Author: KarenPopeWrites

I was born in the 1950’s, live in a 126-year-old house in Virginia, I am retired and spend a great deal of my time writing. I have lived through the Kennedy assassination, civil rights, Neil Armstrong on the moon, and 9/11/2001. I have seen the Vietnam war, the war in Middle East, the war on drugs, Star Wars, and the war between men and women. I have written hundreds of short stories and essays and a handful of novels. Only one novel was (self) published and one poem published in a collection. I have been a writer my whole life, creating my first stories when I was still in elementary school.
Writing

7 Passionate Ideas for Passionate Writing

KarenPopeWrites

I am a passionate writer.  That doesn’t mean that I write passionate stories, but rather I write passionately.  And what that means is I treat writing like a job.  True, it is a job I love doing and true, I would rather write than work at (something)Mart.  Passion is the critical element in writing.

Karen Writes' Writing Desk

If I write something bad, which happens more often than I care to think about, I have options:  I can delete it, I can put in that “terrible idea” file and maybe use it at a later time, or I can leave it on my desktop to percolate, marinate, season, age like fine wine or sharp cheese.  Maybe after a few days, I will find it is not such a terrible idea after all.

For me writing often reflects the mood I am in at that particular moment.  Like everyone, I have days that are dark and gloomy as the weather during a winter storm or as bright and sunny as the first of spring.  So, if I am gloomy today and I am trying to write a happy scene, it will not work very well.  I wait until the sun comes out, then I write something happy.  That’s not to say that I won’t write on that gloomy day.  I simply write a gloomy scene or spend time writing a reflective journal post.

I have learned recently that holding myself back while writing will never result in good writing.  What I will achieve is superficial and one dimensional.  To have passion in my writing, I have to get emotionally involved with my characters or my topic and not worry about what the neighbors think.  I have to stop writing what others want to read, because whatever I write will appeal to only one person in a thousand.  The other 999 will not be interested, anyway.

Now, for the advice portion of this post:

  1. Strive to be a passionate writer. Dig deep and find the passion that is there, anyway.
  2. Don’t write for an individual, either real or imagined. Find what’s in that deepest part of your heart and write about it.
  3. Don’t let a day go by without writing something, be it a journal entry, or a chapter in a novel that will later get deleted. Write something.  Every day.
  4. Write about the things inside. If it is emotional to you, it will be emotional to someone else.
  5. Use your favorite method to write, whether it is a #2 pencil and a scrap of paper rummaged from the trash pile or (my personal favorite) a keyboard. I prefer the keyboard because I type fast and fairly accurately, so I can get these random ideas down more quickly.  Also, I have began audio recordings while driving in my car or making breakfast.
  6. Write using your own voice. It makes you unique.  In that way, you will stand out from the crowd.  You’ve heard it before.  There is only one you, so don’t try to be someone else.
  7. Read something every day. Reading is an excellent method for improving your own writing because you are learning about sentence structure, plot lines, information that can be used in a story or article at a later day.  Much of what you are learning is on a subliminal, but reading is beneficial to every writer.

Writing 500 words a day doesn’t take that long to do.  Stephen King recommends writing 1000 words a day, although he writes 2000 a day.   But, I am no Stephen King nor am I trying to be him.  Most days, I write more than 500 words.  All I had to do was to turn off the TV (or Netflix or Amazon) and write.  I put down my computer games and then write.  I make time for writing.  I don’t wait for inspiration.  I start writing and then inspiration just happens.

I write passionately.

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5 Clever Ways to Name a Character in a Fiction Story

KarenPopeWrites

One of the most important aspects of writing fiction is the character’s name.  Often I spend hours or even days pondering over this critical issue.  I spent more time on naming characters than I spent naming my children.  The name has to fit the character’s personality.  Names like Stephanie Plum, Sherlock Holmes, Dirk Pitt fit the characters so well and I hope to do at least that good in naming mine. This is a list of some of the guidelines I use.  I would like to take a moment and point out that NONE of these names belong to anybody I know, so if you try to find yourself in a name, you will be wrong.

