Taking An Unexpected Break
I’ve been taking a break from my blog rather unexpectedly. So what was I doing instead? Well, I was:
- Writing
- Cooking
- Reading
- Sleeping
Writing – Several weeks ago, I started an on-line course from Sheila Bender, author of books about journaling and turning journals into personal essays. The timing wasn’t the greatest, but I’ve been wanting to take this class and was concerned that at some point, she wouldn’t offer it again.
The first three weeks have been different types of essays – descriptive, compare and contrast, and for this week, cause and effect. I’m using different entries from my blog to develop these essays and will post them as I have time.
It’s been more work than I expected; not only am I developing the essays, but I’m also commenting on the essays posted by my fellow participants. I am reading them carefully so as to offer worthwhile comments for their consideration. My fellow participants are doing the same and have offered me some very good comments on my own work. I like them and am glad this is a supportive group.
Sheila has been great as well. She gives a detailed critique to each essay and does it in a way that is very encouraging. I look at what she writes me back and wonder how did I miss that? She will offer a follow-up class on revision and I think it is likely I will take that as well.
Cooking – I had a turkey and ham from Easter that never got cooked because I spent the afternoon on the deck visiting with my daughter instead of running in and out of the kitchen. My favorite boy toy left for a photo trip to the Smoky Mountains shortly after she went home. I’ve cooked up both, made several pots of soup, turkey broth from the leftover carcass, and am working at getting old food used up from the freezer.
The beagle is finally losing weight and has much better energy. We’ve reduced the amount of food he gets and substituted big piles of green beans instead. So. . . I’m trying the same thing. I’ve tremendously increased the amount of vegetables that I’m eating and cutting portions more. It’s taking some adjustment, but I am seeing a reduction in my cravings although I don’t yet see an improvement in my energy.
Reading – I’ve been getting lost in some books. I sometimes buy the Amazon Daily Deals for the Kindle and have gotten some really good books for $.99 to $1.99. A Gentle Rain by Deborah Smith was really good. Although I prefer mysteries, this romance novel had a good plot and I liked the characters. I was disappointed this one isn’t a series.
Another good read was Reckless by Andrew Gross. For the price, I expected it to be a novella, a prelude to his new book that is not yet out. It was a full length book about a terrorist plot involving destroying the U.S.A. financial markets.
The Black Stiletto by Raymond Benson is the story of an adult son who discovers his mother was a superhero avenger as a young woman. It was an okay read, but I never got overly involved in the story.
Sleeping – I came down with another cold. I didn’t miss anytime from work, but I spent the week after Easter just working and sleeping. I got over it in about ten days, but I was pretty tired all the time.
I also went out to the botanical gardens on Saturday. The azalea’s continue to bloom in all kinds of colors. The ones below are part of my new header.
Have a good week!
dogear6 View All →
I am a backyard adventurer, philosopher and observer, recording my life in journals and photographs. Visit my blog at www.livingtheseasons.com.
Living The Seasons 
Loving that you are so engrossed in your class and hate that you were sick. I haven’t had time to sit and get in a good read since spring started (too much gardening and quilting) I might make time for a read, and soon! My husband mentioned something about Easter dinner and tradition that got me to thinking, and I will put it to you too: “Don’t you find the concept of eating ham for Easter a strange custom?” Think about it… ;)
Glad you are on the mend! ~ Lynda
I did think that about the ham when I was buying it! I thought I was the only one that found it odd.
Do make time to read, even if it’s late at night. It’s a wonderful way to relax and it helps keep your brain sharp too.
How do you get a beagle to eat green beans? Laura loves green beans – however, there are a few foods I’d like her to try and need some fresh tricks. I missed your blog posts, though glad to hear your absence was so productive.
I don’t think the beagle tricks will help you with Laura :) We feed him a dry food and wet it down with warm water, which makes a kind of gravy. The beans are mixed in which helps disguise the flavor.
Jerry Seinfeld’s wife (Jessica) put out several cookbooks on hiding vegetables in food. I bet your library has a copy.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_12?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=jessica+seinfeld+kids+cookbook&sprefix=jessica+sein%2Caps%2C221
I personally found spaghetti sauce and meatloaf to both be great places for hiding vegetables.
Very cool…well, not getting the cold. (This allergy season is hitting everyone). Glad you got to the gardens – the new header is definitely spring
Thanks Karen! Yeah, the allergies are not helping either. The azalea’s were cool and so was everything else there. I’ll be sharing more photos for everyone to see.
I hope you’re feeling better. It sounds like the time you’re spending on the course will be well worth it. We can learn a lot from teaching or helping others, so that time is well-spent too, I imagine.
I think the time will be well spent, but it’s frustrating that I didn’t really have time for it right now. I’m finally feeling better, but it was really discouraging to get another cold when the last one had lingered on so long.
Enjoy the course. Happy to hear you are spending time on yourself.
Thanks Paige! I’ll share more of the course with everyone as some of the material is new.
Sounds like you’ve been busy doing what you need to do. Glad you are feeling better. the course sounds very good. I find that kind of feedback so valuable. Take care!
Darlene – I’ve enjoyed when you’ve posted about your writer’s group and other writing activities. It really inspired me to work harder at this, but I’m still having trouble getting a good routine going. The demands of my job are part of it too, of course.
Wondered what you’ve been up to, knowing your weren’t sitting around twiddling your thumbs! lol That’s a pretty azalea you’ve featured. Thanks for sharing about your online class.
Patti – Thanks for the encouragement as always! I’m a bit over my head right now and it’s destroyed some of the fun in my life. It’s really making me rethink whether I want to go to the writing conference in May.
I will share more of my class over the next few weeks.
I noticed, and are glad you are back.
Aww. . . you’re sweet to notice. Thanks!
get well soon
Thanks Louise. My cousin’s husband recently posted on Facebook that he was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I told him I sympathized. I feel the same way. It seems I barely got over the one from Thanksgiving and I got this one.