Pray For Houston

Obviously, my scheduled post about back to school safety isn't needed. No school here for a week or longer.

Houston area is in crisis emergency situation. I'm trying to arrange for possible rescue for my daughter and her husband and dog. Water is no longer draining from her area. Last night the water was over the sidewalk. This morning, it's up to the tree line.

So many areas are being evacuated that there are few resources to get someone out who isn't already up to their waist in water. My husband has the big pickup but he's stranded at our house in the country. All roads from there to here are under water in too many places so he can't get through. I can't get to her because the roads between my house and hers are under water.

Takeaway Truth

Pray for Houston and all of Texas.

Back to School Safety Reminders

BACK TO SCHOOL MEANS WATCH OUT FOR KIDS

I'd planned to post these safety reminders this past week when school started here in Houston.

However, school got off to a rocky start thanks to Hurricane Harvey that closed schools a few days after it started.

Today or maybe tomorrow, depending on how much rain falls between now and then, school re-starts. So here are my...

Back to School Safety Reminders for Adults

1. Always observe school zone speed limits.

2. Watch for kids if you're driving when it's go to school time or leave school time.

3. Most school zones are cell phone free zones so do NOT use your cell while in a school zone.

4. Talk to your kids about safety rules before you send them to school. These rules should cover stranger danger as well as rules that apply to walking or riding bicycles to and from school.

5. Parents, go over the route your kids will take if they walk, ride bicycles, or just go to the bus stop. Then take your kids on a dry run, discussing what if situations so they understand exactly what to do if accosted.

6. Follow the signs at schools about dropping off your kids. Be sure to enter and exit according to the posted signs.

7. Remind your kids of the safety rules that apply to them as they walk to and from school.

Back to School Safety Reminders for Kids

1. Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.

2. Never run out into the street.

3. Never cross between parked cars.

4. Always keep your attention on what is going on around you. Don't listen to music or talk on cell phones. Be aware.

5. Always walk in front of the school bus after exiting so the driver can see you. Never walk behind the bus.

6. Never talk to strangers or approach a stranger in a vehicle regardless of what they may say.

Takeaway Truth

Preparation will help your school kids and remove a bit of the anxiety parents experience in sending kids off to school.

Gonna Need A Bigger Boat

In the original Jaws movie, Roy Scheider voiced the famous line: "You're gonna need a bigger boat."


Well, here in the Houston area, we're all gonna need bigger boats.

Right now, I'd settle for a pair of bigger boots. I have some rubber boots that come up to mid-calf. I wear these when I walk in the rain or mud.

See the photo at left? That oak tree is on Duck Island, a small island in our lake. The bottom of the wood bridge to the island is under water, and the tree has only a small ring of grass between it and the water now. 

This morning I ventured out, and the water in the street came over the top of my boots. So I went back in, put my sneakers on, and waded in them.

I went out in my little community to make sure all the street drains were working properly. We have huge tall pines and massive oaks in here so there's always pine straw and fallen leaves that tend to clog drains. Everyone monitors the drains to make sure they're free flowing.

The drains were working to capacity. Water flowing down the streets to the drains were like gully washers. It's like I posted yesterday, it only takes 6 inches of fast-moving flood water to knock over an adult.

The lake that's the centerpiece of our community is full to capacity. There's a large drain that keeps it constant level, but the rain is falling faster than the water can drain. I fear the clubhouse and some of the homes around the lakes may take on water.

The tornado warnings started in the early morning and continue. All in all, this is going to be another really LONG day.

So far, we're all good in here, but the surrounding areas have streets under water and creeping up driveways. Several of the subdivisions in this part of Harris County have waist-high water.

Oops. Got to go. Tornado warning for my specific area. Taking cover now.

Takeaway Truth

As people are posting on my NextDoor community, pray for Texas.

Flooded Streets Safety Rule

Hurricane Harvey reached Category 4 status by the time it made landfall just south of Victoria, Texas, last night.

