What Do YOU Want For Christmas?

When I was a child, I was a huge Shirley Temple fan.  While her movies had been made before I was born, most of them played (and replayed) on TV when I was growing up.  I never failed to miss one, knew the words to the songs, and admit that it's impossible to choose my favorite among the many.  But one came to mind a few, and I tracked it down on YouTube (of course!).  So here's my gift to you in the season of giving.

May this Christmas bring you the peace of the season.

'Tis the Season for Much

What a busy time of year, and the craziness isn't over.  Christmas is only 3 days away, it's Winter Solstice--the shortest day of the year--and it's also the 10th birthday of my oldest granddaughter.

That's Scarlett on the left when she was a few hours old.  The doctor was certain she wouldn't arrive until after the first of the year, but what babies waiting to enter the world listen to doctors?  Her mom made a late entrance.  I'd begun thinking I'd be pregnant for forever, but Sabrina, Scarlett's mom, finally decided it might not be so bad out in the world, after all.  Obviously Scarlett didn't take after her mom.

This evening will be the first of the family get-togethers over the next week and a half, as we gather to celebrate Scarlett's birthday.  I hear there's pizza on the menu, and of course the obligatory cake.  And, yes, it's hard to believe that there'll be ten candles on that cake.  Time goes by quickly.

I can't imagine not seeing my g-kids and sharing not only in the milestones of birthdays and holidays, but the little things.  That makes me one of the lucky ones.  I've been able to watch them grow from the beginning.   Each one of them is special in his or her own way, and talent of all kinds abounds.  Who knows what the future will bring for each of them?  Good things, I'm wishing.

Enjoy these days ushering in the final holidays of the year!  If you're lucky like me, give the kids and grandkids extra hugs, and treasure the time you have with them.  It may be the season to be busy, but it's also the season to make special memories.  Enjoy making yours!

What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus? Claustrophobic.- Anonymous 

The Holiday Push

I was feeling a bit like the dogs on the left, slugging along and not much concerned with anything special.  And then I looked at my calendar and realized there are only 12 days until Christmas.  Less than two weeks.  Just around the corner.  Will be here before you know it.

Is your heart beating faster, making your blood rush a little?  I'm picking my jaw up from the floor where it dropped.  You've I've got to be kidding!

I spent a wonderful evening with my critique group last night at the home of Love Inspired author Patricia Davids.  She should be sick of me, by now.  I was there, along with many friends from our writers group, on Sunday for our annual Christmas party.  Her house is beautifully decorated for the holidays!  I'm green with envy.  Or would be if I was into the holidays.  Not that I'm the Grinch or completely into the Bah!  Humbug! thing.  I've spent a lot of years decorating and cooking and shopping and wrapping and...

It's taken a few years, but I've finally abdicated my role of holiday hostess in the family.  As it is now, I might fix the turkey and another dish or two, and I'll help set the table and clean up after the meal, but I don't have to worry if there's going to be room for all 14 (gasp!) of us or if dinner is going to be late/cold/wilted.  I don't have to clean.  I don't have to decorate.  It's not that I don't miss all those things, especially the holiday decorations, because I do.  It's just that there are other things that have become more important, such as not worrying or having to rush. When I used to wish for a small slice of peace, now I get to enjoy the big chunks. I like that.

On Friday night, my youngest daughter and I will attend the local ice skating show.  This is the third year that Scarlett, my oldest granddaughter, has been a part of it.  It's fun.  It's a bit cold.  And it's always a pleasure to enjoy the local talent, from the tiniest little skater who has mastered staying upright, to the competition skaters who are definitely professionals.

Twelve more days.  Yes, the holiday push is definitely on.  And while many will be hustling and bustling around, making sure everything is perfect, I'll be enjoying the fruits and sparkles of their labor.  Maybe next year I'll do a little more.  Or maybe I'll enjoy this year so much that I won't. ;)

Anyone who believes that men are the equal of women has never seen a man trying to wrap a Christmas present.  - Anonymous 

Put On a Happy Face ☺

There's no doubt that the winter holidays are the most stressful time of year for everyone.  Even if you're at the best and think Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's are the best thing that every happened to man--and woman--kind, something unexpected can come along and change that.

Sometimes life comes along and takes the joy out of, not only holidays, but far too many other things, too.  Whether it's seasonal depression, doldrums, the blues, sadness or any other feeling or emotion that's keeping you from not only enjoying the holidays but day-to-day life, there's help.

