Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

kindness

Back to the Blog 2024

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The first bloom this year on my Veteran’s Honor rose was on the Fourth of July. Perfect timing!

Life is nuts on earth right now. Add social media into the mix and it can get worse. So, to save my sanity and outfox all the “platforms,” I’m firing up my blog again. My own little online newspaper where my three loyal followers can find out what is going on and maybe crack a smile. We need fun!

I spent this last week holed up in my house due to a heat inversion and got stuff done. Excavated my desk, made file labels for folders, rearranged things, even ironed. A friend was speechless about the ironing part. And I accidently started editing my nonfiction writing book.

Note to fellow writers: when you put a project away to sit for a bit, for the love of plum pudding, leave yourself a detailed note. Because when you return to it twelve years later, you have no flipping clue what you were doing. In spades. Never mind Word 97 is no longer in use and what the flock is a formatted page break?

My current fiction book, Mission: Runaway Hearts, will return in the mail from my editor next week, so I have to get cracking on all the other things. I have a long list of production items and a web site overhaul this year. And it’s July! Marketing next year. I’m pacing myself. Good thing I’m retired from my day job, right?

If you want more details about my upcoming books, you can sign up for my Cookie Sheet newsletter. I seem to be on a barely bi-monthly schedule. When I have a stiff wind at my back. And chocolate.

Hoping to head to the beach for a day trip this next week. With parkas and mittens. We topped out around 104 F (40 C) degrees yesterday, so 62 F (16.6 C) is going to feel like the Antarctic. But a restaurant down there has killer chocolate cake, and I must visit my favorite glass blowing artist to see if I need one more heart for my collection. Plus, I need to research a building in Lincoln City for the writing book. Really. It’s not just a cake trip!

Consider this opening blog across the bow a proof of life. I’m still standing and writing.

(To be honest, I’m sitting.)

Cake hunter, Kim

P.S. I have no idea if I can figure out how to get the comments turned back on after last year’s track back attack. No bots allowed on my watch! My blog. This is a kind people space. Don’t make me come over there… The likes button might work. Ah, tech. The true four-letter word. Cake ahoy!

Sending Valentine Wishes

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The Double Delight rose is one of my favorites. You can see why. From my backyard in a past summertime. Ah, summer. Soon…

They say people give the gifts they want to receive, so I must love cards, Dove dark chocolate, and roses. I do! But I can’t push those things through the interweb, so a photo will have to do. Was going to use a picture of my blooming Yuletide Camillias, but it snowed on them last night. They’re a tad droopy and cold this morning.

So, into the archives! Wanted to share a rose bloom from a while ago.

The thing I love most about today is we celebrate love.

And the world needs so much more love these days.

Only one of many reasons I am proud to be a romance author.

Spreading love every day of the year!

Cheers to more love on our planet.

And the comfort only love can provide in challenging times.

Love is the greatest power in the galaxy.

I hope you take some time to be kind to yourself and others today.

And all the fur babies.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

P.S. Happy 164th birthday to the State of Oregon too! 

 

A Fresh Start For Kindness

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Happy New Year, my fellow earthlings. Think I was kind of waiting to see if we actually made it. So far, so good. Bumpy, but we’re coping.

My goals this year are kindness, play, writing, and decluttering.

While I have been doing the last two, I need serious retraining for play, plus I’m working on kindness by trying to do a good deed each day. If I make you smile, this post counts for today’s good deed.

One article I read a long time ago said if you changed three things in your morning routine, it would turn your world upside down. Can’t even imagine what a multiple-year worldwide tri-demic does, but we’re beginning to find out. Think we are upside down, turned inside out, and floating in space.

While the entire planet is in various stages of flux and upheaval, we can recognize we are all in recovery. And that will take as long as it takes and is individual for each person and animal. Basically, this event screwed everybody, mammals, insects, all organisms.

Kindness to ourselves and others is a powerful way to move forward.

On Dec. 8, 2013, I was standing in the customer service line at Kohl’s to pay my almost overdue credit card bill. My dad had died early that morning, and my family were on our way home from saying goodbye to him at the foster home.

