Strange Creatures

There
There when you have a need
Could live anywhere
Patient
Tells it like it is when necessary
Soothes
Listens
Asks for nothing in return
Laughs with you
Cries with you
Gives surprises at times
Beyond measurable value
Sometimes an unsung hero (heroine)
Sometimes in the shadows
Sometimes pushing so others can fly
But always there
A cheerleader
Ugly, fat, skinny, beautiful, quiet, loud, old, young
Encourages
Lectures occasionally
Never says "I told you so"
Gives
Loves
Puts up with


A very strange creature . . .

A friend.



Quote:
There is nothing better than the encouragement of a good friend. --Katherine Butler Hathaway


Blessings!

Stuck in the Mire . . .

I spent a week trying to re-write my third romance. Parts of it, that is.

I had less than half of 40,000 + words to go. I was determined to get this done so I could move on.

And hit a snag.

Here's what happened.

This is the third novel in a romance series, short length. I needed Andy, the male, and Caroline (hmmm?), the female to have an argument. And couldn't come up with a plausible one!

I took them to the scene, but I couldn't work through the episode of Andy getting mad at Caroline's actions. It wouldn't come. For almost two weeks I struggled.

At last I began typing something--anything, just to get it on paper.

It turned out Andy wasn't the one who was suppose to get "mad." It was Caroline. I had her have the problem, send poor Andy on his way. And the words began flowing again. Now I'm within three chapters of finishing. Should have it done in two weeks, if not this week.

Yeah.

That's the joy of writing.

Snags.
Slogging through the muddy blocks of nothing.
Enjoying the breakthroughs.
And writing.



Quote:
Those who don't know how to weep with their whole heart, don't know how to laugh either. --Goldie Meir


Blessings!

The Boss

We've got a boss at our house.


Taffy.

She's a Jack Russell.

Or at least that's what she looks like and acts like. We have no papers to prove. Have no idea where she came from. Who might have abandoned her. If she ran off. If she was dropped off!

But we love her to pieces.

She's very vocal, letting us and the world know that she's the boss.
She's intelligent.
Protective (oh, my!)
Fearless. (The pint-size thing!)
Has high energy.
She's outgoing and friendly (most of the time)
Has no tolerance for even pretend abuse.
She's territorial to other animals.
And cat aggressive. (Poor Tipper and Simon. She romps with them. Straddles them and proceeds to nip, chase, and box with them.)

Noah, the big collie, is about a million (slight exaggeration) times bigger than Taffy, but just let us decide to play fetch with him. You'd think she was one very angry female. Nipping at his heels and barking fiercely at him. Unless he's in a playful mood (when he lifts his front paw and tries to hold her down--probably thinking "hey, I'm the big one around here!), he ignores her.

Doesn't matter if she has her own bone, if Noah has one, she wants it. She'll sit a little distance off, wait until he's occupied, or turns his head, then darts in to nab it.

She tears out of the house at the sound of anything, barking like she'll tear that monster apart! She hassles poor Mackie to death!

She nudges and pushes and squeezes until she gets Tipper (the cat) off hubby's lap.
She runs to get between any other animal and us. After all, we belong to her! And I've seen her try to stop animal arguments. True!

Sigh. But she's a sweetheart. Can't imagine her not being in our lives.



Quote:
It takes a lot of things to make you smart, but only one thing to prove you are ignorant. --Don Herott



Blessings!

Top of the Morning!

Today was one of those days. Nostalgic and delightful. Made me think of my ice skating days!

I went to work on a (school--laugh) two-hour delay. Seriously, snow started falling early on and before long we had about an inch and a half. Roads were bad but not too many travelers seem to find it bad enough to slow down.

The weather was cold, but not bitter. And with the snow--it was a perfect winter morning!

A day to walk in the snow and cold. A day to curl up with a good book. A day to discuss your dreams and hopes with someone you love. A day to play with the babies.

A good day.

And you know, when I read DJ's comment, I remembered something. I've got to do some things because I want to, because I need to, because I like to.

And I like to blog--most times.



Quote:
No life is so hard that you can't make it easier by the way you take it. --Ellen Glasgow


Blessings!

Where Am I?


