Reminder: Power is a wonderful thing...

Last night, the power went out twice, once for an hour and a half and again a few hours later for about five minutes.

Each time, clocks had to be reset. Fortunately, nothing was recharging.

The first time, I called the electric company. She was very pleasant and let me know it wasn't us. It was a circuit breaker. She gave me an approximate time of repair and offered to call back. Standard procedure, I know. The whole neighborhood was affected. It's kind of funny seeing people coming out of their houses and checking with each other with a nod.

What helped make the whole thing less stressful?

I programmed the emergency number to the electric company into my phone. No needing to look it up anymore. I use it maybe once or twice a year. It's worth not having to struggle to find the number in the dark.

What else helped?

I have four flashlights and a candle in my room. There's the square, clunky old plastic traditional flashlight. I usually use it to find things in dark corners. I also have a lovely lantern with an LED light in it. I hate the blue light, but it was great for walking around a dark house. I have a little flashlight, smaller than a pen. I used it at first to locate everything. It also has the blue light I find annoying for my eyes. I switched to my little reading flashlight. And I had extra batteries, just in case.

It was a lovely evening as I enjoyed guilt-free reading, especially since I'd added several thousand words to my manuscript already.

This does not, in any way, imply I wouldn't mind it happening again. I prefer having power, thank you. Even so, it was pleasant knowing I knew what to do and how to do it.

Thanks God!

This and that...

I'm settling back into a pleasant routine, exercising, eating, and sleeping.

Saving Lisa is starting to come together, after I figured out the premise of the next Regency trilogy.

I'm savoring Diane Gaston's latest Regency book, A Reputation for Notoriety.

Watching the self-moving yard ornaments, otherwise known as our feral cats, is amusing.

Did you know melaleuca oil is tea tree oil? I didn't. My younger brother told me. He was right. I've mixed it with some coconut oil and lavender oil. It's supposed to help remove skin tags. So far, I've rid myself of one. That's one more than before. We'll see how it goes. And yes, I'll report here.

Carpe Diem... Michigan...

NASCAR ~ Carl came in 8th and is still #2 in the Chase. Go Carl!!

What needs to be done, today?

Saving Lisa is mapped and needs to be filled in. I can do that.

I'm trying to recover, still. I'm sleeping more than usual. Then again, I also have a bloody right eye. I sneezed. Really. I love the internet. I checked Good Search, and they gave me a link to the Mayo Clinic, and there I learned I burst a blood vessel. It isn't serious. It can happen with a sneeze or a cough. It will take about 10-14 days to clear. Cool stuff. I doubt that's why I'm feeling like something the cat dragged in. It's probably the much warmer weather. Work still needs to be done. Squaring the shoulders and slogging through.

Thank Goodness It's Sunday... #159...

~ Friends who help me maintain my sanity.

~ A/C that keeps the house wonderfully cool.

~ Power that runs the A/C, the computer, the stereo, the television, the phone charger, the microwave, the toaster oven, the stove, the refrigerator, the freezer, the fan, the lights, the washer, the dryer, and a power company that fixes a blown fuse quickly.

~ Books I love.

~ Music I love.

My Heroes... The Unknown Soldier again...

I know The Unknown Soldier is beginning to figure prominently in my Heroes posts. I think I may share the link every other week, i.e., sharing a Founding Father one week and a current hero the next.

God bless those who serve.

http://www.unknownsoldiersblog.com/2013/06/two-candles.html

It is the stories of these courageous souls that inspire me to dig a little deeper when I'm afraid, to stand a little straighter, to try a little harder.

Flag Day...

From Seal of Honor, on FB:

The 'first fold' of our flag is a symbol of life.

The 'second fold' is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.

The 'third fold' is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.

The 'fourth fold' represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.

The 'fifth fold' is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our Country, in dealing with other countries may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong."

The 'sixth fold' is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

The 'seventh fold' is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.

The 'eighth fold' is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on Mother's Day.

The 'ninth fold' is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.

The 'tenth fold' is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.

The 'eleventh fold', in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The 'twelfth fold', in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.

When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nation's motto, "In God We Trust".

Week One-Hundred Three of REAL...

REAL - Reduce stress Exercise Adequate sleep Lower caloric intake

What Navy SEALs are required to do to make it into BUD/S:

http://navyseal.s5.com/requirements.html

http://military-fitness.military.com/2013/01/the-spartan-300-workout-and-new-variations.html?ESRC=sm_fit.nl

RIght up front: Never in a million years could I do what is required. However, I needed to start somewhere. Considering how fit the SEALs are, I figured it was a good place to start. So my SEAL puppy reps (SEALp) consist of girls' pushups, crunches, and flutter kicks, a SEAL training basic. I started with doing one of each. I've worked up to 50.

Hip lifts

PT ~ Physical therapy using 2-lb weights

UB ~ Upper body exercises

BD ~ Belly dancing (my version of it, anyway)

The 7th: Sick, so just tried to make it through the day.

The 8th: 3-mile walk. PT. BD. Yard work.

The 9th: Rest. 

The 10th: 2-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. 50 and 10 more. BD.

The 11th: 1-mile walk. PT. BD.

The 12th: 2-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

The 13th: 1-mile walk. PT. BD.

The first picture was taken in February 2012. The second picture was taken in June 2012. Inspiration, at least to me:

Next Phoenix Rising... Book 2...

Triad is out and absolutely breathtaking. I could not read it fast enough. Storytelling is an art, and Gail R. Delaney is perfecting her craft.

There is nothing more satisfying than an author who takes her readers on the journey with her and delivers what the reader expects because the author stays true to the story, no matter how difficult or painful.

Gail's gift for writing unique characters continues to shine through.

What I disliked: Book 3 doesn't come out until December. 8*0

http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/phoenix-risng-book-two-triad-epub/

http://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Rising-Book-Two-ebook/dp/B00DBMRBR4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1371007359&sr=1-1

Routines...

I know some people hate the thought of routines. I used to be one of them. I've learned a few things.

Routines are boundaries I set for myself.

Routines help me accomplish my goals.

Routines need to be flexible. Because a routine is flexible, it doesn't mean it needs to be shattered to be spontaneous.

Carpe diem... next book...

What needs to be done?

Continuing writing the next book due.

Laundry was done on Saturday after all my travels. Whew.

Settling into routines and tweaking them to make them better.

Thank Goodness It's Sunday... #158...

~ Unexpected Possibilities

~ Walks along the beach

~ Friends who understand me

~ The opportunity to be a writer

~ Discovering who I am: I am God's