A Proud Grandma

IMG_1633IMG_16354-years old and tackling a 50-piece puzzle. All by herself. or, “ALL BY MYSELF!”, as she puts it.

We watched her quickly assemble a 14-piece puzzle like she worked it all the time. She had never seen it before.

She refuses to try out hints we give her, like doing the edges first, or looking at the picture on the box. (Not that she could look at the box of this one – it was lost and gone forever)

IMG_1638She is so excited about surprising her grandparents with her new talent.

Glowing with accomplishment, she rests before continuing on with an even harder one.

Warm Up Your Brain – It’s Almost November

What happened to this year?    Participant-2014-Square-Button

I must have missed a bunch.  November is looming up on the calendar, again, and you know what that means…  NaNoWriMo!

November is National Novel Writing Month. I am determined to finish my draft of “Through the Door”, last year’s novel, but so many things have distracted me this year.

Since I already have over 50,000 words written, (57,980 to be exact), I cannot enter it as my 2014 novel. I can, however subtract the 57,980 words from the total words this November as I bumble along trying to finish by Dec. 1st. I will have tons of editing to do, as well as more research, but to complete the story will be HUGE. My first complete novel after all these years!!

Sometimes, I lose focus, because I want to end this particular story and move on to my next idea.  I tell myself that’s what it is, but I think I’m lying. The truth is so embarrassing to me, as “the writer” in the family!

I have no clue how the story will end.

It did have an end, but I trashed it. Why? Because it was WAY too corny. I admit that I like old-fashioned corny, but this was roll your eyes while gagging corny. Even I could not stand it. Yes, it was that bad.

So, for now, I’m introducing new major and minor characters, trying to expand my heroine’s options.  I tried to re-outline things, but that was a bad idea.

Strong characters have their own way of determining a story’s outcome. Which is good, because mine are going to have to finish this story on their own.

Good luck and Happy writing to all my fellow NaNoWriMo writers!

♥  Jodi

 

Watch For Outrages Charges When On-Line Shopping !

I do most of my shopping on the internet.
AmazonShopping Our closest shopping centers and retail stores are an hour’s drive away. And, I hate going shopping.

I found a gift on the internet for my daughter’s family. The price was very reasonable, so I filled out the account information, billing and shipping addresses, and some other stuff.
With tax, the item cost $32.95. However, the total to be charged to my Visa was $60.35.

WHAT?!?  ShippingSurprise

$27.40?? For shipping one item!?  Were they planning to send it via Air Force One?

Anyway, I refused to pay that ridiculous amount. I found a website that I could order two of them and get Free Shipping, for less money than the original one.  This made me feel like a shopping diva, even though you and I know better.

Soooo… UP YOURS, RIDICULOUS COMPANY!

Be careful out there! Shop around for sites that offer free shipping with items totaling a dollar amount, or offering it to new customers. Review the Order Summaries, checking the taxes, shipping, handling fees before hitting that “Submit” button.

I found this site helpful –
Find Store ratings & reviews

Why am I telling y’all this?

Because, there are only 65 shopping days before Christmas.

Yikes!

JL
photo credit: nffcnnr via photopin cc