Guess What!

GUESS WHAT!!!! I have a new grandson!!!! He weighed in at 8 pounds 11 ounces and 20.5 inches long. He has bunches of black hair. Guess what again!!!! He's perfect. Looks like his daddy, my son. I would put a photo here, but he's not my child and well it's the Internet after all. If you could see his perfect little face you would need to sit down. Your knees would  become weak with admiration, if knees get weak from admiration. His little face would do that to you.

Thank you so much for your prayers. He and my daughter-in-law are doing just fine. It was tricky for awhile. I am a believer in prayer. It means so much that you joined me.

Awards

Another Monday announcement of an award given to me. This week I am receiving the One Lovely Blog Award from TWO amazing women and blogs.

I appreciate that they both thought of me when they were given the One Lovely Blog award. 

Carol Gilgore from Under the Tiki Hut is a writer who makes me think. I know, I know you all may think I think too much. However, Carol writes about things in ways I haven't thought about yet. And one thing you would enjoy is her Friday's Top Ten. The information is always different and always entertaining. Thank you, Carol, for the award.

Gail At the Farm writes and photographs life around her farm.  If you would like to see what goes on around the farm, read some good writing, and see photography that takes your breath away you will like this blog. She also has another blog Familiar Spirit about the animals (and sometimes insects) in her life. I appreciate you Gail and the really neat things you said about me.

The Chair

I’m glad you thought the chair story was funny. It wasn’t until I wrote it down, stepped back a couple of days—that I laughed hysterically. It was a trying 24 hours. It IS a very nice chair. And so goes life. I win a few. I lose a hundred. Some of you mentioned the footstool in front of the chair. I bought it a long time ago at a garage sale for five buckaroos (dollars). It has had a few makeovers. I had to change it to compliment the chair, of course. That’s the story of my life, no stone or footstool goes unturned. There is no contentment here, people.

The Footstool

Like everything else I try to do in my life, I struggled with reupholstering the stool. I took the old fabric off and tried to put the new back on the way the old came off. What’s so hard about that? I had done it before.  Really? Are you sure you did that? YES. (Sorry these conversations with myself are uncontrollable.)

The footstool lay in the family room (do they still call it a family room?) floor for three days. I couldn’t figure it out.

Photo: Before and After

The fourth day I thought, isn’t the Internet my friend? Isn’t it called the Information Highway? Aren’t there bloggers out there that have redone a footstool (and remember how they did it)? I searched. The only thing I could find was one blogger who had a footstool almost identical to mine. She had recovered the stool but showed only a before and after photo—no instructions on how she did it. But, she did say important words for me; she had seamed the sides to fit the stool and THEN stapled it to the frame. Bingo. So I did just that. It’s a good thing I have a stubborn Irish temperament or I would have given up on many of my struggles long ago.

People I Wouldn’t Want To Be Right Now

Miners in the Chile mines: I nearly gave up on life during a week of the ice storm in 2006 when I had no electricity in my home or in our town for a week. I would lose my mind being in a mine for months.

The cat dumper in England: Even if she hated cats (which her mother said she loved cats), this woman must have had a psychotic break.

The farms where the tainted eggs were processed: I also wouldn’t want to be the chickens. Why the chickens? How would you like to lay millions of eggs just to have them tossed out?

And--Any of the cheating celebrity husbands in the news: Beautiful wives. Beautiful lives. Ruined. Stupid.

Oh and The Ruralhood has a new post in case you are interested. I was inspired by the start of school.





That’s my rambling for today. What are your rambling thoughts this Monday?

Rest

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 

And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (Genesis 2: 1-3, NIV)


JW's thoughts:

Why I think Blogging is like Truck Driving

Blogging is like trucking, or so I say.  I know nothing about trucking, but if I did, this is what I would tell you.



1. Trucks transport goods on our highways.
2. Truckers line up their trucks at their favorite truck stops.
3. Trucks throw tread all over the highway.
4. Trucks often have a sleeping area in the truck itself.
5. Truck drivers seem friendly…unless they're on the highway.
6. There are truckers to be trusted and there are those we should not trust.
7. Truck drivers know each other by their “handle”.

FYI: (According to Wise Geek, “A CB handle is a short but memorable nickname used by a citizen's band radio enthusiast while broadcasting.” Truck drivers that travel the same roads repeatedly come to recognize their fellow truckers by their handle. It becomes an individual “identity”. )

Are you dying to know how I could possibly compare blogging to trucking?

