Obligations and Wants

 by Fran McNabb

                      

            I’m excited to once again be back as a regular on Classic and Cozy taking the fourth Thursday of the month. If you follow the former Avalon authors on this group, you know that Leigh Verrill-Rys has filled this space for a long time. Like most of us on this blog, Leigh had to let go of some of her obligations to find time for other endeavors in her life. We’ve all been there. In fact, for the last year or so, I, too, stepped away from the blog to catch up with life, which brings me to the point: How do we know what is important in life?

As authors we all try to juggle the demands of living. Some of us might be raising children or grandchildren, some work full time, and all of us strive to enjoy life while still finding time to write. How does anyone find the time to do what is important to them?

I’m a retired teacher. When I worked, I seemed to be much more productive than I am now. How could that be? I was away from the house for over eight hours a day, had two boys who were active in school and in sports, and a husband who loved to fill our house with friends every weekend. Needless to say, life was interesting, yet I found time to write regularly. I think the key was time management and being organized. I had to write lesson plans, grade essays and tests, and most importantly, I had to be involved with my boys and their pastimes. And, yes, I had to write and I did.

Maybe because I was younger and had more energy, I was able to do everything, but besides that fact I think the key was making the decision that I wanted to be a published writer. After that decision, I carved out the time in my busy schedule. That time might have been four in the morning while the kids were still sleeping or in the middle of the night when I awoke with an idea. I’m not sure how I did it, but I’m sure determination played a big part.

Today I don’t work outside the home, but I seem to stay busy. Most things I do are not necessary, but they are things I want to do. I do want to write, but compared to my earlier years, I'm not as productive. So, back to my original point: How do we know what is important in life? That’s easy. No matter how old you are, family should come first. Their needs and wants are important, but then what we want to do should come next. If it’s finding time to write, then we should make sure that time is there. If it’s volunteering someplace, then find the time to do it. Wants are important. They are the things that keep life interesting and moving along.

So, Leigh, we all understand what you’re going through. I hope all of your life’s callings let you find time to write and to one day come back to Classic and Cozy.

FRAN MCNABB -  Fran lives along the Gulf Coast and often uses that setting in her books.

Presently she has nine published light romances. Her latest book, A SOLDIER'S HONOR  is also set on the coast. Come visit with Fran at www.FranMcNabb.com or contact her at mcnabbf@bellsouth.net

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

I’m writing this blog (which was supposed to have been posted several hours ago) on Christmas Eve.  As is often the case, I’m behind schedule on a number of fronts.  I’ve finished my shopping, but still need to wrap and this blog was pushed to the back of the line.

Lucky for me a blog at this time of the year practically writes itself.  As we approach the end of the year and the beginning of the next, most of us think about our resolutions or wishes for the future while looking back on the past year. 

I have a lot to be thankful for including a loving spouse, children and daughters-in-law happily connected to our family. We also have a precious new grandson and another due in April.  Our world may be in turmoil, but I have much to be grateful for.  

Most of us have been around long enough to know that all of that can change in the drop of an eye so my New Year’s resolution is to appreciate what I have and try not think about tomorrow and what might be coming. I’ve spent too much of my life thinking about what I need to do, making lists and going through them with almost total focus.  I did not always see the gifts and opportunities that are in front of me and I’m sure I lost some special moments.

My 9 month-old grandson was here in New York this week visiting from L.A.  I was fortunate to be able to spend quality hours with him every day while his mother worked.  A younger me would have fretted about what I was not getting done while I hung out with him at the children’s museum and the library.  An older me appreciates how fleeting these opportunities are.  I knew the blog and other writing tasks could wait—even until after the holidays.

That’s my new year’s resolution:  To prioritize my family and their needs recognizing that the writing will get done, but the family is what’s essential.

Happy Holidays to everyone!  

6 Ways to Celebrate Grandparents Day

by Victoria M. Johnson

Grandparents Day became a national holiday in 1978 and is celebrated the first Sunday after Labor Day.  For 2018 that day is September 9.

