Writing Prompts

My Escape

I’ve been a voracious reader since I was very young.


Now, I don’t lay around reading books all day, but I do read a lot during the day. And I study, and sometimes do research…mainly to satisfy my curiosity, but sometimes for a writing project. I read blogs, articles, and news stories.

I’m enjoying reading/studying the Bible very much. John was so good, and this morning we started Acts. I thought we’d go to Luke, but I guess he comes later. He did, however write the book of Acts also. I love the Verse by Verse sermons that explain the chapter I just read in so much more detail. I wish I could encourage more of you to just check at least one out. Pick a verse in John for example, then go to that verse in the Verse by Verse app and listen to the explanation of the verse you picked. You won’t believe how much better you will understand it.

As for entertainment, I just read The Flight Attendent, which was a series I watched on Amazon first. Again, so much more detail and I realized that the series took quite a few artistic liberties. Cassie is not quite the blond bimbo they make her out to be, but she does have a drinking problem. I also discovered that the author has many other books under his belt, but I tried a sample of one and found it too difficult for me to unweave.

When I was writing my story about the Avalanche in Colorado, I did quite a bit of research about Arvada. And when I was studying to be a transcriptionist, that required a lot of it. (I haven’t finished the course, but I will someday). You probably know I love learning languages also, I’m getting along good so far with my Portuguese, it’s mashup of Spanish and French is so interesting!

Maybe someday when I am even older than I am now, I will feel ok with the thought of curling up in a comfy chair, with a blanket and cup of something warm and tasty nearby, and while away the hours with a good book.

Until then, I’ll stay with my Bible in the morning and a good novel at night. I read from my Libby app on my iPad, so I have to be careful to lay it down when I get sleepy, lest I get a bloody nose.

Next on my list? Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. It was going to be If It Bleeds by Stephen King, but it’s on hold for at least a month. I either pick by an interesting title, an author I know but haven’t read, or a recommendation. Those are my favs, and it’s how I heard about “Where the Crawdads Sing” and “Fifty Shades of Gray.”

What are your thoughts? I know there are many other bookworms out there like me! Is reading also your escape from the real world?

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Writing Prompts

Needing Prayer Warriors

Tragedies happen every day. I know you all have your own stories or happenings in your life that you need prayer for too.

My friend Bruce had a stroke last week, and I’ve been praying that he recovers-he also has pneumonia -that once he is over that they can clear the huge blockage in his artery.

This morning, as if that wasnt bad enough, my friend Julie called to say she was not going home to see her mom as planned, but got rerouted to Vancouver, Washington. Her son Josh was in a motorcycle accident and is in the hospital. We don’t know the extent of his injuries, but mama is running to him anyway, just as we would if it were one of ours. Someone entered his lane of traffic, and I’m assuming knocked him off the road.

I do know one of his knees is all but gone, but thank God he was wearing a helmet, so hopefully his head is alright.

If I could ask, I’d appreciate your prayers for both of these friends, and anytime you need me to pray for you and yours, I will. I hate to be such a Debbie Downer, yet these things are occupying most of my thoughts. I’ve prayed and will continue to do so. You can bet I’ll be reporting the news as soon as I hear it. 🙏

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Writing Prompts

Life Happens

Dave and I at Julie’s retirement dinner.

Dave and I want to thank everyone that commented on our circumstances yesterday. I wish we would have been that lucky today, but a minor glitch spoiled his morning anyway.

He was on his way to measure the fit of the carpet in the bus and grab my laptop because he needed a document for my son when he texted me a few minutes later and said “this is how my morning started” with a picture of the jeep at the shop. Flat tire.

Luckily, the charge was low; under $30, and he was on his way. I thought he would be gone for a while, but he was back about an hour or so later. He had the laptop, and a couple of his old thumb drives, which is where he found the document. I’d forgotten to put the charging chord back into the laptop case. He said the fit of the carpet was close, but he can trim a piece and make it perfect!

I have physical therapy this afternoon, so I skipped my exercise but did take a walk. I also did household chores, and made a salad to go with brats for dinner, so now I only need to make the mac and cheese. I wanted to paint today, but didn’t have time…maybe tomorrow afternoon once I get back from my appointment to get a CT.

One more VA appt is all I have after that, this one on a Sunday!! That is for a sonogram. My guess is so my primary will know what I’m saying is true about my PKD. I don’t know why else she would want one, since it has nothing to do with my back. I did mention at my last appointment with her that I would be leaving my current nephrologist and eventually letting the VA take over that job. So maybe it’s so she can line me up with one at a future date.

The CT is for my back, so I’m anxious for the doctors to see it and decide what else to do for me before we get back on the road. Other than all that, we need to lay the carpet, set the backsplash and buy all the new furniture before we leave. Anyone want to loan us another $5,000? Haha, just kidding. We will manage just fine.

