Ten Things I'm Thankful For

 

Time for another installment of Ten Things Tuesday! Here's ten things I'm thankful for. In no certain order of importance.

1. My hubby - There's so many reasons to be thankful...he works hard so I can stay home and write, he supports me in whatever crazy thing I'm doing, and is always there for me or the kids.

2. My kids -  I've got great kids, even if they aren't really kids any longer. They are smart, caring, giving, responsible and I'm so proud of each of them.

3. My church - I don't normally post anything of religious nature here but I'm very thankful for my church and church family.

4. Friends - There are several special friends who mean a lot to me. One who I've known for many years, that went through some hard times with me and one who is a new friend I'm looking forward to getting to know better.

5. Music - I love music.  All kinds...except hip hop and rap. Country, rock, blues, classical, gothic...I even like the occasional techno thing.

6. Mom - I left home for the Air Force when I was seventeen. And until about nine months ago, I haven't been home with mom, except for the occasional visit. In March of this year, we moved her to Longview with us.  Now, I get to see her several times a week.  It's fun reconnecting.

7. Purring Cats - I love a purring cat. Baggins thinks he needs to sleep right under my chin or be held. It's a good thing he purrs or he'd be out of luck.

8. Great Books - I'm thankful for books that let me escape 'reality' for just a bit and get away from what's going on in the real world.

9. Chocolate - especially Nutella on whole grain toast. YUM!!!  Chocolate chip cookies, hot cocoa, chocolate ice cream.  There's no such thing as too much chocolate.

10. Heroes - I'm thankful for the men and women who serve in Police and Fire departments and the military risking their lives for strangers and those who don't appreciate the sacrifice. For those who rush in to save a stranger without thinking of the cost.

And a bonus...

11.  Puppies - I love puppies...all kinds. But especially for Dobermann puppies which I'll be acquiring some time next year, early summer I hope.  I've got my name on a list with a breeder.  Can hardly wait!

Ten Things I Believe...

I've been writing like crazy, reading research for project and 900 other things so this post is getting a late start.  But, better late than never. Or so they say...  And just who is "they" by the way?

Ten Things I Believe... (In no special order)

 Wild animals should not be kept as pets - They are wild. Even those raised in captivity are still wild deep down inside, You can't breed out instincts. Leave the lions, tigers, bears, wolves and other wild animals in the wild.

Dragons - I believe at one time, there were dragons on the earth. No, I don't believe they required virgin sacrifices. Maybe they did hoard gold and other sparkly things...heck, Ravens do, why not a dragon. I believe dragons were basically flying dinosaurs and are extinct now. My son has a good theory on why we haven't found their bones...they were hollow. Had to be really light to be able to fly.  Anyway...I believe in dragons.

Family is so very important.  When your friends let you down, family should always be there for you.  I know it's not always that way but honestly, when you come right down to it, family is always gonna be family.

Good Friends are few and far between. - We make "friends" so easily these days. And many we call friends, we don't even know. I mean, I have several hundred "friends" on Facebook and have no clue who most of them are. Sometimes though...you do make a real friend. And those are special and should be treasured.

Chocolate - There's no such thing as too much chocolate. There's no wrong occasion for chocolate either. 

Kids need to earn their own way - sure we spoil 'em but they have to learn to be responsible adults and they can't do that if they are given everything they ever thought about wanting. They need to learn there are consequences for each action, that no means no, and that life isn't fair.

 Thunderstorms are awesome. I love a good thunderstorm. The amount of power involved is just totally amazing. I love watching the lightning, feeling the wind, listening to the rain, especially on a metal roof.

There are way too many reality shows on tv. I mean, way too many. Thing is...these aren't reality. Soon as you stick a camera in there, people change. Now, I'll admit I used to watch Survivor and still occasionally watch Deadliest Catch. Hubby likes the Storage War shows...which not long ago, we  met the auctioneer of the Storage Wars Texas. He's a local guy, really nice, invited hubby and I out with him and his family. We passed but got picture taken with him. :-)

Life is too short to hold grudges. Besides the fact that you make yourself miserable, the person you have the grudge against usually doesn't care or doesn't even know.

I believe our police officers, military and fire fighters are under valued. We take them for granted, wanting them to be there when we need them but not the rest of the time.

What about you? What are some things you believe?

Ten Things Tuesday... On My "Desk"

We had to move last December and the place we are now doesn't really have room for my desk. I have a HUGE desk.  It's 6'x3' and has an "L" attachment that's another 3'x2'. It's huge, weights a ton, made of real wood. Right now, it's in my garage. I miss my desk.  A LOT.

