Category Archives: Blog Posts

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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Photo by Jill Wellington on Pexels.com

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all! This is the time of year many of will choose to look back on the year we’ve had, sometimes with hope, sometimes with regrets about things we’ve done or haven’t done, and anticipations either fulfilled or still unfulfilled. For my family, we had our celebration a little early this year, because we chose to celebrate when we could all be together.
Still, I’m looking for to a break from my day job, and another celebration with family who are still local and can come to share a meal, and just relax in each other’s company. This year I am trying to focus on not what I should do, but rather what I want to do, and cherry-picking the holiday tasks and traditions that are most important to me and my loved ones.
I hope each of you has an enjoyable holiday, however you choose to spend it, and in the company of your preference. May we all know a moment of peace as we prepare ourselves for the coming year!

Amy

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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(also Happy Kwanzaa and Happy Hannukkah!)

Photo by Frans van Heerden on Pexels.com

To all my friends and readers on social media, I hope however you celebrate this season, you have the very best time with loved ones and plenty of love, laughter, gifts and food.

Here in southern Ohio we are effectively snowed in with temperatures in the minus degrees fahrenheit. Thankfully, we finished our shopping early, so we can stay inside and enjoy homemade treats and each others’ company.

I wish for you all peace and health for the season and the new year!

Amy

Happy Holidays!

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It’s Christmas Time! Photo by Lisa on Pexels.com

A very Happy Holiday season to all my friends on social media! I hope you a wonderful Christmas weekend and New Year, no matter how you choose to celebrate (or not!)

I will be taking a few days off of social media sites to decompress and spend time with my family, so I’ll catch up with you next week.

Thanks as always to all my followers, likes Retweets, and mentions. God bless you and yours!

Happy Independence Day!

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Photo by Rakicevic Nenad on Pexels.com

First, let me apologize for the dearth of posting I have done of late. I’ve been incredibly busy with my day job, plus we just had our first vacation in two years(!) so I’ve hardly had time to think, much less sit down and write something. Hopefully my schedule will be easing off now for a while.

Second, Happy Independence Day! We are really celebrating in more ways that usual this year, because we’re finally feeling secure enough to go out without masks everywhere. We are celebrating not just the anniversary of our nation’s independence but also the relaxation of some of the restrictions we’ve been under for the past year.

My husband and I were vaccinated months ago, but not everyone has made that step at this point. With the restrictions relaxed, more people than ever are getting out and enjoying the weather; site-seeing, celebrating, and visiting family they haven’t seen for far too long.

Here’s Steve and I in Pigeon Forge, where we met a group of my family.

However you spend this holiday, grilling out at home or venturing out to see some fireworks, or just relaxing and enjoying a day off, I hope you make the best of it and enjoy your day.

Above all, be safe, and Happy Holiday everyone!

Amy

Happy Easter!

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Happy Easter! Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

This has been a very odd week in the Midwest.  We woke to snow on Thursday, and we’ve also had sun, rain, and temps varying from the twenties to the seventies; but that’s life in Ohio.  Today is bright and sunny, if a bit chilly right now; and numerous businesses are closed this year for the holiday; so it’s a good day to celebrate spring, family, and for those of Christian faith, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

April Fools! Luckily we got only a little snow on our tulip and hyacinth bulbs!

Our own celebration will be small, since so many of the family live in other states, but we will make the best of it and try to catch up by phone with everyone we can.  Of course we’re planning some yummy food, including this trifle I made last night.  I think it turned out well, but it’s a new recipe so the real test will be in the taste, later.

I hope it tastes as good as it looks!

I hope everyone has a great day; and however you choose to spend it, I hope you find some time to relax, unwind, and simply be happy.

Easter blessings to all of you! 

Superbowl Reuben Dip

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It’s time for a game and a celebration! Photo by JESHOOTS.com on Pexels.com

Superbowl Reuben Dip

It’s time again for the ultimate American football game- the game that decides the winner of the national championship-and also at my house, the time we usually throw a casual little party.  For my family, the Superbowl is less about the game (apologies to avid fans out there,) and more about the excuse to entertain, to eat delicious food, and of course to enjoy the commercials and halftime show!

This year, of course, everything is different.  We are having a very small gathering; some of the usual most notable participants in the expensive commercial race are instead donating funds to COVID research (kudos to them!); and far more people will be watching the game from the comfort and safety of their own homes than attending in person or going to parties, sports bars, etc. to watch with friends or strangers.

Still, we can make the best of the current situation and embrace a festive mood.  To that end, I decided to share a recipe my family loves, that my husband actually perfected and makes for special occasions, Reuben Dip.  I hope you enjoy it!

Baked Reuben Dip

Ingredients:

  • 16 oz. sauerkraut, rinsed and drained, available in bags in the deli section of most grocery stores
  • 8 oz. sliced corned beef, chopped into small pieces
  • 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 c. shredded swiss cheese
  • 1 c. mayonnaise
  • 1/3 c. thousand island dressing
  • Mini rye breads, for serving

Directions:

  • In large bowl, mix ingredients well.
  • Transfer to greased 8×8 baking dish.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 27-30 minutes or until bubbly and browned at the edges.
  • Serve warm with rye bread or crackers.
  • This recipe can easily be doubled for larger crowds.
It’s hot and ready to eat!