My hubby has a character in one of his children's books called Chipper who gets amnesia after hitting his head on a rock in a creek. His adventures are fun and exciting leading up to his memory return.

No, I don't have amnesia. But I am wondering where I'm going with this blog.

The questions I'm pondering: who's reading and what's the point?

If I'm not gaining readers, if I'm not accomplishing something, what is the point?
Some of you are faithful. Some participate in contests. Some comment (either . . . you know the drill. LOL)

But am I wasting my time?

I'm contemplating working with another writer on a blog. It will gear toward writing. There won't be a lot of personal items on it. It will be a working blog.

So should I keep this one, too?

You'll know in a few days. . .


Quote: Something deep within all of us yearns for God's beauty, and we can find it no matter where we are. --Sue Monk Kidd


Blessings!

Singing the Flu . . . oops, Blues!


Well-known
Common
Lots of silly myths about it

What am I talking about? The flu season is here (yikes!)
I hate being sick, rebounding emotion from fighting a cold for about seven weeks! I'm like a paranoid guard, always scared I'm going to get something or the other. And the thoughts of getting the flu--well, ick! No, thanks.

Here's 12 flu myths we'll swat away!

• The flu is annoying but harmless. Yeah, right. You usually feel terrible! Congestion, cough, nasty body aches, fever, the feeling you've been hit by a Mack truck. Serious complications: 200,000 people hospitalized; 36,000 killed.
• The flu vaccime can give you the flu. Wrong. Flu vaccines only contain dead virus; it can't infect you. Many times the side effects are taken for flu.
• There is no treatment for the flu. If you get to the doctor within 48 hours of contracting the flu, an antiviral medication can help.
• Antibiotics can fight the flu. (As I tell my smart hubby all the time . . .) Antibiotics only fight bacterial infections. The flu is not caused by bacteria, but by a virus. Sometimes you'll develop secondary conditions (ear infections, bronchitis, sinusitis, pneumonia--these can be treated with antibiotics).
• The flu is only dangerous to the elderly. True that the people most likely to become seriously ill (or die froma the flu are those over 65, but it can be risky for anyone.
• "Stomach flu" is a form of influenza. No relation. If you have vomiting and diarrhea, but no fever or body aches, you probably don't have the flu.

Influenza virons magnified

• If you get the flu once during the flu season, you can't get it again. The "flu" isn't a single virus. Three's usually a Type A and a Type B in circulation. Flu shots are the thing for protection.
• If you're young and healthy you don't need a flu shot. Nonsense. Anyone can get the flu. It's a virus!
• You can skip years between flu vaccinations. Nope. Other diseases, yes. The vaccines last longer, but not for the flu. Because of so many different strains of flu that are dominant every year.
• Vaccines are dangerous. No study has ever found a link between developmental disorders in children with vaccines.
• Cold weather causes the flu. The flu is prevalent in the cold weather season, but there's no connection. Maybe because we're inside more?
• If you haven't gotten the flu vaccine by November, there's no point in getting vaccinated. Sorry, that's not the case. (As I should know, I got the flu one year in February!) Sometimes the flu doesn't hit its peak until February (or even March!).

Influenza spreads by aerosols created by coughs or sneezes.

There's your medical lesson for today. Now take heed!





Quote:
The quieter you become, the more you can hear. --Ram Dass


Blessings!

Not Dead

If any of you have checked this blog, I haven't died (yet!). I've been having server problems (enough to scream over. LOL) But finally, after talking to a million (slight exaggeration! Smile) "agents" of the telephone company, I think we've (with son #one's help) got it solved.

I heard back from the first person who won a December interview book, and she loved Molly Noble Bull's book "Winter Pearl." I told you she was a great writer and such a nice person. Molly deserves all the praise we can send her way!

We're getting a beautiful set of stairs in our house. That's part of the remodeling I moaned about in an earlier post. It's turning into what I believe will be a gorgeous focal point of attention when anyone enters our front door. I love it!

And warm weather today was a welcome relief from the cold last week. I let a couple of our outside dogs loose for about two and a half hours. They loved it. Mackie is such a sweet heart (mix bull terrier). When I was ready to tie him up, he came when I called and stood still till I hooked him up.

