Poetlady's Blog

The true spirit a Christmas

2010-12-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas, What exactly is Christmas? What does it all mean?

It means a special time of year, in which we celebrate and connect with those closest to us.

Those people are our friends and family, people we love most. So its only natural that we place a lot of expectations on the holidays.

We find ourselves anxiously looking forward to the joy of the season: , and the treasured memories of the time we will spend with family.

For these are memories that we all imprinted into our mind and revived every year with the sounds and sights of the holidays. Since school is generally out for a few weeks Children just enjoy Christmas time and relish in all the fun. Of course they naturally look forward to all the cool stuff they hope to get, and all the great food and treats.

Presents are always wonderful to give and receive, but did you know the true nature of giving is really from the heart.

The real spirit of the holidays is a time to rekindle old friendships; making time to get together just to enjoy each others company,when otherwise you seem too busy.

Its about calling people you generally don't make the time for. It's a time to let by gones be by gones, and forgive and forget when it comes to your siblings, parents, or friends who have perhaps upset you at one time or another in the past year or so.

Christmas is more about remembering and sharing the good times together,

Its about remembering the birth of Christ,and glorifying in his love.

Its about laughing, singing and spreading good cheer everywhere you go.

Its cherishing the smiles of children, as they warm your heart with their laughter and excitements, while they unknowingly remind us of ourselves when we were their age.

So I'd have to say that the true spirit of Christmas is Family celebrating the birth of Christ ,

not only with the people you love, but with everyone, everywhere..

Merry Christmas everyone, and Happy holidays

M.J.

Traveling tips when going Greyhound

2009-07-22T10:05:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, when it comes to vacationing everybody basically wants one thing, and that's to be able to travel cheap, with as much comfort as possible. Unfortunately, Greyhound is about as cheap as it gets. However, needless to say, it isn't as comfortable as you'd wished it could be. For one thing, the buses are often crowed, and some of the passengers are forced to sit next to you, which wouldn't be a problem, unless they happen to smell as if they haven't bathed in months.

I have unfortunately had this particular problem happen to me a time or two, and believe me, it isn't pleasant. Then there is of course those passengers who unpleasantly take up so much room when they sit with you and rudely force you to end up being squeezed up against the window. Yes I agree, traveling by Greyhound can turn out to be a nightmare on occasions. But do not despair, because there are tips and ways to avoid these unwelcoming conditions and to make your trip a bit more comfortable and more enjoyable. After all, believe it or not, greyhound does have some good advantages verses traveling by air. For example; If the bus happens to appear not too crowded and you'd like to avoid a stranger from sitting with you, then here are seven methods that have always worked well for me.

Don't ever look them straight in the face, when they are boarding the bus.
When they are boarding, pretend to be reading a book.
Pretend to be sleeping with your head against the window sill.
Look outside as if your watching the luggage being loaded.
Don't ever sit in the far back because everyone always goes to the back first.
Never sit too close to the front because some folks don't like to walk to far down the aisle.
Never sit by the restroom, passengers with kids usually try to get a seat close to the restroom. Plus, the restroom on the bus generally smells really bad, most of the time.

If however, the bus does become too crowded and you know you may have no choice but to allow someone to sit with you. Then, only make eye contact with someone whom you feel might make your trip not so unpleasant. After all, making your trip as pleasant and as memorable as possible is what traveling by Greyhound is all about.

Traveling by bus verses traveling by plane does in fact have its advantages. For example: while traveling on a bus, you can video tape or take pictures of beautiful country sides, on a plane this isn't possible. On a bus, you stop every so often and get to stretch your legs, buy snacks, and souvenirs along the way. On a plane, this wouldn't be possible. While traveling Greyhound, someone now and then shares a travel story about personal experiences while traveling, including the bus driver. On a plane, the only main concern is to get from point A to point B and no one ever sees or hears the pilot, unless something bad is about to happen.

