Kate Collins's Blog, page 193
May 30, 2014
My Cats Should Star in a Lifetime Movie!
by Mary Kennedy
Clyde and Eliza: Together at Last.
Seriously, this would make a good Lifetime Movie wouldn't it? Let me give you the backstory. Clyde was a large "battle-scarred" orange tabby I'd been feeding. I never managed to lure him inside but he enjoyed sleeping on the deck, and enjoying meals of cat food and diced chicken breast. I never could pet him and never managed to trap him, he was far too shrewd for that. My neighbors called him "Fighting Cat" because they felt he was responsible for several neighborhood brawls. After one particularly awful fight, his temple was slashed open and I knew he desperately needed surgery, but I couldn't catch him.
Enter Eliza, a sweet little tuxedo cat who I'd never seen before. Clyde turned up for dinner one night with his girlfriend trailing shyly behind him. (Yeah, he's a cheap date, he brought her to MY house for dinner!)
I put out extra food but Clyde was too jumpy to eat. It was pouring rain and he stood guard over Eliza while she ate. The whole time he was watching the woods behind our house, I'm sure there was some "critter" out there, perhaps a fox, and Clyde sensed danger. He let Eliza eat her fill and then he nudged her shoulder and the two of them ran back out into the storm together. Now I had TWO cats to worry about. The next day brought new problems. Clyde was MISSING.
Days went by, weeks went by, with no sign of him. I was frantic. I learned that an animal rescue group had done a "sweep" of our neighborhood. I called around, asking about a "battle-scarred" orange tabby with a massive head wound. No luck. Meanwhile Eliza turned up for dinner every night, and one day I managed to trap her on the sun porch. She was upset, but quickly settled down. Now that she was up close, I noticed she had gained a LOT of weight. All in the tummy. Could she be...was it possible? Yes, Eliza gave birth to a litter of kittens 24 hours later on my sun porch. (still no sign of the "baby daddy.")
And then, nearly another month later, who comes strolling along the deck but Clyde! He was immaculate, well-groomed and his massive face wound was healed. You could still see faint scars from the stitches, but he was safe and sound! And more social than before. He strolled onto the sun porch and was "home."
And here's a little postscript to the story, I managed to rescue Calpurnia, Eliza's daughter from an earlier litter. I think Clyde is the father. The whole cat family is reunited and doing well. True love conquers all!
Mary Kennedy
Clyde and Eliza: Together at Last.
Seriously, this would make a good Lifetime Movie wouldn't it? Let me give you the backstory. Clyde was a large "battle-scarred" orange tabby I'd been feeding. I never managed to lure him inside but he enjoyed sleeping on the deck, and enjoying meals of cat food and diced chicken breast. I never could pet him and never managed to trap him, he was far too shrewd for that. My neighbors called him "Fighting Cat" because they felt he was responsible for several neighborhood brawls. After one particularly awful fight, his temple was slashed open and I knew he desperately needed surgery, but I couldn't catch him.
Enter Eliza, a sweet little tuxedo cat who I'd never seen before. Clyde turned up for dinner one night with his girlfriend trailing shyly behind him. (Yeah, he's a cheap date, he brought her to MY house for dinner!)
I put out extra food but Clyde was too jumpy to eat. It was pouring rain and he stood guard over Eliza while she ate. The whole time he was watching the woods behind our house, I'm sure there was some "critter" out there, perhaps a fox, and Clyde sensed danger. He let Eliza eat her fill and then he nudged her shoulder and the two of them ran back out into the storm together. Now I had TWO cats to worry about. The next day brought new problems. Clyde was MISSING.
Days went by, weeks went by, with no sign of him. I was frantic. I learned that an animal rescue group had done a "sweep" of our neighborhood. I called around, asking about a "battle-scarred" orange tabby with a massive head wound. No luck. Meanwhile Eliza turned up for dinner every night, and one day I managed to trap her on the sun porch. She was upset, but quickly settled down. Now that she was up close, I noticed she had gained a LOT of weight. All in the tummy. Could she be...was it possible? Yes, Eliza gave birth to a litter of kittens 24 hours later on my sun porch. (still no sign of the "baby daddy.")
And then, nearly another month later, who comes strolling along the deck but Clyde! He was immaculate, well-groomed and his massive face wound was healed. You could still see faint scars from the stitches, but he was safe and sound! And more social than before. He strolled onto the sun porch and was "home."
