Cindy A. Christiansen's Blog, page 7

Kitchen Table Logic

When I was growing up, our family sat around the kitchen table and discussed events in the news, in our community and even in our neighborhood. I never felt that my parents were lecturing us kids on what we should or shouldn’t do, but I instinctively would say to myself, “I don’t want to end up like that. I don’t want to make that same mistake.”
I guess that’s why I easily get frustrated now when I hear of people still making the same mistakes—the same mistakes people have made since biblical times, the same mistakes made in the 1800s, the same mistakes made in the 1900s, and even the same mistakes made a week ago. It feels like we never learn from our past or progress as a society. I like to resolve issues and not have to face them over and over again.
The first thing that happens when a major act of violence happens is, the news media rushes in to tell us about previous, similar events. It makes you realize that we focus on big issues for about a micro-second, nothing changes, and then everything carries on as usual.
Right now after the massacre in Florida, both the democrats and republicans are trying to pass gun laws AGAIN, and the media is saying both bills will be blocked. No wonder nothing is ever accomplished. And, why can’t government officials use some kitchen table logic and realize it isn’t just gun laws that are the problem?

I’m reminded of the famous saying by Albert Einstein we often referred to in our discussions around the kitchen table: 


Having two autistic boys and especially one son who doesn’t understand cause and effect, has left me scrambling over the years to try new methods of teaching. I knew that if I kept searching, I would find some way of getting through to my boys. I couldn’t stop trying.

In President Obama’s recent speech about the Orlando massacre, I was shocked when he suggested we do nothing as one of the alternatives. NOTHING! Seriously! Why aren’t they considering not allowing backpacks or large bags into clubs, concerts, or sporting events? Why not safety checks at the door? Why not harsher punishment for those carrying assault weapons? Why not banning assault weapons? Why not doing something about ISIS? I mean, do something! Being complacent is not the answer. Not if we don’t want to see it happening again.
This is the land of the free and if we don’t feel safe to go to a movie theater, nightclub, concert, hotel or even to work, something is wrong. Let’s learn from the past and move forward, knowing we have tried everything and will continue to improve our world and our future.
Cindy A. ChristiansenSweet Romance, Humor, Suspense...and Dogs! Fly into a good book at: http://www.dragonflyromance.com Dog Image Copyright: innocent / 123RF Stock PhotoCindy A. Christiansen
Sweet (clean) Romance Author

Weekend Fun Blog: No Doggie's Perfect

Glad the weekend is coming up!It has been a difficult week with my health issues, my youngest getting an infection after surgery, multiple doctor visits, struggles with my oldest son's team, and disappointments with missed opportunities.I feel a lot like the dogs in this video.I have to remind myself that nobody's perfect all of the time. I need to step back, take a deep breath and do the best I can.Some days are like that. We need to learn to give ourselves some slack.Don't fight it. Roll with it.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Cindy A. Christiansen
Sweet Romance, Humor, Suspense...and Dogs! 
Fly into a good book at: http://www.dragonflyromance.com 

Dog image: Cole123RF / 123RF Stock Photo

Cindy A. Christiansen
Sweet (clean) Romance Author

Our House Is A Very, Very, Very Fine House

Our house is a very, very, very fine house…now. It wasn’t when we bought it. Why can a house, a piece of property, a vision of what could be, draw you so much that you are willing to do and pay anything to have it?
Our house was still occupied by a family, so when we went to inspect it, six kids and their mother followed us from room to room. In all the other empty houses, we examined every drawer, closet and tub. In this house, we just walked through without really looking. Still, we loved it. We loved the neighborhood. Something just drew both of us to this house.
We made an offer and the home owners turned it down. They didn’t even counter. We moved on and continued to look for another six months. Every home was compared to “our” house. It hadn’t been sold, so we made another offer. They countered and said that was as low as they would go. It was more than the market value. We weren’t thrilled, but we didn’t want to pass it up.




Finally, the day arrived when it became our home!
The first thing we noticed when we walked in was the smell. Something dead, all right. (They had had a pot of potpourri simmering on the stove the day we walked through.) The awful smell continued to grow…and grow. I pulled out a kitchen drawer and it fell to pieces on the floor. As I pulled the next one out, it fell too. Every single drawer in the house, kitchen and bathrooms, were all broken. I pulled back the shower curtain to check the tub and shower. No shower! Then, why the curtain? All the posters and paintings had been taken down and there were fist-sized holes in practically every wall. Some of the art had covered permanent marker drawings. The heat vents were filled with trash, melted candy bars and even money.
I took several deep breaths tried to remain calm. That is until my husband cut out the bottom of the cupboard under the kitchen sink to investigate the smell. It was filled to the brim with dead mice in various stages of decay! As he was cutting out the bottom, he noticed the countertop around the sink was about to collapse. Termites had eaten the particle board. When we removed the countertop, we found dead mice on top of the dishwasher. The carpets were also infested with termites and bugs. Ick!
The stove and oven was so coated in grease that I couldn’t get it scrubbed clean. When my father took it a part, he found dead mice all over inside, and they had eaten the plastic casing off the wiring! Have a grossed you out yet? Believe me, the memory still turns my stomach.
Our nightmare didn’t end there. There were many more things wrong with our house. I’m pretty sure everything inside and out has been redone more than once. Do we regret buying it?
Surprisingly, no. Our house is a very, very, very fine house, and we are both so grateful to live here. We will be celebrating our thirtieth wedding anniversary this fall and the time that we have been living and loving our home.






