Super Saturday

It was a day of hilarity yesterday. In counting the words written, the words in my blog qualify since they are being published. Being a novice with WordPress, I thought I’d just go ahead and get a word count by typing the blogs into Google docs and copy to the WordPress daily blog spot.

Guess again!!! I have to release the doc to the Internet, copy the link, insert in in WordPress, kill a thousand year old chicken, turn to the left four times, following by hopping on my right foot to the count of 90. Sheesh!!

So upon discovering this, setting appointments for Dan and his wound vac nurses, I simply printed out the Google doc and proceeded to type it in again. It worked. Then at about 5 p.m. discovered there were conflicting versions. I deleted one, but it turned out to be the wrong one. I deleted yesterday’s blog.

Enter Dan, sweet husband of mine, who came up from the man cave to tell me he liked what I wrote, and I tackled him for his cell phone, so I could re-type for the third time the 740 words I had deleted. NEVER AGAIN will I delete any version when trying to view on my Google Pixel 3 phone. Gosh, so instead of doing 740 words, I typed it three times. Shall I report 2200 words instead of 740? It’s not cheating, is it?? What do you think??

Today, I’m working on the actual book. I am adding the Table of Contents. From that, I can create another outline and commit to paper or computer my thoughts and ideas for expansion. The meat and potatoes of the story. What I have already is just the appetizer.

Day 2 on the road to 55K words!

Some folks are again noting daily what they are grateful for during the month of November. It is very fitting to do that.

GRATITUDE NOTE: November 1, Grateful to be relatively healthy. My issues are mostly orthopedic in nature, not life threatening. For that I’m grateful.

November 2, Grateful to have relatively whatever I could want. I don’t want a million bucks or bigger houses and cars. I have a great blended family for which I am very grateful. We hope to spend more time with all of them next year.

One short week ago, Gavin, Goldie, and Grandma. Time flies when you’re having the time of your life!

I create the best when I’m listening to music. I often listen to the same musicians for a long period of time. Then the mood strikes for something different, and I swap CD’s out from the basement collection. Getting out the Christmas music is always fun. I can tell you with certainty this will not happen until December 1. I don’t rush it.

My mother and her three sisters were really nutty about Christmas decorating for their homes. My mom had the biggest house, so she really decorated a lot. She still has an overabundance of theme trees in every room, except for the bathroom and basement. I sort of did the same sort of decorating thinking it was normal but since my kids all left home and the grandkids in town visit less than they used to, it sort of seems to be a lot of work for just us to see. Dan (a/k/a “Babe”), thinks the decorations are pretty, but too much work.

Last year, I was down in the dumps and did not decorate at all. This year, I hope to. I can’t be down in the dumps, it’s not how to get things done. Chronic, intense, debilitating pain causes depression. This year, things are better, so it’ll be ok.

When do you start your decorating? Do you go crazy or do you do a small tree, stockings, etc.?? I love how things are so sparkling and beautiful. It’s very hard to let go of the glow of Christmas for the dark gloom of January. With that in mind, I decided not to display my snowmen with the Christmas decorations. I put them out in January, and it makes things brighter and more fun. Why not celebrate winter??? Winter has a bad rap, in my opinion. I think it’ll be a crazy winter again, and all we can do is buckle up for the ride. Complaining won’t make it better or make it go away. Have a good attitude whatever the weather.

Tell me about what you will do this month to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. Will you travel? Will you go to a warmer climate? Comment below, and like my blog. You’ll be entered in a November giveaway I am announcing today.

For every time you comment or like a post, you will be entered in a contest to win a $50 Visa Gift Card to use for your Christmas shopping for 2019. Yes, every like, every comment, will get you an entry. This is for the entire month of November, 2019. Enter today, maybe you’ll be lucky!! I’d love to send you a gift card in the mail. Tell your friends!!

p.s. Babe, you’re not eligible. You have my heart and soul, but I’m not giving you $50 for reading my blog. Thanks for entering!!

What Will November Bring?

Aside from Thanksgiving, retailer invented Black Friday, the end to the Nebraska Cornhuskers football season, and possibly snow, what will it being for you,?

I will be participating in National Novel Writing Month. The idea is to write 50,000 words in the month of November. I will be finishing up several projects.

I will finish my novel, These Walls DO Talk.