And here's a little postscript to the story, I managed to rescue Calpurnia, Eliza's daughter from an earlier litter. I think Clyde is the father. The whole cat family is reunited and doing well. True love conquers all!
Mary Kennedy
I'm plussed!
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
A while back, on my own blog (Dazed and Confused) I wrote a rant about Facebook. How they suppress views of your posts, holding them for ransom if you don't pay for views. (Yes, they really do that.)
Obviously, I'm not going to stop using Facebook. It's still the online best way to connect with readers and stay in touch with friends. But I've also started to use Google+.
As far as I can see, Google+ is pretty much a clone of Facebook, without all the annoying ads and constant improvements that always infuriate its users. It's cleaner looking, it's easy to use, and it's sure not as popular, but I like it. It doesn't feel like Big Brother is watching (as much ... after all it IS Google).
I read recently where Google is very disappointed that it hasn't taken off, replacing Facebook, and they don't know what to do with it. They've slashed the support staff and I guess they're just going to let it sit there.
Wouldn't you know I'd find something I like when it could go down the toilet at any time.
They have a great thing called Google Hangouts, where you can have a free video call with a bunch of friends or family. The video is a little strange. There's a time delay, which kind of makes it look like your friends are in space, but the talking part is great. I've had several business meetings via Google Hangouts and I like it better than Skype.
If you're on Google+, I'd love it if you'd join my circles. You can find me by clicking on the following Links:
Lorraine | Lorna | Booktown Mysteries | Jeff Resnick Mysteries
Hey, The Cozy Chicks are there, too!
Have you tried Google+?
A while back, on my own blog (Dazed and Confused) I wrote a rant about Facebook. How they suppress views of your posts, holding them for ransom if you don't pay for views. (Yes, they really do that.)Obviously, I'm not going to stop using Facebook. It's still the online best way to connect with readers and stay in touch with friends. But I've also started to use Google+.
As far as I can see, Google+ is pretty much a clone of Facebook, without all the annoying ads and constant improvements that always infuriate its users. It's cleaner looking, it's easy to use, and it's sure not as popular, but I like it. It doesn't feel like Big Brother is watching (as much ... after all it IS Google).I read recently where Google is very disappointed that it hasn't taken off, replacing Facebook, and they don't know what to do with it. They've slashed the support staff and I guess they're just going to let it sit there.
Wouldn't you know I'd find something I like when it could go down the toilet at any time.
They have a great thing called Google Hangouts, where you can have a free video call with a bunch of friends or family. The video is a little strange. There's a time delay, which kind of makes it look like your friends are in space, but the talking part is great. I've had several business meetings via Google Hangouts and I like it better than Skype.If you're on Google+, I'd love it if you'd join my circles. You can find me by clicking on the following Links:
Lorraine | Lorna | Booktown Mysteries | Jeff Resnick Mysteries
Hey, The Cozy Chicks are there, too!
Have you tried Google+?
May 28, 2014
So, are you a lark or an owl?
By Mary Jane Maffini aka Victoria Abbott
The early bird gets the worm. That’s what they say, meaning start the day early and you will be ahead of the game. The question is: do I want a worm? Apparently not, as I’m not one to leap out of bed singing.
No singing.
No leaping.
Like some other members of the family, I like my bed.
It’s more like a slow slither and it’s not anyone’s idea of early. I have to ease into the day with a pot of coffee and two newspapers. I definitely don’t want to chat.
My husband on the other hand hurtles out of bed around six am if not before. He wakes up before the pets. I don’t want to tell tales, but when we settle down to watch our favorite bit of crime drama every night, he’s asleep before the first plot point. But this lark and owl have managed to work it out all these years.
I have many friends who seem to be busy on Facebook or email at 5:30 am. They seem happy enough. Me? I was shocked to learn there was another 5:30. Still, where are they at midnight when I am puttering around or enjoying a good mystery or watching the stars or the full moon?Even if research suggests that morning people get further in life and school than us, um, later types, I still think that worms are for the birds. They can have ‘em and they can have early mornings too. I'm more like my dogs,
Even though I admire the larks among you, I get my books written (sooner or later!) and enjoy time with family, friends and hobbies, so it can't be all bad.
I’d like to know if you are an owl or a lark? Or perhaps more like a dog or a cat? Are you happy with what you are?
