FRIDAY STIR FRY - Bear Of A Year

 

This has been a bear of a year. I think we can all agree on that. 

I remember when 2020 started and we were all laughing at the videos of Barbara Walters saying "This is 2020." Now, I'd like to kick her in the teeth. 

So much sadness and uncertainty. I admire people who have made the best of this. The small business owners who have managed to find ways to survive. The parents managing to work from home and at the same time, school their kids. The doctors, nurses, and first responders who have kept fighting this disease, sometimes against impossible odds. The scientist working so very hard to save us all. 

These times have certainly brought out the best in people and the worst. But, somehow we have managed to keep our heads on and muddle through.  

None of us know when things will be better. Everybody says they want normal again. Not sure the normal we knew a year ago will ever return. But, maybe, just maybe, a new normal will emerge that is better, more kind, and more patient. 

FRIDAY STIR FRY: Where Is It?

 I thought this picture was funny. Here is this soldier searching for something in the distance and the bird seems to be trying to help him. 

What are they looking for? Perhaps the bird is just looking for fish to eat. The soldier is probably on the lookout for the enemy. Or, maybe not. 

On a more spiritual level, they could both be looking for a purpose to life. Or somebody to love. Or friendship. 

Maybe, like me, they are hoping to find inspiration. It's out there somewhere. 

Actually, I found inspiration this morning while having breakfast with some of my writing buddies. I am thinking of writing a cozy mystery for NaNo this year. I'm a big fan of Murder She Wrote so, I thought, why not. I was having a hard time figuring out what my setting should be and they helped me decide. 

I'm going to keep this inspiration to myself for now. But, stay tuned.                                                          

 

 

FRIDAY STIR FRY - Cooking

 

Are you a good cook? Do you enjoy cooking? 

I am not and I don't. I just never seemed to move past the simple fried foods, lumpy mashed potatoes, and canned veggies.  Even when I followed a recipe, it always seemed to fall short. I managed to feed my family for over 20 years but, none of my dishes have been passed down to their families. My husband was a pretty good cook, but he worked two jobs so I didn't feel right asking him to step in a lot. His mother passed her cooking skill down to him.  She could make a dirty dishcloth taste good.

I can remember my grandmother cooking on her old farmhouse stove. Throwing this in and that in, never measuring anything. And it all tasted wonderful. 

My mother, on the other hand, worked outside the home. We ate a lot of canned goods and frozen dinners. I don't blame her, but that was my training ground. My dad was a cook during WWII and would occasionally cook a big pot of chili or stew. And I do mean big. It was like he was still cooking for a platoon. And it was just mom and me. 

My daughter had a homework assignment to make an ABC book all about food. For H, she picked Hamburger Helper. That pretty much summed up my culinary wizardry. 

I think you need to have a chemistry degree to be a good cook. What spices go with this food? All purpose flour or self rising? What is the best way to cook a steak, etc? I still don't understand the difference between baking soda and baking powder. 

So, if you ever come to my house, don't expect any homecooked meals. In fact, if you want to eat, you should bring a pizza.

FRIDAY STIR FRY: Weird Times

 I used to collect teddy bears. If I still did, I would adopt this one. He looks lonely. And worried. Kind of like a lot of us during this weird time. 

I know a lot of people adopted pets to help them through quarantine and beyond. That's not for me. Not that I don't like animals, I just don't want to take care of one. I have a tough enough time taking care of myself. The feeding, the walking, the grooming is all so tiresome.  I don't want double duty. Plus pets die eventually. I've seen many people really tore up when their pet dies. I don't need that sadness in my life, especially now when the world is filled with it. 

But, a teddy bear would be the next best thing. I could cuddle it, pet it, talk to it, take it on car rides. And, the only care it needs would be an occasional dusting.

Amazon, here I come.   

FRIDAY STIR FRY - Ideas

https://morguefile.com

 

Writers are often asked "Where do you get your ideas?" 

I don't like this question because, frankly, I have no clue. Literally no ... freaking ... idea.

Just coming up with something to write for this blog is difficult for me. 

And to tell you the truth, I don't come up with tons of ideas for stories or novels. There are authors out there that have notebooks full of ideas. Visions and stories that seem to float down to them from the heavens. I'm not one of those lucky writers. 