I will finish my book for grieving families called Grandpa’s Gone.

I will finish another book, Roxie, What Are You Doing??

I will finish a children’s book called Bonus Grandma’s.

Challenge Accepted?
No idea what to expect.

It will be a month of learning and I am eager to see how the tally will end. Something new and different.

Dan now has a gaping hole where his incision was. A wound vac will be applied/installed/mounted which will remove dead skin, infection, debris, and will help shrink and seal the wound from the inside out. Medical miracles always are amazing. For right now, he could qualify as scary for Halloween! He is exhausted, in pain, and spirits kind of low. Prayers are graciously accepted.

He perks up caring for his new little blonde. I’m trying to spend time with Lexie. She is fine in the yard with Goldie but pretty territorial in the house. Any suggestions??

Have a safe Halloween evening. Thanks for reading, commenting, and sharing. I appreciate it and all of you.

Never Thought THIS Would

actually happen. I’m an attractive brunette. I’ve kept myself up. Sure, I’m getting older but so is he. How could he???

I was the at the top for so long. Thought my place was secure. I’ve been so faithful. I’ve greeted him every time he comes home from wherever he goes when he’s away from me. I alert him at every leaf that falls off the trees, the people walking by, and don’t even ask about when the doorbell rings. Why, I just join in when they say “No Bark!”, “Quit!”, or the always ineffictive “NO!” I’m barking because they are.

I have gone with him on the walks he needs for controlling his heart disease. I’ve known when he is unhappy, upset, worried (he worries a lot!), happy, anxious, depressed, and having bad dreams about Vietnam. After all of this, he did the unthinkable.

Saturday, I got the shock of my life! He comes home with this little blonde. It’s always a blonde, isn’t it?? The little tart. Well, who does she think she is??

Woe is me!

Why should I even like her?? Well, it’s a little fun to run outside with her in the yard. MY yard. She seems to be looking to me for guidance. Why would I do that?? Why help the enemy? And I’m certainly not sleeping with her in my luxurious king sized bed.

I do not want that little blonde hussy in my house. But they let her in anyway. Well! I’m just going to lay in the sun on my king sized bed. No kennel with bars for me! Perfect place for a girl to let her thoughts organized. I’ll show them!

And the other female in the house. My adopted Mom. She’s no better. No matter how much I give her the stink eye, she is even holding the blonde. Why, I never! She should be loyal to me at least! What’s her issue?? I don’t potty in the house anymore. Isn’t that a good girl??

You’d think the sun rose and set in Goldie. The boy they call Gavin came over yesterday to see her, too. He does love and miss Roxie, my sister who died. We have all been sad. “Hey! Wait a minute!”

They might have something here. If the boy and his Grandpa and Grandma aren’t so sad, maybe I shouldn’t be either. Since I can’t play with Roxie anymore, maybe I’ll play with Goldie. I guess she’s not so bad after all. It might take a bit. But she might be fun. As long as she knows I’m in charge. I can teach her how to get treats.

Yeah! It’s the perfect plan! If I just stand by her she will be a treat 🧲 magnet. That’s the angle I’ll play now, they’ll never see through my master plan. Humans. They’re all just putty in our paws. Foolish mortals.

It will work out after all. She’s not so bad.

I can still tell her, “Go away kid, you bother me!” whenever I want to be alone.

Let me know your thoughts on introducing new fur babies to the family. Maybe my masters will learn something!

Thank you to our guest blogger today, Lexie, the big, beautiful, four legged lovey we are so lucky to have. She just had to let you all know her misgivings through all of this. For her, it’s pretty tough, but we’re hopeful she comes around. We just want her spunky again.

As Lexie said, let us know if you have tips for us. Transition is hard, whether you have two or four legs. How do you cope with it? I’d love to hear from you. Like our blog post, and share with your friends. Hopefully, it will brighten your day and their day, too. We appreciate you reading!

Oh! And here is Goldie. It’s tough being the new darling of the family!

Likes her kennel now. Trust me, she does not nap this much!

One Day Into Puppy Parenting

You have owned puppies before. I’ve had Shadow, Mocho and Mollie, Lexie and Roxie, and now we have Goldie. We love the companionship and entertainment. Every time we lose one, we swear there will not be another one. And we cave every darned time. Why?

