without so many books to read!

Ok, I have figured out why I'm not blogging daily... it's my feverish desire to finish all the books on my TBR list/pile.  That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it! *Grin*

Last night instead of blogging, I chose to finish reading When Beauty Tamed the Beast by Eloisa James.

Truthfully, I think my blogging is suffering because I've been on a non-stop reading spree.  I think it started when my family gifted me with a eReader on Mother's Day.  Fifty percent of the books I've been reading have been on that very eReader.  The other fifty, paperbacks from my local library.

Just some of the authors I've been reading are ... Amelia Grey, Caridad Pineiro, Irene Peterson, Elisabeth Naughton, Chris Redding, Jenn Nixon, Lynn Kurland, and Susan Wiggs.

Who are you reading?  What genre?

without blogging!

I did it.... I managed to sit (somehow while being pawed) and type up three blog entries tonight.  This is the fourth.

And these are the two reasons I won't be blogging any longer tonight... as it's time to walk them and tuck them in.

Do you have a pet that keeps you from doing your freelancing? Or interest?  Or writing?

Without a post topic!

Oh dear whatever will I write about tonight...?

Well, let's see I could write about attending my eighth Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet.  Or that I now have three in a Boy Scout Troop.  Or the wonderful friends I've made with so many scout families over the years. 

"Eek, a Hairy Jumping Spider!!!

Or I could write about the fact that I've seen two hairy black spiders already and it is not even March yet!  One of my son's said his favorite season was Winter because of the lack of critters.  I've not been a fan of spiders for as long as I can remember.  I know they are good for gardens and eat bugs that can do damage to many plants... it's just well, they are just creepy!

Red and Maeve relaxing last summer.

Or I could write about how my goldens are such amazing pups!  Maeve has stopped looking for me to get the balls out from under the microwave cart.  Now she moves the cart out of her own way!  And Red has too learned to move objects out of her way too.  She has learned she can use her snout to move gates away from the walls and go anywhere she wants.  I thought it was because she wanted to get to me, but apparently I am not what she wants to see.  Because sitting here with her inside the gates she tried harder to move the gate *LOL*! My girls are getting so smart!

Well back to the Sunday night chore... laundry!

Without writer's block!

Normally I sit down and something during my long days has been the inspiration for my blog posts. Although, probably by the time I finish this post I would rename the title "Without rambling!"

Well let's see I could write about the vanilla cupcakes with vanilla and chocolate frosting I bought today at a church bake sale. They weren't plain vanilla cupcakes--they were lemon flavor and frosted with lemon frosting AND vanilla cupcakes with sprinkles in the batter frosted with chocolate frosting. How did I find out? One of the kids tried one of each and was sadly disappointed.

Or I could write about how I dislike finding a great movie and then having to suffer through the unusual-not-necessary-needed-item info-commercials and trailers for how-did-they-get-someone-to-buy-such-a-horrendous-idea-and-make-it-into-a-movie. So CHEESY some of them are--It's a wonder I can sit through them to watch the movies I love!

Or I could write about the fact that I am extremely but slowly making progress around the house... I did manage to clean out two cupboards. It's a start! And every time I open them to grab something--I stop, admire my hard work and SMILE!

Or I could write about laundry, yeah, I'm still knee-deep in dirty clothes! I want to know who boosted their reproductiveness--oh that's easy that would be my family and the pups. Perhaps the weather too!
Someday, I'll catch up.

Speaking of weather, oh my gosh... we received a cold blast of arctic freezing winds. So the snow we received--yeah we got yet another dusting--it's frozen and crunchy. But this too will pass, and melt again... the temperature is going up oh 40 or 50 degrees in a week's time.

So next Sunday, when I sit down to write I should have ample material... I mean there is always something the pups or the kids have done to supply me with a long list of topics, right? Right!

Without starting over... *again*

How many of you make the same resolutions every year on New Year's Eve?

Well I fell for it again and made all those resolutions about exercising more, eating better, writing daily blogs and/or posts, reading for the pure enjoyment of it, and of course purging then organizing every room in the house.

*sigh*

It's February 1st and it doesn't seem I made very much progress.

I've been walking now and again; because Old Man Winter has taken a vacation from visiting the east coast this year. But I could still exercise more.

I've been eating better, more wheat less white; and more fruits and vegetables less sugary sweats. But I guess I could eat smaller portions.

I've thought about blogging and I have posted to my FB page now and again. But I'd like to craft articles and perhaps a story or two and share it with others on my blog.

I've been reading books when time permits by Lynn Kurland and Amelia Grey. And when it doesn't I've started to listen to audio books too! But just last week I listened to Dogs and Goddesses by Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart and Lani Diane Rich.

I do have one closet 50% purged and organized! *Yeah ME!* But there is still 99% of the house that needs to be purged and organized... There is no time like the now to get started... it's never too late!

Where's your New Year's Resolution List... is it under a pile of to do's? Or is it posted on a cork board with check marks? What's left on your list?

without losses and finds

This week has been wrought
with thoughts of losses and finds.

I do not think I've ever experienced
or ridden an emotional roller coaster
like the one I rode this week.

I received an email that has helped though to turn
the page of negativity over into a positive one.

I hope to turn my focus to fleshing out
Lost and Found...
my short story entry.
I intend to listen to the characters
as they have been sharing snippets
of their back story with me from time to time.
When I'm doing mundane tasks...
like folding wash, doing the dishes,
or walking the pups.
It's been wonderful to have my muse awakened again!

Entering the contest was just one small step
I needed to take to prove to myself
I have stories to tell the world.

without characters talking to me

Long ago when I started down the path
of attending writing workshops
a speaker once said that some writers
could hear characters speak to them.
Almost everyone laughed when they heard that,
but there were a hand full I can bet that didn't laugh.

I was in that hand full.
Yesterday, after a long absence I heard one of my characters.
She wanted me to know more about her.

Usually, the characters wait until I'm doing some mundane task
to begin a conversation...
Nine times out of ten, my hands are wet and/or soapy.
Then I have to scramble to dry them, find a pen
and begin to write feverishly fast to keep up
with the dictation on some scrap of paper.

Yesterday though I was fortunately lucky enough
to be standing in a long line at the deli counter...
The character whom I have been struggling with
decided then and there to let me know something
about her... and then more "what if questions" came to me.

Before I knew it, the line at the deli counter
had dwindled down ... and it was my turn.
As soon as my number was called...
She ended our conversation, and I was left standing there
with a grocery list covered with notes...
wondering what I was suppose to order.