My Dream Home

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As a young girl with my head in the clouds, I used to dream about this house with a white picket fence around it. It wasn’t anything special but that fence made it extra special. Go figure!

Fast forward to the here and now and it is the home I currently live in. It was the house we (my husband and I) bought when we were looking for a place of our own. I recall he did not want it as it wasn’t big enough but I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. It did not have a white picket fence but a wooden one and it was good enough for me. Today, it does have one, a white fence out front and a green one surrounding the house.

It is too big for one person and some of the rooms are unused but there is something comforting about it. It just feels like home and that makes it my dream home. The furnishing within is of the eclectic kind, lots of antiques mixed in with modern pieces and somehow it all blends together into a cohesive mix. Again, it exudes charm, warmth and a sense of cosiness. The nicest thing about it is that “nature” in all its rambling beauty is just minutes away!

Daily writing prompt
Write about your dream home.

Some Great News?

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If I woke up one morning and and found out that I had won the lottery, now, that would be great news! Not a chance of that happening but if it did, I think I would go silent probably out of shock! Financial independence gives a false sense of security because there are other things needed to round off that security issue but “money” does help as we all know and no matter how much we have, we always want more, human nature I supp0se. So go silent first and then jump for joy!

If that is not in the cards, a call or text from a producer saying that my book had caught his/her attention and they want to make it into a a movie would definitely make my day. Now, that would be great news indeed! How is the book doing? It is doing well but hasn’t hit best seller status. I wasn’t expecting it to but even though it hasn’t done that, there is still hope that it catches the eye of someone BIG and makes it into movie history! That would be something. One can only hope and wish.

Will it happen? I’m not holding my breath but it would be a great surprise and one to my liking. Universe do your thing and if it is at all possible, place it right in front of their noses!

Fingers, toes and everything else crossed!

Daily writing prompt
You get some great, amazingly fantastic news. What’s the first thing you do?

Lost Hobbies and Activities

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Reading used to be a hobby I indulged in with a passion. I used to have my nose in books every chance I got but it is no longer the case now. I do miss the days of traveling without leaving home, of visiting faraway lands, of kissing princes who were not “frogs” and of living a fairytale existence. I reveled in “happy ever afters” and I let the imaginary world guide my existence. I loved it all. Then I discovered writing and realized that I could do the same and my world took off running and reading was put on the backburner. I still read but when I need to have my nose in a book, it is of the cookbook variety!

Jogging was an activity I thoroughly enjoyed. I remember meeting up with a group of friends at around 5:00 a.m. as we headed off for a three-mile jog. The world was still asleep while the group of us took off pounding the pavement all the time talking and laughing about nothing in particular. The joints were working fine then and “youth” kept us going. I gave it up in my 20s because I read somewhere that it (jogging) put too much stress on the joints and could cause problems later on. I decided to err on the side of caution and took to walking instead. It has been a safer choice and serves me well.

If I could, I would love to get back to reading but somehow I can’t. I don’t know why. I do miss those days but I guess time changes things and who knows at some point I might go back to it but just not right now. Jogging is done with. I can’t see myself doing that ever again. The closest I get to jogging these days is running on the spot but that too only for a few minutes at a time!

Time changes things.

Daily writing prompt
Are there any activities or hobbies you’ve outgrown or lost interest in over time?

My Favorite Candy?

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I don’t have one right now. Sweet things are not at the top of my list when it comes to pampering myself. I like a piece of chocolate now and then but that’s about it. Going back in time when I just didn’t care about my health, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups comes to mind. I loved the chocolatey nutty taste of this candy and it was my go to when I needed something sweet but these days, cheesecake has replaced that craving and since it is not a candy, I can’t add it on here. Too bad!

Reese’s Buttercups manufactured by The Hershey Company was a fan favorite. The flavor combination can be traced back to 1928, when H. B. Reese created this treat in his basement. However, the mixture of peanut butter and milk chocolate makes this a high fat treat. One Reese’s cup has about 88 calories and 8 grams of fat. If you’re watching your diet and on a healthy one at that, keep away from this treat! The calories add up quickly.

It used to be my favorite but not anymore. These days I do without the “sugar rush” and stick to fruit and a piece of cheesecake now and then. No fun? I agree but health matters and it is at the top of my priority list so I bite the bullet and do without. Most days anyway until I hear that call. The one that screams, “Come get me!” Yes, you guessed it. It is the call of the wild from the “cheesecake” and it usually wins!

Daily writing prompt
What’s your favorite candy?

I Need a Break…

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I need a break from overthinking! It is a problem that I deal with everyday. No matter what happens in my life or doesn’t happen, I am in the overthinking mode! It takes hold and I bring different scenarios into the picture AND spend time working on solutions for non-existent problems!

It is a waste of time I know but at times I can’t control my mind. I call it the “monkey” because it hops around too much and runs the gamut without an okay from me! It also keeps me from the task at hand because I’m busy chasing it around! Perhaps, all or some writers have that problem. We are creative people and imagination runs wild, it does with me anyway.