This photo is the clubhouse built out over the small lake that is the centerpiece of our community. The clubhouse is usually a couple of feet above the water.

Fortunately, there's a huge  overflow drain that makes our lake constant level, but the rain comes so fast sometimes that nothing keeps the level from rising. Presently, it's only drizzling so the water is draining which is good because we're supposed to get slammed again this evening.

The storm pictures are stunning. Power has been going on and off everywhere from Houston to Corpus Christi. I'm lucky to have power now. Daughter and son-in-law in Houston have power back on too.

My Darling Hubby is at our house in the country. I'd planned to join him yesterday but Harvey changed that. Our son in Corpus managed to get to the country house by Friday noon. He learned his house in Corpus seems okay. Only the wood fence was downed.

Drowning Event

Many people drown in hurricanes. It's common here in Texas to hear this phrase repeated over and over: "Turn around. Don't drown."

That's a phrase that people everywhere should commit to memory, because people persist into driving into flooded streets.

Rule of Thumb

How do you know if a flooded street is okay to drive through or even to get out and walk through? Remember this which our Precinct 4 Constable posted.

6 inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult.

12 inches of rushing water will carry away a small car.

24 inches of rushing water will carry away almost any vehicles.

If you are in a large vehicle like a big pickup and must drive through a flooded street, drive very slowly. The faster you drive, the greater the chance of water damaging your motor, undercarriage, exhaust, etc.

Why You Shouldn't Walk Into Flood Waters

1. Snakes. Here in Texas where we have a lot of waterways, we also have snakes. Flood waters will wash them out of their burrows. Definition of fear? Walking in flood water and seeing snakes swimming around.

2. Alligators. Oh my goodness, yes. There are many retention ponds and bayous in the Houston area that are home to gators. Definition of horror? Walking in flood water and seeing a gator.

3. Floating fire ant mounds. Yes. That happens.

4. Drains and sewers. When streets flood, so do the underground sewers, and sometimes that massively heavy sewer cover floats off. People--especially a child--can get sucked into the underground drain. Last year, a child died that way.

5. Debris. Everything that gets disposed of in sewers and street drains floats to the surface. Broken glass, car oil, cans, bottles, rusty metal pieces, etc. You don't want to step on any of it.

6. Disease. Never let your kids play in the flood water if only because of the potential to catch some kind of disease.

Takeaway Truth

Be safe. Stay inside and wait for the all clear from officials.

Free Ebooks I Grabbed Today

Every week I scroll through the lists of free ebooks--free for everyone, not just for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.

I found some good ones today so I thought I'd share my finds with you. After all, it is the middle of the week. You'll need something to read this weekend. Right?

Hurricane Entertainment

If you're in Houston and expecting Hurricane Harvey to keep you indoors this weekend, you really need something to read.

Even if Harvey stays at tropical storm status, all that rain will keep you inside. So charge up your ereader devices in case the power goes out. Download some books, and you're all set to endure the rainy visit promised by Harvey.

Ebooks I Downloaded

These were all free when I downloaded so make sure they're still listed as free before you click buy.

30 Interactive Brain Teasers

I get these books to stump the kids.

Amazon Blurb: "30 Interactive Brain teasers to Warm Up your Brain" is a mini edition by Puzzleland, containing 30 easy and short brain teasers to get your mind warmed up for the day!

This little fun book is ideal for teens and adults who look for some creative ways to spend their free time, entertain their mind or simply keep themselves busy while waiting in public locations!"

100 Plus Knock Knock Jokes

This is another I get just to delight kids. It seems that knock-knock jokes never go away.

Amazon Blurb: "This funny joke book for kids is excellent for early and beginning readers. Laughing and jokes have been proven to have positive mental and physical effects on the body!

...great for long trips, waiting rooms, and reading aloud at home. Excellent for early and beginner readers."


Totlandia by Josie Brown

Josie Brown's books are always a great read! This is the first in her Totlandia series.

