* WHAT A DIFFERENCE A FEW DAYS/WEEKS MAKE *

I thought I should announce that I am alive and well, 

as is everyone else in my family, both far and near. 

And I pray the same for all of you, 

my wonderful friends both far and near. 

I have nothing else to post. Although I'm a writer,

my impressions of the world we're living in right now

won't come to surface for me to even try to put

on paper. 

I hope to be back fairly soon and hopefully by then, 

our lives will be "normal" again or as some people 

have said, the "new normal," which is a bit

frightening to me. 

Love and virtual hugs to all of you! 

P.S. I wonder how much my cell phone bill would be, 

if I called many of my long distance friends...

especially the ones living in a totally different country!

Wouldn't that be wonderful, though??

I leave you with some quotes and photos. 

...especially if we are forced to stay home!

Yep, that's what my problem usually is!

Sunshine (and warmth) on my shoulders makes me happy!
(and we haven't had either lately...)

Especially during these difficult times....

* THOUGHTS ON A WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON *

Recently, I've scrolled through my blog looking at photos I posted, and the topics I wrote about. 

And I gotta say, I wrote some pretty darn good blog posts! 😀

It almost makes me sad that those days are gone now, for me anyway, 

and I can't seem to get back into it.

Some people are still blogging just as much as they did long ago. 

I noticed most of my posts were done from 2009 to 2013.

Those were the years I was so passionate about writing; Working to get my memoir completed. Submitting stories here and there for possible publications. 

And the beginning of some wonderful relationships with blog friends. 

Many I still have. Many I need to work on.

I did complete my memoir and published it in November 2013. 

A lot has happened between then and now. Some good, some bad. Some happy, some sad. 

Here it is...the year 2020! That really does sound odd, doesn't it? 

I don't make bucket lists or predictions or promises, but I can say this...

I'm going to do everything in my power to live this year, the best I can.

And this guy here, who is smiling, brings me happiness every single day. 

"Charlie's the name. Bringing joy is my game!"

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”
― Oscar Wilde

* NINE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS?! *

Yes, Virginia there IS a Santa Claus....and yes, Becky is still alive and kicking! 😉

My 5 talks at the assisted living centers became only 3; I missed one because of illness, and the other was cancelled due to a large snowstorm we had.

I was a bit rusty in talking, but it seemed to go well. People laughed and smiled at the proper times.

I brought door prizes, print-outs of helpful online sites for writers, and lots of books to sell.

I sold Five Books 😞

Oh well... it was a great experience and I met some wonderful people. That's a gift in itself. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have I mentioned that Ron and I are moving again?? In August, we bought a used double-wide mobile home in a lake community and hope to actually move in next month! It was a mess and we're totally rehabbing it and it will be like a brand new home. If I'd never seen some of those make-over shows on HGTV, I would've never agreed to buy it. It was that bad! I'll share some before and after photos after we've moved in!

I'm not sending snail mail Christmas cards this year...first time in over half my life, but I just couldn't find the time or energy to do them. So, please don't think I've forgotten you, I wish all of you a

Very Merry Christmas!

May 2019 be a year of good health
 & happiness for us all!

* SO THANKFUL FOR ALL THOSE PEBBLES *

Some people have someone in their lives they refer to as their “ROCK."

 

 

 

 

Well...I’m extremely fortunate to have

so many pebbles that come together for each other...

 

 

 they form a big ROCK!

 

 

You, bloggers and friends, may not even know it,

but you have been my pebbles and rock for a long, long time.

 

 

 

 

 

* THANK YOU *

Thanks to those of you who alerted me to the fact that there seemed to be a "missing" post on my blog.

I started one the other day, then changed my mind and hit the Delete button....which obviously didn't totally delete it because it looks like there's a blank page or an error.

Hopefully, I'll have something new to post soon....But for now, I'll say,

 

 

It seems like most of my posts are about time flying by, and I intend to stop it! Yes, indeed! I'm going to stop it right now...Writing about it, that is.....since there's nothing I can actually do about slowing it down. You know that saying, "It is what it is."

I hope to begin blogging again with some type of routine. 

I miss the writing, which is a very good thing.

 

 

You Tube



 

I've got some ideas beginning to percolate, too, which is such a great feeling! I truly thought I'd lost the desire to write.

