Random June Moments

 I know that I need to write something on this blog simply to get the giveaway off the top spot since the giveaway has ended and my book is back to $2.99 on kindle.  Yet, what to write?

 June has been strangely unfocused and "eclectic" around my world.  We had storms and sun and School and the crazy life changing moments that happen when your last baby is about to graduate from High School and your world is tilting on its axis.

I did find a fun recipe that I had to try, an apple tart baked in the apple itself 

 and I got to dog sit for my oldest son when he went up to Seattle for a LMFAO concert.  My Greyhounds have not been replaced, so it was nice to have dogs in the house again, and nice to send them home later too.

 I live in  a gorgeous neighborhood, so both this redwood state park and the drive-in movie are within an easy walk of my house.  Strange to think that the barren drive-in movie lot was once a lush forest too.

 This falling down house is between the drive in and the state park campground

 The rhododendrons are looking lush right now

 We spent a long evening, cheering as the community gave around $400,000 dollars in scholarships to graduating seniors and my son and his girlfriend both got their share.  We are amazed and proud and grateful.

 Today was a Saturday farmers market and then a beach walk.

In just a week the graduation will be over and I will hopefully be able to focus on my writing more.  Hopefully.  For all of you who are already out of school, or at least on summer mode, enjoy!

The 2 pairs of Pants Deal

I had to take a month off line because the hard drive in my computer died, and then I found out what a gift that was as I spent a great family winter break, talking and going for walls and being with family and friends. I barely missed the on-line addictions but I am back now and eager to look for JOY in 2012, I have decided that my focus word for the year has to be "Joy" as that is the one thing I have been struggling with my whole life, I tend to look for the problems first instead of seeing all the great things around me.

So, life is mostly great, even though money, not so much.

Sometimes I am joking, but always half serious when I say that I think I made an agreement before I was born.  I think the deal was what I call the "2 pairs of pants" deal.  I only ever manage to have 2 good pairs of pants at once, then if I buy more, one tears or I spill paint on it.  Same with every necessary thing, If I get extra money, my water heater dies or my tires need replaced and it and costs that exact amount.  But also, I never seem to go without what I need, so if the rent is due and I am broke there will be an unexpected gift, or job,
 or tax return and the exact amount will be there.  I do feel like the Lily in the field who might as well not worry because the worrying changes nothing
except how I view my world and whether I notice the Joy in it.

The great thing is, there is abundance in my life, and it is in the things way more important than money.  I have lived my life surrounded by those who love me and by beauty and by opportunities to be with great people in wonderful parts of the world



so this year, while I strive to move that scale, and to add to the bank balance, or at least to pay the bills, I am going to Trust that Joy will be there.

Every Day.

Greeting 2012 with JOY

 It has been far too long since I have written a post, but I had an interesting December.  Mainly, it was interesting because my computer died and I was forced to revise my daily routines and interact more with the people in my home and my city, and less with the on-line community I normally surround myself with.

View of Castle Rock at Sunset

 I found my husband and I were talking more, and actually drug out the board games when I could not be on facebook or the 365 project and he could not play World Of Warcraft.

Granted, Christmas usually throws us into a different schedule anyway, and this year it was quite different.  It was my first year with my oldest son, old enough that he did not spend the holiday with me, and the family we have visited every ear for 6 years had a child away at college, a new house and a divorce under way, so it was a change, but still a great holiday, wonderful time with people I love, a lot.

Yes, Christmas

 Christmas here is not usually white, but it is also not usually as warm as it was this year.  it was delightfully sunny and New Years Day actually got to almost 70*

Watching historical slide show at town fountain and Christmas tree

 We went on the first history walk through our little Crescent City, CA and 200 people showed up.  It was hard to hear at times but everyone was in a great mood and it was fascinating to hear about the good and the horrible parts of the town history.  Yes, there was an Opera House but after it was thrice destroyed, by Water spout, fire and tsunami, it is no more.  Yes there was a China Town of 700 that overnight turned into 1 chinese man left in the county, yes there was a holocaust of the Native Americans, yes it is still a town of great beauty and tragedy.

All these are for me, and the ornaments too!

 Medford, Oregon has some large homes along a few streets where everyone decorates and then decorates some more, and they collect canned food and toys from the crowds that come to drive through.

The street looks different through fireworks glasses.

My youngest son is graduating with the class of 2012

 Then my return home after Christmas brought my brother-in-law and his wife to our coastal redwoods and gave us an excuse to get out and enjoy the area we live in.

two way road through Redwoods

My husband and I

So I did not get much done in the way of writing, but I did get my first novel, Duffy Barkley is Not a Dog,  into a free promotion on Kindle and that resulted in 230 downloads from Amazon and 40 more from Amazon UK and then I sold another few copies of the second Duffy Barkley book, Duffy Barkley: Seek Well, and I have reason to hope that at least a few of those copies will result in reviews and recommendation and good word of mouth.

I also found my book listed on a site as a 5-star recommendation for Tweens and older.  That made me smile.

So now, my sister-in-law warns me that the world will change a lot this year.  It can certainly change in many ways for the better, but I am greeting 2012 with joy, life is not easy, but it is worth it.