Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

Kimberly A Cook

Happy Valentines Day Eve!

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Stocked up and ready for V Day. Actually, I always have Dove on hand. Because.

by Kimberly A. Cook

Waiting in lines is golden for writers. Running errands yesterday, my last stop was the grocery store. The checkout clerk was chatting up customers about Valentine’s Day.  Some of my neighbor’s customs shocked me.

“We don’t give candy to the kids,” said one woman. “The holiday is for the parents.”

Say what? My family uses any excuse, er holiday, to give presents, especially candy. At first I thought maybe she had young kids, I could see that. Nope, teenagers. Well between energy drinks and coffee they inhale, how bad could a couple pieces of candy be?

Another lady said she gave her young kids coloring books. That is fabulous. While I love the demon sugar, I too have to ration it. Processed sugar is addictive, but like everything else, if used in moderation; just don’t drive heavy machinery afterwards.

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One of the plates I use for Mom’ s cake. Plus research wrappers.

An on air tv personality last night talked about going out with her galentines for Valentine’s Day. Fabo. Sometimes the Valentine’s Day holiday feels like a poke in the eye to all single, divorced or widowed folks. So adapt!

To me Valentine’s Day has always been my mom’s birthday. Tomorrow we get to celebrate her 93 young years at lunch on the river. Not in a boat, a restaurant. Though Mom is game for most adventures.

For me? Stocked up on Dove and Kit Kat candy to share with family. Will bake a heart shaped mini-cake for Mom and cupcakes for the crew. Bought myself a bouquet of pink carnations for the kitchen table; keeping Spec Ops Cat out of them is a different story.

Then threw myself into research for this post by testing the Dove dark chocolate. Actually, I eat two pieces every day so I had plenty of wrappers available.

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So you’ve still got time to stock up and treat yourself. Candy, coloring book or carnations? How about trying the last wrapper saying I got this morning?

Hug someone today!

Happy Valentine’s Day everybody!

Cats, Computers and Mayhem

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by Kimberly A. Cook

Nothing like a Friday to cheer me up. Full tilt into Olympics viewing, so time to check in on those working around us; computer cats. My own trials with Spec Ops Cat and the computer don’t hold a candle to these dedicated felines.

Think we should rename them cattops instead of laptops!

Put your cat to work, cozy up to the tv and work up a sweat cheering for our athletes! Go Cats! Go Team USA!

Have a great safe, weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!

https://youtu.be/x4R1wKwiQ7I

 

Writing, Cats And Glitter?

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by Kimberly A. Cook

This week I’m determined to get the final edited copy of my military romance fiction book “Mission: Tinderbox” out to my beta readers. What are beta readers? Dedicated hardcore friends/readers/fellow writers who take a final look to make sure it all makes sense and perhaps find a typo or two.

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Spec Ops Cat helping me not edit my manuscripts. How could I move this cute guy? 

 

On my non-fiction book, I had eleven beta readers. They each found something different. Pretty amazing. Also amazing was taking the eleven printed manuscripts in binders on an editing retreat in the wilds of Goldendale, Washington to cat sit for my friends Gate Girl and her hubby. Three days, three cats, sixty acres, visiting deer and one biblical thunderstorm later I had all the edits compiled. Worked out great.

But it appears all those distractions I handled back then are nothing compared to the challenges of one Spec Ops Cat at home. Somehow he manages to show up at the right time to make the maximum impact on what I’m trying to do.

Whether he is napping on my manuscripts to edit, stepping into the bead box during play time or suddenly appearing from the mist to stand over my keyboard putting fur in my mouth, he arrives. Then he proceeds to actually step on a key and mess up the manuscript with a long line of zazazazazazazazaza that he did yesterday. How can one small cat be such a diversion?

With these challenges I’ve taken to rewarding myself before I complete goals these days, since that improved my motivation cleaning out the family home last month. I’ve discovered a new addiction too; glitter. So the glitter drawer is now full in the office/craft room and I still need to get this manuscript polished.

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Notice whose paws are in the craft container on my lap while I try to sort dice beads.  Fur gives him away.  Can’t even tell you how quickly this can all go bad… very bad.

 

Perhaps by confessing in public I can make myself grind it out. Bought the three-ring binders and mailing boxes yesterday, so now all that is left is the final read, edit work,  making copies and mailing.

Piece of cake.

Must be a glitter sale somewhere? Right?

 

Go Condors, Butterflies and Turtles!

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by Kimberly A. Cook

I know this is Super Bowl weekend and these teams are not in the game, but they’re still winning! Since this week we’re celebrating victories, thought it was a great time to check out the Oregon Zoo’s conservation accomplishments for 2017.

And I’ve never seen anything cuter than a pygmy rabbit. Seriously! But the western pond turtle is a looker too.

Stock up on chips and dips, don’t forget Kitten Bowl Five on the Hallmark Channel, and root for the condors, butterflies, turtles and pygmy rabbits!

Have a great, safe weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!

Celebrate Personal Victories?

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by Kimberly A. Cook

Last week I finished a huge project. Mega big. Finished cleaning out my Dad’s basement workshop. This may sound like a small deal, but it was a humongo challenge. Been working on it for ten years. Off and on. Pretty on the past eight months.

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One small part of my Dad’s workshop bench. Before.

 

So spent part of last week celebrating my accomplishment. Did wild and crazy things like a jammie day,  a massage, bought clearance beads and actually read a fiction book. There was also dark chocolate involved; I stocked up on six bags just to be sure I don’t run out this next month – Valentine’s Day!

I don’t think we celebrate our victories enough. We’re so used to rushing on to meet the next goal, project or to do list item, we don’t revel in the moment.  Celebrate all your achievements. What may seem like tiny victories mount up to big accomplishments.

It also recharges your battery. Which is why I could spend three hours on Sunday cleaning and rearranging the garage so I can get Subie’s car doors open. Parts of Dad’s shop ended up in my garage. Living room. Office. Exercise room. To be sorted later.

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Workbench after. All built by Dad.  Quite the amazing man.

 

Time to celebrate with more chocolate. Plus I’m making big party plans to really commemorate this event by getting Subie detailed inside and out, replenishing my stock of no-stink BenGay and visiting the chiropractor.

After any mission, one must check equipment and do maintenance. Words to the wise.

I recruited help when I needed it too. It takes a platoon to accomplish most goals. Life is logistics.

One of the biggest hurdles was making sure tools and hardware went to non-profit organizations; Habitat for Humanity Restore and Tools 4 Troops got a lot. I know they will be used and help out families and veterans. Dad would like that too.

Got mega or mini victories to celebrate?

Party on!

Time For A Surfing Pig?

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by Kimberly A. Cook

Busy week. With that in mind, I decided we all needed a sun and swim break. What better way to warm up in the winter than surfing in Hawaii. With a pig. Who has his own board and two GoPro cameras. Because why not?

If you need to schedule some playtime in your life, take pointers from Kama, the hanging ten porker. Hang loose.

Have a great weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!