Amazon Blurb: "Friendship. Lies. Seduction. Betrayal. Welcome to Totlandia."


No Perfect Fate by Jackie Weger

Jackie's books are always great reads.

Amazon Blurb: Cleo Anderson's people skills are hesitant and her life broken. Alone is good and she is finding her way. Drawn to a fish camp in the wilds of the Okefenokee Swamp, encounters Fletcher Freemont Maitland and his goddaughter, eleven year-old Katie. Both Fletcher and Katie will change her life in ways she never imagined.

Innocent Next Door by Shelley Munroe

Shelley's books are another must grab for me.

Amazon Blurb: Life in a small town is comfortable, but living with her loving and overprotective family means it lacks adventure. And forget romance with two interfering army brothers around. It's time to leave the cozy nest. Her grandiose plans come to a grinding halt when she becomes innocently involved with a crime boss, then she bumps heads and lips with her uncle's sexy but very bossy neighbor.

Paleo Recipes for Beginners

Okay, this isn't entertainment reading, but I saw it and thought I'd try some since my daughter swears by Whole 30 and Paleo.

Amazon Blurb: Straightforward yet comprehensive, this Paleo cookbook offers: profound introduction to everything you need to know about Paleo lifestyle, delicious breakfast recipe for a perfect way to start the day, filling and delightful lunch recipes that provide energy for the day and heal your body, and light and tasty dinners which are fast and easy to make.

Takeaway Truth

I love free books. Authors give away books to attract new readers. It's a win-win for author and reader. If you get a free book and like it, do the author a favor and leave a short review.

Joke of the Day: Police Exam

I don't know about you, but I already need a good chuckle.

This one was provided by my friend Frank.

During an exam, a police recruit was asked: “What would you do if you had to arrest your own mother?”

He answered, “Call for backup.”

I told this to my daughter, and she said, "You'd be that mom."

Is that a compliment or an insult?

Takeaway Truth

Start the day with a laugh. You'll be amazed at how that makes a difficult morning bearable.

Author Beware: Another Scam

A new scam targeting authors was exposed last week. I know you're tempted to say, "Oh, no! Not another one!"

Yes, another one. It seems there are so many people dreaming up ways to take advantage of hard-working authors.

This one was exposed by Angela Hoy on her newsletter, Writers Weekly. I've been a subscriber for several years to her weekly newsletter.

You should subscribe to Writers Weekly by Angela Hoy too. Angela offers good information that's applicable for all authors, not just freelance writers who are her main audience.

This scam begins with an offer from an alleged ebook author to swap ebooks with you the selected author victim.

It ends with the author victim finding his/her ebook uploaded to a website where it was being downloaded for free.

The Details

Read all about it on Angela's newsletter. While you're there, subscribe to Writers Weekly. I've been a subscriber for several years.

What To Do

This doesn't happen all the time, thank goodness, but it does happen.

I guess the best practice is not to exchange ebooks with anyone unless you know them or know someone who can vouch for them. Networking pays off in unexpected ways.

Takeaway Truth

As in all things to do with online contacts--especially social media--be conservative and always verify.

In What Direction Are You Moving?

I wanted to call your attention to one of the quotations I Tweeted this week.

It's something Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. said: "The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving."

I think we often become mired in the misery of where we are at a particular moment in time--especially if that moment in time finds us troubled, unhappy, and low-spirited.

We tend to think life will always be that way. We tend to focus on that moment, that unhappiness, when we should be looking to the future and better times. Look not at where you are, but at where you want to be. In your thoughts, move toward where you want to be. Action follows thought.

I read the quotation from Mr. Holmes many years ago and have often comforted myself with those words, telling myself, "This isn't forever. I'm moving toward better things."

Holmes Vs. Holmes

Did you know there are two famous Oliver Wendell Holmes? They were father and son--senior and junior--and each were accomplished in their respective fields of endeavor.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. was an American physician, poet, and polymath--a person whose education or knowledge encompasses many different subject areas so that he/she can draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems.