Here is an interesting travel story which happened while I was traveling Greyhound. I was on bus 6911 and many things caused a chain reaction to happen on this day. It started in California, people were boarding to Phoenix and a car crashed into a tanker truck, which caused four more cars to crash. This made the bus four hours late. Then, the bus in Flagstaff boarded people to Mexico and a boy had a seizure and the EMT had to be called. The EMT's broke the door out to get on the bus. The passengers had to wait another four hours for a new bus. Then, after everyone got on the new bus, they were all forced to get back off, because of a bomb threat. The FBI had to search the bus. So, now its another four hour delay. The FBI discovered a female passenger had packed six M-80's in her luggage. So, now everyone can reboard, only now, the bus driver doesn't want to drive the bus any more. So, now they have to wait for a new driver. Needless to say, everyone eventually got from point A to point B, but it was one helluva trip to remember.

Curse of The Lost Tribe

2008-10-14T09:35:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

Just dropping in to give you the latest update on my writing. But first of all , I want to let you readers out there know that my novel "IN A SENSE OF LOVE" is now available in print, and you can purchase it at lulu.com, or just go to my home page and click on the link provided there. It took a few years to complete, and a whole lot of hard work, but I'm happy to say, it's finally finished.

I'm now working hard to complete my latest novel "CURSE OF THE LOST TRIBE". You'll be happy to know that I've just completed chapter 12 and will be starting on chapter 13 this week. My goal is to complete a chapter each week, if possible. But unfortunately, due to the bad economy, I am now working two jobs, which also demands my time. It won't always be easy getting in a chapter each week. I suppose we'll just have to see how it goes.

I do plan on having it completed within the year of 2009 and if you're a Stephan King fan, as I am, than I'm sure you'll enjoy this new exciting novel. A thriller in the making that I'm hoping will keep you on the edge of your seat. My goal is.... you won't want to put this book down until you've read to the ending. Well, that's about it, I'll have more updates on the new novel as it develops.

Thanks and Happy Halloween everyone!
MJ.

Writing update

2008-08-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

Well, as some as you may know by now, I've been working on a new novel titled "Curse of the lost tribe". I'm happy to say, I've just completed chapter 7, and the story is moving along fairly well. Although its still a rough draft, I am pleased with how easy the story is flowing through the pages, I expect to begin on Chapter 8 by this weekend, which I plan on completing within the week, because Chapter 9 is where the real adventure begins, and I am excited to say that I can't wait to write this chapter. I won't give away what will happen in these upcoming chapters, but I will tell you this... It will be dramatic and exciting with a bit of a twist.

Well, that's about it for now. I will keep you updated on my progress as the story expands. Also, for those of you who don't know, my first novel will be coming out very soon. I'm not certain as to the exact date, but all the re-editing has been completed and we are currently in the process of getting the printing details finalized. Until then, have a wonderful weekend, and I'll be sure to keep ya'll posted on any further updates on my writing progress.

Sincerely,
MJ

Life is harsh

2008-06-11T08:11:00.000-07:00

Ever get the feeling that, no matter how hard you try and struggle to get somewhere in life, there's always that little something that stands in your way and knocks you back down? Well, that's basically what my life is all about. Just when I find true happiness in my life with someone I can love with all my heart, and share it with, along comes that little something that drops you off your feet,and turns your nice little comfortable world upside down leaving your life in a turmoil of confusion. That little something is called a Texas student loan which my ex-husband caused to go into default.

Not only did he screw up my life, but the school I attended has done their fair share as well, by not filing the proper paper work stating I had permission on a leave of absence. It was during this time that the school had decided to moved to a new location without even notifying me, yet the Texas student loan claims this wasn't so, because they show no proof that I had permission for a leave of absence. Therefore, I am stuck with paying for a loan that the government shouldn't even be charging me for. I guess you could say I'm just stuck with paying for every one's screw up.

This situation has put a tremendous amount of stress and strain on my relationship with my boyfriend. I will now have to work two jobs in order to pay off this debt that has threaten to drag us down in its clutches. My boyfriend has offered to pay half, but I for one feel this is my debt, and mine alone, and he shouldn't have to pay a single dime on account of my mistakes. He has worked hard for his money and it wouldn't be fair for him to feel he has to help me in some way in order to get me out of this mess. Yes, life is truly harsh, and it will nip you in the butt, and bring your world crashing down, and take away what little happiness you've known, but with a lot of hard work, I know we'll get through this.

