Getting Back in Shape - Treadmill.

 The right treadmill for you depends on a myriad of factors, but price should be only a minor factor, not a determining one. We all have things we really want, and if we want them badly enough, we'll find a way to make it happen. I used to have students who smoked but couldn't afford rent. OK, well, $10 a day for 30 days is $300, which would put a dent in that rent. Choices, priorities...we have them.

    So, last summer, when we moved from our apartment to our house, I wasn't thinking clearly, and I devastated both my hips and my knees by deciding (choice) to move much of what I owned on my own. Yes, Laura helped. Yes, I asked my son Jonathan to help, and he brought his nephew. They did the big stuff, but I did a tremendous amount of moving, shifting, lifting, pushing, pulling, and more, and in the end, my old body was wrecked!

    The summer and spring before that, I had walked anywhere from 3-5 miles a day, lifted weights, and gone to the gym across the street. I was fit, in shape, pretty happy about life, and not thinking that in a year I'd be both overweight and unable to physically move due to my knees and hips screaming at me when I tried. Now, today, about 11 months after the move, I'm finally to the point that I can make myself do a little more with the assistance of time, pain reliever, and prayer.

    I bought a row machine, but I quickly put it back in its box and shipped it off within 24 hours of it arriving on my porch. Nope, not going to even attempt that sort of nonsense. I didn't factor into the equation that I would need to get close to six inches off the ground to do the exercise. I can sit on a mat and stretch, but I struggle to balance on a seat, constantly pushing and pulling myself back and forth. I can, however, walk.

    Deciding to invest in a high-quality machine, rather than just any machine, I conducted thorough research and allowed Google's AI to assist in my decision-making process. I asked Google what the top at-home treadmills would cost and which ones had the better customer reviews. We settled on a Norditrac (I don't remember the model number) for around $700. Trust me, when I tell you, that's not a bad price for a good machine that will withstand the weight, the time, and the mission, and not fall apart within the first few weeks of use.

    This one has handrails and a display rack, so I can put my cell up and watch a show or YouTube videos while I'm working out..I say "working out", but really, I'm just walking. I am not pushing it yet. I can maintain an average pace for about 10 minutes.  I'm watching Tony Broonford walk through Edinburgh while I walk. Soon, I'll move up to watching Zach and Annie's 30-minute videos before being able to watch my pastor's 1-hour and 3-minute videos of Bible Study!  Who knew the Superior Word would end up being a life goal?

    After my first walk of the day, a 10-minute stroll with Tony, I wanted to stop by St. Giles and rest. There was no way I was going to be able to hike up the hill to see the Tattoo at the castle, nope. I could have and would have stopped off at the great church and just sat down to breathe. I'll be OK. My heart was racing; I was even stumbling a little while walking from the den to the kitchen to catch my breath. I have a long way to go, but I will get there.

    It will take a minute -- a minute at a time. One foot in front of the other, and one workout session before I rest and do it again. I think I can do three a day now, and then work myself into a pattern of a 10-minute morning walk, a 30-minute afternoon, and a 15-minute evening walk.  At the pace I walk, I should be able to complete a mile in about 28 minutes, allowing me to get in two miles a day. When I get better and healthier, I'll walk (briskly) three miles.

    For now, I'm moving, getting my hips loosened and my knees warmed up. I feel drained and exhausted, but in a good way. I'm drinking water, I'm pushing myself, and soon I'll see the difference in the way my clothes fit. That will be the beginning of the new me. I'll smile more, I'm sure. For now, I'm going to sit, rest, write, and think about the next walking session.

Photo Credit: Amazon.com 

Row Row Row ! Chapter 9 is done!! ("Cask")

     I've written Chapter 9, so I'm 18,000 words or so into the new book, and things are going swimmingly -- rowingly -- but that's another story. I bought a rowing machine this past week, thinking I would use it while watching my shows.  I also just bought a treadmill, and I know I'll use it when I watch my shows, but the row machine, sadly, was quickly disassembled and placed back into its box. The UPS people will swing by and pick it up sometime tomorrow. Nope... not doing it. I'll tell you why.

    Rowing is a great way to exercise, and shame on me for thinking I could buy a less-than-stellar piece of workout equipment and it would actually work. I'm just really happy Amazon has a 30-day return policy. I didn't need 30 days, more like 30 seconds once it was assembled (Thank you, Laura) and set up in my office. I literally nearly tripped over it, it's so low to the ground, but once I got my body down that low, I was unable to knot myself up and position myself in the seat properly. The way it was designed, I would have had to pull it back, hold it in place, sit down, and put my feet into the little flat pedals.

