Saturday, April 26, 2014

* I'M BACK AND HAVE SO MUCH TO SHARE *

Well, I finally got my blog straightened out. The right column that was seen correctly by my readers, had totally disappeared (to me) from the right side of my blog, and was on the left side, at the bottom, after all the posts. Weird, huh? After searching online for some answers, I deleted a couple of links that were inside posts, and changed the images from Medium to Small on Melissa's guest post. Don't know which one did the trick, but something happened and, voila, it's fixed! Thank goodness. Things like that drive me....well....Bonkers!

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My speaking event at the Cahokia Library on Monday, the 21st was a great success. The Friends of the Library invited me to talk about my writing. I also spoke about my ties to Cahokia and how I love it and still drive around and reminisce. There was a Q&A session, and book sales, and signings. All in all a wonderful evening! A few friends drove quite a distance to attend, one in particular. Thank you all very much! I hope to do many more of these types of presentations in libraries near and far!
 
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Spring has really sprung here in the St. Louis area, and I am VERY thankful for that! Today was a perfectly glorious day. High temp around 70 - 75, and very low humidity. Aww... if only we could have about six months of that! This morning I took a couple of pictures from my office/bedroom window of the beautiful tree in bloom in the yard across from us. This one is the best, and of course Vern is enjoying the scenery, too! (You can click on the photo to see it much bigger.)
 
 
 
I have all kinds of notes here and there about things I wanted to remember to blog about....Well, they have once again gotten buried in the mountains of papers on top of my desk/kitchen table. (No, I still haven't begun painting my fabulous desk yet. That's another project on my To Do List!)
 
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One other thing I wanted to share is about Call Outs for Submissions and/or Contests. I've come across a ton of them lately, due to various newsletters I've subscribed to. Here are just a few:
 
1) Publishing Syndicate -- Not Your Mother's Book ...On Working for a Living. They need your true stories NOW. Go to their website to learn more, right now!!
 
2) Have you ever checked out Writing-world.com? This site has a plethora of writerly information that covers just about anything you want to know. Copyrights, contests, how-to, grammar, etc. etc.....and it includes most genres.
 
3) Also Winning Writers shares contests and other resources for writers.
 
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That's it for today. Wishing everyone a fabulous rest of the weekend!!
 
 
"On Saturday afternoons when all the things are done in the house and there's no real work to be done, I play Bach and Chopin and turn it up real loudly and get a good bottle of chardonnay and sit out on my deck and look out at the garden." -- Maya Angelou

42 comments:

  1. I am glad to hear that you got your mysterious blogger bugs sorted.
    And also glad, and unsurprised, that your reading was a huge success. Happy dances.

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    1. Hi EC! Lovely to see you here! Thanks for always being so supportive and for just being YOU!

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  2. Vern looks peaceful...our new dog is not always so peaceful. She is energetic...for old people! You are busy but sound happy!

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    1. Hi Bookie! Vern is a happy dog, that is for sure! And sometimes very energetic, but luckily he tires quickly, too! Thanks for everything....I AM busy and I AM happy!

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  3. I am glad your blog is back in order again! Congrats on a successful reading!

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    1. Thank you, Beth! I'm sure glad the old blog is working again, too. And thanks for the congrats! :)

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  4. Hey Maya has the right idea about relaxation. I am glad you got the blog straightened out and that your library presentation was a success. Well, of course it was :)

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    1. Hi Terra! Thank you for everything! And yes, Maya has the right idea, that's for sure!

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  5. Love that quote from Maya. She's doing something right.

    Glad you got your blog straightened out too-- it's frustrating isn't it?

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    1. Hey Julie! Thank you -- yes, the blog problems can be VERY frustrating! And I agree about Maya, too!

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  6. 'Bout time you got on with your blogging.

    It all looked normal to me, but funny how just one wrong move (link or picture size) can mess things up. And, of course, you can't get help from any employee at Blogger. You gotta be your own blog-physician.

    Oh well, all's well that... looks well.

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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    1. Thank you Mr. Stephen T ~ You know I always like seeing your name and comments here! ...and love your ending sentence, but in my mind, I read it as" Oil's Well that Ends Well" LOL

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  7. Thanks for the links, and congrats on you speaking engagement. All I know about Cahokia is the mounds. And they are spectacular.

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    1. Val, thank you, my dear! I've never been to the Cahokia Mounds, which I really want to see some day. Thanks for the reminder!

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  8. Glad to hear your blog problems are sorted. Sometimes blogger makes you want to just throw up your hands and give up.