It is hard to explain. Some of my favorite books to read have been about dogs. Bruce Cameron has made me ugly cry all over 😭 the place with his book “A Dog’s Purpose.” It reminds me of the depth of love animals have for us. We are their everything. Every minute of every day. No matter what. People should be more like that.

It hurts my heart 💔 to hear of humans who abuse animals. Chances are, they are abusing children and women too. The abusers are individuals who think might makes right. They will beat an animal, child, or woman into submission. What a horrible thing to do to any living being. It proves who the biggest bully is. What a horrible thing to live with. The fear of being lashed out at at any second. God did not intend this. It is pure evil in it’s worst form.

Earlier today, our grandson Gavin came over to meet Goldie. He is a dog lover 😍 also. He made sure Grandpa knows where to pick him up after school so he can come play with Goldie at least three times this week. The kid really knows how to seal the deal.

These dogs are a lot of work. They are a great example for kids on caring for another living being besides themselves. Many, many years ago, I read an article about why children, especially boys, needed a pet to care for. It taught them caring skills. You have to remember, it was the early 1970’s, when boys weren’t taught responsibility for caregiving to their siblings or younger children, when “boys will be boys” was the thinking if the times. We have come a long way since then. Men and women can take the lead in caregiving or breadwinning, and that is a very good thing. Everyone’s strengths are different, and I’m glad we have come to realize that. The modern new Dad’s I’ve met are amazing. They are in the trenches with their wives, contributing. It’s a good thing to witness.

A brief nap in the middle of exploring.

Yes, it’s bedlam right now. Puppies are needy. It’s ok. And we will be better for helping teach Gavin about the responsibility of pet ownership. Hopefully, Lexie will come to realize she is the Alpha. She will be better with a little time. We all will.

And a huge nap with Mom. Mom’s softer than a memory foam mattress.

Had a pup sized nap earlier today. She is so cute, we can’t stand it.

Until then, it’s off to try and get something else done today. Thanks so much for reading. Life is meant to be shared, and thank you for letting me share with you.

Have you ever had a favorite pet? Comment here and tell me about it. I’d love to hear about it. Have a wonderful Sunday afternoon!

Pushing On and Through

It is quite chilly this morning, but my heart is warm. The turmoil of the past month is starting to resolve. That’s always good.

Dan has an infection in his incision from the surgery ten days ago. He’s on antibiotics so it should resolve. The staples come out Tuesday, October 29th. Hopefully, that is the last time the poor guy sees a surgeon for a long while. Prayers appreciated.

My son Frankie (his mom can still call him that) finally was granted access to the apartment. He and the room mate are working feverishly to go through things. Their damage was strictly water damage, which is a blessing. Now, the beds and furniture are so waterlogged the insurance company just paid them out. The clothes are fine just need washing. Good deal.

Some of the collectibles will now be sold as boxes opened. They’re generally fine. Unbelievable. Someone already gave them new kitchen furnishings, so none of that needs hauling, cleaning, etc. Time saver. Hopefully, the electronics are not wet. Otherwise, that will be a whole ‘nother story. By tihs time next week, they will be moved into an exact same apartment in a different building. Nice to be able to move efficiently! Things continue to look up for him.

Loves of my life, my kids.
This was ten years ago on Thanksgiving. Last time we were all together.
From left, Frankie, me, Becky (lives in Colorado) and Nick (lives in KC MO).

All in all, God has been very good to my family, and we all have a lot of thanks to give.

If you ever play those silly games on FB, even though the results are totally randomly generated, sometimes they’re fun. I like this one, and try to remember this is really how I try to be. All the time. In times of peril and in times of plenty. Whatever it is, Let It Be. This also happens to be one of my favorite songs, too.

Words to Live By.
That Paul McCartney really knew how to write.

In more ways than one, I am a Survivor.

It truly IS hard for me to talk about myself. I would rather tell you about my kids or pets or Dan or the grandkids or anyone but myself. In retrospect, I do realize mine is a very unique story full of a lot of challenges. I realize they all made me stronger, and that is a blessing as well as a curse.

When you are strong, people don’t think you need support. You do. You just don’t expect it. People are baffled when you are down. You are too! It’s hard to keep the braveness in full force sometimes. I have been scared for my immediate family this past month in a way I’ve not experienced before. It’s hard. My faith has returned, is strong again, and so am I.

