Tuesday, March 26, 2024

On Writing and Teaching and Writing Again

On Writing and Teaching...

And Writing Again


My second grade teacher liked a story I wrote. She submitted it to the school newspaper and it was published. It was kind of a big deal since our school hosted grades kindergarten through grade eight. (And no…I am not talking about a one-room school!)

 

In twelfth grade, we had a substitute teacher for the second half of the year while our regular English teacher was on maternity leave. The woman replacing her (and yes, I wish I could remember her name) was not only a teacher but also a published author. Her first assignment was something along the lines of a first person story to help her get to know us. 

 

“You may edit and revise these for a better grade,” she announced as she walked through the room, the graded papers in hand. I watched as many of my classmates cringed. I heard a few groans.

 

Breathing On Her Own
1st novel still going strong...
The teacher paused at my desk, put my composition down and tapped it with her finger. “You, young lady… you are a writer.”

 

With those experiences under my belt, I headed to the University of South Florida determined to be….

 

A teacher. 

 

You read that right. Those two women inspired me to be a teacher. I wanted to be that person who encouraged kids, demonstrated confidence in them, and gave them a chance to shine.

 

I taught in the public schools for nineteen and a half years during which time I worked hard to receive my advanced degrees. I then taught at the university for fourteen and a half years. I loved teaching children and I loved teaching young women and men to be teachers.

 

In 2011, my husband had a series of heart “incidents” leading to a quadruple bypass late in the year. On the follow up visit in early December, the surgeon told him, “This is hereditary. This will happen again.”

 

We decided to retire. 

 

Tom said he would golf and fish everyday. I told him I would be a writer. I was able to craft two novels before Tom died in 2014. They have done well. But I hobbled along after his death. I kept the blog going, remodeled a house, and moved. I lived oversees and taught fourth grade in Kosovo for a year. 

 

But writing? Only my blog made it through that dark time of life. I had a few “fits and starts,” but nothing great. And very little finished.

 

If you follow my blog, you know that I am now remarried to a wonderful man. Mike and I will celebrate our first anniversary in April. Mike, like Tom, is an encourager. He likes my writing. And he loves me. 

 

So yes, I am writing again. Those “fits and starts” I mentioned earlier? Three unfinished novels now have direction. Several other projects beg my attention, but they can wait. Like life…I’m taking my writing one step at a time and enjoying every minute of it.


All books are available on Amazon...


Libby's Cuppa Joe 
Novel #2




Chicken Soup for the Soul Books with
From the Lake to the River Anthology on top

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Crossing the Finish Line

 

 Crossing the Finish Line

 

We’re almost to the finish line on the remodel. 


Almost.         


The Cat Knows How to Chill
During a Remodel...
Totally Adaptable Feline

 

The floors we ordered are installed throughout the house. The new vanity in the guest bathroom is now operational, though the mirror we ordered won’t be delivered for a couple of weeks. The stone facing on the fireplace will be completed this week and the backsplash in the kitchen in done. Of course, there may be a bit of touch up painting here and there. I’m not worried. Our contractor is quite diligent. 

 

And…now…we finally retrieved the stove from the garage and moved the refrigerator in from the back porch.

 

Loving the New Kitchen

The countertops are beautiful. The kitchen sink is in place and hooked up to water. That means no more washing dishes in the garage. (See last week’s post HERE.) 

 

Also, having a sink sitting there not hooked up? Mike and I both caught ourselves about to pour our ice or the last drop of lemonade in the sink as we pass by. We didn’t do it, but it is a habit we had to address.

 

I won’t say “never again” to paper plates. Just not every meal… every day. And I’ll still enjoy eating out from time-to-time. But I like to cook and this kitchen makes it even more enjoyable.  

 

The big stuff is out of the way. 

 

If you read the February 28th post, you know we tore everything out. Including a few walls. We had new cabinets installed. New lights and ceiling fans made the whole house feel updated. 

 

Don’t misunderstand. I still enjoy music from the seventies and eighties. I just don’t care for the old fixtures and ugly paint. 

 

Everything that needed fixed is fixed and the whole house is painted inside and out.

  

* No more ordering pizza one night and reheating slices in the George Foreman the next. And yes, that can be done. 

