Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

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It’s Holiday Hustle Time! Or Not

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Holiday hustle
Walked into the big box store on October 17 and was greeted by this. Gah! But isn’t the penguin cute?

Everybody still full of turkey? Not me. Due to my sister’s dental surgery, we opted for spaghetti take-out this year. With garlic cheesy bread. I’d give up the keys to the kingdom for that amazing delicacy. Since I figured spumoni ice cream did not go with pumpkin pie, I adapted and made brownies instead. Worked like a charm. No complaints.

I’ve made my holiday gift list and pulled down the box of Christmas cards to mail. No idea when that will happen. The shoemaker elves appear to have gone to the North Pole for better wages, because they’re not in my house.

My current work in process has moved out of town with my editor, who sold her house and had to move in two weeks flat. It’s a miracle the manuscript isn’t in their storage PODS waiting for delivery. Yes, we are old school. She edits on actual paper. So do I. Computer screens are tricky and can disguise and change words without your knowledge. That’s my excuse and I’m using it.

Then this past week, I decided to rip my home office apart and purge and reorganize books. Do not attempt this without massive amounts of chocolate on hand. Everything was going great until I realized the cable connection would be behind the tall bookcase. Sigh.

A five-day craft project ensued to move the cable box using a sheetrock saw, drill, tape, mud, sanding, and texturing from my construction Ninja friend. My desk and office were draped in pink sheets. Dusting and vacuuming happened. Then I applied two coats of paint after hunting down the original color chip and getting it matched. 

Today the books go in the bookcase!

I think that epitomizes the past couple years. No matter what you start out to do, something is going to make it a challenge. For those of us not quite ready to go prime time with naked faces, heading outside to be with people seems like a complete Indiana Jones type adventure. More snakes and rolling rocks than fun treasure. And that’s okay.

I’ve always walked to a different drummer, expect during Army basic training, but every person on this planet has a story about this pandemic. We’re all doing the best we can, except for the usual outliers who prefer crazy all the time. I’m going for boring.

We’ve had enough drama. With all that is going on in the world, you have my permission to hide under your bed until 2023. I plan on doing that myself.

But I bet I will find dust bunnies I need to clean.

First world problems.

Know there are others out here with anxiety issues, holiday stress, lockdown syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive office rearranging impulses. I’ve got all of those on any given day. Reach out for help when you need it. That makes you a mental health warrior and a badass. Trust me.

We don’t know how to do all the things all the time.

That’s why coaches get big bucks to teach the rest of us how to do things from football to writing.

Same goes for mental health; get a coach if you need one. That might be a friend, a pet, or a professional counselor.

Last time I checked the majority of us were not around during the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic, so this pandemic rolling dumpster fire is new for all of us. And apparently relentless. Nobody make a song about Covid, flu and RSV unless the Minions sing it.

For those of us in the sexy senior category, it does feel a bit like we have targets on our butts. But don’t count us Baby Boomers or our older scouts out. We grew up without seat belts, bike helmets, the Internet, and cell phones. We have vintage skills, survival know how, and power tools.

And we are happy to welcome the Zoomers, aka Gen Z born 1997 – 2012, to the table who have gotten a baptism by fire and appear up to the challenge. Whatever the cool word is now, you folks are that. I salute you.

As we move into holiday central, be kind to yourself and others.

And feel free to make brownies. It helps.

Thank you to all our veterans, active duty, reserve and guard military members, hospital and medical staff, law enforcement, and fire fighter personnel for keeping us safe 24/7 around the globe.

Santa has you on the very nice list.

Digital hugs to all and to all a good night!

P.S. There are never enough cat videos and this month our local feline celebrity is my favorite! I give you OwlKitty!

 

“It’s Holiday Hustle Time! Or Not,” copyright © 2022 by Kimberly A. Cook. Image at top of the blog copyright © 2022 by Kimberly A. Cook

 

Spring, Squirrels And Snow?

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Looking North to Mt. Adams in Washington from the Packer Bakery last Thursday. Peach blossoms in the foreground.

Several days ago at midnight, I was herding a possum around my backyard wearing my long puffy pink bathrobe, nightgown, and black Skecher running shoes. It dawned on me I might have gone a bit off the edge. Not sure possum cross-fit training is a thing. Yet. But given all that is happening in the world, who knows. I’ve never been “normal,” so why start now.

Spring in Oregon is always a bit quirky, but this year Mother Nature seems to be going for the gold. Last Thursday a seventy-seven degree day was forecast. My friend and I headed for Hood River to catch the opening fruit blossoms and do cookie research. Packers Orchard and Bakery is our go to destination to perform this grueling task. We were not disappointed.

Peach trees blooms were pink and open, the white blossoms of the apples and pears, right on schedule. (There is a bloom watch website at http://www.hoodriverfruitloop.com) Purchased an array of needed cookie supplies and empanadas, took some pictures, sat in the glorious sun. Then off to The Riverside Restaurant for lunch, because it is right on the Columbia River. As the name suggests. Never did a tuna melt taste so good.