1. Like trucking, blogging transports information on the Internet highway.
2. Bloggers line up at their favorite blog stops to read each other’s posts. (Or is that just me?)
3. Bloggers throw stuff all over the Internet highway (and sometimes wish they could get it back).
4. If my blog had a sleeping area, I would leave it running and sleep in it just to be close to my blog. (I need therapy.)
5. Bloggers are a friendly bunch, mostly.
6. Some Bloggers (and their content) are to be trusted, and some are not—to be trusted. (I may need therapy, but I am amazingly deep.)
7. And last but not least, bloggers know each other by their blog name (or handle).

After blogging for one year and one month, I can see identity in the blog names and relate blogs to their owner... kind of like a “handle”.  (You don't see it?) I also see the Blogger's writing style, Good Buddy. 

That's it--why I think blogging is like truck driving. This is JW, over and out.

Have a great weekend and Happy Writing.

Choices

What has shapely legs, lovely arms, and won't get out of the car?

Teresa is my name, and...

random thoughts thinking are is my game. So here we are back at Monday. A revolving door it is--time. Have you noticed? Time is a revolving door and you can't really can't get off or you would be dead. Just a thought. A crazy random thought.



I have hated rules all my life....

Yes, I hate rules and I will buck them anytime I get the opportunity (this does not include laws of which I follow). And, this is probably why life is sometimes hard for me because I scoff at rules, rule making, and rulers. And if you put my Irish temper and my free spirit attitude together, well…no wonder I’m a mess. My mom needs an award for raising a child like me. She will not confirm this because she is nice, but I was a willful child or at least I felt like it. I don’t mention my dad who also raised me (getting the award) because I’m pretty positive I get these character building (uh huh) traits probably from him. He and I walk to the beat of our own drummers. There is nothing wrong with marching to our own beat, except the world is all about rules. The good thing is, I still have my family (minus one husband), friends, and (currently) a job--in spite of my rebel like mindset.

Speaking of awards....

An award was bestowed upon me by Jules at Trying to Get Over the Rainbow. You have to visit her blog. She is hysterical. (I’m not sure she knows how funny she is.) When she starts talking her "Just so you know..." stuff, I know I'm going to laugh. I haven’t received an award in awhile so this is quite the treat.

Just so YOU know. Jules needs prayers for her dad who had a (small) heart attack. It may be a blessing he found out this way that something is wrong.

Now, here are the questions I must answer to receive my award. I will reserve the right to pass it on at a later date.

What is your signature color? My signature is always in black. Is that what this means? Actually, I love blue and yellow.

What is your most embarrassing moment? I have none that I wish to talk about because they are…embarrassing.

Would you ever get anything pierced other than your ears. If so, what? Does a sewing machine needle through the tip of my finger count? Well it didn’t go completely through. NO, I will not pierce anything other than my lobes. I’m having enough trouble keeping my ear lobes from sagging with my big ole hoop earrings. I don’t want anymore trouble. Ok?

Are you a social butterfly or a homebody? I am a social butterfly unless I want to go home. True story.

Are you done having babies or do you want more? I always want more babies, says she who has an empty nest. But, having them could be a challenge.

Are you loyal to your hairstylist or do you try every salon in town? I'm not a cheater. Or at least I would go out of town to cheat.

How many times have you moved in your life? Not many. It would be easier to tell you, I've lived in Illinois and Missouri and hoping for Hawaii as soon as I become that trophy wife.

If you could plan your vacation with just you and your love where would it be? First of all, I would need to find my love. He seems to be lost. I have the bloodhounds looking, though. But let’s just say, I found my love and we went on vacation. I would like to go um...anywhere.

The folks....

My parents celebrated a wedding anniversary Friday. We had a great time at their house. I'm late, but Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad. Last year, I blogged about them and bought them a gift. I barely got them a card this year and...they still love me or so they say. And well, I choose to believe them. Yes, I do.

I am very blessed to have them as my parents.



What are your random thoughts this Monday?

 
 
 
 

Faith and Obedience

What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'

" 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

"Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.

"Which of the two did what his father wanted?"

"The first," they answered.

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. (Matthew 21:28-32, NIV)

JW's thoughts:

5 tips to becoming a better writer

Do you want to become a better writer?