I have always Let It Be, and known that tomorrow the sun will always still come up. No matter what. It will always rise and set just like always. I know enough of those new days followed by a good night’s sleep will help my mind ease, my body relax, and my worry wane. I need to be patient. How about yourself? Can you Let It Be?? Do you want to?? God does a pretty great job of managing if you ask me. I need to quit trying to grab His paintbrush. We all do.

Thank you for reading, please like and leave a comment to let me know you were here. I so appreciate it!

The Human Body . . .

God’s very best creation.

I have always been fascinated by our human body. It’s an awesome mix of mechanics, electricity conduction, anatomy and physiology, and I am a constant student of this magical mystery.

As I wrote earlier, Dan had a heart cath in early October. The femoral artery didn’t close properly. He had some bleeding, had an ultrasound, diagnosis, and went under the knife. It’s very painful with all the staples in for another week. He is slowly healing, and just wants to be over this. Our neighbor said he’s earned about ten years of good health. That would be great!

What kind of books do you like to read?? I love crime stories, true crime, cop stories, mysteries, historical fiction, history, and based on true events books. And of course, anything educational about the human body.

What am I writing? A realistic fiction book. It details memories and events that happened in a home as a family grew up and older. It is called “These Walls DO Talk.”  It follows a woman through the rooms of the family home, as she is taking one last look. The memories of a lifetime flood into her and she sees how she has grown and learned about life. Her life. She has learned her value. And has answered hate and discontent with love and acceptance.

I am also working on some books to introduce children and families to grieving in a healthy manner. Events such as the loss of a dog can be a child’s first experience with loss. It is best to be honest with them.

There is also book about losing a grandparent on a major holiday. It is very hard to recover from a loss like that. This is a true story, and I have a co-author for that one. It is a labor of love.

My very first book idea for children is called “Bonus Grandma’s.” It is about a little boy trying to understand why he had six Grandma’s instead of only two. He and his cousins talk about families, step parents, and the positive things about large families.

These projects are like adding to my family. More siblings for our kids. I hope you like them. Please, tell me what you think about any and all of these ideas. After all, if people won’t read them, no one will know these stories.

As always, please comment and let me know your thoughts. Thank you for reading. I appreciate your time.

The last few days

After writing a blog every day for 32 days, I played hookey the last three days.

Wednesday was our twenty first wedding anniversary. Lots of beautiful memories and challenges along the way. We went out to dinner and had a nice, quiet time.

October 3, 1998

We were in our 40’s when we found each other, and were married a couple of years later. We are perfect for each other. If everyone could feel this level of contentment and respect, I think there would be more happy marriages.

Oh I’m not saying we don’t have issues. We do. Lots of times. And we talk. We both know which battles to pursue. Many little ones aren’t worth the fight and we learn the art if compromise.

I used to look at compromise as having to give in or give up. I was very wrong about that. It is the art of working together for the best outcome. It’s what the partnership of marriage is built on. It doesn’t allow for a dictator to rule on everything, although some are like that. Not a good idea.

We love Rocky Mountain National Park

Despite trials like heart disease, cancer, broken bones, loss, paying off debts, and early retirement, we are so grateful and blessed. I am so looking forward to the next twenty one years!

Have a beautiful Saturday. Let me know what you’re up to while I’ve been playing hookey. Take some time to comment. And don’t forget to like my blog. It helps with the stats I’m supposed to be looking at.

The Blind Broom Salesman

In the city of Omaha, since I was a young girl, there was a blind black man who made brooms. He made his living selling the brooms. He didn’t have a store, or a kiosk at the mall. He carried his goods over his shoulder and got on a city bus, and rode to neighborhoods all over town.

In those old days, there were door to door salesmen. Most women did not work outside the home, so they had a convenience with the salesmen who called on them at home.

Omaha’s Treasure, The Blind Broom Salesman

He never got lost, no one ever hurt him, and I don’t believe anyone ever stole from him. And he gave us so much more than various brooms for household duties. He taught lessons on being grateful, uncluttered, giving, and doing what we love in life.

When I first received this book, I was disappointed that a counselor took his story and used it to tell another story. I was not disappointed at all at how she told his story.

What a beautiful legacy Livingston Wills left to the city of Omaha. A fundraiser has collected enough money to cast bronze statue of Rev. Mr. Livingston. I am sure he would be overwhelmed at the outpouring. I do not think he would find it necessary.