Sleep-deprived, grieving, in shock, and pretty exhausted, I felt like an empty vessel. Standing in line was taking way too much energy. After I paid my bill, the clerk gave me a business card. On it said #SHOWKINDNESS. I held onto that little card as if it was a surprise daisy in winter. I still have it.

You never know how you will touch someone’s life in a positive way. And sweet sea biscuits, we need as much kindness and love as we can produce right now.

Take positive baby steps. Whatever you can handle.

Elizabeth Lyon, a favorite writing instructor, talked about one percent improvement a week at a long-ago writing conference. She said we have to “chop wood and carry water” every day to be better writers.       

That goes for kindness and love too.

In that vein, I’m adding some of my new favorite videos to enjoy. I need more play and nature in my life, and given our winter weather, these videos help a lot.

The Movie Squirrels are from Norway and their humans are working to save the forest for the animals. Let’s do this!

(It’s eight hours, so pace yourselves. I watch it on my TV. You have to see The Nut Bar!)

https://youtu.be/cIvEGjm0qGM

And let’s finish up with some positive news from the Oregon Zoo!

https://youtu.be/gwBkeiHfFds

Gear up people.

Let’s get kindness trending!

Happy Valentines Day! Eat Cake!

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This is the mini chocolate cake I made for my Mom’s 94th birthday. I took a picture of today’s, but WordPress won’t let me upload it. Gah! Suffice it to say, it looks like this, but on a red heart plate. I use Betty Crocker Super Moist Devil’s Food cake mix and also Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy milk chocolate frosting. In case you need the secret recipe. For emergencies.

Happy New Year! Happy Valentines Day! I lost a month. More like two. Actually three, to be exact. Long story short, my mom had medical challenges and three months later here we are, coming out the other side. Tonight we get to celebrate her 95th birthday at her new Assisted Living home.

Since she is also a Valentines Day baby, it is especially sweet she is doing much better and we know she has a fabulous group of minions helping her out. Besides my sister and myself. We’re good, but very human. We wear down.

So now that mom has more staff, we are trying to get back on track with our to do lists, right after we finish clearing out her apartment this next week. And sell the car. And sort paper files.

Can we chat about stuff? I had too much of my own mess before this move. Still haven’t cleaned out all the stuff from Mom’s prior move two years ago.

If you’re thinking about downsizing or moving, start cleaning out yesterday. But not my new craft supplies I purchased when I had five or ten minutes to kill between running errands, buying groceries, and helping mom. I call it craft therapy for when you don’t have time to get to an actual therapist.          

On this holiday I am grateful for family, friends, hugs and well wishes. Good thoughts helped too. Especially appreciated my friend Kathy helping me wrangle two bookcases, one LaZBoy, and a very stout round kitchen table into my house. My dad built the kitchen table in my youth and it could withstand a nuclear blast.

It also didn’t fit inside the hatchback. I volunteered to be ballast and we drove with the tabletop on the bumper and me holding on for dear life to the bottom pedestal. It was a long block, but we made it. Now Spec Ops Cat thinks he has a new cat enrichment gym. And I need to rearrange my house and get rid of more overstuffed chairs. Still stuff.

While we celebrate this day of giving thanks for love, I want to acknowledge all the good in this world. Especially by the people who give a small part of themselves when they don’t realize how much it can mean to a brain dead, exhausted caregiver unable to even do simple math. Bless you all.

Like texts from friends just checking in, when they know all you’ve got time for is to maybe send an emoji. And they still care.

Grocery checkers who smile at you and make you laugh, when you really need a lift to your spirits.

Medical professionals who can’t give you a definite answer, but try to help.

Your dentist gets you in pronto to fix a tooth you just broke in half eating a Wheat Thin.

Your brother-in-law figures out why the new GFCI plug isn’t working so you don’t have to keep manually hurking your garage door up and tripping over the extension cord running from the house to the freezer in the garage.

Les Schwab mechanic angels figure out your flashing low tire pressure light isn’t right, but it needs to be replaced. And they do it.

The two sets of craft stamps you really want and thought you missed, miraculously show up on a flying trip in and out of Tuesday Morning.

