Sunday, December 31, 2017

End of the year check in – ready for 2018!

Maui sunset - so long 2017!
I’m working on my list of intentions for 2018, while reviewing my list from 2017, and the task immobilized me as I thought to myself…another year gone just like that!  I can only shake my head, amazed that each year seems to go by more quickly than the year before.

So how did I do with my 2017 intentions? 

When I look at the focus of my 2017 list, which included writing, health, self-care, family and fun, it is apparent that health (mine and Piper’s) and self-care almost completely took over my attention.  My back issues made me look much closer at my health so that I focused more on what could help me heal, which has led to improving my core strength and knowledge about what types of movements and also which types of foods can cause me more pain due to inflammation in my spine.  Physical therapy and restorative yoga have been helpful and while I still have my limitations, I am thankful I’m getting better. 

Family and fun ran a close second, with my son returning home from Hawaii, as well as family trips to Disney World in Florida and Universal Studios in California.  In addition, trips to Vegas, the beach, the zoo, Mt. Rainier, and family get-togethers kept our schedules pretty full.  It has definitely been a busy year with visits to a lot of fun places.

Writing and reading are always part of my day, in one form or another, but I did not accomplish nearly what I had hoped for this year.  I was able to complete the fourth book in the series, but wasn’t able to get it published before the end of this year, as I had hoped.  Which means my young adult novel and another book in the mystery series will have to be my main focus next year once the fourth in the series is finally published.  I dislike that I’m behind where I had hoped to be by this time, but one focus for this year was to learn to let go.  It is what it is, and all I can do is let go of any negative thoughts and move forward from here.

And moving forward I will go.

When I made my list of intentions for this past year, I also made a list of words, in addition to writing and reading that came to me when I thought about the upcoming days of 2017.  Now that I look at it, the list was pretty long, but as I review the past year, I see I was able to focus on most of them at least a few times throughout the year.  My monthly check at the end of April touched on strength and movement, less clutter, being present, finding beauty, creating, reflection, family, travel, and adventure.  My bi-yearly check in shared my thoughts on balance, growth, focus, gratitude, being mindful, dreaming, less chaos, being brave and letting go.  October hit on fun and the need to recharge.  I now notice a few I did not write about; one is laughter, but I can guarantee that item is not missing in my life.  However, there are a few others - less stress, more sleep, forgiveness and contentment – that appear to have missed their debut post this year.

Well, forgiveness is a personal journey, and a work in progress, but isn’t something I will likely ever write about here.  The others, though…less stress, more sleep and contentment, are a reflection of how I react or feel based on what is going on with my life.  Now that I’m preparing for the beginning of 2018, I realize that these particular three will come into play this next year given the fact that I have made a decision that will greatly affect my routine and creative life.  I’m going to have more time to focus on my writing, and because I will no longer be stretching myself thin, I expect it will result in my feeling less stressed (because I do get stressed when I have limited time to focus on writing), and more sleep (because I am less stressed), which will lead to contentment with my days as a writer. 

Big changes will result in big expectations for myself but I am excited to move on to a new year with the knowledge that these changes will pave the way so that I can focus on what I am passionate about, and be able to accomplish more as I live a creative life.  I am so ready for the New Year!

Happy New Year and cheers & best wishes as you close out the year and move on to the next!!


 


Sunday, November 26, 2017

Reading, journaling and photo challenges, oh my!


Clouds provide plenty of photo ops

It’s the last day of a long weekend, the longest of the year for most, and we now have another holiday under our belts and will soon be celebrating the next. 

But for now, it's a good day to stay in, so I’m enjoying this last non-busy, non-stressful, no-need-to-drive-anywhere-if-I-don’t-want-to kind of day. Yesterday I spent a full afternoon working on my novel and felt incredibly accomplished by the end of the day. Today, I am leaving what I do to the moment or mood and right now, I feel like blogging, while listening to Christmas music. Yes, I'm one of those people this year.  J

As we’re about to move on to the last month of the year, I’ve been thinking about where I am with regard to the goals and mindful intentions I made early this year. Will I have made good use of the 365 days as we close out another year? I’ll be posting my end-of-the-year update next month; some goals I completed, others I’m still working on or maybe haven’t even begun, but I’ll share more about what tools I’m using to reach my goals (or work toward reaching them) with regard to my specific mindful intentions for 2017.

In the meantime, the month of November was about spending time with family, focusing on health (there’s so much crud going around!), and writing.Oh, and reading, of course. And journaling. And taking in the moment to capture photos here and there when the mood strikes me. 

While I’m always reading one or two fiction novels at a time, I’m also reading the non-fiction book, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. I’ve already read the book, but I decided to join an online book club challenge and it’s the book they proposed. I decided I liked the idea of reading the book again along with other creative women and hearing how they interpret or relate to it. In the process I may have also found an online writing community, so that’s a plus.

I’ve also been working on a journal that is probably the most difficult one yet…I’m trying to decide whether or not I want to start a bullet (or dot) journal. Not what you expected me to say when you think of difficult journaling? Well, it is. I use paper planners. I love them…I’m a paper planner fanatic, sad to say. But I also make tons of to-do lists or lists in general, constantly, and not always in my planner because the planners don’t accommodate me in that regard. Which means my planner is usually full of loose pages of lists. So, I’ve been looking at the idea of bullet journaling, and began a “test” project for these last three months of 2017 to see whether I’d like it, or stick with it, before I decide to commit to a whole year. So far, the jury is still out. I like the idea, and I know it could probably be the best fit for me with everything I need to keep track of, but it’s a huge change from what I’ve been use to. Either way, I have another month to go; we’ll see what happens.