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  9. I love the new budding spring trees, and it looks like Vern does, too.

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    1. Thanks, Linda! Yep, I think Vern does like them. He loves to look out the window and see what's going on in our little part of the world! (and I love the budding trees, too!)

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  10. Nice to see you back. So glad the speaking event went well. We will have a look at some of the links. Have a serene Sunday and let us all partake of some big easy today.
    Best wishes Molly

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    1. Thanks, Molly the Wally! Have I mentioned how I always like the way you say, "...some big easy" ? Love it!

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  11. Glad you are back and got your computer issues straightened out. Nothing makes a person crazier, I'm convinced. Even a cat that won't stop nagging me or staring at me when she isn't! Thanks for sharing the links, too!

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    1. Hey Jeanie! Thanks...and yes, computer problems do make me quite crazy! LOL

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  12. Hi Becky....

    So glad your computer glitches have ended.

    The library talks sound like a fabulous idea for your book! Congratulations on the first one being a wild success!

    Loved your photo. I DID click on it to blow it up. Beautiful!

    Take care and have a great week. Spring is slow in coming to this end of the country but we remain hopeful. Susan



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    1. Hi Susan! Thanks for always leaving such lovely comments! You're a great blog friend. I hope spring gets there FAST!

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  13. I hate it when my blog or website is messed up. So I truly get it.

    =)

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    1. Thanks, Sue!! Yep, I think we're all in that same frame of mind! :)

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  14. I am glad you got your blog straightened out. So frustrating.

    I love your pic and 70-75 degrees. Why do we get so little of that? It's either too hot or too cold...

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    1. Thanks, Robin! And yes, wouldn't it be wonderful to always have almost perfect weather!

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  15. Glad to hear of your successful event at the library! I love the red bud trees, that's what the tree looks like out your window. We're seeing the red buds and the dogwoods everywhere in our area now.

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    1. Hi Janet! Thank you! And yes, I forgot to mention that I thought the tree was a Red Bud. They are plentiful around here, but I don't see that many dogwoods. There are tons of Bradford Pear trees here, too, which have gorgeous blooms. I've heard people say they don't like them because they "stink!" But, I've never smelled anything bad around them.

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  16. What a sweet doggie you have! It sounds a little warmer there than here but Ohio is in springtime that is for sure. :) Rain and blossoms but still flannel sheets on the beds. haha.

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    1. Hi Betsy! Yes, Vern is a sweet dog. He is very much loved and spoiled, but he deserves it! We got him at a shelter about three years ago and he brightens our lives! It's been cold here too again. The temps go up and down, as they probably do there, too. I don't have flannel sheets, but lots of covers!

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  17. Hey thanks for the links and for stopping by The Ruralhood today.

    It's not warm here in my part of MO. Brrrr.

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    1. Hi Teresa! You are very welcome! It hasn't been warm here, either, the past few days....it's spring, then summer, then autumn, all in about 4 days!

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  18. Thank You for visiting My post and leaving a nice comment :)It seems You lead an interesting life-how exciting for You,the event at the library.Oh Yes I feel for You concerning messed up computers,very frustrating for Us bloggers.Denise

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    1. Hi Denise! You're so very welcome, and thank YOU for stopping and commenting here. I never thought of my life as being interesting, but I guess it certainly is! I'm happy almost all the time! And thank goodness my blog finally started looking "normal" again! :)

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  19. Whatever ya did to fix your blog, I'm glad it worked. (We simply aren't meant to understand some mysteries...)

    I'm glad your reading at the library went so well. Good for you! The state income tax laws here put the kibbosh on me doing any personal selling. Too bad. Take care.

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    1. Hi Susan! Great to see you in Blogland again! Thank you -- re: the library event! It was great fun. I'm sorry the laws there keep you from selling your books. :(

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  20. Spring was here, but it's gone again! However, it will be back. Congrats on your talk!

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    1. Hey Lynn! So happy to see your smiling face here! :)
      And yes, this crazy weather of ours....the next five days look really GOOD, though....if we get the sun and temps that have been predicted! Have a great Friday and weekend!

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  21. Glad your library presentation went well. Also glad your blog is back to normal. Blog issues are so frustrating!

    Pat
    Critter Alley

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    1. Hi Pat! Thank you! Yes, we depend on our computers for everything, don't we?? And especially blogging!

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I'm still getting quite a few spam comments that are Anonymous, so I'm trying "User with Google Accounts." If anyone tries to comment that I know, and it won't let you, send me an email, okay? Thanks so much.