Wishing all my family, friends and readers a Happy New Year. May our year be filled with laughter, love, good health and kindness.
I am working on Middle Seat Passenger, the sequel to Morningside Drive. I appreciate the support from family, friends and readers that I have receive when publishing my first novel. Thank you.
Happy New Year. . . just saying, Claudia
In a previous post I talked about the Composting Guru who provided a five minute video on composting. I watched the video and followed the steps.
We didn’t have an old beat-up bin so I bought one. Just as well because it is going to be kept outside and in Florida would be considered unsightly. Fortunately I found a lovely purple one. Unfortunately the strong sun will fade it to a dingy violet in no time.
I put Bobbie C to work drilling holes in both top and bottom.
He took the job seriously. It was harder than we thought.
The next steps were easier. S
Steps to composting
It was quite gross. The filter inside the lid of the kitchen bin prevented my from smelling the decomposing fruit and vegetable scrapes.
Since we are three miles from the beach our soil isn’t really soil, it is sand. I’m hoping this will help things grow. But it is probably just another one of my “great” ideas to fight global warming.
. . . just saying, Claudia
What’s new at my house? Well there haven’t been any health events, thank God.
I’m a full time care giver now. Those of you who have been there, done that, know what it entails. There is little time for other things, especially writing. But occasionally there is something new.
Doesn’t this Crofton Countertop Compose Bin (only $14.99 at Aldi’s) add a decorative element to my kitchen? It’s useful too.
“Compost is a mixture of ingredients used as plant fertilizer and to improve soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties. It is commonly prepared by decomposing plant and food waste, recycling organic materials, and manure. The resulting mixture is rich in plant nutrients and beneficial organisms, such as bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, and fungi.” (Wikipedia)
This past week I added fruit and vegetable peels expecting the decomposing to occur. . . magically? Am I naïve, old or just plain dumb?
Today I realized the bin is a collection item and the magic takes place outdoors when soil, leaves and water are added.
Fortunately Composting Guru who provided a five minute video on what to do. You’ll need to view or skip through two ads to see how easy it is.
Claudia. . . just saying
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Just do it! Get on board. You’re going to have to do it sooner or later.
These were a few, among many, thoughts I had while surrendering to streaming and a cell phone only existence. There was no other choice, so I jumped in.
The leap was and continues to be traumatic!
I dislike this fast pace, speed talking, push a button. . . data collection, artificial intelligence life style.
Do you?
And Streaming aka screaming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The learning curve is high. But my cable bill was $246.
So let’s talk about AI.
Someone else writing your term paper is plagiarism. Am I wrong?
I was befuddled to learn WordPress now offers an AI component to help bloggers write a post. An individual’s uniqueness is what readers like. Will this have a cookie cutter effect? Personally, I will not put my name on someone else’s work, especially if it enhances, and enriches my writing.
In my opinion, that would be cheating.
I would love to hear your thoughts.
. . . just saying
Below is the email sent by WordPress. Perhaps I don’t understand the program.
WordPress.com is built for writers.
One of the key elements of an effective website is its content. And because high-quality writing differentiates your website from others, it’s the primary reason visitors return and is instrumental in attracting new traffic.
But what if you’re not sure what to write, or you’re dealing with writer’s block? No worries! Your WordPress.com plan gives you access to Jetpack AI Assistant, which will help you create engaging posts in a jiffy.
Start a draft
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With everything you need to get started at your fingertips, we think you’ll enjoy planning and writing your posts even more than ever.
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Vogue is synonymous with fashion, trend, craze, fad, style and the latest. . . exclusivity.
Designer fashion has always been for the rich, however, now even the rich question. . . what they can afford.
Yesterday the March issue of Vogue magazine came in the mail. It is two hundred and seventy-five pages of beautiful photos and many articles.
My daughter used sky miles to subscribe, but since she’s not billed, doesn’t know how to stop them from coming. I don’t usually read the articles because the print is too small, but the title, What Is It With the Price of Clothes?, intrigued me.
Apparently only the richest of the richest are buying. But designers aren’t complaining, because prices are climbing. Channel’s classic quilted flap bag now sells for ten thousand dollars, double what it was five years ago. Why would Channel increase the cost and why do the rich pay the significant jump?
Well, if only the richest of the richest can afford to buy their status increases and so does designers’ profits. . .a win win
However, none of that is my concern. My worry is what to do with the magazines filled with pretty pictures.
Before Covid I would bring magazines to the hospital for their reading cart. Remember reading carts? Sometimes I’d leave them in a doctor’s waiting room. I can’t do that any more. So out of desperation I stacked them.
What do you think?
I’m still conflicted about throwing them out.These are some of the photo from the current magazine.
Ruff, tough and baggie are stylish. I don’t go for any of these looks, although the shoes are classy.