The key to feeling better lies within each of us.  We can't expect others to make us feel better.  It's something we have to work at ourselves.  So if this holiday season is starting to get you down--or if life in general just isn't what you'd hoped and dreamed it would be--it's past time to do something.

We're lucky to live in the age of technology, where help is at our fingertips.  Here's a list of websites that may help lighten your load or at least get you on the road to a little sunshine in your life.

• Ten Ways to Beat the Holiday Blues -- from Beliefnet.com  • Common sense help on how to deal with the holiday blues.  Beliefnet encompasses all religions, faiths, and beliefs, so it doesn't matter whether you're celebrating the season of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule, Saturnalia, Yalda, Diwali, Winter Solstice, Festiva, "other" or none at all, it's a site that welcomes all.
• Ten Ways to Beat the Holiday Blues -- from Oprah.com • If you're an Oprah fan or follower, here's a slideshow rendition of how to get you through the holidays.
• 5 Ways to Beat the Holiday Blues -- Self.com • So who needs 10 ways when 5 might work?  Let Self Magazine online show you how to feel better when those holiday blues hit.
• Beating the Holiday Blues -- PsychCentral.com • Who better to turn to during these frantic times than those who help people deal with depression year 'round? 
•  How to Beat the Holiday Blues: The Gift of Giving -- iTriage.com • Sometimes the best way to deal with feeling low is to give of oneself.  iTriage can show you the way to feel better about yourself and your life during the toughest season of all.

So now you're wondering why today's picture is a happy face with musical notes.  That's easy!  I've been working on being more positive and putting negativity behind me.  What I've found works especially well for me is music.  After all...

Music has charms to soothe the savage breast 

To soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.

William Congreve, The Mourning Bride, Act 1 Scene 1

English dramatist (1670 - 1729)

Here's a short list of what I'm humming, singing, or listening to these days:

• Ding Dong Merrily on High (16th Century French)  Who can feel bad when humming this one?
• Sleigh Ride (composed by Leroy Anderson)  At the top of the list of my favorites and also my Christmas season ringtone. ;) We played this each year in band at my high school Christmas program.
• My Favorite Things (Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II) Brings a smile to the lips as well as to the heart.

Blessings to all for a happy and wonder-filled holiday season!

I think I should have no other mortal wants, if I could always have plenty of music. It seems to infuse strength into my limbs and ideas into my brain. Life seems to go on without effort, when I am filled with music.

George Eliot (1819 - 1880)

Cooling Trends = Winter

Back in July and August, when we were setting record high temperatures, the idea of a frosty winter day sounded delightful.  Yeah.  That's when it was 111+ degrees and the AC couldn't keep up, culminating in a call to the repairman...for me and countless others.

Be careful what you wish for...

It's winter.  No ifs, ands or buts, the cold and frosty season is upon us.  Although it isn't quite noon, the temp is now 18.  That's Fahrenheit.  The first thing I did after sitting at my desk was to look out the window.  There's a dusting of snow on the ground---the first to stay stuck and visible for more than a very short time this winter season.  There's also a thin layer of snow (and ice?) on the windshield of my car, which means that at some point today I'll be scraping.  The bright sunshine may be making it sparkle, but it isn't helping in the melting department.

So I'm looking around, wondering what I should do.  There isn't a room in the house that couldn't stand some straightening, if not some downright cleaning.  But there are other things calling to me.  A just-started book proposal that I hope to have finished by the end of the week is clamoring for attention.  A YA story I began a few weeks ago and was given a thumbs-up by my youngest also awaits.

Instead, I have a cup of green tea I'm enjoying while writing this blog post.  When I've finished, I'll probably do whatever strikes me, as long as it keeps me relatively warm and happy.  There are countless things I should do and even more things I might want to do with this day that's spread out ahead.  Whatever I choose, I'll find a way to enjoy it, just as I will Winter, as it continues to settle in until Spring arrives in the far distant future.

“The hardest work of all is to do nothing.”

Thanksgiving Blessings

Blessings to all of you on this Thanksgiving Day and throughout the year.

Just...Relax

While the weather isn't favorable for sitting outside in shorts and a tank top, with bare feet propped up on a porch railing, that doesn't mean we can't relax.