* Less eating out. More eating in. 

* No more having to order on Grub Hub. Though we discovered new places.

* No more cooking in a crockpot on the porch.

 

 

We’ll still go out to eat from time-to-time, but somehow the food tastes better when you dine at a restaurant by choice instead of by need.

 

We are now in a place where, hopefully, there will be no more nights away from home unless we are on vacation. We appreciate Mike’s nephew letting us use his lake cottage nearby. It is beautifully decorated and comfortable, but those three days confused the pets and left us a bit disoriented ourselves. 

 

I simply sleep better in my own bed.

 

As I began crafting this post, it occurred to me how we all become comfortable with “the way things are” and tend to “live with it,” be it good or bad. That includes our habits. The foods we eat. Our health. Our surroundings. Change forced upon us can be hard. But often, those simple transformations serve to make life better. More enjoyable. Healthier.

 

The more adaptable we are, the better we handle change. Or perhaps, for some of us, the more we face change, the more adaptable we become. I don’t know.

 

What I do understand is this: To navigate life we must face change and the challenges that come with it. 


If we face those challenges head on instead of letting everything sort of flatten us like a steamroller, in the end we are better people for it. 


We grow stronger, become more flexible and we are happier. We cross the finish line as winners in every way.

 

What changes have you faced? How adaptable are you? I’d love to hear your story.

 

 

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

20 Ways to Keep From Writing Your Blog

  Twenty Ways to Keep From Writing Your Blog

Twenty ways to keep from writing a blog post on time while renovating your house… Since obviously, being totally distracted living in a house with plywood countertops, an almost finished fireplace, and a missing vanity, you still need to craft a blog post.


Here’s the list:

 

1)   Forget where you put your computer when the floor guys were installing your new floor.

 

2)   Find your computer and decide to play a game while you think about the blog.

 

3)   Take a walk so you get a few steps in. Everyone knows exercise and fresh air helps you think. 

 

4)   While you are out, chat with a few neighbors. It

       is important to be neighborly.

 

5)   Go to the refrigerator…relocated on the porch during your renovation… for some cold water. 

 

6)    Decide on sweet tea instead.

 

7)    With potato chips.

 

8)    Find something interesting on television.

 

9)    Wash your hands after eating way too many

       chips. 

 

10)   Sit down at your computer, determined to write

        a stellar blog post. 

 

11)    Stare at the computer.

 

12)    Let the dog out.

 

13)    Let the dog back in.

 

14)    Sit back down at your computer. 

 

15)    Notice there is a bit of dust on the end table 

         by the couch. Dust  anything that doesn’t

         move.

 

16)    Meet the Habitat for Humanity truck so they

         can load up the dishwasher, sinks, and ceiling

         fans you no longer need.

 

17)    Watch your husband cook dinner on the grill.

         Because… during the construction mess you

         have no stove. (Well, you have one,

         but it is in the garage.)

 

18)    Watch your husband wash dishes in the garage

         utility sink since your new kitchen sink isn’t 

          installed yet.

 

19)    Laugh when your husband comes up with a

        workable dish drainer system. Hey the tools

        weren’t using that pegboard anyway.

 

20)    Look at your list. Decide that’s good enough for one day. Join your husband to watch the sunset over the water.

 

The truth? Our contractor is doing a stellar job. All is falling into place as planned. Yes, living in the house during the remodel has been a challenge, but well worth it. By next week’s post, we expect to be enjoying our home fully. 


In the meantime, Mike is good at making it all work!


If you wash dishes in the garage, 
of course you drain them on your pegboard!


Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Cattle Dogs

Cattle Dogs, Readers, Writers, and Musicians

 I had seen the sign “Cattle Dog” while walking around Inverness. But to be honest, I hadn’t explored that stretch of restaurants and stores since moving here last summer. 

 

The only cattle dog I know is a beautiful Australian Blue Heeler named Honeybee. As it turns out, Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters was named after another beautiful Australian Blue Heeler named Barney.

 

Our Blue Heeler, Honeybee

A Facebook friend and I connected through one of our high school online groups. Stephanie and I were a year apart and had never met, though we had several high school friends in common. We discovered we now lived fairly close to each other in Citrus County. 