According to a post on the Very Well Family website, the holiday came about when a West Virginia mother, Marian McQuade, "while helping to organize a community celebration for those over 80, became aware of the many nursing home residents who were forgotten by their families. She wanted a holiday to bring attention to these forgotten individuals and to honor all grandparents."  And McQuade intended the holiday to be noncommercial and more about family and celebrating generational connections.

The Holidays Calendar website states the purposes of Grandparents Day is: 1) to commemorate and pay respect to grandparents, 2) to recognize the importance that older people can have on the lives of the young, and 3) to give said grandparents the opportunity to show love and support for their children’s children.

 

It all sounds good to me!  So what can we do to celebrate the grandparents and grandchildren in our lives? 

photo by Thais Morais

Here are a few ideas:

1.  Call or visit

This one is obvious.  Grandparents love to hear from their children and grandchildren any time of the year.

2.  Take a walk

It doesn’t get any simpler than this.  A stroll around the neighborhood, the beach, or anywhere in nature is good for exercise and bonding.

3.  Complete a puzzle together  

This sounds fun.  Visit while you all put your heads together to assemble the pieces.

4.  Make a video together

You don't need an expensive camera to make a movie.  Just use your smart phone to record, edit, and watch.  The video can be anything you like: a How-to, an interview, cooking demonstration, singing, etc.  Keep it short, three or so minutes, so you can finish and watch it in one visit. 

5.  Cook for your grandparents

Instead of grandma cooking for you, cook up a special meal for your grandparents.  The kids can help prepare or bake the dessert ahead of time.   Or grandma may want to cook with the kids.

6.  Start a new tradition together

Grandparents can take the lead on this and create a simple, meaningful, and fun new tradition.  On the GaGa Sisterhood website, Donne Davis says, "Rituals don’t have to be big. But they should have a purpose and be personal. Make them direct and active as possible and fun is always a plus." 

Finally, here is a link to 25 adorable DIY gift ideas on the Dating Divas website.

These craft projects can be made as a gift or they can be a fun activity for children to make with their grandparents.  The ideas for handprints and footprints are my favorites. 

In the words of Alex Haley, "Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children."  And Grandparents Day is a day to show our appreciation for them. (Actually, it is a day to honor any elderly person who you appreciate).  What will you do?  Let us know in the comments below.

Victoria M. Johnson knew by the time she was ten that she wanted to be a writer.  She loves telling stories and she's happiest when creating new characters and new plots.  Avalon Books and Montlake Romance published Victoria's fiction debut, The Doctor’s Dilemma.  Her other fiction book is a collection of romance short stories titled, The Substitute Bride and a novella, Hot Hawaiian Christmas. She is also the writer and director of four short films and two micro documentaries.   Visit Victoria's website at http://VictoriaMJohnson.com for inspiration and tips and find her Amazon author page or connect with her on Pinterest and Twitter.

It Wasn’t Exactly the Christmas I Wanted…

By Karen McCullough

But it was the one I got, and it was terrific in its own way. Just not the way I planned.

It’s always a better Christmas when there are children around, so I was elated when my daughter said
she, her husband, and four little boys would be able to come to our place for the holiday. That meant a lot of packing for them, and a ten-hour drive with the four boys (ages 6, 4, 2 ½, and 6 months) in car seats in a mini-van. It’s a pretty big venture for them.



The three older boys playing at the kitchen island.

But come they did. I had things mostly ready – guest rooms, toys for the kids, high chair and portable crib for the baby, plus all the Christmas decorations. Gifts were bought and wrapped. We had plans to visit several relatives in the week following Christmas and to take the boys to a few of their favorite places. The back yard was ready with toys so they could play outside, since winters are generally pretty mild in central North Carolina.

My daughter warned me on her final phone call the day before they left that she and the baby weren’t feeling well and seemed to be developing colds. I assured her that wasn’t going to be a problem.  Little did I know…  (Writers love to use that particular cliché, and it’s so appropriate here.)