1. Write every day. E.v.e.r.y. d.a.y. If you can’t get your brain going, take a sentence or an idea from your story or a character and write anything that comes to mind. Sometimes telling yourself to write is like the nurse telling you to urinate in a plastic cup. It will happen. Just keep trying.

2. Dedicate time to improving your skills by reading blogs and books on how to write. There are so many helpful writing blogs out there. If you click on one, you will see links to others listed in sidebar. I also find Grammar Girl helpful in honing my skills. (But this is no time to judge me.) And don’t forget about online writing courses.

Warning: Blog reading is addictive. Limit yourself or you may have to join Bloggers Anonymous.

3. Don’t be boring. Write the outrageous. Use your imagination. This mindset will make your story better. Even though you were taught to color inside the box in grade school, I’m telling you to stop it! I want you to color outside that writer box.

4. Think as a writer. Let no activity in your life go unnoticed in your mind. Jot down news stories, silly stuff that happens to you at the grocery store, or things that make you pause. These life experiences can be a setting in your next story/book/script/poem. Those hateful or quirky people along the way can be your next characters. Let nothing escape you.

5. Read. What better way to learn to write than to read those who are successful authors and the genre in which you wish to write.

Finally, this article by Mary Jaksch on 73 ways to become a better writer is worth reading.


Now it's your turn, share one of your “becoming a better writer” tips.

Inside the Sandwich

The other day, I sat in a room full of people and wondered about their smiling faces and why their smiles disappeared so quickly.

No Rambling Monday

I got nothin' for you except... this YouTube mix of soldiers surprising (mostly) their kids upon their return.

I won't share with you why, but frankly I don't cry much anymore. When I saw this on Facebook and one of my FB "friends" said to get the tissues, I said, uh huh.

If you decide to watch it, get the tissues. Oh and I hate the music, but you have to at least leave the sound on until you get to Santa and the little girl. It's 10 minutes long and you don't have to watch all 10. I didn't. I ran out of tissue.




I pray blessings over your week, my friends.

JW

The Lord is My Strength

The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.
 
(Psalm 28:7, NIV)
 
JW thoughts:

First Chapters and Children’s Books

Recently, my daughter bought her first home. Why do I care? Because now I will live with her and she can take care of me. Kidding. Sort of. It means that she will now have room to store her childhood memories and books that I had been storing for her.

During one of her sorting days, she handed me a child's book and said, “You should read this. It’s really good. It’s scary. She also wrote The Dollhouse Murders.”

Her big eyes grew bigger.

The book? Christina’s Ghost by Betty Ren Wright for grades 3-6. Since my daughter read at a 6th grade level in 2nd grade (yes, I’m bragging), it probably did scare her, hopefully in a thrilling way.

Of course, I wanted to investigate this 1985 children’s book.  As with all writing, I wanted to find its secrets. This is what I found in chapter one.

There is a first line hook.

“Chrissy’s going to throw up again!” Jenny shrieked the news. What child isn’t interested in bodily functions? Either children laugh or are disgusted or both when bodily functions go wrong. Either way, the first line is urgent and begs the questions:

• Who’s Chrissy?
• Why is she throwing up?
• And who is Jenny?

There are characters introduced.

We meet Chrissy the MC, Jenny her sister, Uncle Ralph, and Aunt Grace. We hear mention of Grandma, Mom, and Dad, the Blackwells, and a dog.

• We learn about Chrissy that she’s a “tomboy”, gets car sick, feels unwanted, and bites her nails.
• We get the feeling that Chrissy participates in her own life doesn’t just observe.
• We learn snippets about the other characters too.

There is conflict.

Conflict begins in the first lines when we see that Chrissy has to ride in a car (resulting in car sickness) with a grumpy uncle. We also see that Chrissy has no control over her immediate circumstances as her plans are changed, in a moments notice, and she must stay with her uncle apart from her sister until their parents return.

There is  setting.

The setting, in the first chapter, is the road to grandma’s house, grandma’s house before Chrissy sets out on another three hour road trip with Uncle Ralph.

However, the haunted house isn’t part of the first chapter setting.

There is dialogue.

• There is "kid talk" between two sisters.
• There is sister to sister arguing.
• The uncle’s dialogue is filled with impatience with Chrissy.
• There is quarreling between the uncle and the aunt (much like the younger siblings).