 

AND, I miss my blog friends! Yes! I miss reading your blogs and staying connected!

~~~~~

The two following sentences were included in my post of January 2nd of this year:

1) I do hope to fit in some other creative-type pursuits.
2) And I truly want to become consistent in living an organized life.

 

I'm working on those and succeeding quite a bit, especially the "organized life" part. Have I mentioned that Ron and I moved again?? I feel like a military wife....a very old military wife! Ha! In fact this last move...and I DO mean LAST....is part of what inspired me to start writing again...so, as usual, Everything Happens For a Reason.

And as I wrote on the upper right column of my blog, in November 2016: I'm not sure what my dreams are, but I'm anxious to find out. Maybe when I get to that fork in the road, I should take it!

P.S. Did any of you click on the percolator to hear its sound? I had to turn my volume all the way up to hear it. Loved it. It's such a neat reminder of an every day occurrence in my mother's kitchen when I was growing up.
 

"SOMETIMES ON THE WAY TO YOUR DREAM, YOU GET LOST AND FIND A BETTER ONE." - Unknown (as seen on River's blog, "Drifting Through Life")

*** Aaaacccckkkkk! Please let me know if you see a few sentences in teeny-tiny print! I keep changing the font size over and over and over.....and I keep seeing it as tiny! This blogger is *&@#$!    Yep, it's fixed finally!

* SOMETHING NEW I WROTE ! *

In replying to someone on Facebook, I wrote:

"I haven't forgotten about your email...just sort of 'misplaced' the thought to remember!"

~~~

Yes, it's another "Becky-ism!"

You could use this phrase with most anything you forgot about. Just insert the correct words: our lunch date, your text message, repaying that money I owe you, etc. Ha!

* HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO MY CANADIAN FRIENDS! *

Hello Canadian friends!

 

I wish you all a beautiful, blissful day.

 

I hope you enjoy some time with family and/or friends.

 

And whether you have a feast or something simple, I hope you remember all the little things in your lives to be thankful for.

 

 

I'm looking so forward to our

Thanksgiving next month!

 

 I can already smell all the amazing aromas  J

 

 

My favorite autumn mug!

 

 

My very first cloche!

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend." -  Melody Beattie
 



 



* I WANT TO THANK YOU...*

Well, as I said in one of my replies to a comment in my most recent post.....

 

BECKY September 7, 2016 at 8:39 PM
 

"Jeanie, thank you very much! After reading your encouraging words, I feel kind of foolish for being so upset over a part-time job that I'd had for less than a year. It did hit me hard, but here...only 2 days later, I'm feeling a lot better. When I do allow myself to think about it, I get my mind off of it as soon as possible. There's absolutely no sense in reliving it over and over in my head...Thank you so much. I'm so blessed to have some awesome blog friends!"

 

 

♪ I want to thank you for giving me the best day(s) of my life
Oh just to be with you is having the best day(s) of my life ♪

 

 

 

AND, I reminded myself that I'm usually such a believer in inspirational quotes...

as I recently posted on my blog!

 

 

 

Posted on my blog on July 2nd

 

Posted on my blog on August 12th

 

 And what about that sense of humor of mine?

 

 

And so, I already have other ideas floating around in my mind, some of which haven't even materialized enough yet for me to realize what they are! Are they about a job, or writing, or what? I'm feeling so much better and a great deal of that is because of all my fantastic blog friends.

As Bette Midler sang: ♪♪ You got to have friends ♪♪

 

Thank you all so much!

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

 

It's almost the 4th of July - America's Independence Day. It's been rainy and cool for the past couple of days, but we didn't have any plans...outside or in...so not a disappointment for us. In fact, we're being really lazy....

We just spent three days at our best friends' home at Lake of the Ozarks. We hadn't seen them in way too long and the weather was perfect. They also have two adorable doggies: a dachshund and a beagle, and we loved on them as much as we could! Made us feel like we should get another dog fairly soon for ourselves, but after we got back home, our common sense also returned! A few weeks ago, we'd said, "No more dogs." And even if we do change our minds, it's way too soon.... We still miss Vern so much.

