Writerly Advice & Calls for Submission

Two weeks ago, I met online a most amazing, writerly woman. She is very talented, funny and supportive...and I'm extremely grateful for some advice she gave me concerning my memoir. More on that at a later date.......

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*Calls for Submissions for NINE books:

From Chicken Soup for the Soul

Click on the link above for complete information on each book. Surely at least one of these book titles has your name all over it! ☺

Miracles 
The deadline for story and poem submissions is July 31, 2013

Multitasking Mom's Survival Guide 
The deadline for story and poem submissions is July 31, 2013

O Canada The Wonders of Winter 
The deadline for story and poem submissions is June 15, 2013

Overcoming Challenges 
The deadline for story and poem submissions is October 31, 2013

Reboot Your Life 
The deadline for story and poem submissions is November 30, 2013

Stories about Cats 
The deadline for story and poem submissions is August 31, 2013

Stories about Dogs 

The deadline for story and poem submissions is August 31, 2013

The Dating Game! 

The deadline for story and poem submissions is July 15, 2013

Think Positive for Kids (Stories to be written by adults about their own childhood, or about a child they know now.)

The deadline for story and poem submissions is June 30, 2013

*Give it a try! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain! If your story (or stories) are chosen, you receive a check for $200, plus 10 free books! (for each story that is accepted)

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Another busy week has flown by and there's always something that still needs to be accomplished.....Hopefully, I'll have photos to share soon.




"The only way to learn to write is to write." -- Peggy Teeters 

* NOSTALGIC SUNDAY *

It's Time for Another Nostalgic Sunday

It's been a LONG time since I've posted a Nostalgic Sunday. There's no particular reason, really....I've just been so busy......

Carrying boxes from one room to another
Unpacking & putting things away
Writing
Doing some laundry
Walking Vern
Writing
Eating
Walking Vern
Sleeping
Writing

The Ronald and I worked in the living room a lot today and it really is beginning to look like home! (Our son, Mark, came over and helped a lot, too!)

What about this post makes it a "Nostalgic Sunday" post?....

Well..since we don't have TV yet, I've been watching some Andy Griffith Show DVDs.

I've been feeling very nostalgic because I've been going through old pictures to include in my memoir.

And....below is a picture of the wall plaque I mentioned on April 13th.

I wanted y'all to see that I did cross out "Begins" and wrote "Continues!" ...and that makes me feel nostalgic.

I promise I'll post pictures when boxes aren't overtaking rooms!

* Welcome to my newest follower Susan J. Reinhardt . I hope you'll stop by often and always enjoy what you read and see! * 

"Home is the nicest word there is.” -- Laura Ingalls Wilder

* IT COULD ONLY HAPPEN TO ME *

I didn't plan on writing another blog post so soon, but something happened shortly after noon today, that I just had to share.

* I swear all of the following information and photos are real *

Vern had a 1:00 pm appointment with his favorite vet: Dr. Brister. (Actually he only has one vet, but she's the best around in both our opinions!)

Okay, SO....since we're still unpacking and finding things that we really don't need or want, I have quite a few items in my car to take to Goodwill.

As I opened the door on the driver's side of my PT Cruiser, I noticed The Ronald had put two large, decorative plate holders in the back floor, on the passenger's side. As I held the door open,Vern jumped into the backseat and settled onto his pillows. Right away I could see he didn't like the looks or the rattling of those metal contraptions. SO......since I didn't want Vern to be traumatized on the ride to the vet and back....I closed my door and walked around to the other side to pull them out.

I could only open the passenger side door a few inches because stacks of boxes were in the way. I still easily reached in and grabbed both at the same time and began to pull. I had to walk backwards a bit, as I tried to yank them out at a 90° angle, which obviously didn't work since they were hard metal and not flexible.

Somehow during those few seconds, the black plate holder got stuck in the one and only crevice that was there. Plus, by that time, the gold one had latched onto the black one and they were both stuck, and I do mean stuck.

* SEE PHOTOS BELOW *

View from the front of the car

View from the side

View from the back

Another from the back and side

Close up view: Look a little below and to the right of the red piece of fabric. The  black part that is stuck is hard to see....it's kind of horizontal, right under a large, funny looking, kind-of-a-"C".

I yanked and pulled and cussed as poor Vern watched from the back seat. So, I put his leash on him and we went outside for a walk. I called the vet's office and told the receptionist I couldn't make the appointment and that she would NOT believe my excuse. She and I both laughed as I attempted to describe it all to her.

I also called The Ronald to see if he was anywhere near home, but he wasn't. I kept explaining the situation and he kept saying he couldn't visualize it. I don't blame him! He said he'd come home as soon as possible and take a look at the situation...Hmmm.....

Thank goodness the car is in the garage because it's been raining off and on all day. BUT, since the car door obviously won't shut, my battery may run low.......

* Tuesday 4/16/13 Addendum: The Ronald and I both worked together to get the tangled mess untangled, and I was able to drive Vern to his rescheduled vet appointment! (Also, since I changed my template back to a Blogger design, I'm now able to reply individually to comments. I love it!) 

Ahhhh.......Life is full of fun and surprises! I had a very good laugh today, and at my own expense!
I leave you with two quotes from one of my favorite comedians.....



"You can't have everything. Where would you put it?" -- Steven Wright

"Is it weird in here, or is it just me?" -- Steven Wright

* HOME UPDATE *

Hello Blog Friends!

