Allison Tebo's Blog, page 16
August 31, 2017
August In A Nutshell
This is a depressingly short post because I accomplished hardly ANYTHING in August.
‘cringes’
What happened?? How could August be over?? And WHY WASN’T I MORE ORGANIZED AND PRODUCTIVE???
I do hate unproductive cycles.
I mean – what on earth was I DOING all August???
I wish, Maru.
But anyway – onto the meager nutshell.
Warning: Major Gif-Zone ahead.
I participated in Victoria Lynn’s blog tour for Ruffles and Grace.
I was very excited to be a part of this celebration and I am so proud of Victoria for reaching so many followers on her lovely blog.
Swimming
So this is where some of my evening time went. For almost two weeks I got to swim every night in a “borrowed” pool and it was WONDERFUL, AMAZING AND SPLENDIFOROUS.
Experienced A Solar Eclipse
Since our business practically shut down on this day (as did most of the nation) we had a little mini holiday. My dad and siblings decided to brave the roads and drove for several hours to get to a spot of complete totality. My mom and I stayed home to avoid the crowds and because I was feeling crummy. Nevertheless, we had an amazing view from our driveway. While we never experienced complete totality (there was always the tiniest sliver of sun visible) we were able to watch the moon travel in front of the sun. It was an amazing and eerie event. It got noticeably colder and darker – but not a night-time dark – more like the darkness before a storm and yet . . . different. It was strangely quietly, few car sounds, no animal sounds, there was a definite sense of waiting in the air. It was magnificent and I kept thinking of what it will be like when Jesus returns and makes the sun nothing and destroys all that we know to make it new again. Humans think we are so efficient, so powerful, and yet all it takes is for our sun to disappear to make us realize again how finite we are. While I was watching the eclipse, I kept thinking of Psalm 8:3-4. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?
Reading
As of several days ago, I have read 201 books so far in 2017 and have upped my yearly challenge to 250 books . . .
Can I do 300? We’ll see.
Probably not, I’ve been having eye trouble and need to rest them more. But I might have a shot at 250 – we’ll see….
Blogging
I posted twice a week. I absolutely loved doing this but I can’t keep it UP. I build my posts and put a LOT of time into each one of them – time that cuts into my other writing – so I’ll have to cut back to five or so posts every month.
‘cringes’
What happened?? How could August be over?? And WHY WASN’T I MORE ORGANIZED AND PRODUCTIVE???
I do hate unproductive cycles.
I mean – what on earth was I DOING all August???
I wish, Maru.
But anyway – onto the meager nutshell.
Warning: Major Gif-Zone ahead.
I participated in Victoria Lynn’s blog tour for Ruffles and Grace.
I was very excited to be a part of this celebration and I am so proud of Victoria for reaching so many followers on her lovely blog.
Swimming
So this is where some of my evening time went. For almost two weeks I got to swim every night in a “borrowed” pool and it was WONDERFUL, AMAZING AND SPLENDIFOROUS.
Experienced A Solar Eclipse
Since our business practically shut down on this day (as did most of the nation) we had a little mini holiday. My dad and siblings decided to brave the roads and drove for several hours to get to a spot of complete totality. My mom and I stayed home to avoid the crowds and because I was feeling crummy. Nevertheless, we had an amazing view from our driveway. While we never experienced complete totality (there was always the tiniest sliver of sun visible) we were able to watch the moon travel in front of the sun. It was an amazing and eerie event. It got noticeably colder and darker – but not a night-time dark – more like the darkness before a storm and yet . . . different. It was strangely quietly, few car sounds, no animal sounds, there was a definite sense of waiting in the air. It was magnificent and I kept thinking of what it will be like when Jesus returns and makes the sun nothing and destroys all that we know to make it new again. Humans think we are so efficient, so powerful, and yet all it takes is for our sun to disappear to make us realize again how finite we are. While I was watching the eclipse, I kept thinking of Psalm 8:3-4. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?
Reading
As of several days ago, I have read 201 books so far in 2017 and have upped my yearly challenge to 250 books . . .
Can I do 300? We’ll see.
Probably not, I’ve been having eye trouble and need to rest them more. But I might have a shot at 250 – we’ll see….
Blogging
I posted twice a week. I absolutely loved doing this but I can’t keep it UP. I build my posts and put a LOT of time into each one of them – time that cuts into my other writing – so I’ll have to cut back to five or so posts every month.
August 26, 2017
The Summer Dog
Visits To My Grandparents County House Had A Special Draw For Me . . . ..
I can still see you, Tosca . . .
You lived down the old road, past the lake, but what incredible hearing you had! All we had to do was go outside and laugh and make a lot of noise and when we looked down the hill towards the mailbox, there you were, a streak of red fur and a laughing tongue racing towards us to knock us over with joy.
Sometimes we wouldn’t even see you coming and you would get in a sneak attack.
