Women Who Eat Chocolate

Oh, Memorial Day/first day of summer for my kids!  I love this day.  It hearkens me back to my marching band days when we'd be up at the crack of dawn to get ready for three separate parades.  Walnut Creek, Winesburg, and Berlin.  The sun would be blazing and we would be marching down the street in our hot and sticky uniforms.  My kids march now, but they get to wear shorts and red polos - much better choice.  After marching, I would walk the back alley from the graveyard to my house and summer would officially start.  I always felt like that last day of marching was unbearable til I could get home.  Nothing was sweeter than walking in the house and knowing the whole summer stretched before you.  Long, languid days of reading, walking in the woods, or driving around with friends.  This day, more than any other, reminds me of those long ago days.   I know it's a day of remembrance.  I respect and honor those who have fought fo...

There are days for rants and days to stay quiet.  My newest blog on The Bargain Hunter came out today, and it was a rant day.  Ever tired of the negativity and complaining we hear on Facebook?  Check out my tried and true solutions for dealing with it.   Is Facebook turning into a Complaining Nation? 

Oh those birds...   Tweeting and twittering away outside in my very green backyard.  The branches are simply loaded with birds hopping and talking to each other.  The other day I looked out my bedroom window and right there was a huge mama bird sitting on a nest that was way too small for her.  She looked right at me with her big eyes, deemed me a threat, and flew away. Made no sense as her eggs were left unprotected - but cest la vie - that's nature.   My pink rose bush is hanging heavy with bright pink flowers and I may have to go pick a few to enjoy inside.  Their smell this time of year is heavenly.  I think the season is early this year because that rose bush never blooms until our anniversary weekend which is next week.  It's been an early spring here in NE Ohio, but who is really complaining?  I'm certainly not, as it's my day off and it looks like the middle of summer.  Cool air, though, this morning puts us back in April. ...

As I leave for my 9-5 job this morning, my longing is to stay home and be creative.  It's an age-old dilemma and one that I wrestle with on a daily basis.  My kids are older and almost out of high school and I long to live out my dreams.  It will happen, and there are others that feel the same.   Here is a link to an article that inspired me this morning.  Hopefully it can kick me in the butt enough to get some things done.   Happy Monday and have a great week!  Dream big! The Creative Penn:  Who says your writing dreams have to be Sensible or Realistic? 

It seems all my time and writing energy is going into my column over at The Bargain Hunter .  That's where the money is so I guess that's to be expected.  None the less, I want this blog to be productive.  Maybe what I need is an actual website - a domain all my own.  I need links, and buttons, and all the fun things that go with a website.  If my Junkbabe persona is going to take off at all I need to take the plunge and get that going.  Surfing Facebook will not make that happen.   I truly want to this writing habit of mine to supplement not only my husband's income, but make enough to be called legitimate.  Some of my fellow bloggers are an incredible inspiration.  Tracy Lopez over at Latinaish  makes it look effortless - though I know keeping up a freshly inspired blog is hard work.  It's not just writing, it's all the other efforts for other projects and tying it all together that make it work.  The Unknown Mami  is ...