Our Country Is Tearing Itself Apart

Our country is tearing itself apart with so much divisiveness politically and in our everyday lives. The major players being Democrat, Republican, Independent, and Libertarian political parties.

We are at odds with our neighbor over race, religion, climate, diet, and a plethora of issues too numerous to name.

It’s not supposed to be like this. Our Creator tells us to love one another, a command not a suggestion.

Think about these words:

                           “We don’t have to agree on anything

                            to be kind to one another.”

                           -Unknown

Give it some thought, and while you’re at it, have a great week and may God bless!

When You Look in the Mirror, What Do You See?

When you look in the mirror, what do you see, perfection? Perhaps, a blank canvas that requires a great deal of work is staring back. Maybe your everyday average mug that needs a shave or a good washing from the previous night’s sleep is peering at you. Certainly, we can make a case for “bed-head.”

Mirrors or looking glasses are odd creations. The first silvered glass mirror was made in 1835. The purity of the thin layer of silver applied to its back not only provided reflectivity, but what is believed to prevent a vampire’s reflection from being replicated.

According to Murray Glass, ancient Roman lore said the cycle of life renewed itself every 7-years; therefore, any misfortune experienced by the destruction of a mirror, would reset itself, with all things made right, each 7-year time-frame. Hence the 7-year down turn as penitence for a broken mirror.   

According to Manhattan Gold and Silver, the 1960’s is when the changeover occurred from silvering mirrors with silver to silvering mirrors with evaporated aluminum.

Producing a mirror in this way is accomplished by evaporating the metal in a vacuum chamber and condensing the metal vapors on the glass in a coating, according to Robley C. Williams.

Now, that you know everything you need to know, and then some, about mirrors. I want you to take this information along with you the next time you glance into a mirror. I am sure you will find it absolutely invaluable during your glance.

Speaking of this week, make it the best one you’ve had since the last best one you had, and may God bless you and yours richly!  

Things are on the mend and it is now safe to say, “I’m back.”

In recent weeks, I’ve been lax in posting my blog due to medical issues worming their way through me.  Things are on the mend, and it is now safe to say, “I’m back.” Let’s get started!

Not so many years ago, I used batteries just in flashlights and a handful of other items. These days’ things have changed a bit. When it comes to lawn care, our gas fueled mower and weed eater have been replaced with battery-powered equipment. Power tools that used to run on AC current, such as drills, circular saws and numerous other hand tools are all powered by battery. Even when I write, I find I employ devices that run on DC current, including my mouse and Bluetooth.

Two remotes for our television, one remote for our bed, and we mustn’t forget the almighty telephone, all requiring batteries to activate.

Assorted batteries in our van and an inside ” transport lift” round out a plethora of items that use batteries to come to life.

Next time you pick something that requires power, take a gander. Does it plug in to a receptacle in order to operate, plug in to a receptacle restoring an exhausted charge or must you slide small power cells into this item for it to function? Nuff said.

Have a great week and may God bless.  

So Much Attention Paid to a Mere Snot Locker

This is the first blog I’ve posted in a couple of weeks due to a hospital stay. The extended need for medical attention came about due to complications from a sinus infection–so much attention paid to a mere snot locker.

The care I received was exceptional. God’s grace made my stay pleasant to say the least. The nursing staff was kind and patient. The doctors were attuned to my needs and I had a large room to accommodate all the necessary medical equipment plus the traveling road show of supplies and equipment my journeying companion brings along as necessities for any journey I undertake.

Hospital stays are not normally enjoyable for anyone, myself included; however, if you find yourself restricted between the walls of one of these medical domiciles, I pray your experience to be just as pleasant as mine.

Have one fantastic week and may God bless.    

Before I Penned My First Novel, I Couldn’t Help But Think “What a Daunting Task”

Before I penned my first novel, I couldn’t help but think What a daunting task. Now that I’m working on number six, I admit my thought process has changed a bit.

When I began Rising Tide, my first objective was, of course, to complete this impossible goal set for myself.