The pictures below aren’t from a photo shoot, but from a professional photographer on the street looking to prove that messy is a trend. I thought a large open over filled hand bag a pick-pickets dream. Wrong! Today, it’s “a marker of modern womanhood”. Go figure.
To make matters worse, I’m binge watching Project Runway and haven’t seen anything I’d buy it I could afford to.
I was never cool, but. . . still. . . is it really fashionable to look frumpy, and messy, your hair in disarray?
Please let me know if there is a way to cancel a subscription you aren’t paying for.
. . . just saying
Mundane Sunday
My Tandem insulin pump, wakes me up at 6 A.M., like an alarm clock would, to let me know I am going low. So, like it or not, I am up for the day.
It’s Sunday morning, January 7th.
Like it or not, I drink a glass of juice, then fix a cup of coffee and a piece of toast.
Now. . . it’s Wordle time.
I started doing the word game last January. In the beginning I struggled. Now I’m fairly good. This morning I figured out the five letter word of the day in less than five minutes. My current winning streak is thirty-seven days long and I feel proud.
At my last eye doctor’s visit, hoping to engage him in normal conversation, I asked if he played the game. I expected to chat about fun or finding time to play. But, his response was a dissertation on vowel versus consonant approaches. His take on a mundane pastime was genius, the only one he had, and why he’s a retina surgeon.
According to him, I use a vowel approach. I always use the word years, because it has three vowels. If none are in the word, I attempt to use the remaining vowels, i o or u.
Well, it is time to shower and blow dry my hair. Then I will bake a crumb cake for my grandson.
Yesterday, January 6th is a date I will always remember because. . . it is also my grandson’s birthday.
The day won’t be totally mundane. Dominic, his wife Marcela, and our daughter Janine, will join us for dinner out, then we’ll come home.
I will light a candle on the crumb cake and we will sing Happy Birthday.
P.S. It’s not snowing in Florida, but I wish it were.
. . . just saying
Life becomes more challenging as we age. Do you agree?
Why do I say that?
Well, in spite of my desire to write and post more often, staying healthy interferes. I am either at a doctor’s office, the ER or on hold in an attempt to solve technical problems for mine or my husband’s diabetic pump. So, I was happy to get dressed up and go out with friends. First we had lunch at Rose Villa
Rose Villa is a comfortable casual restaurant in a unique historic setting in Ormond Beach, Florida.
We feature Southern inspired cuisine, including our signature southern fried chicken,
classic craft cocktails and an ample selection of wines.
Built in the late 1800’s, Rose Villa was established as a bed and breakfast in 1901.
A small exclusive adjunct to Henry Flagler’s Ormond Hotel, it accommodated important guests
who preferred more privacy than the famous hotel afforded. It thrived for many years,
later became a real estate office, and eventually began to suffer from its age.
The beautiful old building came back to life when it was purchased by Bill Jones in 2007.
With an amazing vision, he transformed the original Rose Villa into the Victorian jewel it is today.
or a leisurely dining experience, you will be charmed.
From the bold cranberry and apple green colors on the outside to the magnificent custom
wallpapered walls and ceilings throughout, you are transported to the era
of the 1920’s with every minute detail.
Today, Rose Villa offers a polished casual atmosphere with Southern hospitality.
After lunch, we gathered at Juliette’s home for fun and games. Dan The Man joined us, but was on his best behavior, available only for pictures.
Playing the game, Suing Santa was a blast! So I searched on line, but only found the Santa Left Right game, on Etsy. You pass a gift bags left then right. It cost $3.49 to down load. I paid!
I didn’t want to sue Santa anyway, it would have cost sooooooooooo much more.
What a different world we live in.
My grandkids are coming and I’ll put money in the gift bags.
I had fun with the girls.
. . .Just saying
In Florida, weathermen or weather-people, to be politically correct; now refer to weather as inconvenient.
Well. . .your feet might get wet, your hair blown, and you’ll have to follow a car’s tail-lights to get home. But, you’ll be safe, in a down pour.
It is inconvenient; but catchy and cute. Isn’t it?
The expression hasn’t caught on in the north. Weather people announce the above freezing temperatures void of express, with little regard for the lack of sunshine.
Inconvenient weather is normal, and expected.
I don’t know what’s happening in other parts of the country.
So, on a normal fall day in the north, we drove to Indian Ladder Farms to buy apples. The variety of apples is outstanding and their sugar apple donuts memorable.
As we were leaving, I saw a restored Jaguar, and asked the owner if I could take a picture. He offered to take a picture of me in the vehicle.
We got to chatting. He and his wife are Florida Snow Birds and owners of a window washing service, Mark Washing Windows. They have a place in Port Orange, twenty-five miles from me.
They don’t think Florida’s weather is inconvenient and will be heading south after the holidays.
Is your weather inconvenient?
. . . just saying, Claudia
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