Love & Money

2008-05-24T05:47:00.000-07:00

What would happen, if you found someone you really liked and you started living together. But after a few years, your partner found out that you owed the government thousands of dollars? You have the love, but he loves his money. This is basically what has happened to me. I'm in Texas right now visiting with my relatives. My boyfriend is pressuring me to ask my family for financial support. But they are dirt poor and don't have any money.

My boyfriend knows a lot about managing money. He doesn't take out loans because the interest makes the thing you are buying cost more than it is worth. It has taken him years of hard work to be able to do this. He has negotiated the debt down to a single payment of $11,300 which is due by Aug. 15, 2008. He is willing to pay half and wants me to come up with the rest before I return from Texas. He says that if my family really cares about me, they will find a way to get their share of the money.

So far, nobody has contributed anything to the PayPal account that he setup for me. If the debt doesn't get paid by the deadline, it will increase to $17,300 and continue to accumulate interest until it is paid off. So, what is the price of love? Right now for me, it's exactly $5650 (my half).

Student Loan Donations

2008-04-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that I have a donation button on my web site. I don't know much about loans and investments, but my boyfriend says that there is no way to get out of repaying a student loan, even one that was signed by mistake. My ex-husband handled all of our money, but it turns out that he didn't make any payments when the loan came due. Now, twenty years later, they are after me to repay it. Only problem is; I don't have a job.

So as a last resort, we decided to put up a donation link on digitalcharity.com. Even though Paypal is completely safe to use, I am skeptical that anyone will actually make a donation to someone they don't know. I would probably have more luck if I went door-to-door with a tin cup. That's basically what my boyfriend wants me to do with my relatives. He says that I need to ask them to donate their refund checks to me. The only problem is, none of my relatives have money, and I'm sure they are all waiting for that check to pay their own bills.

I'm a Natural

2008-04-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

My boyfriend and I took a trip over the weekend, to visit with his parents, who live in Northeastern Wisconsin, which is next to Michigan, On the way back from the trip we made a short stop at a local casino in Shawno Wisconsin. While my Boyfriend played the slots, I played the three hand poker,which is card game I often play whenever I manage to make it to the casinos, which isn't very often. I didn't do to bad at this game.

I started off with twenty bucks, at ten dollars a bet,and by two rounds, I was up seventy five dollars, soon I had a little over one hundred dollars, but unfortunately someone came a long and sit in the chair next to mine,which in turns took away my winning hands, leaving me with some pretty crappy deals, so like a fool, I started doubling my bets, and eventually lost it all, so I left and tried my luck at the slots, which was pure suicide, because the slots shot me down about a good sixty-dollars right off the bat, I wanted to kick those machines.

I did however, finally win about sixty two dollars on the last slot machine, and decided to take my winnings elsewhere. My plan was to go back to the three hand poker table, but the table was full and I got tired of waiting, so I did the next best thing. I sat down at a black jack table; asked the man next to me what the hand signals were, for a hit or stand, then I was ready to play.

The bet was five dollars at a time. I started off with twenty dollars. need less to say, I've never played at a real casino black Jack table before, except once, so it was all still fairly new to me, but I was a natural at it. In less than twenty minutes. I won a good ninety-three dollars and walked away a winner. In the end, I ended up thirty dollars ahead. I don't have much to work with, but anytime you leave with more than you came with, you are a winner.

Book Two

2008-03-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. Sorry its taken me some time to get back to you. Anyway, I'm glad to say that progress on my latest novel, is coming a long quite well. I've also decided on a new titled. It will be "Curse of the lost tribe". The story line is coming along pretty smoothly. My plan is to compose this next novel with a few twist and turns, which should include some action, and hopefully some amazing horror scenes. There will defiantly be quite a bit of drama going on throughout the story, with a tad of romance on the side.

Anyway, I'm happy to say that I've revise and completed four chapters. I expect to be start on chapter five this week, or possibly next. Either way, I will be devoting a lot of my time and attention during this and next month to getting as many chapters as I can completed. In May, I plan on possibly making another trip to Texas, to visit with my family. Till then, have a good day, and remember, Mother's day is just around the corner.

MJ.