You used to scare me a little in those first five minutes of seeing you each time because you would jump on me, but you would calm down quickly. You were such a gentle dog, the worst you would ever do is knock us over with love.
Smile for the camera, Tosca.
I remember . . .
Biking down the old, bumpy country rode and stopping outside your house. Your owners would open the screen door and you would race out to run alongside our bikes.
I remember . . .
Sitting in the bow of a rowboat as my Dad rowed my twin and I around the lake. I would look towards the bank and see you flying through the brush and sunlight, racing our boat, wanting to come out to us. Sometimes you would jump in and try to swim to us. When we came up to the dock you raced to the end of the pier. You shook yourself JUST as we nosed up to you and I got soaked and I was annoyed because I smelled like wet dog. I would gladly smell like wet dog now.
I remember . . .
A relative brought their Labrador over. She was hyper and jumped on me a lot and I didn’t like that. I couldn’t pet you without her coming over, jealous and trying to get her own pats. I don’t remember you doing that. You were a gentlemen.
I remember . . .
My twin and I trying to ride on you. You were smart and just walked out from under us the minute we straddled you.
I remember . . .
Rubbing your tummy until you got dozy. Then my siblings and I would leap up and start racing around the house. You would always leap up and chase us and usually beat us – no matter how much of a head start we tried to get! I remember racing up stone steps and feeling your furry side race past my legs as you raced past me. I wish I could run up stairs that easily.
I remember . . .
My dad and brother throwing a Frisbee and you were monkey in the middle.
I remember . . .
Eating a lollipop while you watched me with soft, begging eyes. Nobody was looking so I decided to give you the last lick. To my horror, you ate half the stick instead. But the nice thing about having a dog as a friend, you never told on me.
I remember . . .
Visiting the house again when I was much ‘older’, a young teen. This visit was different. My siblings and I didn’t go out to play, but I took my young cousin outside to play with him and push him on a swing. I told him about you and said that if he shouted and laughed, you might come.
A little while later, I looked towards the mail box and you were standing there. You were old, fat, tired – but you had come.
But this time, I had to run down to you – you were too tired to come up the hill.
It took forever to coax you up the hill, you could barely make it and you didn’t jump on me this time, you couldn’t do much more than wag your tail. But you still loved me and I could still hug and stroke you.
That was the last time I ever saw you.
We heard later that you had left your home one day and never come back.
And Now I’m Pretending.
I’m pretending that I have my arms around your furry neck and stroking your silky head as we play in a sunshine filled yard. You are young and sleek and I’m a little girl again. I’m resting my head on your soft head and thanking you for being such a good friend.
I would love to hug you one more time – but I am so grateful that I ‘had you’ at all. You were the perfect summer dog.
I can still see you, Tosca . . .
You lived down the old road, past the lake, but what incredible hearing you had! All we had to do was go outside and laugh and make a lot of noise and when we looked down the hill towards the mailbox, there you were, a streak of red fur and a laughing tongue racing towards us to knock us over with joy.
Sometimes we wouldn’t even see you coming and you would get in a sneak attack.
You used to scare me a little in those first five minutes of seeing you each time because you would jump on me, but you would calm down quickly. You were such a gentle dog, the worst you would ever do is knock us over with love.
Smile for the camera, Tosca.
I remember . . .
Biking down the old, bumpy country rode and stopping outside your house. Your owners would open the screen door and you would race out to run alongside our bikes.
I remember . . .
Sitting in the bow of a rowboat as my Dad rowed my twin and I around the lake. I would look towards the bank and see you flying through the brush and sunlight, racing our boat, wanting to come out to us. Sometimes you would jump in and try to swim to us. When we came up to the dock you raced to the end of the pier. You shook yourself JUST as we nosed up to you and I got soaked and I was annoyed because I smelled like wet dog. I would gladly smell like wet dog now.
I remember . . .
A relative brought their Labrador over. She was hyper and jumped on me a lot and I didn’t like that. I couldn’t pet you without her coming over, jealous and trying to get her own pats. I don’t remember you doing that. You were a gentlemen.
I remember . . .
My twin and I trying to ride on you. You were smart and just walked out from under us the minute we straddled you.
I remember . . .
Rubbing your tummy until you got dozy. Then my siblings and I would leap up and start racing around the house. You would always leap up and chase us and usually beat us – no matter how much of a head start we tried to get! I remember racing up stone steps and feeling your furry side race past my legs as you raced past me. I wish I could run up stairs that easily.
I remember . . .
My dad and brother throwing a Frisbee and you were monkey in the middle.
I remember . . .
Eating a lollipop while you watched me with soft, begging eyes. Nobody was looking so I decided to give you the last lick. To my horror, you ate half the stick instead. But the nice thing about having a dog as a friend, you never told on me.
I remember . . .
