Military Romance Author
by Kimberly A. Cook
Been a busy week but I know I’ve accomplished a lot. From getting stuff out of the house and donated to attacking technology challenges, progress feels liberating. The projects continue, but I’m pretty proud of myself.
Learning new things is always good and this baby mountain goat at the Oregon Zoo is no exception. Climbing rocks is a new sport for him too. His celebration at the end of the video sums up my week. Rock on!
Have a great safe weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!
by Kimberly A. Cook
Bagged the bird! For those of you who thought I’d lost my mind last week, my poultry paparazzi patrol paid off. Did a quick recon before leaving for my fiction critique group last Saturday to see if the violin playing chicken was in attendance. No fowl. Dang it.
Got in the car and headed for my meeting. Ready to make a left turn and looking right, chicken ahoy! I ignored my left turn signal, and the car behind me, and turned right to get a quick chicken pic. Using my vast stealth abilities from the military, I parked a block away and then went chicken stalking. Got two pics. Here is the best one.
Now this fowl encounter has become a quest. I want to know the chicken’s back story. My journalistic roots are tingling. When did the chicken take violin lessons? Why here? Why now? Why the outfit? Does the chicken have a website? Do all chickens wear Birkenstocks? Or flip-flops? (I’d say thongs, but I don’t want to confuse people and I really don’t want to go there with this chicken.)
Saturday is the big Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade so we all know what that means, rain. Not sure the chicken will show if it doesn’t like to get wet. But I’m intent on getting an interview.
When writing fiction, the author always needs to know the back story of each character. Where do they come from? What happened to them to make them do what they do now? What is their biggest goal? Worst fear? In my fiction books I’m writing, there are quirky animals too. Of course. And like their human counterparts, they all have back stories which explain their motivations.
In “real” life and fiction, everybody’s story is important. We all matter. Our stories matter. What better life long pursuit than to fight for our own happy endings?
How do we do that? We find out each other’s back story. Don’t judge a book by its cover or a chicken by its violin.
Every chicken has a back story!
by Kimberly A. Cook
Its been a weird week. Since I’m not watching the news, can’t blame it on that. Mother Nature is acting up all over the place, but it seems odder, like dragons are waiting in the wings. Or I need more chocolate. Or both.
Saturday morning decided to wander over to the Farmer’s Market to get some asparagus. On my way down the sidewalk an apparition appeared at the market driveway. An adult-sized chicken was playing the violin. Doing a rather nice job of it too.
Of course, the one time I didn’t have a camera on me. We’ll see if he/she shows up Saturday. I’ll be poultry paparazzi. Maybe it was the holiday weekend nutties.
Did bag the asparagus and bonus strawberries, their first appearance. Go fruit!
Decided to work like a maniac on the house and yard on Saturday and Sunday, not sure why. Then went out for lunch with family on Memorial Day. Filled up on pasta and bread sticks and that shot the rest of the day. Carb overload.
Tuesday I ventured out for an appointment and to run errands. In quick succession this is what happened; someone cancelled my appointment – not me – so they worked me in. Driving to the store some brat threw mud or something at my car and a shopping cart had attacked Subie when I came out of the store. I drove home and my driveway was blocked by the roofer’s trucks.
All minor things, but I was pretty sure I needed to hide under the bed. Went into my home office and found Spec Ops Cat sleeping on his face. Obviously, the cat had the best idea all along.
I did watch the Las Vegas Golden Knights kick butt on Monday night at the Stanley Cup playoffs, so all ended well. We will not talk about last night’s game. Ate way too many “Goobers” trying to help the team score. They look like pucks! Kinda. (Dollar Tree store. One dollar a box.)
All of this is probably a way to admit I’m procrastinating working on my big tech project; moving and consolidating the web site and blog and redesigning it all. I’ve even been writing to avoid doing it.
If the blog suddenly goes missing, don’t blame me; it’s the dragons.
