I’ll accompany the founder and CEO, Ron Hernandez, and a couple other people to deliver the goods where they will do the most good. It will be another lesson in the story of life. Some are sad, some are happy. Some show impressive growth, others bear substantial loss.

I mentioned yesterday about facing mortality, as Michael J Fox talks about his retirement from acting after his last couple of years of struggles with health issues. In the past five to ten years, we have lost a bunch of friends and family, mostly from cancer. As I went through my Facebook friends list, deciding on who to invite to like my author page, I am struck by how many of those people were no longer with us. The old-fashioned address book is even worse.

I think of all the people I’ve loved, liked, and had fun with. Fun friends from school, church, groups we’ve belonged to, and friends of friends. It’s a whole unique group of people you collect throughout your life, and if they’ve been with you for a long time, they really become part of you, and you become part of them. Friends, wonderful friends, are worth so much. It’s a pleasure being a part of their lives, just as it’s a pleasure to have them in your life. The world is so much better with them.

Today, start making the most of however much time you have left on this earth. I don’t care if you’re 15 or 95. You can make the most of the rest of your life by starting now. Start today. Be positive. Be Kind. Be Courteous. Be Grateful. Always leave home on a pleasant note. You never know how life can change in eight or ten hours. Be free of regrets. It makes a tremendous difference in your life.

Although it is late, I appreciate you reading. Tomorrow’s blog will be later in the day, too. The delivery of goods to homeless shelters for Veterans is going to be quite a story. There, but by the grace of God, go I. See you tomorrow. Stay safe out there.

Thoughtful, Full Thursday

After the day at the VFW Post 2503 yesterday, I am so happy to know those good men, women, members, friends, and the public who stopped out. The dinner was exceptional, and the clothing drive was an enormous success. The Babe and I have Honda Pilot and a Honda Passport, two fairly good sized SUV’s. From behind the driver’s seat clear to the back hatchback, we stuffed our vehicles with coats, boots, sweatshirts, sweatpants, socks, hats, scarves, and other items for our homeless vets in the Omaha Nebraska area. Ron Hernandez from Moving Veterans Forward will distribute to the homeless he deals with every day, as they wait for their housing to open up. We are beyond happy about the success of the drive, and the generosity of the people who donated. It restores hope in humanity, and we sincerely thank everyone involved.

On another note, it’s amazing how much writing changes. Certain rules used to dictate “Said is dead,” meaning you should not use the word “said” to show – well, that someone said something. It was a fad. The directions now are to use action beats. What is a beat, exactly? It keeps you from info-dumps. Info-dumps are backstory in excess, which don’t add to the story. Action beats break up dialogue and are useful in revealing information about your characters. They can show body language, emotion, and other useful things. After setting out to add some to two chapters I already wrote, I like my story better. Amazing. Now, I need to reduce the number of “he said, she said.” Action beats also convey setting, or build a world.

Photo by Andrew Neel on Pexels.com

I tried a different writing schedule today, as you may tell, since this is so late tonight. I wrote my novel chapter when I was freshest this morning. It was good for a couple thousand words. I remember when I was just throwing out words, there could be 4K in a morning. And I’d have to edit them laboriously. (Word of the day?) I like not proceeding until I’m happy with the elements of my writing. It may seem to take longer, but I will bet over all, it takes less time. I’ll take copious notes and let you know my findings.

Wow! This Writing Stuff IS Complicated!

The meme above is a brief glimpse into how complicated it really IS to write a novel. And not only do you have to be the writer and a character, you must be all the characters! And reading as a writer is wayyyyy different from reading as a reader. Sam, it’s beginning to make sense! Clear as MUD!

Maybe I should take up drawing? Go back to quilting? After I finish out this month. Not before. I’m kind of on a roll which I think will take us through the next few chapters right up to the defining moment. My character has a huge life event happen. She must decide what to do to keep her children safe. And it’s not a normal defining moment. I’m eager to see where we go. Stay tuned!

This evening, maybe some reading by the fireplace while the Babe takes in yet another football game. How many can you guys watch, after all? I know as many as we can. You have to love those men when they hone in on something like a sport. It always amazes me when they can recite sports stats from thirty years ago, yet they quickly forget something simple like a gallon of milk. I know I do too. It’s still pretty amazing.

Have a beautiful evening, dark as it is and only 6 p.m. Dinner is ready, and I believe we’ll have a slice of cheesecake tonight. The nicest gesture, our new neighbors brought a cheesecake over for the Babe, to thank him for his military service. How very thoughtful! Although it’s not KETO, we had to eat a piece. It’s glorious! Thank you, sweet neighbors. We’re so happy you’re here.

Off to do some more reading. Feeling good after having a good day writing. Now to figure out a way to get a bunch of blogs written, then publish them later. Might be worth it. That’s a decision for tomorrow. Blessings on all of you and have a good night. See you tomorrow. Be safe. Be kind. Be courteous.

Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com