Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

military romance author

Got Pandemic Short Timer Syndrome?

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Blooms in the neighborhood!

Spring Greetings! Unless you’re cowering under snow, then my apologies. We had a heat wave here in Oregon and it felt like August instead of April. Complete with fire warnings. Did that last year, no need to repeat, thank you very much.

Then the rains returned over the weekend. Good thing. We need to keep fire danger down.

But the two weeks of sun might explain part of our current Oregon Covid-19 fourth wave surge. We had sun for two weeks straight and lost our minds. 

Do you feel like you’re trying to give a cat a bath while trotting on a treadmill that’s sinking in quicksand? Yeah. Me too. I recognize this affliction. We called it short timer syndrome in the military. Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan veterans know about in spades.

It’s the limbo time before you go home from war, deployment, or get out of the military. Or in our case, mask wearing and pandemic social distancing.

It can be the most dangerous time of any mission.

You’re tired of everything. You want it to end. Your focus slips off the mission target. Then stupid stuff happens.

We be there my fellow recruits. Dig deep and hang tough. Last Monday I was released out of the gates like a greyhound chasing a real rabbit to sign up for a vaccine shot. And the race is on!

Since I’ve been too young and healthy until now in Oregon, grateful for that, I’m doing the shot-a-rama thing to get an appointment. Wish me luck! I’m the last in my family to get stuck and will do my part.

The Oregon Health Authority released a new web table tracking vaccines per county. OHA is doing a great job, by the way. And this fancy new graphic gave me an idea.

Let’s play a national game! We’ve got the data. In Oregon right now, Benton County on the coast is leading with 52 percent vaccinated versus second place Lincoln County coming in at 51 percent. You feel it right? The competitive American spirit. In a good way.

If we can get the National Football League to provide graphics, ESPN to get a Covid vaccine tracking board with a nightly update, Scott Van Pelt from SportsCenter to talk it up, we can ignite our competitive state pride. Add spiffy stickers to download for each state.

You know what will happen next. Las Vegas will set up the odds for the betting folk.

And everybody gets to play! Including Puerto Rico, Guam, District of Columbia, American Samoa, U. S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and all the outlying islands and atolls. (We’ve got a bunch of those folks.)

Because as dysfunctional a USA family as we might be; we are gamers. Digital and old school. Online and offline. And if we think we’re going to let another state or area beat us, heck no.

I’m up for doing whatever it takes to get us to national herd immunity. For once, I want to belong to a happy cow herd. I’m thinking 101 percent. 101? We’ve got not-yet-born babies percolating as we speak people. This is a moving target!

Prizes? Shots in arms. But also important? Bragging rights.

The smaller populated states and territories and the District of Columbia have a very good chance at kicking big population state’s butts. For once.         

But the very best part? Saving lives.

Now we need a catchy name. US Super Shots Competition? USSSC? Sounds like a legit thing to me. Dr. Fauci can be the Commissioner!

These are the days we have to be crafty and creative fighting this global enemy.

Don’t take your eyes off the mission, gamers.

I know we’re tired, exhausted and cranky. I’ve even rearranged my refrigerator magnets. But now is when we dig deep and continue to mask and roll up our sleeves.

Join me in becoming a contestant in the USSSC.

I think as the bonus prize, the winning state or territory gets to pick the military aircraft flyover of their choice. Because that’s how we do it here in the USA! And our military pilots need the flight hours. Plus, it’s cool.

My aircraft shopping list? Several C-17s. Some C-130s. One B-52 and B-2 bomber each. A herd of CH-47 choppers. A flock of A-10 Warthogs! A bevy of Apache and Blackhawk choppers for spice. Local Air National Guard fighters. And the Air Force Thunderbirds and the Navy Blue Angels with some kicking Coast Guard rescue choppers. That’s a good start……  

And I must leave you with a fabulous lemur video showing how they celebrate spring at the Oregon Zoo.

P.S. BREAKING NEWS: Just got my shot appointment scheduled. Syringe ahoy!

Baby Yoda at the Oregon Convention Center vaccine site supporting the National Guard! He is masked and vaccinated. My sister took this picture after her volunteer shift putting shots in arms and monitoring, while my brother-in-law escorts folks who use wheelchairs through the process. So proud of both of them. It takes all of us!

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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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!

 

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!

Truly Thankful

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Getting ready to start my pumpkin pie baking and I wanted to send a quick thank you out to all our military service members, foreign service officers, and all their families serving around the world and across the USA. Of the many things I learned in the military, the big takeaway was we are one big crazy family in this nation of ours.

Everybody has nutty relatives, I think I am that person in my family, truth be told. We can’t agree on the best sports teams, beer, or how to hang the roll of toilet paper or raise the dog. We do like food of many different types with various hazardous spice levels. I think we can be called a “snack nation” for our love of sweets and junk food. Have you seen the holiday drinks at Starbucks this year?

Whether it’s pumpkin or pecan pie, light, dark or no meat, one thing is for sure; I am thankful to live in a country that is still a teenager in our young two-hundred plus years of development. And we all know how challenging trying to corral a teenager can be. Like dressing a cat. Who knows he’s going to the veterinarian. Requires metal chain mail.

I propose a toast of sparkling apple cider to our troops around the world, who keep us safe while we stuff ourselves with turkey, ravioli, or pizza as we watch football games or parades.

To our military service members, active, Guard and reserve – stay safe and know you are in our hearts today and always.

And whenever I think I’m having a bad day, I watch what some of our Marines were doing on Nov. 22 in Norway.

The Polar Plunge. Ice breaking training.

Bless Them All.

Happy Thanksgiving!