    There was another way, of course. Since the seat slid forward, I could, if I could, squeeze myself into a ball, straddling the thing, with my knees in my face, then put my feet into the pedals so I could push myself back into the right position to begin the first "row" which wasn't even a row, it was a pully sort of thing.  There were supposed to be resistance "dials" you could use to make it seem tougher to pull, but no, it really didn't do anything for me, except maybe annoy me - does that count?  It was discarded immediately, undone, boxed, and now awaits its final ride back to where it came from.

    Laura hasn't put the treadmill together just yet, but she will today, and then I'll use it after she does. I'll let her work out the kinks first. I want to use it every day for at least 3 miles a day - I can put on a 42-43 minute episode of Law & Order or Perry Mason and walk, just casually walking while solving a crime. I may tune into Charlie and listen to a good sermon while strolling through the Highlands in my mind -- always Scotland, it could be the streets of Melrose, I'm not that picky.

    Anyway, I stayed home today and used 8 hours of my paid time off to write. I do love the options I have with this job. I worked from home again, of course, and I wrote three more chapters of the book "Cask", which I think is my 19th book. I can say that and be telling the truth. I wrote three more chapters, and it's just about to get into the nitty and the gritty - it's always the first several chapters that set a book up before setting the characters loose to tell their stories. Nick, Eoghan, Ralph, and even Daniel Ramsey are just about to embark on a very intricate crime plot that will (or could) shock the world to its core!

    I won't get to the shocking part for another chapter or two. Right now, they're reviewing the documents, eating well, and getting to know each other a little better in ways that will solidify their bond forever. A good book - already a good one. I like it. Tomorrow and Sunday will be fun. I'll add at least five and possibly six new chapters. Woot! I'll keep you posted, I'm sure. Right now, they're in New York, enjoying the after-holiday hustle and bustle of Wall Street, and taking in the sheer beauty of Central Park.  Nick has been there before, but this is Eoghan's first time. He and Ramsey didn't have a chance to go when he first arrived.  

    OK, gotta run, remember, if you think you're too old and fat to get on the ground to row the fat off your body, you should probably listen to yourself. There's no shame in realizing that you're not bendable; not the way you used to be anyway.

Photo Credit:  Amazon.com 

CASK - It Has Begun

 "Cask" has begun. In fact, I have written 12,000 words, which is the finish of Chapter 6. I have been really having a lot of fun using the AI on this one. I'll tell it what I want to say, and read what it spits out. It doesn't usually spit out what I want to write, so I have to tweak it and give it more suggestions. I give it the full details of the chapter and then ask it to write it so that I sound good. I literally said, "Make me sound good, will ya?" and then it writes back something like, "Writer sighs a heavy sigh, realizing the weight of the world is on their shoulders to make the author appear better than she is," and that makes me laugh.

    I pay a monthly subscription to this AI to write with it and bounce ideas off it. I have what I want to say; it just cleans up my diction and punctuation. It tells me something I didn't think of, and I can choose to put it into the mix or not. I do sometimes, and I don't sometimes. Sometimes it makes me think of something completely off the topic, and I explore that angle for a while. I like the method. It's fun.

    If anyone thinks you can ask the AI to write the book, you don't know AI very well. You could do that, but it wouldn't come out the way you wanted. It would just come out the way it came out - so yeah, it could functionally write the book, but it wouldn't be YOUR book - and if you know me, you know I don't like to share - so I take suggestions and dress them up or down, use ideas, redirect it, and then see what happens. 

    This book is the 6th book in the Nick Posh thriller series, and takes place in Oklahoma, Chicago, New York, Cincinnati, Glen Cove, Long Island, Edinburgh, and a bit in Glasgow. We'll hit the wharfs on those docks, I'm sure. We have to trace down some German grenades -- they come out of Germany, and no, I won't be going there, since they're shipped first to Glasgow and Leith to be packed into the Scottish whisky casks. It's already fun, but the first 10 chapters of any of my books are the chapters I need to gear up, explain the nitty gritty, and get the characters lined up to set them free.

    Right now, Eoghan's been given devastating news. He's handling it, making permanent decisions, and choosing to stay in Oklahoma for the foreseeable future. Posh is getting more and more family grounded, and it's becoming harder to be away from the ones he loves, but he also realizes that he's not alone in the fight for justice - he's a part of something bigger and needs to be present wherever that may take him. He's not always happy about it, but he's fighting crime and doing his best to rid the world of such an ugly element. 

