Jennifer Lyon
Friday, April 13th, 2018
Friday Five

Is it Friday? My days get scrambled, but I think it’s Friday…so that means it’s time to do our Friday Five! Here’s mine:

  1. I think we’re done with the redecorating for now. I wanted to do an update in my kitchen by painting my cupboards white. We got a quote and my budget screamed in agony. So I’m taking that as a no, LOL! We have a LOT of cupboards so there’s no way we’re doing them ourselves. (Don’t even think it Wizard! I can hear your brain considering it, but just stop now!) I still have a few little touches, like lamps, to finish in the living room, but those aren’t budget breakers so I’ll do those as I find the time.
  2. The next thing we have to tackle are new cell phones, and I’m scared to even start pricing those + a new plan. Wizard and I only have so many kidneys to sell to pay for these luxuries :-)
  3. The book! Yesterday, I was doing one of my favorite parts–going back and layering something in. It sounds small but feels huge. It was something that’s been bugging me about the book, and I finally found a way to address it. I love where this book is going (finally!).  Life should slow down enough to focus more consistently. (Fingers crossed that’s true!!!)
  4. Two random Maggie pics because even though I have a grandson, I still love her! 
  5. I think I’m seeing Baby Slayer this weekend. My plan is to make chicken enchiladas, take them out then watch Baby Slayer for a couple of hours while Special K gets some work done. At least that was the plan last time I checked, but I’ll call today to make sure that still works for them. They always tell me I can come anytime, but I’ve been trying to time it to give them a real break to sleep or get something done. There’s no tired like new parent tired!

Okay that’s my five, now I’d love to hear yours! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Wednesday, April 11th, 2018
Wednesday Worthy

Guess what day it is? That’s right, time for Wednesday Worthy!It seems like we’ve had a LOT of torso shots, but here we our with another one for today’s candidate:

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So what do you think, is he worthy?

 

Monday, April 9th, 2018
Weekend Roundup

I blinked and the weekend vanished. It was a busy and mostly good weekend–just a lot of running around. And, yes, I got in some Baby Slayer time :-) Today I’m home and really striving to write. It’s been such a struggle with crazy life stuff happening and the nerve pain/tinnitus making concentration difficult (and sleep nearly impossible!). But you know what? I’ve fought through challenges before and I’ll conquer this. I’m seeing two more doctors this week…

Although I’m starting to think that I need a witch not a doctor :-)

Anyway I was thinking about how all this happened suddenly and stopped my writing.  While it’s true that I was working long hours, and dedicated to getting three books out in the year, that’s NOT what caused the underlying bulging discs. In fact, Wizard and I were just talking to our doctor about causes for this, and he assured us that it’s generally age and genetics that contribute most heavily to this kind of thing. Physical injury could have caused, or exacerbated, it too. In my case, the underlying neck problem has been brewing for many years.

In other words, my passion for writing didn’t hurt me. I never want newer writers to feel like I’m waiving some kind of caution flag on their dream. If you want to write, go for it! Work hard. Yes, of course it’s important to take care of yourself physically and emotionally, but it’s also crucial to be passionate about writing, especially in the early years when we have such a big learning curve.

I believe in enthusiasm, hard work and long hours to get that story out. I want to support the dreams of new authors, not discourage them. Don’t let any fears stop you.

I just felt like I had to say that today.

So that was my weekend and rambling thoughts (seriously, I’ve had a totally of may four hours sleep this weekend, but I think I’ll sleep Sunday night.)

Friday, April 6th, 2018
Friday Five

Time to list five random things around our week. Here are mine:

  1. Wizard and I went out to hang with Baby Slayer yesterday so Special K could take a nap and get in some work. Here’s my boy: 
  2. See that adorable baby? As soon as Wizard took off to go do some stuff and Special K went to rest, he got busy with a dirty (gross!) diaper. Then when I was changing the diaper, round two showed up. Um…I began juggling fast, but I had it under control…that’s when Baby Slayer peed all over me and himself. LOLOL!! Grandma initiation! I’m pretty sure his dad put him up to it :-) Overall we had a great day together.
  3. We took Maggie to her daycare/boarding since wouldn’t be home until late last night. For the first time, Maggie didn’t struggle to get to me when I left, instead as soon as I took her leash off and put her inside the gate to the daycare section, she trotted over to the owner to say hi. I was so happy!
  4. I’m trying to write!
  5. Wizard had a good birthday this week. We went to dinner, he had steak and lobster, and I had chicken. We really enjoyed it, but DAMN the menu print was impossible to read. Obviously I’m due to get my eyes checked. My eyes are bad, but well corrected with monovision contacts. They don’t correct as well in glasses. I need to make that appointment but there’s not a lot of spare time to go around

That’s my quick Friday five, now it’s your turn to share yours. Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, April 4th, 2018
Wednesday Worthy!

