We planned, worked the plan, kept ourselves apart… Then the local numbers improved. We got a little lax. We still wore masks inside at Walmart. We had just started eating inside restaurants (not often), but only when they first opened and weren’t very populated.

Then the 18-year-old had all these senior events and practices for graduation…

Graduation happened last Saturday. His symptoms started the next day. By last night, both him and his father tested positive for COVID. Now, everyone in the house has varying symptoms. My dd is making one last trip to Walmart—delivery to the car—for medicine and soups and tissues before we hunker down to get through this.

As for me, I have a sore throat and mild cough. I’ve had a headache for three days. My joints hurt. My eyes are constantly watering. Still, I’m sitting at my desk. I’ll hope for the best and keep moving. I’m healthy-ish, eat right, keep hydrated. I could use good thoughts. One of the family seems to be on a worrisome progression.

Oops. I had a guest scheduled for today, but she had to bale at the last minute. No worries. I’ll fit her in another time!

In the meantime, I’ll just share a picture that makes me smile. This one was taken in New Orleans—pre-COVID. The little one is 8 now, so not this small, but she’s always so much fun. She loves shopping and fashion shows, so getting her to pose for this wasn’t hard. Someday, when I get good enough as an artist, I’m going to try to paint this.

Hope this made you smile, too. ~DD

UPDATE: The winner is…Brenda A!
*~*~*

This summer, we’ll have four kids underfoot. The two older ones have part-time jobs and driver’s licenses, so I’m not so worried about keeping them occupied. The 13-year-old and 8-year-old will present tougher challenges. I was thinking of maybe trying to get them excited about some crafty projects. Maybe tackle one every couple of weeks. I’d love to pass along my “craft bug” to someone!

Something my dd and I did a few years ago was make soap. We tried just one recipe, and it actually turned out very, very nice! It was an oatmeal-honey-goat’s milk recipe, and we added some essential oils for scent. The project didn’t take more than an hour to put everything together, and after we stuck it in the fridge while it hardened, we had lovely bars of soap!

This was us putting together our ingredients before sticking the measuring cup in the microwave to melt the mixture.

We found some cheap, basic molds on Amazon. All we did after stirring our hot, melted mix was pour it into the mold.

And we had pretty, nicely scented, smooth-as-butter soap!

So, I’m going to hunt for my old molds and purchase ingredients to be ready!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, share your ideas for crafty summertime activities!

UPDATE: The winner is…Shirley Long!
*~*~*

I start every day the same way. I get up and head straight to the coffee machine to start my first cup while I do other things. Once my teeth are brushed, I head outside to my small outside porch, cup in hand. I check the weather, look at the forest behind the house to see what’s changed, what animals I can see. It’s very peaceful. The ritual centers me. When my dd joins me, it’s even better because we chat about what’s happening that day. Dolly Parton wasn’t wrong when she called coffee a “cup of ambition.” I wouldn’t dare chart my day without it.

Puzzle Contest

So, you know what you’re gonna find in this puzzle, given my morning’s theme. Still, a mental challenge is good for the old gray matter. So, solve the puzzle, then answer my question for a chance to win a download of your choice from my backlist of books!

What is your favorite beverage?
And don’t say just coffee, or tea. Say how you like it.

For me, I love coffee. My absolute favorite version is Turkish coffee. It’s ground as fine as a powder then boiled in water on the stove. When you pour it into the cup, it’s a little thicker than everyday drip coffee, and there’s a sludge of fine grounds that settles to the bottom of the cup. But oh my! With just a little sugar, it gives you that espresso pop without the bitterness. I don’t even mind encountering the sludge. Now, your turn!

Open Contests

1. Gabbi Grey/Gabbi Black: My Heart is Breaking (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday’s Puzzle Contest! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. April into May (Contest — and more contests!) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Story Cubes: Tell me a story… (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. 10 Things That Make Me Smile (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
6. Gabbi Grey: Stanley’s Christmas Redemption (Contest) — Win a gift card!
7. Cameron Allie: Somewhere to Belong (Giveaway & Contest–3 Winners!) — There’s a giveaway to everyone! Plus, a contest with 3 winners who get a FREE book!