    When I think about it, I like Posh a lot. I like him more than I do Dick Tracy because to me, Dick Tracy is relatively flat. He doesn't travel much, and he's always in the nick of time - Nick Posh makes mistakes and sometimes, as we'll see in this book, making mistakes can cost lives. Oops! I can't say more -- that's for later in the book!

Photo Credit: Me ( I used Canva.com) 

Murder, Inc. (My Thoughts)

     Since I could read, I have been a thriller buff -- I'm not that big into mysteries because I don't like the plot twists that either don't make a lot of sense, or they come out of no where and "save the day" with some sort of miracle happening in the nick of time -- hate that. I don't like the nice little ribbon at the end because murder can't be tied up and solved that easily. It affects people for years, and it lingers on those who commit it, and the family and friends of the victims.

    In my books, I try to add stories about the victims and their families, how they're coping with the heartbreaks, the sorrows, and the circumstances that surround them after their loved ones have been taken from them. I try to add a bit of humanity to the mix; and it really does help when you think of it from that point of view. 

    I started reading darker stories, biographies, and such when I entered junior high school. It may have had something to do with my first-grade teacher, who still lived across the street from me, being married to a 2nd cousin of the very famous Earp family; yes, those Earps.  When I got older, she told me stories, and I began reading about the good and bad guys. I always liked the good guys more, and when I could, I borrowed and read everything about the brave men (mostly men) who caught the gangsters, the mobsters, and those train-robbing, bank-robbing thugs of the Old West.

    Oklahoma, being Oklahoma, had quite a few historic novels written about the gangs and villains in our state; so if gangs and villains are running around, and they ended up dead or in prison, there had to be a bunch of good guys too! There were. I read as many books about these guys as I could.  Stepping into and out of high school, I began reading about the Chicago hitmen and how they differed from the NYC hitmen. I learned the differences between ethnic groups; the Jewish mobsters vs the Italian mobsters, and then there were the Irish and the others who made their mark(s) on society.

    Right in the middle of it, some writers told stories and made movies. I remember watching Peter Falk before he was Columbo, in a movie called "Murder, Inc." I didn't remember much about it; I thought it was an Eliot Ness type film, but it wasn't. I decided to watch it tonight, to give me some insight for my new book "Cask". My character Nick Posh is much like Ness and other private detectives from the Depression Era who fought justice the only way they knew how, with their fists clenched or wrapped around a revolver.

    The book "Murder, Inc." written by two men, one of whom was an attorney against the mob, Burton Turkus, is available on Kindle for $9.99, so yeah, I bought it. I hope it's better than the film, but even the film had good points to take note of. I was able to see my characters do what needed to be done to catch the crooks and make them pay for their ruthless ways. It's fun to see the way people acted, dressed, talked, and thought back in those days -- to think it's been almost 100 years since the creation of Dick Tracy is crazy!

    Dick Tracy is only one character influenced by Eliot Ness and brave men like him who dedicated their lives to solving crime; keeping the rest safe from organized crime. I'd say Nick is far better looking than Dick Tracy. He's half Native, which also gives him another point of view. He's been in the military, on his own, and now he's married with a kid, so yeah, he's pretty well-rounded. I hope he can hold his own in "Cask" when he meets and talks with Burton Turkus about some of the lowlife scum he's being forced to face.

    I think Nick may just be the link Turkus has been looking for -- it could be that Nick saves the day -- what do you think? Too cheesy? In Nick's day they would have said it's "off the cob".

Photo Credit: Amazon.com 

The Treadmill -- Life!

 I am actually very much looking forward to the delivery and assembly of my new treadmill. The good news is that I gave birth to a woman who can take hand tools and turn them into magical instruments that create beautiful things. She's had so much experience at it, too. I will buy a bike, a chair, a coffee table, and even the new treadmill with absolute belief that Laura will have it put together and working in no time.

    I will not lie to you; I have bookshelves in my house that were assembled incorrectly. I have a bedframe that is also built out of the scope of what the instructions said to do. Laura is an artist! She holds the skillsets of a genius, and when she's finished with a particular project, it may or may not have additional parts, but it will always work and be as functional as it should be. This, I can testify to. If my headboard isn't supposed to look the way it looks, all I can say is other people don't have the same experience I have! My headboard is an original design. I like that.