Yesterday at Diary of a Mad Romance Writer, I blogged about writing through the holidays.  Not only are there thousands of writers participating in National Novel Writers Month (NaNoWriMo) and trying to conquer the 50,000 word goal, but there are many writers who are on deadlines and don't have the luxury of putting either their writing or the holidays aside.

Those who aren't writers need to also remember to take a few moments to find a small sea of calm, whether it's holiday time or just day to day.  We live in such a fast-paced world that we forget that we deserve a little downtime or even pampering, now and then.  So this is a reminder to readers and myself to take a little time, as much as we need and can find, to relax.

There are as many ways to relax as there are people relaxing.

• Some spend time watching television
• Some listen to music
• Some, as in the photo above, sit and enjoy the quiet and beauty of nature
• Some take a walk
• Some read a book
• Some work on a hobby
• Some take a drive in the country
• Some go fishing
• Some do yoga
• Some meditate
• Some spend time with children
• Some swim
• Some play golf or other sports
• Some play with pets
• Some even sleep

Even if you don't have time for any of the above or your own favorite relaxing, you can always stop, close your eyes, take a deep breath and hold it for a few seconds, then slowly let it out.  Don't stop with just once.  Do it several times, until the tension is gone from your body and your mind has stopped swirling with thoughts.

Oh, and by the way, if your weather is as great as it is in the photo above, congratulations!  I'm a bit envious.  We're still dealing with a cold spell that blew in--and I do mean blew in--late Saturday afternoon.  That beautiful sky I blogged about Saturday morning?  It didn't last all day.  C'est la vie. ;)

Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.
Erma Bombeck  

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

It's pretty obvious by the picture on the left that one of my favorite things is Autumn aka Fall.  What's not to like about the freshest and most invigorating season of each year?

While driving to pay my car insurance this morning, I decided to start making myself more aware of the things around me.  Much better than focusing on the driving habits of others. ;)  The weatherman said to expect a beautiful day in the 70s, and at 61 degrees right now, it's hard to imagine better.  The only small drawback is the wind.  There's a stiff breeze (23 mpg) coming out of the northeast.  Still, there's a positive to even that.  The breeze is stirring the leaves that have fallen, sending them skittering and swirling across yards and streets.

There are no clouds in the sky, just a bright, azure blue that is breathtaking.  The air has a whisper of crispness, making it completely comfortable outside.  As I drove, I noticed two men making small repairs on a church building, while at another location, others were raking the multi-colored leaves into piles.

But the one thing that really made me smile was the two small children, a boy and a girl about the ages of 3 and 4, who were playing in the leaves in their yard.  The boy was standing and throwing leaves over his head, while the girl sat in pile of leaves and swirled them around her.  I couldn't hear them laughing, but it was clear from the joy on their faces that they were having the time of their lives at that moment.

I'm beginning to realize how important it is to look for these moments of enjoyment, whether mine or someone else's, and make memories that will always bring a smile.

This evening I'll go to a Porch Party given my a dear fellow author, who is eager to share her new enclosed porch with friends.  If, as the weatherman says, our high tomorrow is barely 40 degrees, I wouldn't be surprised if the party moves from the porch to the inside fireplace.  Wherever it is that we all eventually gather, it will be another memory to hold close.  I can't wait!

Friendship is love with understanding.

Another Halloween and Candy, Candy, Candy!

Halloween was quiet here, with very little candy around.  But when four of the grandkids arrived to show off their costumes as they ended their evening, it was evident that they'd made quite a haul.  It was tempting to ask if they'd share, but there were two reasons I didn't.  First, I don't need the candy.  Second, they earned it and deserve to enjoy every last piece...in moderation. :)
And don't they look cute and/or scary in their costumes!

Payton, age 2, as a devil.  This was her first "real" year of trick-or-treating, and she really enjoyed it, in spite of getting tired before everyone else was ready to quit.

Jaxon, age 4, as a giraffe.  He wasn't crazy about the hood, but at least it kept him warm on a chilly Halloween night.

Alexandria aka Allie, almost 9, as a Barbie rocker who looks like she's more than ready to get going.

Scarlett, almost 10, as a zombie fairy and trying her best to stay in character with that bored, dead look.

Gavin, age 7, is taller than the other two and was excited to be a ninja again.  This time he left the sword at home, so I guess he wasn't expecting trouble.