Mr. Holmes Sr. lived in Boston and was acclaimed as one of the best writers of his day. He is quoted often. I find what he had to say about love was especially profound.

"Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts."

"Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness."

"The sound of a kiss is not so loud as that of a cannon, but its echo lasts a great deal longer."

His son, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1902 to 1932 and was Acting Chief Justice of the United States from January–February 1930.

Mr. Holmes Jr. is also quoted rather often. His words, like his father's, resonate with truth.

"A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions."

"Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society."

"We should be eternally vigilant against attempts to check the expression of opinions that we loathe."

Takeaway Truth

Food for thought gives the nutrition your brain and soul need.

Saturday Recipe Share: Whole Wheat Biscuits

When I was growing up, my mother made biscuits every morning for breakfast and cornbread every evening for supper.

Both of those breads were mouth-watering delicious.

I make cornbread when it goes with the food I'm serving, but I make biscuits only once every few months. They're a weekend or holiday treat for the family.

The biscuits my mom made were the best I've ever eaten. Those are the ones the family prefers, but sometimes I make a healthier version of the melt-in-your-mouth white flour and fat biscuits of my youth. My Mom sent me this recipe too.

So that's what I'm sharing with you today...

Whole Wheat Biscuits

(1) Turn on the oven and set at 400 degrees.

(2) Prepare a baking dish by spraying with Pam or a similar product.

(3) Mix these ingredients thoroughly.

1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 heaping tablespoons whole wheat flour

A note about the 6 heaping tablespoons of flour.

My Mom rarely measured anything. This is about 3/4 cup.

After adding the liquids, if this is too "wet," sprinkle in a little more flour. Keep in mind that you'll be sprinkling flour over the cutting board and the dough. If the resulting dough is too dry, add just a tiny bit more buttermilk.

(4) With the ingredients above, make a “well” in the center and pour in these ingredients:

3 tablespoons cooking oil (I use sunflower oil, but any light cooking oil will do.)
3/4 cup buttermilk (If you don't have buttermilk, use regular milk but add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to it. Let it set for a couple of minutes for it to clabber.)

Mix well.

(5) Sprinkle a clean cutting board or a sheet of wax paper lightly with a bit of flour. Dump the soft dough mixture out on it. Sprinkle a little flour lightly on top of the dough then knead the dough only about 8 or 10 times. Sprinkle lightly with extra flour to keep the dough from sticking, but don’t use too much.

(6) Pat the dough out about ½ inch thick, cut with a biscuit cutter or a glass dipped in flour so the dough won’t stick to the rim. Place in prepared baking dish.

(7) Bake about 15-18 minutes. Serve hot with a bit of butter and jam or jelly. My sister-in-law's homemade plum jelly is what we're eating today.

Takeaway Truth

Everyone finds delight in food enjoyed in childhood. Thanks, Mom.

If Only I'd Known: Writing Lesson by Paty Jager

I'm happy to welcome Paty Jager, one of my friends from our group blog Smart Girls Read Romance.

About Paty Jager

Paty Jager is an award-winning author of 32+ novels, a dozen novellas, and a passel of short stories of murder mystery, western romance, and action adventure.

All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters.

This is what Mysteries Etc. says about her Shandra Higheagle mystery series: “Mystery, romance, small town, and Native American heritage combine to make a compelling read.”

Visit Paty Jager Online

Paty's Blog, Writing into the Sunset  

Paty's Website 

Facebook * Goodreads * Twitter * Pinterest

Sign up for Paty's Newsletter 

If Only I’d Known: Don't Believe Everything You're Told
by Paty Jager

Thank you for inviting me to give my 2 cents on what I wished I’d known when starting out in the writing/publishing business.

When I first tried to break into publishing, I was writing a mystery book that had been inspired by Sue Grafton’s Alphabet series. The books were told in first person--Kinsey Millhone’s point of view.