The hour drive home landed us in the middle of a freeway traffic jam, but we didn’t care; there were cookies in the car! My friend went home and mowed her lawn, since it was supposed to rain over the weekend.

Then this morning we woke up to snow. In April. In Portland. It’s the first time PDX has registered snow in April since 1940. Go figure.

Think this bird is as confused as I was about the snow this morning. But breakfast was provided!

Our fabulous Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood has had thirty-six inches of snow in the last seventy-two hours and expects to get about that amount in the next three days. The mountain looks so pretty all covered in white. And us valley dwellers cheer the rising snowpack for summer water reserves.

Since today is a snow day, decided to catch you up on all the goings on around here. The possum has disappeared. It may have been my outfit in the wee hours of the morning that did the trick. Or crossing the road. Always a gamble for critters. Not sure.

Also had a potential stray cat in my backyard and was trying to feed her/him/it when it took off. But the possum had found the cat food. Which he liked much better than the birdseed he’d been hoovering up. Which explains my midnight workout with the furry thing. But the possum rodeo might have done the trick.

But the squirrel is back. After the crows and hawk left. And now the little birdies and Mourning Doves have returned.

Nature is nothing if not resilient.

And so are we.

Enjoy Spring!

Recent sunbathing squirrel on my back fence. This is how I hope to spend my summer afternoons. This furry one is getting an early start. Watch and learn.

My blog post would not be complete without an Oregon Zoo video. This springy baby is adorable. It’s about how I felt in the orchards last week. But I can’t jump that high!

 

Be Kind To Yourself

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In the midst of holiday chaos, gloomy weather, and a never-ending pace of challenges for us earthlings, I find it best to focus on what I can control. Which is not that much these days, luckily, so that works with my limited ability to concentrate. I’ve been thinking about what I’m grateful for at the end of this year.

Here is my starting list.

  • My HVAC was fixed and I have heat again. After eleven days. REALLY like that.
  • When I showed up for my free flu shot, I got the booster too. Bonus!
  • My favorite new gadget is a manual can opener which replaced the ancient, rusty one. I’m smitten. It actually cuts metal and has a large cushy handle. Be still my heart.
  • I’m able to keep the birdies, squirrels, and chipmunk’s fed in my backyard. Barely. But I may need to get a dump truck load of seed. Impressive appetites.
  • My family and friends are relatively stable after this crazy year.
  • There are still health care workers, delivery drivers, grocery clerks, police officers, restaurant workers, teachers, banking clerks, tech workers, airline pilots, postal workers, military members, and city, county, and state workers who keep showing up to support us all.  

I’d be happy with three things on my list, so six is golden.

Today we celebrate the Winter Solstice and getting one more minute of daylight. I’ll take it! At my former day job, we used to celebrate this day with Hawaiian shirts, Macadamia Shortbread cookies from the islands, and Jimmy Buffet music. It always perked me up.

I’ve had Beach Boys music playing in my car this entire year. When things get a little dicey, I bring in the big guns and head straight to disco. Never underestimate the power of music.

And being kind to others.

Animals show us how to stay in the moment and enjoy life. We need to be kind to them too.

This year has been challenging for everyone.

Take time to be kind to yourself during these winter days.

Happy Holiday Hugs for you and your furry or feathered friends. Like the ones below at the Oregon Zoo.

I plan to have fun in 2022.

Who’s with me?

 

 

Ahoy Hugs And Bon Voyage Heat!

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This is what I do for fun in a heat wave. Take pictures!

Life is odd. Yesterday I had concerns my plastic bird bath was melting. There was a definite list to port. But the marine air fought its way in from the coast and saved us from the crazy weather we’ve had for three days. It was thirty degrees cooler in Maui than Portland on Sunday. That’s just so wrong.

But I’d prepared last week and stocked up on ice cream. Like most of my neighbors, if the decimated ice cream bar case was any clue last Wednesday. We Oregonians treat heat over ninety like a snowstorm; go home and hunker down. With snacks.

But I celebrated an early birthday present this month too.  I got to hug my mom for the first time since March 16, 2020. It felt longer, let me tell you. I managed to get two hugs. I became fully vaccinated June third and my first visit inside mom’s apartment was June 10. Fabulous!

Hugs are what I’ve missed most during the pandemic. I consider them energy transfers. Hugs are back!

I even got a hug from my computer repair wizard last week. Plus he gave me a ride in his new Tesla. Scared the bejeezus out of me. I’m not a fan of going over seventy miles an hour and quick acceleration with other traffic around. Maybe if I was driving? No. Don’t think so. But it was an adventure! I would like to drive an M1A1 tank. My fancy vehicle choices are different. And much more expensive.

But Oregon is very close (69.4%) to having seventy percent of our adult folks vaccinated. By tomorrow we should be there and the Governor is lifting restrictions. But we have to be on our guard, because mutant variants are literally roaming the country and multiplying. The unfortunate thing is unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated people are at higher risk of hospitalization and death from the Delta variant. It takes five weeks from your first shot, of the two-shot regime, to be fully vaccinated. Run for the vaccines!