May 27, 2014
Rotisserie Chicken to the Rescue
by Deb Baker/Hannah Reed
My 20 x 20' garden is planted! And I'm exhausted, so tonight, rather than cook, I'm going to indulge in a grocery store rotisserie chicken. I love, love, love rotisserie chicken. It's so versatile. I've made main meal salads, casseroles, chicken salad, sandwiches and wraps, and all things Mexican, including tacos and burritos. But my favorite way to eat a rotisserie chicken is just the way it is - hot, juicy, perfectly roasted. Another tasty treat is a good, crusty bread, spread with butter, heaped with chicken, and salted and peppered. Yum. I can hardly wait to dig in.
I really think Sam's Club makes a wonderful rotisserie chicken. I'm pretty sure they use Lawry's Seasoned Salt, one of my go-to seasonings. I've also heard that Costco has one of the best out there, but I'm not a member and can't comment.
A rotisserie chicken and a salad. It doesn't get much better than that!
My 20 x 20' garden is planted! And I'm exhausted, so tonight, rather than cook, I'm going to indulge in a grocery store rotisserie chicken. I love, love, love rotisserie chicken. It's so versatile. I've made main meal salads, casseroles, chicken salad, sandwiches and wraps, and all things Mexican, including tacos and burritos. But my favorite way to eat a rotisserie chicken is just the way it is - hot, juicy, perfectly roasted. Another tasty treat is a good, crusty bread, spread with butter, heaped with chicken, and salted and peppered. Yum. I can hardly wait to dig in. I really think Sam's Club makes a wonderful rotisserie chicken. I'm pretty sure they use Lawry's Seasoned Salt, one of my go-to seasonings. I've also heard that Costco has one of the best out there, but I'm not a member and can't comment.
A rotisserie chicken and a salad. It doesn't get much better than that!
May 26, 2014
A New Kelly Flynn Mystery Coming Out Soon!
by Maggie SeftonExciting News! Kelly Flynn #13 is coming out June 2nd! YARN OVER MURDER. Can you believe it is the thirteenth in the series? I'm overwhelmed. And I have you readers to thank. It's been your doing from the beginning in June 2005 with KNIT ONE, KILL TWO. Thank you, thank you, Everyone. :)
YARN OVER MURDER is a little different in that it follows the actual events in the High Park Wildfire which roared through canyons in northwestern Colorado in June 2012. I saved all the newspapers from those dramatic two and a half weeks so that I could add accurate firefighting details and wildfire updates in each chapter of the mystery. And, of course-----a dead body shows up. Don't they always?
YARN OVER MURDER picks up exactly where CLOSE KNIT KILLER left off. Kelly is driving Steve's truck out of the canyon coming from Estes Park, heading to meet Megan and Marty who've gotten a truck and an extra horse trailer for her. Steve, Curt, and Jayleen are already driving back into Bellevue Canyon where Jayleen's ranch is located to rescue her alpaca. The wildfire started a stone's throw from Bellevue Canyon, so all of Kelly's friends are showing up to help save Jayleen's alpaca herd.
Books will be available in hardcover and E-books June 2nd. Also, the paperback edition of Kelly #12, CLOSE KNIT KILLER, will also be available on June 2nd. I hope you enjoy the mystery. :)
Happy Memorial Day!
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY
From the Cozy Chicks
From the Cozy Chicks
May 24, 2014
Ten Years? Amazing!
by Leann
Even when I'm not keeping track of important dates, it seems the Internet is. I knew my son and daughter-in-law celebrated their 10th anniversary this year in May and didn't need a cyber reminder. That was a wonderful day, one I will never forget. But then someone posted on my timeline on Facebook congratulating me on ten years--and I had to stop and think. What anniversary is that?
Then I remembered.The same week my son and daughter-in-law were married was the week my first book came out from NAL/Signet. A lot went on in 2004! The book was the first in my Yellow Rose Mystery series, Pick Your Poison--a book I had been rewriting for ten years plus before it was finally picked up by a major publisher. I guess ten might be my lucky number.
2005 wasn't as kind. That's the year I finally learned why I was so exhausted, and why I would need to take early retirement from my nursing job. I had Lyme disease. I spent the next two years trying to get well, but sometimes the cure is worse than the disease. By 2007 I couldn't tolerate any more antibiotics or IV vitamins or shots of a little energy chemical we all need called ATP. For me, it just wasn't working.
I was frightened I wouldn't be able to write books anymore, and indeed, we had to push one book back several months while I was in treatment. But though the Lyme took my energy and my strength and at times nearly killed my spirit, it couldn't harm my imagination. Indeed, 10 is still my lucky number. My 10th book was published last year. And now I've made it one step further as #11 comes out this August.