I used first person in my female protagonist’s point of view. I sent the manuscript to an agent who told me mysteries weren’t written in first person, but he saw promise in my writing. So, I rewrote the book, putting it in third person. He declined the book.

What I learned from that little episode was to not believe what everyone in the publishing business said. I knew it could be first person because Ms. Grafton had a whole series written that way and she was NYT author. But I let someone who I thought knew the business tell me to change my book.

Later, I was told you couldn’t write books with multiple subgenres.

Those were the books that called to me. So, I wrote them. And while the big publishers would say, “I like your book but I don’t know where to place it on the shelves,” my multi-genre books found a small press who liked them, and they were well received by readers.

It was suggested to me when my books were picked up by a small press that I should self-publish. I felt I didn’t know enough. And who would ever think I was a legitimate author if I self-published?

I wish I had started that journey when I was first approached. My friend who was self-publishing at that time is doing very well now, and because I waited, (went self-publish in 2011) I missed the first big flow of readers who could find your books in the smaller pool of books.

Now, I’m trying to find ways for those and other readers to find me in the sea of self-pub and traditionally pubbed books.

If only I'd known? Don't believe everything you're told by
so-called industry professionals!


Fatal Fall
Book 8: Shandra Higheagle Native American Mystery Series
by Paty Jager

Avarice…Family…Murder

When the doctor is a no-show for her appointment, Shandra Higheagle becomes wrapped up in another murder.

The death of the doctor’s elderly aunt has everyone questioning what happened and who’s to blame. Shandra’s dreams soon tell her she’s on the right path, but also suggests her best friend could be in grave danger.

Detective Ryan Greer knows not even an illness will keep Shandra from sneaking around, and he appreciates that. Her insight is invaluable.

When she becomes embroiled deeper in the investigation, he stakes out the crime scene and waits for the murder to make a tell-all mistake. But will he be able to act fast enough to keep Shandra or her friend from being the next victim?

Add Fatal Fall by Paty Jager to Your Library

 Takeaway Truth

Thanks, Paty, for sharing your wisdom with us. Readers, the weekend is here. Why not grab a great mystery like Fatal Fall for your weekend reading fun?

Carpe diem. Carpe librum! (Seize the day. Seize the book!)

Escape to the Country

Escape to the Country? Yes, that's what Darling Hubby and I did last night. We're finishing up the landscaping at our house in the country and praying we don't play unwilling host to another armadillo--ever!

Escape to the Country is also what I got sucked into this morning. The news was too depressing as I had my morning coffee. I turned that off and cruised Netflix for an interesting documentary.

I found Escape to the Country, a BBC series, that proved to be far too addictive. You can also see episodes on YouTube.

Instead of writing all day, as was my plan, I binge watched this series where real estate agents show country properties to English city dwellers wanting to escape the urban environment.

In watching, I visited Wales, Dorset, Leistershire, Devon, Shropshire, the Midlands, the Scottish Highlands, and so many other locales. It was like a scenic tour of England's countryside.

For a writer, this would be an amazing series for research and local flavor. For this writer, it game me lots of ideas.

If I ever win the lotto (yeah, I know I have to actually buy a ticket instead of just thinking about it), I plan to buy a thatched cottage in Dorset. (My husband's family is from Robert Ryves of Dorset. We even have the documentation to prove it.)

We'll be the weird Americans from Texas that everyone will gossip about. (I think I better buy a new western hat and some boots to fulfill the image.)

Takeaway Truth

I pried myself away from the television. Now I write.

Take 5 With Darcy Flynn

Good morning, Readers! Got your cup of coffee or tea or whatever your favorite morning beverage is?

Please welcome author Darcy Flynn who is joining us for some Book Chat. Her featured book today is Eagle Eye, and it has really great cover art.

Darcy will also be answering some fun questions about herself and her writing.