A close call

2007-11-05T19:00:00.000-08:00

Tonight my boyfriend and I were on our way to a Texas hold'em tournament at a casino just north of town. We were trying to get there before 6 pm, so that I could register. The casino is about 45 miles from where we live, but we had to turn back about half way there because we hit a deer that was trying to cross the road. The road was a four lane divided highway, so the speed limit was 65 mph. But it was very dark and this huge deer decided to step out into our lane. All I saw was this big huge deer head. My boyfriend saw it before I did, but there was no way to avoid it. The impact took out one headlight and the passenger side mirror. The right front fender and hood also got crumpled up pretty good. We are okay, but the car is going to need some body work. I was disappointed that I didn't get to go to the tournament, but I guess it just wasn't ment to be. I guess the deer didn't survive, so that gives you an idea of how lucky we were to be able to drive back home after that. Next time we will leave earlier and do our driving in daylight when it's this close to deer hunting season.

Going through the process

2007-10-23T05:58:00.000-07:00

Well as you may know by now, I've completed part one of my first book and its sequel, making it into a two part novel. My boyfriend, who is also my editor, will now have to go through the process of getting it published, which means writing a book proposal, printing out a manuscript, writing a synopsis, and surfing the net for possible publishers and so on... well as you can see our work isn't over just yet. There is still so much to do and prepare for before we will be able to get my book in print. I have to decide on paperback or hardcover, and the book cover layout, which we have already tried to create. I'll be letting my boyfriend take care of all the business stuff on this and just focus on my next writing project. As a first time novelist with without the education that many other authors have to depend on, I know we will have to try twice as hard to get a publisher to consider our material. My boyfriend knows a lot about self publishing because he has helped another author through the process. Most likely that is the route that we will take. But, he doesn't have a lot of free time so, it looks like it could be another long wait before my first book gets published. Sounds a lot like sometime this winter to me. Well, that's about it in a nut shell.

Getting back on track

2007-06-13T15:04:00.000-07:00

Now that the weather is warmer these days I tend to want to naturally get outdoors more and enjoy the warmth. One of my favorite past times is putting on some soothing country music like Vince Gill and sitting outside with a good book while I barbecue. Sometimes I just enjoy the relaxation and spend time watching our little backyard chipmunks. We've recently discovered that Spike and Sassy are proud parents. Yes you've guess it. They had babies. So far we have only seen one baby chipmunk, So we're kind of wondering if this little guy is the only one. Although were not sure as to whether or not its female or male. I say little guy, because it acts like a typical curious male. We haven't come up with a name yet, but in time I'm sure it will be one that suits him or her, which ever the case may be. Now as you know with the weather being so nice these days It also tends to motivate me more in my writing, and I've been gradually getting back on track. As far as my third book, the lost tribe is concern. I'm happy to say I'm currently working on chapter 3. which so far is coming along quite well. I recently purchased myself a small notebook which I sometimes take along to work with me. If I happen to come up with an idea for a scene I can quickly jot it down in my little book, and use it later. This technique seems to works pretty well. I'll keep you all updated on my progress.

Memorial Day debut

2007-05-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

Hello again everyone. Well as you know from reading my last blog, we were waiting in anticipation of Sassy's grand debut, which I'm happy to say she decided to make on Memorial Day. The day actually turned out to be pretty sunny and with the wind not blowing as much as it had the day before, it turned out being quite a nice day. The birds were chirping, and I even got in a few good photos of a pretty blue bird. My boyfriend and I grilled some nice rib eyes which is a rare treat,but not only were we celebrating Memorial Day, but the return our our little Sassy,who by the way came looking for her peanuts as we knew she would. Spike decide to either sleep in or was out running about the neighborhood. However, he did decide to come out today, and him and Sassy were enjoying the sun and playing about. Its quite obvious they are two happy and content chipmunks, whom we are glad have made their little home in our wood pile. They know us and have accepted us as part of the territory. To us, they have become part of our family. I call them "my little backyard kids" Sassy even surprised me yesterday by eating a worm I was completely horrified, and quickly let her know it ,but just like any kid, she ignored me and ate it anyway. My boyfriend got it all on video, so it should be quite interesting to watch later on. well that's all for now. I hope everyone had a good Memorial Day.
M.J.

