ACCORDING TO my friend Debbie Macomber, there's something called the Golden Circle, a window of time between retirement and wheelchairs that is ideal for traveling. Your health is still relatively good and you can carry your own suitcase. Gerhardt and I aren't retiring yet but we are traveling before those stuffed carry-on's get too heavy to put in the plane's overhead compartment.
This summer I had a writers conference in NYC and my other half learned that the Queen Mary 2 would be making an Atlantic crossing to England, leaving the same day that the conference ended. We hopped on the opportunity and I'm so glad we did. What a memorable adventure!
We were able to see our fabulous friends, Sue and Malcom while in England. They treated us like royalty, spoiling us rotten and showing us parts of England we always wanted to see: Stratford on Avon, the Cotswolds, Jane Austen's house, Oxford, Westminster. What a fabulous pair! I hope that won't be the last time we get to be with them.

WHAT TO DO when you've got new digs to furnish but you don't have a new digs budget? You go bargain hunting, of course! And for me the best bargains are found at garage and estate sales and in thrift stores. I love the thrill of the hunt and if someone needs to lighten her load and downsize or find a new home for Grandma's favorite chair, well, I'm here to help. Let me tell you, I've been helping a lot of people since we hit sunny California and started refurbishing our spring bird digs.
What have I found so far? The bedroom furnishings you see above, for one. Still on the hunt for nightstands, but meanwhile, this sweet, little oak dresser ($30 at a garage sale) will do. The bed (including mattresses) was $150 and we also sprang for the bedspread and pillow shams. We got this beauty at an estate sale. No, nobody died in it. The bed was in a guest room. I can't remember for sure, but I think we paid $7 for the lamp. The  Mikasa dishes I found in a thrift store in Ocean Shores (the inspiration for my fictional town of Moonlight Harbor) and we drove them down along with a ton of other bargain hunt treasures I'd purchased for the new place. The fun original water color came from the same estate sale where we got the bed, along with a wing back leather chair for Gerhardt. And that gorgeous writing desk? Garage sale. Are we having fun or what?
Summer is garage sale season, and if you're on a budget it's the ideal way to pick up kitchen items, play clothes for the kids, sports equipment, dishes, kitchen gadgets - everything but the kitchen sink. Oh, wait. You can probably find one of those somewhere, too. So check on line and see what's happening in your neighborhood. Right now, we're coming up on Memorial Day weekend, the traditional kick-off for the season. I'm hoping to find nightstands. How about you?

I've never broken a bone in my whole long life. Okay, that's what I used to say. Now I can't thanks to a fractured ankle. Oh, the pain, oh the misery! Oh, how unnecessary. If only I'd been watching where I was going.
We were at our ocean digs and I was just taking a little walk down the street to the beach. Got looky-looing around, walked to close to the edge of the asphalt and twisted my ankle and went down. I a second. In less time than it takes to say, "Ouch." 
Good grief, have I been paying for that. No tennis, no ping pong, no line dancing. Just sitting around turning into Jabba the Hut. (Well, okay, I've been getting a lot of writing done, so every cloud does have that silver lining. But stilll... sheesh.)
There is a moral to this story, dear friends. Pay attention. Watch where you're going, watch what you're doing. Whether on foot or behind the wheel. Accidents happen in a second.
Wrong life decisions can happen pretty quickly, too. I realized there was definitely some symbolism to be found in my little adventure. We do need to be wise as we travel life's road. It's easy to not pay attention to the important things and wind up in a ditch. And some things aren't as easily repaired as a fractured ankle.
So, am I watching where I'm going now? You betcha. On so many levels!

During my morning devotions I had a bit of an epiphany I thought I'd share for anyone interested.
I was reading my Bible, Matthew 8, and there was the story of a leper who came to Jesus and asked for healing. A very bold thing to do in Bible times as lepers didn't exactly get invited to the neighborhood barbecues. In fact, they had to warn people away from them, calling out, "Unclean."
This man had to know no one would want to see him coming, but he was desperate to be rid of his disease, so he boldly approached Jesus, and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."
Jesus replied, "I am willing," and he healed the man.
So what was there in that story for me? The reminder that I can be bold and come to God with my needs. Not demanding, like a bratty child, but humble like that leper. God is always willing to work in my life. And in anyone's if we just come to Him, shedding our pride and asking for help. Surely, He will say to us, "I am willing." And He is willing - to help us through hard times, give us wisdom when we have important decisions to make, give us rest and healing and bring us to a place of peace.
And there it is, in a nutshell. Whatever you might be going through I hope this encourages you to be humble and bold.