They arrived a few days before Christmas, and things started going sideways almost immediately.  The weather took a turn for the bitter, making it too cold for the boys to spend much time out-of-doors. In fact, temperatures remained ridiculously low for this area throughout their visit, making any outing an adventure in endurance. I’m talking daytime highs in the 20s and lows at night in single digits. Biting wind at times.

But I had a good supply of toys, crayons, markers, scratch paper, and books to keep them entertained. They’re good about playing on their own. Until all three of the older boys got sick as well a couple of days after they arrived. Then their Dad caught it. And my husband and I came down with it the day after Christmas.

This wasn’t the normal, garden-variety cold either, of the sort that makes you sniffle for a couple of days. We don’t think it was the flu, since none of had the achy muscles and joints, bad headaches, and nausea that go along with flu, but it was a really ferocious cold that made people feel generally icky for close to a week, then left us all congested, coughing, sneezing, and running for an additional week to ten days.

We had to cancel all the planned visits to relatives, forego the church services we wanted to attend, and forget some of the other places I wanted to take the boys. The kids were frequently, and understandably, cranky, mopey, and whiney.

On top of that, the bug exacerbated a continuing throat problem in my son-in-law, which forced a trip to the emergency room – right as we were getting ready to sit down to Christmas dinner. And a day or two after that the bug set off the six-year-old’s asthma. Fortunately they’d brought along his medicine and a friend lent us a nebulizer, but his parents didn’t get much sleep that night. In fact, sleep was in short supply for them for most of the visit with four wheezy, snuffly, stuffed-up children who all had trouble sleeping.

We blew through (literally) about 20 packages of wipes (for diaper changes and cleaning up runny noses) and several boxes of Kleenex for the adults.

And yet, amid all the chaos and changes of plans, there were some wonderful moments and great blessings.

Present-opening on Christmas morning went well for the most part. We do stockings first, and each of the boys got a foam play sword stuffed in the top. The two-year-old was so excited about the play sword, he went off brandishing it, and Christmas could have ended right there for him. We had to call him back and remind him there were other things in his stocking.

And there was the moment when the six-year-old unwrapped a present and found a book he desperately wanted. He literally shook with excitement and his face lit up with the kind of joy that, if bottled, could solve many of the world’s major problems.

The assistance of my older daughter, who lives nearby and has grown children of her own who were spending the holiday with their other grandmother, was invaluable during the chaos of Christmas day, and my sister-in-law Page was also helpful and understanding when dinner didn’t go according to plan.

At the end, they had to extend their say here a few days because of ice and snow clogging the roads back home on the day they’d planned to leave. That, too, was a blessing in disguise. With the boys finally mostly healthy again, we were able to do some of the things I’d wanted to do earlier, including outings to Safari Nation, a terrific indoor playground, the library for story time, and the Greensboro Children’s Museum.

Perhaps the biggest blessing was contained in something my daughter told me shortly before they left. In thanking me for all the help (though I still don’t feel like it was that much), she said that if they’d been at home with everyone sick, Christmas would’ve been pretty dreary. Being with us meant she didn’t have to handle everything herself, could grab a few extra naps she might not have had at home, and had extra hands to help with caring for the children. That made a huge difference for her.
And I realized I was glad that she and the family were here, illness and all. Together we all had a better Christmas holiday than any of us would’ve had on our own.

Primal Fears

By Karen McCullough

A couple of months ago, my daughter and her three small boys visited from Indiana, staying with us for a couple of weeks. After the novelty of a new set of toys wore off, we looked around for things to do. Fortunately we live in a small city that has a lot of entertainment options for children. We took them to the local children’s museum, to the public library for story hour and to the park down the street.

Two daughters and three sons watching the giant turtles.
Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the tiger.