I recently purchased a shadowbox frame to put memories of Vern in. When I have it finished, I'll share it here on my blog.

~~~

 

“It shocks me how I wish for...what is lost and cannot come back.” -- Sue Monk Kidd, Traveling With Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story

* MY ERMA ENTRY....AND A GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY *

I've made the decision to post my entry for the Erma Bombeck 2016 Writing Competition here on my blog. Some of my writer pals have suggested they might save theirs for another contest, but after thinking it over, I didn't like the possibility of it being rejected...again!

 

(At the bottom, please keep scrolling and reading

 for some information about my entry, 

and also about a gift card giveaway)

 

 

Erma Bombeck

Husbands: Sometimes You Can’t Hardly Look at Them Without Snarling!

Boy, don’t I know it! What is it with men anyway? When it comes to listening to their wives, they either can’t understand simple directions, only hear part of what we say, or completely tune us out. My much-loved husband Ron, has been guilty of all three complaints a few times during our 33 years of marriage, but the most recent episode practically had me snarling in the aisles of a local grocery store.

It all began one morning at the checkout counter in an outlet mall, when I realized I didn’t have my debit card. Fortunately I had my Master Card tucked away in a special area of my purse…for Emergencies Only. I’d say this particular moment was definitely an emergency. I certainly didn’t want the embarrassment of announcing I didn’t have enough money.

After paying for my purchase, I walked to the parking lot in a daze, tossed my bags into my car, and climbed in…racking my brain the entire time. When did I use that card last? Where could it be? Was a bandit emptying out my “gigantic” bank account at this very moment?! I wondered about it as I drove to my next stop. Then it hit me! I used it the day before when I bought lunch, and tucked it inside the top pocket of my suit jacket.

As soon as I got to the grocery store, I called Ron and asked him to look in our bedroom closet for the jacket. I guess he heard “my brown winter coat in the coat closet.” Uh, no. Then he thought I said “a sweatshirt.” NO! I finally got him to listen enough to hear me say, “No, it’s in my side of our bedroom closet. Look for a lightweight jacket that has tiny red, black, and white squares, TINY squares.” I hear the noise of hangers being pushed back and forth.

“I don’t see anything like that.”

“It has to be right in front of you. It’s kind of like a shirt with a collar. It’s not a heavy jacket.”

More silence except the swishing of clothes and hangers. Once again he said it’s not there. I let out a heavy sigh, but kept my mounting frustration to myself.

 “Never mind. I’ll look when I get home. Thanks anyway, honey. Bye.”

As I pushed my cart along, he texted the words “Got it” along with a photo of the jacket and the card. Unbelievable.

When I got home, he said I hadn’t told him it had little squares, but that I’d said “polka dots.” Oh my gosh. Husbands. Sometimes you can’t hardly look at them (or listen to them) without snarling!

 

Okay, here's some info about this piece

 

I realize that "can't hardly" is not proper grammar! The entire title is something my dear friend, Rita W. said to me a few years ago. We were sitting at her kitchen table (isn't that just the best place to talk with your girlfriends?) and we were complaining about whatever our husbands were doing, or were not doing, at that time that was driving us crazy. As soon as those words came out of her mouth, I busted out laughing (which happened a lot when Rita was anywhere near) and said, "Hold on. I've got to write that down, so I don't forget it! I grabbed a pen and scrap paper from my purse, jotted it down, and have kept it ever since. It's all wadded up and in a huge envelope of notes and clippings of "writerly stuff." I'll write more about Rita another day, but for now just know that she was sweet, kind, motherly, hilarious, ETC! I've referred to her for years as Crazy Rita. She died about 2-1/2 years ago and I think of her every single day and miss her so much. I hope she's smiling at me right now, and making her crazy snarling face!



~~~ 

GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY

 







I have a Barnes & Noble gift card for $10.00 that can be used in a store or online. All you need to do is leave a comment here of any kind. Maybe you have a funny spouse story you'd like to share, or something about a wonderful friend, or what purchase you'd like to put your gift card toward...I realize $10.00 can't buy much of anything all by its little old self! (Drawing will be done next Wednesday, March 16)

 

Pinterest

~~~~~

 

from The Happy Page on Facebook



Hey you....you definitely make me happy!



* I LOVE INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES *

Yes, I love inspirational quotes, and I've definitely been in need of some new, fabulous ones. I'm thrilled to have found Twyla Tharp and to share two quotes that really knocked me out this morning...in a really good way!

~~~

“When you're in a rut, you have to question everything except your ability to get out of it.” -

Twyla Tharp, The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life


“I read for growth, firmly believing that what you are today and what you will be in five years depends on two things: the people you meet and the books you read.”  -