Then, wonder of wonders, five months after beginning my first science fiction/ fantasy novel,  the word completion actually applied. Little did I realize as I finished writing this work of fiction  that writing would be the easiest task on the road to publication.

Rewrites and edits took longer than the actual writing of Rising Tide. Finding a publisher was all but impossible. Once I located a publisher,  came more rewrites and editing. After finishing cover art, back matter, dedications and acknowledgements, a completed novel was ready for the book shelves.

Now, all I had to do was entice people to read this exciting new novel, not to mention compete with the thousand new books released the same day as mine.

I won’t go any further than to mention my second novel, a sequel to the first, took several years to complete due to my trouble being satisfied with the story line and taking breaks to pen two other novels. Just a little FYI in case you’re contemplating your first book.

Have a fantastic week and may God bless you richly and keep you safe.  

I Have a Small Furry Creature with Yellow Eyes and the Gift of Speech

In my four-part book series, Rising Tide, I have a small furry creature with yellow eyes and the gift of speech. The creature, known as a Nuckta, is the last of its race and goes by the name Seeka. This animal is not a pet, but a character, just as any other in the story.

It sets me thinking of the pets I owned in my younger years. 

I first recall a Dachshund we named Bo-Peep. I was but a few years old when we took her in, but a teenager when she passed at a ripe old age.

Living in a rural area, we had our share of strays. That was how we acquired our next mutt I named Ralph, a large breed that resembled a sheepdog. Ralph’s ownership overlapped Bo-Peep’s so there were multiple dogs in our household for a while. Ralph and I were inseparable for quite a few years until heart worms claimed my pal.

Lumpy, Marvin, and Gomer followed with the latter being the sweetest and dumbest dog to walk this earth. All of our family and a portion of our neighbors hit this dog with their cars. Poor Gomer could just not learn to stay out of harm’s way, and as much as we tried to avoid contact, it was not to be. Gomer was more like a cat with nine lives until a stranger zipping down the road in front of our house hit him for the last time.

I kept an odd array of pets, including an alligator (which I think was actually a Caiman), Boa constrictor, numerous lizards, turtles, small rodents, a ferret named Floyd, and the crème de la crème, a Black Widow spider.

I watched the arachnid for many weeks feast upon insects before laying two enormous egg sacks. Upon awakening one morning, I noticed both egg-sacs had hatched. The jar now housed mother and a few thousand babies. It was apparent this glass abode was  not adequate to house them all after “Mom’s” delivery. With nothing but a fine mesh cloth covering the square hole cut into the top of the jar for ventilation, the need for something “more” was evident. A can of Raid took care of any residual beasties.

I do believe the last paragraph in this week’s post will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that teenagers have the propensity to display large amounts of stupid. Please learn from my stupidity not to raise deadly arachnids. Nuff said.

Have one great week and may God bless you richly.

Isn’t it Fascinating How the Interests in Our Young Lives Carry Over Into Adulthood

Isn’t it fascinating how the interests in our young lives carry over into adulthood? In my case, it was the legendary man from Krypton,  A.K.A. Superman. As a youngster, I read his comic books, watched all television shows and inhaled every movie the Man of Steel made, not to mention tying a towel around my neck, extending my arms, and flying around the yard, leaping whatever I could leap in a single bound. Even today, especially with the enhanced special effects we enjoy, I cannot resist a movie centered on my favorite superhero.

Superman being Science Fiction, makes my gravitating toward the same genre as an author a natural occurrence. Although, my novels do not include a man dressed in a blue, a red cape and boots of the same color, there are similarities. There is an abundance of characters that fly and display super human strengths. Furthermore, the majority of battles center around good versus evil, and the power of good wins out in the end.

Sometimes, I believe it would be great to have a Superman in this day and age. Of course, if we take a moment to think, our Superman was nailed to a cross 2000 years ago.

Have a fantastic week and don’t forget today is Memorial Day, a time we pay tribute to all the brave souls that made the ultimate sacrifice that we may enjoy the freedoms we have today.

God bless and I’ll be a speakin’ atcha next week.