Spike and Sassy

2007-05-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, well as you know by now the sun is shinning more these days, and the squirrels are playing in the yards, there's four whom we favor, three small ones, I've named Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. they are so animated in their playing, its a joy to watch. Then of course there's Buster. A much older grey squirrel, who is usually very curious about what goes on in our backyard. but what i'd like to share with you all most of all is to let you know that our backyard chipmunks, Spike and Sassy are starting to come out from their long winter hibernation, so far only Spike has shown his furry self. Sassy I expect is due to come out pretty soon. As you can see in the photo taken last Summer. Sassy truly enjoys enjoys her peanuts. Actually we were quite surprised that Spike is the one hanging around, and living in the wood pile with Sassy. considering the fact she ran him out of his home last year. She most defiantly didn't care to share any of those peanuts with her partner. I'm wondering if she's changed her mind, and decided to let him come back. Only time will tell for sure, well just have to wait till she makes her debut.

A tribute to Mothers Day

2007-05-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, well as you all know Mother's day is this Sunday, and and I for one would like to pay tribute to all the moms in the world who struggle each day to make ends meet, who endure their children's pains and heart aches, wishing they could make things better. For all the moms who listens when our cries are heard, who lends a shoulder to cry on when our pain is too much to bear. when ever I think of my mom, I think of a woman who always puts others needs before her own, who works hard each day to make her life a better place to live, not only for herself, but for her children as well. a woman who's heart is filled with love for all the grand-babies she is given,and for the children God has blessed her with. When I think of my mother I think of all the love she fills me with, and all the good values she has instilled in my life.
Because of my mother, I am the person that I am. so I ask you all who read this. take time to tell your mother that you love her,and how special she is in your life.
MJ

Spring 2007

2007-05-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

Spring has finally arrived! I'm glad winter is over with. The warmer weather means flowers are back and so are the critters that I like to watch. I recently video taped some squirrels in our back yard. They are so much fun to watch. When I played back the video on TV our cat watched it three times before I had to cut him off. Every once in a while he would attack the TV screen, which is so funny. We are thinking of producing a video for cats after seeing the reaction from our cat. This would be a good summer project for me because I love video taping critters. Hope you have a good spring and enjoy every sunny day.

Halloween

2006-10-17T18:42:00.000-07:00

As long as I can remember,rather it be Halloween day or Halloween night,children around the world have antisipated this day. An annual celebration that has dated back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain which (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, lived 2,000 years ago in an area that is now known to us as Ireland, located in the United Kingdom. Did you know that northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. It was said that this day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter. I bet you didn't know that Halloween is also one of the worlds oldest holidays. well its true,and I bet you also didn't know that the custom of Halloween wasn't brought to America until the late 1840's. by Irish immigrants fleeing their country's potatoe famine. In fact,The custom of trick-or-treating is thought to have originated not with the Irish Celts,but with a ninth-century European custom called souling. Even a simple thing as the traditional custom of the Jack-o-lantern was once carved out of turnips until the Irish came to America and learn that pumpkins were far more plentiful,and worked far more better. So, my thoughts to all you trick or treaters out their celebrating this holiday, just keep in mind that, although some cults today around the world may have adopted Halloween as their favorite "holiday," the day itself did not grow out of evil practices. It grew out of the rituals of Celts celebrating a new year. Even today, many churches have Halloween parties, bobing apples, or pumpkin carving events for the kids. And remember,the day itself is only as evil as one cares to make it. So get on out there put on your scariest costumes, have fun and spook the dead , after all,thats what the Celtics did.
Happy Halloween!
M.J.

Bingo in Texas

2006-10-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

Hello again everyone. Sorry it has taken me a while to get back to you, but I'm still visiting relatives here down in Texas. The weather has been so nice and there's always something to do around here. They have a big bingo hall and I have made a couple of trips there. Although I haven't won any games, I still enjoy playing. Not all gambling is legal in the state of Texas, so if you are looking to win some cash, the bingo hall is the closest you'll get, unless you live on the coast in Corpus Christi. They have gambling on the crusie ship that will take you out to sea. If you are looking for a real casino, then Shreport LA. is the closest you'll find around here. My boyfriend and I live up north in Wisconsin, where gambling is legal on the Indian lands, so we make a trip to one of the Indian casinos on special occasions. It isn't something we can afford to do everyday. If we did that, we'd surely go broke. I guess you could say casinos do have the odds in their favor. Well, that's about it for now. I'll try to post another update soon. Until then, have a happy October.