One of the most successful trips was to the local science center/zoo. The weather co-operated with a warm, sunny day, and the kids had a blast watching monkeys swing from ropes attached to various parts of their habitat, seeing the meerkats as they scampered up and down logs and sandpiles, and viewing some spectacular and impressive birds.

Only one odd incident seemed out of place in the trip. We were walking along the zoo path, approaching the tiger enclosure. One enormous cat prowled gracefully along the edge of the inner fence. He’s a magnificent beast and unquestionably an alpha predator. Even with the double fence I felt a frisson of unease walking past him.

My three-year-old grandson, holding my hand as we ambled by, felt more than that. He let out a sudden shriek, grabbed both my legs, and yelled, “Don’t let the tiger eat me.”

I picked him up and assured him that we – myself, his mother, and his aunt – would not allow the tiger to get near him. He calmed down after that and never said another thing about it, even when we walked back past the tiger compound to return to the main building.

Later I thought more about his reaction. My daughter’s family doesn’t have a television in their house, though the children do watch a few carefully selected programs and movies online.  They read, or have read to them, a lot of books, probably a dozen or more a day. But those are childrens’ books.  How did he recognize the tiger as a fearsome predator that—had he come across it in the wild—might in fact have eaten him?

Admittedly he’s only three and the tiger is much bigger than he is. Its teeth are impressively huge. But the way he reacted seemed to be from something deeper and probably much more primitive than conscious comparison of his size with the tiger’s or even the tiger’s teeth. I suspect it’s the same instinct that makes most of us afraid of snakes and spiders, something baked in our brains from thousands of years of human experience

As a grandmother, I want to protect my grandkids from all the dangers they face. As a writer, though, I want to be able to tap into some of those primal feelings. If I can make the reader that afraid, or just as deeply sad, intensely relieved, or joyously happy, I’ve done my job. There aren’t many books that have brought me to that level, so I know it’s a hard thing to accomplish. But for a writer, it’s a goal worth striving for.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like…

I celebrate Christmas but I recognize that others don’t and I’m okay with that. So I’m more than willing to wish a Happy Holidays to those who celebrate Chanukkah or Kwanzaa or some other variety, or nothing at all. To those who do celebrate it: Merry Christmas!

That’s really not relevant to anything else, but I wanted to say it.

With all of the gang gathered here last year, there was barely room
for all the stockings on the mantle.

This year Christmas is going to be different for us (my husband and I). For the last forty-some years, Christmas for our family has centered around our house, the one our children grew up in. The presents accumulated under our tree and everyone gathered here on Christmas Eve to hang stockings and then again on Christmas morning for cinnamon rolls and breakfast quiche before present-opening would begin. There’s always been lots of loud music, raucous games, laughter, and activity.

Even as our kids grew up, got married, and began their families, we always had one or more of them, with spouses and babies, here for the day. This year will be different. Our youngest daughter lives in northern Indiana and had her third child this year. It’s no longer practical for them to travel hundreds of miles each way to spend the holiday with parents.

Our only son moved to England some ten years ago, and married a lovely young Englishwoman. They have an 18-month-old daughter and a second child on the way. They actually did fly over for Christmas last year, but this year they’ll spend the holiday with her family in Kent.

Fortunately our oldest daughter lives close by, so we’ll likely go to her home Christmas morning, taking along our gifts. We’ll join her, her husband, two grown children, and her adult stepdaughter. Dinner will be at our place, since they don’t have a dining area large enough to accommodate everyone.

I’m really very glad that all of my kids have grown up to be wonderful people, and I’m thrilled they’ve all found someone to love, who loves them in return. I’m delighted to be grandmother to six lovely kids (and counting). This is what every parent wants for their children.

But it will still be an oddly quiet Christmas. On the other hand there should be more time for reading and writing.

Who knows? Maybe next year we’ll travel ourselves and celebrate Christmas on Indiana or in England.

 

THE YEAR AS AN EGG

 by Fran McNabb

If you look at a calendar for the year, you realize there’s a nice pattern and a calming sense of familiarity to the names of holidays spread throughout the year: New Year’s Day, Valentines, Easter, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas.