About Darcy Flynn

Darcy Flynn is known for her heartwarming, sweet contemporary romances. Her refreshing story lines, irritatingly handsome heroes, and feisty heroines will delight and entertain you from the first page to the last.


Miss Flynn’s heroes and heroines have a tangible chemistry that is entertaining, humorous and competitive.

Darcy lives with her husband and a menagerie of other living creatures on her horse farm in Franklin, Tennessee. She raises rare breed chickens, stargazes on warm summer nights, and indulges daily in afternoon tea.

Although published in the Christian non-fiction market under her real name, Joy Griffin Dent, it was the empty nest that turned her to writing romantic fiction. Proving that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.

Find Darcy Online

Website/Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Amazon Author Page * Goodreads * Pinterest * Google+ * Sign up for Darcy's Newsletter.

And now, let's get to know Darcy and have some fun!

Take 5 With Darcy Flynn

Q: What's your guilty pleasure when it comes to food and drink?

Darcy: Lemon squares! Admit it, you thought I was going to say chocolate, didn’t you. And yes, I do love chocolate, but lemon squares, with a hot cup of Starbucks Café Verona is my fave!

Q: What's the worst review you ever received?

Darcy: You had to bring that up! *LOL*

Q: What did you do, if anything, after reading that review?

Darcy: Like most authors, I bitched, moaned, screamed and cried…a lot, and ate... lots and lots of lemon squares!

Q: What's the best review you ever received and what did you do, if anything, after reading that review?

Darcy: I’d have to say it’s one I received for my first book, Keeper of My Heart! This reader/blogger loved it so much she included photos and music throughout the review! Then, I sent it with a note to my husband and said, “See. This is not a hobby!”

Q: If Eagle Eye were made into a movie, who would you cast as the main characters and why?

Darcy: I would cast Tom Mison as the hero. With his long hair and short beard as Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow, he’s perfect as the disheveled homeless man my heroine meets on the street corner. Later, as the clean-shaven, short haired, New York City journalist, one would have a hard time recognizing him as the same person.

I’d cast Emma Watson as my leading lady because like my heroine, she’s a petite brunette and has a wholesome, trusting appearance. Something about her makes me believe she could convince a homeless man to come inside a fine hotel for an hour of warmth and a hot meal.

About Eagle Eye by Darcy Flynn

Could one little mistake derail everything she’s worked for?

Undercover journalist, Cameron Phillips, is known for his forthright exposé articles uncovering scandals of New York City’s rich and famous. Using the pseudonym Eagle Eye to hide his identity, he is free to wield his finger pointing, no-holds-barred articles at leisure.

Jillian Jeffrey, teen fashion industry’s latest darling, has a heart for the less fortunate. Her goal is to raise enough money for fashion icon Anna Delany’s, Like No Other charity foundation. The donation will not only keep the charity afloat, but will place Jill in the running for a coveted position on LNO’s board of directors.

In a moment of weakness, at the charity gala, Jill reluctantly accepts a bet from her ex-boyfriend and uses a homeless man to raise twenty thousand dollars. Unknown to Jill, the homeless guy is the cynical, undercover journalist, and Jill has just become his latest exposé target.

In a twist of fate, Cameron is soon hired to shadow Jill as she volunteers with the charity. Shorthaired and clean-shaven, he looks nothing like the bearded, disheveled man Jill had encountered the night of the gala.

During their time together, he not only discovers the noble reason behind the bet, but witnesses first hand his article’s negative impact on her business. Faced with the prospect of losing her, will Cameron come up with an antidote for Eagle Eye’s toxic exposé before Jill loses everything she’s worked for?


Add Eagle Eye by Darcy Flynn to Your Library

You'll find this captivating romance at: Amazon * B&N * iBooks.

Takeaway Truth

Readers, this sounds like a fun romance. Why not get a copy today?

Movies I Wish Were Better

The remake of The Saint, starring Adam Rayner and Eliza Dushko who is so thin she looks like a cancer patient.