Cindy A. ChristiansenSweet Romance, Humor, Suspense...and Dogs! Fly into a good book at: http://www.dragonflyromance.com




Cindy A. Christiansen
Sweet (clean) Romance Author

Weekend Fun Post: Happy Mother's Day Weekend!

Chloe, Foxy, Lilly Belle
 Happy Mother's Day Weekend!
Father's Day is a much bigger holiday than Mother's Day with all men in the house. They can relate to each other better and toy tractors and manly tools can be passed on as Father's Day gifts much better to Dad than to Mom. :)

We had a "guy" thing happen just this week. I picked up my oldest son and offered to pay him for mowing the lawn to give my husband a break. Nice of me, right? I went out and did the weed eatering and fertilizing right along with him. It took us both two solid hours. With my health problems, it set me back pretty bad.

My husband came home and said thanks to my oldest and what a wonderful job he did, nothing to me.

Okay, fine. I can take it. I'm an adult.

Then, my oldest needed a new gas can so I told my husband it would be nice to buy him one because he had worked really hard and did such a good job. So, my hubby was going for fuel anyway, so he stopped and bought him a $40.00 gas can. That's more than I was going to pay him for the lawn, but that's okay.

Hubby comes home, presents the gas can to oldest, oldest beams and says, "Thanks, Dad."

I am fixing dinner, thinking, Hello? Who am I in all of this?

But that's life in an all-male household.

My reward was a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my husband, two new couches for the great room, and Mother's Day weekend to myself. (Well, practically. I still have to take care of the dogs.)

And speaking of couches... The video below is exactly what we are experiencing with our small dogs. Hope you enjoy it and have a wonderful weekend.



Cindy A. Christiansen
Sweet Romance, Humor, Suspense...and Dogs! 
Fly into a good book at: http://www.dragonflyromance.com 

Copyright of dog photo--Cindy A. Christiansen 2016Cindy A. Christiansen
Sweet (clean) Romance Author

The Devil Made Me Do It!

My mom was an angel! The devil must have made her do it, because she was the kindest, most giving woman you could ever met. She was the one who taught me to keep my words “soft and sweet.” She also scolded me and my siblings for using the word hate. She taught us that hate is a very powerful word, and we should never hate anyone or anything.
Maurice Chevalier
That brings us to Maurice Chevalier (pronounced shə-ˈval-ˌyā\). No, that’s not a jump. He was an old-time French actor and cabaret singer born in 1888 and died the day after my mom cursed him to death. I’m not kidding. On December 31, 1971, we were flipping TV stations and the 1958 movie Gigi came on and he was singing, Thank Heaven for Little Girls . Mom said, “I just hate that old so-and-so. I wish he’d die.”
And, he did!  The very next day.
I don’t know if I was more surprised that she used the word hate, or that she swore, or that Maurice died. I asked her at the time why she disliked him so much, and she would never explain. Looking at his history, I wonder if it was because of the way he acted toward younger women, his affiliation with the communist party and the Nazis, or his ban from the U.S. for signing the Stockholm Appeal. I’ll never know the answer, but I do remember her upset the next day when he really did die. My mom truly wouldn’t have wished that on anyone. The devil must have made her do it.
So you know that this experience had a huge impact on me because I was around ten-years-old at the time and still remember it. Did it stop me from doing the same thing? Actually, it didn’t. After years of health issues due to doctors’ mistakes, there have been four particular doctors I have cursed--two of them lost their jobs; two of them died. I did feel a little guilty when I heard the news, but I must say, I didn’t feel as bad as Mom about poor Maurice, and I can’t say the devil made me do it.
Just remember when you are dealing with me, you don’t want me to put a hex on you. LOL
Do you believe in such powers? Do you believe in curses and voodoo and such? Leave me a comment, or I might just put a hex on you.



Cindy A. Christiansen
Sweet Romance, Humor, Suspense...and Dogs! 
Fly into a good book at: http://www.dragonflyromance.com 

Copyright of angel and devil dog: damedeeso / 123RF Stock Photo
Photo and information on Maurice Chevalier: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_ChevalierCindy A. Christiansen
Sweet (clean) Romance Author

Cindy's Weekend Fun Blog: Happy Billy Baby

Wow! This week has flown by, and I still can't wait for the weekend. Yes, I usually post dog videos, but I couldn't resist this adorable happy baby goats video.And, there are a couple of dogs in it. (lol)
We never had goats on our farm, but as we traveled to the middle of the state of Utah to visit family, we would always pass an area near Levan where there were goats. Every time we passed there, our dog, Jiffy, a Fox terrier mix, would get very excited, move right up against the air vent, sniff repeatedly and start to whine.
I wonder what he would have done if we had ever stopped and let him check them out?

