Slice of Life Tuesday

Today is Slice of Life Tuesday – the weekly writing challenge hosted at “Two Writing Teachers”.

 

I was looking for inspiration today and found an old post by Aggie Kesler and the pattern she used really appealed to me.

Hello ~

I am many things – a wife, mother, retired teacher, a friend, a writer, an artist.

I keep my children’s artwork, reports, notebooks (and the youngest is 28), as well as cards, ticket stubs and other mementoes.

I love to read, flowers, playing cards and games, visiting new places, creating.

I like to bake, wander through thrift shops, take part in art and writing challenges, watch horse racing..

I wish I lived by water – to see sunrises, sunsets and storms over the water.

I need quiet in the morning and time with tea and a book after dinner.

I enjoy dancing, laughing, movies, time with family and friends

I think about all the work that has to be done on our house.

I try to seek positive solutions to problems and to learn something each day.

I always pray for my husband and children and for those who need it or ask for it.

Slice of Life Tuesday

 

Today is Slice of Life Tuesday – the weekly writing challenge hosted at “Two Writing Teachers”.

Reading Dana Murphy’s post yesterday (“Show Up and Do the Work”) on Kate DiCamillo and then watching Kate’s and Mr. Schu’s webcast was a godsend.

Kate DiCamillo is by far my favourite children’s author. There is so much power and heart in her novels. I have read and reread many of her books. What a joy it was to read her books to my students each year and see them caught up in her story-telling magic. “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” helped me heal after my mother’s death.

I have been stuck in a long writer’s block – allowing other’s words to stop me from writing with abandon. I have written some, but it feels like a chore.  I needed to hear Kate’s words and her advice.

I loved “Because of Winn Dixie” even after the fifth time. So it was refreshing to hear that Kate had at least four drafts and the first was so different from the published copy. I aim to explore her journey with this treasured book.

“There is magic in just showing up and doing the work.” Kate writes every day, even if it is nonsense. How freeing that is to hear. I just need to write and not worry about the end result. Just do it.

Kate is so right that reading does feed our souls. That has sustained me in this long drought.

I jot down ideas, but I don’t keep a notebook as Kate described. Her advice to keep all parts of oneself open – eyes, ears, heart – is wonderful advice. I need to do that consistently.

Thank you Dana for providing the link. Thank you Kate for the advice. I absolutely needed to hear it. You have eased my self-doubt.

ROW 80 Sunday Check-In

Today is Sunday check-in for ROW 80 – where accountability is there with the understanding that life comes first.

The past few days I have continued with baby steps -writing a bit each day and working on one pix book story to revise and edit.

I also enrolled in an online writing course through my local library and have worked on 2 lessons so far.

I participated in#pbpitch on Thursday and although I did not get any favs., it was still a chance to put myself out there.

Summer swimming starts tomorrow and I look forward to swimming at least 5 days a week.

All the best to everyone.

 

 

ROW 80 Mid Week Check-In

 

I have been, at best, sporadic in posting to ROW 80 the past month or so. I have as well had limited success with my goals, especially writing ones, which has also made me reluctant to post as well. A vicious cycle.

I had not planned to post yesterday, but reading Margo L. Dill’s post today, featured on WOW! (the Women on Writing blog) resonated deeply and I had to respond. Her first words had me hooked: “What’s the problem? Life is the problem.” She stressed as well that she felt she had “little direction” and was still in “survival mode” and still needs some “TLC”.

This past year and a bit has been a roller coaster of anxiety, fear, lack of faith in my writing, sadness. My husband’s health has had an enormous effect on my emotions, my routines and plans and especially on my writing. I’ve seen him through 2 surgeries, numerous visits to the hospital and long recoveries at home. He has been off work since February since his pace maker was implanted. Now he has found out it is too dangerous for him to go back to work and the company is placing him on disability til he retires in November.

Yes, that is good news as he can take the time to recover well. But we need to get better routines in place and I need to really give some priority to writing.

I have been lucky that I still have my escape of reading and creating art. That has most definitely helped. I will be attending a writing retreat for picture book writing in July and I am hoping that that will be the much needed boost to my writer’s self-esteem.

So I will go back to baby steps – try to write every day; work on revising the 3 pix books I am taking to the retreat and swim as much as I can.

Slice of Life Tuesday

Today is Slice of Life Tuesday – the weekly writing challenge hosted at “Two Writing Teachers”

 

Two days after the horrific killings in Orlando, and we are still trying to make sense of this deadly disaster.

This has been billed as a terrorist act – and yes it induced terror in all of us – but it was overwhelming an act of hatred and intolerance. Many have tried to  deny that – instead falling to the ISIS narrative that leads to seek reprisals against Muslims.

Yet, hatred for a group that has gained so many needed laws, is rampant around the world. Our religions all preach love, tolerance, forgiveness, acceptance.

How can anyone call themselves Christian or Jewish or Muslim and deny any one person their right to dignity, love, acceptance?

How can anyone profess to be better than another?

How can anyone claim their way of life, their religion is better than any other?

How can so much hatred still spew forth – from politicians, religious leaders and others?

Fifty people were slaughtered, for believing that love should transcend all things. As Lin-Manuel Miranda said at the Tony’s “ Love is love is love is love is love”

Until we can all accept everyone as our equal – regardless of race, colour, religion, sexual orientation – we are doomed to a world of hatred, intolerance, war and death.

 

I’d like to share one last quote – from R.J. Palacio – from a letter she wrote to a school district over the disinvitation of a writer:

“The truth is, I’m tired of intolerance. I’m tired of the unkindness that breeds intolerance. I’m tired of the ignorance that fuels it and the fear that spreads it. We must all—authors, publishers, teachers, librarians, and school administrators—work together to stop intolerance in its tracks when we see it. Kindness can never grow where intolerance has taken root.”

 

Slice of Life Tuesday

Today is Slice of Life Tuesday – the weekly writing challenge hosted at “Two Writing Teachers”

I am now a horse owner – but without all of the work. I own 1/100th of a share in a lovely two year old filly. It was a bucket list item and now it has been achieved.

Saturday, my husband and I joined some of the other 80 or so owners at Fort Erie racetrack barns to meet our new filly. The group has just recently been formed by two former women jockeys, with the goal to race her at Woodbine.

There was a contest to name her and we learned Saturday that her new name is now “Queen’s Honor.” We got photos with her and met some of the other owners at a dinner. Quite a different adventure indeed.

There will be monthly meetings, newsletters  and a chance to watch her in the future. We are learning more each month.

 

 

Slice of Life Tuesday

Today is Slice of Life Tuesday – the weekly writing challenge hosted at “Two Writing Teachers”.

 

This is a week of change and confrontation.

Sunday, my husband and I attended my niece’s wedding in Toronto, in a very unique venue. My daughter and her boyfriend were invited and attended (thankfully), although my sons were not invited. It has been eight years since my mother died and a split between my siblings and my family occurred. One brother I have not spoken to since the funeral, and I only have limited contact with the others.

So, I was very reluctant to attend but I do love my niece, and my husband encouraged me to go. As well, I knew my older brother who lives in North Carolina now, would be going and since his cancer treatment, I wanted to see him.

Although there were no negative confrontations, it felt awkward and conversations with my siblings felt stilted – to me anyway. I am glad I went though, for my niece. It was such a lovely wedding.

Then, this Saturday I have to prepare my youngest son moving to British Columbia with his fiancé. I hope to see him tomorrow as that may be the only chance I’ll have before they leave.

It will be hard to see him go, but I moved far away in my 20s and I know my son has to live his own life and follow his dreams.

I love BC and now we have an excuse to return!