I hate them.  😏

I use writing prompts sometimes. Anything to spark my imagination. But even then, I don't know where the story will lead me, if anywhere. One site I use quite a bit is https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/. There are also books full of ideas. Just go to Amazon and type in 'writing prompts'. 

After I finish my current novel, I have two others I started during National Novel Writing month. At least those ideas are already formed and just waiting on me to do something with them. Sorry about the wait characters. I'll get back to you soon.  

FRIDAY STIR FRY: Dream Catcher

 

Dream Catchers

What are dream catchers? The following description is from PowWows.com. 

In many Native American tribes, a dream catcher is a handmade willow hoop woven to a web or literally, a net. A dream catcher also includes such features as feathers and beads. They are traditionally suspended on cradles as a form of armor and protection.

I use to have one hanging over my bed. I considered it a protection against nightmares. Who wouldn't  want to have only sweet dreams?  But, if you think about it, life is a mixture of nightmares and sweet dreams. We need both to have balance in our our lives.

There have been reports that during this pandemic, we are dreaming more. I believe it! There is so much new, unpleasant, and unexpected stuff happening now, our brains are on overload. 

Have you ever tried interpreting your dreams? I have a dream dictionary that gives the meanings behind certain visions we have in our dreams. What you think is a deep, dark pit full of snakes, may represent something completely different. Our brain is an amazing machine and I tend to think when we are dreaming, it is just trying to connect the lose dots of our lives.

Next time you wake up from a dream, write it down and see if you can connect some dots. You may just find an answer you've been searching for.  

COURAGE

 I'm really not one for inspirational messages, but this was one I picked up at a thrift store as I was starting my journey as a writer. Plus, I really liked the picture. Who doesn't love a penguin? This image doesn't do it justice. The colors are deeper and richer than they appear here. 

It says: Courage is daring to take that first step, or a different path. It is the decision to place your dreams above your fears. 

At the time, I was hoping to quit my day job and write novels for a living. That never happened. Let's face it, making a living as a writer is near impossible unless you are Stephen King or Nora Roberts or a celebrity with a tell all book. There just aren't as many publishing houses offering new writer contracts with lucrative advances as there used to be. And being single, I depended on a steady income.

But, I still had the dream of writing and publishing a novel. And against all odds, I did.

 I recently found this picture after unpacking some boxes from my move. I immediately placed it on my desk. I want to write more novels, but somewhere along the line I lost my courage. Now is the time to reclaim it. 

Meet Wilson

 

Say hello to Wilson. He was my buddy during the first couple months of Covid-19 quarantine. 

He was one of my grandson's toys and as far as I know, he had no name. I gave him the name Wilson in honor of the Tom Hanks movie Castaway. Because, I certainly felt like I was lost on a desert island, adrift in a sea of unknowns. The most of which was, when is this going to end? Unfortunatly, we still don't know the answer to that. 

At first when work shut down, I was happy. Didn't have to go to work? Yippee. But as the first month dragged on, it became less of a vacation and more of a jail sentence. I missed my co-workers, (well some of them). I missed the structure of a schedule. 

So, Wilson and I went on a few field trips. We went to the park several times. I took him to the parking lot of my old hangout that was now closed. I showed him the house I grew up in and my elementary and high schools. Somehow getting out of the house, even while staying in my car helped. And, Wilson helped, as crazy as it sounds. He was there. He listened. He looked at me with his big eyes urging me to get out of my recliner and exercise. And, no I'm not crazy. My mother had me tested.

What have you done to make it through this trying time? I would love to know.

Until next week, stay safe and healthy.

WHAT'S NEXT??

 

I've been asking myself that question quite a lot lately.

Having recently retired, that question pops into my head on a daily basis as I try to figure out what direction my life needs to go now. Or, does it even need to go anywhere?

And then there is Covid-19. Man, has that changed things. The above picture reminds me of the toilet paper shortage that occurred at the beginning of this pandemic. Who could have believed people would hoard toilet paper. Blew my mind. 

I've also heard there is a big event coming up this fall. Some sort of an election? Just kidding. It's probably one of the most important elections in modern history. And when it's over, we will all be asking "What's next?"

As of right now, my 'next' is starting up this blog after a much too long absense, dedicating myself to working on my next novel, and reading more. All the while trying to avoid getting that damn virus so I can enjoy my retirement years. 

Until next week, stay safe friends.