Visiting the house again when I was much ‘older’, a young teen. This visit was different. My siblings and I didn’t go out to play, but I took my young cousin outside to play with him and push him on a swing. I told him about you and said that if he shouted and laughed, you might come.
A little while later, I looked towards the mail box and you were standing there. You were old, fat, tired – but you had come.
But this time, I had to run down to you – you were too tired to come up the hill.
It took forever to coax you up the hill, you could barely make it and you didn’t jump on me this time, you couldn’t do much more than wag your tail. But you still loved me and I could still hug and stroke you.
That was the last time I ever saw you.
We heard later that you had left your home one day and never come back.
And Now I’m Pretending.
I’m pretending that I have my arms around your furry neck and stroking your silky head as we play in a sunshine filled yard. You are young and sleek and I’m a little girl again. I’m resting my head on your soft head and thanking you for being such a good friend.
I would love to hug you one more time – but I am so grateful that I ‘had you’ at all. You were the perfect summer dog.
August 23, 2017
Beautiful People – Burndee (August 2017)
Visit Sky @ Further Up and Further In or Cait @ Paperfury to join the BP linkup!
This is my first time pariticpating in the Beautiful People link up and today I am delving into some of the idiosyncrasies of Burndee – the ‘hero’ of my book The Reluctant Godfather .
Just for everyone who might not have read The Reluctant Godfather – Burndee is a cranky fairy godfather who would rather bake than help humans.
And I think we can start now.
August 19, 2017
Blue Sky Tag
Angela at The Peculiar Messenger tagged me for The Blue Sky Tag – thanks so much, Angela! I love tags! 
August 15, 2017
Ruffles and Grace Blog Party – Bookerly Fun – My Top 12 Summer Reads
‘HUMS TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX THEME’
I am very privileged to be apart of a blog tour – not just any blog tour – the blog tour of my lovely friend, Victoria Lynn for her lovely blog, Ruffles and Grace – which is now celebrating reaching over 200 subscribers!! Congratulations, Victoria!! ‘blows kiss’
And now – onto Bookerly Fun!
A Sidekick’s Tale: Elisabeth Grace Foley
Elisabeth Grace Foley is rapidly making westerns become my new favorite thing. I am extremely particular about Westerns as a rule and only like them if they are ‘unusual’ – not your standard sheriff comes to town sort of story – and this authoress NAILS IT. The story is more like a Shakespearean comedy-of-errors – my mouth was literally open with surprise and laughter by the first few pages. Characters were zany, hilarious and human but best of all THE VOICE; the turn of phrase in this book is hysterical, unique, period – it oozes Western in the most wonderful way – I was actually chuckling out loud as I read it; something that rarely happens.
2. The Scarlet Pimpernel: Baroness Emmuska Orczy
I flew through this one (yes it was the first time I read it); I do love the old style of writing–it’s like slipping into warm, still water. NO ONE can do removed POV like the old authors. ‘Head-hoping’ and yet the emotional impact was palpable. It was beautifully done; they just don’t write like this anymore. And then of course there’s the story–spies, French Revolution, a league of noble gentlemen, daring deeds, charming heroes, brave heroines, dastardly villains – any complaints? I don’t think so. Plus Percy understands how important fashion is.
August 12, 2017
Camp Nano – When There Are No Words To Describe It.
Welcome to Nano Camp! – an emotional roller-coaster that starts you off believing this –
And leaves you like this . . .
. . . A wiser and sadder camper.
SO HOLD ONTO YOUR HAT AND LET US BEGIN
Several Weeks Before Nano Begins – Joining A Cabin
The Day Before Camp Nano Begins
PSYCHED AND READY
SOCIALIZING WITH MY CABIN MATES
NOTE – I LOVE MY CABIN MATES AND I THINK YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST AND THIS WAS NOT AN INSULT!
And since I was the resident CLOWN in this circus let any insult rest solely on me.
(I have a feeling this GIF might be used on me at a later date.
And leaves you like this . . .
. . . A wiser and sadder camper.
SO HOLD ONTO YOUR HAT AND LET US BEGIN
Several Weeks Before Nano Begins – Joining A Cabin
The Day Before Camp Nano Begins
PSYCHED AND READY
SOCIALIZING WITH MY CABIN MATES
NOTE – I LOVE MY CABIN MATES AND I THINK YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST AND THIS WAS NOT AN INSULT!
And since I was the resident CLOWN in this circus let any insult rest solely on me.
(I have a feeling this GIF might be used on me at a later date.
August 9, 2017
Writing News & Questions For Both Of Us
Writing News Tidbits
The good news is; I’ve reached over 20,000 words on my work in progress, The Frog Prince, Tales of Ambia Book 2.
And here’s the bad news.
The Reluctant Godfather was between 24 and 25 thousands word so you’re probably thinking: “Oh, she’s almost half way done.”
Breaking News: Nope. The Frog Prince is going to be novel length. I’m thinking between 40,000 and 50,000 words.