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What would you name your baby?
  1. Bad Guys

The bad guy will have a hard sounding name will have “J”, hard “G”, or “D” sounds.  Think Judge, Garrick, Darth.  While Judge Dred was a good guy, to me that is a perfect bad guy name.  A name that sounds like a crime is a good choice.  One novel I wrote has Arsen Gray, Bad Guy.  How about Killian Kroft?  Aaron Battle, or Lance Pierce

  1. Good Guys

An innocent woman or sweet female character will have a name like Mary Perkins or Sarah Simpkins.  It reminds me of “Babykins” or Lambykins.”  Mary denotes innocence itself.  You will never go wrong naming a mother Mary.  Also, variations of Mary, such as Marie Perkins work or Mariel or Muriel.  Sarah or Sally are good mother’s names.  Ann, Anne, Anna, Hannah are all main character names I like to use for my ladies.

For a good guy, I choose softer sounding names like, Christopher or Matthew.  James is a good guy, as in James Bond.  More good choices are Matthew Holmes, Eli Morning, Chris Shanley, or Christian Erikson.

  1. Heroes

A hero would have to have a heroic sounding name, like Ares, Arthur, Garrett, and Julius, or for the ladies, Artemis, Diana, or Raven.

To name a character, you have to figure out who they are and what they will accomplish.  For example, a male who will save Earth from destruction, but is a complete computer geek, you may try something like Arthur Palmer or Sterling Watson. I often create the back story for a character before I ever name them.  I sometimes use a “working name” until I decide what the character’s name will really be.  When I plug in the new name, I read over what I have written to see if the new name fits a s well as I think it will.

  1. Beautiful People

A beautiful woman needs a beautiful name, like Rose, Lily or any other flower name, or named for a jewel, like Ruby, Beryl, or Jewel.  A very handsome man could be Brian, Daniel, Alexander or (my favorite) Adrian.

What about a beautiful evil woman?  Ruby Pierce or Lily Lance.

  1. Intellects

Brian is a perfect genius’s name because it looks like Brain, or Isaac or Vincent.  And a genius girl could be Margaret, Sage or Alice.

I try to use names that are easy to pronounce and recognizable.  I don’t make up names, even in a Sci-Fi story.  I have seen that too often, where a character has a name that makes you want to buy a vowel.  I have spent way too much time trying to pronounce a name in my head that seemed unpronounceable.  In a novel I am currently working on, the heroine is Kathleen Fouraker and the hero is Christian Shanley.  In another Sci-Fi, I used Regina Sharpe as the heroine and James Thompson as the hero.  If you promised your grandmother that you would name your lead character after a village in Wales, then be kind to your readers and include a pronunciation guide.

The character name is an important story element, so don’t be afraid to give it some serious thought. Google it.  Look up the name’s meaning, its origins.  Say it out loud.  Does it sound hard as diamond or soft as cotton?  Also, if you need to change the character’s name, then do it.  I have changed a name more than once in my stories.

 

Writing

How to Write: Put Your Fingers on the Keyboard and WRITE

KarenPopeWrites
100112-Selectric-Element
IBM Selectric Ball
To write something a person has to put pen to paper or, in my case, fingers to keyboard.
I type fast, having learned how to keyboard while in high school.  At that time, I never dreamed I would own a computer.  My big dream was an IBM Selectric–an electric typewriter with a ball instead of keys that got jammed together when I typed too fast.  After years of practice, I can keyboard almost as fast as I think.  Definitely as fast as I can talk.
The ability to type rapidly enables me to get my thoughts in front of me without losing them as new thoughts are processed.

I set aside time to write on my calendar.

By scheduling my time, I know I am going to sit down in front of the keyboard and create something.  That doesn’t mean I sit down to absolutely no idea of what to write.  I always have a general idea of which direction I am going.  I think about my stories or blog articles a lot before I actually show up at the keyboard.  I make notes in my iPhone if something particularly meaty occurs to me.

I don’t always type something meaningful or enlightening.  Often, it is just weird ramblings or several paragraphs in my novel that I can later delete.

The Delete Key

The main key to my writing is my delete key.  I know some writers disagree with that and treat every word they write as if they were chiseled onto a stone table.  For a while, I did, too.  I saved every word instead of deleting until I had a folder chock-a-block full of deleted paragraphs, phrases and chapters.

Delete Key
My DELETE Key

I NEVER went back in to re-read them.  Finally, I stopped saving everything and just delete, delete, delete.  Eventually, after two years of sitting idle and unopened, I deleted my deleted paragraphs folder.