It's hard to believe that we're already talking Thanksgiving.  I'm just glad I didn't snitch any of that candy.  Although Mallory, my youngest, and I have been walking with Sabrina, my oldest, and Scarlett four or five times a week, we have enough to work off without the added calories of Halloween goodies!  Looking forward to Turkey Day, though, and all the good food it involves.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Ask my daughters and they'll tell tales of Halloween when they were young.  One year there was a tornado warning issued as we were trick-or-treating.  Another was a total washout, thanks to rain and flooding, but we tried anyway--I'm still amazed that we weren't washed away.  Their costumes were never store-bought.  I made them all, sometimes from whatever was available.  That's the fun way.

Although there are a lot of years between my daughters' Halloweens and mine, many of my memories are just as clear and strong as theirs are.  My next door neighbors included 3 children, all older than me and all accustomed to keeping an eye on me.  They were more siblings to me than neighbors, and every Halloween for years and years, they took me trick-or-treating.


One of the most memorable times was when I was quite small.  It was late.  We finished most of our block and beyond and were headed home.  While we waited on the corner to cross the street to my house, two cars collided in front of us.  It was loud, it was scary, and I remember screaming, bringing most of the neighborhood outside.  A bit traumatic for a three-year-old.  (I'm 2nd from the left in the clown costume.  Oldest of the neighbors is the tall, pioneer in the back.)

Then there was the Halloween of the Witch.   My mother made my costume that year, as she nearly always did, and for some strange reason I chose to be a pilgrim.  With the dark grey dress and white apron, collar and hat, I also wore a wig--yellow hair, two braids, much like a Dutch girl.  By that time we'd moved on to tricking and treating in the surrounding blocks. We neighborhood kids spent a lot of time riding our bikes on the block north of us, around the "circle drive" where the street dead-ended after they built the big highway.  Except on Halloween this particular year, there was a witch sneaking around the side of one of the houses near there, cackling at us and scaring me to the point of screaming and running for home, as fast as I could.  By the time I arrived, I was crying and could barely explain to my dad about the scary witch.  The first thing he did was to ask where my hat and wig were.  In my haste to get away from the witch, I'd lost them.  Too scared to face the witch again, I begged my dad to go with me to find my missing costume pieces.  He did, but by the time we arrived near the witch's house, she was gone.  We retrieved my hat and wig and returned home.  But I'll never forget how scared I was that night.  The poor neighbor who'd dressed as the witch never did it again.

By the time I hit junior high and high school, my family had moved to a small town, where Halloween had become famous for trouble.  It didn't take long for the new grocery store owners to realize they needed to hide the cartons of eggs early in the day.  My senior year, I rode with my best friends as we drove around town, and for the rest of the winter, that car smelled of rotten eggs whenever the heater was turned on.  We never threw a single egg.  Bales of hay were "borrowed" from neighboring farms and dumped in the middle of the main street, making driving...interesting.  Smashed pumpkins (not the band) were often stolen and joined the hay bales in the street.  There were a few times when those bales were set on fire.  In years past, outhouses were tipped over.  By the time I was in high school, it became so bad that the sheriff deputies--some on horseback--came to town to try to keep the craziness within bounds. There were a couple of years that I participated as a crazy by riding in the back of a pickup truck and holding on for dear life.  Then there was the five feet deep hole ("Devil's Hole") I fell into while running in the dark...

Is it any wonder that I love Halloween?  And apparently my daughters do, too, because they still enjoy putting together and wearing costumes as they take their own families trick-or-treating.  Me?  I just sit back and enjoy my favorite holiday in peace and quiet, along with an appropriate movie or two.

Hope you and yours have a wonderful and non-scary Happy Halloween!!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like....? (rant warning)

Is it October and nearing Halloween?  Or is it after Thanksgiving with Christmas less than a month away?  I ask because, as others have noticed and mentioned on other social media, Christmas items are appearing a little earlier in stores each year.  This year as the Halloween decorations were beginning to adorn stores (a week or two after the huge bags of Halloween candy was appearing on store shelves) and well before the back-to-school items disappeared, Christmas decorations were also sneaking their way into stores.

While I understand that some people enjoy shopping early for Christmas to avoid the hassle of crowds and items being unavailable, I don't understand the  necessity of buying decorations--both outdoor and indoor--too early, such as weeks and weeks prior to Thanksgiving.  Is it because they see things they want and are afraid they'll be gone in a week or two?  Because if it is, they're missing 2 things:  A) If you can't find something closer to Christmas, you weren't supposed to have it in the first place, and B) What about sales?