 

After a bit of messaging, we decided to meet for a cup of coffee. Where? You guessed it, Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters in Inverness. 

Chamberlain Grads:
 That's Stephanie in Pink

 

Stephanie let me know she liked my writing and followed my blog. She had read Breathing on Her Own and Libby’s Cuppa Joe. And, although I’ve published in several Chicken Soup for the Soul publications as well as other articles, my heart wasn’t in my writing after Tom died in 2014. I’ve often said that the day he died, the ink ran out of my pen.

 

But my life is on the mend. That is in a huge part due to my husband. Mike likes my writing and encourages me in it. Because of him, my interest in writing has found new life. 

 

In Ohio, I was connected to a couple of writing groups. I hadn’t made that connection in Florida. I know the power of participating in such a group. Before I married Mike last April, I kept my blog going, but writing another novel? No. I had a few “fits and starts,” as they say, but nothing sustainable. 

 

I found renewed interest and starting churning out a couple of thousand words a day after Mike and I married and it feels good.

 

When Stephanie and I met at the coffee shop, she had copies of my books. She wanted my autograph. Though I was honored, I was also humbled by that request. As we talked, I shared with her how I was finally writing again. We were sitting at a little table for two near a small bookcase. We both had a brunch item and coffee and enjoyed quiet conversation about the journeys we had taken in life. Note: “quiet conversation.”

 

Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters

Then a band started to assemble and people started pushing tables together right next to us. We could have moved, but the band was great. They are called “Grey Denim” and played songs from our era. Stephanie and I smiled at hearing songs of the seventies. 


We didn’t stop there. We kind of sang along. I’ll admit it. 

 

We both pulled out our phones to catch some of the music. I mean these guys were great and... the band gave everyone present permission to take pictures and record their performance.

 

Grey Denim

As it turns out, the sixteen people or so who assembled next to us were there to support one of their group members who played in the band. “What kind of group?” You ask. 

 

A group of writers. Writers of varying genres. Writers supporting other writers. Writers who meet once a month…near me… and they call their group Citrus Writers. Their regular once-a-month meetings are on Wednesdays. This was a social event. There were men and women…writers of varying levels… all from my county in Florida gathering to enjoy a great lunch and listen to one of their own perform with the band.

 

I consider it an answer to prayer. I have wanted to connect with other writers in the area. 

 

As for Stephanie? We had great conversation and enjoyed each other’s company. We will meet again. We hope to get our spouses together as well. 

 

And me? I am writing. Need I say more?


*A big thank you to Sheila McDonald of Cattle Dog Coffee Roasters for sharing the coffee shop's story with me. Want to know more? Click HERE.

 



Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Refurbish or Reimagine?

Refurbish or Reimagine? 

Or is it Revise and Rewrite?


Mike and I are in the midst of remodeling our house. The kitchen was gutted and now sports new cabinets. 

We've had to eat out a lot.

 

Step 1? Tear Everything Down

Everything will soon be painted. Every ceiling. Every wall. Inside and out.

We’ll move out a few days for some of that.

 

The floors will be changed from the “almost looks like wood” linoleum to a durable manufactured "luxury vinyl" wood plank floor. The lights will be brighter and more up-to-date.

I could go on and on, but I won’t. 

 

We’ve taken this on at the same time I am crafting a new novel. I can’t help but note how the remodel of our house is like writing a book. We have the core elements in place. Now that we’ve lived here for a bit, we are ready to revise.

 

In my current novel, my main character, Will, runs a growing business in a small town. He purchased an old house and engages a contractor by the name of Jess Torres to bring new life into the house. 

 

Here’s the excerpt where the two meet:

 

Will parked his car and walked up the three steps to the wide wrap around porch. He didn’t see a contractor, only a slim woman with long dark hair pulled up in in a ponytail. “I’m supposed to meet a contractor named Jess from Ace Construction.”

The brunette tossed her head causing her ponytail to swish around. “Hi, that’s me, Jess Torres.” She stuck her hand out and gave the stunned man a firm handshake.