 The holidays can be expected on or near the same dates each year, and with that regularity, most people find a sense of stability. We know when to pull out our white shorts for the summer, when to start searching for Christmas gifts or school supplies, and when to think about cleaning the fine china for Thanksgiving dinner.

This is the end of August, the closing moments of the summer months and the beginning of school and football season. When I taught school, our lives revolved around the school’s calendar. As soon as it was given to me, I sat down with our family calendar and marked the days when school would be out. My husband would then book his time for vacation according to our days off.

For those of you who work jobs or own businesses, you have no idea what it feels like to be on a set schedule. I was lucky. My husband’s job and my job both marched along pretty regularly.

I am a visual person, someone who learns best and understands the world through visual

images. I saw my school year as the shape of an egg lying on its side. The small end was Christmas and New Years and the wide end was the summer months. Today, as a retired school teacher, I still visualize it that way, but now my life doesn’t revolve around the school calendar. In fact, this year school buses were rolling before I realized schools had opened their doors.

 Life goes on whether you’re involved in it or not. Hubby and I still think about plans for our year, but they’re not set in stone. We’re retired.  For the most part, we can do what we want when we want, but every once in a while, I stop and remember when life wasn’t like that.

I feel so blessed for our good health and energy to still do things we want to do, and my wish to all of you who are still working is that one day you can also enjoy your carefree days of retirement. My egg is still visible to me, but some days I have to remind myself that my life isn’t controlled by a school calendar anymore.

Hmmm, maybe I should try to see the year as a different shape. Nope. My year has been an egg for so long there’s no way that my old brain cells would see it any other way.

No matter – whatever you’re doing at the end of this summer, I hope it leads to a wonderful fall because that leads to winter and that leads spring – get the picture?

 

 

Fran McNabb writes light romances and has just finished the final round of edits for KEEPING HOPE ALIVE, a romantic suspense and her eighth published book. She lives along the Gulf Coast with her husband and spends her retirement years writing, painting, and boating. Visit her at www.FranMcNabb.com or contact her at mcnabbf@bellsouth.net.

 

 

  

Getting To Know Us With Deborah Nolan

Yes, we all have bios on this website, but there is so much MORE to know about our Classic and Cozy bloggers. So the 2nd Friday of each month is dedicated to getting to know us better. This month I'd like to introduce you to Deborah Nolan. 

Okay, inquiring minds want to know…why a writer? Certainly not for the fame and fortune…or maybe it is?
Since I was very small I’ve made up stories, usually when I can’t get to sleep. I’m not sure why, but it could be because I was the only girl in a family of brothers. I spent a lot of time alone especially on summer vacations. Anyway, I think of myself as a storyteller more than a writer, but once I got the courage to start putting my stories on paper and sharing them, I found the process of writing even more satisfying that keeping my stories to myself.

When did you first put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) to create your classic and cozy characters?

I first started writing when I was home with my 10 month-old son in a town where I knew no one. My son was a good napper. I didn’t take me long to discover that it was a lot more fun and satisfying to write than to clean.

Do you have a set writing schedule?
Unfortunately I do not have a set schedule. I’m a major procrastinator. The good news is that I’m in and have been part of a critique group for almost as long as I’ve been writing. We try to meet every other week and that deadline is what I use to get each chapter done.

Is there a certain routine, food/drink, or location that summons forth the muses for you?

I don’t have a set routine for writing. In fact, I can write almost any place. I’ve even written chapters on scraps of paper when I’ve been stuck someplace and have nothing to read. I think it’s that part of me that tells stories when there is nothing else going on or can’t sleep. One of my most productive places to write is on the train from Hudson to NYC—as long as there isn’t a chatter on the seat behind me.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Besides writing, I cook, paint, go to art museums and enjoy the outdoors. It’s why I like to play golf, kayak or take long walks. I also love parties.

