Rocky Mountaineer: Now What?

So ends the excitement of an excursion nearly a year-and-a-half old. I relived this trip in the sharing and feel letdown like you do when your vacation is over and it’s time to unpack and go back to regular life.

Thank you for taking the time to visit, read, and comment. My deepest apologies for not joining in the conversation. I have not been online regularly for numerous reasons. My focus in life has changed; I’m on the go and not often home as I had prior to going MIA. Again, I am overwhelmed, my finger in too many pies but life changes and we must adapt.

I have joined a writers’ group but have not produced anything new in over a year. I finally began a new piece I struggle writing at the 1350-word mark. I began about a week ago and am thrilled to pieces. Thought I’d lost my mind until now because I couldn’t sit still long enough nor think clearly to compose a coherent sentence.

The end of July, I had to let my cat Dickens go. One day he was fine and three days later, he was full of water. His heart was strong, so that wasn’t it. It could have been his liver or maybe cancer, the vet said. I recalled much later that he had started the sniffles again. The vet also said they could draw the water but it would come back. Dickens and I adopted each other January 24, 2015, when he was about a year and a half. I had no idea he had FIV and gum disease but we worked through that. Though Lady Gaga gave him a hard time, she’s still needy as heck and wanders around the house crying when not snoozing.

There have been many surprises and roadblocks in the past year-and-a-half. I still haven’t new glasses except for cheaters and can tolerate the laptop screen only for short sprints. I would like to read more, too. Sigh.

I’ve saved packets of day trips in reserve and as opportunity presents itself, I may post about them but make no promises. You are welcome to drop by anytime. I’ll leave a couple pies (will apple and lemon meringue do? maybe cherry?), cooling on the window sill and a hot pot of coffee if you have time for a drop.

Left this posting to the last minute and could not get into my site today. Ready to call Ghostbusters, I decided to log into WordPress like a stranger (or a first-timer) to find the login. It’s a long way around but it worked. Seems I’ve missed WP changes, too.

Thank you ALL, sincerely, for the camaraderie, laughs, and smiles over the past years. I miss my friends in the blogging community but haven’t the energy to return the favour at present. I hope to focus what time and effort I can muster to get back to writing and promise to visit when I can.

Happy Halloween everyone!

© 2018 Tess @ How the Cookie Crumbles

Leanne Dyck’s Blog: Interview with Me!

Because of our different blogging platforms, I was not able to re-blog this.

Click here to read.

 

News Flash

I don’t want anyone to think I’ve suddenly stopped commenting on your blogs. First comment I clicked Reply on this morning disappeared. I tried again. Evidence of my presence is by Like only. That worked. A couple of blogs welcomed my comment as always. The rest not. Why do some (too few) work and others not?

Does anyone know what this is about? Yesterday, WP seemed fine. Is anyone else experiencing a similar problem?

It’s been suggested my comments may be in your Spam.

 

Thank you Microsoft clipart

 

Freedom Daze

Both grandkids are in school all day as of this week. The younger one is in Grade One now.

All summer as I babysat, I felt I accomplished nothing and began to dream about this fall. The extra time I’d have to myself had me levitating. Lunch or coffee with friends any time I want as long as I’m at the bus stop when school’s out.

So far, this week’s been a mirage. Monday was a holiday; Tuesday, the first day back to school. Wednesday was my bookstore shift. I had a meeting Thursday and had to rush for the bus. That was the same day my dental office called to change next week’s appointment to Friday (today) at 9:00 a.m.  Of course the school bus was late this morning, as was I. Then, the dentist pulled a White Rabbit act from Alice in Wonderland.

Hurry up and wait.

Microsoft Clipart

I finally straightened up my house for my granddaughter’s sixth birthday this past Sunday. I hadn’t noticed the accumulation of books, notebooks and paper. Mountains of the written word everywhere: on end tables, on my small writing desk in the kitchen, the coffee table and all over my eight-foot dining-room table. I promised I’d tackle the job this week with all the extra time I’d have. I planned to file and trash. I’ve managed none of the above.

Who was I kidding? Have I begun to knock down Paper Mountains and de-clutter piles of junk? Not yet. I’m still having trouble resurrecting my hidden treasures in preparation for the birthday party.