So, right now, I'm using the kitchen table as a temporary desk. When we have company over, I have to clean all my desk type stuff off, move it in the other room then bring it back later.  It's not the greatest situation but I'm dealing with it and planning on getting an office for me and my desk soon.

But for now...I'll be here. And since I'm here, I thought I'd share Ten Things on my "desk."

Cans of cat food. I have the pickiest eaters. They drive me nuts about what they will and won't eat.

Aussie leave in conditioner. My daughter left it here.

Bag of powder sugar mini donuts. Leftover from Sunday night fellowship.

Texas Ranger baseball Pez dispenser. - Rangers fan, saw it, had to have it. Haven't done anything with it yet.

Holder of napkins -they come in handy sometimes. :-)

Printer - of course.




 Yearly planner - I make notes in it so have to have it close by.


Misc. stacks of paper - story notes, critique group pages

Camera - for spur of the moment "cats doing something cute" pictures

Cell phone - always nearby.


What's on your desk?

Ten Things Tuesday Randomness

I've been writing like crazy so don't have a proper Ten Things for you today. All you get is ten random things. 

First...  It appears my writing is fueled by chocolate. The last several days it's been Tootsie Roll midges.  And just who decided to call them midges?  I mean, really. Is that short for midgets? And not to be politically incorrect or rude but when did dwarves decide to call themselves "little people?" Did they not want to be associated with dwarves such as Gimli? Sorry...just a bit of randomness that came out. If I'd held it in, I might have exploded.

Next...Dance Moms and Toddlers & Tiaras.  What a mess. It's like a train wreck. You want to look away but can't. I'm so thankful my mom didn't do that to me.

And speaking of Television - I love The Closer. I hate that this summer will be the last season.  Better to end on a good note though than let the show go downhill to the point no one cares. I really appreciate the fact they let Brenda and Fritz get together.  Sure they have their issues at times, but most shows get rid of love interests.  For example...NCIS.  It was nice to see Tony happy but they had to go and kill that story line.

It's a fireplace screen. I was looking for something stained glass not long ago and found this. I think it'd make a great window. My better half used to play with stained glass. Maybe one day I'll get him started again and have him make something like this for me.

We like penguins at our house. I'm not sure why but it's my oldest daughter's fault.  Years ago we were on base (Barksdale AFB) in the BX after Christmas and all the leftover stuff was on sale. She bought two stuffed penguins.  One was about 2 feet tall, the other about half that size.  She decided they were mom and baby. Naturally they were named Mama P and Baby P. They went everywhere with us for a while. One time, I was talking to my Mom, planning a trip to her house and mentioned I'd have to bring the penguins. She wanted to know where we kept them, inside or out and did they make good pets. It's been about ten years now and we still have the penguins. They live on daughter's bed most of the time.

There are a LOT of Crepe Myrtles in bloom now. And they are really pretty. I really like the white ones but the red are nice too.  I've decided I want to get a red one and a white one, plant them in same pot then weave the branches together (over time) so that when it gets older and blooms, it'll be red and white mixed all together. I think that'd be very cool.

Like I said, I've been writing a lot lately.  For a couple days, I just basically stared at the screen and wrestled shoulder vultures but they've gone and now the words are flowing. Yesterday, I found myself choosing music to write by and deciding based on what  my character would like to listen to.  Anyone else ever forget they.... shhhhhhh......aren't real?

Was up late last night and early this morning. Today is trash day which is son and hubby's job. Most of the time anyway. Hubby came in kitchen and asked me where the trashbags were. I promptly got up and looked in the fridge for them. Naturally they weren't there. I'm not sure which is sadder...that he doesn't know where they are kept, or that I do know and still looked in the fridge.

I like having breakfast for dinner. We do this ever so often, especially on Wednesday nights after church.

 Did you know if you don't have a Kindle you can download the app to your computer or smart phone, right? My daughter told me last night she has 267 books on her Kindle Fire. I don't have a Kindle but I have the app on my computer. I do plan to get a Kindle soon. I love having so many books available. I mean, there is no way she could have that many books in her room and still live in there.

Which leads me to something not so random.  Today is the last day to get I Wish...for your Kindle or PC free. I'd really appreciate if you'd download, read then write a review for it. Here's the links.

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon De
Amazon FR

Ten Careers I'd Like to Try...