While I enjoy a pretty tree and tinsel and flickering lights framing roofs and houses, I'd rather save the Christmas decorations for the month of December. Mid-December would suit me fine.  Why?

• Putting up a tree of any size means moving things.  Big things.  Like furniture. 
• Children (the small variety) and pets tend to enjoy UNdecorating more than I ever enjoyed decorating. Not to mention breakage and danger.
• I can only take so much HO HO HO in one year, and its a cinch it'll be over come Dec. 26, so that means shaving off at the beginning.
• No matter what the size of tree, it always blocks my view of the TV...although I don't get a chance to watch a whole lot of shows.
• Taking down the tree is a lot less fun that putting it up was.

My family may tell you that when it comes to Christmas, I lean more toward Scrooge than Tiny Tim.  Maybe it's because I've been around longer and accept reality, which no longer includes racking up a credit card bill that will take most of a year to pay off.  Or maybe it's because, to me, Christmas is a matter of heart, not blinking lights and tinsel.  I'd rather see kindness and love than Santa with reindeer on the rooftop, lit up like the landing strip at the airport.  Merchants, however, don't see it that way, as their eyes light up with dollar signs each time I buy just one more Christmasy thing.  Instead of thinking $$$  (how much we'll need and how much the stores will make), let's fill our hearts with peace and joy by holding off just a little longer and letting anticipation grow, instead of ho hum boredom.

Happy, Merry Hallowmas!

A Woofing Good Time

Woofstock is the largest fundraising event for the Kansas Humane Society. KHS is funded entirely by private donations and fees for service and receives no funding from government entities, the United Way or the Humane Society of the United States. The proceeds from Woofstock help KHS provide care and services for nearly 18,000 pets this year.
We don't own a dog, but we have in the past and there's always a possibility we might in the future. Click on the link below for a slideshow of photos I took at Woofstock.
Woofstock 2011

Just over two weeks ago, KHS waived the adoption fee for cats and kittens.  We have two cats, one which we adopted from KHS several years ago, but it was too tempting not to go up to the KHS shelter for a third.  The crowd of people wanting to adopt a kitten was overwhelming, and my youngest daughter and I stood, sat, and wandered the facility for several hours.  We'd been warned when we came in that because our number was so high, there was a possibility that there wouldn't be any adoptables even before our number was called.
As it turned out, there was one cat left at the end of the numbers called.  The cat wasn't even there, but was in foster care, and there was a poster of him hanging on the wall.  We'd seen the cat on the KHS website and had liked him, so I spoke up and said we'd take him.  We're glad we did.
Meet Toby...

Thank you, KHS, for Toby and for a wonderful time at Woofstock!!!

I Love Fall, But...

It isn't what you think.  It isn't all the leaves that need raking.  We've already dealt with that through the last few weeks of summer, thanks to the drought.  Then there's the fact that I only have one tree in my yard, so the amount of leaves it produces doesn't warrant a whole lot of raking.  Besides, this is Kansas, where the wind will blow them away eventually, not to mention that leaves aren't like unsightly fast food rappers and plastic cups.

I really do love fall.  It's my favorite season.  There are so many reasons to love it:  the brilliant colors of the changing leaves, from greens to yellows to golds to reds to browns...  Cool evenings that quickly turn to chill remind me of much younger times, when Friday nights were spent sitting in the bleachers and cheering at football games.  The start of school in the fall was a sign of new beginnings, and I still think of it that way.  It's invigorating!

There's so much to love about my favorite season.  But not everything about it is lovable.  We're in that limbo-like state where the AC is off, but so is the furnace.  Of course that does mean lower heating/cooling bills.  Just one more plus of the season!  Since most current weekday mornings I drive two grandkids to school, the first thing I'm going to do is throw on something to wear.  I don't plan to get out of the car, just drop them off in front of the building.  On the other hand, I'm not one of those people who can climb in the car in my pajamas and slippers, my hair not yet combed or, even worse, in curlers.  (Am I the only one who remembers pink foam curlers?)  No, it's fully dressed, although makeup is optional.

With early morning temps like the 51 degrees we started with this morning, I start off the day in a long sleeved shirt and long pants and jeans.  Oh, and recently I've changed to my favorite Reeboks, instead of sandals.  But within a few hours, I've switched to a t-shirt and capris, because the sun and with only one tree in the yard for shade--or leaf raking--has warmed up the house.  A few hours later, on one of the warmer 80 degree days we've been having, I might even change those capris to shorts...and flipflops for the feet.  When it's time to pick up the g-kids at school, I've changed back to capris.  I'm just not comfy at my age to be wearing shorts in public, unless it's my own yard.

