Wednesday Words: And thanks…

So, the week has rolled along to Wednesday. Which means words. I’m happy to report that today’s #1lineWed THEME of **AND THANKS** prompted new words. To set it up briefly with as few spoilers as possible, Mick and Shannon have been dancing around each other since Sunday school. Mick gets a bit…put out in the previous scene and leaves Clancy’s Pub to clear his head. Sadly, he runs into Bowie and Fiona on his way out. Bowie is Shannon’s brother. There’s a light bulb moment, and a conversation. This is what happens next.
****
Shannon stared at her brother. “Are you serious right now?”

He shrugged. “I didn’t know you were seein’ someone, Shan. I’m your brother and we share a flat. I don’t like the idea you’re sneakin’ around with some shite.”

She bristled. “Some…shite?” Recognizing the menace in her voice, Bowie backed up a step. Then another as she advanced on him. “You think that I would date some tool?”

“Now, Shan.” He held his hands out in a gesture meant to be soothing. He didn’t have time to dodge when she dumped a pitcher of beer over his head. He stood there, stunned, while laughter erupted around him.

Shannon stomped off, headed toward the back area of the bar. She returned with a mop and a bucket. She shoved both at Bowie, turned and marched back the way she’d come. As she passed the end of the bar, she ripped off her apron and tossed it on top. “I’m done, Finn. I’ll cash out tomorrow.” The bartender opened his mouth but she cut him off. “Say one word, I quit.”

And then she was gone.

Bowie was still mopping when Mick returned. He stared at the younger man and realized several things immediately. Bowie smelled of Samuel Adams beer, Shannon was no where to be seen, and Ronan was glowering at him. He wisely skirted Bowie and pulled up a chair at the table where Fiona nibbled on a basket of fish and chips, her gaze darting between the three men.

“Do I want to know?” Mick finally asked.

“What did you say to the lad?”

“Seems he didn’t know his sister was stepping out.” Ronan’s eyes glittered. Mick swallowed his snugness. “What?”

Fiona swallowed the bite of fish she’d been chewing. “As Shannon said, are ya serious right now?”

Mick stared at her. Her freckles were stark against her pale skin but she was a true redhead and he could see the temper rising. Bowie approached. Fiona pushed back from the table and stood. Just as Shannon had done earlier, she wagged her finger under his nose and then Bowie’s.

“I can’t believe the idiocy of men.” She sighed deeply. “That girl, she’s been pinin’ after you since forever, Michael O’Connor. And what do you do? Nothin’. Until ya turn into an arse an’ go all territorial. Why don’t ya just lift yer leg an’ piss on her?” She whirled to Bowie. “As for you, ya big oaf, you’ve no right t’know who she sees or doesn’t.” She pivoted, her red hair whipping around her.

“Fee…” Bowie almost whined her name.

She held up one hand, her index finger pointing straight up. “Don’t even, Bowie Patrick Francis Maguire. I’ll be seein’ m’self home.” And then she marched out the front door.

Bowie stared at Mick. Mick stared at Bowie. They both growled, eyes narrowed. They both felt Ronan’s gaze and they immediately backed down. “Sit,” Ronan ordered.

Bowie sat but he fidgeted in his seat. Mick glowered at his brother. “What?”

Ronan’s hands flashed out and he slapped the backs of both of their heads simultaneously.

“Ow,” Bowie complained. “What was that for?”

“For bein’ an idjit and listening t’my idjit brother.”

Mick leaned toward Ronan and took a big, obvious sniff. “Like you’d know anything about mating.” Then he leaned to Bowie and repeated the action. His eyes flashed as he caught the younger Wolf’s scent. “And you’re moonstruck so you’ve no sense a’tall.”