This time of year can be really stressful for many and lately I’ve felt an aversion to anything that has too much negativity, raging opinions or commercialization. I’m “this close” to unsubscribing from a number of people who clog my inbox with buy-my-latest-item emails and when it comes to social media, I’m more in love with Instagram since I first began using it. Rarely does a post on Instagram make me frown or cringe and I like using it to share my own photos. I enjoy taking photographs because it’s a great way to get caught in the moment, find the beauty where you are and enjoy time to yourself while you capture what draws your attention away from this noisy life. December is the time when we reflect on the year as a whole and I look forward to taking part in another December Reflections challenge by author/blogger/photographer Susannah Conway. This month-long challenge is a mixture of photography and journaling…so, of course, I love it. It’s also a great way to look back on the year, whether in photos or with journal prompts, in preparation for how I’m going to approach the coming New Year.

But now I’m getting ahead of myself – I’ll enjoy these last few days in November before diving into the month of December. 

Whether you read, write, journal, take photos or all of the above, I hope you’re able to find time during this busy season to let the moment or mood strike you in order to enjoy some extra quality time to yourself.


Sunday, November 5, 2017

An extra hour with snow is my kind of day!

An extra hour in the day – it can feel like a gift, those extra sixty minutes. If I have to admit to how I used my extra hour today, it’s probably the time I spent going outdoors to take photos of the snow we were treated to this morning and sharing those photos on social media with my friends and family. October treated us to some very nice weather, but November appears to have other ideas, having shown its hand with a dusting of snow as early as the second day of the month and a good amount today. 
1st good snow of 2017

If I had to pick one of my favorite weekends of the year, this is one of them, because I love the idea of getting an extra hour in my day. Sometimes I use it wisely, other times I don’t, but I like the idea of it, just the same. Of course, six months from now when we turn our clocks back, I often wonder why the heck we still take part in daylight savings because I thoroughly dislike the idea of actually losing a whole hour of my day.

But do we have to wait for daylight savings to gain that extra hour? Or can we easily find an extra hour or more every week depending on how we use our time? 

Well, of course it depends on whether we use our time wisely; it’s just not always that simple.

I’ve come to recognize that the concept of time management is going to be a lifelong work in progress; there’s just no getting around that. Not because it’s a difficult concept to learn, but because life happens. Things change. You may get to a place where you have it all figured out but then discover you have to adjust your schedule around new obligations, other people, different schedules. What you learn is how to adjust your expectations of how to manage your time depending on what you currently need to account for.

As we move into this new month, I’m preparing myself so that I can stay on task. October had a lot going on, and I don’t expect November to be any different. What I have always liked about November is that it can be a good month to find the extra time to stay in and write and is also the reason taking part in NaNoWriMo can work for me. However, with many things to focus on currently, both personally and professionally, I had to admit to myself that I just wouldn’t be able to find the extra time needed to join and commit to NaNoWriMo this month. 

Sometimes you just have to acknowledge that while you may be able to find extra time in the day, you might not be able to find time for everything you’d like to do. I gave up joining NaNoWriMo for that reason. I feel good about my decision and I know there’s always next November, or even Camp Nano in the spring or summer before that if I so choose.

Instead, I’ll be completing the tasks necessary to publish the fourth book in the Jorja Matthews’ mystery series, as well as other to-do’s I need to focus on in order to prepare for the end of the year. This upcoming New Year will include many changes for me, leaving me with a lot to complete in order to accommodate these changes. As those who know me are aware, I’m not one to nonchalantly take on change, so I’m making good use of the time I have to prepare myself. Regardless of the fact that change is coming and my time management skills will again be put to the test, it is all positive and exciting and I am eager to see what this next year has in store.

In the meantime, I think I’ll make more use of my extra time today to enjoy taking more photographs. 

Have a great week!



Sunday, October 22, 2017

The season begins with fun, frights & fitness

I guess the letter of the day is F!  Sorry, couldn’t help myself…

The month of October has been a mixture of fitness and fun, both of which are competing with my time to write on the weekends. Other than the months I’ve taken part in NaNoWriMo, if I look back at this season for the past five years, I’m fairly certain I’ll find that it is not always the most productive when it comes to writing. 

Horror Nights in CA
The fall and holiday season is my favorite time of the year, hands down, and this year I finally decided to take part in something I’ve been interested in attending for a long time: Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. I love Halloween and I enjoy scary movies so the chance to finally see what Horror Nights was all about was like a dream come true. And I was not disappointed. It’s really difficult to put into words just how much fun we had or how incredible the haunted mazes were, especially when the mazes are based on some of my favorite horror movies. For those of you who don’t enjoy Halloween or horror movies, or being frightened…period, I’m sure it’s hard to imagine taking part in this sort of experience, but for me it was a fantastic way to start the season. Speaking of the season, for those of you who do enjoy Halloween and ghost stories, don’t forget to check out my short ghost story if you haven’t already: 1313 Psycho Path ($0.99 e-book or $5.50 paperback).

Mt. Rainier near Paradise

That’s how we started out the month with fun, and only a week later added fun with fitness with some day hiking at Mt. Rainier. This spectacular mountain is a majestic offering from nature that is basically in my back yard, so to speak. Some of the trails were clear, if just a little damp from trees constantly dripping moisture, while further up the mountain we hit a good amount of snow, which gets me in the mood for Christmas. J Only a week before I was strolling around in California wearing shorts and sandals, but on the mountain hiking boots, jeans and layers on top were a necessity. The mountain was impressive, as always, with views that only awe and inspire. I look forward to returning, especially in the spring when a new season and showcase of beauty will be waiting for me and my camera.



I’ve also had to focus more on fitness during the work weeks this month, because I finally began physical therapy for my back. Not only do I have a back injury I’m trying to heal without surgery, the amount of sitting from my day job and my writing can increase the pain I’m in, which is really an issue when I’m trying to stay put and remain focused on a project. Just writing this post has taken me much longer than normal, since I’ve had to get up and walk around at least a handful of times to try to walk off the pain I’m feeling in my lower back. 

Oh the joys of injuries and aging…but I’m optimistic. I like what physical therapy is doing for me, I’m still able to partake in yoga, and I’ve always enjoyed walking so I’m happy it’s an activity that doesn’t hurt. With some other changes I’ll be making, I expect to make great strides in my health when the New Year begins.   

Life is all about balance – so this weekend we stayed put, giving me the extra time needed to write, to blog and relax a bit. Sometimes we need to get away to switch things up and sometimes we just need to stay home to recharge.

I hope this weekend you’re either taking part in something fun, or using the time to unwind.  Either way, enjoy the day!



Sunday, October 1, 2017

Carrying on with calm – another book event under my belt

The month of September was not lacking when it came to how busy life can get in a single month.  My head is spinning a little when I look back at the past 30 days. When it comes to my personal life, my day job and my writing, there has been a lot going on lately!

While the days are busy, much of my attention has involved making changes so that I can more effectively focus on my writing career. That includes getting myself back out there as an author. The first part of September I attended a writer’s conference – a much-needed day out to mix and mingle with other like minds and to meet and learn from seasoned and bestselling authors. And then a few days ago I had my first book signing in…quite some time, now that I recall the last book club meeting I attended as a guest speaker.    

I had at first only called this most recent event an author meet and greet. My expectation was that maybe only a handful of the attendees would have heard about me or even read any of my books beforehand. The exposure, as well as the practice of speaking in front of a group, can only be a good thing, so I was more than willing to take part when one of the residents wanted to schedule an event so that other residents of the community could meet me.

I should have been more nervous before arriving but, honestly, I didn’t have much time to think about it because I had worked at the office that morning, taken a long lunch to attend the Celebration of Life for my great uncle who had passed away a few months ago, and then spent a few more hours at work before heading to the venue.

When I arrived and entered the room where the event was to take place, I barely had time to prepare myself because the room was already full of people! Apparently there was a snafu with the time and many of those who were present thought the event was set to begin a half hour earlier than the agreed upon time, so that when I arrived to get set up, they were all waiting for me to begin.

This is where my lessons in life come in handy. I just had to go with the flow…you know the saying: keep calm and carry on.

Since two different times may have been posted and there were others who were still likely to arrive, the host asked me to hold off until our agreed time, just in case. My husband was with me and he took it upon himself to entertain the early attendees with stories and humor about the two of us and his perspective as the husband of an author. I wasn’t able to listen to all of what he said, but based on the amount of laughter I heard, I could tell he was doing a fantastic job.

When the time came to begin the event, and even more attendees had arrived, I was humbled by the number who had come to meet and hear from me. My husband told me that there were close to 40 attendees present, which is a terrific turnout for someone who is still at the beginning stages of getting their name out there. I shared with the group my journey as a writer and while I couldn’t recall now exactly what I covered during that hour, I pretty much spoke from the heart. I had a great time and afterwards, as I met some of the attendees on an individual basis, I felt good about the fact that they appeared to have enjoyed themselves as well.

With another book event under my belt, and the number of chances I was given that entire day to lose focus or falter, I feel great about the fact that I was able to keep calm and carry on. I’m still learning as I go, but what’s great is that I’m paying attention and able to make use of what I’m learning.  J

Until next time, carry on and have a great week!



Sunday, September 24, 2017

When social media “speaks” to you

I have a love-hate relationship with social media and I’m likely not alone with my feelings. Over the past several years, as I’ve continued to grow as an author, I’ve read many posts and books about how or why we should use social media in our endeavors as we try to get our name out to readers. 

For me, it’s still a work in progress and since the “rules” and available media tend to change on a regular basis, a WIP it will always be. 

I’ve stuck with Facebook, not because I particularly like it but because it’s what I know. I have continued to use this blog, although I’m still trying to figure out what I’m doing right when some months have a huge spike in interest above others – which means trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong the rest of the time. I have not dabbled with Twitter, at all, because I honestly don’t have the mental energy for it. Pinterest interests me, because I like the concept, but if I ever try it, it will be for my own use to pin what helps me with my stories. And I thoroughly enjoy Instagram, but only personally, as I have yet to become daring enough to use it for my author self.

There are more options, but who the heck has the time to keep up with all of them while also writing and publishing books? Some authors do, I’m aware, but possibly because they have a team of people helping them. It’s too much for just one person to tackle on a regular basis and any attempt to do so will eventually result in major burnout.

When I think about the above options, I realize Instagram is my favorite because it is the only social media I take part in that never irritates me. I enjoy the photos, videos and quotes all shared by those I follow. Other than some new ads that now pop up every so often that I may not be interested in, Instagram has been quick to figure out what I like or don’t like so that even the ads aren’t rubbing me the wrong way. Hopefully, that won’t change.

Facebook, on the other hand, is a different story. And I’m talking about my personal page, not my author page. There’s just too much when it comes to drama, opinion, politics, anger, belittling, negativity and photos or videos shared that I don’t particularly wish to see. The world can be an ugly place and I’m not saying we all need to hide our heads when it comes to what’s going on around us, but FB is all very subjective and I’m tired of using any social media that embodies that ugliness as a whole. Some might say I need new friends, or I should follow more positive pages; but that’s the point…my friends and pages I follow aren’t the issue. Since FB tends to pick and choose what you get to see, I’ve seen more of a trend of the ugly over the inspiring. I guess it’s what FB believes followers like to read.

So I was surprised this morning when I decided to view my FB news feed. After scrolling through a few updates from friends and family, there appeared before me posts with a more positive theme…one after another, again and again, these were the types of messages I was reading:

To be happy let go of what’s gone, be grateful for what remains and 
look forward to what is coming next

Life should not be a journey to the grave… (basically, make it a life worth living)

8 things to remember when going through tough times…

Let it go…

...breathe – don’t quit

Life is beautiful – soak it in and be grateful

Find yourself again

Now, I don’t require a pep talk from FB every day, but it was nice to scroll through my news feed and see these types of positive messages over the more negative ones. I’ll be making some serious changes in my life soon and it was a breath of fresh air – a positive push, even from random feed on social media, can help you feel you’re headed in the right direction. 

Will this change how I use Facebook? I won’t quit my FB timeline, but monitoring the news feed still won’t be a daily habit since I doubt this positive feed trend will continue. My timeline and my Instagram feed are more than enough for me right now. 

So did my social media “speak” to me this morning or was I just on the lookout for what might inspire me and answer some internal questions?  I’m not going to admit to my computer or any social media having that much power over me…instead I’ll chalk it up to pure coincidence.  One of my favorite quotes about a coincidence is:



Coincidence it will be.  J

Happy scrolling – and have a great week!


Sunday, September 10, 2017

Always a student, in life and in art

Life is full of lessons, along with a number of sides you look forward to or hope to avoid, and topped with promises and regrets. Regardless of the lessons we experience, we will usually learn something from them, whether about others or about ourselves and hopefully any change we go through is only for the better.

I’ve had my share of life lessons the past few years and while I’m not exactly sure how someone else might describe how these experiences have changed me, I would say that the lessons I’ve learned have brought about an intense desire to switch things up so that I can experience life differently. It’s been a work in progress, with some bumps and bruises along the way, but I am eagerly moving toward making those changes happen.

When we experience a change in ourselves, it may be immediate or gradual, or we may not notice it at all while others around us do. What we can only hope for, really, is that we don’t remain stagnant or unwilling to learn or refuse to understand how an experience has affected us.

That’s the way it is in life.

And that’s the way it is in fiction.

When life is hard, for readers anyway, we enjoy escaping by reading. Taking part in the lives of characters who are going through possibly similar experiences, or even if they aren’t, who are going through some sort of adversity which will help us take our mind off our own problems for a bit.

Characters we read about, with needs, fears, issues and family drama, jump off the page when we read about them, and if the book is written well, they appear to us as real individuals we continue to think about even when we aren’t reading. Books are truly magic and a great break from reality. 

As with real people, characters should not remain stagnant.  Readers appreciate changes in a character; it makes them more believable. As a writer, I get lost in the story I want to tell and might not always appreciate the fact that my characters, who are like real people to me, may not be showing the reader how much an experience has changed them. Or are they changing, but I’m not aware of it as much as I should be in order to express it on the page? I need to have a serious conversation with my characters, if that’s the case. J As an author, I’m continuing to learn the tricks of the craft and the art of writing and while I continue to learn, I trust it will benefit my characters and beyond that, those who enjoy my books.

This bit of insight, which I knew but might have gotten off track from, is the result of my time spent at a writer’s conference yesterday.  Attending these conferences never fails to increase my desire to continue to learn because I am reminded there is so much more to writing than just writing. It may seem daunting, I certainly won’t ever know everything, but while I continue to learn I’ll become a better writer and continuous learning will only feed my desire to live a creative life during my journey as an author.    

It's time for me to get back to being creative. Have a great week and keep reading!


Sunday, September 3, 2017

One of the most difficult posts I’ll ever write…

Hi everyone – I had thought that my update for the month of September would be to fill you in on my book status and when the fourth book in the series might be available, or how the writer’s conference went or even how my own book event turned out.

But I’m writing now, sooner than I expected to, in order to share the saddest news to you from my author self. I’ve suffered another loss, and this time it has affected me in a way I hadn’t put any thought in to when I first began to write my mystery series.

Piper - using her paw to get my attention
I’ve shared with you in previous posts about my dog, Piper, who has dealt with some health issues the past few months. Piper is also the only “real” character in my mystery series and I have thoroughly enjoyed adding her cuteness to the personality of her fictional alter ego. 

Sadly, the issues that continued to plague Piper came back with a vengeance this past week. We attempted another surgery to remove the infection, and a new mass in her neck, but I’m heartbroken to share that a few days after surgery, complications arose and there was nothing more we could do. I was with her when she passed, I’m so thankful for that, but saying goodbye was gut wrenching for me. She was my little shadow, my muse, my writing buddy (always lying on the floor in the office with me when I was plugging away these past five years) and her absence will be felt…Every. Single. Day.

When I first began writing this series and decided to add Piper as a character, I never thought about what it would mean to me if something ever happened to her. Whether or not I could continue to write about her, no longer having her by my side. Whether I could continue to share her personality traits or quirks in the series, when I wasn’t around her to see them firsthand every day. 

Whether I’d want to continue to share parts of her with others, when I couldn’t have her here for myself.

These thoughts had never occurred to me…

Admittedly, as I review my latest novel and read over what I wrote about Piper in the story, it’s difficult. I want her here, with me. Admittedly, it’s only been two days and I need some time to heal. However, when I sat down today to work on my book, and as I let myself become immersed in the story, something happened I did not expect. It felt good to read about her. It felt good to imagine her healthy…hanging out with her owner, going for walks, playing outside, riding in a vehicle. Doing what dogs do, rather than how I’ve seen her the past few months due to her illness.