I'd look forward to winter, when the only taking on and putting off is a heavy coat when going outside, or maybe an extra pair of socks or an added sweater on those really, really cold days, but really cold weather just makes me grumpy.  I do have to say though that I've found quite a lot of beauty in winter days, too, even without snow.  But I'll save that for another time.

So I guess I'll simply have to keep to two (or three) sets of clothes that I recycle throughout each day, at least until the daytime temps slip into the 60s or lower, and winter is breathing it's cold air down on us.  Before we know it, winter really will be here, and we'll be wondering where summer went.  It's inevitable. ;)

Fall used to have a different name, and why is autumn a mystery?

In Memory of Jim Henson on His 75th Birthday

If you're not using Google Chrome, you're missing out on having fun today.  To the left is the Google Doodle that appears on the main page of the browser in honor of Jim Henson's birthday.  The doodle is interactive and took me completely by surprise a couple of times.  I'm still laughing!

I was just out of high school when Sesame Street premiered, so I missed a lot of the early Henson work.  By the time my first daughter was old enough to grasp TV, she not only watched Sesame Street, but she fell in love with Fraggle Rock.  So did I.  And now I've introduced it to my grandkids, who love it, too.

Instead of including a video, I'd rather leave this link to a fellow author's blog, where you'll find two very special videos she chose to honor Jim Henson.  I don't think Myrna Mackenzie will mind if I share. :)

Remembering

Last week was filled with sadness.  On Tuesday, my aunt passed away.  She's pictured at left with my uncle (my mother's only brother) in his uniform in front of the house where I grew up.  That's the neighbor's house in the photo.  For me, it was the last of my family, except for the cousins.  Of course there are many, many of those.

My uncle passed away in May, and at that time I became aware that my aunt's health was failing.  Because of her dementia, I battled with myself about going to visit her, knowing she probably wouldn't recognize me.  I couldn't convince myself that I could handle it well and, as it turned out, I didn't visit.  I'm not having any regrets.  Why?  Because I have a lot of memories of both my aunt and my uncle, and I like remembering them that way.

My aunt lived with my parents for a time just after I was born and while my uncle served in Korea.  Because I was a small baby, I don't remember it, but I do remember the stories my aunt told me over the years, of how I wouldn't go to sleep until my dad, on second shift, got home from work.

My aunt and uncle had two boys, both younger than me, and I can remember watching The Wizard of Oz for the very first time on TV, with the oldest of the boys on my lap.  I remember that around that time, my aunt was pregnant with the younger one. I remember my uncle's model and balsa airplanes hanging on strings from the ceiling in the basement and the flowers that lined the side of the house by the driveway.  That was in the first house in the city where I remember them living.  After that, they moved to a house in the country, where my uncle farmed what had been land owned by my grandparents.

My aunt's best friend's daughter, who is three years older than I am, had come to live with them and became their legal ward.  I can remember the staircase in that old farmhouse and a few other things, but what I remember most about those times was going to our great aunts' and uncles' homes for holidays.  That's when we all had fun!  Then there were the family reunions.  I especially remember one where the older of the boy cousins broke his arm.

My aunt loved to sew and taught me how one summer when I spent two weeks on the farm with them.  I was as proud as can be of the ruffled apron I made, and even prouder a couple of years later when my 4-H entry (a simple top and matching gathered skirt) earned a 2nd place ribbon at the State Fair.  Later, she turned to crafts, sewing dolls, stuffed toys, and other items, while my uncle did woodcrafting.

When my cousins were grown, my aunt and uncle moved to a house on Table Rock Lake near Branson, Mo., and my then husband and I and our daughters visited at least once a year.  Later on, they bought a fifth-wheel travel trailer and a big motorcycle.  With one to live in on the road and the other to see the road on, they traveled the U.S. and Canada, having a ball.  They loved Indianapolis and watching the races, and since their oldest son had moved to Alabama, they frequented the track at Talladega.

After returned to small town living where they were nearer their family, they wintered in Florida in their fifth-wheel and returned home in the summer to help with harvest.  They both enjoyed their grandkids to the max and will be missed, always, by all of them and by me.