    The treadmill, as well as the motorized standing desk, will need to be put together correctly. Laura understands this, and I'm more than sure that she'll at least read the instructions. It's fantastic that she can read Japanese too! If it's Mandarin, then we're out of luck, but she has diagrams that she can look at, I'm sure.  I just looked it up, and the one I'm buying is from China and/or possibly Taiwan -- damn. Well, at least she can fake it till she makes it-- and I'll probably ask her to run on it before I do.

    We both have the same goals - she'll probably look a lot better doing it than I will. She has this whole "fit" thing going on, and I'll keep the door closed so no one can see me falling apart during my two-mile trek. She'll probably break a sweat because she'll have it inclined, whereas I'll break a sweat because I stepped onto the machine in the hot garage where we keep it. (Yes, we have fans...we'll be OK)  She will probably have her music going while she runs, and I'll have Law and Order on my cell -- we are not the same.

    One of the things I am truly really very much looking forward to is the 20" belt on this particular machine. I bought a walking pad that has a 14" belt - nope. My hips hurt from using it. I found myself stepping onto the outside, tripping, and trying to stay upright -- this new treadmill has a case around the front to hold onto. It has a wider belt, and it's really quiet. I like that, and hopefully, the pounds will fall off of me. I would like that even more.

    Looks like Wednesday is the day it arrives -- woot!! I'll tell my body now so it can prepare itself accordingly. 

Photo Credit: Amazon.com  

My First New TV

 Tomorrow, I will buy my first new television set. (At least I don't remember ever buying a new out-of-the-box set before.) I have either been given my television by my son after he's purchased another one, or I've bought one from a rent-to-own place, which was cheaper if it had been used. Even if it had only been used for a month or so at a hotel, it was used, and therefore, I can't say that I've actually purchased my own television.

    I will say this, and it's really funny too, I won a TV once. I went to a Christmas party for one of the companies that my ex-husband worked for, and I won the TV that was given away as the door prize. I kid you not, before we got it loaded into the car, my husband gave it to his boss to give to his son. The TV was a small 13" Magnavox. I remember that. He gave it away, so he could earn "points" with the boss -- yeah, OK...you can see why he is an ex, right? (No, I won't go into it.)

    I'm not a big TV watcher, and I've never really been too glued to the set -- except OK, I was for those years I was unable to get the internet and I had three kids at home and no other way to entertain them. Sure, we watched a lot of TV then, but that was close to 22 years ago. I watch 90% of my television online, on demand. I don't turn the set on unless I'm watching severe weather on a local channel or I'm watching OU play someone, and again, on a local channel. We don't have cable television. We have an antenna.

    The $10 antenna I have is for "most" televisions, so the one I bought on Amazon will likely be OK with it. The one I have now, not so much. I can watch all the local channels, and because I can use the "Fire" aspect of the TV with my Wi-Fi, I think I can watch other things, but will I? I don't think so. Laura may end up watching TV, but we just don't do it, so going from a 55" TV to a 43" one isn't a problem for us. The new one is 4K and High Definition, whereas the other wasn't. We'll like it more.  We can turn off the Smart features, too. We prefer dumb TVs.

    I walked through Sam's Club looking at their TVs and thinking about which one I wanted to get.  I ended up going with Amazon, not only because it could be delivered the next day, but the EXACT model was $15 cheaper - why give it away? I can use $15 to buy more chocolate! Priorities!! Anyway, I barely found a TV under 55" and the only reason I did was because I told the man at Sam's I really didn't want a bigger one. He looked in the back and said he could order a smaller one, which would take a week. No. No, thank you. Not everyone is into huge screens when a good-sized screen will do.

    The smaller-sized TV will also give the cat more room to sit on the cabinet and to jump from said cabinet to the top of the bookshelf - he won't know what to do with himself; he'll be so happy.  I'll let you know how it works out. Still, I'm thinking it will probably be rather seamless -- the good news is, the antenna will work for it - no more duct taping it in a certain position at a certain angle because our old TV is not included in the word "most," apparently -- it sort of fits. The antenna is one year old, the TV is about 12 years old, and I got it 7 or 8 years ago. Before that, I had a 36" JVC tube television - yes, I did.

    This one is an Insignia with Amazon Fire something. It's flat, like the one I have now, but it's half the thickness—progress. I hope I can keep this one dust-free.

Photo Credit: Amazon.com 

My Weekend So Far.

 Oh, how we look forward to weekends around this house. I love my job, love my job, but yeah, I'd rather not be working and just relaxing. Of course, like anyone else, I would rather be reading a book, sleeping, eating donuts, just being a slug. Being a slug sometimes is the best thing to be. 