And I felt her here, with me. 

She’s no longer physically here with me, but she will always be by my side, in spirit at least. As a “character” in my series, the memory of her will continue to live on through my books, and because of that, she will live forever.

Sunday, August 20, 2017

August antics as summer winds down

Seriously, this summer is just flying by – how about you? Are you finding it hard to believe the month of August is already half over?

The past few weeks have just been a continuation of a very busy summer – with no rest for the weary!

This month I’ve been working through the edits on the fourth book in my series, and preparing the book for a final run through. I’ve really enjoyed the feedback from my editor and as much as I dislike editing my own work, I’m remembering how much fun it is to work through edits from my editor.  It’s also such a great learning tool for me – and feedback from a professional is so helpful when it can make you sit back and review your work from the viewpoint of another.

Ocean Shores sunset
In between writing/editing, there have been a number of other distractions this month involving my day job (we have a new boss after being in limbo for over five months), my health (my back, on-going the past six months…ugh), Piper’s health (yes, still), and just getting away here and there to enjoy what the PNW has to offer before our weather turns on us. One such trip was to the beach where my husband and I celebrated 26 years married this month. I’ve wanted to get to the beach all summer but haven’t had time, so I’m glad it worked out for our anniversary. The month of August also marked the one-year anniversary of my mother-in-law’s passing; it’s always the “firsts” that are the most difficult to get through after a loved one passes away. I saw a quote on Instagram recently from “The Walking Dead” that kind of hit home for me…“The pain doesn’t go away. You just make room for it.” Sad, but so very true.

I also agreed to commit to an author event for the first time in…quite a while. I won’t call it a book signing, really; more like a meet & greet, since I’m not sure how many of the attendees will have actually read any of my books when I come to meet them. What is cute, though, is the woman who is putting the event together. I sent her a copy of No Mother of Mine in preparation for the meet & greet. She’d heard about me and wanted to plan an event with me, but apparently hadn’t yet read any of my books. The book was mailed on a Monday and by the end of that week, she called to say she had already finished the book and really enjoyed it. Again, although I’m a reader myself, it still amazes me how quickly readers get through my 400-page books! I still pinch myself because it is surreal when I take in the fact that readers are enjoying my work and literally devouring my books when they get them. 

The meet & greet isn’t until next month, which is probably a good thing considering how busy August has turned to be. Which means September will be a fun month, not only with the author meet & greet, but also an upcoming writer’s conference, and time spent finalizing the fourth book in the series in preparation for publication. And soon I’ll have the fourth book in the series published, so that I can finally complete my young adult novel and also get to work on another book before the end of the year. 

But I need to get my focus back to August – there’s too much to be done yet this month.

That said, I’m taking a blogging break the rest of this month and I’ll post another update in September. 

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Sunday, July 30, 2017

What I did this summer…so far


One more day in the month of July and then we’re sliding right into the last real month of summer. This week, everyone in the PNW will be preparing for a real heat wave expected to hit us mid-week, so I guess many will be sliding into the new month on their own sweat. Temps nearing or over 100 degrees…not optimal for many who don’t have access to A/C because these high temps just aren’t normal around here. If this continues, our summer weather will be holding out until September and beyond. Some will love it, others won’t but Mother Nature doesn’t tend to care what we think.  J

How has your summer been so far? Mine has been a mixed bag, really it has, but I guess that’s what’ll keep the summer interesting.
Piper

If you’ve kept up with my posts, you know I’ve had some difficult moments with Piper during the months of May and June. I wish I could say we were all through it, but unfortunately, she has been struck yet again with another infection and she’s back on antibiotics as of last week.  We’ve been in and out of the vet a dozen times over the past two months…I’m sure if she could speak she’d say she hopes this time will be the last. Even with everything she’s gone through, she’s been such a good girl through all this; it’s probably obvious, but I really can’t say enough about how special she is to me.



Home from Hawaii!
June also marked my oldest son’s return home from Hawaii – funny enough, on one of the days when I had to take an unexpected trip back to the vet because Piper had pulled out her drain tube after surgery, I returned home from the vet to find a bunch of luggage in the front hallway. Nothing can eliminate the anxious feelings of a parent better than the knowledge that their kid is finally home safe and sound after a long trip.



Steps while in Orlando!
June was also busy with preparations for a family vacation to Florida where we visited all the theme parks at Disney World over a four-day period, as well as Universal Studios for two days.  



Just a sneak peek...







While my absolute favorite place to “be” was Diagon Alley at Universal Studios, my favorite ride by far was at Disney World, in the newest addition of Animal Kingdom. Avatar’s Flight of Passage is nothing like any ride I’ve ever experienced since we first began going on theme park vacations more than ten years ago. I really can’t put into words how absolutely amazing the Flight of Passage is, but if you ever get the chance to experience it, do it. You won’t be disappointed.



Very alert & just about ready to fly
 

Let’s see…what else? 

Oh yes, birds. 

This summer has been quite the experience with birds. Not just the normal characters who visit every summer, although I would like to see more owls than I have so far. No, this summer we’ve been treated to quite a few baby birds. The first family was a nest of robins in a shrub in our front yard – one we had planned to cut way down because of how large it had gotten. But once we realized there was a nest of babies, we had to put that plan on hold. When the babies finally left the nest, the plan to cut down the shrubs was halted yet again when we discovered a new nest with more baby robins in the other shrub. 


Cheez-it B&B for birds

And baby robins weren’t our only guests this summer; we also had some swallows who decided our porch would be a good place to start a family. Their home was probably like no other, but it worked for them and all six babies thrived in this odd-looking nesting box. It was seriously fun to watch them grow as they received food from their parents, and then watch as they learned to flutter and fly and finally move on. We don’t have cats right now, or this situation would have made me very nervous!



The month of July has been busy with family events just about every weekend – to include a wedding reception, an outing to the zoo with my two great nephews, hanging out at the annual Oregon Trail Days and a family reunion at our house just yesterday. 

I think I’m ready for some free weekends during the month of August, if I get my way…I have a book to complete! 

I hope your summer so far is a fun one to write home about – carry on and stay cool!

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Christmas in July, and other distractions

The weather we’ve been enjoying in the Pacific Northwest has made this an enjoyable summer, so far. Other than the 97 degree heat I was treated to my first day back from Florida last month, our weather here has been pretty outstanding. The burn bans are starting and soon there will be talk about the lack of rain, but we’ll be subject to wet weather soon enough. I’m in no hurry to see it just yet.

We’re hosting a family get-together the end of this month and about the end of June and beginning of July, I figured I better stock up on some items I thought might be good to have on hand for some summer kid-friendly fun. I also needed a new umbrella for one I had accidentally broken. When I went shopping, I was shocked to see that the summer items were either completely gone, or were down to a limited quantity tucked away in a clearance corner. In place of where they had been were school supplies.  Kids hadn’t even been out of school a month yet! I visited a couple of different stores looking for items on my list and also discovered the appearance of fall and Thanksgiving items. Good grief. By the time parents finally decide they should shop for school items (those who don’t know better), they’ll probably be shocked to find Christmas items instead.

I eventually found an umbrella, which I discovered was broken when I got it home. Ugh. I had to take it back, only to learn that the color I had chosen was no longer available. I was left with the choice of a bright lime green, light brown and dark brown. I settled with the light brown and called it good - and it had been marked down even lower since I purchased it so that I also received some cash back in return. J Finding the other summer items I was looking for was a challenge, but I finally crossed off all but one item from my list.

I’ve also noticed that there have been quite a few Christmas movies on t.v. lately. I happened to notice them one day when I was scrolling through the guide to see what was on. Eventually, when I saw more Christmas movies on the guide another day, I realized they have been playing more often than not this month on some channels. I guess people really do enjoy watching movies with a Christmas theme in July. 

We’re technically only, what, a month into summer? I don’t want to think about the holidays yet, or the change in the weather we’ll be heading towards, or the thought of having to wear coats or sweaters to keep warm, or worrying about driving to work in the snow. 

Do you ever frequent the magazine racks at the bookstore?  Do you notice a new trend that has been receiving wider audiences?  It’s the art and practice of mindfulness. However, in order to achieve that required mental state, part of it includes focusing on the present moment. That’s a difficult task when stores constantly pull us from the moment by thoughts of what’s to happen months and months away from today. For some it may be easy to ignore that pull, but for others, like those with children still in school, they are forced to focus on that future moment or risk missing out on the items they’ll need and which won’t be available when they finally go out in search of them. Unfortunately, the offering of seasonable items a season or two in advance is a tactic the stores will likely never change since it appears to be a competition of who can get their items on display first.

So I bought my umbrella and other items I needed for the gathering, I ignored the school supplies, and I quickly perused the fall and Thanksgiving items, before shaking my head and telling myself I did not need anything from those shelves at that moment.

Then I drove home, took off my shoes, and walked barefoot in the yard out to my gardens to check on my veggies and herbs while listening to the sound of the birds around me. The sun is warm and inviting, the smell of the herbs is invigorating, and beyond the birds and a slight breeze, the quiet of the woods around me is relaxing. Grounding myself in this way reminds me to keep focusing on the present, to enjoy these moments, for soon enough the clouds will constantly cover us, the gardens will be gone and going barefoot will not be an option if I want to keep warm.

I’ll enjoy fall and the upcoming holidays when it’s their time, but for now, I’m going to thoroughly enjoy these beautiful summer days. I hope you do too!

 

  

Sunday, July 2, 2017

Bi-yearly check in…already?


What travels faster than the speed of light?  I’m beginning to think just your average year! A bit of an exaggeration, I’ll admit, but still…we’re already moving on into the last six months of the year – how did the first six months treat you?

My last check in was the end of April, and it feels like a lot has happened in just the two months since that time. I’m still doing what I can to continue to improve on my monthly intentions, so that I can continue to have good progress on my tasks and expectations, both personally and professionally. As I review my original list of mindful intentions for 2017, here’s how I’m doing now in that regard:

Reading and writing - I am still reading almost daily, both fiction and non-fiction. Whether I can sink into a good mystery or thriller, or read a new book on writing or inspiration, I’m always on the lookout for new options to add to my reading list. I’ve discovered, however, that lately when I read fiction I’m having a difficult time wearing just my “reader” hat…because my “author” hat likes to stay put sometimes. I tend to read stories more critically, or I compare them to how I like to write, or I see a mistake or misspelling and realize even the work of well-known authors aren’t perfect. But regardless of which hat I’m wearing, being a reader is in my DNA and will always be a constant in my life.

And, when it comes to my own writing, the fourth book in my series was sent off to the editor for review this past week. It’s such a huge relief for me to finally be at this point! I took so much time off after losing my dad, and then soon after with the illnesses and later the loss of my step-mom and my mother-in-law back-to-back, it was just really difficult to keep my head where it needed to be in order to keep up with my writing or stay on a regular schedule. Everyone deals with grief in their own way; I just had to figure out how to deal with mine, rather than what was expected or what I thought others expected from me, and I've had to push through my fears. It doesn’t have to be a lonely journey, but you do tend to travel that road alone. What works for you might not work for another, and sometimes it takes awhile to figure that out.