This is a new week. What have I accomplished today? I read blogs and commented. That’s my full-time job now. Oh, I managed to make two pots of coffee and grabbed some lunch. I didn’t go out but came straight home after my last-minute rendezvous with the tardy dentist.

I haven’t even had time to catch up on any reading all day. I did manage to entertain Lady Gaga, my cat, when she insisted on my attention. We played peek-a-boo for which she has an extraordinary fondness. And she likes me. How could I refuse when she sprinted onto my lap and pressed her check against mine, inviting a hug?  I adore my little fur-ball so we sat and mused together for a while.

This buzz of freedom might not look any different than it did before both grandchildren were in school. Even if I don’t accomplish any more than a hill of beans with this extra time, maybe I won’t feel so whacked at the end of the day. I must reserve energy for more than going cross-eyed reading posts all day. Maybe I’ll accomplish something for a change: finish projects, read a book, write something interesting.

For the past seven years since I retired, the hours in my day are shorter than ever and it’s not because I have time to nap.

Razzle Dazzle Page

I have no idea how to PUBLISH the new PAGE I added today.

Hope you enjoy what’s on it and check out some of the wonderful folks whose links appear here if they are new to you. I am about a year overdue with this work and I apologize for my tardiness.

Surprise!

 

https://letscutthecrap.wordpress.com/razzle-dazzle-3/

^ .. ^

A Burning Question

I’ve been putting this off for months because I’m not technically inclined. Might someone help so I don’t blow up my blog?

Some of you know my e-mail hasn’t worked for almost a year (give or take) and I haven’t managed to have Big Brother listen and unblock it.

I’ve decided to get rid of the dud e-mail and use another.

My question is what will happen if I replace the dud with a new e-mail? At least I won’t need to scramble to another addy to respond to direct mail.

Right?

I try to stay ahead of disaster, kind of like preventative medicine.

H-E-L-P?

Flash in the Pan – X3 (Friday)

Flash in the Pan – UNDERSTANDING

Princess Laya sits regal as a queen—not a hair out of place. Her eyes penetrate the dark, and then me. No face is as unyielding. Her tail thumps the floor with displeasure. She flicks her claws—once, twice—looks at them, and then at me.

M-E-O-W

My life is mine; my decisions mine alone. I was doing so well these past three days—I thought I had you trained!

Two-inch digits on my alarm clock flash 6:05 a.m. The red glimmer  radiates with ghoulish amusement. “Say what?” it glows, the numbers flashing condescension.

I groan and shift my bones to a sitting position. What’s happened to MY life?

M-E-O-W

Louder. Impatient.

“We had an understanding, remember? Alright, already.”

M-E-O-W

Insistent.

“What happened to waiting till my alarm goes off?”

M-E-O-W

“I thought you liked me . . . OK, ok, if only to shut you UP. . .”

~ * ~

 Understanding was inspired by M3 Flash Fiction challenge. You MUST check it out and play!

The word limit for Understanding is 150 words; this post is a 149 words.

_________________________________________________________________________________________
Flash in the Pan – CALL

Sylvia paces the cold ceramic floor like a tightly wound robot. She takes a deep breath and laces the fingers of both hands together, grinding them against each other.  A moment later, her digits ache from the clench and mash.

“Ouch.” She pries them apart.

The clock ticks like a bomb primed to detonate.

She rubs her temples and closes her eyes. No-one has any manners anymore. What’s happened to schedules and promises?

“Bob will be there between noon and one o’clock.”

“Are you sure?” she’d asked when making the call. “I’ll be on my lunch hour and must rush back to work—today is crazy for me.”

“No problemo. Bob will phone before he leaves his last call.”

One-fifteen: Tick Tock.

One-twenty: Tock—Tock—Tock . . .

One-twenty-nine: the doorbell gongs.

Sylvia’s face is a study of firm detachment. The toilet has to be fixed.

“Please come in.”

~ * ~

Call was inspired by M3 Flash Fiction challenge. You MUST check it out and play!

The word limit for CALL is 150 words; this post is a 150 words.