We all have "something" as Robin Roberts so aptly put it in her new book, and the fighter in me wouldn't allow my "something" to steal what I loved most. So, happy anniversary to me and my writing career. And a big thanks to the editor who believed in my even when I was sick. She understood and nudged me to keep on writing. It has been my savior.
Even when I'm not keeping track of important dates, it seems the Internet is. I knew my son and daughter-in-law celebrated their 10th anniversary this year in May and didn't need a cyber reminder. That was a wonderful day, one I will never forget. But then someone posted on my timeline on Facebook congratulating me on ten years--and I had to stop and think. What anniversary is that?
Then I remembered.The same week my son and daughter-in-law were married was the week my first book came out from NAL/Signet. A lot went on in 2004! The book was the first in my Yellow Rose Mystery series, Pick Your Poison--a book I had been rewriting for ten years plus before it was finally picked up by a major publisher. I guess ten might be my lucky number.2005 wasn't as kind. That's the year I finally learned why I was so exhausted, and why I would need to take early retirement from my nursing job. I had Lyme disease. I spent the next two years trying to get well, but sometimes the cure is worse than the disease. By 2007 I couldn't tolerate any more antibiotics or IV vitamins or shots of a little energy chemical we all need called ATP. For me, it just wasn't working.
I was frightened I wouldn't be able to write books anymore, and indeed, we had to push one book back several months while I was in treatment. But though the Lyme took my energy and my strength and at times nearly killed my spirit, it couldn't harm my imagination. Indeed, 10 is still my lucky number. My 10th book was published last year. And now I've made it one step further as #11 comes out this August.
We all have "something" as Robin Roberts so aptly put it in her new book, and the fighter in me wouldn't allow my "something" to steal what I loved most. So, happy anniversary to me and my writing career. And a big thanks to the editor who believed in my even when I was sick. She understood and nudged me to keep on writing. It has been my savior.
May 23, 2014
Books on the Battlefield
by Mary Kennedy
(I wrote this article for PW in 2012 but I thought readers might like to see it again.) I'd never met Lt. Col Lisa Schieferstein, yet I was intrigued by her story. I knew Lisa was half a world away, doing a tough job in a gritty, remote location. As the garrison commander of the 389th "Renegades" division in Iraq, she was stationed at a desert outpost, with ninety soldiers under her command. The heat was appalling, the conditions were rugged and danger was ever-present. (When I sent them instant "cups of soup," the desert heat was so brutal, they could add water to the Styrofoam cups and cook the soup right on the hood of their jeeps.) Even though my life is incredibly cushy by comparison (a nice psychology practice, a second career as a mystery novelist) when I saw a photo of Lisa--in full body armor--visiting a one-room Iraqi schoolhouse to bring presents to the children, I knew right away we had something in common; a love of books. We began to e-mail each other and I was offered a glimpse into her day-to-day life. When I learned that the 389th was a "sustainment division," offering food and snacks to American convoys passing through, I decided to send boxes of books and homemade goodies to the Renegades every two weeks. Over the course of the summer, I mailed over 200 pounds of boxes stuffed with brownies, "sweet" Chex mix snacks made with pecans and corn syrup, individual packages of Crystal Light, coffee, creamer and sugar. Tuna fish and individual packets of mayo. (They loved to make tuna salad sandwiches). Plus plenty of gum and hard candy (good for staying alert during night patrols, they told me.) And I included paperback books. They loved mysteries! My writer pals joined in with copies of their new releases and Carolyn Hart made regular donations of her best-selling books along with delicious gourmet coffees. Kim Adams, SOS Military Liaison and an Air Force spouse said, "As a veteran of the first Gulf War, I know firsthand what difference mail makes to deployed personnel. But that war was short-term and our troops came home. Today, our military personnel are facing longer and more repeated deployments. I wish everyone reading this piece could adopt a soldier and send books, candy, snack and sure, home-made cookies or brownies. It's easy to do and it really means the world to our brave men and women in the armed forces." As Janet Evanovich told me, "If Stephanie Plum could meet the Renegades, she'd give them a high-five and say, "Well done!"
