* A GLORIOUS SUNRISE! *

The clouds were so beautiful this morning as I was leaving my subdivision to drive to work, I just had to pull over and take this photo. (It's not that good. I took it through the front windshield!) 

But I wanted to share it with y'all 

If you click on it you'll see a large view. 

Wishing everyone a restful weekend. 

"Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things." -- Author Unknown

* AN INTERESTING FIND AT THE LIBRARY *

What made me pick up this book at the library? 

There were a couple of reasons, but mostly because on this cute book cover is the exact same recipe box that my mother had! Just seeing it brings back so many happy memories of my early childhood...yummy aromas from the kitchen, my mother letting me "help" with cookies and cakes. 

I also saw a photo of this box in a recent woman's magazine. I don't remember the name of it, but I wrote to them about it and was just sure they would print my Letter to the Editor....Hmmffp! LOL

I hadn't heard of this author before, but I like her writing (it's another light and easy read, similar to what I just finished "Good Riddance") and I will definitely want to read her other books. 

What about you? Do you pick up a book because of the cover? And how many times have you just skimmed a couple and pages and thought either

a) Wow, I think I'll like this! 

       ~~~ or ~~~

b) Ick, what an awful book!

I can usually tell by just the first few pages whether I would like a book or not. And I definitely don't read books I don't like! 

~~~

Our heat-wave has finally taken a break for at least a little while. High temps in the 80's this week and lows in the 60's! Turn off that a/c and save some $$$. 

That's it for now, folks! See you soon.

"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time." -- John Lubbock

* KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED *

Yesterday afternoon, after a long day at work (thank the Lord for air conditioning!), I received an email from Chicken Soup for the Soul that a story I submitted had made it to the first phase of their selection round! (It's a book about forgiveness.) Wow! I had a story accepted for one of their doggie books in 2017, but this soon for another one is surprising. (It was back in 2007 and 2008 that I had four stories accepted. As I've mentioned many times, I just can't get back into it very much.)

So, anyway, don't know when I'll hear for sure, but for now I'm honestly putting it out of my mind, which isn't difficult because I'm so forgetful anyway. Ha!

Oh, this isn't what I was eluding to in my July 9th post, either! 😃

~~~~

Speaking of books...I finally made it to the library today...BUT I forgot to take my list of books and authors I wanted to find. Duh. (I've been blaming my forgetfulness and other silliness on the effects of anesthesia, but that might be getting too old, so now I'm going with the excessive heat we're having and it's not supposed to end anytime soon.)

I did get three books. One from a familiar author that I like, Elizabeth Berg, and 2 others I haven't heard of: Tara Conklin and Dana Bate. (Oh and I dropped off a copy of my memoir for them to send to their "marketing department" or something like that.)

I finished Good Riddance a couple of days ago. It was typical Elinor Lipman, a fun, not profound, easy read.

~~~~

This photo makes me really happy, for various reasons...

I want to visit Switzerland and/or Austria so much some day, to see sites like this, 

AND it makes me feel I'm in a much cooler temperature! 

Stay cool or warm, depending on your part of the world!!

* I FOUND IT! *

I found it, I found it! The cute header I used years ago. Still trying to make it the correct size, but this works for now.

I've been reading A LOT and getting close to finishing Good Riddance. Even though it's about 10,000 degrees here today, I might venture out to the library...although I do have that stack of TBR books 😉

Have I shared any photos of our view? 

Here's our view from our front porch! 

(This is an enlarged photo. We're not 2 feet from the lake, but close!)

Part of our screened-in porch. I've wanted one all my life!

And white wicker? Yes! One of my best friends, Sherry, got two chairs,

a love seat and a coffee table for FREE.

  A neighbor of hers was throwing it all away!

Sherry and her husband live a couple hundred miles away now 😥 

but she comes "home" quite often. She piled all the furniture into 

her car and brought it to us. 

Note: I got the beautiful armoire on Facebook's Market Place

which is where people buy and sell used items.
I got it for an amazingly low price!

It obviously opens and has so much storage space!

Looking forward to checking out all y'all's blogs! 

* MY BLOG LIST! *

I've been wanting to add the List of Blogs I followed back in the hey day of blogging, and after much searching and a bit of swearing, I found them! 💓 (If I used to follow your blog, and don't see yours on the sidebar, please let me know. These aren't all of them, just ones I seemed to recognize!)

They are on the right side bar and I plan to go through every one of them. (It will definitely take a while!) The ones who haven't written in years, I'll still try to contact as I've done in the past. It makes me sad when there's no reply and I wonder about them...

I guess this means I'm really going to try to get back into blogging again! (I'm getting so tired of FB)

Remember when I had this cute clip art as my header? I loved it and haven't been able to find it for quite a while, plus make it the correct size. 

Well, tomorrow is another day!

This sounds like me lately...I'm trying, but...

                          I DO have some exciting news...I think...about an upcoming publication!

                                         I'll post more about it when I know more info!

I'M ALIVE AND ALMOST "ALL BETTER!"

I skimmed through my last post....did I mention that I have perfect vision now?? It's wonderful!

Still at the final healing of my second surgery, the one I had June 10. Geez! (I forgot to say the second surgery had nothing to do with my eyes.)

Just wanted to say I'm still here!!

I really appreciate and love all you wonderful people who continue to check my blog and see if there's anything new!

What are y'all reading now? I finally have begun reading again after getting my eye fixed and being "in the mood" again to read!

I'm reading "Good Riddance" by Elinor Lipman. I think I've read almost all of her books. They're easy reads, light fiction, with humor and drama.

Hope to be back in blogland soon!