I imagine you’ve been reading all of your life (all great writers have.) What was your favorite book as a child?

My favorite book as a child was Heidi. When I was a bit older I discovered Theater Shoes by Noel Streatfeild. I still have that book.

Do you re-read books? If so, which one have you re-read the most?

I usually don’t reread books but I make an exception with Theater Shoes and Pride and Prejudice though I may have read To Kill a Mockingbird the most.

But there’s more to life than reading, writing (and arithmetic)…what is your most memorable adventure in your life?
My most memorable adventure! That’s a great question. Believe it or not I think trying my first case. I don’t think of myself as a litigator and certainly don’t have that personality but I discovered that because I’m a good listener and observer that I am very good at cross-examination. That first trial taught me that there is more than one way to do things and that I should always trust my instincts. I know most of the world would not think of law school and practicing law as an adventure, but for me, representing children in abuse and neglect cases (which is what I do) has been an unexpectedly rewarding and satisfying adventure.

If you were on American Idol, what song would you sing to WOW! the judges?

"I Hope Dance" by Lee Ann Womack. The song has meaning to me—it’s what I wanted to sing when my son graduated from high school and then college. It’s taken him a while but he’s finally out there on the dance floor. I ‘d sing it on American Idol because I’d be able to bring all my hopes and fears into the song and give it heart.

What are you currently working on? What can we readers look forward to seeing from you?

I’m working on a sequel to Suddenly Lily—so far my most popular book. I’m only about 50 pages into Angela’s Story, but have recently figured out where I’m going so I’m hopeful that I can finish it this year. I’ve a completed book, Athens, which I’m presently pitching. I hope my readers will be seeing that soon!

Last question…movie rights…who’ll play your current main characters when Hollywood comes knocking on your door?

Although Angela is a 55 year-old Italian American she’s fair with light hair. I see Julia Roberts playing her and George Clooney playing Joey, the man in her life. Her son Michael might be played by Bradley Cooper and Amy Adams would be Lily.

Deborah Nolan blogs on the 29th of every month right here at ClassicandCozy.

Website: deborahmnolan.blogspot.com

Author of SUDDENLY LILY and CONFLICT OF INTEREST originally published by Avalon and reissued by Montlake. SECOND ACT FOR CARRY ARMSTRONG published by Desert Breeze Publishing.

The Point, A Place in the Heart

by Fran McNabb

 

If you’re not from my corner of the world, “The Point” probably brings up all sorts of meanings. For me and for the tightly knit group of people who grew up on the small peninsula of the Gulf Coast, the name conjures up memories from the past.

The Point, or Point Cadet as some called it, was home to several ethnic groups—Cajuns, Yugoslavians and Italians—most of whom made their living from the seafood industry. Over the years these different groups shared their traditions and food and seemed to meld together while still keeping their own traditions alive. We grew up enjoying foods from all the cultures, such as baccali, jambalaya and gumbo.

Most families had someone who worked as shrimpers or factory workers or owned neighborhood stores and cafes that catered to those families. My mother and father both were seafood workers. Dad had a shrimp boat and Mom worked on and off throughout her life in the factories. My brother and I even tried our hand at part-time work, but quickly learned that life wasn’t for us.

I love to share memories with people who grew up in that part of the world. The other day something reminded me of the “aroma” of the huge oyster shell piles on the beach. I know most people wouldn’t think of that as a good memory, but I loved it. (Thanks to Tiffany Duval for the picture. The picture comes from a time prior to my life, but the piles remained into the late 20^th C.)

I love riding down the beach today thinking about what we did as children there. I smile at the memory of our moms in their big sunhats following us children who rolled truck inner tubes through the streets to get to the beach. What fun!

Most of us lived in the same neighborhood and played with the same friends for our entire school years. It was a comfortable life—not rich in material things—but comfortable because of the familiarity of the people around us, the slow rhythms of life, and the traditions that we expected. I look at our mobile society today and realize so many young people will grow up without that experience.