Have a great game day and a great week!

It’s a Brand New Year!

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Happy New Year!Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

It’s a brand new year, and we can all finally say good bye to 2020 which caused so much heartache and adversity to so many. Of course, our problems are far from over. Luckily, amid the political unrest and the continuing health issues, there is a glimmer of hope; a vaccine is on the way. Some have already received it, with more scheduled to do so in the next weeks and months. I pray that this vaccine will prove to be the cure we all need.

On the writing front, I have to apologize for the somewhat irregular timing of my posts of late. While I thankfully remain healthy, we are short-handed at my day job at a time of year when we tend to be very busy, meaning I’ve have had a lot of extra hours and days spent working away from home when I would rather be writing. Hopefully this situation will be resolved soon.

In the meantime, I intend to continue writing as regularly as possible. I will most likely continue to share book reviews as I post them to Goodreads. I have set my goal for the year at the same level as last year, which is 30 books, meaning I need to read 2-3 per month. This may not sound like a lot, but considering many of the books I’m drawn to tend to average 400-500 pages, I have to be realistic in setting goals based on the free time I have available.

I will also continue to post topics about random things that interest me and hopefully you as my readers, and I also have plans for when things calm down a bit to work my on personal writing, so hopefully I’ll have some short stories or story bits to share as the year goes on.

I hope all of you out there are healthy, and as happy as possible. I wish those of you who set resolutions the best of luck in achieving them. May this year be kind to us all. We certainly need it to be.

Amy

Happy Holidays!

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Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Happy Holidays dear readers!

I have to apologize for the irregular timing of my posts of late. Many of us are currently dealing with the normal holiday activities such as shopping, wrapping, decorating, planning menus and get-togethers. Like I’m sure many of you, I have found myself a little overwhelmed with the bustle and craziness that is natural for this season. Add in some major upheaval in my day job, along with the added stress of dealing with the public due to necessary safety precautions this year, and I have had my hands full.

Still, I am hopeful that everything will come together, and this will be a wonderful holiday, not just in spite of the current situation, but because we are still able to celebrate. My family has been relatively lucky this year. We are all healthy; we are still working; and my daughter was able to get leave, so our immediate family at least is able to be together.

Even our cat Oreo is getting into the holiday spirit!

So while we still have to be careful around the public at large, and wear masks outside the house and try to stay 6 feet away from people, the holidays will still come according to our calendars. Instead of focusing on what is wrong with the world on Christmas, New Year’s, Hanukah, Cuanza, or whatever or whenever you choose to celebrate, I urge you to focus on what is good in our lives, the blessings that still exist despite the turmoil around us.

We all deserve a little peace and joy this year.

Thank you always for reading, and best holiday wishes from my family to all of yours. May 2021 dawn brighter, healthier, and happier for all of us.

Amy

Thanksgiving 2020

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What if today we were grateful for Everything", Charlie Brown and Snoopy | Snoopy quotes, Gratitude quotes, Inspirational quotes
What ‘s really important.

This week we celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving, a traditional festival of the harvest going back to the 1600s.  This year, though it is especially difficult for many to remember what we have to be thankful for, when we are faced with a pandemic that robs us of health and life, and forces us into isolation away from friends and families to protect ourselves.

For my family, my daughter doesn’t have enough leave time to join us this year (she’s serving in the Air Force), but my husband and son will be here, and at some point we’ll contact the extended family digitally.

Very few of us are not affected in some way by the current crisis, but what we should try to remember is that this day, Thanksgiving, is not about our problems, but the blessings we have been given.

The early settlers, most notably the ones who settled Plymouth in early 1620, went through a great deal of hardship-starvation, disease, and death, not to mention complete isolation from everything they had known in Europe-before they invited their neighbors for that defining harvest celebration.  However, they persevered.  They survived, they continued, and they prospered.  

We, their heirs to this dream we all share, can do the same.  We can endure: we can outlast this crisis: we can triumph again.    Hopefully by this time next year, this illness will be beaten back and the fear and isolation will be a distant memory.  For now, we go on as best we can, and find new ways to make this holiday memorable, even with the necessary limitations place upon us.

Happy Thanksgiving and blessings to you all!  Keep safe, and be strong. 

Happy Veteran’s Day!

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Happy Veteran’s Day!
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Today we in the USA celebrate our veterans, past and present. Today we remember the sacrifices they, and their families have made, to keep us safe, to protect our borders, to prevent incursions from terrorists, and to keep the peace.

A number of members of my extended family have been part of this important group of our citizenry, including my daughter (currently serving in the Air Force,) as well as my husband, father-in-law, stepfather, and several uncles (all former members of the armed forces.)

I am sure you will join me in thanking them for their service, especially those on duty in the current environment of global crisis and political upheaval. May God keep them safe, whether they are serving inside the borders of the US or on foreign soil, and bring them home safely again.