In my mind, I can see them sitting around the table with my uncle's parents, my mother and dad, their uncles and aunts, and other family who have all gone before them, playing pitch and having the time of their afterlives.  No sense in telling them to rest in peace.  They're having too much fun to want to rest.

Hearts of Desperation: How Two Books Became a Series

Things happen for a reason.  At least that's what I find myself saying more often than I realize.  And maybe it's more true than I thought.

Back when being published was a dream, I wrote a book about a rancher/bull riding hero, who had found himself in a battle of wills with the teenage nephew he was raising.  The title of that book was The Cowboy and the Ice Princess.  It did well in writing contests, but I always had a feeling something wasn't right with it.

There was a companion book, The Cowboy Ropes a Wife, about Tanner O'Brien's best friend, and it also did well in contests.  But like the other, there was something missing that kept me from submitting it to a publisher.

Fast forward more than ten years.  The Silhouette Romance line, for which I'd written five books, had closed, and I'd finally found a new home at Harlequin American Romance.  That first book for HAR, Family by Design, had been rejected for Silhouette Romance, but I felt it just might do the trick for HAR.  It did!  And then I had to come up with another book.  It was time to find out just what the problems were with Tanner's story and Dusty's, too.

It took more than one try and included moving one hero from eastern Oklahoma to a town now called Desperation, not to mention switching their rodeo events.  And thanks to some great brainstorming with writer friends Kristi Gold and Kathie DeNosky, both books--now The Rodeo Rider (book 1) and Bachelor Cowboy (book 2)--made the cut.  A long held idea was to someday write a book about Tanner's brother Tucker, who had left the Rocking O Ranch when he was fifteen.  But I didn't know where Tucker had gone or what he'd been doing, so when my editor mentioned that she was eager to see a story about the sister of the heroine of Bachelor Cowboy, I started work on Morgan and Trish's story, The Lawman's Little Surprise (book 3).

I'm still not sure where the idea of Tanner's sister Nikki came from, but once it took root, there was no stopping it.  One of the best things about writing The Reluctant Wrangler (book 4) was being able to redeem Tanner and Nikki's mother and discover why she left.  And still I didn't know where Tucker was or why he'd left.  Not until I was near the end of writing Nikki and Mac's story and thinking about how their wedding would be held outside at the Rocking O did I have a clue.  That's when Tucker walked into the reception scene in my mind, with a cane in his hand and a lot of questions to be answered.

The Maverick's Reward (book 5) was a difficult book to write.  While tortured/damaged heroes are the favorite of many readers, making sure they aren't "too hard to love" can be a trick.  Tucker was in pain, both emotionally and physically, and the only woman who could break through his resistance just happened to be a doctor.  To make things even better--and more writing for me--the doctor had come to Desperation because of her brother.

That brought me to Bachelor Dad (book 6) in a series that was never planned but that I've come to think of as Hearts of Desperation.  If writing a tortured hero was hard, a heroine who'd endured spousal abuse in her past took me into uncharted territory.  But even a damaged woman can fall in love.  Isn't that what romance is all about?

And that's how two stories that might have never seen an editor's desk became a series.  Will there be more stories about Desperation, Oklahoma?  I hope so.  And I hope readers are looking forward to more, too. Only time will tell. :)

For a little more about Hearts of Desperation, the characters, and the Inside Story of each of the books, visit my website.

Happy Ever-Aftering!

A Few Scribbles Between Friends

Who am I?  Feel free to call me Rox.  Everybody does.  The official word is that I'm Roxann Delaney, and I write romance.

Because my Diary of a Mad Romance Writer blog is more for writers than readers and friends, I decided to add some scribbles to another blog.  And now you know why I chose "scribbles" for the name of this one.

My intention is to talk books, life, and everything that, if only for a brief moment, is interesting, new, or just grabbed my attention.

I promise to ramble at time and be opinionated, because that's who I am, too.  If you feel the urge to comment or ask a question, please do!  I'm eager to meet and hear from old friends and new.

Fridays will be saved for book talk, if that's what you're looking for.  On other days of the week, I'll blog about other things, such as the books I'm reading or have just read, movies I've seen, books on my TBR, and my family.  I saved family for last, because they're the best!

So settle in and get comfy.  We're all friends here.  Tomorrow I'll let you in on the secret of how two books became a series, so don't forget to stop by and say hi. :)