Roger Moore and Ian Ogilvie, both of whom also played The Saint, appear in cameo roles. I couldn't get past the first half of them movie.

Sadly, this remake misses. What should be lighthearted and witty is a paint-by-numbers cliché. What a shame to waste such talented actors.
Van Helsing borrows from popular vampire and zombie movies and TV shows. "Waking from a coma, Vanessa finds soldier Axel protecting her during a vampire apocalypse known as The Awakening." Yep, The Awakening was the first season of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. The twist? Vanessa now has supernatural powers.

I made it to the middle just to see if something compelling happened, but my time was not rewarded.

A Kind of Murder, a retro thriller, also suffered from poor pacing. Obsessed with an unsolved murder case, a crime novelist fantasizes about murdering his wife. Then she turns up dead.

Starring Patrick Wilson and Jessica Biel. This was billed as a sixties film, but the vibe is more like mid-fifties.

Handsome, a Netflix Original, was a disappointment. I really wanted to like this take on the detective genre, but what should have been funny and/or quirky seemed forced and artificial rather than organic. Maybe they just tried too hard.

Takeaway Truth

Movies, like books, can sometimes fail despite a great cast, an interesting story, and good directing.

Sometimes all the elements just never come together in a compelling story.

Just Monday Musing

A friend sent me a funny email with graphic images that look like those motivational posters you see everywhere.

Some of them were funny enough to give me a chuckle so I thought I'd share a few with you.

1. Camping: where you spend a small fortune to live like a homeless person. (Too true. Have you seen the price of tents?!)

2. People my age are so much older than me. (I say this all the time!)

3. I want to grow my own food, but I can't find bacon seeds. (I dedicate this one to my Darling Husband.)

4. I have so many problems that if a new one comes along today, it will be at least two weeks before I can worry about it. (Ugh. Too true it seems.)

5. "I'm working as hard as I can to get my life and my cash to run out at the same time. If I can just die after lunch Tuesday, everything will be perfect." ~ Doug Sanders, Pro Golfer

Takeaway Truth

Laugh ten times every day, and you'll have a much better attitude about Life.

No Confidence? Then Grow It

Did you know you can actually grow your confidence? It's true. It's one of the those things that's simple but not easy.

3 Steps To Growing Confidence

1. It takes effort to do something when you don't think you can do it. So if you don't have confidence now, then fake it. Yes, that's right. Fake it till you make it.

Act as if you have all the confidence in the world. You'll do things and surprise yourself. Just doing it brings you to the second step.

2. Experience. The more you fake it till you make it; the more you will experience the upside of just doing it.

Experience it a few times, and you'll automatically look back and say, "I did this before, and it turned out okay. I can do it again." Just doing it gives you the third step.

3. Sense of Accomplishment. Oh, yeah, baby! There's nothing like the satisfaction of having done something you didn't think you could.

Wallow in that sense of accomplishment. Trot out the memory every time you're faced with something you must do that you don't think you can.
 

Takeaway Truth

Try this 3 step process the next time you find yourself thinking, "Oh, I can't do that!"

You'll surprise yourself.

You'll take on more tasks, try new things, and put forth the effort to learn something you thought was beyond your understanding.

Have a wonderful weekend!

 P. S. Want a free ebook? Just click here!

Latest on Diet Soda

Health Caution: Diet Soda

Did you see the latest news about Diet Soda? I caught it last week on one of the morning shows.

By now, I guess everyone knows that Diet Soda can actually cause you to gain weight, not lose it.

The bigger news is, according to the TV report, that drinking just 1 diet soda per day increases your risk of stroke and dementia.

Don't take my word for it. Here's an article about the findings from the New York Times.

Ironically, my dad had both heart disease and suffered a severe stroke. He also had Alzheimer's.

He drank nothing but diet sodas, and tea and coffee sweetened artificially for the last 10-15 years of his life because he was diabetic.

Takeaway Truth

Always keep abreast of the latest scientific research regarding health and nutrition. Alter your diet accordingly.