I tried, I really did, but the cast is twice as big, the plot is twice as complicated and when I’m floundering in my writing I get twice as long-winded. Not only will The Frog Prince be longer, I foresee a lot more revisions.
Plus, I’m just plain worried. Are my characters unlikable? Is this darker? Does the plot make any sense? Does it drag? AM I GOING TO FAIL?
#therapyrequired
And this brings me to the question I have for YOU, dear readers. An urgent question that will shape the future of Ambia.
Should people die in The Tales of Ambia?
The Reluctant Godfather is a pretty light story and I’m wondering if I might have written myself into a hole. Is Ambia the story of series or the sort of world where characters can die and it doesn’t seem drastically out of place? Before anybody starts to panic, let’s just say it’s villains. Should villains die in Ambia? Even if I go the route of Disney-Deaths (off-screen falls from great heights) is it too much for Ambia?
And what do you think of explosions and sword fights and things like that?
So, I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback and they would be greatly appreciated and earn you a place in the acknowledgements of The Frog Prince (if you aren’t already there) AND if I ever finish writing the thing. ‘lowers head to keyboard’
i am trying, hoping and praying that the first draft of The Frog Prince will be finished by the end of the month (crazed laughter). #sendhelp
SECOND QUESTION
Would my readers like to see me blog about anything in particular on future posts? No, I have not run out of ideas already – I have at least ten posts I’m working on now and I’m bursting at the seams with new ideas but as always, I’m interested in reader participation and I wanted to know if there is anything YOU would like to see on here!
ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU –
Some of you might know that one of my favorite authors is Frank Baum (author of the Wizard of Oz). One of the things that fascinated me about Frank Baum was the ‘reader participation’ in his writing. Readers would write in with suggestions for Oz and all the things they wanted to see and Frank Baum would take their ideas and work them into the next Oz book – thanking all the readers in the acknowledgements of each new installment.
I have been kicking around the idea of (sometime in the future) posting a story to my blog a chapter at a time. I would post the opening chapter or two with the premise and then based on the comments of readers feedback the story would be written from there. If it was any good – I would look at publishing it at an even LATER date – with all of you in the acknowledgements.
This is just a nutty idea – not sure if it would work – but I was curious what you guys would think about doing an ode to Frank Baum’s unique style!
And Now The Questions For Moi.
Several months ago, I opened the floor to questions from my subscribers with the intention of a Q&A post. While I got some terrific questions – I have also gotten a lot more subscribers since then (very lovely ones, too) and I wanted to give you all a chance to ask some questions as well.
Here are the questions from the previous post that have already been asked, so you know what’s already going to be answered and maybe to jump start your own questions.
Topic Ideas:
Publishing, Life, Books, Movies, Music, Family, Day to day routine, habits, Food, Schooling, Dreams. . . etc.
So go ahead! Hit me! Um . . . .not a literal hit, just throw your questions at me. As long as they’re not too heavy.
The good news is; I’ve reached over 20,000 words on my work in progress, The Frog Prince, Tales of Ambia Book 2.
And here’s the bad news.
The Reluctant Godfather was between 24 and 25 thousands word so you’re probably thinking: “Oh, she’s almost half way done.”
Breaking News: Nope. The Frog Prince is going to be novel length. I’m thinking between 40,000 and 50,000 words.
I tried, I really did, but the cast is twice as big, the plot is twice as complicated and when I’m floundering in my writing I get twice as long-winded. Not only will The Frog Prince be longer, I foresee a lot more revisions.
Plus, I’m just plain worried. Are my characters unlikable? Is this darker? Does the plot make any sense? Does it drag? AM I GOING TO FAIL?
#therapyrequired
And this brings me to the question I have for YOU, dear readers. An urgent question that will shape the future of Ambia.
Should people die in The Tales of Ambia?
The Reluctant Godfather is a pretty light story and I’m wondering if I might have written myself into a hole. Is Ambia the story of series or the sort of world where characters can die and it doesn’t seem drastically out of place? Before anybody starts to panic, let’s just say it’s villains. Should villains die in Ambia? Even if I go the route of Disney-Deaths (off-screen falls from great heights) is it too much for Ambia?
And what do you think of explosions and sword fights and things like that?
So, I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback and they would be greatly appreciated and earn you a place in the acknowledgements of The Frog Prince (if you aren’t already there) AND if I ever finish writing the thing. ‘lowers head to keyboard’
i am trying, hoping and praying that the first draft of The Frog Prince will be finished by the end of the month (crazed laughter). #sendhelp
SECOND QUESTION
Would my readers like to see me blog about anything in particular on future posts? No, I have not run out of ideas already – I have at least ten posts I’m working on now and I’m bursting at the seams with new ideas but as always, I’m interested in reader participation and I wanted to know if there is anything YOU would like to see on here!
ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU –
Some of you might know that one of my favorite authors is Frank Baum (author of the Wizard of Oz). One of the things that fascinated me about Frank Baum was the ‘reader participation’ in his writing. Readers would write in with suggestions for Oz and all the things they wanted to see and Frank Baum would take their ideas and work them into the next Oz book – thanking all the readers in the acknowledgements of each new installment.
I have been kicking around the idea of (sometime in the future) posting a story to my blog a chapter at a time. I would post the opening chapter or two with the premise and then based on the comments of readers feedback the story would be written from there. If it was any good – I would look at publishing it at an even LATER date – with all of you in the acknowledgements.
This is just a nutty idea – not sure if it would work – but I was curious what you guys would think about doing an ode to Frank Baum’s unique style!
And Now The Questions For Moi.
Several months ago, I opened the floor to questions from my subscribers with the intention of a Q&A post. While I got some terrific questions – I have also gotten a lot more subscribers since then (very lovely ones, too) and I wanted to give you all a chance to ask some questions as well.
Here are the questions from the previous post that have already been asked, so you know what’s already going to be answered and maybe to jump start your own questions.
1. What is the worst thing you’ve ever eaten.
2. If you had a dog, what would you name him/her?
3. Who is your favorite author?
4. If you could travel to any country in the world, where would you go and why?
5. If you could travel to any state, which state would you choose and why?
6. What was your favorite age that you’ve ever been? Why?
7. What was the best day of your life (so far)?
8. What’s the most scared you’ve ever been (excepting situations that didn’t end well and wouldn’t be fun to talk about)?
9. If you were going to be marooned on an island for a year, and could only have 3 books (other than the Bible) what would they be?
10. Are you more of an extrovert or introvert? Mixture of both?
11. How old were you when you first started writing (I’m thinking of stories here)?
12. Favorite book of all time?
13. What is your current desktop wallpaper?
14. Do you have a favorite Disney movie?
15. Do you have pets? If so, how many, what kind, etc.?
16. Do you ever make up stories in your head and talk out loud with the characters? Just wondering if you’re as crazy as I am!
17. The character development in your published and soon-to-be-published works is amazing, and your characters’ personalities and actions simply leap off the page. What tips would you give other writers for developing vivid, believable, realistic, and endearing characters?
Topic Ideas:
Publishing, Life, Books, Movies, Music, Family, Day to day routine, habits, Food, Schooling, Dreams. . . etc.
So go ahead! Hit me! Um . . . .not a literal hit, just throw your questions at me. As long as they’re not too heavy.
July 31, 2017
July In A Nutshell
July.
You’re a sneaky one, oh you merciless July – you missed me by a hair – but close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades. I survived.
Though I must admit I’m feeling the affects.
July turned out to be one of the busiest, most disruptive months of the year with big changes at work and our home. Job training and furniture moving do not a happy camper make.
Speaking of camping. If I had known that July would be so crazy, I might not have signed up for Camp Nano.
But, nah, I probably would have BECAUSE WHY HOLD BACK WHEN I CAN JUST PILE MORE ON MY PLATE AND RUN AROUND LIKE A CRAZED MONKEY WHICH I SO LOVE TO DO? When in doubt, double the schedule, that’s my motto.
So let’s crack this crazy nutshell, shall we?
Business
Huge changes at work, big picture and small picture – busier for everyone – and busier for me. Lots of doors closing and doors opening, new schedules, new training – all make for some um . . . changes.
The 4th of July
Over the Fourth of July weekend, my twin and I ‘took’ my brother to see Cars 3. (Note from the Author: I forgot to mention in my June Nutshell that my twin and I went to see Cars 3 in theaters – aside from the fact that I loved it, this movie will always be special because it is the first movie that just my twin and I went to see together. #twindate.) It was fun to ‘show it to him’.
By odd circumstance, I spent most of the 4th of July proper with just my big brother (not that he isn’t completely fabulous) and we had a nice day playing games – specifically Star Wars Imperial Assault where my Jawas and Imperial Forces squared off against his Jedi and Droids.
Jawas beat Jedi – (street smarts beat the Force, apparently ‘smirks’). Though I have to admit, I surprised myself with that win. I was pretty happy that the Empire Struck Back – as it should. #EmpireFan #likesplayingthebadguy
Afterwards we had a Star Trek fest in which my brother showed me some episodes and fan films I had never seen and kept pretending like he was going to turn off an episode right at the middle of an exciting part. ‘folds arms’.
So while not exactly patriotic, we had a nice day.
Furniture Moving
Lots of fun bonding time there.
Nearly every room in our house has been turned topsy-turvy and it seems like every piece of furniture in our house has been moved – and piled hurly-burly and higgledy-piggledy around us.
Literally the only time our house and its contents has been so disrupted is when we were moving.
Fortunately, any injuries we suffered are not permanent. Extreme tiredness is only a phase. . . .