Growth, gratitude, focus, letting go - following up on the above, I have dealt with some serious blows but I have also grown through them, learned from them, and I have accepted the process of letting go of what I cannot change and of what might hinder me. I’m grateful, not for the bad parts, but for what I’ve learned from these past few years. It hasn’t broken me, but has made me stronger and has helped me focus on what matters most and for that, I am grateful.

Be mindful, be present, balance, strength – part of my new mindset involves being mindful, so that I can continue to find calm in the chaos, let go of hindrances, be present in each moment and find a better balance in life. I’m also constantly focused on how I can better myself with building strength and being more active. Yoga, meditation and journaling are just a few activities that help me in all those areas. 

Less clutter – I moved on from the house, after cleaning out quite a few closets and drawers, and we finally tackled the garage. It was a chore, but it felt good to go through everything, store items in bins or throw them away if necessary, and it felt especially good when we were able to haul off two truckloads of large items that had been taking up way too much space. There’s still a little more work to do, but it’s a manageable task compared to what we started with.

Travel, adventure, family – May and June were busy months when it came to travel and family. My oldest son, who has been living in Hawaii for the past year, came back home. Some might think it was because Hawaii was too expensive, but that wasn’t the case for him. He actually did very well and enjoyed living as an islander. But he decided it was time to come home and as a mom, you can imagine I’m thrilled to have him living nearby where I can visit with him more often, not to mention enjoy the holidays together. Only a week after he came home, we left as a family for a vacation to Florida. In June, no less, where the heat and humidity likely match, or was a bit worse, than where my son had been living in Hawaii. We’d sweat buckets during the day before the rain clouds came in the afternoon to soak us and lower the temps a bit but other than that, we had a great time and an unforgettable adventure.

Be brave, dream, create – these may be the hardest or the most fun, depending on the day or the mood, but these are also intentions I never wish to forget or discover buried under all the daily, common or necessary tasks. I am brave, I can’t help but dream and I love to create. Those traits are what make me, me, and they are intentions that will always make me feel complete when I stick to them. 

So that’s my bi-yearly check in. With half the year under my belt, and a better mindset and positive attitude as I move along, I am ready to take on the next six months! 

Until next time…take care and read on, or write on, if you’re also a writer.  J



Sunday, June 11, 2017

Piper’s own little mystery – a month-long saga

For those of you who have read my books in the Jorja Matthews’ mystery series, you’re aware that my protagonist has a rescue dog named Piper. For those of you who know me, or who have read about this fact in previous posts, you also know that I actually do have a Lab-mix named Piper. Other than Jorja, who is loosely based on my life as a private investigator, Piper is the only character in my books based on an actual…being.

Piper just wasn't feeling well
Since my last post on Mother’s Day, I’ve been very distracted with a mystery surrounding Piper after she began to have some serious medical issues with her neck. It actually began just before Mother’s Day weekend when her neck began to swell up. I called to schedule a vet visit but wasn’t able to get an appointment until the following week, which seemed to be okay at the time. But then during Mother’s Day weekend, that changed completely when her neck became so swollen, it caused the area to rupture. 

Nasty business, that. And just a bit scary.

The vet looked Piper over and discovered she had an abscess so they kept her overnight to drain it and get her started on some antibiotics. I took her home the following day with high hopes that all would be well and she would heal soon enough. 

More than a week later, on the day she was to return for a simple follow-up appointment, her neck had begun to swell again. At the vet’s office when they were looking her over, the area ruptured again. Our vet was not equipped to help any further and we had no choice but to take Piper to an emergency vet. This time, the ER vet prescribed different antibiotics and placed drain tubes in her neck to avoid any further swelling until the area healed.

But Piper was able to pull both drain tubes out within a couple of days - I think she was getting sick and tired of having her neck messed with. And I really can’t blame her.

Even without the tubes, the area continued to drain so I kept ace bandages wrapped loosely around her neck to catch most of the drainage and I watched her like a hawk for the next week until her follow-up appointment. By the time we went back to the ER vet for a visit, the swelling was much better, but we could clearly see a mass just below her jaw line that appeared to be more than fluid. An ultrasound had already been used and no tumor, foreign object or injury had been seen, so the reason for the mass was still a mystery.

This was getting serious because we had no answer and yet she still had a condition that would obviously continue to cause issues.

Our only other option was to think about exploratory surgery - to at least remove the infected tissue, and hopefully discover the underlying cause of the infection. Obviously, I couldn’t let her continue as is, that would have been cruel. There really was no other option, so we scheduled her for surgery last week, having no idea what to expect but with a hope and a prayer that the vet would finally figure it out and fix our girl.

After dropping Piper off that morning, I waited all day for a phone call and could barely focus on anything else but what news I would get. The surgeon had multiple surgeries that day, some more serious than Piper so the wait was understandable. But by the time the surgeon called me that evening, I was beyond worried. I was scared.

Chunk of wood found in Piper's neck
But the surgeon had terrific news when she called – after removing almost all of the tissue and finding nothing (at that point even she thought she wasn’t going to find the underlying cause), the surgeon was finally rewarded with the answer to the mystery when she was working on the last infected area. Buried deep in the tissue she found a small chunk of wood! Her guess is that Piper was chewing on a stick and that a piece of it punctured through her throat in an area that heals fairly quickly, often within a day or two, so that after the puncture healed, the wood was stuck inside the neck.

Mystery solved!

Piper home after surgery - feeling better already!