UPDATE: The winner is…Laura!
*~*~*

I’m generally a very cheerful person. I believe in smiles. I remember reading about a study of depressed people who were told to stand in front of a mirror every day and smile at themselves. And weirdly (or maybe not!) their depression improved. I get that. I smile at myself, too. I tell the kids a smile can be a choice. I love finding reasons to smile.

So, here’s a little list of 10 things that make me smile, listed in no particular order. Finding the emojis to correspond with them was so much fun! See? I’m already smiling.

• ☕ First morning coffee with my dd.
• 🧜🏼‍♀️ Floating in my pool.
• 🍅 Making a Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions.
• 🤝 Holding the little one’s hand.
• 👩‍🎨 Painting flowers.
• 🏃‍♀️ Writing an action scene.
• 🌅 Watching the sun set on the ocean.
• 🌸 Fresh flowers in a vase.
• 🍫 A small square of dark chocolate after dinner.
• 📖 Reading a good book with a kitty on my lap.

You know what’s coming next! 😈

For a chance to win your choice of a download of any of my backlist of books, tell me five things that make you smile!

UPDATE: The winner is…Carol Cox!
*~*~*

April

April was extremely busy for me, but I didn’t make as much forward progress as I wanted on…well…everything!

Here’s what I managed to accomplish…

Work-related:

1. I revised and re-published the sequel to Dark Legacy, which is book #2 in the Dark Realm series, Dark Seduction. It’s a full-length novel, so it took some time!
2. I completed 5 editing projects for other authors in April! Two of them were last-minute, thrown over the fence at me, but I got them done!
3. I’m six chapters into my next book!

Health-related:

1. I’m continuing with Weight Watchers and can proudly say that I’ve lost 28 pounds as of today! I’m not pushing to lose fast because I like how I feel (which is a good thing because I only lost 5 pounds this month!). I’ll continue my daily mantra: Slow is good!
2. I didn’t do so well increasing my activity.

Happiness-related: 

1. I’m continuing to work on the #100DayProject art challenge! It’s still HARD fitting in playtime, but here are a few samples of what I finished…

 

May

Here’s me putting this out in the world…

For work-related, I plan:

1. To revise and compile the Danger Zone trilogy into a single bundle and publish it!
2. To complete my next romantic suspense story.
3. To begin work on my next Hot SEAL story!
4. To complete 4 editing projects in May!

For health-related, I plan:

1. To continue with Weight Watchers and hope to lose at least 5 pounds, remembering: Slow is good!
2. To get the pool ready and begin swimming!
3. To begin some low-impact aerobics, which will include a video workout, plus, add some outdoor activities, like pool maintenance and blowing the patio—counting the things I should already be doing to get ready for pool season. Maybe I’ll do more housework, too.

For happiness-related, I plan: 

1. To continue working on getting my art room better organized, because I plan…
2. To produce something art-related every day this month for the #100DayProject art challenge!

Contest

Comment on anything you’ve read in this post. Tell me what you’re doing to make yourself happier and healthier. Tell me what you plan to read…

Like I said, comment on anything for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

Open Contests

1. Saturday’s Puzzle Contest! Plus, More Open Contests! — This contest ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. My Affirmation for the Day! (Contest) — This contest ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Michal Scott: The Hope and the Dream of the Slave – Anna Julia Haywood Cooper (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Gabbi Grey/Gabbi Black: My Heart is Breaking (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Saturday’s Puzzle Contest! — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Athena!
*~*~*

I’m charging around my office and rooms, trying to get things tidied so I can charge through the rest of the week and accomplish all my goals without messy distractions. My plan is ambitious, but it has to be because I have sooooo many deadlines, back-to-back.

So, I found an affirmation—a positive quote I’m stating publicly—to tell myself and the world that I can do it. Just like the little red engine that could.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, share one of your positive affirmations! And no, I don’t stand in front of a mirror to recite them, but I do say them out loud. There is actually something very REAL about saying things out loud. Even if you’re the one speaking them, a switch in your brain (called the RAS) hears it and believes it. So that’s my woo-woo for the day. Share your favorites!