“Aye,” Bowie admitted readily. “I am and perfectly happy for it.” He rose. “Thanks for noticing. And thanks, Mick, for ruinin’ my night. Now I’ll be sleepin’ on the couch. Again. I had plans for tonight and those plans included claimin’ m’mate. Maybe you need to man up and do the same. Now I need t’go fix things with both my woman and m’sister so I’m not sleepin’ in my feckin’ car for the rest of my life.”
****
And thanks for reading. 😉 I’m moving on to Chapter 19 today and hoping for more new words. Plus, I’m updating HUNTER’S MOON for wide distribution. Originally, I thought ROGUE MOON was also coming of KU tomorrow but nope. Not until January 30. Good news is, all my self-pubbed books will be in the wild. That said, writers, do you have any And thanks words to share? The original intent was to show a bit of sarcasm but I’ll take honest gratitude as well. Readers, anything you’re thankful for these days? Me? I’ll be thankful if this first draft has no typos! 🤣

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Tuesday Treats and Titles: Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake

Don’t freak out when you see how long this luscious dessert takes. Prep time is short, it’s the giving it alone time to chill in the fridge that takes so long. True cheesecake lovers won’t mind though, right? Right! And you won’t CRASH & BURN if you make and serve it!

Total Time: 6 Hr. 15 Min. (incl. refrigerating)
Prep Time: 20 Min.
Cook Time: 5 Hr(s) 55 Min.
16 servings

Combine all the best flavors of fall in one decadent dessert with this Cinnamon ‘Roll’ Cheesecake recipe! Pecans, cinnamon, PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese and more feature in this cozy Cinnamon ‘Roll’ Cheesecake.

What You Need
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, divided
1/2 cup butter, melted, divided
1-1/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tsp. milk

Let’s Make It
1 – Heat oven to 325°F.
2 – Combine 1 cup graham crumbs, 1/2 of the butter and 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar; press onto bottom of 10-inch cast-iron skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Combine remaining graham crumbs and butter with nuts, cinnamon and 1/4 cup of the remaining granulated sugar; reserve for later use.
3 – Beat cream cheese with vanilla and remaining granulated sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended.
4 – Pour 2 cups batter over crust; sprinkle with 1/2 of the reserved graham crumb mixture. Top with 1/2 of the remaining batter; sprinkle with remaining graham crumb mixture. Cover with remaining batter; smooth top with back of spoon. Place skillet on baking sheet, then place in oven.
5 – Bake 50 to 55 min. or until center of cheesecake is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Whisk powdered sugar and milk until blended. Spread over top of cheesecake.

Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Blending Cream Cheese for Success: When blending cream cheese in dessert recipes, always use softened cream cheese. Make sure the cream cheese and sugar are completely blended and free of lumps before proceeding. To quickly soften cream cheese, place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 15 sec. or just until softened. Add 15 sec. for each additional package of cream cheese.

Tip 2 – How to Test Cheesecake Doneness: To avoid overbaking a cheesecake, check for doneness at the minimum baking time by gently shaking the pan. If the cheesecake is done, the edge should be slightly puffed and it will be set except for a small area in the center that will be soft and jiggly. Do not insert a knife into the center as this may cause the cheesecake to crack during cooling.

Tip 3 – Healthful Habit: If you are planning on eating dessert during the day, make sure you substitute water for any sugary drinks throughout the day. Keep a reusable water bottle with you to always have water on hand.

Tip 4 – Note: If you need to re-use the skillet to prepare other recipes, fold a 16-inch-long sheet of heavy-duty foil into thirds. Press onto bottom and up side of skillet sprayed with cooking spray, extending both ends of foil strip over side of skillet. Use to prepare cheesecake as directed. Cool and refrigerate cheesecake as directed. To more easily remove cheesecake from skillet, place skillet on stove-top burner then turn on burner for 10 sec. Remove skillet from heat. Run knife around edge of skillet to loosen cheesecake, then use foil handles to remove cheesecake from skillet.

Tip 5 – Special Extra: Just like cinnamon rolls, this cheesecake is extra delicious when served warm. To reheat before serving, place cheesecake slices on ovenproof serving plate, then place plate in preheated 175°F oven (or in warm oven set at lowest temperature setting) for 15 to 20 min. You can do this while you are making coffee or finishing up any last-minute meal prep.

This treat comes from My Food and Family so click on over to check out all the details. To celebrate CRASH & BURN going into wide distribution, Airport Rescue Firefighter Kit Carson pulled out all the stops and made a favorite of hers. She can make this while on duty because the fire station has a variety of cast iron skillets. The guys on her shift don’t mind waiting and neither does her mate, Wolf shifter and Homeland Security special investigator Derek Alexander. Before Kit, he wasn’t into sweets that much but she has shown him the way! 😉 Theirs is a store of danger, human trafficking, and a little help from friends in low places. You can now grab your very own copy at your favorite online bookseller. Just click on the title, or a pic with the cover or BOOKS2READ to find a link to the store of your choice. Readers, are you cheesecake-oholics?

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Just Another Monday

January is headed toward a new calendar page. My calendar has wolves. Like…d’uh, right? Anyway, I usually look forward to February. I’m undecided about this year. In other news, not much happened last week or over the weekend.

In writing news, I updated CRASH & BURN and released it wide after taking it out of  Kindle Select/Unlimited. This week, my last two self-pubs (HUNTER’S MOON and ROGUE MOON) will go wide. In the current WIP, I hit a real snag that had me hornswaggled for far longer than it should have. I did finally work through the problem, fixing it. At least I think I did. My beta readers will let me know once I get to that part. I also wrote 250 words (a small scene) that I really liked. Written for a weekly flash fiction challenge I do each week, I wasn’t the only one. Last week’s judge decreed me the winner. It’s a sweet scene and a little funny, but also very deep, between two characters that have had far more bad than good so far. Watching them finally come together is a good moment. I have hopes of getting off high center this week and getting more scenes going. I have noticed one thing. For a book about wolf shifters who are mobsters, there’s a lot of dark but not much dirty. I really need to work on the dirty. LOL I’m sure the Wolves are feeling a little frustrated.

An era came to an end last week. My all-time favorite zip-up hoodie. I bought the thing way back during Only’s first semester of college. It was gray. With the college team name and mascot in red on the left front. It was old and soft and very comfortable. I wore it. A lot. The cuffs were split (but could have been sewn up). the hood strings had HUGE knots in them because the holes had gotten so big and I’d have to fish an end out every time it got wash. This past week, I finally had to break down and wash it again. And the zipper pretty much disintegrated. *makes sad bear noises* It’s hard to find a hooded sweatshirt that zips. I don’t want a pullover. I have an OSU one but it needs to be washing like 100 more times before it gets that soft, comfy feel to it. Any of you have a favorite piece of clothing like that?

Got the test results back from when I donated blood. I do have the ‘Rona antibodies in my bloodstream. Good to know. I’m freaking ready for life to get back to some semblance of normal. And I DON’T mean the new normal. I mean, life as it was before.

I haven’t been a fan of the NFL is quite awhile and I outright dislike the NBA. Not the sports, necessarily, but the over-all organizations. Oh, and the NCAA. I promise not to climb on that soap box, Anyway, I was sorry Green Bay was upset Saturday. I was rooting for Aaron Rodgers. There’s still no movement in MLB so no clue if there will be Spring Training in 3 weeks or not. Pitchers and catchers usually report around Valentine’s day and the first games start around my birthday. (That’s one of the reasons I look forward to February. Still 🤞🏼 owners and players can reach an agreement.

As far as reading goes, I’m still behind my 2022 reading goal numbers. I’m not to worried. I’ll make it to 150 or I won’t. I have enough the Innkeeper Chronociles by Ilona Andrews. That was the only series by them (wife and husband team) I hadn’t read/listened to. Multiple times for the rest, in fact. There was just something about the first book that I couldn’t get into and gave up a couple of times in the first chapter. I stuck to it this time and discovered that the headspace was right and I’m enjoying the books and characters.

What haven’t I talked about that I ususally do? Critters are all fine–domestic and feral. TV is mostly paranormal or science-y stuffs. There hasn’t been a series that caught and held me in the past several years. Probably my loss but whatever. Weather is cold, less cold, cold, sort of warm, cold. Yeah, yeah. It IS January. I just need to deal with it.

So there you go. That’s my update to start the week. When I get back from my usual Monday-morning Wallyworld run, I hope to churn out some new words. If not, then I’ll start on updating the two Moon books. I can’t post them until Thursday so there’s no huge rush. This week should be like all the rest. Not a great thing but not a bad thing either. Right? Anybody got something to add?

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Friday Sinema: Nerd Girl

I have a soft spot for nerd girls. I was one–preferring books over people. Oh. Wait. I haven’t changed much. Anyway, I have some nerd girl heroines–wildlife biologist Dr. Liz Graham and historical archivist Lauren Reilly come to mind. Anyway, I tumbled across this video starring a self-professed nerd girl and now I kinda wish I wrote YA because she could totally be the main character in a book! Have a great weekend, and watch out for the rising sun. 😉

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Thursday Thoughts: Outside the Box

Last week, I wrote a scene. It’s an important scene that sets up several plot threads. It’s meant to be both informative and evocative. There are several people involved and all of them have high stakes in what happens in this one, pivotal scene. Nothing I’ve done “feels” right. Then the Universe dropped this into my inbox.

There’s nothing, Silver, that “thinking new thoughts” can’t solve, make happen, or improve.

Wow, sent that one just in time, huh?

The Universe

©www.tut.com

And you can thank me, Silver, for thinking up Fridays.

As writers, we can’t get so focused sometimes. We need to think new thoughts.  And sometimes, we need to think those thoughts outside the box. POV doesn’t work? Write the scene from a different character’s POV. There’s no emotion? Insert action that will elicite reactions–STRONG reactions–from the characters involved. Give them a reason to care what’s happening so your readers will also care. Look at things differently. Think new thoughts, yeah?

FYI, I’m still working on that scene–in my head, anyway. I’ve moved on after peppering the virtual margins with notes and ideas on how to fix but I haven’t quite nailed it down. Now, with this message from the Big U, I’m going to “think new thoughts” about that scene and work on it again. I’ll get it right. Because it’s important. Another writer might just leave it and let the chips fall where they may. I can’t do that. Sometimes, you have to poor your own blood, sweat, and tears into the words to get them right.

Oh, and yes. I’m really glad the Big U thought up Fridays. It gives Thursday something to look forward to. 😉

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Wednesday Words: For All

New week, another Wednesday and more words. The #1lineWed THEME this week is **FOR ALL**. I’m not sure if I’ve posted this scene here before. It started life as a flash fiction challenge the was added to while it was on my mind. The flash challenge had a 250 word maximum so there was a lot that needed expanding. Another flash challenge worked itself into another expansion of that scene and finally today’s prompt was the cheery on top. While this scene still needs edits, it’s mostly complete. Kathleen Gallagher is the main focus and the scene is pretty much self-explanatory as to timing and characters. Hope you enjoy!
****
Kathleen had no clue why her so-called friends would drag her along on this fiasco. Even Mary Pat, whom she’d known since first grade at St. Vincent’s Catholic School and whom she considered to be her very best friend, had insisted. One year ago, they’d put Tommy in the ground, closed casket. The looks of pity from everyone, including Mary Pat, hadn’t gone unnoticed. She’d also recognized the arch looks of superiority from the others. They all thought she hadn’t known that Tommy was screwing around on her.

From her seat in the corner, she watched Nora and Rosie play their games. She wondered if they knew Tommy had been bumping uglies with both of them. Oh, they’d looked all pious and concerned at the bastard’s wake, but she’d heard them gloating to others, not to each other. Everyone felt so sorry for her—the young widow of the hero cop. Ha. Some hero. Tommy had been taking payoffs and screwing everything with the right plumbing. She counted herself lucky the six years they’d been married that he’d rather use her as a punching bag. Tommy used that to work out his frustrations. The fucking? That was sheer punishment and he dished out the marital rapes with ruthless intensity. She’d gotten pregnant once, but then he beat the kid right out of her. Oh, he’d gotten a lot of sympathy over that one. Poor Tommy Gallagher who’s clumsy wife had fallen down the stairs and miscarried.

Then on a hot August night, some Southie gangster did her the biggest favor of her life. He walked up and shot Tommy in the head. She figured it happened while some whore was sucking him off. That little tidbit stayed out of the papers because the department made him out to be a hero. The magnificent Tommy Gallagher, dying in the line of duty protecting some helpless woman. The department, or Danny Boy Moore, paid off some working girl, so the story she gave was that a john was beating her up and Tommy intervened. As if. She wasn’t stupid. Or clueless. Tommy had played a dangerous game and paid full price for the ride.

Noise in the strip club ramped up and strobe lights went into hyper drive. The grinding bass beat was a perfect counterpoint to the gyrating male bodies prancing around on the stage. The women in the audience screamed and cat-called. For Kathleen, the volume triggered a headache.

Mary Pat leaned over and all but shouted in her ear. “They’re pretty good, aren’t they?”

She wanted nothing more than to be home in her own bed, the one that she shared with the new love of her life—Puck, her Newfoundland dog. Resisting the urge to stick her ear, Kathleen shrugged the shoulder closest to Mary Pat. Luckily, the other woman took the hint and sat back. Her gaze remained focused on Kathleen, though.

The smug looks from Nora and Rosie didn’t help. She was so done with all this. Once upon a time, she’d believed in that whole musketeer thing. All for one and one for all. She’d been one alone too long now. She didn’t need friends like Nora and Rose and as much as she loved Mary Pat, even her bestie was currently stomping on her very last nerve.

“I’m done,” she said, reaching into her bag for her wallet.

“What?”

Mary Pat was probably yelling but Kathleen could hear nothing over the thunderous music. She fished out a twenty and placed it under the glass containing the drink she’d never touched. “Going home.” She exaggerated the words as she attempted to be heard over the sound system.

“No!” Mary Pat jumped off her stool. “You can’t leave yet!”

“Can and am.” She stood and topped the other woman by almost a foot. As she brushed past, she caught a glimpse of a face across the room. She froze. It was him. The man who haunted her dreams. And he was walking toward her.
****
All I can say is, Devlin has certainly taken his time, but given the circumstances? Anyway, there it is. Don’t ask what happens next. I haven’t gotten that far. 🤣 Writers, do you have any “for all” of us words? Readers, have you read “The Three Muskateers?”

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: Chocolate Pretzel Bark

Yes, I know. It’s been 3 weeks since Christmas. But CHRISTMAS MOON is pretty much wide now and I’m not sure I’ve mentioned that before. Plus this is totally a year-round treat, even though we mostly think of Chocolate Pretzel Bark around the holidays.

Total Time: 1 Hr. 20 Min. (incl. refrigerating)
Prep Tme: 20 Min.
Cook Time: 1 Hr.
10 Servings

Take chocolate-covered pretzels to a new level with Chocolate Pretzel Bark! The combination of chopped pecans and pretzels in BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate is truly fantastic. It’s easy to make Chocolate Pretzel Bark with your whole family.

What You Need
1 cup chopped pretzels
1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
3 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, broken into pieces, melted

Let’s Make It
1 – Stir pretzels and nuts into chocolate; spread onto waxed paper-covered baking sheet.
2 – Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
3 – Break into pieces.

Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Size Wise: Sweets can add enjoyment to a balanced diet, but be sure to choose an appropriate portion.

Tip 2 – Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bark: Omit nuts and pretzels. Melt chocolate and spread onto prepared baking sheet as directed. Immediately drop 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, by spoonfuls, onto chocolate. Cut through peanut butter with knife several times for marble effect. Refrigerate and break into pieces as directed.

My Tip – Melt the chocolate in the microwave, in 30 second intervals, stirring to help the chunks melt. And don’t worry about toasting pecans. Just grab a bag of the chopped ones off the grocery shelf and use them! S’all good. 😉

Guess where this recipe came from? Yup, that would be My Food and Family. Want all the details? CLICK HERE. The mates just have one thing to say about this one: If you have all the ingredients, you can totally make this in the kitchen of an RV traveling across I-10 headed west to reunite with the Wolves so everyone can all celebrate the holiday together. The kids love these. The wives consider them crack. Poor Antoine maybe gets one piece. And yes, you can bet they either elebenty million quadruple (according to Cody) the incredients, or there’s at least one mate constantly fixing it because, y’all? AWESOME roadtrip snack. Just sayin’. Want to read about all the hijinx along the way? Grab CHRISTMAS MOON from the online bookseller you prefer by going to BOOKS2READ to find your favorite. Just click any of the book links–title or pic. The ladies want to know, “What’s your favorite snack for a road trip?”

Pssst. Hannah here. I don’t care what anyone says, I can too make this shit er stuff. Microwave, baby. Easy peasy. Thing is? It’s easier to just let them do it. Ahahahahhahaha!

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Middle Monday

Sadly, this January has five–count ’em FIVE–Mondays. I wonder if that’s a peek at what 2022 will bring. In the meantime, there was a past week and a weekend to update. Let’s jump right in…

There was some writing done. Not a whole lot, but some. I did write Chapter 16 and then stared at it, hating the whole heckin’ thing. I intended to fix it on Friday but I found myself just staring at the words on my monitor and hating it even more. Argh. It’s an important scene–supposed to emotional and with insights into several different plot threads. I was tempted to print it out just so I could rip it into tiny little pieces. Saturday was a writing wash as well. Then came yesterday. Determined to fix that chapter I opened a new docusment, started with a different character in a different place and…welll…1500 words later, I have a decent backbone for that chapter. Today, I’ll harvest some from the original, fit the best parts into the new chapter and I think things will turn out fine, withou losing 1700 words. Words are precious, doncha know. Anyway, I’m feeling better about things this morning.

