Have you ever experienced the unexplainable?

I am proud to announce my story, The Moose, will be published in Chicken Soup for the Soul Miracles and the Unexplainable, launch date September 13, 2022 everywhere books are sold and online. 

This is the 33rd Chicken Soup book in which my stories have been published and shared world-wide.

My story oringinally titled, Heaven Sent, is very dear to my heart and almost unbelievable, but I swear it happened, and there were three witnesses who can attest. 

I have had many unexplainable events, prayers answered, and unusual occurences in my life, but this was truly a God send. I thrill at the memory.

The 101 stories in this collection will make a believer out of readers, cause them to nod, sigh with satisfaction, and touch them deeply. 

This particular title would make a great holiday gift for family and friends, your church or synagogue, a hospital or nursing home, someone going through a rough time... anyone. 

I believe life's mysteries are often heavens gifts. What do you think?  

Are you a writer in action, a builder of stories?

Sometimes, no matter where you are in life, you need a helping hand to get over a hurdle, to make a little progress, or reach a goal. Even when you think you have outgrown something, there is always something new to learn, a bit of enjoyment in reconnecting with your earlier self. 

The boys discovered their old stroller in my car trunk, and well, I could have said, "Absolutely not." Instead, I said, "Why not?" 

They had a so much fun pushing one another up and down the driveway. Five-year-old Alex used all his might to push his eight-year-old brother Liam. Alex gleefully rejoiced when he was able to propel his brother back up the incline. He felt a certain degree of success. "I did it!"

It was easier to push four-year-old Charlie, who squealed with delight at getting a free ride.

Liam became the brains and brawn of this operation, explaining the physics, the reasoning as to why something would or wouldn't work as well, this way or that... sharing knowledge he has already gained about the brakes and motion. Alex liked being in charge, but Liam supervised.

It's the same with writers. Some prefer to sit back, coast, and leisurely learn, let someone else lead. They may require a little push.

 Others zoom headlong into monthly meetings wanting to gain as much information as possible. 

More experienced writers may sit one out, feel they don't need to attend a meeting because they know a lot about the topic. Nobody knows all there is to know.

Are you a generous writer? Do you share your expertise with the inexperienced? Do you pay it forward? Do you help propel others along the road to success? 

The boys discovered a surprise last week. They had a great time creating with Lincoln Logs. Liam, who is heading back to school, built a fabulous building but couldn't figure out how to make windows. It was all I could do to sit back and observe. Sometimes trial and error and experience are the best teachers. When he was finished, I showed him how to incorporate the smaller building logs to make openings. But first he tried his way. Despite his initial disappoinment that his structure did not have windows, he was proud of his accomplishment.

Alex is mechanically inclined and built with great fervor, designing on a smaller scale but adding his entire structure into Liam's as a garage.

Charlie is into tornadoes and is a whirlwind himself. He simply manipulated the materials, telling us a tornado knocked his down. If unsupervised, I can tell you his brothers' buildings would have met with destruction. He is just learning the basics, the fundamentals of stacking, interlocking etc.

Writers are builders, too. We pile one word onto another to create one sentence, and then our sentences become paragraphs... until we have an essay, article, chapter, or book. We go back and revise to make our work stronger. Sometimes we destroy our own work. It's all part of learning. 

Write on, readers! Write for your self. Write for others. Write for posterity or publication, but WRITE. Writers write; they don't just talk about writing.   

 

 

Summer Fun

 My cousin, Donna, is babysitting her grandchildren this summer. She invited the boys to come over for a play date. Charlie spied the kitchen set and went about preparing pizza. Then he grabbed the toy fire extinguisher and shouted, "Wait! Wait! I have to put the fire out." Last week our smoke alarm malfunctioned frequently. I think that played into his imaginative play.

Alex spotted the hot dog/pretzel/soda cart and prepared buns, and hot dogs, soda, and pretzels to sell. They had so much fun pretending.

Liam and Grant came in from swimming and had fun playing air hockey. The boys all had fun making memories.  

Bill and his "best buddy" have two-way conversations. We swear Sassy Cat knows how to tell time.

He wakes me at 5:00 a.m. Begs for a little kibble snack at noon, and he cries for his moist food (quarter of a can) between 4:00-4:30 p.m. He appeals to me first, but if I'm busy, he meows at Bill and waits for an invitation. then he bounds on his lap. Face to face these two talk.

"Buddy, what is it you want?"

Meow-meow.

"Oh you want your food? What would you like fish, or chicken?"

The cat meows and "answers" endless questions. He hops off Bill's lap and waits for him to come feed him. It really is a mutual love.

Bill brought groceries home from a big box store. Sassy found this cardboard box that was just his size, almost two foot long, and took a nap in it.

He gets the last of his kibble right before we go to bed. About 9:30 p.m. he starts meowing to Bill and then me, looking from one to the other. I ask him, "Do you want to EAT?" He jumps up and yowls with excitement. Yes, he's our fur baby and we swear he understands and can tell time. He is a good boy. When I tell him the boys are coming he perks up at the word boys. Maybe that's because they sneak him a few pieces of kibble when he meows. Liam proudly says, "We are the same age, and I have been feeding you since I was five years old."

Charlie and Alex are somewhat afraid when he meows and they keep their distance, which is just as well. This fat cat is 15 pounds.