This is an article from our newspaper about the project and the Reverend. Page down to see eleven photos that tell the story quite well.

https://www.omaha.com/news/metro/honoring-the-broom-man-sculptor-aims-to-create-life-size/article_5c58d30c-8b20-11e6-9ea1-e710095f52b0.html

If we all could just stop and really understand this humble man and his philosophy, our lives would be so different. We would have good, positive attitudes. We would be generous with each other.

He did a very simple thing that was very difficult. He trusted the Universe. He believed in the goodness of people. And we should too. Yes, there are bad people, scoundrels we should watch out for. The majority of people are good souls, much like ourselves.

I would highly recommend this book. I’d recommend it for everyone over the age of 12. I may get a copy for our oldest grandchildren. A blueprint for living.

Leave a comment, have you been inspired by a book like this? Is there one you would like your kids to share?

And comment about topics you would like to have me write about. It could be worth a prize if you are chosen!

Thank you for reading. I appreciate it very much. Have a wonderful Wednesday.

Another Monday

Another week begins here in Nebraska. The trees are showing us how to let go. Don’t you wish it was that easy?

Someone does us wrong. Or we perceive it as wrong. We are angry. The more we mull it over in our minds, the bigger the hurt and the worse the wrongdoer becomes. It’s bad enough if we harbor hatred regarding a certain incident. When it morphs into something much bigger than what it really is, that’s where we are wrong. Really wrong.

Truer words have never been spoken

The longer the grudge, the heavier the burden. And your brow becomes furrowed permanently, causing your resting face to be unpleasant, especially looking at yourself in the mirror.

So you may wonder what can you do? You no longer have contact with them, but you are still at odds with them and with yourself.

You reach deep down.

And you forgive them. Yes, forgive them.

Forgiveness does not mean you forget. If you have truly been done wrong, it would be foolish to let your guard with them again. Especially with a family member.

Your forgiveness let’s YOU move on. And your burden is exponentially lighter. You will be amazed.

If it sounds too good to be true, it’s not. I can honestly say I released a burden earlier this year and I truly feel better for doing it. You still can love that person, but you need to love yourself more. None of us have ever been taught how to do this.

If you care more about a person and their recovery from a bad habit or addiction, you need to take yourself out of the equation. True. Keeping yourself healthy physically and mentally is of utmost importance. You might find the individual may welcome you into their life again as a recovering person. You must let go of what they were as a child. They are a grown adult now. So are you.

In your heart if hearts, forgive someone. Protect yourself. Bury that burden. Give their work back to them. It’s their load. Not yours.

Thank you for reading today. Let go on this last day of the month. October will be much lighter. If you’d like, comment in the section briefly what you’re giving back and letting go of.

Also, give me an idea of what you may like to read about. No politics, religion, or off color topics, please! There could be a prize involved if your suggestion is chosen. Thank you!

Sunday

I am amazed at some of the stuff is on for kids. Over the weekend, I saw Captain Underpants. Wow.

It’s pretty weird. There is a principal who doubles as Captain Underpants, two kids who write a comic book. Strange stories and stranger conclusions. There is a series of books that are to encourage reading. I suppose it gives kids something to read that keeps their interest. I just don’t get it though.

The best part was spending time with our younger grandson, Gavin. He is seven, and really becoming thoughtful. We talk about so much stuff. He can be a stinker, but I’ve never met a kid yet who couldn’t be one.

He just left with his dad. The house is quiet. The dog went to take a nap. And I’m smiling about all the fun things we did. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the zoo. It is a lot of walking, but it’s worth it. We have a grandparents membership so we can go anytime.

Now, it’s back to our quiet Sunday, and hoping it’s a productive week. We will tell September goodbye, and greet October. We know how unpredictable the weather can be from now until about April, but that doesn’t send us anywhere warmer. We’d miss the grandkids who live here too much.

What do you have planned for today? Time with family and friends? Nieces and nephews? Grandkids? Parents? Whatever it is, I hope it’s great. Tell us in the comments.

Give us some ideas for a future blog. There could be a prize involved if your suggestion is used. Get on our Newsletter list for when we start sending specific news out about our books, publishing schedules, and plans for future manuscripts.

Until then, thanks for reading. I appreciate it.