I am reeling it in by concentrating on the here and now. This method works but not always because I love being in that imaginary world where the “monkey” has the upper hand. Walking helps and being out in nature definitely helps to soothe the mind and to calm it, meditation does too but it is constant work to keep it in check and it is tiring to say the least. So, I need a break from constant overthinking.

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Daily writing prompt
Do you need a break? From what?

The Mobile Phone

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It was a major technological invention. You can call it the mobile phone, handy, cell phone or whatever, I can’t see myself without it. It is my go to when things go wrong and I never leave home without it. What did we ever do without this invention? We had a hard time that’s what.

This handy little gadget makes home banking a breeze, calling for help if you are stranded somewhere even more so and if you need to know something, Google is just a tap away!

I like the feeling of knowing that I have more than a companion tucked away in my jacket and help is just a phone call away. I also like the convenience of calling friends when I am out on a walk, sipping coffee in a cafe and having the little gadget close by and the convenience of having a to-do list all ready to be fulfilled with a glance and nothing more.

I know that I can’t see myself without this Jack of All Trades and much much more. I consider it the best invention of my lifetime for all the reasons stated above.

My Ideal Day

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How would I describe it? I want to say I would do nothing the whole day long but that is not me so let’s see.

I would stay in my PJs all day if I could! Since that is a no go, I would stay in them part of the day, have a long leisurely breakfast in bed, watch the news and then “hauntings” on TV. I love to spook myself.

After breakfast, I would check emails, write, have another cup of coffee and venture out into the clear blue yonder. A walk in nature would be next on the list and for this I would have to change into sweats. The thing about this village is people don’t care. The women show up in their night clothes, sometimes with rollers in their hair and looking like they had just got out of bed and show up at the bakery or the butcher ready to do what needs to get done. It is an old, old, village and tradition reigns supreme. Not dressing up is one of them! I am trying to not go in that direction but it’s tempting!

Lunch would be a simple affair and more writing would follow if my mind allows it. Some days I draw blanks. A break in between would include workouts of my choice and at the moment it is a combination of cardio and weights. Dinner would be soup and a slice of toast, back into pjs and time to relax and watch some TV. Just before bed, it is meditation time to clear the mind of all that is not needed. Throw in “no problems” and that would make it an ideal day if not a perfect one.

Daily writing prompt
Describe your most ideal day from beginning to end.

Significant Life Events

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I feel significant events have shaped my perspective on life and I suppose it goes without saying.

Divorce or rather the breakup of my marriage made me sit up and take off those rose-colored glasses. I was naive and thought it would last forever but “forevers” are for fairytales not real life. I started looking at life from a different perspective and trust is an issue I deal with constantly. It is getting better but it will take a long time to overcome and to trust again. It is an uphill battle.

Death is another significant event that showed me life is very temporary. Here today, gone tomorrow comes to mind. Losing my mom and then a dear close friend showed me how fragile life is.

These two significant events have caused major impacts on my life. I can say it was not for the better but I did learn some lessons from them and that is life is fleeting and trust takes time. Trust takes a lifetime to build and just seconds to destroy. Pay attention to that because it is the absolute truth.

Something That Never Gets Done!

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I would say plenty. Having good intentions to get something done is there but the will to do so is sometimes missing! Let’s take the office area for instance. I have a mess going. Papers everywhere and lots of things that need to be filed and put away and as I said before, I want to do it but every time I approach the task, something inside screams, let’s leave it for another day! And so it goes. One day, I will get to it but not just right now.

The other thing that never gets done is the room upstairs. My former friend left a lot of stuff behind before he passed away and I have good intentions of looking through them but something stops me. The one time I tried, I came across a handwritten note that said, “I love you sweetheart,” and I froze. So, I stay away from opening boxes and coming across messages that tear at my heart. I am healing but I am not all the way there. One day, I will get to it as well and I hope I can do it without dreading what I will come across.

I need to get a new phone because the one I have is acting up. The upstairs phone is fine but the one downstairs refuses to ring! Why? How do I know? It just wants to add to the things that I need to get done. I need to replace it. Easy enough to get a new phone but installing it is frightening. What if I do something wrong? What if it doesn’t work? Tech klutz remember? So, that is another thing that needs to be done.

Being a single woman is not easy BUT I’m not getting a guy just so he can do all the stuff that needs doing. Yes, they have offered but I think that is like a bribe so I refuse. Oh, well, welcome to my world. I am still not where I need to be.

One day soon I hope. Fingers, toes and everything else crossed!

My Favorite Thing to Cook

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I am a good cook, a talent I inherited from my mom. She was a really good cook. I also have a big collection of cookbooks I collected from my travels around the world and I read them like a book! However, I don’t use the recipes per se, I take them and change them around and it usually turns out great.

Indonesians are great cooks. They can take the simplest of ingredients and turn it into a meal fit for a king or queen. There is one recipe I love from that country. It is made with boiled eggs and a thing they call a chili sambal. Crushed chilies with loads of spices and sauteed with chopped onions served on plain white rice. How can something so simple taste so scrumptiously good? Believe me, it does if you’re into spicy foods as I am.

I make this dish really well. There are other recipes but this one is my favorite and I make it whenever winter rolls around and I need something to warm the soul. It does the trick.

Daily writing prompt
What’s your favorite thing to cook?