Sliding Into Sunday

It’s been a fantastic three days. All the highs. All the lows that are really highs but you don’t realize it. What? It all depends on how you view events. I am grateful for all of it. Beginnings and endings that aren’t permanent endings. All the feelings that accompany them.

It’s amazing when you meet someone, then spend time with them. Every once in a while, you just know you can be friends. And then you reach out, they reach back, and you talk nonstop for a couple of hours. You could keep going but duty calls. What a great feeling!

I have a great deal of respect for Taylor Frye Ullom. She is the founder and Boss Lady of Guitars for Vets, Nebraska. Any vet who has PTSD can take guitar lessons with an individual instructor. Ten lessons and graduation later, they receive a new guitar and accessories, along with the opportunity to perform with others at a ceremony. I am blessed by attending several of their meetings over the last year and enjoying their music every chance I get. Thanks, Taylor. I love your honesty and candor. It’s refreshing.

We spent time at the Post Friday night for the weekly Fish Fry. Good to see the people, and the new crowd who attend. I did some office work since the group kindly prohibits me from bussing tables because of my chronic back issues. I protested and told them I can handle paper plates, but they insisted. Nice when friends look out for you. I appreciate the kindness.

We went to Gavin’s basketball game Saturday afternoon. He is getting better and better! At the first game, he scored a three pointer at the buzzer! How exciting! He was happy.

We all went to see an uncle of Tracy’s who is very close to the end of his life from congestive heart failure. He is the most active man, the best host, the best friend, and the best mentor. The Babe worked for him for many years, and they knew each other well. They two men were married to sisters.

When the Babe’s marriage didn’t work out, they remained friends and business associates. The Babe got his life straightened out and progressed at work. He became a lead man, then Labor Foreman. His brother-in-law is proudest of the soldier aspect of the Babe’s life. His service in the US Army in Vietnam, and his service now as Honor Guard Captain. Two men, stayed friends for years, despite what life threw at the two of them. What a gift.

I took this photo after we left our friend’s home last night. I believe the angels were telling us that was our goodbye on earth to him. He is ready. May God take him home soon. New friends and old friends. Are all part of our time here on earth. We need to recognize the angels telling us the stories and helping us with new beginnings and older transitions. We are blessed to experience both ends of the spectrum this weekend. Thank you for reading. Hope to see you again tomorrow. Blessings.

Simple Saturday

Many things are swirling around in my head this morning. Lots has occurred in the last 24 hours. First thing I’m thinking of my cousin Mike and how grateful they must be to have pulled off two wedding receptions in August and early September now that COVID is peaking again in Nebraska. Rules for bars are again, mask to enter building and leave, and mask to walk around in building.No more standing room only events. Events must drop to below 50% capacity. I would not be surprised if the bars and schools be closed again before Thanksgiving to slow the spread again. Our hospitals are nearing a much higher capacity than they want. I just pray to God we can get the election done, in the books, and move on to whatever is next.

Photo by Annie D on Pexels.com

Second, I’m thinking about Estes Park. It is one of our favorite places to make a destination. We love the nature, beauty, scenery, and people. Always something interesting going on. Flood visited there a few years ago, and now a two month old wildfire is calling for evacuations. Prayers for those folks, their families, property, and the wildlife. It all suffers during events like this.

Third, we had a great Post and Auxiliary meeting last week. Ron Hernandez, the founder of Moving Veterans Forward in the Omaha/Papillion area spoke to us about the Victory Apartments, and the other opportunities that are available for the Post to help him get off the ground that will serve Veterans locally. I see a lot of opportunity here for us and I’m excited about it.

I have some things to update for our Post website, and need some lessons from our Web Host, Image Masters. Luckily, the host with the most is my brother in law, Brad Shuck, and he’s always willing to teach me more about how the website works and can work. Great guy. Great photographer, too. He’s in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Check out his work.

Today is the day to make good on my intentions to bring in any plant that will perish with a frost. We’re due anytime, and I have some succulents that will be great inside the house. I don’t want to lose them. That’s for a little later on, and I might let them sit after spraying them for bugs to see what comes out, if anything. Then the transplanting can happen.

Even if we’re quarantined again it won’t be so bad. I’m already looking at grocery delivery, that’s the one thing I’m no longer crazy about doing. It’s kind of a hassle, and hard for me to carry a lot in from the car, after picking it up to put it in the cart, unloading cart, reloading cart with bags, putting bags in the car, that’s a lot of lifting and moving the same stuff to get home. I need to consult with our daughter Tracy to see how we can get started. She’s on to all the shopping stuff. Bless her!