    I've incorporated a lot of things into my life recently, which have allowed or assisted me in becoming he slug that I so hope to become. I work from home, so I can stay in my pajamas when working. Actually, I do have to dress in my pajamas because I sleep in a big tee shirt and panties; I know, too much information, but the fact is, I wear my jammies to work. 

    My groceries are delivered now because I can't stand dealing with people. I do, however, force myself to get out there into the big, bad world sometimes. I did it today, and as soon as I pulled into my driveway, I felt like kissing the concrete of my carport. It's just not worth it being out there where people roam these days. Not for me anyway, and I'm an extrovert! I'm supposed to love people. I do. I just don't want to see them in person now. (If that rings a bell, let me know)

    I drove to the post office to drop off 3 books that I am sending to people. Luckily, I was able to just slide the books into the outside boxes because there was an endless line in the post office itself, and there were no parking spaces left. There were two cars trying to get into the parking lot, but they had to wait for others to leave first. No, thank you! I am forever grateful to have bought stamps online and have them delivered, and then I can take the package to the boxes- easy!

    I went to UPS to have a label printed so I can have a box picked up. The box didn't fit in my car. Because the box won't fit in my car, I have to pay $15 for the 3rd party seller to pick up the box using UPS - if I could get it to the store to have sent back it would have cost 1/2 that, but the thing is, I have PRIME so it shouldn't cost anything. That service isn't guaranteed with 3rd party shippers. (Note to self)  Then, I walked out of the UPS store to find an OKC Fire Engine parked directly behind me. No fire...they were rescuing a man in a car who was drugged up, and yes, I waited. What else can I do? I could have parked in the back of the lot and walked in, but no, I didn't know there would be an emergency.

    Turns out the man was resting in another person's car. She left the door open while she went into the nail salon. Yeah, don't leave your car unlocked. It's incredibly sad that you can't, but don't do that. He urinated in her car, threw up in her car, and no, she will not be assisted with that - she will have to deal with that. DO NOT leave your car unlocked in public places! (Note to self)

    I drove about a mile to a certain Whole Foods store about one mile away because it sells something I can't get at the online store.  I walked in and noticed that I was probably the only person in the store with a slight weight issue. I am also the only person in that store who probably voted for Trump. I am also probably the only person who would allow someone with only one item to go ahead of me -- I waited for them to pay, complain, and try to get a coupon that didn't go with what they bought, to be honored. I waited. This is WHY I DON'T DO PEOPLE!!

    When I got to the parking lot - I kid you not, another OKC Fire Engine was parked behind me. I shook my head. This can't be happening. The good news is that I could pull forward as no one was parked in front of me. I was the only car that could do that; the others would have had to wait -- just crazy! Crazy people doing crazy things. If it's happening here, it's happening everywhere. The parking lot was a maze. I got through it, pulled up to turn right BEHIND an idiot who was trying to turn left at NOON on a SATURDAY on a major street. WHAT THE HECK, PEOPLE - show respect, please.

    I drove home. I drove straight home. I texted my daughter to let her know I had been through quite a bit and was ready to just eat some pulled pork sandwiches. She agreed, and when I walked through the door she handed me one; and on the plate with the pulled pork sandwich were cheddar goldfish crackers, and grapes...but my favorite part was the 3 Vienna Finger vanilla cookies -- awwwww, my daughter loves me.

    I will write today. I will watch videos. I will watch 3 or 4 more Law and Order shows, read the Bible, pray, brush my teeth, and go to bed. That is the plan for the first day of the weekend. I hope tomorrow is even less PEOPLE-FILLED. We decided to buy a new TV using the money I get back from the desk I'm sending back to Amazon. For the same cost of the desk, I can get a good 4K smart TV (43" I think). We watch TV 3 or 4 times a year -- mostly during this time of the year. We watch one channel -- News 9 ...for the weather. I live in Oklahoma. The only other time the TV is turned on is for a few OU games -- maybe two.  I should watch more, but I don't. (I'm told I can turn the "smart" part off and I'll have a dumb tv)

    That's my weekend so far. I'm pretty sure my car is being pooped on by the birds I insist on feeding. They aren't aware of how annoying they are. I pull the car out, park it in the driveway, and let God wash it -- I figure if I can feed His birds, He can wash my car -- it's been a thing for years. I am quite grateful for His blessings. He can keep all those people He made. I have very little use for them in person -- I love talking to them otherwise. There are some really good ones out there if you know how to find them.