Epilogue: all of the Renegades are now safely home in the States. I know you join me in thanking them for their service. Mary Kennedy
(I wrote this article for PW in 2012 but I thought readers might like to see it again.) I'd never met Lt. Col Lisa Schieferstein, yet I was intrigued by her story. I knew Lisa was half a world away, doing a tough job in a gritty, remote location. As the garrison commander of the 389th "Renegades" division in Iraq, she was stationed at a desert outpost, with ninety soldiers under her command. The heat was appalling, the conditions were rugged and danger was ever-present. (When I sent them instant "cups of soup," the desert heat was so brutal, they could add water to the Styrofoam cups and cook the soup right on the hood of their jeeps.) Even though my life is incredibly cushy by comparison (a nice psychology practice, a second career as a mystery novelist) when I saw a photo of Lisa--in full body armor--visiting a one-room Iraqi schoolhouse to bring presents to the children, I knew right away we had something in common; a love of books. We began to e-mail each other and I was offered a glimpse into her day-to-day life. When I learned that the 389th was a "sustainment division," offering food and snacks to American convoys passing through, I decided to send boxes of books and homemade goodies to the Renegades every two weeks. Over the course of the summer, I mailed over 200 pounds of boxes stuffed with brownies, "sweet" Chex mix snacks made with pecans and corn syrup, individual packages of Crystal Light, coffee, creamer and sugar. Tuna fish and individual packets of mayo. (They loved to make tuna salad sandwiches). Plus plenty of gum and hard candy (good for staying alert during night patrols, they told me.) And I included paperback books. They loved mysteries! My writer pals joined in with copies of their new releases and Carolyn Hart made regular donations of her best-selling books along with delicious gourmet coffees. Kim Adams, SOS Military Liaison and an Air Force spouse said, "As a veteran of the first Gulf War, I know firsthand what difference mail makes to deployed personnel. But that war was short-term and our troops came home. Today, our military personnel are facing longer and more repeated deployments. I wish everyone reading this piece could adopt a soldier and send books, candy, snack and sure, home-made cookies or brownies. It's easy to do and it really means the world to our brave men and women in the armed forces." As Janet Evanovich told me, "If Stephanie Plum could meet the Renegades, she'd give them a high-five and say, "Well done!"
Epilogue: all of the Renegades are now safely home in the States. I know you join me in thanking them for their service. Mary Kennedy
What's going on?
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
Life is ... busy. I can't believe how busy lately. Or, at least I keep telling myself I'm busy. Then again, maybe it's just that old saying ... the hurrier I go the behinder I get?
So, what have I been up to.
WRITING ... and isn't that what most of you want me to do. The book is behind, but it's really taken off in the past couple of weeks? I'm in the rewrite stage now, and that's my favorite part. (We're talking about Booktown #9, which I'm calling A Fatal Chapter. The Marketing Department often changes the title, so -- I'm not holding my breath that that's what will be on the cover when it's finally available next summer.) My editor and I have already talked about the cover, not that I get any real input, but he does at least ask and I like his idea.
EXERCISE. Like everybody else on the planet (or at least it seems that way), I want to lose weight. Losing weight and exercise apparently go hand-in-hand. I LOATHE exercise. But I got a new exercise DVD that I only marginally hate. It's called Walk It Off In 30 Days with Leslie Sansone. I already had two other Walk It Off CDs, but this one has weight training, and you know what? I despise squats, but I actually kind of like working with the weights. (It also has an aerobic routine that I kinda like, too. It's time for me to get some heavier weights.) Another one I like, is the Belly Blasting Walk, although it's all low impact for me. After seeing what Mr. L went through with knee replacement surgery, I'm protecting mine.
MAKING NEW FRIENDS: I'm now a member of Storytellers Unlimited. We're a group of multi-genre authors who've banded together to help each other find new readers. We're all members of Novelists Inc. And our first project is all about secrets. My new pals are:
Kelly McClymer (she writes YA, historical romance, and next month will debut a new secret shopper series. The first is Shop or Let Die.
Shirley Hailstock writes romantic suspense, thrillers, and contemporary romance.
C.B. Pratt writes fantasy ... under that name. Like me, she's got a handful of other names and genres (like Regency romance).
I hope you'll sign up for our newsletter, the first of which will be going out in about three weeks from now.
PHOTOSHOP: Yup, still playing with that. I'd LIKE to do one new graphic a day. Time and my lack of ideas are what's holding me back. Still, I did a very simple one for today as it's my character Jeff Resnick's birthday.
I'm juggling a bunch of other stuff, too, but I don't want to bore you. Instead, why not tell us what's going on in YOUR life?