 The Point was nearly wiped out by Hurricane Katrina, but though the landmarks might be gone, nothing can take those memories from our hearts.

 Everywhere in the world has its own place like “The Point.” Where is yours? Is it in upper New York, in the desserts of the southwest, or in a small town in the Midwest? No matter where the region is, I’m sure you have special memories from your past that are distinctively yours. If you do, you can count yourself as one of the lucky ones.

 

Fran McNabb grew up on “The Point.” Today she and her husband live on a quiet bayou harbor, a short distance from the area. Several of her light romances are set along the beaches and island that she and her family still enjoy. She loves to hear from readers at mcnabbf@bellsouth.net or through her website at www.FranMcNabb.com

 

Happiness is a Warm Puppy

by Gina Ardito

Meet Zoe. She's a five-month-old cocker spaniel pup, and the recent addition to our household. 

Now, bear in mind, I already have two cats and a fifteen-year-old Labrador retriever so I was not in the market for another pet. But when my daughter began working at a local animal shelter, the photos started bombarding my cell phone. "Look how cute! Don't you want one?" I resisted the beagles, the terriers, the adorable Yorkie mix named Pixel. But when she sent me a photo of a four-month-old pup named Lily Rose, my heart melted. And she knew it. After all, she was the one who bought me my favorite Disney characters on a sweater, a purse, and on DVD: Lady and the Tramp. To have my very own Lady dog? Yes, please!

I should probably mention that this same daughter swindled me into getting the Labrador fifteen years ago by naming her Kismet (after my historical series). So you think I'd be prepared this time. But when I got my first look at that little puppy face, I was hooked. Look at her. How could you not fall in love?

Lily Rose came home and became Zoe.

Yes, it's tough having a "toddler" in the house again. She chews shoes and ChapSticks and anything made of plastic. She has accidents. She climbs up onto the kitchen table and lays there like a centerpiece. She walks across my keyboard and bites my pen when I'm writing. She can be deadly when she has gas.

But whenever I come home, she races to the door and her whole body wriggles when she wags her tail to greet me. At night, she curls up next to me, her head on my thigh, and she sleeps. And oh, how she makes me laugh! She barks at her reflection in my mirrored closet doors. She chases leaves blowing in the wind and pounces on them. She gives me lots of puppy kisses. We go for walks, and she waits for everyone who passes us to stop and tell her she's pretty. If they don't, she'll harass them 'til they do. She brings me her toys, and we play until she's exhausted or the toy's destroyed--whichever comes first.

Her antics often bring a smile when I'm stressed or down. In short, she makes me happy. Charles M. Schultz was right. Happiness is a warm puppy.

I don't know why she was dropped in a shelter, but I'm glad she was. Because now, she's mine. 

All pets are an investment of time, money, and energy. You have to be sure you're ready before you take one on. But the value they bring to your lives can be well worth it. 

Thoughts on a New Grandchild

By the time this is posted, my sixth grandchild should be born. My daughter is due March 4 and has had two previous C-sections. The doctors are trying to accommodate her wish for a VBAC, but they won’t let her go much beyond her due date since the chances of complications increase dramatically as the baby gets larger.

At the time I’m writing this in late February, the child is still in utero, though we know that he is a boy, the third boy they will have. His two older brothers will be a hard act to follow. His three-and-a-half-year-old oldest brother has already taught himself to read, write, and do simple arithmetic. His other older brother is a physical whirlwind who loves music and climbing on everything possible.

But like his brothers, he starts off life with many advantages. The boys are blessed with highly intelligent, spiritual, and academically-oriented parents who’ve read to them almost from the day they came home, who provide a variety of enriching toys and spend a great deal of time interacting with them and guiding them.

This has made me think about how many children are born into this world without the advantages those children enjoy. For too many around the world, their parents can’t even meet their basic needs for food, shelter, and clean water. Enrichment of any sort is far beyond their grasp. Survival is the only battle they can fight.