 

I love the process of editing what I write.  How many times have I ran across something in someone else’s novel I am reading that just screams for an edit?  It is almost disappointing to me when what I have written reaches that point where no further editing is necessary.   In fact, the way I start writing when I am working on a novel is to read what I wrote the previous two or three days, edit while reading and then, I allow the ideas flow to add new content.  By the time I reach the end of the first draft, it is a nearly perfectly edited piece.

Let It Rest

Then, I let it rest for several days or even weeks before reading again and checking for additional edits needed.  I have at this point, chucked an entire body of work.  I have rearranged chapters, I have eliminated chapters.  I have even eliminated characters.  Then, I let it rest again.  And so forth until I am satisfied with the end product.
Working from an outline tends to limit my creativity.
I normally write on the fly, having a general idea of where I want the story to go.  It is like flying an airplane by dead reckoning.  I can pinpoint the landing as I get closer to my destination.
Heart-Made-with-an-Airplane-Featured
Write on the fly
Writing

Changing Your Mindset will Help You Build Your Tribe

KarenPopeWrites

What is a Tribe?  Simply put, it is a group of people who follow you because what you have to say resonates with them.  And to build a tribe, you have to be willing to change your mindset. alexis-brown-82988Photo by Alexis Brown on Unsplash

Changing your mindset sounds easy, right?  Truth is, people are their own worse enemies.  I know I am.  What I mean is, I wanted to be a writer for the wrong reasons.  I was looking for validation that I am a good writer.  I wanted to be adored.  I wanted people to stop me on the street and ask for my autograph.  It never occurred to me that I write because I must write.

Once I realized the obvious, I knew being a writer who writes is the most important thing to me. I am a writer and have been since I was a child. I am a writer!  What I have to say matters.  aaron-burden-64849Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Changing my mindset became important to me.  Not focusing on HOW MANY are reading what I write, but focusing on doing the best writing of my life.  For ten years (or longer) my goal with writing was feedback from others.  And guess what?  Feedback was slow in coming or non-existent.  Even my kids do not read what I write.  My friends do not read what I write, except for 140 character Twitter messages.  Jesus even said in the Bible at John 4:44,  “Jesus himself, however, bore witness that a prophet has no honor in his own homeland.” (New World Translation 2013 Revision)

Once you know the why of your writing, your mind is freed to write everything–blog posts such as this one, articles, stories, novels.  I write because I must write.

 

 

Exercise

5 Easy Ways to Get Enough Exercise

KarenPopeWrites

Exercise is a word that makes many older folks shudder.  Retirement doesn’t mean sitting in a rocking chair in front of the TV for the rest of your life.  Exercise is important to maintain your health during retirement.

Improving your health doesn’t have to include an arduous workout routine.  You don’t have to have special clothes.  You don’t have to have a gym membership where you exercise and sweat your retirement away.

Simply put, to remain (or get) healthy, you must increase your physical activity.  This can be done gradually with a goal to change your behavior not wear yourself out.thomas-hafeneth-244903

Burning just 200 to 300 calories a day through moderate exercise will decrease your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even some cancers.  You’ll increase your fitness which will lead to greater enjoyment of life.

Activities for Health

Some of the easiest way to increase activity is often over looked.

  • Increase the number of steps you take each day.  That alone will go a long way toward burning calories and exercising muscles.   Buying a pedometer will help you track your steps, but it is not necessary.

Most people over the age of 50 with a sedentary job or life style get between 2000 and 4000 steps a day.  Increasing this is easy.  Every time you go to a store or a restaurant, park away from the front door and walk instead of driving around until you find a spot in the “rock star parking” area.

  • Stand instead of sit.  Standing burns more calories than sitting.  When you talk on the phone, get out of your seat and walk around.  Use even more calories by walking around while you talk.
  • Move around.  Even slow walking burns twice as many calories as sitting..
  • Do household chores.  Catch up on your gardening.  Do minor repairs.  Repaint a wall. Hang decorative wallpaper on a feature wall in your bedroom.  Rearrange the furniture. Organize a closet.  The list is endless of small activities that can burn calories each day.

Keep on Track

The problem with making a determination to get more exercise is that it is too easy to fall into old habits, again.  Long established behavior is difficult to overcome, especially if that behavior is avoiding anything strenuous.