I'm alive and well, still unpacking boxes, still donating more items to Goodwill, and not nearly finished. But one day at a time, right? The Ronald, Vern, and I are all loving our new place of residence. The second or third day we were here, I told The Ronald I feel like a newlywed, unpacking and deciding what to put where. ☺

I've only hung four items on walls so far because I have no idea where or if I'll want to hang the rest of the paintings, plaques, drawings, etc. 

The four I've hung:

A clock on a kitchen wall

A calendar on a kitchen wall

A very small plaque that says Home: Your Soft Place to Fall

A larger plaque that says Home is Where Your Story Begins 

(I think I'll cross out the "Begins" and write "Continues" on it. What are your thoughts on that?!)

I've taken a couple of photos, but haven't downloaded them onto my laptop yet, and of course I can't locate the camera and case at the moment.

I miss visiting your blogs and I'll get back into the swing of things when I can!

P.S. I did find my hairspray and makeup, but would you believe I haven't used any of it yet?? Whenever I do need to go anywhere, I just plop on my white baseball cap!

There's nothing better than being happy where you are and with what you have....

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." -- Denis Waitley

* WE'RE HOME *

I'm definitely in one of my "What day is it?" modes. We moved into our townhouse on Easter Sunday, so I feel like Easter hasn't even arrived yet. I was at Walmart yesterday evening, picking up a few essentials.....shower curtain liner, cheapie toilet brushes, etc....And especially a can opener because we haven't found ours yet! ....and the young checker asked me how my Easter was. I had to stop for a minute and think....Uhhh, I didn't know Easter came and went already....and then I remembered....

We love our new home ....it's not a "new" townhouse, but it's new to us and I can't wait to make it completely ours. Vern has adapted really well, too, which we wondered about. The biggest obstacle...so to speak.... right now, is the maze of boxes on our living room! He's managed to squeeze through and find a place to rest and chew on a bone, or up on the couch next to us!

I'm not sure how soon we'll have internet at home, so I'm at the Bread Co right now, accepting their free wi-fi! The past few days I've been using my cell phone for texting and e-mailing, and even some web browsing, so I am HAPPY to be able to use my laptop for a little while. And it's a minor miracle that I even found my laptop and plug-in cord.....in two separate boxes! 

The main thing I just have to find today is my makeup and hair spray!!!!! I've been looking like an old hag, and I'm not exaggerating one bit!!

That's it for  now. Thanks to everyone who has left recent comments and also for recent e-mails. I hope to attempt to catch up.....someday. 

AND I'm rarin' to go to finish those last few sentences in my memoir, and add the photos!!

I'll be thinking of y'all as I unpack...

The Ronald and I definitely have wonderful friends who have given us a hand, in more ways than one. 

Have a beautiful, blissful day!

"I always tell my kids if you lay down, people will step over you. But if you keep scrambling, if you keep going, someone will always, always give you a hand. Always. But you gotta keep dancing, you gotta keep your feet moving." -- Morgan Freeman  

* Unique Call for Submissions *

Those of us of a certain age surely remember Carly Simon's hit "Anticipation" from 1971. Although I loved the song, I never knew if it was written about anyone or anything in particular, until just this morning. I looked at Carly's official website and here's what it said: ...was written by Carly while she was waiting for Cat Stevens to pick her up for a date. How cool is that? (I want to remember that from now on, and not think of the Heinz Ketchup commercial from the late 1970's.)  K

Okay...you're probably wondering what does all that have to do with a "Unique Call for Submissions."

Becky Haigler of Silver Boomer Books recently reminded me of the current call for submissions for their anthology about.....Waiting, which I think is a very unique subject for an anthology! The working title as of now is: Longest Hours -- thoughts while waiting.

Becky also said ".....we have a lot of submissions about hospital waiting rooms and hospice situations and are needing some more light items about waiting to balance the collection. A well-written light piece will actually have a better chance of being included." And although the website says the deadline is April 15th, she said through the end of April is okay.

I actually have a couple of different occasions I could write about for this. Now, if I can just find the time. (I'm still packing!)

Be sure to read all of the Guidelines before submitting. Good luck to everyone!

"Ten men waiting for me at the door? Send one of them home, I'm tired." -- Mae West

Packing and Getting Ready to Go!

While The Ronald and I pack, Vern sniffs around on our deck. 

I have no idea what he found, but his head is completely in the snow!

One of the trees in our front yard.

The birds kept coming to the feeder all day long. The one on the right, about half way up the pole is in flight. He's in the air, not on the ground!

We're so excited about downsizing. I can't wait to get moved into our new home and begin this next chapter in our lives!

* TESTING FOR BLOG UPDATE *

I just changed a setting on my blog, hoping it took care of my blog roll problems.......

Why am I feeling negative about this??!!

YAY IT WORKED! Thank you, Kathy M. for pointing me in the right direction to find the answer!! 

And now....I can say Nighty Night. 

We're expecting a pretty big snow storm here over the next 24 hours or more. Wherever you are, and whatever weather you're having, I hope you have a restful, peaceful Sunday. 

Ahhhh, Vern knows how to take it easy!

He's sleeping with his little stuffed animal here....awwww!

“Petting, scratching, and cuddling a dog could be as soothing to the mind and heart as deep meditation and almost as good for the soul as prayer.” 
― Dean Koontz, False Memory