Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

Kimberly A. Cook

Sending Valentine Wishes

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Wanted to make sure everyone gets a Valentine today. And if it’s from me, you know it’s going to be a little quirky. Because that’s how I roll.

First, I wanted to share some chocolate cake. Too bad I can’t send it through the Wifi, but feel free to scavenge your own. I use Betty Crocker Super Moist Devil’s Food cake mix for birthdays and Valentine’s Day. Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy chocolate frosting tops it off. I got the small six-inch heart pan from Michael’s some years back. Think it’s the Wilton brand. Takes about twenty-four minutes to bake. See box for directions. And the leftover mix makes cupcakes. A two-fer! You still have time to bake. (If you only have a round or square cake pan, just carve a heart after it bakes. Frosting hides everything.)

Second, do something for yourself today. First thing in my home office this morning I went to my craft corner and die cut a pink foil paper castle. It’s an Anna Griffin die set I adore. Made a purple one earlier, and a couple for cards, but I needed a pink castle to add to my writing desk. Because writers are dreamers and castles in the mind are where we spend a lot of time. Now I have a classy abode to stay in when I visit.

Third, hug a fur baby, a loved one, a stuffed animal, a potted plant, a friend, a tree, chocolate cake (though that might get messy – go for it.) Given the roller coaster tilt-wheel ride we’ve all been on these past several years, do what works. A walk around the block can help too. I’ve been keeping a close eye on my neighbor’s crocus patch, and they opened yesterday. Spring is coming!

Enjoy your day.

And try to light up somebody else’s. 

From me to you, Happy Valentine’s Day!

For a cute bonus? How about Leaping Lemurs from the Oregon Zoo. 

 

 

 

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.)

Satan, Cookies And Bears?

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Is it just me, or is 2020 having an epic hangover into 2021? Have you seen the above Match.com commercial with Satan and 2020 getting connected? They’re still dating! Maybe Mother Nature can split those two apart, she’s got massive game.

As a romance author I’m not usually encouraging the break up side of things, but in this case I will make an exception. On the other hand, is Satan built or what? Far be it from me to ignore the amazing muscles on this guy. It’s research. I’m REQUIRED to check out men. Love my job!

It’s one of the many writer things I miss not being out people watching. I need input! In the before times, being free range gave me all kinds of human behavior to observe and use in my stories. And eavesdropping is awesome. It’s amazing the ideas you can get from people out in public on their phones who think no one can hear them. Beware. Authors lurk in person. Hah!

Those times will return when we get our vaccine shots and move forward. I had so many immunizations in my military days, I’m a well preserved Twinkie. Bring it on! Actually got a shot for the plague when I went on Desert Training at Fort Irwin, California. You would think that one would count now, but no, viruses are sneaky!

(The Fort Irwin prairie dogs had the plague, so in case we engaged with infected ones, we needed to be immunized. Fun fact, Army folk spend a lot of time in the dirt. As do prairie dogs. I love prairie dogs. Not sure who gave them their get well shots.)

While out on my once a week excursion to pick up mail and groceries this week, I added a very important item to my basket. The pink love bear I didn’t buy the first time I saw him. But he waited for me and came home to join my stuffed animals squadron. He was also on sale, thirty percent off. A bear bargain!

(Bag one bear at checkout along with hand sanitizer, veggies, fruit, and eggs. The glamour of it all.)

Then while picking up my mail packages, I discovered a pile of fliers on the counter for contactless ordering for Girl Scout Cookies. Local delivery. YES! We will make it through this mess if we have delivery cookies. I am a thin mint addict. They also freeze really well. If they make it to the freezer.

I will do my patriotic part and support this young woman entrepreneur by ordering rations. Keep the economy moving. You can go to www.girlscouts.org and look for cookies by zip code starting Feb. 1!

And keep moving/walking too, especially for those of us eating cookies.

Now I’m going to do some card crafting for my mental health. Mailing cards I make is fun for me and people seem to appreciate getting them. A definite two-fer! I’m working my way up to finger painting. Embrace the mess. Why not?

Hang in there people of earth! Safety first, shots next.

P.S. BIG NEWS – I forgot to let you know our beloved Polar Bear Nora, former Oregon Zoo resident, is moving back to the zoo this spring! We have fabulous new digs for her and she gets a wing woman buddy in the fall. Excellente!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kick 2020 To The Curb!

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I’m sitting here with Crunchy Cheetos dust on my fingers while I fire up a send off to 2020. A year that defies description. But like steel, when forged in fire, we get stronger. And part of that is to acknowledge the staggering loss of life here in the United States and around the world, due to the pandemic. A moment of silence with respect and compassion for all the families and friends grieving right now.

Things will get better. Our science and health care warriors are geared up and wearing invisible capes every day.

So let’s celebrate what makes us human. Joy and laughter. Because without the pain, we wouldn’t appreciate the joy. And we will work together to make sure this doesn’t ever happen again. I’m thinking AI robot dogs virus sniffer teams. They’re working on them!

So let’s dance with robots, appreciate the animals, support our troops serving around the world and thank our veterans. 

Happy 2021 everybody!

 

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