Have a wonderful weekend!
Cindy


Cindy A. Christiansen
Sweet Romance, Humor, Suspense...and Dogs!
Fly into a good book at: http://www.dragonflyromance.com

Original copyright of goat and dog: cynoclub / 123RF Stock PhotoCindy A. Christiansen
Sweet (clean) Romance Author

A Little Bit of Hope

I've done it all. At least the stuff I dared try--traditional medication, alternative medication, specialized diets, supplements, non-traditional treatments. Living with five auto-immune illnesses has made me desperate at times for relief from pain. The biggest issue: inflammation.

Can I take anti-inflammatory medication? No.

Recently the pain has become overwhelming. Since my primary care doctor usually just checks my A1c, refills prescriptions and tells me she wishes she could do more for me, I decided to see a new doctor. I owe all the credit to a wonderful friend. I'm not good about going to new doctors since they have led me down the path to ill health through medical misdiagnoses and radical treatments.

This new doctor immediately said my problem was inflammation. She wrote the name of a medication on a piece of paper and told me to research it. That was all--no prescription, no blood work, no tests. I went home and googled the medication. I was astounded! Why hadn't I heard of this medication before? Why haven't doctors recommended it to me in the last 30 years? Why aren't people with auto-immune illnesses talking about it on social media?

Maybe I'm jumping the gun by posting before I've had a chance to see how it works for me, but I've learned that whether it works for me or not, it might work for you.

Lose-dose Naltrexone

Here's hoping it helps you or someone you know.


Cindy


Cindy A. Christiansen
Sweet Romance, Humor, Suspense...and Dogs! 
Fly into a good book at: http://www.dragonflyromance.com

Copyright of dog and pill: fantasista / 123RF Stock Photo



Cindy A. Christiansen
Sweet (clean) Romance Author

Weekend Fun Post: Doggie Mishaps and Mayhem

Let's face it! We consider our dogs our best friends. But, I bet when you look back, you can think of a few times when your best friend caused you more than a little trouble. 
Take a look at this great video.

We've had lots of mishaps and mayhem in our household.
Take a look at what Foxy did to my small cedar chest my brothers made me around thirty years ago.
Did you notice the chewed on corner?



How about you?
Anything you want to share about your best friend?
Have a wonderful weekend,

Cindy


Cindy A. Christiansen
Sweet Romance, Humor, Suspense...and Dogs! 
Fly into a good book at: http://www.dragonflyromance.com

Copyright of puppy and yarn: anyka / 123RF Stock PhotoCindy A. Christiansen
Sweet (clean) Romance Author

Spring: A Rebirth of the Earth (17 Fun Things to Do in Spring)

Spring is God's way of saying, 'One more time!' ~Robert Orben
There is something magical about spring. The earth warms and brightens, seeds sprout and grow into a gorgeous colorful array of flowers, grass turns a vibrant green, and trees bud new leaves. I think more than any time of the year, spring gives me hope—a rebirth to accomplish new and wondrous things—to start anew.

Many celebrate each new year as a time to set goals and move forward. But there is something incredible about the rebirth of the earth that fills me with hope and optimism that life brings new choices and opportunities never before considered. Reach out and touch those dreams. Wipe clean your slates and refresh your hearts. It’s a new day!
A few of the things you might enjoy on a beautiful spring day:Plant a tree, bulbs or flowers in the yardHave a picnic at the local parkTake a walk through the neighborhood to spot the spring flowers and blossomsGo for a bike rideVisit a farm to see the animalsFly a kiteStart a garden (even an herb pot)Go horse-back ridingFeed the ducks at a pondGo for a walk by a river with your dogVisit a farmer's marketOpen your windows to some fresh airVisit the zooHang a bird feeder and enjoy the soundsVisit an outdoor poolPlay a game of Frisbee or ball with kids or dogsDust off the patio furniture and fly into a good bookWhatever you choose to do, enjoy family, friends and your four-legged buddies.
Happy Spring,

Cindy

Cindy A. ChristiansenSweet Romance, Humor, Suspense...and Dogs! Fly into a good book at: http://www.dragonflyromance.com
Dog image from: http://www.123rt.com

Cindy A. Christiansen
Sweet (clean) Romance Author

Weekend Fun Blog: Oh, to Snuggle!

Feeling very much like curling up with a blanket with someone I love this weekend. I will be keeping my doggies close.
This week has had its challenges. I found out my heart conditions are getting worse, my oldest son has a kidney stone and I must attend the funeral of a friend who passed away. 
However, we must all keep our chins up, endure to the end and experience happiness along the way. For me, that's enjoying the following dog video. Hope you enjoy it too!



Have a wonderful weekend!
Cindy A. Christiansen
Sweet Romance, Humor, Suspense...and Dogs!
Fly into a good book at: http://www.dragonflyromance.com

Copyright of cuddled dogs: tkatsai / 123RF Stock PhotoCindy A. Christiansen
Sweet (clean) Romance Author