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The New Year Has Arrived, Full of Things that Have Never Been
And now let us welcome the New Year; Full of things that have never been. ~~Rainer Maria Rilke Sarah Ban Breathnach’s Simple Abundance begins with this January thought: “January, the month of new beginnings and cherished memories, beckons. Come, let winter weave her wondrous spell: cold, crisp, woolen-muffler days, long dark evenings of savory suppers, lively conversations, or solitary joys. Outside the temperature drops as the snow falls softly. All of nature is at peace. We should be, too. Draw hearthside. This is the month to dream, to look forward to the year, and to journey within.” “All of nature is at peace. We should be, too.” What a lovely,…
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Sunday Snippet–The Post-Holiday Version
I’m tired. The holidays were lovely, if odd for not doing all the usual stuff like baking for friends and neighbors and spending a cookie-baking day with my sis, lunch with Liz, shopping in an actual store, doing Christmas Eve chicken-and-noodles and Candlelight service with my family and Christmas day with all the Reinhardts in the same room, but now…well, I’m tired. Physically, mentally, emotionally exhausted. I’ve currently got a butt load of work and I need to get back on my morning writing schedule. To that end, I’m going to take a social media break for a while, so if you want me, email me or text me or…
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Snippet Sunday–The Pandemic List Version
My writing bestie, Liz, and I are big ones for lists and okay, yeah, it’s a cheap and easy way to get a blog written, but you know, sometimes we just need to stop and count our blessings. So that’s what I’m doing today—I’m going to make a list of all the stuff I’ve discovered about me as a writer and as a person since the Quarantine started. Ready? Here we go… I can sprint. I mean, seriously, I can write up to 861 words in 30 minutes if I’m focused and on the clock. It’s actually how I write, although I’d never given it a name before. I may…
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Sunday Snippet–The Canine Version
If you know me at all, you know I’m not particularly a dog person, in spite of having three–yes, three–granddogs. They are all sweeties, but I’m very glad they live at Son’s house and not mine. (I realize the photo below shows four dogs with Son–it was Thanksgiving and his parents-in-law had brought their two critters over for the holidays, so four in the picture, five altogether that day!) We have four dogs living on our cul-de-sac. Cooper, a large red Irish setter and Bo, a very large snowy retriever, belong to Jan. She takes them with her when she runs errands–apparently they enjoy car rides. Bo loves to run,…
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Sunday Snippet–The Holy Cow, It’s December Version
How did it get to be December already? And yet…life has moved slower this year because we’ve been pretty much on lockdown since March. We have chosen to live the be-safe-be-well life and so we stick pretty much close to home and to our little pod of seven. However, I’m still writing and editing and talking to Liz every morning on Gchat and keeping up with lake pals and other friends via text and Skype and visiting with sis on FaceTime. I’m walking every day–either outside if the weather permits or on the treadmill, which means watching The West Wing or Gilmore Girls while I get some activity in. I’ve…
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Sunday Snippet, the Post-Thanksgiving Version
After a lazy morning, during which we decorated our Christmas tree, we went to the kids’ on Friday afternoon to help them with their outdoor decorations, then stayed to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol, which I had never seen before. It was charming. Michael Caine was a wonderful Ebenezer Scrooge. We paused midway to catch the lighting of the Circle of Lights in downtown Indy. All of us were teary when Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Pops director, Jack Everly, appeared with some of the people who participate in Yuletide, reading “The Night Before Christmas.” We are devoted Yuletiders, and it was both lovely and wrenching to see him and all the folks…
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Sunday Snippet, Thanksgiving Version
Are you finding it hard to be thankful this year? 2020 has been a royal b#*ch of year, hasn’t it? So many things to be unhappy about. So many things to whine about. So many things to be just plain mad about. I know. I feel you. I truly do. However, I’m going to focus on the stuff to be happy about, to rejoice about, to be glad for. Here, in no particular order, is my Thanksgiving 2020 Gratitude List. I hope you’ll share yours. Husband. That’s all, just Husband. I tell y’all constantly what a great guy he is, so no need to expound here. Son, DIL, and Grandboy,…
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Sunday Snippet
I’m finally breathing… with about five thousand words or less left to write on my current WIP, I can see the end and it’s full of light! The other day I was telling Husband that as I’ve gotten closer to The End on this book, I think I’ve discovered that pandemic writing is much harder than I ever realized. So much of what I, as a writer, depend on to prime the creative well has been unavailable to me through all of the writing of this first book in the Langes of River’s Edge series. People-watching and eavesdropping in restaurants and airports, writing trips, get-togethers with friends and family, wandering…
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Sunday Snippet
It’s been a crazy week… I’ve actually written quite a bit, but I also worked on three other editing gigs and did two days of virtual school with Grandboy. I’m in the home stretch with my newest WIP and getting perilously close to my deadline, but the last scenes are coming harder for some reason. No idea why. Virtual school with Grandboy usually goes pretty well–he’s willing and that’s the bulk of the battle right there. But some days are better than others and this week, he wasn’t feeling it. We forget, as adults, that kids have “off” days, too. Days when their focus isn’t going to come around or…
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Sunday Snippet
Can you believe it’s Sunday again? Yeah, neither can I. This week passed so quickly as writing, editing gigs, and fall yard clean-up were on tap for me. My Sunday Snippet today is actually a recommendation–if you have access to the Hallmark channels, watch Jingle Bell Bride! If you don’t have access, read on…I can help! I was also soooo excited that my fellow Tule Author Scarlett Wilson’s holiday romance Jingle Bell Bride was going to kick off the new Hallmark Countdown to Christmas! However, I had no way to watch it since Husband and I opted out of signing up for a cable service when we moved into our…