“I, uh, I…uh my assistant said you’re from the Ace Construction company. Uh, you’re Jess? I mean of course you are, it’s just that I expected…”

“Someone older?” Jess smiled at Will. “I’m very experienced, I assure you.” She shielded her eyes from the morning sun and studied the house. “My dad is Alex Torres. You’ve probably heard of him.”

Alex Torres? Never heard of the guy. Will offered a slight nod. 

“Most people call him Ace. Hence the name Ace Construction. We specialize in older homes. Let’s see what you have here, shall we? I’ll take notes and pictures to help us plan, okay?”

 

And here is an excerpt from later in the same chapter... once they’ve done a complete walk through: 

 

Jess fell in step with him as they walked down the main staircase. “You know this really is a beautiful house.”

“That’s why I’m getting bids on restoring it.” Good to let her know I’m keeping my options open. 

“Restore? What you described is more along the lines of refurbishing.  What I’d like to do here is re-imagine.”

“Isn’t that just a matter of semantics?”

“Not really. Restoring takes it back to its original state. That’s good. It’s costly, but good. Refurbishing is a matter of making it work. Giving it an overhaul to make it functional, fresh, updated. Get it? That’s marketable. 

“But reimagining is what this house calls out for. For example, that kitchen could be stellar." Jess walked toward the storage area. "We can open up this wall. The kitchen would be the place where people gather to enjoy each other’s company as well as cook and share meals." She walked to the other end of room into the outdated dining room. "The dining room could be opened up here and here, so  you have wide doorways to what you call the living room.  Making both doors wider makes both areas feel more open. Spacious.” 

 

A short excerpt, indeed. But, well, you get the idea.

 

I’m close to completing the book. I wrote the above section long before Mike and I bought this house. I have to finish writing the book to see how Will’s house turns out. 


But our house? 


With walls out, new cabinets in the kitchen, new floors and such? I guess we took Jess’s advice. We went beyond refurbishing. We are reimagining this space. 

We're getting there...


 

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Weather or Not...Here We Come!

Weather or Not...Here We Come

I generally pray for sunny days whenever company comes our way from up north. They expect it. And, we generally have great weather during the winter months here in Florida. February in Florida rarely disappoints. 

 

My youngest daughter and her two little girls planned a short trip to see us over President’s Day. Mike and I watched the weather. It was not looking good. Though February is normally a mild month with plenty of sunshine, forecasters were predicting an onslaught of rain over the holiday weekend.

 

Rain it did… and it was cold.

 

We picked up the girls from the Orlando airport late Saturday evening and made our way through the rain back to our home on the Nature Coast. (Yep, the Nature Coast was last week’s blog topic.) 

 

Our house is in total disarray as we are remodeling. No kitchen with lots of drywall work and such. The fireplace front is gone and we have new lights and outlets in or going in…you get the idea. 

 

I wasn’t worried about any of that. My daughter, Kendall, and her two little girls have lived through their own remodel recently. They are flexible on that front.

 

What did concern me was the weather. Mike and I prayed for good weather. Saturday night was obviously wet. I hoped it would change. 

 

It didn’t. Sunday morning was rainy and cold. And it lingered. We planned to take the girls to Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River. The springs are known for hosting a bevy of manatees. Crystal River isn’t far from where we live. The girls had been there one other time, but it was during warmer weather and they only saw one manatee the whole time.

 

The benefit of a chilly rain? Manatees love to stay near the Springs in cooler temperatures. The water in the Springs stays between 72 and 74 degrees. We saw dozens of the large, graceful creatures. We were bundled and warm. We had umbrellas and a rain poncho. And… we had phones with cameras. 

 


Manatees are fun to watch. They are gentle. God created them with a “do no harm” attitude. They are more of a "live and let live" mammal and their only enemy? Humans.

 

On the way home, we talked about how the chilly rain proved to be beneficial. We were able to see the beautiful creatures up close and active.

 

The other “must do” on the girls’ list was to go to The Cove. The Cove is a restaurant located on our lake. The notion that we are able to climb in our boat to go out to eat intrigued the girls. But though the chilling rain was perfect for viewing manatees swimming in the warm spring water, it wasn’t looking good for taking the boat out.

 

Then Monday dawned.  It was sunny. Warm. Calm. 

 

"Get in the Boat...We're Going Out to Eat!"

