Monday Morning Ramblings

I didn't have anything new to share as far as books in my mailbox, so I figured I would ramble a bit this morning.

Here is how my week went as far as meeting my goals from Task it Tuesday:

• Daily Bible reading - Done
• Log food in Lose it! daily - Done
• Maintain planner daily - Done
• Meeting Tuesday - Done
• Start real estate bootcamp Tuesday - Not done
• Meeting Wednesday - Done
• Grocery shop Monday and meal plan - Done
• Finish extra material for A Christmas Kindness - Not done
• Edit next two chapters of project - Working on
• Copy edits for Dust of Lies - Working on
• Exercise Saturday and Sunday - Not done
• Bylaws meeting Friday - Done
• Take health assessment for insurance - Done
• Clean the bonus room - Probably next week
• Organize spice and herb shelf in pantry - Done

I made decent progress this week, but I am bummed at still having a bonus room filled with clutter. My hope is to turn that into the exercise area, but I can't use that as an excuse not to exercise. I'm happy I am keeping up with tracking my calories, reading my Bible, and maintaining my meal plan and mindfulness journal. The real test will be if I can do those things once we hit the spring market.

Working on editing today. Then I need to finalize the extra material for A Christmas Kindness. 

I'm still looking for a new church. Honestly, I haven't gone out of my way to attend services every week. My heart is broken realizing this will no longer be family time. The girls have no interest and the hubby barely any interest. They want the old church back, which doesn't exist anymore. Still, I need to move forward and find what I need.

That's it for today's ramblings. I hope you all have a blessed week.

Heart in the Sand: A Valentine's Day Story by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

Heart in the Sand

by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

I tossed the ragged clam shell into the water and inspected my work. Satisfied, I slogged toward a bamboo mat a few yards away and plopped down. Leaning back on my hands, I tilted my head and breathed in the smell of the Atlantic.

The sun slunk to meet the horizon and cool ocean breezes caressed my cheeks. The Outer Banks of North Carolina always was our favorite spot. It didn’t matter where we stayed--Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head or Kittyhawk--this part of the Atlantic Seaboard begged for a visit at least once a year. 

It seemed fitting to return despite losing him. I fumbled through my beach bag for my journal and pen. I wanted to remember what it felt like to be here without him for the very first time.

August 15, 2010

The ocean is just as beautiful as we remembered. The undulating waves crash down into the sand and wipe away the footprints of young lovers walking hand in hand along the shore. During the day, the sun is a fiery inferno melting us. By eventide, the orange sun is dulled by the majestic purple sky with its slivers of clouds, and a slight fog comes off the water. The seagulls screech all day as if they hadn’t stuffed their bills with unsuspecting ocean creatures and crumbs of bread tossed by tourists.

Do you remember how many young families we saw last year? Was it fifty? Looks like it doubled. What a difference a year makes. Who am I kidding? Sometimes even a few months makes a difference. 

I wish I knew you were going to leave me that day. There are so many things I hoped to say before we parted. I love you would be the first. I feel lucky to be your wife might be next. Thank you for filling my life with joy and happiness. Thanks for sticking by me when times were rough. 

We raised three wonderful kids. They are a living testament to the love we share. They are adjusting to you being gone, but they worry about me too much. Did you know they actually forbade me to come this year? Who did they think they were talking to? As soon as they told me not to go, I jumped online and bought the plane ticket. Someone once told me that my head was so hard it could crack a diamond. I'm sure that wasn't you. They have called every day since I arrived to tell me how inconsiderate I am. Is it bad that I chuckle a bit inside? 

Maybe I should say it was so much fun seeing you as a Papou. The little ones loved their Yia-Yia, but they adored you. You always had a special way with kids. Remember when five-year-old Janie got sick all over the carpet in the wee hours of the morning? You changed her and rocked her until she drifted off to sleep. I wish they had more time with you. 

I could go on and on, but you know you were my world for forty years. I'll cherish our time together until we see one another again.  

When you told me you rented the big house in Nags Head with the wall of windows looking out over the ocean, I almost fainted. We never spent that much money on a rental before. It was the second best Valentine’s Day gift I ever got. Your love will always be the first. Each morning I step out the back door and our beautiful Atlantic is only fifty feet away. I wish you were here to share it with me. It isn’t the same without you, but I felt I owed it to you to come.

I never was much of an artist, and my sand castles still collapse, but I etched this heart in the sand to let you know I think of you every day. I hope you can see it as you look down from heaven. I miss you.

All my love,

Vivian

Copyright Cheryl C. Malandrinos - All Rights Reserved.

Start Where You Are by Meera Lee Patel for Inspiration and Positive Change

I subscribe to several book newsletters. In the recent Penguin Random House news came a list of self-help books. This one caught my eye because of its uniqueness and the cover art. I ended up taking a look at the inside of this journal on Amazon, but haven't bought it yet. The majority of the reviews have been positive, but it doesn't seem deep enough or driven enough for me. Have any of you used this journal? What were your thoughts?

Start Where You Are is an interactive journal designed to help readers nurture their creativity, mindfulness, and self-motivation. It helps readers navigate the confusion and chaos of daily life with a simple reminder: that by taking the time to know ourselves and what those dreams are, we can appreciate the world around us and achieve our dreams.

Featuring vibrant hand-lettering and images that have attracted a large following for her stationery and textile line in boutiques across the country, Meera Lee Patel's uplifting book presents supportive prompts and exercises along with inspirational quotes to encourage reflection through writing, drawing, chart-making, and more.

Featuring inspiring quotes from writers, artists, and other visionaries paired with open-ended questions and prompts, with plenty of room for writing and reflecting, this appealing full-color book will make a perfect gift and keepsake as well as being a powerful tool for positive change.

Journal: 128 pages
Publisher: TarcherPerigee (August 11, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399174826
ISBN-13: 978-0399174827

Book Review: The Journal Project by Susan Lerner

Have you ever struggled to recall a funny family story? Have you ever lost a loved one and thought: I wish I could talk to him one last time. There is so much I would ask? The Journal Project: Capturing the Magic of Family Life Through Stories by Susan Lerner might just be the encouragement you need to get started.

In this booklet, Lerner shares the benefits of writing down ordinary life events, how stories differ from photos and videos, the writing process and more. The reality is that we all probably wish we captured more memories of our children growing up, our loved ones before they passed, and even thoughts about ourselves. If you've been contemplating starting a journal or have a family member or friend wishing to start one, The Journal Project will help put things in motion.

What I really enjoy about this book is that it provides a good amount of information, but is easily read in one sitting. I've put it on the reference shelf in my office to refer to later because there are some neat resources at the end of the book.

Paperback: 40 pages
Publisher: on the edge books (October 4, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0975285394
ISBN-13: 978-0975285398

I received a copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.