Another birthday is almost upon me. Time to dig out the party hats and chocolate (M & M caramel, Dove dark, Frangos - bring 'em on!) Time to celebrate with family and friends. The one thing it's not time to do is look in the mirror. What's happening here? What's with this wrinkly "wrapping" and gray hair? My, how I've changed from when I was thirty!
But only on the outside. Inside, in my fertile little mind I'm still thirty and a babe. (Yes, that picture below is little old me in my band chick years in the eighties.)

iI'm not exactly walking into rooms and turning heads these days, but I am walking into rooms and being warmly greeted. I am having fun. I am trying to make a difference in the world. I am living my life.
And I am realizing that the much loved Twinkie and I have a lot in common. We've all heard jokes about the looooong shelf life of Twinkies. Well, that's me on the inside. I may not look like I did when I was thirty, but my spirit is as young as ever.
So, this birthday I'm celebrating the fact that I'm still here, that God has watched over me, taken me through many rough waters and always gotten me to shore. The face may have some dents and cracks but the brain is still working. I'm still living my story and I'm grateful to be here... with my wrinkly wrapping.

I LOVE PURSES! AND SHOES. AND SCARVES. AND CANDLES. AND FANCY DISHES. AND TEAPOTS. AND BOOKS. BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS!
But after lo, these many years, my love has gotten out of control. I have too much stuff. My poor kids. I keep telling them, "I apologize in advance for what you guys are going to have to deal with when we're gone. Honestly, how much stuff do I need?
Not nearly as much as I once thought, that's for sure. Which is why this year I'm focusing on getting rid of things we don't use any more, things that have been hanging around taking up space. A lot of those things are very nice. Someone could use them. I need to set them free to go make some other woman happy.
I actually started the process this last Christmas, giving my daughter and daughter-in-law some fun items that came attached with memories. This month I took a trunk full of stuff to Goodwill. Next month, after I've lost that last ten pounds I want to shed, it will be time to clean my closet. And yes, even a purse or two will go away. Sigh.
As for my focus on the future? What's the plan? Give more, take less. Plump up the savings for old age and only buy little things that don't take up much space - diamonds, gold. Hahahah. Seriously, I'm determined to remember that there are people in the world who would consider me very rich and then act accordingly - share those riches.
With that in mind I'm looking forward to a very prosperous year, one of soul prosperity.

Christmas Vacation - National Lampoon has nothing on Gerhardt and Sheila. Of course, we had to have a comic relief moment when I almost got stuck in a bathroom at one of our many destinations which we dubbed Tourist Trap Outpost. Picture little Sheila unable to get the door to unlock, pounding on it, crying, "Help!" while on the other side some of my cruise companions tried to figure out how to release me. I did finally manage to release myself before the tour bus left without me. Hmmm. I got lost coming back from the bathroom to the tour bus in Athens. Maybe potty issues are becoming a trend with me. That's probably why, when I wanted to leave the crowd at the airport in France to go look for the ladies room, my other half begged me to stay put.
But I digress. We had a great time on our holiday Rhine River cruise with my sister and brother in-law, who are great traveling companions. Viking Cruises are the best. In addition to taking us to some wonderful Christmas Markets in Germany (the pictures don't do justice to these - they are magical!) they also made sure we stayed safe during the scary time when the terrorist was loose in Strasbourg. The city, which was one of our destinations, was shut down as police searched for him. Such a sad time. On a happier note, we were taken to some places that were equally beautiful (in fact, the Christmas market at Baden Baden was the best of all!) We also made wonderful new friends on the boat and, after the cruise, got a chance to see Paris. (Every writer should see Paris, right?) We were properly stunned seeing the Eiffel Tower up close and personal and enjoyed a visit with the Mona Lisa. One thing that surprised me was the impact these accomplishments have on you when you see them in person. 
Another thing that left an impression was the memorials that are now being erected around Germany in honor of those who suffered during the Holocaust. What's been done can't be undone and that will forever be a dark time in the county's history. But it was good to see that horror being acknowledged.
There we encountered a team of pickpockets. Three men who'd seen the dumb tourists getting out their money to buy tickets to the train to the airport. When we got on, dragging our carry-on luggage behind us, rat number one, the distractor spoke to my husband in rapid-fire French, man-handling his carry-on, while rat number two hemmed him in. In the midst of the chaos, rat number three was reaching his hand into my hubby's murse (man purse). Fortunately, my husband is no dummy and figured out what was going on. He whacked the intruder's hand away. The head of the gang saw the jig was up, asked, "Are we good?" (No hard feelings, dude?) Then he and his pals bolted off the train just as the doors were closing.
Another man had seen the distractor in action and after they'd bolted said, "You know what they were doing? They were drying to rob you."
No kidding. Really?
He was disgusted and assured us that, "This is not France."
We already knew that. Everyone we met had been kind and friendly. And we were happy to survive the adventure in one piece.
Our trip was wonderful, a true vacation and the first time in years I haven't hauled along some kind of work to do. Of course, I did come back inspired so I suspect I'll get a book out of this.
Now we're home and getting ready to enjoy a merry Christmas with our loved ones. I hope you're getting ready to do the same. Happy holidays!