  • Set goals.  Aim low at first.  For example, aim at 5 minutes of walking.  When that goal is achieved, then increase it to 6 minutes. Once you reach your goal, you will be inspired to continue on to the next goal.
  • Monitor your progress.  Recording your physical activities in a diary can help you develop momentum for reaching your goals.  Keep the entries short so keeping the diary doesn’t become a chore. Just record an activity and make note of when you achieve your goal for that day.

Safety First.  The suggestions listed here should be safe for anyone.  Just do a little bit more of what you would normally do.  I am not a doctor and I am not giving medical advice.  Check with your doctor before starting any kind of exercise program to make sure you can safely do it, especially if you have a history or heart problems, osteoporosis or other physical difficulty that could interfere with your activity.

Important:  If you experience worrisome symptoms while exercising, like tightness in your chest, chest pain, a sudden sharp pain in a joint or muscle, or extreme difficulty breathing while exercising contact your doctor immediately.

Photo by Thomas Hafeneth on Unsplash

 

 

 

retirement

6 Convenient (and Unnecessary) Things Many People Can Live Without

KarenPopeWrites

It is scary to have to give up something you are used to, but in a successful retirement, it may happen.  In my case, there are a number of things that have to go just so I can make ends meet.  Here are some ideas you may not have thought about .

  • Cable TV:  Cable is something that is pernicious and ever-present in our lives.  The eyes pop open in the morning, the TV goes on.  And we watch whatever is there, almost mindlessly.  But, what if it doesn’t have to be that way?
    • Can you bite the bullet and cancel your cable subscription?  You can buy and inexpensive HD Antenna to receive all the local channels–a one time expense and you still have access to many network channels and your local news.
  • Smart Phone Data Service:  I know this one is a real toughie for many people.  But, can you cut down on the amount of data you are paying for?  If you are now retired, you are probably spending more time at home and you can use WiFi instead of cellular data on your phone.  Or, can you switch to a cheaper cell phone plan?
    • An Internet search will reveal many inexpensive cell phone plans, so do your research and find out which one will work best for you.  You don’t have to spend big buck for Verizon or Sprint when you can get identical service for much less every month.
  • Land Line Phone:  If you have a cell phone, do you really need a land line, too?  Eliminating one or the other will be a savings.
  • Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu:  Are you paying for a streaming service?  Maybe eliminating one or two of them will save you a few dollars each month.  Try it.  Pick one to keep and cancel the rest for a month.  If you really can’t live without them all, then simply turn them back on.
    • I know you just got rid of your cable, so you may be reluctant to give up a streaming service.  Ask yourself how much you actually have to save each month and maybe $10 or $20 will make a huge difference.
  • Magazine Subscriptions:  Is there anything you can read in a magazine that you can’t find on the Internet?  Don’t renew any of your current subscriptions.
  • Books, Movies, Music on line:  You can get books from a library.  You can watch movies on Netflix without buying the latest DVDs.  You can listen to music on streaming services, like Pandora, without having to buy all the latest tunes.
    • I love my local library because I can get books sent directly to my Kindle with my library card.  Not every book is available in ePub format, but you can request them from your library and perhaps within a few months, your book will be downloadable.

Having to find a couple of hundred dollars extra each month has been a challenge, but there are cheaper ways of doing just about everything I do.  It just takes courage.  It takes willingness to change and to make a difference in my own life.

Photo by Didier Weemaels on Unsplash

retirement

3 Ways to Live Happily on Social Security

KarenPopeWrites

Fixed income!  Fixed Income.  fixed income. Fixed Income.  No matter how you write it, the concept is very daunting.

No one can live on just Social Security Income unless they don’t object to living in a tiny rented room and eating nothing but rice and beans.   Also, no one wants to end up as a door greeter at (Something)Mart as a way to supplement their fixed retirement income.

So what can you do about it?

Get a roommate.  There are plenty of people who are on fixed incomes who would love to share an apartment or house.  In my case, I have my older brother who is also on Social Security sharing my house.  Between the two of us, we can cover the mortgage payments, utilities and food.  But, what about those extras in life, like getting a pedicure, or buying a new blouse?  What if you don’t like the idea of having someone sharing your space?  What if you don’t know anyone who would be willing to move in?

A roommate doesn’t have to be someone you have a romantic relationship with. If you are single or even if you are part of a couple, finding another retiree (or two if you have the space) is actually a pretty easy process if you advertise on Craigslist or other website that caters to finding roomies.  You new roommate doesn’t even have to be a retiree.  Maybe someone younger would work out.  Just give it some thought before plunging in.

