Sunday Morniing Sunshine: When A Man Loves a Woman

 My husband is one of a kind. That's my opinion, of course, but it's true nonetheless. :) 

He's not only intuitive and discerning but also kind, loving, his own man, private and a person with a big heart. He'd go without shoes rather than deny me something I truly wanted. He picks the best cards and seldom forgets holidays, special occasions, and plain everyday thoughts of something to make me smile. 

Hence:  this wildflower, end-of-the-season bouquet he picked this week for me. No, they didn't last long, but they gave me a smile, a warm, happy moment, and he knew it. That was enough for him...

I love this man!

He brings sunshine into my life! 

Serious Wednesday: Schedules to Keep...or Not.

I try to keep a schedule every day. People can argue for or against a list/schedule. Some find it helpful and stick strictly to it while others shake in horror at such a thing, preferring to do "their own thing (way)".  Either way is fine--as long as it works.

For years, I lived haphazardly, meaning I did my chores and writing when and if I felt like it. But now, when a friend shared something she'd found--simple and easy with no strong strings attached--I've grown to love it and use it almost every day.

I call it Carole's Chore & Word Crawl, and no, I didn't develop it. I fill in the list with the date, several daily chores that I normally complete in a day, plus writing goals, etc. then at the bottom I include a record of my successful writing goals.

For me, that's a beneficial thing. Here are a few reasons why I do it and why it's good for me:

* I can schedule tasks and small writing goals intermittently throughout the day. 

* I can keep track of how well (or not) I'm doing on my writing.

* I can balance it so that I'm not working on writing all day nor doing chores all day without breaks.

* I can include whatever I want in this list.

* I know that sometimes I won't complete everything that's on my list, and that's okay.

* It gives me a confidence boost to sign off in the evening, knowing I've given it my best shot.

* And because I know I've been so successful at this so many times, I can forgive myself when I don't do so well now and then. 

* It's simple and easy to schedule every day.

* Plus there are days when I'm traveling, too many out-of-the-home events where a list is not feasible. 

Here's an example of what I may use on my list every day and remember each day may vary, depending on what I need to get done that day. Word counts usually exceed what I've suggested. Some chores may not get completed, and that's okay. I'll add them the next day or work it in some way. 

Carole's Chore and Word Crawl

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Rise, shower, dress, 30 mins:  

Devotions, 40 mins:  

Breakfast, 30 mins:  

Make bed, 5 mins: 

Open/delete email:

Social Media work:  

Write 100 words:  

Sweep, 30 mins: 

Write 100 words:  

Put clothes in the washer, 10 mins:  

Write 100 words:  

Do 1 blog post:  

Write 100 words:

ETC.

Word goal for the day:  (However much you'd like to complete that day)

Word count for the day:

Overall word count:  

That's just a short example of my schedule. Some days don't get a schedule, but most days I do. I don't always complete everything, but usually enough that I feel the satisfaction of a day well completed. Try it and see...

And best wishes! 

Sunday Morning Sunshine! Beauty Over the Lake

 And God made everything beautiful in His Time...

Ecclesiastes 3:11

True Beauty.

Sunday Morning Sunshine: Happy Labor Day!

 I hope you have a wonderful, safe and Happy Day! 

Celebrate, enjoy, and give thanks! 

Sunday Morning Sunshine: You're Going to Fast, Mrs...

 You're going too fast, Mrs. Summer. 

I know, I know. It's been a hot summer at times. The storms, fires, and weather, in period, have been disrupted and at times, rugged and hard. 

But I still insist, summer's going too fast. It's August! School has already edged it's way into our last bit of summer. Vacations are mostly over, although being empty-nesters, we can travel whenever we want. We're now staring Autumn, THEN winter in the face. And it's not my favorite season, so...

You're going too fast, Mrs. Summer. 

I love our summer hikes and cave tours. The picnics and 4th of July fireworks. The beach and golf cart rides at night at the resort. Camping and travel. Discovering new places we love. The warmth. The cook outs. Smores. Roasted hotdogs. Corn on the cob. Fresh greenbeans. Occasional canning. And more. 

So...slow down, Summer. 

You're going way too fast! 

Rambling Friday: Footlongs and Ice Cream

As many of you already know, I love my grandsons. They are special people and their grandfather and I have enjoyed many activities with them thru the years, whether small, simple and inexpensive to more elaborate times that take traveling, money and planning. 

One of my favorite things to do is pick up my grandson, Jonathan, from school and spend a little time with him. (We delivered our older grandsons to school and took them on special trips too when they were younger). If the weather is permissibly travelable, I like to do this once a week. Sometimes we go to town and visit the pet shops. Sometimes we stop for a quick small ice cream blizzard close to his school.  

This week, after I'd picked him up, I asked what he'd like to do. There's a Whit's IceCream Custard shop not too far away, and that's what he chose. (and, wow! Was their ice cream good!) We both ordered our choice of ice cream, but he informed me, being well-versed in their selections, that they had footlongs too. 

Now I don't eat much hot dog food, but we do enjoy now and then a good hotdog roast, or a footlong at a local dairy queen. I'm careful about how much is eaten because his mother is an excellent cook and prepares supper every night (in spite of the fact that she works two jobs). 

He didn't tell me he'd never had one from that shop: that information came later. :)  

We each ordered a footlong, and was it good! 

So ice cream and a footlong was our after-school outing. A fun time with a grandson and a time spent talking, laughing, teasing and relaxing. More bonding. More time to listen to his good times at school, his problems and building a grandparent/grandchild relationship.

I do love my grandsons! 

Serious Wednesday: Behind the Scenes

 Behind the Scene with Secondary Characters 

Boet

Creating characters for our books is extremely important, immeasurably valuable. Without the right character creations, a book will be boring and unnoticed by many. That's why authors must work diligently to create characters with vivid and correct personalities to suit their various duties in our books.

Let's talk about a few secondary characters—those creatures who support the protaganist(s) and antagonist(s). In my newest book: Catch Me If You Can, Book one of the Nursery Rhyme series, I have two I want to use as examples.

I love creating secondary characters in books. They seem to add a touch of spice to the whole story. For instance:

• 
  Take Jimbo: He's a Native American of the tribe of Blackfoot, intuitive, kind, knowledgeable of the area and of reading trail signs plus a good nature endears him to readers. I didn't make him weird or unworldly, but with an innate personality that knows his own mind and isn't threatened
  by anyone.

How does that affect the readers? They love him: his deep understanding of people, their troubled hearts, their spirituality, their hurt—all of that resonates with them. It makes him a very empathetic individual, one that readers can connect with.

• And then there's Boet (pronounced Boot): A little background here: when I first wrote Catch Me If You Can, Tara Layne (the protagonist) had a pet mouse given to her by her two brothers as a joke. BUT...when an editor suggested I use a different kind of pet, I went on the hunt for the perfect pet. Once I'd decided on a cat as Tara's pet, I did a lot of research and came across an article about Savannah cats. I was impressed, not only by their behavior and attitudes but that this cat was the perfect pet for her.

And what is the response to Boet from readers? Well, he's one of their favorites. His antics, intelligence, and overall personality win them over.

Secondary characters are vastly important in books. I've found myself caring more about them, sometimes, than I do the main ones. And why's that, you ask?

Because they're not restricted in behaving in a way that leads to results. They can be as quirky or hateful as you portray them, and people will still love them because of that distinct difference.

Think about it. Who doesn't love a cat who leaves perfectly good clues for their detective and then nonchalantly walks away? He's done his job, now it's up to this person to do his. And all the time, he's gaining the attention of readers who wish he belonged to them. As is his right.

Smart cat! Fascinating characters!