 Twyla Tharp, The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life            

 

~~~

* SO TRUE *

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's time for another Nostalgic Sunday

 

Why is today a "Nostalgic Sunday?"  Hmm, where should I begin? 

• The Ronald and I met friends for breakfast this morning, which is something we hardly ever do. Having breakfast at a restaurant usually occurs when we're out of town on vacation. It's a real treat! And I'm feeling very nostalgic for.... vacations..... *sigh*

• Last Tuesday, I spoke to three each - 2nd Grade classes at a local elementary school. It was Career Day and I spoke about being a writer. In addition to my talk, I handed out decorative pencils, envelopes, lined paper, and a questionnaire/fact sheet I wrote. I was actually surprised to know they still use pencils that need to be sharpened! Also, I learned a generation-gap kind of lesson. The students responded excitedly about the pencils, but when I asked if they'd also like loose-leaf paper, they all stared at me in complete silence. I was so surprised and couldn't imagine why they wouldn't also want paper, when one of the teachers stood up and said, "Mrs. Povich means notebook paper." Ahh....more cheers!

• Tomorrow, I'm doing the same thing at another nearby school. I'll be speaking to one each - 2nd Grade class, and two each -5th Grade classes. I'm all ready to go and looking forward to it. I love speaking to students and adults of all ages.

              And why do these two speaking events make me feel nostalgic? There are quite a few reasons: it seems like yesterday when my two sons were in grade school and high school. And it doesn't seem that long ago since I was that young! Where did those years go?!

~~~

 

 

Tomorrow I'm a guest on Karen Lange's blog! There's an interview and a giveaway, so please stop by!!


I have lots of additional writerly news to share in the next few days, so please come back for that, too: Contests, Calls for Submissions, etc.

 

 

 Welcome to my newest follower Patti of Magnolia Cottage!  I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! Thank you!

 

 

“It shocks me how I wish for...what is lost and cannot come back.” -- Sue Monk Kidd, Traveling With Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story

 

 

"There's a certain nostalgia and romance in a place you left." -- David Guterson

* Love Your Pet AND Your Friends! *

Happy Thursday, February 20th, 2014

 

I was having a hard time coming up with something interesting to write about today and then I remembered a site that always has unusual information to share:

 

123 Greetings!

 

 

I'm so glad I checked it out because, according to them, today is, among other things,  Love Your Pet Day, and International Friendship Week (Feb 16-22) TWO of my favorite things:

 

My beloved dog, Vern

 

is so special.

 





 

He is definitely loved,

 

and spoiled!! J

 

To have friends and to be a friend to others,

is an amazing gift in life, so hang on to them dearly!

 

I treasure all my friends, particularly those bloggie friends who I've never met, and most likely never will. We have such strong, magical connections.

 

Thank you all!

But you got to have friends
The feeling's oh, so strong
You got to have friends
To make that day last long

-- Bette Midler

 

 

God said, “I need somebody strong enough to pull sleds and find bombs, yet gentle enough to love babies and lead the blind. Somebody who will spend all day on a couch with a resting head and supportive eyes to lift the spirits of a broken heart.” So God made a dog. source

~~~

*Important Note: In my previous blog on February 17th, I inadvertently left out one of my blog tour stops! I'm so sorry! Sometime this April I will be featured on Juanita Nobles' blog. Juanita, I apologize! I'm looking forward to being on your blog, and I will add your blog asap to the list.

 

P.S. Is my new background showing up properly? Just wondering because no on has mentioned it yet!  I just love the new shabby + book design!  

Random Thoughts - Now It's Friday?

Okay, this week just disappeared, and I'm pretty sure the same will happen to the weekend.

After thinking about the "next part of the story" that goes with the Windy Day Downtown, I don't even remember what else I was going to post about it. Oh well. As Annie Hall always said, "La-di-da la-di-da."

I find it strange how my "Follower numbers" fluctuate from time to time, and especially when it happens so fast. Just the other day, the number had reached 368. Then in a couple of days, 367. I logged on this evening to see that it's now 366.  (I wonder if some people are ticked off at me? If so, I honestly have no idea why.

I'll post something as soon as I can. I'm thinking it might be a Nostalgic Sunday one. I haven't done one in quite a while and have some ideas....We'll see....La-di-da....la-di-da....

Have a wonderful, blissful, and safe weekend everyone!

"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." -- Bernard Meltzer

* Grandpa Had a Perpetual Calendar *

Grandpa had a shiny, brass perpetual calendar. He kept it on top of the ornate, built-in wooden cabinet that separated the living room from the dining room. (It was similar to the one below.) As a young child it intrigued me because it was something I didn't see in anyone else's house. I always looked forward to getting up in those summer mornings....to go outside and play, of course....but also because grandpa would let me turn the little knobs and make the correct day and number appear. How fun it was!

Google source

(And how cool is this that I found one with yesterday's date??)

The only calendars I knew about were the paper kind you hung on the kitchen wall, above the bright red step-stool chair. (Like the one below.) Ours was probably the free one that our church handed out after Mass. It had all the holidays and Holy Days already on it, so families wouldn't forget when they had to go to a Mass that wasn't on a Sunday. 

Google source

Many years ago, a wonderful friend gave me a perpetual calendar as a gift. It was either for Christmas or my birthday; I don't remember which, since they're only 12 days apart! ☺ We met when we had young sons in the same school, and attended the same church. We both sang alto in our church choir and those practices were both solemn and loads of fun. I'm sorry to say that as our boys grew up, we drifted apart as happens quite often, but we still send Christmas cards to each other every year. 

photo by Becky

I'm happy to say that I still have this darling little calendar. It's in my kitchen and every time I even glance at it, I think of her and of my grandpa. 

"Elephants and grandchildren never forget." -- Andy Rooney

* If It's Tuesday, I'm Confused....Again *

First I want to say a huge Thank You to all the wonderful women who stopped and left such heartfelt comments on my Thanksgiving Day and December 1st posts. It truly means so much to me! I love my bloggy friends!

If you're a long time reader of mine, you may remember I've used this same post title before. That's because my days are so busy and I get so mixed up sometimes that I honestly don't know what day it is! But, hey....I'm having fun, so I'm not complaining!

I saw the following gadget/button on Annesphamily's blog and it made me laugh out loud. It is SO ME! And Anne gave me permission to use it on my blog, too........

Isn't that hilarious??!!

The past few days I've been busy with writerly stuff and house cleaning stuff......and a bit of Christmas decorating stuff. I found an awesome CD in my son's bedroom that I confiscated! Hey, he moved out when he began college....uh...in January of 2007. He left a few things behind and he obviously hasn't missed this particular CD yet! It's "Joe Cocker, The Ultimate Collection." In fact, I'm listening to it right now. Fabulous!

Welcome to my two newest followers JJ and podso. I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see!  

I really like the quote I'm ending with tonight and I've used it a couple of times before, too. It really speaks to me because it's exactly how I feel about myself.



"We did not change as we grew older; we just became more clearly ourselves." -- Lynn Hall

Reader Appreciation Award

Thank you, Margo Dill, for giving me this Reader Appreciation Award! 

The Reader Appreciation Award is given to writers who have supported other writers’ blogs. How cool is that?