And even where basic survival isn’t necessarily a battle, many families are still too marginal either economically or culturally to be able to do any more than meet basic needs.  Their own lack of education and cultural development hinders many more from even knowing what they could be doing to improve their children’s chances of success in life.

It’s a huge, massive problem and one I can’t solve, though I try to do what I can to support literacy programs and basic outreaches to the poor and hungry. Plus I do what I can to support my own children in their efforts to raise theirs. That’s why when you’re reading this I’ll be in Indiana where I hope to be cuddling a brand-new grandson, plus reading to and playing with his older brothers.

Traditions to Pass Along

For nearly 300 years, Americans have celebrated a family event called Thanksgiving. In countries around the world, some form of ‘thanksgiving’ is celebrated at this time of year - the Fall - in gratitude for a good harvest and a hope for continuing good fortune in the coming darker days of winter. Most of these are linked to religious festivals.

The American version of Thanksgiving is unique because the celebration crosses all ethnic, religious and cultural groups as a family celebration. For many of us, it is a major family get-together, celebrating the creation of this country. Thanksgiving Day became a recognized national holiday in the later part of the 19th Century. During the Amerian Civil War, Abraham Lincoln encouraged Americans to gather together to give thanks for the bounty of our freedoms.

In my family, my mother began her efforts days before the fourth Thursday of the month, making fudge, stuffing dates, decorating the house, ironing table cloths and napkins. We were (and still are) a large family. Until late in her life, my mother was the sole cook, hostess and bottle-washer. We young ones eventually stuffed the dates, mixed the fruit salad, prepared the stuffing (always made from scratch). But Mom was the only one of us who made the Parker House Rolls.

I have never been able to match my mother's rolls, though I have mastered the stuffing and my basted turkeys are well-received. My husband is the king of the stuffed dates and one of my daughters-in-law has conquered the pumpkin pie.

This year, our celebrations will be very different because my husband and I are living far from our family. I know that many of my fellow writers on the Classic and Cozy Books blog are amazing gourmet cooks and have treasured family recipes they may be sharing but I wanted to share one that is always a big hit with adults and children alike.

This is also simple and great for children to participate in the preparations of this wonderful family event.

STUFFED DATES

1 package (or more) of dates (pitted is easier but not necessary: the pits separate from the fruit without much effort)

Cream Cheese, Peanut Butter, Hazelnut Chocolate Butter and/or other favorite creamy spread (Cookie Butter Cream, anyone?)

Open each date and drop a ½ teaspoon or so (personal taste is the final determinant!) of any of the above spreads into the center of the date.

Arrange decoratively on a pretty plate and try to get them to the family before they disappear.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all and best wishes for a joyful Christmas season too.

© 2014 Photographs, Leigh Verrill-Rhys, taken in Wales

The Magic of Autumn

by Gina Ardito

As a writer, I find each season a sensory delight, but autumn has magic for me the other seasons lack. I have to admit, autumn (not officially here until next week) is my favorite time of year. 

Autumn doesn't have the extremes of summer or winter. The temperatures grow cooler, and days become more focused on family, on home and hearth.

Visually, it's a stunning time. The leaves on the trees beckon for an artist's touch, their bright green shade transforming by degrees into gold and scarlet. 

Lawns are decorated with cornstalks and pumpkins and bales of hay. Children wait at the bus stop, dressed in their new clothes. 

The air becomes crisper and carries the scents of apples and nutmeg. 

At home, I go into "domestic mode." Everything gets an update--from the curtains on my windows to the food in my pantry. I spend weekends baking bread and cookies, brewing huge pots of soup and other comfort foods, and keeping the boys well-stocked with football-watching goodies.

Other benefits? I can go for a walk on the beach without slathering myself in sunscreen or fighting to get through a crowd. Any day can be pajama day. Hot cider. And of course, new seasons of my favorite television shows.

What are you looking forward to?