Living the Dream

 I wasn’t sure that I would be able to post this month, but the surgery went well and I ma quite mobile, far more than I was before the surgery. Not a bionic hip,but a titanium one that will probably outlast me.

May 7 question – Some common fears writers share are rejection, failure, success, and lack of talent or ability. What are your greatest fears as a writer? How do you manage them?

My greatest fear is failure. Not failure to finish the book I’m writing, but failure to write something worth the time it takes someone to read it. That whatever I write is just junk. I suppose that is essentially a fear that I lack the talent it takes to be an author and won’t entertain or touch the reader in any way.

How do I cope with it? I suppose by reminding myself that I will never be able to please all the people all the time, but if I don’t try, I will fail, because as Wayne Gretzky said, you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. So, I’ll keep taking my shots and hope for the best.

Check out other answers here: https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Welcome to May and this week’s Tuesday Tales. Our word prompt is MAROON. I’m continuing with And Justice for All.

“Damn shame.” Kelly’s voice made her jump. “Sally’s the one in the maroon dress. She and Pat celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary last month. I’ve never seen two people fight so hard to be a family. Sally’s father is the head of some off the rails Christian sect. They’ve got property in the country somewhere, but live completely off the grid … no electricity, no medical treatment, and no modern social beliefs. They grow or make everything they need. Someone said they were allied with some similar denominations in the US. I asked Pat about it once. She said he’d been trying off and on to have his daughter declared mentally unsound so that he could take her kids away from her. As far as I’ve heard, none of the courts would entertain his motions since he isn’t exactly a straight shooter in the eyes of the law. We were out there last fall when a man accused him of kidnapping his missing teenaged daughter, but if he did, we didn’t find any sign of her and believe me, we searched. Pat went through everything.”

“So, Pat had enemies.”

“Only that wing nut. He’s probably going to come for Sally and the others now. I don’t know how she’s going to be able to stand up to him on her own. We’ll protect her, but Pat was her anchor. She and Sally were going home to Kenora. They were finally getting away from the old bastard. She’d found them a nice home on the Reserve. Pat was part Ojibwa. I guess that goes all to rat-shit now, too. Not sure Sally will be allowed to live on the Reserve.”

A woman police officer, a visible minority at that, with a powerful zealot as an enemy. The conversation she’d overheard and what Kelly said about an anniversary struck her.

“Pat and Sally were a married couple? Is that right?”

Was that another reason why she’d been targeted?

“Yeah.” He cocked his head. “And one of the happily married kind at that. Sally worked as a 9 1 1 dispatcher. She probably took that call this morning.” He frowned. “We’ve all heard the rumors, Detective. Do you think her being gay had anything to do with what happened out there this morning?”

Don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

May 3, 2025. Well, what a month this has been. So much has happened, some to do with the blog challenge, and that has been 100 percent amazing. Last year, I made new friends, this year I did as well, and I hope to keep many of them as I did in the past. My general theme of writing about whatever moved me went well, even when my surgery date was announced and I had to pre-plan the last week of blogs. I enjoyed looking at the alphabet through other eyes, learning new thingsI was able to incorporate in the book I was working on, a book that is finished now. To those who inspired me, thank you.

There is no denying the huge boost of confidence I received from everyone concerning my surgery itself. Nine days later, while I may still have a long way to go in terms of my recovery, I’m feeling hopeful. The pain is significantly reduced although I did have a couple of blah days. Getting help to get my hair washed as well as my body seriously impacted my happy center. As the person who always did everything for everyone else, being helpless is soul-destroying. I have a long way to go before I’m self-sufficient again, but at least I know that the light at the end on the tunnel isn’t an oncoming train, and best of all, the pain I’ve struggled with for over a year is gone.