Trip to Texas

2006-09-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, well its that time of year again, and I'm making my annual trip to Texas to spend some time with my family. This year were going to be painting my mom's house, with everyone helping out. We'll have a good barbecue going for sure, maybe I'll introduce them to some grilled brats. I know they've never ate those before. Anyway I expect it to be a fun event. I'll be missing my man naturally of course, as I always do. We also have a new member to our family this year. Her name is Sassy, a little chipmunk that lives in our back yard. I'll be missing her as well. Alan will have to keep her company and load her up with plenty of peanuts while I'm away. We've discovered she a very photogenic chipmunk, so don't be surprised if you see a few of her glamorous pictures on my web site.

So... What else is new in my life? Well I got myself one of those new PsP game machines and I am finding it quite entertaining. you'd be amazed at all the things it can do. However, I must admit there is a few flaws to it. The biggest are the load times for games and the two megabyte cache limit on the web browser. Other than that, I'd say it was worth the money because of all the things you can do with it. Well time to go, but I'll be back soon to give an update on my life.
M.J.

Pain in the back

2006-08-12T09:43:00.000-07:00

I realize that it has been a while since my last update. The previous posting makes it look like all is well in my world. But as it turns out, I ended up giving all of my casino winnings to my family. As usual their needs seem to come up every time I get a little money in the bank, which explains my pitiful financial situation. I have also been suffering from a back injury since the beginning of the year. Up until last week, my medical expenses have been covered under workmen's compensation. But now it looks like they will not cover any more of my medical expenses. I had to hire a lawyer this week to try and get them to make some kind of settlement. They are supposed to let me see a doctor of my choice to see if surgery is needed. As soon as they heard surgery might be involved, they decided to stop making payments. Of course I don't have money to hire a lawyer. He will get a chunck of any settlement. Hopefully I will not get scammed on this deal too.

Lucky Lady

2006-06-14T14:02:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone, well looks like the stars where shining my way over the weekend, because luck was diffently on my side June 10th. My boyfriend and I decided to make a day of it and took a ride up to the St. Croix Casino in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. After we arrived and made our way into the casino, we naturally looked for what we call our lucky machine. Sad to say, it was occupied, but we weren't discouraged. I was planning to wait it out. In the mean time I took my chance and played a few other machines. I ended up winning a little bit and was thinking our lucky machine was never going to be free of other people, then I saw the lady leave and I made my move. I took the seat and quickly put my money in. A $20.00 bill, and hit the spin button. And guess what? I hit big on my first spin. Triple 777's with a 2x multiplier playing the maximum amount for that machine. Not enough for retirement, but I was one lucky lady that day.
M.J.

Summer time

2006-06-14T13:41:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, well looks like the sun finally hit here up north and the heat is here to stay for a little while a least. I'm learning that some people here don't care for all this hot weather, but I for one love it and plan on enjoying every minute of it. I especially love it, because my boyfriend and I can get outside more, and spend the day working on the yard, our garden, and most of all lots of bar b ques.
As far as my book Lost tribe, is concern, i'm currently working on a prologue , which I think will give a much better insite on the story line its self. Its a slow process and takes some research, but its coming along pretty good.
W everyone its looks like Father's Day is creeping in on us again. well, don' wait till the last minute to get your dad that something special, that says I love you, So feel free to check out my flower site. I'm sure you'l find something nice there. besides, whoever said dad's don't deserve flowers too.
Have a great day.
M.J.

Getting back on track

2006-04-21T12:53:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, well winter is finally ended and spring is in the air. which I refer to, as a time for new beginnings. That is why I am here to let everyone know that I have begun writing a new novel titled LOST TRIBE. I'll not go into specific details at this time on the book, but I will tell you that it will consist of emotional drama, action, horror, and a touch of romance. I have nearly completed chapter one and after it is edited I will see about posted a sample chapter on my web site. I’d also like to say I hope everyone had a good Easter, and keep in mind that Mother’s day is just around the corner, so be sure to check out my flower shop. We have wide selection many great bouquets, and ideal gifts for all occasions.

M.J.