Life is ... busy. I can't believe how busy lately. Or, at least I keep telling myself I'm busy. Then again, maybe it's just that old saying ... the hurrier I go the behinder I get?
So, what have I been up to.
WRITING ... and isn't that what most of you want me to do. The book is behind, but it's really taken off in the past couple of weeks? I'm in the rewrite stage now, and that's my favorite part. (We're talking about Booktown #9, which I'm calling A Fatal Chapter. The Marketing Department often changes the title, so -- I'm not holding my breath that that's what will be on the cover when it's finally available next summer.) My editor and I have already talked about the cover, not that I get any real input, but he does at least ask and I like his idea.
EXERCISE. Like everybody else on the planet (or at least it seems that way), I want to lose weight. Losing weight and exercise apparently go hand-in-hand. I LOATHE exercise. But I got a new exercise DVD that I only marginally hate. It's called Walk It Off In 30 Days with Leslie Sansone. I already had two other Walk It Off CDs, but this one has weight training, and you know what? I despise squats, but I actually kind of like working with the weights. (It also has an aerobic routine that I kinda like, too. It's time for me to get some heavier weights.) Another one I like, is the Belly Blasting Walk, although it's all low impact for me. After seeing what Mr. L went through with knee replacement surgery, I'm protecting mine.
MAKING NEW FRIENDS: I'm now a member of Storytellers Unlimited. We're a group of multi-genre authors who've banded together to help each other find new readers. We're all members of Novelists Inc. And our first project is all about secrets. My new pals are:Kelly McClymer (she writes YA, historical romance, and next month will debut a new secret shopper series. The first is Shop or Let Die.
Shirley Hailstock writes romantic suspense, thrillers, and contemporary romance.
C.B. Pratt writes fantasy ... under that name. Like me, she's got a handful of other names and genres (like Regency romance).
I hope you'll sign up for our newsletter, the first of which will be going out in about three weeks from now.
PHOTOSHOP: Yup, still playing with that. I'd LIKE to do one new graphic a day. Time and my lack of ideas are what's holding me back. Still, I did a very simple one for today as it's my character Jeff Resnick's birthday.
I'm juggling a bunch of other stuff, too, but I don't want to bore you. Instead, why not tell us what's going on in YOUR life?
May 21, 2014
Seven FREE ways to fight stress
By Mary Jane Maffini aka Victoria Abbott
Lately I’ve been feeling a bit of stress. It can have lots of causes: worrying about loved ones and health issues can take a toll. But mostly it’s time pressures, deadlines and technology misfires that set me off like a Roman candle. In fact, you may have seen me shooting through the air over your house.
So, I’m thinking about how to handle that. Trying to keep in mind what brings me back to earth and calm again.
I have some surefire fixes if I can remember to draw on them in time.
The first one is to take a walk. I’m not keen on exercising but even a short stroll sure calms me down and works wonders. An amble through the neighborhood or the dog park is a great remedy. In the heat of the moment, I can tell myself I don’t have time and that’s, in fact, why I’m stressed. But years of experience have taught me that any time I invest in exercise comes back with a bonus. and you never know who you'll meet.
Tommy and Tuppence live in the neighborhood. A cup of tea and a chatwith a friend can make all the difference. It’s so much better to pick up the phone or knock on my friend’s door than to have that meltdown.
This spring, I’ve taken great joy in everything that’s popped out of the garden, even if the lawn is still a disaster and the weeds are putting up a good fight. I got this little clump of iris for fifty cents at the end of the seaon last year, and they've just repaid me big time!
A great investment Knitting Maybe it’s the soothing repetitive patterns, but crafts like knitting are great relaxers and you get something lovely at the end (unless of course, the arms are two different lengths, but that would be the subject of another post).
Stealing a half hour to curl up a good book. Reading, like exercise, takes me away from my stress place. At least in real life I’m not tripping over bodies!
Twenty minutes is an ideal time to refocus and recharge with a nap. This is easier if the roof is not being reshingled, but that’s not all the time.
A cuddle with the princess dachshunds. Pets are better than medicine IMHO. There’s lots of evidence that stroking an animal’s fur can actually lower blood pressure.
All these things are easy and available to me. Except for buying yarn, they’re free. Of course, I’ve got enough yarn for a lifetime. Ahem.
But I’m always looking for tips for de-stressing.
How about it? What do you do to deal with stress? Different strokes for different folks, as they say. I’ll check in after my walk and find out your tricks.
Happy de-stressing everyone!