______________________________________________________

Flash in the Pan – DOOR

My life is the pits. I struggle to keep my weight down—always fighting.

Life is a bitch. At work, someone always brings in donuts for their birthday, for holidays, just-because-days, retirements, new babies and employee graduations to other positions—one nonsense after another.

At home I need to put chains on my fridge door—to save myself. As much as I ignore (rarely) the free office goodies; at home it’s a free-for-all.

I was NOT born with my head in the fridge; why is it geared to slouching in that direction now?

~ * ~

Door was inspired by M3 Flash Fiction challenge. You MUST check it out and play!

The word limit for DOOR is 100 words; this post is a 94 words.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Flash In The Pan – Dinner

“Oh—my—GOD!”

“What?”

“Says here Michael McClusky married Susie Penny.”

“I heard that. It’s strange how he found her, asked her to dinner and tied the knot lickety-split.”

“It’s forty-five years since he cheated on her and had to get married, right?”

“Something like that. What happened to the shotgun wife?” Barb asked.

“Divorced after twenty years and three kids. Didn’t need a shotgun neither; she lied to him and her daddy.” Mary stared at her sister, eyes bulging.

“Susie was broken-hearted for years afterwards. I can’t believe she forgave him.” Barb scratched her nose and squinted at the newspaper.

“I don’t know; he’s dead now.”

“What?”

“Yep, a week after the wedding.”

“Was it natural?” the sisters squealed together.

Mucking Around

Friends, Romans, countrymen . . . Oops! wrong speech

I’ve been buried in paper for weeks. Admittedly, I don’t work at the speed of light but let me assure you although I am slow, I am sure. This is my excuse.

Why am I here suddenly?  Robin Coyle found me lurking in her SPAM (not the kind that some people…you know). I hadn’t noticed all the comments I’d diligently sent out into the blogosphere were disappearing until today.

(I cheat when I’m supposed to be working. I sneak a peak  and read a few posts (don’t tell anyone…sh). I send a few comments— now and again. OK . . . I need to know what’s going on even if I am a wee bit furtive. And Busy. You try working your buns off without any fun!

Please check your SPAM. I might be lost in there.  Robin was kind enough to send instructions. If your comment disappears on a post after you hit ‘post comment’, click below. Type in the search problem box “comment spam” and a form pops up for you to fill out. Or just ignore my rambling as I muck about.

http://akismet.com/contact/

Good luck if you need it and please take me out of spam jail. I have been trying to keep up. Honest.

Is This the Stuff Some People Eat or the other one?

An unscheduled post . . . in the interest of saving dignity of all the little people—moi for one?

 I found this in my spam after I sent the following post:

https://letscutthecrap.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/tick-tock-tick-tock/

I’m not touching it until I know it’s the real thing.

If Robin Coyle can be REclassified to spam (which she is NOT), I’m not sure what this can be. Techie is not me. Should I open it? Has anyone else seen anything like this?

Joyce Takeuchi
Submitted on 2012/05/14 at 6:01 am

It has been recommended I delete the clickable e-mail etc. below above name so that no-one clicks by accident.

Hello Web Admin, I noticed that your On-Page SEO is is missing a few factors, for one you do not use all three H tags in your post, also I notice that you are not using bold or italics properly in your SEO optimization. On-Page SEO means more now than ever since the new Google update: Panda. No longer are backlinks and simply pinging or sending out a RSS feed the key to getting Google PageRank or Alexa Rankings, You now NEED On-Page SEO. So what is good On-Page SEO?First your keyword must appear in the title.Then it must appear in the URL.You have to optimize your keyword and make sure that it has a nice keyword density of 3-5% in your article with relevant LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing). Then you should spread all H1,H2,H3 tags in your article.Your Keyword should appear in your first paragraph and in the last sentence of the page. You should have relevant usage of Bold and italics of your keyword.There should be one internal link to a page on your blog and you should have one image with an alt tag that has your keyword….wait there’s even more Now what if i told you there was a simple WordPress plugin that does all the On-Page SEO, and automatically for you? That’s right AUTOMATICALLY, just watch this 4minute video for more information at.   WordPress Seo Plugin              

Lost in WordPress black hole.