On my walk it was very heavy, hot, and difficult to breathe. I suspect storms are on the horizon again for this afternoon. And just to think, we were actually in the pool yesterday! It was 96° then, it’s 81° now. I don’t recall being able to be in the pool this early in the year, but Dave disagrees. Course, he always does. 😜

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Writing Prompts

OLW- 05/08-24

One-Liner Wednesday

I don’t mean to be bragging with this post, but merely sharing some good news that prayer does work!

“We finally got a break!!”

Ok. Here’s the explanation. I’ve been praying that with all the obstacles we’ve faced since we’ve been home, that something would go right.
Dave and I were actually discussing other options to our lifestyle because the “fixes” to all of our problems since we’ve been home have been so darn expensive, that I asked him if he wanted to quit and just buy a house.

The generator is still not fixed. The guy can’t even look at it now until Monday. The cost to get the motor home out of the shop was near $5,000 and we’ve had a lot of other expenses and still have many to go.

So today, we headed out to find a carpet remnant to put in the slide-out and not only did we find a piece that worked, but the guy actually gave it to us!!! That left the binding, which was about a mile from the carpet place and they did what we needed for $37!!! We couldn’t believe our luck and rather than look a gift horse in the mouth, decided to get the underlayment somewhere else and drove the thirty minutes back to our area, stopped for a few groceries we needed and are back at Kevin’s relaxing.

That takes a tiny bit of pressure off, that I really appreciate because Dave was feeling a bit defeated. Something finally went right and we feel very blessed at the moment!

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Writing Prompts

Being a Mother

Well, “mother” is the word of the day but it drags up so many conflicting thoughts.

I am a mother but I don’t know if I was a good one. I have three boys that all have different traits and personalities. One lives close to me, my youngest-Chris. He is smart, good looking, and a hard worker. He and I are very close. We communicate well and have fabulous conversations…sometimes he surprises me with his knowledge and insight. He’s a born comedian, regaling us often with stories about things that happen on the job or in his personal life. I remember how hard his birth was, I went into labor on the table as they were getting me ready for my third cesarean. I had an allergic reaction to whatever they put in my epidural, so I didn’t even get to see him for almost a week. When I finally did, I was amazed at his hair! He had the most hair of all three, explain why I had such heartburn with him. He was also the longest. I think his toes were hooked in my ribs, and the doctor had to straddle me and pull him out with forceps during my cesarean! He didn’t not want to come out of the safety and comfort of my womb! Maybe that’s why we are so close. He has dark hair and striking blue eyes. Must have come from David’s granny, because David and Joshua both have hazel eyes and mine are brown.

A 12 year old pic of Chris, Dave and me.

My son Sean is my oldest, but was not raised by me. My mother and dad raised him. That’s a long story that some of you may know, others maybe not. It was not my choice, but it was my doing. I remember when he was born at Carswell AFB I cried at how much he looked like me. I wish we had a better relationship, but we didn’t bond like me and my other sons did because my mom stole that from me. I was home with him and my parents for the first six weeks after he was born, but many of the duties I should have been performing, she kind of just took over. It made me feel incompetent and unworthy as a mother and many times I tried to show her I was ready to take care of him on my own, but that was not to be. When David married me, we had to decide whether to take her to court or leave well enough alone. So he stayed with them. He comes for Sunday dinner when he can and we are working to have a better relationship. He is about my height, dark skinned and dark haired with brown eyes. You may have seen him at the bottom of the pic of all of us that I posted the other day.

Josh. I took this right before they moved to Ohio.

Finally there is Josh. He’s technically the middle child, but in our family hierarchy , he is the oldest. He had a wonderful early life, we doted on him and marveled at his ability to impress our friends with his awesome personality and the funny antics he always pulled. I remember when he was born, I though he had the most beautifully shaped head. I still have one of those school art work projects with a silhouette of his profile. It about killed me when he started messing up his beautiful self with tattoos and piercings. He is still good looking though, he is blond and tans well-he used to, I think that fades over time. He is short also, but taller than me.

So that’s it, without too much detail you know a few things about my three sons. I’ve lost my own mother, and my mother-in-law. So Mother’s Day is bittersweet for me. I miss my moms, so I have no one to buy for anymore. Not that my mom made the job easy, she was very hard to buy for. My boys never seem to have money for Mother’s day, but every once in a while, I’ll get a card or a gift. Many times I’ve gotten only a phone call and that is fine with me. At least they acknowledged the day. I used to get hurt feelings about it, but really, I don’t need them to spend money they don’t have on me. It’s the thought that counts, right?

Actually, I feel lucky that I do get a phone call because each of them are busy in their own ways, and two of them kind of live in their own little world. Whether they feel obligated or they really remember, or do it because they love me is a mystery.

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