Count Your Blessings (Instead Of Sheep)
Favorite Christmas movie? Well, besides Die Hard which is a legit Christmas movie I just saw again. If you listen to the soundtrack there's no doubt. There are so many Christmas references, come on, his wife is named Holly. But you'll have to decide on your own. Another of my must-see movies this season is all about Christmas. White Christmas starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera Ellen is filled with great songs including one that was written for the 1954 classic. Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep) by Irving Berlin is often performed around the holiday even though it makes no reference to Christmas. The song was nominated for an Oscar for best original song, and while it didn't win, it has a great message and a wonderful backstory. The lyric was inspired by Berlin’s visit with a psychiatrist after complaining about having sleepless nights, feelings of [...]
She’s Good for Loving
When my grandson was younger I'd give him money to help sponsor a dog so that someone wishing to adopt would have a lower adoption fee. It was a great way to help him to understand that all dogs have value and that while his parents were not going to let him get a dog, he got a baby brother instead, he could take an active role in helping dogs. This is a story from I Chose You, Imperfectly Perfect Dogs and Their Humans. Before buying a puppy to surprise your family, please make sure it's the right time and that everyone is ready for the hard work involved with a new family member coming in to the home during a very busy season. “If when you look at me, you only see a white face and cloudy eyes, a burden or a hassle...you’ve missed out on the best [...]
All I Want for Christmas
Yesterday I did my next to the last book signing for the year. I have to admit it, I'm pretty tired of lugging bugs and setting things up and then holding my breath. Will someone come? Will they by books? Will they like my book? We authors can be needy people. Every book signing has gone well and I've been able to donate over $1,000 in three months to two different rescues. I've donated books to be used as auction items for fundraisers. It's not a huge start, but it's happening. When I adopted my dog is was truly with the most selfish of motives. Will this dog give me a reason to live? It really had nothing to do with rescuing a dog who had been transported here from a high-kill shelter. Oh, how things have changed. Coconut did give me the will to live, to somehow find a [...]
A Special Christmas Card
I cooked my full Thanksgiving dinner when I was ten-years-old. My parents got divorced when I was nine, and while my father was still in the picture. my mom worked the three till eleven shift [...]
A Light for My Heart
Another story! It's a great one and you're gonna love it. A couple of summers ago I met a woman through an an online Oshkosh Facebook site. We connected over dogs, food, and feeling different [...]
Reviews are Gifts to the Author
Writing and self-publishing a book means that I am now officially a small business. A very small business. I get to make every decision about content, about my cover and back cover and how I [...]