Hoops

Like many of us, I have my casual go-to items that  I wear often. I get a lot of mileage out of  a certain pair of jeans, a couple of tee shirts, a certain coat or hat, a certain house coat, some favorite socks. You know, the items you reach for when you're hanging out at home or running to the store right quick, as they say. I have a pair of 14K hoop earrings that I wear almost daily when I'm out and about. They are just the right size, they stay hooked, they don't snag on my coat collar. I like the way they look on my earlobes.Well, I had these hoops, until a few weeks ago. I haven't been able to find them, and I miss them. I have a habit of taking my earrings off when I talk on the phone, but I usually place the earrings in the same spot when I do this. I must have put them in a different spot, because I've searched for several days and can't find them. Maybe I'll do what people used to say when I was small. "Stop looking for them, and they'll turn up when you're least thinking about them." I'll keep you posted...
Smiles,
Sylvia

Writing Inspiration

Many people I meet provide the inspiration for characters in my writing. Today I spoke with a woman whose flavor is recreated in a scene from Beyond Church Doors.  She is reading this, my second novel, and paid special attention to one character's traits and conversations about her hobby.

"That sounds like the way I think about crocheting, Sylvia. How did you capture the feeling and the details so clearly?"

"I listened to you when you spoke to me about your crochet pieces and how carefully you work them. I just listened."

"No, you did more than that, Sylvia. You really heard me and got me! In this character, you show how important these crocheting projects are to me. Thank you."
I was both thankful for and humbled by her reaction.
Take care,
Sylvia

Bingo

In a conversation today with a female acquaintance, the topic turned to things we do for recreation. She told me she likes to play Bingo once a week. I think she said the games are held in a community or church hall. I used to play Bingo as a child, and my students enjoyed the game. With the students, sometimes the winner would win a small treat (pretzels, small bag of fruit snacks, cookie, etc.). Other than playing Bingo with children, I rarely play it anymore. However, many adults I know say they have fun doing so, and Bingo prizes  now include designer purses and considerable sums of money. So why was I surprised when my acquaintance today said if people are not in the hall/game room by a certain time, they can't enter? The doors are locked at the start of the game and no one can enter until the game is over. She said this is a security measure because the winnings are "cash money" and, in an urban area, this measure keeps certain uninvited people from taking what does not belong to them. (I'm writing this in a politically correct way.) Wow...I guess I'm being naive. I never connected Bingo with getting jacked. (I did not write that in a politically correct way.)
Take care,
Sylvia

Rescue

The last day I was able to use my laptop was January 29, 2012. On January 30, it would not start, no  matter how many corrective measures I tried. I realized this was far beyond my limited computer repair expertise, so I called my tech-savvy brother and tried to fit myself into his repair schedule. A few years ago, it would not have mattered too much to me not to have daily access to my laptop, but  my life has changed.  I'm a writer/author, a blogger, and at the start of a marketing campaign for my 2nd novel, BEYOND CHURCH DOORS- and no working computer?!?
While I waited for my brother to get to my laptop, I borrowed my significant other's a couple of days, but he needed it himself most days. I used my small tablet, but it doesn't have all the capacity I need for my work. I was tempted to go to the local library, to a friend's house, or to a corner  of some facility's computer lab. However, my brother came through yesterday, traveled more than an hour and  half one way,  picked up my sick laptop, and left me a loaner. Yay! It's not the same as having my own- the one I'm so used to I can work it with one eye open- but it's the next best thing!  
Hooray for rescuers!
Take care,
Sylvia

Returns

I'm one of those women who carries a large purse for some outings and a smaller, more casual purse for other outings. For example, if I'm about to  zip out to the grocery store, I put my wallet in a small purse and head out the door. Conversely, if I'm about to attend a business meeting, I pack a larger and more chic purse.
On Saturday, I purchased a replacement small purse that was on sale. I didn't take the paper stuffing out of it until today, right before I left to run errands. I unzipped an inside pocket and found a new dime inside. This made me smile and think of an old tradition. Long ago, I was told to put a new coin inside a gift wallet or handbag before I gave the gift. This was to wish prosperity to the recipient. Now, I don't say that this worked, but it was a kind gesture.
Anyway, I'll keep the dime until I return to the local shop where I bought the purse. I'll even offer to return the dime to the shop owner, and we'll likely share a laugh about it.
I wonder if I'd offer the money to the shop owner if it was a 100 dollar bill instead of a dime. Would you? Something to think about.
Smiles,
Sylvia

Kitchen Floor

Here's a real quick tip.
If you want your roommate, children, spouse, or any other member of your household to abruptly return home, all you have to do is mop and wax the kitchen floor. Gone are the dirt and grit from shoe soles, the old spills  and stains that appear to be visible only to you, because your floor is now clean! It is almost a guarantee that once you finish the floor and admire it while it dries, one or more of your people will come home. And of course, they will have to go into the kitchen because they need to go  to the  refrigerator or the cabinet or any other place in the kitchen.  As you watch them track up your clean floor, smile, and remember how much you love them...
Smiles,
Sylvia

Bathroom Tissue

I'm still trying to figure out what to think about this one.
I saw promotional bathroom tissue paper for the first time last week. It looked like regular tissue, but it had a message repeated on one side of each square. The message was from a group that apparently believes humans should go vegan.
The text indicated that slaughterhouses are unclean and that certain bacteria contaminates half of all meat from slaughterhouses.
It seems like a strange place to put information. I've heard of reading while in the bathroom, but reading the tissue?...
Smiles,
Sylvia