To quote the plaque on my desk;
“I have flying monkeys and I’m not afraid to use them!”
by Kimberly A. Cook
That makes two of us. We had rolling snow storms last week, the arctic equivalent of the movie “Ground Hog Day.” The daffodils were not prepared and tried to go back in the ground. Didn’t work.
I ended up doing combat grocery shopping last Tuesday during the morning snow storm to avoid going out in the afternoon snow storm. When the snow shows up in Oregon, we go to the store and stock up, on donuts. Those shelves were stripped bare. Not a Ho Ho in sight.
And now I am two days into Olympics withdrawal. I suddenly have all this time on my hands. Except I do have a bunch of Hallmark movies on my DVR again after the Olympics. Spring better come soon or I won’t be able to get out of the LaZBoy.
But I have been able to do a ton of reading and writing. How fun. Nothing like being trapped by a snow storm to give you the excuse to read. And munch donuts. I did not buy donuts. I bought Marion berry pie. The cookies were a gift, so I’m not responsible.
Did slog out in one of the snow storms to buy more Fairy Rock Garden accessories. It was a fifty percent off sale and I had an additional twenty percent off coupon. Almost free! I drive a Subaru because I have to get to fairy garden equipment sales in snow storms. Makes complete sense to me. Fewer pesky shoppers in my way too.
Fairy Rock Garden bling makes me happy. Planning for warm weather activities makes me happy. Spring will come again!
Got Spring goals?
by Kimberly A. Cook
At the end of each year my friend Carol and I say, “Next year we’re getting organized.” We’ve been saying that for more than thirty years now. I don’t think it’s taken. Not for lack of trying mind you. It comes down to stuff and paper. No matter how I try, eventually one day I’m overwhelmed. Today could be that day.
It’s a constant battle. Stuff I can rotate and control to some degree; I purge clothes and books on a regular basis. Kitchen items and towels are a little harder. But paper really takes the cake.
One of the hazards of being a writer is clipping newspaper articles, hoarding books, keeping travel handouts and collecting office supplies. When you have a Scrat brain, every handout, business card and coupon can spark an idea.
Going digital hasn’t helped. The number of bookmark folders on my Samsung tablet alone are mind boggling. So I keep trying.
Add to the mix my Mom’s recent move and all kinds of interesting stuff ended up in my house to process. Of course, that has forced me to get rid of the leftover garage sale items to Goodwill so Subie can actually open her doors inside the garage.
Now, truth be told, if I hadn’t dragged home the wooden park bench from my Mom’s backyard that needs refinishing, the garage would have been okay. Kinda. But once I sand it, scrub it and paint it pink, it will make a fabulous addition to the fairy rock garden this summer. My name is Kim and I’m a project-aholic.
But paper. Yuck. Almost finished sorting the receipts for taxes. Now that is a land speed record for me to have that done in January. Go me.
But, it’s raining and dark outside. A new box of jewelry goodies I ordered has been open for two weeks and I haven’t been able to play with it yet. Its siren song is calling me across the office. Then I have a bunch of Hallmark holiday movies still clogging my DVR.
Plus those Christmas cookies never got baked and the ingredients are still waiting on the kitchen counter. Playing with jewelry parts, watching a movie and eating fresh baked cookies. Forget the paperwork for today.
I’m sure I’ll need to follow Spec Ops Cat’s lead and take a nap too.
Tomorrow I’m going to get organized! How about you?
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
Today is Beatrix Potter’s birthday, that champion of little rabbits in coats with brass buttons. What better way to spend a Friday than having bunny dreams.
An extraordinary woman, especially for her time, she is an enduring artist, author and treasure. What she accomplished in countryside land conservation with the proceeds from her “little bunny book” is legend and part of the National Trust in the United Kingdom. If you havwen’t seen the movie “Miss Potter,” take a look at this trailer and put it on your list.
Rabbits rule! Go Peter!
Have a great weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!
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