That small piece of wood is probably the most expensive piece of wood I’ve ever purchased, but my relief is priceless, especially after discovering Piper’s condition was caused by a foreign body, rather than a disease or illness of some kind we might not have been able to heal her from.

We’d do just about anything for our kids, as most parents would, and that includes when it comes to our fur babies. If you’re not an animal lover, then you might not understand, but when your pets are part of your family, it can really affect you when you see they are hurting or sick.

So that’s what’s been keeping me distracted for the past month. Just thought I’d share Piper’s story and the mystery I’m glad we finally solved. 

Until next time – have a great day!


Sunday, May 14, 2017

Mother’s Day – a day to celebrate, remember, be thankful

Happy Mother’s Day! 

Whether you are a mother, or an aunt or grandmother who is like a mom…and even to those who only have furry kids to love - It’s a wonderful day to celebrate moms, or to remember moms no longer with us, and to be thankful for the good times we’ve had and the memories we share.

Last year this holiday was a difficult time for me, as a daughter, because both my stepmom and my mom-in-law were losing their battles to cancer and both passed away shortly thereafter and within a few months of each other. Now I can only remember them, celebrate who they were, and be thankful for the time I had them in my life. While I did spend time with my own mom last year, I likely wasn’t the best of company since my thoughts and focus were constantly someplace else; but she is my mom and I’m sure she didn’t hold it against me. That’s what caring moms do.

This year, I celebrate my mom, remember moms who have passed on and I am thankful for my own boys, who have never made me feel as if I need to wait for a holiday to hear how much they appreciate me. I am very, very grateful for that. The hardest part for me this year is the fact that my oldest is living in Hawaii, so this is the first Mother’s Day we haven’t been able to spend together. 

I don’t mean to get too emotional, or end on a sad note, so I thought I’d share some cute quotes about moms to make you smile:

There is no way to be a perfect mother…but a million ways to be a good one.

Good moms let you lick the beaters…great moms turn them off first.

My kids call it “yelling” when I raise my voice.  
I call it motivational speaking for the selective listener.

The quickest way for a mom to get her children’s attention is to sit down and look comfortable.

My nickname is “Mom” but my full name is “Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom...”

A worried mother does better research than the FBI.

And finally, here’s the definition of “Mother” – 

One person who does the work of twenty. For free.

So to all the mothers out there, whether your kids live near, or far, whether they show you every day, or make today something extra special to remind you they really love and appreciate you, or whether your only kids are the furry kind who have absolutely no idea what the significance of today might be, I wish you a truly wonderful and blessed Mother’s Day!



Sunday, April 30, 2017

Monthly check in – May we look forward to May?

It’s hard to believe we’re at the end of April already…I hate to say it, but where the heck does the time go?

I haven’t offered an update on my monthly intentions since February, and I thought now would be a good time to check in.  So where am I with my tasks and expectations? When I review the words that came to mind when I thought about 2017, there are a number of them I’ve been working on the past few months. 

Instagram post for my idea of Serenity
Reading and writing – I’ve been reading pretty much every day, whether fiction, magazine articles, writing books, whatever I have on hand at the time I have the time to read. With my writing, I’m taking some time to continue to review, edit and make changes to the fourth book in the series since I still have some time before my scheduled professional edit. As long as it’s in my possession, I’ll probably continue to find something I can correct…or change…or add. In the meantime, I’m also working on my young adult novel. And of course, I’m always journaling. 

I’m also planning on which writer’s conference(s) I want to attend this year – one for certain I’m already signing up for, and the other I’m still thinking about since it’s a 4-day commitment. Whether I attend just one or both, I look forward to the continued learning opportunity and meeting other like-minded individuals.

Less clutter – I spent a couple of weekends going through closets and drawers and boxes until I finally had enough items to stuff my SUV and then I donated everything. The amount of clothes and household items we were able to donate was incredible. We just don’t need that much stuff! I’m still working on clearing out some other areas and items, as time permits, and I’m hopeful by the end of the year I will finally feel free from the clutter. 

Reflection – I’ve been doing a lot of this lately…and it’s still a work in progress. I don’t know what answers I’m looking for, but eventually I believe some changes will be necessary and for someone who isn’t terribly great with change, this can be a scary concept but I’m working myself up to appreciate it can also be exciting.  

Be present, find beauty, create – I took part in a photo challenge during the month of April, and I really enjoyed finding different ways to take photographs to show my point of view or my interpretation of what it was we were supposed to be sharing with others. 

Because I really enjoy monthly challenges, I’ve signed up to begin a new challenge tomorrow – it’s a routine & habits challenge. I’m interested to see what I might learn about my habits, or about myself.  If the challenge proves to be useful, I’ll share what I learned.

Travel, adventure, family – I recently took a trip to Vegas and had a terrific time with my family; I’m now planning and looking forward to my next travel adventure. If I’m going to spend money on anything, besides books, I’d much rather spend it making memories with my loved ones, instead of buying stuff to add to the clutter.

Movement, strength – I enjoy Yoga, cardio and other attempts to stay active, and I’m still really enjoying my new Fitbit, as it continues to remind me to move my butt every hour throughout the day, which is so very helpful when my day job has me sitting more than I’d prefer. And there it goes…I just received my notification that I need to get up and move to reach my step count…

...I took a quick walk to reach my goal.  It’s always nice to be rewarded when I reach my step count – the little dancing person icon on my Fitbit is cute – it would be fun if I had a similar little writer icon who could jump with happiness while throwing pages in the air when I reach my word count.

Now that’s an idea…  J

The past few months have been encouraging as I continue to work on my intentions, and besides giving me a sense of accomplishment, I enjoy moving into a new month with a renewed interest in upcoming expectations.

Hello May…let’s do this!