On flight status with the Air Force Reserve, I had to keep shots current for worldwide deployment as an Aeromedical Evacuation Operations Officer. We had monthly printouts to remind us what shots we needed. It was a bunch. Then if we deployed, we got more shots for that region. Please get the vaccine. Let’s put a wooden stake through this virus’s mutant heart, cell, replication, you get my drift.

Because I have a lot of missed hugs to gather and I need to know you’re all covered. Vaccinate to hug up America!

And with our new Oregon seasons of wildfires, ice storms, and heat waves upon us here in the West, I bet we get a snow storm in August. Time to buy more snacks!

I finished off that two pound bag of peanut M&Ms because they were past their good by date. I hate waste. That’s my story and I’m using it.

Summer Snacks ahoy!

Marine air from the Pacific Ocean works a four-hour miracle last night. This is what I call a happy ending! (No, I did not put the outside sensor in the freezer.)

December Daydreams And Gnome Gratitude

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I haven’t gotten everything done on my to do list this year. I’m not even sure where the to do list is in the house. And I think there are several. One is on a steno pad. So I wouldn’t misplace it. Like that worked!

Not that I’m disorganized. The darn lists breed like rabbits. Don’t get me started on the Post-It Notes. I prefer to think of 2020 as overwrought. A nice Jane Austen kind of term for batsh*t crazy.

How do I cope right now? Denial and decorating. Didn’t have time to make my home festive the past two years, so I went a little nuts this November. And started early. I blame the gnomes at Dollar Tree, who showed up in October. Luckily, I pounced on the one I found like the combat shopper I am, because gnome mania hit. Scouring Dollar Trees masked up and spraying hand sanitizer became a new Olympic sport.

When I saw one YouTuber DT haul who ordered a case of the big gnomes, my thought? “Why didn’t I think of that?” I could have been the gnome elf, dropping off the little guys to friends and family doorsteps far and wide. Okay, my neighborhood is now far and wide, but you get the drift.

In the midst of my decorating frenzy before turkey day, my sister called. “What ya doing?” “Dressing my bear in his reindeer outfit.” Didn’t even phase her, she knows me. We find our jollies where we can this year.

Reflections on 2020? Almost over kids. Can’t wait to kick big parts of it to the curb.

But. There are many things I am grateful for at the end of this hairball of a year. I’ve kept a gratitude journal for over a decade now. It reminds me every night before I go to bed of the five things I appreciate from that day. Many times there are more than five. Some days it’s a challenge, but I always find five.

If I’m in a real bind, chocolate and cookies are always a topic. But most of the entries are family and friends support, noticing nature, sleep, and always the helpers; whether nurses, doctors, firefighters, law enforcement, frontline workers, veterans, active, reserve and guard military members. And our scientist warriors nailing it on vaccine developments. Science is sexy!

Normal holiday seasons are always fraught with peril; whether family disfunction, too high expectations, tight finances, crazy travel, or all four. I’m praying for boring holidays this year. Everybody go to their rooms and stay there. Cuddle up, wear sweats, Zoom friends and family, and make your fur baby’s day. Avoid holiday travel in any weather.

Take a complete time out for the holidays. As much as you can. No awkward work holiday parties. You can dress up from the waist up for Zoom. Be safe. Be sane. Save our health care worker’s lives and the ICU beds. Standing down in the military is called rest and relaxation. R&R. Even warriors have to come off the line. Now we can do it for those who can’t stay home for the holidays.

Stay cozy at home America!

P.S. If you’d like an ebook to read, Semper Parrot, my latest romantic comedy is available on Amazon. Or, you can dress your teddy bears!

Semper Parrot

 

 

Stomping Pumpkins Time!

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We’re going to be okay folks. There are cases of canned Libby pumpkin in my grocery store. Along with pallets of holiday baking ingredients. In a world gone wild, I focus on the few things I can control to relieve stress. Like baking pumpkin pies. As we head into the thick of the holiday season, buy your goodies, ingredients, and plan to snuggle in for the cold weather.

It’s cookie and hot cocoa time!

Life has been a blur these past two months, and now it’s almost Halloween. Egad!

My theme for this past year was “Simplify Everything.” I flunked. Because life has a way of throwing any plan into chaos. Especially in 2020.

I’ve added two more themes for next year. “Make Do” and “Good Enough.”

Simplify Everything. Make Do. Good Enough.

I think using those six words is about all I can handle for life goals right now.

Feel free to use them if you like.

Now is a time to be kind to ourselves. To say it’s been a crazy year is the ultimate understatement.

So let’s make cookies, find our favorite tv watching blanket, and snuggle in.

Two words. Baby Yoda.

So besides the annual pumpkin smash at the Oregon Zoo, let’s see more of Padu, our favorite Red Panda driving his mom nuts. 

Enjoy!