Ten Careers I'd Like to Try...

Astronaut - I think outer space is so cool.  If I'd known then, what I know now, I'd definitely have given this a try.

Police Officer - This is one I'll try sooner or later.  My town has a civilian police academy and does ride-alongs. I'll be getting more info on this soon.


Rodeo Cowgirl - I love rodeos. The sounds, smells, (most smells, anyway) the whole atmosphere.  Not to mention cowboys. I gave barrel racing a try once. I loved it.  Horse, not so much. Then we got transferred to Guam and that took care of horsey stuff for a while.

Pilot - My dad had a small plane and I love flying.  I'd love to get my pilot's license and have my own plane to travel in. I don't think I'd want to do this for a job though.

 Veterinarian - This was one of my choices when I was younger.  Life happened and this didn't but I'm not sure I could deal with some of the things a vet has to handle.

Diver - I love swimming. When we were on Guam, we went snorkling often. Never got around to trying Scuba but maybe one of these days.

NASCAR Driver - I could so do this! I feel the need, the need for speed, often. I tease hubby that in a previous life I was a race car driver. He just gives me "that" look.  Sigh...

Wildlife Rehab - Working with wildlife would be interesting. Taking an animal that was sick or injured, caring for it and eventually either returning it back to the wild would be rewarding I think.


I'm stuck for 9 and 10.  Maybe y'all can offer some suggestions.  Add your Ten Things to the comments.

Ten Foods I Love...

Ten Foods I Love...

In no certain order...

Cake...chocolate, red velvet, devil's food, it doesn't matter. Ohhhh...I just remembered Tres Leche cake. (Swoon.)

Homemade Sour Dough Rolls - my grandmother used to make the best rolls. She kept starter in the fridge. These were so good, we'd almost fight over 'em when they came out of oven.

Chicken and Dumplings - in the winter...YUM! Mom makes excellent Chicken and Dumplings.  I make 'em even better. :-)

Chocolate Chip Cookies - right from the oven while the chocolate is still melty.

Barbeque - Chicken, brisket, ribs, burgers...doesn't matter. And yes, you have to lick your fingers.

Corn on the Cob - fresh from the field, hot with lots of melting butter and sea salt.

Texas Baked Potatoes - baked in fire pit all day, then add lots of butter, cheese, chopped brisket...and whatever else you want.Even a little barbeque sauce.

Chocolate anything - Cake, pie, cookies, candy, ice cream. It's all good.  Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, mint chocolate. There's no such thing as too much chocolate. :-)

Granny Smith Apples - Yes, I know it's green but so are some m&ms. Cold and tart, these are great on a hot summer day.

Nutella - I'm not sure this qualifies as a food but it sure is good.  Chocolate and hazelnut.  I love this on whole grain toast.

What about you?  What are some of your favorite foods? 

Ten People I'd Like to Meet...

Ten People I'd Like to Meet...(living and/or dead)...

Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann - He's the guy who developed the Dobermann Pincher.

Edgar Allen Poe - I really like the way he tells a scary story.

John Newton - He was once a slave trader and slave himself. Wrote the hymn Amazing Grace.

Fanny J. Crosby - She wrote a lot of hymns I enjoy singing too.

Eleanor Roosevelt - A wise woman.

Amelia Earhart - I like her spirit of adventure.

Chuck Norris - I'm not sure why, just I'd like to meet him.

Barbara Bush - I always admired her common sense. Would love to sit and chat with her and Eleanor together.

John Wayne - Again, not sure but I'd like to meet him.

Herman Melville - I've tried many times to read Moby Dick and just can't.  I want to ask him just what he was thinking when he wrote that. :-)

What about you?  Who would you like to meet?  Share in the comments or share on your blog and leave a link for us in the comments.

Ten Things That Make Me Laugh...

That's right, it's Ten Things Tuesday again.  Share your Ten Things in the comments below or add them to your blog and leave us a link in the comments so we can stop by and get to know you a bit better.

Ten Things That Make Me Laugh  (in no special order)

Spending time with my family. My son has a wicked sense of humor. :-)

The squirrels trying to get the sunflower seeds out of the bird feeder.  I have no clue how they can hang upside down like that.

The cats when they have been in the catnip.

Jeff Dunham and his gang of dummies/puppets.

Spending time with good friends.

Watching guys show off at the gym.

Blonde jokes.  (I'm brunette.)

Snoopy & Garfield

Daffy Duck when he gets his bill shot off.