A Friend For Life

Due to medical challenges I experience, I hired a young lady three years ago. She assisted me with everything from personal needs to weight lifting, doing a stellar job, I might add. We’ve had our differences over the years, but have come to be fast friends. Much to my sorrow and once again due to medical reasons, Wednesday will be my friend’s last day as my assistant.

On a brighter note, we reside close enough together to retain a relationship, and she will be available if the need arises to fill in for the one who takes her place. There is much to celebrate in the three years we have known and worked together.

I dedicate this post to Brenda, letting her know she will be missed.

May God bless you richly, and have a wonderful week.  

I’ll Have to Admit That Food is my Achilles Heel.

I’ve written several times about what we shove into our mouths to fuel our bodies, better known as food. I’ll have to admit that food is my Achilles heel. We should enjoy what we eat; however, ensure our high performance biological machines are given the optimum octane fuel it needs to run efficiently.

I was blessed as a youngster, and into my thirties, enjoying a grandmother who could cook nearly as well, as she spread love.

She masterfully fried chicken beyond compare, turned a plethora of different beans and black eyed peas into a meal to satisfy the most discerning gourmet. Mashed potatoes with gravy smooth as silk. Not to mention collard greens, kale, fresh snaps, butter beans, corn on the cob, and the list goes on and on. She also had an ace in the hole. During her young years, she lived on coastal North Carolina. Her family caught shrimp, fish, oysters, crabs (hard and soft), clams, etc., for a living.

This smorgasbord of seafood was a large part of my young life. Not only were we able to obtain fresh ocean edibles, my grandmother with great skill would prepare these delicacies.

Changing the subject to who cooked what, I segue to my father who had a taste for some of the finer foods to be had. He loved lobster and even though this dish was seldom had, when that rare occasion came, it was a taste sensation to behold. We each would receive a mug of butter, a lobster tail, home cut French fries and long sesame rolls. The bread was meant to dip in the sauce created by the melding of butter and lobster. Dad was also a steak lover. When we dined on beef, we ate Delmonico’s. In today’s vernacular, Ribeye’s, and always eaten rare by my father . . . me, I’m more of a medium rare kind of guy.

One meal I recall with great fondness was pizza prepared by my father on Sunday nights.

A Chef Boyardee cheese pizza covered with a pound of sausage. I can smell and taste that boxed delight even now as I write. My father passed when I was 22, but I’ve had the great blessing of passing this tradition down to my son. We would dine on this very same recipe when he was but a lad.

Food holds such memories that take us back to wonderful times, enhancing the memories we cherish.

I hope your week brings many blessings, through the love of our God. I’ll be a speakin’ at ya next week. Until then, be safe and whip up something to eat . . . who knows, you may be creating a memory, you’ll look back on years from now.

To Get Where I Am Today Employment Wise, I’ve Certainly Taken The Long Way Around

To get where I am today, employment wise, I’ve certainly taken the long way around and invested in different career paths–mainly construction.

Within the field of construction, in some cases much to my wonder, I have completed tasks I felt were above my training. Case in point: I worked with the same project manager on different jobs with different companies in several different types of construction projects for numerous years. Now it bears saying this project manager thought I could do any and everything.

One job in particular required the removal of high-strength, concrete panels loaded with rebar. After attempting everything but dynamite, I suggested a jack hammer mounted on a backhoe. When the backhoe arrived on the job site, it didn’t come complete with an operator, but with a seat for me to park my behind. Fortunately, I had experienced a minimum number of hours on one of these machines, when I worked on the railroad minus the jackhammer attachment. The job actually went much smoother than I’d expected and turned out to be a unique experience.

Another instance, I was the superintendent on several smaller jobs on a military complex. I required a section of metal steps to be removed, making room for duct work. Once again I received a cutting torch and tanks, but no welder. In the past, I’d used a cutting torch just enough to be dangerous. This too ended with no explosions, deaths, or injuries and was one of my last jobs in the field of construction before delving into the world of writing.

It’s amazing to see how we are led through different paths until finding our way home.

Have a spectacular week, may God bless and if you get bored, build something.