We finished our feature gallery wall–whew! One more thing done! This is a crummy picture from my ancient cell phone, plus there are three windows in the room creating too much backlight, but you can get the idea:

Then we had a contractor out yesterday to get a quote on redoing the kitchen cupboards, but I think that’s going to come out higher than our budget. **Shrug**  I’d love to get it done, and also refinish the old oak table in there, but overall, we’ve made some good progress before a self-imposed deadline (I’ll talk more about that at a later date when Wizard and I are sure about it).

Now I can go back to the book! I took a couple of hours off yesterday afternoon to rest up  as I’ve pushed my joints and shoulder too hard, but a little rest always makes that better :-) Today, I’m writing, tomorrow, I’m going out to see my main man, Baby Slayer (my grandson), and then on Friday, more writing.

And now, here’s our Wednesday Worthy Candidate (and yes, he’s popping a LOT of veins.)

And a quick LOL–as I was writing this, from inside the house, Maggie saw a bird on the fence that’s at the top of our slope. She raced outside, determine to earn her Great Doggy Hunter Badger. The bird flew off the fence, circled our yard and headed off into the horizon (or wherever birds go just before sundown). Maggie kept running/jumping as if she could get high enough to catch the bird. She didn’t give up until the bird was out of her sight. The dog is a dreamer! LOLOL!! I laughed so hard, I think I pulled a muscle. But Maggie came back in the house preening, sure she’d done something amazing. Before anyone gets mad at me for laughing at her, I also took her to the dog park yesterday and she had a blast, so I get points for that :-)

Okay so back to our Wednesday Worthy Picture–what do you think, is he worthy?

Monday, April 2nd, 2018
Weekend Roundup

It was another nonstop weekend. I’m sorry I didn’t answer Friday’s blog comments–but as always, I read them! Saturday, Wizard and I shopped for, and found 10 pictures, then hung them all on a big, slightly awkward wall in our living room to create a focal point gallery wall. We love it! We need to add a couple more pictures and do some fine tuning, then I’ll try to post a picture.

And we completed our refinishing tables project! As a reminder, the tables looked like this:

With our brown leather furniture, it was just too dark. We are going with a modern rustic theme in the room, so we sanded them down as far as we could, then whitewashed the tables, and this is how they turned out (sorry for the quick, sloppy pictures–I barely had time to snap a pic this weekend!):

We’re pretty happy with the coloring that came through giving it some “distress.”  We pulled all those colors, plus the colors from the pillows on the couch in the pictures on the wall.

But man this has been a ton of work! My shoulder’s not real pleased when I try to sleep, but it was worth it.

Sunday we went out to Middle Son and Fiances for dinner and to talk about their wedding plans. That was fun, and I’m excited for the lovely beach wedding in October. After that, there wasn’t enough time to go see our grandbaby since we left Maggie at home, but we’re going to go spend time with him this week.

I’m hoping to work this week too!

So that was my weekend, how was yours?

Friday, March 30th, 2018
Friday Five

Time to list five random things about our week!

  1. Wizard brought me home a solid chocolate Easter bunny last night! As soon as I’m done with this blog, I’m going to do serious damage to that bunny!
  2. We got the living room tables sanded down, and white washed. Both Wizard and I have happy so far. Today we’ll varnish then, let them dry then reassemble then and take pictures to show on Monday.
  3. My day with Baby Slayer on Wednesday was amazing! He’s such a good baby, and already making eye contact and engaging. When he hears his mom’s voice, he turns to find her. His dad is a total hands on daddy.
  4. Wizard and I ate dinner out on the patio yesterday. It was a perfect seventy-eight degrees, and we had fun together. Maggie loved it too (That’s right, Wizard, I saw that tiny piece of steak you dropped on the patio for her!).
  5. For everyone who celebrate–Happy Easter! We aren’t doing anything special this year, just being thankful for our family, Maggie, our son getting married this Oct. to a wonderful woman, and our beloved new grandson.

Now it’s your turn to list your Friday Five! Hope everyone has a great weekend!

JenniferLyon.com