Simply decide ahead of time what you will and will not tolerate and put that in your ad.  People you interview for the position of roommate will not have unrealistic expectations if you let them know in advance what is required.

For my part, I told my brother this was a 100% no smoking house and any smoking had to be done outside.  This is a pet free home, which cuts down on additional cleaning that must be done.  He takes out the trash and keeps up with the yard work.  He cooks and I clean up the kitchen.  The rest of the cleaning we share and my house stays pretty clean most of the time.  We both agreed that we would have any overnight “romantic” guests.

If a roommate is not to your liking there are other options.

Find a work at home job.  If you want extra cash and are a little tech-savvy, then work at home jobs may be the answer.  You can work in comfort and have your own kitchen and bathroom available as needed.  It may take a few weeks to find exactly the right work at home position, but be diligent and look everyday for work at home positions.

The advantage of working at home is that you don’t have to commute to work, you won’t spend money buying a lunch, you can many times make your own schedule.  The disadvantage is that it is easy to get distracted while at home.  People come to visit, the TV is tempting, working on a hobby may interfere.  Make sure you have the discipline to stick with a job before committing to working at home.

A note of caution.  Do not pay anyone to get hired.  If they are a legitimate company, they will pay YOU.  Use a reputable hiring web engine such as Indeed or Monster.  If you are worried about using sites such as that, go directly to the company’s website that you are familiar with, such as QVC or Amazon.

Sell. Sell. Sell.  If you are “crafty” you can sell your craft items online at Etsy, eBay or Craigslist.  You can sell household items at yard sales.  You can go to yard sales, thrift stores, auctions, and estate sales to find items to sell at your own yard sale.

It may be a cliche, but think outside the box.  Invent ways to supplement your income.  Above all, be happy with life.

Photo by Lotte Meijer on Unsplash

 

Uncategorized

How to have a Surprise Retirement

KarenPopeWrites

I have been at this retirement thing for about three months. To be clear, my retirement was not by choice. I was forced into early retirement by losing my job. So, what does that really mean?

It means I was taken completely by surprise and I have always hated surprises. My boss came into my office and announced, “This is your last day working here.” They were generous with a severance package and unemployment benefits. But, seriously? “Well, thank you for nothing you greedy, heartless, degenerate moron. I was leaving here in 4.5 years, anyway.” I thought to myself. I packed up my personal belongings, erased everything from my computer including the operating system and walked out of the back door without saying goodbye to anyone.

I had that sudden feeling of falling on my backside as Lucy snatches the football out of the way. I completely understood what the Coyote felt the instant he looked down and saw that he had run off the edge of the cliff or looked up and saw the anvil coming directly at him. Nowhere to run. After a few days of reeling from the news, I was able to think coherently… that is, I could think in complete sentences that did NOT start with, “Now, what the hell am I going to do?”

I had a five year run up to my retirement plan that was effectively cut short by 4.5 years. But, at least the rudiments of a plan were already in place.

  • Pay off my car
  • Pay off my credit cards
  • Double up on my IRA payments
  • Pay off (finally) my student loans
  • Use the IRA to remodel the bathroom and to add hardwood floors downstairs.

Having my income whacked in half, most of my retirement plan had to be amended. Fortunately, I am one of those people who make lists. ALL. THE. TIME. I make lists to remind me to make lists. My new Retirement is Happening Right Now list is pretty simple.

  • Pay the house payment FIRST each month
  • Pay the utilities next
  • Find a cheap cell phone plan
  • Eliminate the cable, keeping Netflix
  • Find a part time job that I can do from home
  • Make regular car payments
  • Make regular credit card payments

Whew! I feel much better having a plan. So how is the new plan working?

It has to be amended again, because I am switching from unemployment benefits to Social Security Benefits which has whacked my already whacked income by 1/3.

So, I still have to make adjustments to my lifestyle and I still have to figure out how to make this work. This story will be on-going as I figure out how to live on a limited income without loosing my house and becoming one of those old ladies who push a grocery cart around and live under a bridge.