~~~~~~~~

There are just a few guidelines for accepting this award:

l) Acknowledge the giver of the award and provide a link to his or her blog. √

2) Copy and paste the award to your blog. √

3) Pass the award on to up to ten bloggers. √

4) And notify the selected bloggers of their nominations. √

~~~~~~~

I haven't participated in blog awards for quite some time, only because they can be very time consuming, but I happily and graciously accept this award!

Margo is such a neat gal and I'm grateful to know her personally. It's largely because of her that I'm where I am today as a writer. She was the Conference Chair at the Missouri Writers Guild conference in 2007, my very first writers conference. It was held at the Embassy Suites in St. Charles, Missouri. Her knowledge, guidance, and fun personality immediately put me at ease, even though I felt way over my head among the large crowd. 

I'm also happy to be currently working with Margo on my memoir.☺

~~~~~~~

And now for my nominees. (Please do not feel obligated to accept and/or pass this award on to others, due to whatever reasons.)

1) Judie (Rogue Artists) Here is how Judie describes herself in her blog profile: I paint, draw, carve, throw, write, and when I am not feeling creative, I read or play golf. I also run with scissors. (*I love her sense of humor!*)

2) Val (Unbagging the Cats) Here's a little something from her profile: Interests - writing and reading funny stuff. (*which she definitely can write!*)

3) Sue (Sue's News, Views 'n Muse) Something from Sue's profile: I'm a grandma that loves to write...and a writer that loves to grandma. (*I love it that Sue and I like many of the same movies, and a few of the same writers.*)

4) Pearl (Pearl, Why You Little...) Pearl's occupation, per her profile: Cat Wrangler, Pot-Stirrer, Domestic Drudge and One Snappy Dresser. (*Pearl's writing is hilarious. I think she and "Val" should team up for a Prize Winning Comedy Writing Team.*)

5) Claudia (Claudia's Page) Claudia is a beautiful writer and a beautiful person. (*I hope to meet her in person one of these days!*)

6) Peggy (Peggy Eddleman: Will Writer for Cookies) From Peggy's info: I love happy kids even more than I love cookies, I make lists as often as I eat lunch, and I love having every light in the house on almost as much as I love writing. (*She's my kind of gal. And many times, she posts a photo of a mouth-watering cookie on her blog post!*)

~~~~~~~

I'm stopping right here, with six wonderful writer/reader/bloggers! The more I looked at the list of blogs I follow, the more I began to fret over who to choose, etc. I can pretty much guarantee that whichever blog you might decide to peek at on the Writer Blogs I follow, you'll find lovely, interesting people! (and the same goes for my other set: Other Favorite Blogs)

"And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise.  The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt." -- Sylvia Plath