Furniture shopping . . .
Because suddenly my clothes and junk are everywhere instead of being crammed into rarely unearthed hidey-holes. Somebody is seriously disturbing the nesting grounds . . . .
After hitting a string of furniture and thrift stores in a intensive afternoon of shopping, we finally turned to the mighty Ebay. Gotta love shopping on the Internet.
No, that beautiful setting for that armoire is not my actual room – that’s a glamor shot, what your room is SUPPOSED to look like.
Took about 2 hours to build this puppy, since all the pieces came in a huge, flat box (I pity the FedEx man who had to carry it to our front door). Fortunately my brilliant engineer brother was sweet enough to tackle it with physical and mental muscles, while his Minions (my twin and I) assisted.
A new bookcase – excuse the slight messiness and no laughing at the stuffed pelican, he’s sensitive. My big sister and I put this one together TWICE because we got it wrong the first time (we are NOT engineers), but we finally succeeded in erecting it.
And this is just MY furniture folks – we had to build bookcases for my sister too. Definitely got a lot of practice in with my screwdriver this month.
DIY Projects
A pseudo-DIY project. A Pseudo-DIY project means you did it using your own money.
You’re a sneaky one, oh you merciless July – you missed me by a hair – but close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades. I survived.
Though I must admit I’m feeling the affects.
July turned out to be one of the busiest, most disruptive months of the year with big changes at work and our home. Job training and furniture moving do not a happy camper make.
Speaking of camping. If I had known that July would be so crazy, I might not have signed up for Camp Nano.
But, nah, I probably would have BECAUSE WHY HOLD BACK WHEN I CAN JUST PILE MORE ON MY PLATE AND RUN AROUND LIKE A CRAZED MONKEY WHICH I SO LOVE TO DO? When in doubt, double the schedule, that’s my motto.
So let’s crack this crazy nutshell, shall we?
Business
Huge changes at work, big picture and small picture – busier for everyone – and busier for me. Lots of doors closing and doors opening, new schedules, new training – all make for some um . . . changes.
The 4th of July
Over the Fourth of July weekend, my twin and I ‘took’ my brother to see Cars 3. (Note from the Author: I forgot to mention in my June Nutshell that my twin and I went to see Cars 3 in theaters – aside from the fact that I loved it, this movie will always be special because it is the first movie that just my twin and I went to see together. #twindate.) It was fun to ‘show it to him’.
By odd circumstance, I spent most of the 4th of July proper with just my big brother (not that he isn’t completely fabulous) and we had a nice day playing games – specifically Star Wars Imperial Assault where my Jawas and Imperial Forces squared off against his Jedi and Droids.
Jawas beat Jedi – (street smarts beat the Force, apparently ‘smirks’). Though I have to admit, I surprised myself with that win. I was pretty happy that the Empire Struck Back – as it should. #EmpireFan #likesplayingthebadguy
Afterwards we had a Star Trek fest in which my brother showed me some episodes and fan films I had never seen and kept pretending like he was going to turn off an episode right at the middle of an exciting part. ‘folds arms’.
So while not exactly patriotic, we had a nice day.
Furniture Moving
Lots of fun bonding time there.
Nearly every room in our house has been turned topsy-turvy and it seems like every piece of furniture in our house has been moved – and piled hurly-burly and higgledy-piggledy around us.
Literally the only time our house and its contents has been so disrupted is when we were moving.
Fortunately, any injuries we suffered are not permanent. Extreme tiredness is only a phase. . . .
Furniture shopping . . .
Because suddenly my clothes and junk are everywhere instead of being crammed into rarely unearthed hidey-holes. Somebody is seriously disturbing the nesting grounds . . . .
After hitting a string of furniture and thrift stores in a intensive afternoon of shopping, we finally turned to the mighty Ebay. Gotta love shopping on the Internet.
No, that beautiful setting for that armoire is not my actual room – that’s a glamor shot, what your room is SUPPOSED to look like.
Took about 2 hours to build this puppy, since all the pieces came in a huge, flat box (I pity the FedEx man who had to carry it to our front door). Fortunately my brilliant engineer brother was sweet enough to tackle it with physical and mental muscles, while his Minions (my twin and I) assisted.
A new bookcase – excuse the slight messiness and no laughing at the stuffed pelican, he’s sensitive. My big sister and I put this one together TWICE because we got it wrong the first time (we are NOT engineers), but we finally succeeded in erecting it.
And this is just MY furniture folks – we had to build bookcases for my sister too. Definitely got a lot of practice in with my screwdriver this month.
DIY Projects
A pseudo-DIY project. A Pseudo-DIY project means you did it using your own money.
July 26, 2017
What I’m Eating This Summer
7 Summer Eats
Yes, because food is important and tastes are somehow heightened in summer. (actually food tastes good to me all the time – and now I’m hungry) Or rather, some things just seem special in the summer. Like . . . ice cream!
1. Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Milkshake.
Guys, if you can’t buy this, make it at home because it is DELICIOUS. Although I actually liked it more after I stuck half of it in the freezer and turned it into more of an ice cream consistency – I really prefer hard ice cream to soft serve and milkshakes. But whichever way – it is soooo good.
You WILL be doing this after you drink / eat it – it’s an unavoidable side-affect.
But it will NOT make you look like that thing in the GIF. Just wanted to reassure you.
2. Banana Joe Sriracha Chili Chips.
Yummy, yummy, yummy, yummy – that is definitely the operative word. I tried these little goodies in my recent Try the World subscription box and I honestly didn’t think I would like them until I tasted them and it wasn’t long before I gobbled down the whole package. The flavor is really hard to describe but it is NOT unbearably hot. I was afraid my ears would fall off when I saw the word ‘chili’ – but it was actually not that bad. Spicy, but deliciously blended with the other subtle flavors.
3. Choceur Dark Chocolate Covered Superberries.
You heard me, I said SUPERberries – as in these treats will make you leap tall buildings in a single bound. I haven’t tried that yet, but it DOES help me leap frog over difficult writing periods by having a little dish to reward myself after hitting daily word counts.
These aren’t actual chocolate covers blueberries and pomegranate seeds – they are like a sticky, blueberry / pomegranate. . . . jelly. It’s hard to describe – which is actually GOOD because they are frankly indescribably delicious.
4. Rice Snack – Tomatoes and Olive Oil
It’s very possible that you have tried plain rice cakes before which, in my opinion are okay, but not like this! As I said in my Try the World Vlog, they are almost like a really crunchy little pizza but with that faint rice flavor. Plus, tomato, basil, olive oil – what the package says. A very Mediterranean type taste in my mind (though the snack is actually from Serbia). They are very unique and really take care of that salt craving.
5. Honey & Salt Toffee
I have never been a toffee fan but this little ‘darling’ converted me. ‘mouth waters’. I recently tried these in my twin’s Try The World Subscription Box. Oh. My. Goodness. ‘flutters hands’ They are SO GOOD. They’re not quite as overwhelming sweet as other toffees and they have the warm taste (a faint suggestion) of honey and a wonderful salty taste and TEETH EXTRACTIONS at no extra charge. Just kidding; it strengths your teeth, seriously, it must. ‘nods’ Plus they are from South Africa so they have that mystique for me, and they have this cunning little packaging – what’s not to like?
6. Fish and Bean Salad
Sorry, I don’t have a picture available of this delectable dish since it’s kind of my own ‘creation’, and I couldn’t find a close enough approximation on Google Images (and I don’t have a fish salad available to take a picture). Anyway, this dish is quintessential summer to me. Fish chopped up into small pieces, black beans, garbanzo beans, spinach, tomato and Parmesan – well mixed in a pretty fiesta ware bowl. Voila, a bowl of protein. It’s especially good if you let the whole thing sit in the fridge for a day, it really allows all the flavors to marinate; it completely changes and enhances the flavor. For some added zip, add a dash of Italian dressing.
7. Bolthouse Farms Vanilla Chai Tea.
The closest thing I compare this drink to is a very mild, ‘skim milk’ eggnog, but not so eggy. Didn’t that make sense? Made of soy milk, you can taste the soy but it’s a much more mild flavor, the tinest suggestion of a bite of green tea, and whiff of cinnamon perhaps? And smooth creaminess through out, but not choke on it cream, more of a light cream. As you can see, I’m struggling to describe it so why don’t you just go ahead and buy a bottle and try it? ‘clinks glass’
Technically two of these were more ‘drinks’ than ‘eats’ but I make the rules here.
So have you ever eaten anything I talked about on this post? What are some of your favorite summer eats? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Yes, because food is important and tastes are somehow heightened in summer. (actually food tastes good to me all the time – and now I’m hungry) Or rather, some things just seem special in the summer. Like . . . ice cream!
1. Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Milkshake.
Guys, if you can’t buy this, make it at home because it is DELICIOUS. Although I actually liked it more after I stuck half of it in the freezer and turned it into more of an ice cream consistency – I really prefer hard ice cream to soft serve and milkshakes. But whichever way – it is soooo good.
You WILL be doing this after you drink / eat it – it’s an unavoidable side-affect.
But it will NOT make you look like that thing in the GIF. Just wanted to reassure you.
2. Banana Joe Sriracha Chili Chips.
Yummy, yummy, yummy, yummy – that is definitely the operative word. I tried these little goodies in my recent Try the World subscription box and I honestly didn’t think I would like them until I tasted them and it wasn’t long before I gobbled down the whole package. The flavor is really hard to describe but it is NOT unbearably hot. I was afraid my ears would fall off when I saw the word ‘chili’ – but it was actually not that bad. Spicy, but deliciously blended with the other subtle flavors.