Now, it’s time to say farewell for another year. Wishing you all a wonderful remainder of 2025. I’ll be back, better than ever, in April 2026. Until then,

What a difference a week makes! At this time last week, I was waiting to have my hip replaced. Now, I’m waiting to get back to my normal routine. Does the hip still hurt? Not really. There is discomfort along the incision line, but it’s minor discomfort. I need to do my exercises and strengthen my leg but that’s a one day at a time thing.

Yesterday, I did very little. I binge watched NCIS Hawaii and NCIS New Orleans. My greatest accomplishment was not taking morning and afternoon naps, although how sitting propped up in bed doing nothing is productive, I don’t get. Today, I’m going to attempt to write a little in my novel And Justice for All. I’ll need a post for Tuesday Tales. The other thing I will do is walk more. I haven’t figured out a way to count my steps since when I use a walking aid like my walker, my watch doesn’t register my steps. which is a pain in the a**.

So essentially. I have walked 0 steps this past week. That needs to stop. This morning I gave myself a sponge bath, so while my hair is still yucky, the rest of me is sanitary. Now, I had my yogurt and it’s time to exercise. Pain free!

April 30, 2025. Well, I made it. Today is the last day of the challenge. With a little luck, I’ll soon be up and getting back to my regular writing routine along with my exercise one. I’ve enjoyed spending time with you, reading your blog posts, and if I haven’t read the last few, I intend to get to them soon.

The last letter of the alphabet always makes me a little sad because it marks the end of an activity. Will I blog everyday from now on? No. in fact, there’s zero chance of that. There will be far too many things to do, things to catch up with, but I will blog when I can.

So, for my last blog post of the challenge, I’m going to focus on Zero. The word zero can be used in different ways. For example, it can be a numeral, it can be a temperature, and it can indicate the likelihood that something will happen–or won’t.

Depending on the context, zero can make you happy or sad. if it’s your bank balance, then you are definitely sad, but if it’s what’s owing on your credit card, then the chances are you’ll be glad. If the temperature has been dancing around -20 Celsius, 0 sounds almost tropical, but if the temperature was 20 Celsius, then 0 means it’s time for winter clothes again. If its the odds of something happening, then whether it pleases you or not depends on what side of the equation you’ve chosen.

I hope you enjoyed my musings. I’ll be back next year. In the meantime, drop in every now and then. There’s zero chance that I won’t have something to say. In the words of my French ancestor’s au revoir! Until we meet again.

Here’s your last musical selection!

See you in May and let you know how the surgery went. For the last time, Here’s the MASTER LIST https://tinyurl.com/tauke86z

April 29, 2025 I’m finishing my second cup of coffee, debating what to do with the rest of my day. I’m hoping that when this day comes, I will have established a new routine, have reached a tolerable pain level, and while I know I will have to bite the bullet and rely on others to help me with most of the tasks I considered routine, I’m praying I will be able to focus on some reading. I have several books on my Kindle, but I also have the ability to listen to books on audible now. As well, I have a television in my bedroom and a Firestick that has Netflix, Disney + and Paramount +. I shouldn’t be bored, but I will miss my hours at the computer, vacationing in a world of my own creation. But, that’s neither here nor there.

Today’s letter is another one of those highly problematic ones. Although there are far more words that start with the letter Y, it’s still a difficult one to ponder over and spew words of wisdom worth reading. Still, I need to blog about something, so I’ll talk about years.

The older I get, the faster the years seem to go by, and lately, they’ve been moving through time with the speed of a car at the Indy 500. They’ve become a blur, and so has everything in them, with the exception of those events that burrow deep inside own minds and create memories, so good, some bad, some happy, some sad. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “Today is the oldest you’ve ever been, and the youngest you’ll ever be again.” So, as I add another day to my age, what will I remember about it, about this year, about this decade? Probably not as much as I would like. Ingrid Bergman once said, “Getting old is like climbing a mountain; you get a little out of breath, but the view is much better.” But which view would that be? The one ahead of you, or the one behind you? For some, the passing years become more and more obscure. Dementia takes over and the present and the future give way to the past, and for some better, happier times. Others end up trapped inside bodies that no longer function, dependent on caregivers and families. My father died at 91. He fell, broke a hip and some ribs, developed pneumonia, and died. Her wasn’t 100 percent by any means, but he was aware of the reality around him. My mother died five years later at 96, but with the loss of my father went the ability to stay in this reality. She suffered delusions, dwelt in a world that didn’t exist, and let the years go by taking a little more of who she was each day. My biggest fear is having that happen to me. Maybe my writing will spare me since I have the means of shoving all those weird thoughts out now. Who knows?