No, I'm not flying around in my own private jet and I don't have millions in the bank. But, like George Bailey in IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, I sometimes feel like the richest woman in town.
Coming off Thanksgiving, it's hard not to feel rich. This time of year turns our focus in the directions of our blessings. Yes, Gerhardt and I have possessions and enjoy them. Yes, we both are gainfully employed. But the biggest blessings of all that I'm counting are  - you guessed it - all those non-material things. Here's what I'm most grateful for:
Family, the ones who, growing up, build your character (you know, teach you how to share whether you want to or not, teach you patience, teach you to not take forever in the bathroom cuz someone else wants to use it.) Hopefully, for most of you reading this, you enjoy the blessing of a family that gets along. I sure do. I have a fabulous family! (By the way, if you don't have that kind of super family, I hope this year you can build yourself one. Find some cool grandparent or parent figures and adopt 'em!)
Then there are friends. Our family builds our character. The friends we chose reveal it. Come to think of it, maybe they also help build it. I am so thankful for my friends who are both fun and loyal. And who are not afraid to tell me, "Yes, that does make your butt look big."
And how about health? Oh, my, is it easy to take it for granted... until you don't have it. I am so immensely thankful that I've reached the five year mark of being cancer free. Woohoo!
If I lost family, friends, all my possessions and even my health, I'd still have something to be thankful for, and that's the fact that God loves me. We've finished Thanksgiving and now we're headed for Christmas, the biggest birthday party of them all. I'm going to go into that season with gratitude.
And I hope I'll go into the New Year with the same attitude. Blessings are blessings, whether big or small!
Happy Thanksgiving.

     Yesterday was a good, good day. Much better than the week before when, going in for the last of my every six month post uterine cancer check-ups my doctor found something she felt warranted a second opinion. A week of waiting, another boat ride into the city on a gloomy, rainy day.
     All week long I'd stayed calm, told myself that if there was a problem we'd deal with it when it arose. Trust God, I kept telling myself.
     And I did great, kept my hypochondria at bay, stayed calm ... until five minutes before my check up. I went to use the bathroom and for a moment thought, Let's just not come out. Or, better yet, the exit is right around the corner. Run for it!
     A moment of rapid heartbeat, followed by a deep breath and a determined walk back to the exam room. Up onto the exam table. Now I get what people mean when they talk about certain situations and say they felt like they were standing outside themselves, observing. That was me as the doctor and I began talking, as she conducted her examination. An observer.
     Happily, this second doctor couldn't find anything worrisome. I had dodged the bullet. When I came back out to the waiting room, my husband, who had gone with me, and had been assuring me all week that everything would be fine, cried with relief. We practically skipped out of the hospital. And went to a cool Irish restaurant in Seattle to celebrate. (Surrounded by books, no less - how's that for appropriate for a writer?)
      There will, of course, come a day when we get news that isn't so great, when one or the other of us has to face a new disease and, eventually, death. This is not that time. Still, I must say, I came away with the reminder that, no matter how long you live, life is short.      
     I am grateful for this new day, grateful for new opportunities, and determined to be open to whatever God has in store for me. It's so easy to drift. I want to keep my little boat pointed in the direction of worthwhile projects, kindness, selflessness and a closer walk with God. Drifting eats up too many precious days. Yes to living each day to the fullest.
     And now, I'm going to go enjoy some chocolate. Life's too short not to enjoy its simple pleasures, don't you think?

     After a summer of partying it's time for Gerhardt and me to get serious about our eating habits. We look like Teletubbies.
     This whole diet thing is new territory for a man who's always been slender and could eat whatever he wanted. I'd dubbed him the two-legged locust. He would devour everything in his path... including my chocolate stash. Ah, but that has come to a screeching halt. The nightly binges on animal cookies and chocolate are at an end. Consuming a loaf of French bread single-handed over a two day span? Also gone.
     So, here's how a recent conversation went.
Me: "Fish and salad for dinner."
Gerhardt: "Yuck. What else can I have? Pretzels?"
Me: "No. Pretzels are carbs."
Gerhardt: "I suppose I can't have crackers."
Me: "No crackers."
But I did give him a little yogurt for dessert, to which he replied sarcastically, "Oh, goody."
Ten minutes later...
Gerhardt: "Where's the chocolate?"
     The diet trail is not for wimps.