Muppet Show.  I love Beaker.  Statler and Waldorf just make laugh like crazy.

Now, what about you?  What makes you laugh?

Ten Places I'd Like To Go...

It's "Ten Things" Tuesday so join in by leaving a link to your list of ten things.

Here's ten of the places I'd like to go, in no special order...

The Grand Canyon - I'd love to do the mule ride to the bottom thing.

Yellowstone - Would love to see the geysers, hike in the park, see the wildlife.

Alaska -  Maybe watch the Iditarod, see the Northern Lights. I'd like to learn how to drive a dog sled, too.

The Islands - Bermuda, Bahama, Key Largo, Montego...

Africa - A camera safari would be so awesome.

New York City - Just once, to say I've been there. :-)

Spain - Especially Valencia. I've wanted to go here ever since I watched the movie El Cid.

Transylvania - Is any explanation needed?

Israel - Would love to go here but it's just not safe now. Sigh...

Hogwarts - I know it's fictional but it would be so cool if Hogwarts did exist.


What about you?

Motivational Monday

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails...explore...dream....discover.

- Mark Twain

I have found this to be so true.  But not just things I didn't do twenty years ago, ten years ago, two years ago, two months ago, two weeks ago. I think we should take Mr. Twain's words to heart and see what happens.

*Tomorrow is Ten Things Tuesday.  Why not join in? Here's the rules...make your list of "Ten Things" to go with the prompt below. Post that list on your blog then come back here Tuesday and leave a comment with the l ink to your blog post so we can all stop by. Tomorrow's prompt is...Ten Places I'd Like To Go...

Ten Things That Make Me Happy Are...

In no particular order...

*  Chocolate - I love chocolate.  In just about any form. Hot to drink on cold mornings, frozen as ice cream in the summer, as pie or cake, covering pretzels or just a plain "candy bar."

*  Time spent with friends. Especially friends we don't get to see often.

*  Family - I have a great family. Great kids, great husband.  And even a great Mom. We finally live in the same town and get to spend more time together.  Which is something that hasn't happened since I left home at age 17 and joined the Air Force.

*  Horses - I really like horses. I love the smell of a horse. It's something only other horse people understand. :-) I like just being around them, brushing them, feeding 'em and even the cleaning up after 'em part.

*  A purring cat - There is just something about a purring cat. If my cats ever find out all they have to do to get whatever they want is to purr...I'll never get anything done.

*  Flowers -I love the smell of  Honeysuckle and Gardenias. And while Roses are pretty, I really like Carnations and Daisies. Petunias and Pansies.  And of course my Bonsai Trees.

*  Playing in the dirt - Every spring there comes a time when I must get out and play in the dirt.  Just the feel of dirt between my fingers as I plant stuff makes me happy.  It soothes the soul.

* Music - From country to classical and from rock to reggae, I have really eclectic taste in music. New Orleans jazz. Gospel. New Age stuff and Blues.  About the only thing I don't care for is rap.

*  Good books - I absolutely love finding a book so good I get lost in it.  One that I forget to eat while reading.  That time seems to stand still and when I do look up, hours have past since I started.  Books that make me want to read straight through without stopping.

* Puppies - How can you not love puppies. They take such a joy in living. And they love you no matter what.


Now it's your turn.  Share your Ten Things and post the link in the comment section for the rest of us to read.

Ten Things Tuesday

The other night at my writer's group I was once again reminded how important it is to journal. Not only for myself, but for others.

But I have to be honest, I've never been good at journaling.  Ever. Y'all can see that by how much trouble I have keeping current posts here. (Insert deep sigh.) When I was a kid, I once had a diary however, it had lots more blank pages when I was done with it than it had filled ones. And I kinda regret that now.  How cool would it be to read that diary these many years later?

So, in an effort to be a little better at imparting my thoughts to some kind of journal, I'm starting a "Ten Things Tuesday" series.

Here's how it'll work.  I'll post the "Ten Things" prompt here on Monday.  On Tuesday, stop back by here for my "Ten Things" and leave a link back to where you have posted your "Ten Things."

I'll post to Facebook and Twitter my link using the #TenThings hashtag so we can let others know.  You can follow me on Twitter at @JeanLauzier and on Facebook with Jean Lauzier.  I look forward to getting to know you.

Here's the Ten Things Tuesday Prompt.

* Ten things that make me happy are...

Be sure to stop by tomorrow and leave your link in the comments!