I did manage some decluttering in my office. I emptied a three-drawer rolling cart and a large hamper which, when sorted, became two bags for the charity thrift shop, two boxes for Only to sort, and a large bag of trash. At this rate, I’ll have a rearragned and organized office by 2023. 🤣

That’s about the sum total of my so-called achievements. The weekend? Pretty much a wash, but not totally. Saturday, I gave blood. I set a new personal best for “filling the bag”– 5 1/2 minutes. It usually takes me 7-8 minutes. I have good blood and the 🧛🏼‍♂️🦇🧛🏼‍♀️ like me. Giving blood is no big deal but it was beyond frigid outside–howling wind out of the north, windchill around 11 degrees, and spitting snow, of which none stuck. After staring at Chapter 16 for about an hour, I gave up and decied to get warm. I fell asleep under all the covers around 2 p.m. and didn’t roll over until 7:30 p.m. Yeah, I needed the sleep obviously. Boone is still being…weird and especially so at night. Anyway… Sunday, I rewrote the chapter and made Cool Whip Snickerdoodle cookies. Yummers but dang. That dough is heckin’ sticky! (FYI–it’s Cool Whip, a box of cake mix, and an egg. Easy peasy. But for the sticky!) Oh! And LG and I installed the Ring doorbell the Kids gave me for Christmas. I have a new toy! 🤣 Today, after my Wallyworld run, maybe LG and I will get the other camera up over the garage.

I only managed two books last week. Not exactly gangbusters, given my normal speed. I dropped my usual 200-book challenge to 150. At this rate, I might have to drop it more. I listened to a new-to-me author and then a favorite but a series that I’d start and not get far before losing interest. I picked up the audio book on a deal. Sadly, this series isn’t available from the library so not sure I’ll continue it at this time. I enjoyed it this time though, so who knows.

The Mystery of Blind Frog Ranch started its new season on Discovery. Dude… It is sooo out there this season. I love it! MiBs, bodies disappearing, things going bump in the night. Remind me not to visit the Uinta Valley in Utah! Not much else has caught my attention. We’re still a month and a half from pitcher/catcher by MLB owners are still in lock-out mode. Unless things change, there may not be a season. That will make me a very sad puppy.

Not much else going on in my world. Only’s up to some awesome shenanigans at work but I can’t discuss them until official releases. I don’t know all the details either, but it’s cool stuffs. No Stormy time but that’s okay. And that’s it for me. After one more coffee, I’m headed out to Wallyworld. If I people early, I can get it over with. 😉 Anybody have noteworthy news to share? How’s your weather?

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Friday Sinema: Tatum Go

I miss watching Lip Sync Battle. One of my fave’s is always Channing Tatum. That dude will do just about anything, as today’s video proves. Did you sing along? I did… Have a great weekend!

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Smooth Sailing

I had hopes for this year. Not huge hopes. Yeah, yeah, we’re only in the second week of 2022 but so far, I’m not seeing much change–not in the big picture nor in the little one. The world is still operating on the nutty side. All I can do is shake my head and mutter, “Do you even listen to what comes out of your mouth?” Obviously, their answer would be no. On a smaller scale, Real Life keeps knocking me off balance. Or maybe it’s just me tripping over my own feet. I’m working on that–you know, the whole walking and thinking at the same time thing. Anyway, I need to let it go. And no, I am NOT singing that chorus. Nope. Uh hun. Not me…

In moments of high stress, anxiety, or fluster, Silver, instead of hoping, wondering, or worrying, remember your double-secret resources of skipping, twirling, and humming.

Port out, starboard home –
The Universe
©www.tut.com

Winking, tilting, and nodding, Silver, may also apply in certain company, and rarely, but oh so rarely, might you dunk, swish, and slurp.

See? The Universe always has the answer. I’m not going to let the stress get to me. I’m not going to get anxious or flustered. I’ll do what I can when I can and let the rest go. Pardon me, I’m off to skip, twirl, and hum. But not that song. Nope…

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