Gavin Has Been Such a Blessing For Our Pups. And Organic Bones.

I’m organizing all my social media marketing information today, too. Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook are both used by the Post and by me as an Author. I’m starting up on both of them, so I figure planning them side by side should work. They are both meant to give exposure to the target audience. The Facebook is pretty well established for the Post, and my author page could use some boosting. I still have some online training to review and add to the plans, so that will be some good stuff to sit by the fire and do while the Babe watches football. This is what life is meant for. Being together and getting things accomplished. I’m grateful.

The second chapter seems to be pretty good so far. It’s about 1900 words, which is pretty fair. I don’t want to get hung up on word count, so I’m planning a little ahead. I don’t want to go much further than Chapter 3 before next Sunday night when I send Sam Tyler, my Book Coach, the updated versions for her feedback. I’ve mentioned before, if I’m way off track, I’d rather have just a chapter or two to rewrite than the whole book. Makes sense.

The Babe made some stellar Beef Vegetable Soup late yesterday. It’s reheating now in a great big soup pan. Tis the season for good stuff like that. It’ll be ready after a bit, and will be a welcome break from the morning. Of course, now that it’s afternoon, it’s time to get those plants inside. Life can be mundane, yet accomplishing those tasks gets things done, and you can move on to other tasks and relax. Ahhh. Saturdays. Even retired Saturdays are good.

Thank you for reading, it’s something else I’m eternally grateful for. We’ll meet you again tomorrow, with more tales of marketing myself, the Post, and being an author. Be Safe. Be Courteous. Be Patient. I’ll try to be, too.

Tuesday Morning

Hi, folks! It’s going to be another hot, humid day in Gretna, Nebraska here at the home office. It’s another Gavin day, too. We pick him up for lunch, drop his sister off at dance, hang out awhile, then take him home when Dad gets home from work. Ballgame tonight. I’m so happy he feels more comfortable with his team and understands he’s learning skills and the more he plays and practices, the better he’ll be. Dad and Mom are doing a great job helping him learn it won’t happen overnight. I do believe with his natural talent, and playing/practicing with his team, and more home coaching with Dad, he’ll be a great player some day.

I have to laugh at how the grandkids of a certain age (7 – 8) talk incessantly!) Addison used to say, “Grandma, guess what?” then share what she needed. Gavin is funny. He says, “Grandma, can I tell you something?” Not sure what he’d do if I said, “NO!” I just can’t do that to the kid.

I need to be pinning and quilting!

Today, I’m taking a break from writing except for this blog. Going to finish prepping my poppy quilt, which I haven’t revisited for a month or more. There are just not enough hours in a day to finish things. The mornings we don’t have Gavin, we may linger a little longer on the deck with coffee. It’s the best time of the day. The dogs are quiet. The day is just beginning. There is a lot of promise for the next 24 hours. There may be a nice breeze, blue skies. Birds singing. It’s great. I love it so much, it’s like being on vacation at a rental cabin. We were so lucky to find this house. I hope we can stay here for many, many years.

I have to say, I’m going to miss our neighbors when they move. We had some moving boxes Dan offered to them, the kind from Home Depot, that break down nicely. It’s getting real, now that the boxes are going to be filled. This couple is about our ages, and I hope we can keep in touch when they relocate. They are fun to talk with and have been so patient with our dogs. You can’t get better than that!

It seems I’ve “arrived.” I’m on someone’s snail mail list for “Professional Writers.” La-de-dah! There is a magazine called Poets and Writers, I can subscribe on the cheap. Might be worth looking at. I can always not renew. I have to confess, I don’t think I’m a good e-reader. It’s just not a magazine or book. I need it in my hands. I love the portability of a magazine or book. I know, I can carry 80k more on my Kindle. Well. Maybe I’ll do that someday.

It seems Lee Gutkind, the author of “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up” is also the founder/editor of “Creative Nonfiction Magazine.” This is another one I think would be very informative. Might look at a year’s worth of it, too. It’s all deductible. Why not? Gutkind explains things succinctly, something an author of creative nonfiction needs to achieve. Say more with less. Say it better with less. I need to learn that.

I love this kid!

Thank you for reading today. This is brief, we’re leaving to get the G-man so he can tell us stuff. You know, the heart of an 8 year old if open and totally honest. Wouldn’t miss it for the world! I’ll be here again tomorrow, see you then! Be Kind. Be Thoughtful. Wear a mask, Wash up.