St. Valentines Day

2006-02-14T12:17:00.000-08:00

Well here we are once again in the month of Febuary, which is also known through out history as the month of romance. Every Febuary across the world loved ones exchange gifts, flowers, candy, and cards with romantic notions, all in the name of St. Valentines. As long as I can remember Valentines day has been celebrated through out the years. Infact it was celebrated way before you and I were even born. An on going tradition that I expect will continue through out history. Valentines is a time for love and romance,as we all know it, but it is also a time for sharing,and remembering the good times spent together with the ones you love. A time for caring and showing appreciation for the little things that you do for each other. Rather it be a friend,or a loved one. Valentines day will always be that one special day in which You can tell that special someone plain and simple, I love you in every way. So if you want to say I love you to that special somebody, what better way to say it ,than with a fresh bouquet of roses ,which you can purchase from my flower shop. So, Happy Valentines Day everyone.

Never ending winter

2006-01-23T19:57:00.000-08:00

I've been living in Wisconsin now for 3 years and I'm still not used to the long winters. It's completely opposite in Texas. Down there they have three weeks of winter, but here in Wisconsin they have three weeks of summer and the rest is winter... Practically. The winter days here can also be a bit confusing at times. One minute it seems like spring will arrive and the snow is almost gone and the next we are having a blizzard. People here in Wisconsin consider anything above 30 degrees warm weather. To me, it's still freezing cold. Next month is Valentine's Day, it's also the month of my birthday. My boyfriend and I are going to celebrate my birthday and Valentine's day at the casino, so wish us luck. Speaking of Valentine's Day, take a moment and check out the flower shop on my web site. There is a great selection of flowers and gifts. All of the flowers arrive fresh and on time. So if you're thinking of getting someone flowers for Valentines Day, check it out. You can't go wrong. I know, because I have ordered many times and have not yet been disappointed yet. Well, that's all for now. I Wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day, and hope the weather is warm, where ever you are.

The coming of a new year

2005-12-28T06:55:00.000-08:00

Well the holiday's have come and gone, and The New year is just days away. Its hard to believe how fast the year has gone, by leaving us with memories to carry us through the next year. Six years ago , the year 2000 was considered the New Millennium , also known to some as The Millennium Meltdown, a time when many people were convinced the end of time was at hand. A millennium ago, back in the year 999, people had only hourglasses and sundials to help them count down to the day they feared would bring their Final Judgment and, no doubt, an eternity in hell. Preparing for the End of the World, But when the 10th Century dawned, followed a year later by the debut of the Second Millennium in 1001, the world was still there and it was life as usual. I suspect five years from now, or even ten years from now, life wont be too much different than it is today. Oh, I suspect we'll probably have more natural disasters and taxes, and high prices to stress us out each month. But hey, what's new? Seems like uncle Sam always gets his share of the wealth. For once I wish they'd consider the little people. I say stop taking our money with high price healthcare and give us a break. Surely my life has got to get better eventually. But until that happens, I wish you all a very Happy New Year!

Happy Holiday's

2005-12-11T15:54:00.000-08:00

I know, its been a while since I have posted an update to my blog. I guess I forget because there are so many other things to do when I'm not working at Walmart. Anyway, the holidays are here and the snow has come again. It may look pretty but it sure is cold. I'm still not used to the cold weather. I'm still waiting for that big blizzard that everyone talks about. But staying indoors is nice too because I get to spend time with my man. Now that he is finished with his web design class I think he is going to resume work on my second book. It will be nice to finally get it finished. I got myself a new sewing maching for christmas and I just finished my first sewing project. It was a blue jean purse, the kind we made back in the early 70's. I would like to say thanks to everyone who has visited my web site this year. Don't forget to checkout my online flowershop and have a great holiday season!

One more stab in the back

2005-10-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

I read a recent report which said that Eau Claire, Wisconsin has higher prices for medical services than anywhere in the country. I have to agree with that. In fact, I found out the hard way that this is more than true. I went in to a local clinic because I had a fainting spell due to my low blood sugar. I asked for a diabetes test and gave the doctor my log of blood sugar readings from the last year. Well, to make a long story short, the doctor sends me to the hospitol to get heart tests and brain scans and stuff. I decided to stop going to this clinic because they wanted me to have more of these unnecessary tests. About a month later I get a bill in the mail for several thousand dollars. Never once did they tell me how much any of this was going to cost or give me a choice before they told me to get these tests. So, now I have another bill collector after me in addition to the student loan rip-off that I wrote about earlier. Insurance is worthless, they only pay what they think something should cost and then leave you to fend for yourself. When you have doctors and clinics ripping off people, how are you supposed to protect yourself? My only means of protest is to not pay the bill.