As I read the first chapter of Christina's Ghost,  I realized crucial information was carefully placed to draw in a child reader and to keep he or she reading. Isn't that what it's all about...the capture?

I saw yesterday who I really want to be

More than likely if you are reading this, no matter how old you are

Monday Rambling

It was a long week last week going back to work. I don’t consider myself lazy at all, and yet, I dream of being a trophy wife.  No offense to trophy wives, if you are reading this...my implying you might be lazy.

Not much going on here. So I shall ramble.

White Paint

I like white paint. My sister posted yesterday how she is getting a new washer/dryer and needs to paint the wall behind them, before they arrive. Painting to me is like the call of the wild. Things around my house call me to paint them white. (I had photos posted here and they were messing with me, so I took them down.)

White paint freshens my world. White paint takes the ordinary and makes it…white.

Painting (not artistic) (not faces) is something I love doing. My eyes scan my homestead on a weekly basis for something I can paint or re-paint.

Recently, I found a quote by a decorator that could be mine, “I believe in optimism and white paint.” (Can’t find the magazine source and author. It's here somewhere.) My belief is more on white paint than optimism, but let's keep them together.

Stuff

I continue to clean, sort and purge stuff. However, I think my stuff is creeping back in when I’m not looking. Or--or, is my stuff multiplying, behind my back? I don’t know what’s happening.

This Week

I have a new post at the Ruralhood on thinking.

Wednesday, I will be inspired to talk about making decisions.

Friday on writing, I will share what I have learned from Christina’s Ghost by award winning author Betty Ren Wright. My daughter said I needed to read it and then she shivered. Somehow, the book left an impression on her all these years. Isn't that what you want your writing to do, leave an impression?

Question: What do you want your writing to mean to those who read it? (blog posts, poems, articles, novels, short stories, whatever that may be) Me? I want my readers to remember what I have written and...maybe shiver. 

Strength

In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:3

Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. Psalm 69:1-2

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart
trusted in Him, and I am helped.  Psalm 28:7

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

JW thoughts:

Things I said I would never do

As a kid, I said I would never

Monday Blabber

I have decided I like blabbering and today I return to Monday morning blabbering.  A friend of mine, Merriam Webster, told me that blabbering is "to talk foolishly or excessively" and that I might be a blabberer. I said to her, "Good". I'm rethinking  our friendship.

Vacation has ended for JW.  I am heading back to work and I feel stormy like this Missouri sky.

I started my vacation with an illness, a horrid life sucking kidney infection. The first week and a half I spent trying to find my energy again, learning to eat better, and getting well.

During my recovery, we celebrated my son’s 33rd birthday. (This is very embarrassing since I am 29 and holding.) He was born on the 4th of July. Woot!!! We also celebrated my mom’s birthday on the 15th--both at my house. Summer is full of family celebrations.  I love it.

I didn't get anything productive done around the homestead, except a little paint here and there and lots of mowing and pulling weeds. My house needs repairs that I can’t do. But, I can paint and I did—paint ¾ of the exterior of my house. I need to finished up. I have always hated metal and vinyl siding. I am thinking I need to rethink that mindset and get rich quick to pay for it.

My son and daughter-in-law are getting very close to the birth day of my next grandson. He will most likely will be born the last of August. I can’t wait to meet him. I think he looks like me.

If any of you are trying to call me right now and want to leave a message, well—the answering machine is off. Why you ask? For the last two weeks, with last week being the worst, political calls are coming in fast and furious. Oh and my mailbox? Full of flyers, postcards and a letter or two—you guessed it, political. The only persuading that is happening here is I have turned in my voter card. I’m not voting ever again. Ok ok, I didn’t turn in my voter card and I will vote again, but I am tempted....

I don’t have much else to blabber about except I would like you to feel sorry for me that my month long vacation has ended. You know misery likes company and all. Some of you may agree with what the little gal at the bank drive-thru window said when I told her I would be going back to work this week. She said, “I’m trying to feel sorry for you that you had a month off and now must go back to work, but um…I can’t.” She smiled. I took my deposit slip and peeled outta there fast. HOW RUDE!

Have a Happy Monday!

Question: If you WERE telephoning me and finally got through, what would you say to my answering machine?

Stormy Weather

Jesus Calms a Storm

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
(Mark 4:35-41, NIV)


JW's thoughts: