Author: wantonwordflirt

“Brothers, Bullies, and Bad Guys”

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Book Review:

ndrichman cover

“Brothers, Bullies, and Bad Guys” by N.D. Richman

Although I gave this book a 5 star rating overall on “Goodreads” because it is a fun and entertaining read for pre-teens to young teens, there were two things about the book that I did not like.

Unfortunately I fear the audience for which the book was intended may not ever choose the book because of its cover. I actually love the cover design / photo however it is not appropriate nor appealing to middle school students. It should have a photo of a jet boat flying over a waterfall with a helicopter hovering overhead, a grizzly bear lurking nearby, or similar scene reflecting the action and adventure prevalent in the story.

The other downfall to the book was the first chapter. I found it too jam-packed with information. So much so, it was almost confusing to the reader.

However if you can get past the inappropriate cover, and confusing first chapter, you will be in for a treat! You will discover a well-written, action packed story by a debut author who knows his audience extremely well.

I noted that another reviewer said there was too much action, it wasn’t realistic, there were fart jokes…you bet there is! And I can also tell you that is exactly what pre-teen kids will love about this story, especially reluctant readers who need their own brand of humor, and  quick story pace, to keep their interest.

Well done N.D. Richman for crafting a story sure to be loved by young readers, as well as those of us who are still young at heart!

(Book may be purchased in e-book format from most digital retailers for Sony, Kobo, Kindle etc., and in hard copy from Amazon. To learn more go to: http://www.ndrichman.com )

Mini Muffin…blessing or curse?

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“Who ate just the top of the muffin, and left the stump?”

I admit it, it is always me. Everyone else in our family eats a whole muffin at a time. I only ever seem to want half, or if the muffin is large sometimes just a quarter. Even though I reassured them I would be coming back to eat the muffin stump later or perhaps the next day, they were not happy.

“Why can’t you just eat the whole muffin? Don’t leave those stumps behind, that’s gross Mom!”

“Because I only want half. I won’t waste it. I will eat it when I want another half.”

Okay, so no one in our house liked to look at muffin stumps. I got the message loud and clear. I started slicing the muffin in half vertically instead. I assumed there would be no complaints.

“Who left half a muffin in a ziplock baggie on the cupboard?”

Wow! Who knew eating half a muffin at a time was such a crime? Who were these guys in my house who all seemed to develop muffin OCD simultaneously?

I actually stopped buying muffins because I was tired of explaining it was not necessary to eat a whole muffin at one sitting. Then this summer along came Jennifer to my rescue!

Jennifer was a new vendor at our local Farmer’s Market whose summer business project was “Playing With Food” – homemade baking with gluten-free and diabetic friendly choices including mini-muffins!

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Little did Jennifer know she restored peace to muffin eating in our home. I could now eat an entire muffin with no stump or any other portion left behind to offend the muffin police.Hooray!

Over the course of the summer we tried several varieties including chai spice and cornmeal cheese, with the favourites being good ole banana chocolate chip and saskatoon berry, made with freshly picked saskatoons out of Jennifer’s backyard. Yummy!

Okay, I admit it. I could now eat more than one muffin at a time. In fact the day I brought home the saskatoon berry muffins, I am quite positive I ate the equivalent of a whole regular size muffin. Hmmm, maybe even a little more. Was just so easy to pop one of those delicious little morsels into my mouth! Fortunately no one in my family witnessed it.

Suddenly I remembered seeing a report that came out around last Halloween in which researchers concluded people who bought a bag of “mini” size chocolate bars actually consumed more calories than those who bought and ate a full-size chocolate bar. Those who ate the minis fell into the trap of ” it is just not that big, so I will have another”,  without realizing how much they actually ate.

Jennifer is done at the market for this year. Maybe I need to be done with the mini-muffins and go back to leaving stumps around for another day, muffin police be damned!

(If you would like to know more about Jennifer, an elementary teacher who loves to cook and play with food please visit her blog: “Inspired At My Island”. Her blog is filled with recipes, photos, stories about food, and food projects she has used to teach in her classroom. http://inspiredatmyisland.blogspot.ca/)

Stolen Moments

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I often hear friends and family say they would love to paint, write, or engage in other artistic pursuits if they had the time. I must admit I felt the same way for most of my life.

About a year ago I realized that if I did not start engaging in the artistic endeavors I desired to be part of my life, I might not ever get the chance. It occurred to me if I was waiting for a big chunk of time to begin writing or painting, that day could be long in coming, if ever. The perfect time was never going to arrive.

I decided to steal moments here and there as I could to jot tiny snippets of memoir down, start or finish poems, even paint small paintings, sometimes while making dinner in between stirring a pot of sauce and pasta.

Finally giving myself permission to engage in these activities (even for 15 minutes at a time) provided a sense of well-being. The pleasure of allowing myself the chance to express myself and actually do something I longed for was immensely gratifying.

If you want to dabble with some art in quick stolen moments…try getting some 4×6 or 5×7 little canvases and acrylic paints, or some paper and watercolors and make 5 minute paintings…..or buy yourself a beautiful journal to write 15 minute little poems, snippets of stories, moments of memoir…you may surprise yourself!

Remember even a novel can be written ten minutes at a time. 😉

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(One of my 5 minute paintings.)

Postcard Art Experiment!

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After being in a creative funk for several weeks, today I remembered just the right size project to ease me back into the creative world.

Several weeks ago, I discovered a blog here at WordPress that belongs to a lady, Katerina,  in the Netherlands who has a visual art experiment underway. I was intrigued. I contacted her right away to become a tiny part of  “Receive, Create, Combine”.

You can read about this unique project on her blog: http://receivecreatecombine.wordpress.com/2013/06/12/new-cards-and-another-first/

I received a set of 9 postcard size pieces of art in the mail, that had been started by 1-3 other individuals thus far. A card is complete when 8 people have added to it.

Here is what the set of cards looked like upon receiving:

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(All of the above cards above are as I received them, except for the pink one in the bottom left corner. I did add the eyes / nose to that one before I remembered to take before / after photos of the cards.)

And, here is what they look like after my additions:

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Looking forward to seeing the cards once the remainder of the “artists” have added their personal touches.

Thanks Katerina for the “spark” I needed!

 

Can you spare a dollar? Share a link?

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I am VERY hesitant to do this on my blog, but I am asking if you might consider donating to this project, and if you are unable to, or do not wish to make a monetary donation, could you please consider sharing the link with others you know who might donate or who wish to learn about Sjogren’s Syndrome?

Kickstarter is an innovative way to make creative projects happen, when traditional sources are not available. Donation amounts can be as small as one dollar!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/63135010/publication-of-the-book-tales-from-the-dry-side

This book of thirteen stories about those who live with the often misdiagnosed autoimmune illness Sjögren’s Syndrome, includes my own personal story.

Christine Molloy a fellow Sjogren’s sufferer is the person publishing the anthology. Here is an excerpt from the “blurb” about the book (you will find the extended version , as well as two additional updates on the link above):

TALES FROM THE DRY SIDE: THE PERSONAL STORIES BEHIND THE AUTOIMMUNE ILLNESS SJÖGREN’S SYNDROME

Imagine for a second what life would be like if for years, you searched for answers to mysterious physical symptoms that were so severe, you could no longer participate in the daily activities of your life. What your life would be like if not only did the medical community doubt your sanity, but you begin to question it yourself. For approximately four million people in the United States, including tennis superstar Venus Williams, this is often a reality because they have Sjögren’s syndrome; an autoimmune illness that severely affects the moisture producing glands in the body. It is difficult to diagnose and even more difficult to effectively treat as there is no cure.

Thank you for your consideration, and for any help you can give….even simply becoming educated about Sjogren’s and spreading the word!

Time to share some whine. Cheers!

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I know I have been away from my blog too long because I forgot my password. As my friend Melissa would say, “that is tragic”. I would like to lead you to believe I was MIA, off on some wonderful adventure. The reality is neither fun nor glamorous. I was simply sick for a week with a summer cold of the head stuffy, sneezy nose, chest congestion and cough variety following that exact sequence over the course of a week.

Following the cold virus I plummeted head first into a creative funk. I have had no desire to paint, write, or even think a single creative, original thought of my own for the last two to three weeks. The good news is I did summon enough energy to engage in a bit of a reading marathon as several books I ordered via Inter-Library Loan through the local library all arrived at the same time.

One of the books I read was “Everything Is Perfect When You Are a Liar” by Kelly Oxford. The book was welcome comedic relief in the midst of the other heavier reading I was devouring that week. I appreciated Oxford’s sarcastic storytelling. It reminded me how much fun it is to write short memoir type stories in a smart-ass, sarcastic style.  So stay tuned. You will know I am out of my post-viral funk when I get my sense of humor back. Until then, please indulge me a little whine. Cheers!

Brady Bunch House meets Playboy Mansion circa 1971

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Tonight my hubby and I went to a real estate open house near where we live. The listed property is a private residence of almost 6000 sq. ft living space, with adjacent metal walled shop on 5 acre gorgeously treed and landscaped lake frontage yard.

The home was built in 1971. It would make an ideal movie set as it appears absolutely untouched since 1971! Was kind of like walking in to the Brady Bunch house meets the Playboy Mansion circa 1971. There was even original furniture from the 70s that comes with! But wait there’s more….a stereo with an 8 track! Now how’s that for an irresistible deal?

Okay, I just lied. Maybe one thing was redone since 1971 and that would be the flooring. It was definitely missing the orange, green, and/or gold shag carpet, but trust me that was the only thing not original.

My husband said if the realtor asked why we came , he was going to say “because my wife wanted to have 70s flashbacks”. I do admit it. I did enjoy the 70s!

Being priced at nearly a million dollars and requiring tens of thousands of dollars in interior renovations I find it doubtful that a private home buyer will come along to empty their pockets on renovating 6000 sq. ft.  The home has been on the market for several years already.

While perusing the house along with a couple dozen other “Looky- Lou’s”, I did mention several times that it was in the perfect location just off a major highway,  near outskirts of town, overlooking the lake (it even faces the sunsets!) for a fabulous (and I do mean fabulous darling!) restaurant.

As we drove home I continued to brainstorm several other potential ideas for the flashback house , as my husband and I now refer to it. I could not resist the urge to e-mail the real estate agent when we arrived back home:

Good evening Ms. Realtor,

It was very interesting to view the “Flashback” residence.

The house would require so many renovations to update it, I wonder how viable it is to sell as a private residence.

Perhaps the County should be consulted as to possible rezoning to “commercial”, as that might enable you to market it to a different type of potential purchaser.

My mind really got rolling when I started seeing it as a commercial property. I was completely serious when I said it would make a fabulous upscale restaurant with downstairs lounge….”Bellisima’s by the Lake” perhaps?  (Bellisima being the now deceased former original owner’s name.)

I think they missed the boat (no pun intended) with adjacent Corbin House by making it too small and without a kitchen, in such a great spot on the lake yet next to the highway and town. Does the Pike Lake Recreation Society (or whatever it is) that looks after Corbin House and the campground possibly see the potential in acquiring the neighbouring property? The house could be renovated into an event centre/ larger banquet facility / restaurant / bed & breakfast or combination thereof. Additionally, the shop if fixed up could be used in place of the tents that currently need to be set up next to Corbin House for special events. It could even be set up more formally as a “summer hall” with stage and seating for weddings, convention  / company bbqs, and concerts.

I actually was also serious when I told my husband it would make a great “Gentleman’s Club” as it is in a private location, very discrete.

(Did not tell realtor this, as I did not want her to think I was totally wacko but I thought an appropriate name for a Gentleman’s club staying true to the fur trading roots of the area might be “The Fur Trader”. Then on second thought, we do live in the era of the bikini wax so perhaps not as apropos as I initially thought. Hmmm…what about “The Beaver Lodge”?)

Or what about a private club such as the “Petroleum Club”  where people pay to join , then have access to the facilities whatever they might be such as meeting rooms / lounge / restaurant / spa.