Today’s song is one that I love. Enjoy!

See you tomorrow for this year’s last letter, Z. Here’s the MASTER LIST https://tinyurl.com/tauke86z

It’s the end of April. I hope the weather has improved wherever you are. This week, the Tuesday Tales authors are writing to the word prompt SOON. I’m continuing with my romance/suspense, And Justice for All. Enjoy.

“I’m afraid I probably won’t make it home tonight. I have an out-of-town case that can’t wait … I know, and I’ll move heaven and earth if I have to in order to get there. Is he around? … Hey, champ, how was ball practice? … That’s great. Listen, something’s come up, and I won’t be home tonight. I have to work, but I will be there for your big game on Thursday … Yes, if you hit it over the fence, you’ll score fifty bucks. A deal is a deal. Now, don’t give Jac any grief, and I’ll see you tomorrow. Love you, buddy.”

He ended the call, the smile still on his face. Before he could say anything to her, the cell phone rang again, saving her from having to listen to an anecdote about the happy little family. He put the phone on speaker once more.

“Collins.”

“Harry, it’s Tom. I just got a call from Tawney. She tells me we’re going on a field trip. Do you need me to bring you anything?”

He laughed. “Funny you should ask. Other than the mobile unit, you’ll need your diving gear.”

“What are we going to be doing? Body retrieval?”

“I sincerely hope not, but you’ll know soon enough.  As well, I need you to grab two emergency packs, one for a woman. Hang on.” He turned to her. “What size do you wear in a track suit?”

“Medium should fit.”

“Shoes?”

“Six and a half if they aren’t wide, six if they are.”

He nodded. “Did you hear that, Tom?”

“I did and a large for you and size eleven shoes. Welcome aboard, Maggie. We didn’t expect to meet you this way, but it looks like someone had other plans.”

“Thanks. I look forward to meeting you all soon, too.” What more could she say?

Harry spoke again ending the awkward situation.

“Remind Lacey to bring all of her geek stuff with her. She’s going to be busy.”

“You’ve got it. See you in a couple of hours.” The call ended.

“Looks like this is going to be your baptism of fire,” Harry said. “I’m sorry. I really did intend to start you off easier.”

She stiffened her spine and sat up straighter. “Don’t worry about me. I’m tougher than I look. The sooner we get whoever was behind that, the better I’ll like it.”

She would bury all her pain for now and focus on the job at hand.

Don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

April 28, 2025. Only three days left in this year’s challenge. I usually find the last three letters of the alphabet to be the most difficult ones to write about, especially when I’m limited by the theme I’ve chosen. This year, my musings have been all over the place, but these letters still seem shrouded in confusion and mystery, especially the letter X. Other than being the new name for Twitter, the most common means of diagnosing an injury, as in X-ray, or the short from for Christmas, there aren’t a lot of things to be said about it. So, what aspect of the mighty X will I focus on?

Well, I’m going to consider X marks the spot.

Every treasure map has an X on it because X marks the spot where the treasure can be found, but getting from Point A to that X often takes a lot of hard work.

In life, we aren’t all searching for treasure chests filled with gold, but all of us have a series of treasure maps to follow, some easier than others, and everyone of our maps has its own X. Those treasure maps are the various stages in our lives. When you start school, the X on your map of life is graduation. When you reach that X, you move onto the next phase of your life and its map. This time, your X will be finding your career and getting a job. After that, there will be several maps in play all at once … finding love, starting a family, achieving financial security, obtaining personal satisfaction, the list goes on. The map differs for all of us, but each one will have a X that has to be located before you can move on to the next one. Sadly, some of us get stuck on one map. That’s a fact of life. Following those maps from Point A to the X requires more tahn some can manage.