3. Choceur Dark Chocolate Covered Superberries.
You heard me, I said SUPERberries – as in these treats will make you leap tall buildings in a single bound. I haven’t tried that yet, but it DOES help me leap frog over difficult writing periods by having a little dish to reward myself after hitting daily word counts.
These aren’t actual chocolate covers blueberries and pomegranate seeds – they are like a sticky, blueberry / pomegranate. . . . jelly. It’s hard to describe – which is actually GOOD because they are frankly indescribably delicious.
4. Rice Snack – Tomatoes and Olive Oil
It’s very possible that you have tried plain rice cakes before which, in my opinion are okay, but not like this! As I said in my Try the World Vlog, they are almost like a really crunchy little pizza but with that faint rice flavor. Plus, tomato, basil, olive oil – what the package says. A very Mediterranean type taste in my mind (though the snack is actually from Serbia). They are very unique and really take care of that salt craving.
5. Honey & Salt Toffee
I have never been a toffee fan but this little ‘darling’ converted me. ‘mouth waters’. I recently tried these in my twin’s Try The World Subscription Box. Oh. My. Goodness. ‘flutters hands’ They are SO GOOD. They’re not quite as overwhelming sweet as other toffees and they have the warm taste (a faint suggestion) of honey and a wonderful salty taste and TEETH EXTRACTIONS at no extra charge. Just kidding; it strengths your teeth, seriously, it must. ‘nods’ Plus they are from South Africa so they have that mystique for me, and they have this cunning little packaging – what’s not to like?
6. Fish and Bean Salad
Sorry, I don’t have a picture available of this delectable dish since it’s kind of my own ‘creation’, and I couldn’t find a close enough approximation on Google Images (and I don’t have a fish salad available to take a picture). Anyway, this dish is quintessential summer to me. Fish chopped up into small pieces, black beans, garbanzo beans, spinach, tomato and Parmesan – well mixed in a pretty fiesta ware bowl. Voila, a bowl of protein. It’s especially good if you let the whole thing sit in the fridge for a day, it really allows all the flavors to marinate; it completely changes and enhances the flavor. For some added zip, add a dash of Italian dressing.
7. Bolthouse Farms Vanilla Chai Tea.
\
The closest thing I compare this drink to is a very mild, ‘skim milk’ eggnog, but not so eggy. Didn’t that make sense? Made of soy milk, you can taste the soy but it’s a much more mild flavor, the tinest suggestion of a bite of green tea, and whiff of cinnamon perhaps? And smooth creaminess through out, but not choke on it cream, more of a light cream. As you can see, I’m struggling to describe it so why don’t you just go ahead and buy a bottle and try it? ‘clinks glass’
Technically two of these were more ‘drinks’ than ‘eats’ but I make the rules here.
So have you ever eaten anything I talked about on this post? What are some of your favorite summer eats? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
July 22, 2017
40 Subscribers Dare – Reading My Book Aloud
Many moons ago I promised that once I reached 40 subscribers on my blog I would read the first segment of The Reluctant Godfather aloud. Well, here it is. I could have had a slightly smoother recording if I had just done it in front of my mic and posted the audio clip but I wasn’t sure if everyone wanted to see me or not, so despite my perfectionist tendencies I just went with this video. Enjoy!
Note From The Author: I actually made a mistake in my video ‘blushes’ (yeah, I know–that hardly EVER happens, haha). I have actually reached 44 subscribers on my blog, not “46 or 47”. As I said, short-term memory loss.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the clip and don’t forget – I have other challenges lined up.
When I reach 25 subscribers on my Youtube channel; I will film myself eating alligator nuggets – real alligator nuggets. (which oddly enough I am really curious about but I haven’t had an opportunity to try yet.
When I reach 50 subscribers on my blog I will also do another challenge as well.
Some of the suggestions included a vlog of me trying to see how many outfits I could get with $50.00 (a walk through my favorite thrift store and lots of fashion pictures)
Or possibly a book tour of my private library (over 600 books).
Or maybe something else; what would you like to see? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Note From The Author: I actually made a mistake in my video ‘blushes’ (yeah, I know–that hardly EVER happens, haha). I have actually reached 44 subscribers on my blog, not “46 or 47”. As I said, short-term memory loss.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the clip and don’t forget – I have other challenges lined up.
When I reach 25 subscribers on my Youtube channel; I will film myself eating alligator nuggets – real alligator nuggets. (which oddly enough I am really curious about but I haven’t had an opportunity to try yet.
When I reach 50 subscribers on my blog I will also do another challenge as well.
Some of the suggestions included a vlog of me trying to see how many outfits I could get with $50.00 (a walk through my favorite thrift store and lots of fashion pictures)
Or possibly a book tour of my private library (over 600 books).
Or maybe something else; what would you like to see? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