Given the privacy and grounds it would also make a fabulous artists colony/ retreat centre where artists, visual artists / writers / musicians, could come rent room and board with studio space for weeks or months at a time to create.

As you can tell I have lots of vision. Sadly, no cash.

Good luck with your efforts to sell this diamond in the rough!

NOTE:

All of the names  / locations have been changed for purposes of this blog. If however you have lots of cash and need vision, contact me! I will tell you where it is. 060 😉

First Wheels!

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In honor of Father’s Day, here is an early memory of my Dad. This is how I remember it, which of course, may or may not be as my Dad does.

My First Wheels

As my Dad proudly came around the house with my first set of wheels, my elation quickly turned to disappointment. I had hoped for a brand new bicycle, instead he pushed along an obviously well used CCM bike.

The color of the bike was the biggest disappointment.  Dried blood reddish-brown was not an attractive color in my opinion. The seat was tattered and well-worn.  Uncertain if it was part of his original plan, or if he sensed my disappointment, my Dad quickly said, “I will paint the bike and get a new seat for it. It will look like brand-new!” I had my doubts, but tried to appear excited as I did not want to hurt my Dad’s feelings.

Within the week my Dad had made good on his promise. He painted the bike a beautiful medium Wedgewood blue color, and installed a new white seat. Without consulting me, he had accessorized the bike with a metal wire basket on the front.  Dad lowered the seat and handlebars as low as they could go, so I could begin my bike riding lessons up and down the sidewalk on our block. At first Dad helped steady the back of the bike holding on to the rear of the seat, but soon as I was off on my own, my Dad hollering instructions from behind me.

After hitting the neighbour’s concrete retaining wall a few times as I swerved back and forth, I learned to keep my hands steady on the handlebars and eyes focused straight ahead. A couple more days of picking myself up off the cement sidewalk to get band-aids on my already scabby knees and I was a pro!

Getting that bicycle was the beginning of independence and freedom for me! Living in a small town certainly had its advantages, as I was soon allowed to ride my bike all about town, including to the public library every Saturday. I had fears I would be subject to ridicule by the neighbour kids for having a basket on my bike, however once I realized how many Nancy Drew library books I could fit in the basket I did not care.

167Love you Dad, Happy Father’s Day!

“Seascape”

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007Just over fourteen years ago I met a kindred spirit, my dear friend Shannon. We met while working for a family services organization. Little did we know at the time, we would become very close friends sharing an intense common passion. Beside our friendship and mutual respect for each other, we discovered that we shared a love for writing.

Both Shannon and I resigned from our jobs on the same day in 2001, celebrating our final day of work together a few weeks later. Very shortly afterward she began writing her first novel, which ended up being a twelve year process, in between helping her husband with his business, having another child, and parenting responsibilities.  During this same time frame, I  ventured to the city to take the occasional writing workshop, dabbling with poetry and short stories.

Serendipity! Synchronicity! Within a few days of Shannon publishing her first book this Spring, the one she began so many years earlier, I discovered that for the first time ever I would have poems/ paintings exhibited, as well as a short creative non-fiction piece published in an anthology. I don’t think you could find two friends more ecstatic for each other. We never imagined we would celebrate being published authors together!

In celebration of Shannon’s novel “Seascape”. I painted two abstract paintings for her – “Seascape” (above) and “Seascape II”.  One was a door prize at her book launch. I call it the “Pay It Forward Painting” because it was won by another friend of Shannon’s who worked diligently to prepare the launch party. The second painting is in Shannon’s office / writing room.

A few weeks back I mentioned that I would let you in on a secret about my paintings. The secret is: I paint them using my hands, not a brush!

If you would like to read more about Shannon Raelynn and her novel “Seascape”, a contemporary fiction novel visit: http://www.shannonraelynn.com

Shannon is now hard at work on her second novel….and no, this one will not take twelve years to write she assures us. I am working on gathering a bunch of poems I have written over the last few years to edit, and will continue to “fingerpaint”.  We will continue to celebrate together.014