Life is dragging me down

2005-10-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted any updates lately. I get distracted by other things and forget that I have this blog to update. I'm back in Wisconsin and working nights at Walmart. I put in an application for training to become a department manager. I also sent in an application to get some online training so that I can prepare for my GED. But everytime I try to take a step forward, something always drags me down. I found out that the US Department of Education is now taking money out of my paycheck. It's like a dollar an hour they are stealing from me. It just doesn't make any sense. This all started like twenty years ago. Why are they determined to drag me down? I told them that the school closed on me, but they didn't care. I told them that I shouldn't have even been accepted because I don't have a high school diploma, but they didn't care. I told them that they told me that it was a grant not a loan, but they didn't care. I told them that I didn't even sign some of the papers, but they don't care. Our government wastes billions of dollars on people in other countries, but damn if they are not hell bent on taking the money I need to buy food and shelter. Wake up America, Uncle Sam doesn't give a crap about you anymore.

Notes on chapter 28

2005-08-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

Hello again, well I'm still in Texas and still spending time with my family. However, I have been trying to find time to work on chapter 28 so I can have it completed by the time I get back to Wisconsin. Yesterday I bought a little journal notebook, because I really don't like putting off a chapter too long. This morning I wrote down a small draft of chapter 28 with a few ideas I think I will use. I'm at our local library at the moment and while I'm here I plan on getting some more work done on the chapter. So far it looks as if I will have it completed soon, and hopefully start on Chapter 29 by this week, or next. Till then wish me luck and have a great day.

Texas visiting family

2005-08-06T15:43:00.000-07:00

Hello again everyone, sorry its taken me some time to get back to you all, but I've spent quite a bit of time on several buses while traveling to Texas. However, I'm happy to say I finally made it Texas, and having a wonderful time. Although I have to admit I miss all my friends back home in Wisconsin, and most of all my boyfriend Alan. For my first week in Texas I spent it in Angelton Texas with my aunt and uncle, we all went to the beach and I finally got a good start on what I hope will turn into a great tan. Next I spent two days at my uncle Joe's house, which is located in South Houston Texas, finally I made it to San Angelo Texas and have been spending time with all my family. But I try to find time to write my friend and my boyfriend as often as I can, which isn't always that easy to do,because the computer at the local library here only allows you a 15 minutes time limit. This week is also my boyfriend's parent's 45th anniversary and he's spending time with them at the cabin, which is a good thing. kinda wish I was there. I really love going up to the cabin. Its a great place to relax and I always enjoy spending my time on walks with Alan, but until I'm back in Wisconsin, I will miss him a lot. I am planning to make a trip back to the library this week and work on finishing chapter 28, I'm hoping to get on a computer that allows at least a hour time limit. So wish me luck, and have a good day.

Chapter 27 Review

2005-07-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

Hello again. Well summer is finally here and the progress on my second book is coming along slower than I expected. In chapter 27, the story is at a climatic moment. Jenny and Joe have gotten themselves in a dangerous situation and things aren't looking good for the two. However, I won't spoil the ending of this adventurous story. You'll have to find out when the book is finished. Till then, I will continue working on it. Finishing the final chapters will take time and patience. I like to put a lot of time and thought into my writing before I decided what I want to write next. At the moment I am planning a trip to Texas. I will be going by bus again. It will take two and a half days to get there. I plan on using this time to come up with ideas for my next book.

Welcome to my Blog

2005-07-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I will now be posting my updates here instead of on my web site. This will be much easier. The web site updates needed to be ftp'd to my web host before you could read them. Now I will be able to login and post an update whenever I want. I can't promise you that I will be posting more often, but we will see how things go. Soon I will be leaving for my annual trip to Texas. This year I have decided to spend four weeks there. I know, that's a long time. Too long for my boyfriend. He can't go away for that long because of his new job. But, Walmart was kind enough to give me a leave of absence. So, hopefully I will have a job when I get back.