It was perfect weather for jumping in the boat and heading across the lake to The Cove. We sat outside and ordered our food. Although the girls loved the manatee excursion, I think taking a boat out to eat was the highlight of their stay with us. I should note here that The Cove’s food is amazingly good. After lunch we toured some of the lake before docking back at our house. 

 

The visit for them? Sweet memories. Memories of rain and manatees. Memories of water and sunshine. Memories of a boat ride and lunch on the lake.  

 

The visit was short, but for me? It was a time to treasure.

 

Right: Parking at the Cove 



Below: The Youngest Granddaughter Looking Over 

the Menu Wearing Mike's Sunglasses



 Missed the Post 

    On the Nature Coast?

        Click Here to Read...

 

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

The Nature Coast

 The Nature Coast

 

When I was growing up in Florida, geography was easy. Our part of Florida was defined as the West Coast (meaning on the Gulf of Mexico) with the Panhandle to the north. There was the East Coast (all along the Atlantic Ocean), and the Florida Keys to the south. Large regions in the middle were labeled North Florida, Central Florida, and South Florida. And of course, we had the Everglades, which were a separate entity altogether. 

Sunset on the Nature Coast


In the early 1970’s Florida added “Disney World,” or as my husband calls it, “The House of the Mouse” as a Central Florida landmark. 


Weather forecasters would say, “We’re expecting some rain this afternoon here on the West Coast, but folks at Disney should have clear skies all day long.“

 

I moved to Ohio in 1978. I’m now back in Florida and trying to figure out what happened to the state I knew in my youth. Yes, it has grown in population, with houses and condos seemingly sprouting up everywhere, but I’m talking about the geography of the place.

 

Now, the weather is defined by the Space Coast, the Treasure Coast, and the Gold Coast…all on the Atlantic side... while on the Gulf side, we have areas such as the Sun Coast, Emerald Coast, and Nature Coast

 

There’s even an area known as the Forgotten Coast…but don’t ask me where it is. I don’t remember.

 

Mike and I live in that area known as the Nature Coast. 

 

Aptly named, by the way.  We see deer on our way to church, critters like rabbits and squirrels in our yard, Great Blue Herons on our beach, and fish, turtles, and gators in the lake. There are birds in the trees, dragonflies and beautiful butterflies in the green grass and flowers. The Three Sister’s spring in nearby Crystal River is home to manatee seeking warmth in winter. We love our neck of the woods here on the Nature Coast.

 

It is filled with surprises. 

 

For example, this past week, Mike went out early one morning with the dogs before I was even out of bed. He rushed back inside, calling my name. He had something to show me. I threw a light jacket over my pajamas and followed him to the dock.

 

“Up there,” he pointed. 

 

A beautiful owl was perched in the rafters of the roof covering our boat lift. 

 

“I walked out on the dock and he was perched on that first post,” Mike said. “I walked right past him and didn’t see him! Then he flew up there.” 


 

We stood there a few minutes staring at the beautiful creature. He stared back.


We didn’t have a clue why an owl, a nocturnal animal, would take refuge on our dock. We wanted to make sure the creature was okay. We called the fish and game commission. 

 


“He’s probably exhausted,” the man on the end of the line told us. 

 

The bird wasn’t aggressive. He wasn’t hurting anyone. We told him he was welcome to stay and kept watch on him. He slept through most of the day, but would open one eye whenever we were near.

 

When night fell, I guess he had regained his strength. The next morning he was gone. 

 

I hope he marked us on his travel log as a safe and restful retreat. Time will tell.

 

See why I love the Nature Coast? It's full of more Treasure than anyone could imagine on the Atlantic side; as many interesting flights worth watching as the Space Coast could offer. No wonder my mother has always called this region her favorite part of Florida…never to be Forgotten

 

And if you read my post in August of 2023….you’ll know that right here in Citrus County is indeed the Gold at the end of the rainbow!

 

If you missed that post: Here You Go! It’s pretty amazing how a person’s life is so richly connected…when you take the time to look for the treasure.

Click here: Here is our Pot of Gold!

 

And a couple of pictures from our yard...




Gotta love the blooms in February!

Even the Magnolia is blooming!