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Photo Credit: Photo by Matthew Sleeper on Unsplash

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Watermelon Rind Preserves

KarenPopeWrites

I had a conversation with my Mom and when I mentioned that I had watermelons growing in my garden, she said she wanted some watermelon rind preserves.  I remember them from my childhood when my grandmother made them, but I had no idea how to go about it.  Also, I will never admit to my mom that I didn’t know how to do watermelon rind preserves because when she is 94, she will be all, “And besides that, you didn’t know how to preserve watermelon rinds.”

So I googled a recipe.

My brother and I have been preserving veggies out of my garden–so far we have “put up” (See quaint Southern phrases) tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans.  As I mentioned on my About page, my garden isn’t big enough to be sustainable and for this episode, I used a store bought watermelon as my homemade watermelons are still too small to be considered.

100% Natural (and going completely off track)

What I like about preserving my own “homemade” veggies is that there are no preservatives, insecticides or growth hormones added.  All 100% natural.

Back to the watermelons  

To get the watermelon rinds ready for preserving, I cut out the good stuff… that sweet red middle and put it aside to snack on over the next few days.  Then, I cut off the hard green skin, leaving the green part that never gets eaten.

FYI:  Use a good sharp knife to cut off the tough outer skin because it tends to resist removal from the green insides.

According to the recipe I found at allrecipes.com

Step One:  Peel off the green part of the watermelon rind, and slice into 2 inch pieces. Soak the rind in a solution of 1 gallon water and 1/2 cup salt overnight.

So I am soaking and will complete the task tomorrow.  Check that off of my “To-Do” list.

Fast forward 24 hours…

*reading the recipe*

Step Two:  Remove rind from the salt water, and place in a stockpot with clean water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the rind is tender. Drain.

Step Three:  In a large pot, combine the sugar, 8 cups water, and sliced lemons. Tie the cinnamon and cloves into a cheesecloth bag, and place in the pot. Bring the syrup to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes. Add the rinds, and cook until transparent. Remove spice bag. Stir in red food coloring, if using. Ladle preserves into hot sterile jars, and process to seal.

After soaking the rinds overnight I was ready to begin my preserves.   I drained the watermelon rinds and then put them in another pot. I covered them with water and put them on the stove to boil for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes they were still a little bit tough so I set the timer for another 15 minutes.

While the rinds were boiling I made the simple syrup with lot of sugar, water, cloves and cinnamon sticks and let that boil at the same time the watermelons were boiling. But, I had no lemons.  Thinking quickly, I substituted lemon juice and went on to the next step.

Once the rinds were soft, (about 45 minutes boiling time) I put them in the simple syrup and boiled them together for about 15 minutes.

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Next came the canning process… namely, I boiled the Mason jars, lids, funnel, and ladle in a large stock pot.  Using my canning tongs, I removed the jars from the boiling water and placed the funnel in the first jar.  Using the sterile ladle, I put the watermelon pieces in the jar and added enough syrup to cover them leaving only about a quarter inch of room to the rim of the jar.  I put the lid on and screwed the ring down tightly.

Back in the boiling water in the stock.  I boiled the filled jars for about 15 minutes and then removed them from the water with the tongs to cool.  Waiting for the lid to pop when the jar sealed was the best part.

Finished Product

I only filled 4 pint sized jars, but that was from a single small watermelon.  Also, the recipe called for the addition of red food coloring, but I didn’t add that.  Those of you who are old enough to remember “Red Dye #5” will know why I didn’t put it in.

  • I called my Mom: I have finished the watermelon rind preserves.
  • Mom :  Good.  When are you bringing them to me?
  • Me:  Next time I drive to Florida, which is going to be a few months when the weather cools off down there.
  • Mom:  You are a daughter who hates her mother.
  • Me:…..
  • Mom:…..
  • Me:  Okay.  I am leaving right now.  See you in about 12 hours.
Uncategorized

Hectic Day

KarenPopeWrites

Who knew retired life would be so hectic?  Today, I am working on this blog, I am getting prepared for a yard sale I am having the weekend after next, I have some letters to write, two crochet projects I am working on and I still haven’t found anything funny so I can line through that on my “to-do” list.  I have harvested 5 cherry tomatoes from my garden, took a current picture of my house for the About page, and took about a hundred selfies until I found one that I could post on that, too. And is has been afternoon for almost a half hour.  Lunch time, my tummy tells me.

I have begun the ABOUT page on this blogsite.  The About page on a blog is very important because it tells people who I am and what I am trying to accomplish.  It explains my philosophy, a short bio and tells why I am blogging.