Molly (the chow mix) on the other hand, is old and hard hearing. She came when I motioned, but I'm sure she didn't realize I wanted to tie her up or she would have hid. She loves to be loose; can't have that. Remember when she went to the neighbors to visit and we had to look all over the place for her?

And, last for today: had a visitor today? Looked out the window this morning, and there on the back porch was a big fat raccoon eating the cat food. Snuggles, my fat gray and white, long-haired cat, sat on the edge of the porch watching Coonie. Probably wondering what the animal was eating all the food. Between me and Noah, we chased him off, but he'd better look out, cause hubby'll be after his hide if he's not careful!


After Christmas Shopping Hints:

• Overstock items: look for less than the best known name brand models. Still good value items that stores are anxious to get off their shelves for clearage.
• Soon-to-be-clearance items: Stores want to constantly stock new products, so they have to clear out current products from warehouses and stores as quickly as possible. Big savings here!
• Gift Returns/Exchanges: Stores want to get rid of these as quickly as possible. Just make sure all contents of packages are present. Check to see all electrical items work before buying.
• Old Display Models: Stay away from certain items, and make sure you can purchase an extended service plan for the unit, all accessories and the manual are included.
• Product Service Comebacks: Displays that were damaged and repaired should have a sticker (looks like a UPC code placed on the unit itself).

Quote:

There are people who have money and people who are rich. —Coco Chanel

Blessings!

Did You Set Them?

New Year's Resolutions, that is.

I did and didn't.

I'd call them goals that I've set for 2008.

Here's a few of them:

• Try to spend more time with God.
• As my literary agent and her assistant wished me for Christmas: a sucessful published year. Oh, yeah!
• To finish the three books I'm currently working on--soon! (one romance, one cozy, and one historical suspense)

1. Once I finish the romance, I'll be done with romance for awhile, unless another idea hits me, and I hope not. I've got several others that need to be worked on.
2. The cozy is just the first in a series, so who knows about that?
3. And the historical suspense is the first in a three-book series about three red-headed sisters.

• To begin soon (before spring?) the second in my CMIYC suspense. Since this is a long book, I need (want? hmmm) to get going on it.
• To finish printing out hubby's (and mine) children's stories (his are adventure, mine character traits)
• To learn the something new I've got my eye on.
• To figure out how to get my fish pond biologically sound. Sigh.
• I just read a great hint today about plotting a novel. Since I'm a pantster (one who writes as the ideas come -- a very simplified definition), that does a little plotting, but not a lot, this might be a great way to keep from hitting a writing plateau or a snag. I'm anxious to try it on the remainder of my books I need to finish.
• Once my new writing area at home is finished, I'm going to try to get more organized. I hate having boxes of my "stuff" sitting around. I hope to make it cozy, quiet, homey, and an encouraging place to write.

There you have it. A few of the goals I hope to accomplish. Will I succeed? Maybe. Maybe not. But I'll never know till I try. One of my favorite sayings is: Shoot for the stars.

And, no, I haven't forgotten about the other books. Shar McClaren's and Lena N. Dooley (two). I'm giving this week for comments, emails, personal, phone. If you haven't commented, it's not to late to get ahold of me some way.

Communication hints (good for kids, hubby, wife, etc.)

Listen:

• Stop what you're doing when the other person is talking, and pay attention
• Don't interrupt
• Don't prepare what you'll say while the other person is speaking
• Reserve judgment until he/she has finished and has asked, or expects, a response.

Look:

• Be aware of the other person's facial expressions and body language. This will help you know how the person is feeling.
• During the conversation, ackowledge what the person is saying by moving your body forward if you're sitting; touch a shoulder if you're walking; or nod your head and make eye contact.

Respond:

• Watch how you respond with words. "You should" "You're wrong" "If I were you" are ways that put the other person on the defense.
• Don't ignore subjects even if you don't want to talk about it.
• Sometimes it's better to listen than to respond verbally. Maybe the person just wants to get something off his chest.
• Make sure you understand. Repeat for confirmation if necessary.

Quote: A new year is unfolding—like a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within.
Lord, let this year be filled with the things that are truly good—with the comfort of warmth in our relationships, with the strength to help those who need our help and the humility and openness to accept help from others.
As we make our resolutions for the year ahead, let us go forward with great hope that all things can be possible—with Your help and guidance. --anonymous

Blessings!