Chocolate chip cookies, Goobers, cinnamon toast, a Big Mac and fries. And I only started gaining weight this week. It’s back to chicken, broccoli and rice!

For all the caregivers out there, hugs and best wishes. There are no calories for you today. Really. Take a deep breath. Now another. You’ve earned it.

Yes, you can make a cake just for yourself. Or buy cupcakes, cookies, or anything else you need to cope. And there are free meditation lessons on YouTube.

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day everybody!

Bring On 2018!

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by Kimberly A. Cook

It has been a really nutty year. Many times I felt like we were in a squirrel rodeo combined with a rat race and a bad SciFi movie. Imagine my delight to find out we are not alone, even the squirrels have wacko race events.

While we kick 2017 to the curb to start a shiny New Year on Monday, let’s practice the Golden Rule, be kind to others and help each other out. We’ve got work to do to save the polar bears and each other in 2018.

But this weekend it is chips and dip time. Regroup and gear up.

Happy New Year and Happy Quirky Friday! Hugs to you all!

Baubles And Bangles And Hope

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by Kimberly A. Cook                   (Twitter@  WarriorTales)

Last Friday I set off on an adventure to my favorite Bead Show in Portland. Given all that had happened in the nation, I felt odd to be trekking off for a fun afternoon. Rode the MAX light rail line down to the Convention Center; not only is it fast, but the people watching is fabulous. The slogan “Keep Portland Weird” really does apply here.

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You can totally see why I pounced on these beads. Magnifique!

 

Since I was born in Portland, that explains a lot about me too. A quick trip and suddenly I’m in gem heaven. The show comes twice a year and the last time I had sixty minutes tops to shop.

Friday I had time to wander at will. On my fourth booth, jackpot! Found beads I could not live without and snapped them up. The scavengers who had been there at the opening two hours earlier had depleted the pink bead stock, but I still scooped up my pretties.

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Only the corner of one booth. Next time I need to take a Sherpa with me.

 

The show has increased to almost fifty percent rocks and minerals in addition to jewelry. Found some fabulous geode and amethyst specimens to drag home except for the prices, but I could take pictures. Purple really is my color.

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Geodes for sale. Just like mine, except for the ones I broke and need to glue back together. 

 

So with my bag of bead booty, continued on my route to check out every single booth. Collected more must haves along the way to add to my collection. My name is Kim and I’m a bead hoarder. Figure it’s still cheaper than a bass boat!

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This REALLY wanted to come home with me, but my bank account said no. Spoil sport.

 

After three hours of pure joy, it was time to jump back on MAX with the evening commuters and head back to my car. It’s so much fun whizzing by the stuck freeway traffic on MAX and not being the one stuck for a change.

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Necklace pendants from Nepal. Maybe next time I need two Sherpas and an 18-wheeler to take home my treasures.

 

When I got home I checked out my take. Seed bead necklaces from Guatemala, necklace pendants from Nepal, beads from China, silver from Italy, almost amethyst from the fairy caves. I’d seen gemstones from Afghanistan, beads from South Africa, nesting dolls from Russia and the Larimar stones I love from the Caribbean.

It all made me smile. The vendors who attended from up and down the West Coast with their wares all came together to help people like me make pretty things. That once again proves we can do things together for a greater good. Even if we start with one bead.

Sitting on my computer is a business card I was given at Kohls in December 2013. It was part of an ad campaign by the store, but the clerk couldn’t know when she handed it to me how much it would mean. My father had passed away during the night. We were headed home after seeing him for the last time and I stopped to pay my bill. I was exhausted, grief stricken, numb and not too happy to wait in line.

That little card made me remember all the people who had been so kind to us throughout the ordeal. At one of the worst moments in my life I got a business card that said #SHOWKINDNESS.

Seems like a really good place to start to move forward in this country. So simple we can all do it. Some pretty beads might help too. The power of the good Force is strong. Hope lives.

Who’s been kind to you lately? Pass on kindness. You never know what a difference it might make in someone’s day.

P.S. Thank you to all my readers. You make my day.

P.P.S.S. For my fellow beadaholics, the www.gemfaire.com might come to your town. Don’t miss it!