My writing career has been a series of maps, one for each book I’ve written or plan to write. They all start at Point A, the beginning of the tale and end when I reach the X, and the story is complete. Sometimes, I get bogged down in a swamp of new ideas; at others, I have to figure out how the river will fit into the story. Will I need to build a bridge or a raft? Can I get to the X by going in a straight line, or will my path be strewn with mountains, forests, and other obstacles? But, in the end, I will get from Point A to X because X marks the spot.

Today’s song deals with finding what you need.

See you tomorrow for something about Y. Here’s the MASTER LIST https://tinyurl.com/tauke86z

Well, this is Day 3 post-op, the one they tell me is the hardest. I’m sore, but it’s a very different type of pain, completely different from what I had before, and while it hurts as any surgical incision does, it isn’t the bone deep ache that I had before the surgery. Of course, I’m as weak as an infant. My sister-in-law has been a huge help. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her.

An interesting fact, the hospital messages me every day and asks how I’m doing. It assesses my answers and gives me suggestions like take you meds on time. That does make a difference. So for the next few weeks. I’ll be in recovery mode. Take care and keep your kind thoughts coming.

April 26, 2025. We’re rapidly nearing the end of the month and the end of the alphabet. I’m assuming I survived Thursday’s surgery, and while I probably don’t feel great, the surgical pain will be different and of shorter duration than the arthritic pain has been. I’m curious to see if my knee will be less sore, too since sometimes knee pain is actually pain created in the hip. Either way, the deed is done, and it’s time to move into recovery mode, doing my physio three times a day, using my 4 point walker, and doing my best to remember not to bend over. It’s going to be an interesting six weeks.

But enough of that. Today’s letter is W. This morning, instead of talking about weird, wild, or weddings, I’m going to talk about words. When I was teaching senior English long ago when dinosaurs roamed the earth and no one had cell phones, one of the things I did was introduce my students to the two books they would need for the rest of their academic lives: the dictionary and the thesaurus. Words are important, but their importance lies in the way they are used. While I will admit that I’m addicted to the use of adjectives and adverbs in my writing as well as my everyday speech, I still make a point of using the most accurate words in my descriptions — at least I try to do so.

I came across this list of better words to use to replace common words used in everyday conversations. I can add a few more. For example, very annoying might be obnoxious, very stupid could be idiotic, and so on. When I write, I visualize the setting and the way my characters interact with it, then I select the words that best suit my image. If my character is reluctant to do something, he or she might move at a snail’s pace. The words themselves can draw the pictures. Occasionally, I will use a word that isn’t one used frequently but fits the situtation. A grumpy old man can be a curmudgeon, a bitchy woman can be a shrew, and a rundown cottage can be dilapidated.

Since it’s my constant companion these days, let’s have a closer look at the word pain. According to the Merriam- Webster dictionary, there are more than 200 words that mean pain, ranging from those that describe an unpleasant sensation in a specific part of the body, such as an ache, a pang, or a sting, to the great level of emotional and physical distress caused by major trauma, such as torturous, excruciating, anguish. Pain can also mean a strict adherence and concentration on what one is doing, as in scrupilous, meticulous, watchful. It can also refer to the amount of energy expended to complete a task or do some kind of work, as in sweat, toil, or labor. Finally, it can mean annoying, like nuisance, tormenter, and pain in the neck. So what’s the take away here? When you use a thesaurus, make sure that the vocabulary word you use is the correct one for the context it’s in. If the pain in your neck was caused by a pain in the neck, then maybe pain isn’t the word you need.

And on that note, here’s today’s musical memory.

Come back tomorrow to see what I have to say for the Letter X. Here’s the MASTER LIST https://tinyurl.com/tauke86z