Thinking, and Giving Away Books in Paper and in Kindle

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    I think a lot, as I face the fact that this stage of my life has to change, and I really don't want it too, I had spent so long trying to get pregnant, and to adopt, and I loved being a mom to little kids, but when I adopted and found out I was pregnant too, it meant that they both were grown together, and after graduation in June, my husband and I will find ourselves rattling around in a much emptier house.

     It has been as a stay at home mom/writer/1/2 time substitute teacher that I defined myself, but suddenly the stay at home part is me alone while the husband and boys are out and about. At first that was a rare treat, but now it's a rut. I think I'm trying to test out my thoughts on getting back into full time teaching after 13 years away, or full time in a different job. The writing is fun, but not a money maker, some months I make as much as one day subbing, but not usually. You know, I'm depressed because the one choice I'd make in a heartbeat is to rewind time and relive the last 18, wonderful years, and I feel like I've fulfilled my goals but don't have new ones yet.

   Remember your blessings, and I'll remember mine. Hey, if you are interested in something to read, there is a free book giveaway on St. Patricks day that you can sign up for anytime before that, and one of the choices is mine.

  http://writersparty.com/contests/

  So Breathe, remember it is a beautiful world.  Have a Happy Sunday,
• Yesterday was my day of rest so except the normal firewood hauling, I did not work out. But then there was Jonathan's message this morning, if you took Saturday off, make sure you get in a work out today. I swear he knows my mind 

  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  

  

  

  Last night was bitterly cold, so the wood stove didn't really keep the house warm, and I woke up at 4:30 with my nose feeling frozen from being out from under the covers, fortunately my grandma's old quilt had the rest of me toasty warm.

  I have leftover roast beef and potatoes, carrots and onion, and leftover marinara sauce and more veggies and that is my favorite way to start a big kettle of minestrone soup, and this is sure soup weather.

  At work, I have my books on kindle on sale so For the next 5 days, my second book, Duffy Barkley: Seek Well will be free on the kindle at

  http://www.amazon.com/Duffy-Barkley-Tales-Uhrlin-ebook/dp/B005CQ5Z8E

  and the first book on kindle is always only 99 cents
  http://www.amazon.com/Duffy-Barkley-Tales-Uhrlin-ebook/dp/B004478F5M

  and at school we had the funnest time on friday, there had been a contest in a k-8 school to see which class could log the most minutes reading. The second grade won, so the principal gave each second grader a can of silly string, then he climbed on the stage in front of them and allowed them to spray him, they were good aims and his whole face was covered and the fumes were thick but the laughter was thicker.

  So Good to hear kids laugh.

Perceptions of Time

When I look around the world it is easy to see that I am not the only one with problems, But I found a great quote

"Understand that most problems are a good sign. Problems indicate that progress is being made, wheels are turning, you are moving toward your goals. Beware when you have no problems. Then you've really got a problem... Problems are like landmarks of progress."
Scott Alexander

I can see the truth in that. If I didn't have a home I was living in and food to eat, I wouldn't worry about house payments, broken water heaters and dirty dishes.

Here we are at Friday, and my school is facing a three day weekend. Jonathan Roche, the incredible personal fitness Guru at NoExcusesWorkouts is always going on about perception and how it changes everything. I started thinking about my perception of time. A three day weekend sounds long and luxurious, but when we have two weeks at Christmas, those last three days seem depressingly short, and when we have no school from mid June until Labor day, those last two weeks feel like I am already out of time!

Summer has a lot of problems built is for teachers and children, too much time sometimes, but no money to make it through on, yet when I am working, then often there are 16 hour days, doing things before and after school, and even with money there is no time to do the things I want.

So yes, I am healthier now, and yes, the 25 secrets Jonathan talks about played a big role in that - but the biggest, most important change is to be able to see the gifts in with the stress. I may be either harried or broke, but I can now appreciate the gift of each day, because his group has trained me to look for the bright side first.

Two months or three days? Irrelevant, I always only have today, and that is enough to get the important things accomplished. Love my family, help a child, read a book, write a book. Be ME.

Linking to Myself :)

Several Times lately, I have had people ask me for links to the connections where my books and I can be found, So I decided that I need to do a post with some find Dixie Goode and her books links.  As usual I wanted to sprinkle my blog with pictures, because I am a Words & Pictures kind of person.  I wonder, if my major role in life isn't to observe how beautiful things seem to me, and then record those observations in my writing, my photographs and my paintings.  I love being alive in this wonderful world, even though I have to play around in fantasy and try to create a world of my own, at the same time I am loving this one.

Soon it will be Valentine's Day
and this looks like a Valentine being traced in the sky

Dixie Goode

Amazon Author Page link:  http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004458ES2

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard 

Twitter link: http://twitter.com/#!/pandorasecho

Twitter # 2;  http://twitter.com/#!/DuffyBarkley

FB Fan Page 1:  none  

Author Blog:  http://duffybarkley.blogspot.com/

Blog # 2:      http://echo-echosvoice.blogspot.com/

Book Genre:  Fantasy/Young Adult

Book Trailer:  none

365 Project (pictures) http://365project.org/pandorasecho/profile

Redgage (pictures and links)  

http://www.redgage.com/#rf:/profile:innercontainer:dashboard.user

createspace Duffy Barkley Paperback book 1  https://www.createspace.com/3450238

"             "    " "            "        "            book 2  https://www.createspace.com/3649425

View From Crescent City's pebble Beach Drive

Welcome To Pt. St. George

 So we have had a lot of grey, windy, stormy days, and been so cold that even with the wood stove going full tilt, the house is chilly.  Then we had last weekend, windless, blue skied and lovely.  The old Road to the beach was still saturated as we walked down it.

But the birds, and the people came out to play in the sun

The tide uses small stones to drill holes in larger ones 

Pt. St. george Reef Lighthouse

 When there is no way to get to the beach, and the storm is slashing down, then I have ways to find serenity in my home too, and the gold and black goldfish are there to bring soothing calmness.

Gazing down at my aquarium

Mt. McLaughlin by Medford, Or