Photo Credit: Reddit

How Many Books Have I Written?

     I found myself answering the question, "How many books have you written?" quite often, and of course, as time goes by, the number changes. I began counting about a year ago, because I couldn't remember if it was 14 or 15, then I wrote more books, so the answer I had in my head was moot. (Hint: I used to say "mute" before I realized I was using the wrong word. I won't tell you exactly how old I was when I stopped doing that, but I was out of high school.

    If I don't count the countless hand-written journals I have continually written since about 1980, I've written 18 or 19 books. I've published them, that is, not just written them. The journals, which are all between 200 and 300 pages, would count if they were printed and published, but that's for someone else to worry about after I die. They would be less than interesting - well, most of the time. I literally say the same things over and over again, and I wouldn't even read them.

    I began publishing books in 2005, although it's not the same today as it was then. Back then, I had to pay someone to edit, pay them to format, print, distribute, and even to register my books with the Library of Congress.  I don't do that anymore. Times are so very different. Gone are the days when authors need or rely on an agent, a publisher, or anyone. We can do this by ourselves!! (This is not the printing and publishing part, but the cover's design, writing, editing, and formatting.) 

    Let's rattle off the books.

1.  With a Little Faith 
2. Faith Alone - Stories of an Amazing Dog
3. Faith Walks
4. Jude's Almost Daily Blog Book
5. Jude's Almost Daily Blog Book 2
6. Jude's Almost Daily Blog Book 3
7. Jude's Almost Daily Blog Book 4 (seeing a pattern)
8. Periwinkle (Poetry)
9. Of Kilted Pleasure (historical romance)
10. Murder Book (first Nick Posh Thriller)
11. Pinball (sequel to Murder Book)
12. 1211  (3rd Posh book)
13. Mesa (4th Posh book)
14. Stratford (5th Posh book)
15. Edinburgh (romance modern)
16. Bay Sorrel Ranch (drama modern)
17. The (drama modern)
18. Dion (drama modern)

The current answer is 18.  I've written and published 18 books. I'll continue to write and add to the number. In 2025, I plan to write and publish three more books:

19.    Cask (7th Posh book)

20.    Legacy (historic drama)

21.    Shadow (8th Posh book)

I have plans to write 5 books in 2026. They are:

22.   Kingdom (9th Posh book)

23.   Tulsa (drama modern)

24.   Stollen (10th Posh book)

25.   Death Mask (11th Posh book)

26.   Babe  (my journey as a fiction novel)

I have plans for 2027 as well -- five books each year. 

27.    Boom (12th Posh book)

27.    Slick  (13th Posh book)

28.   M.E.  (drama modern)

29.    Deadline (modern romance)

30.    Dance (14th Posh book)

So, there you have it—my writing plans for the foreseeable future. How many books have I written? I guess 18 officially, but maybe hundreds. It's all perspective.

www.judestringfellow.com 

 

Photo Credit: Canva.com 

Publicly Educated

    When I was teaching, I would often throw together little pop quizzes that had nothing to do with the discipline of English, or Language Arts, as they preferred to call it. I created little 10-question quizzes to challenge the kids' brains in my classroom. I would often allow them to get together in groups of 2, 3, or 4, depending on how hard I thought the quiz might be. They couldn't use their phones or laptops, but I would set them free in the library to look up the answers; they could use books or other available media.

    One such quiz was "Name the State by its Landmark." Here you go—no cheating. If you know, you know. You can't Google it if you don't, but you can look it up at your nearest library. Ready?

1. The Grand Canyon
2. The Golden Gate Bridge
3. The Statue of Liberty
4. The Liberty Bell
5. The Alamo
6. The Space Needle
7. Mt. Rushmore
8. Times Square
9.  The Sears Tower
10. Cape Canaveral

See how many you know, and then take the International version.

1.  River Thames
2.  Loch Ness Monster
3.  Eiffel Tower
4.  Mt. Calvary
5.  The Colosseum
6.  The BIG Jesus Statue (Christ the Redeemer)
7.  Niagara Falls (two answers)
8.  The Blarney Stone
9.   Parthenon
10.   The Taj Mahal 

    For grins and giggles, I would try these quizzes out on my own kids to see if they were capable, if they knew the answers. I didn't mind if they needed help looking it up, but I wanted to see if they were trained. I wanted to know if their teachers had given them the education I feel every kid in our country needs; we need to know these things. I don't mean that we need to know so we have something to talk about over dinner, but we need to know because the surrounding states matter, the world and its achievements matter.  People are not being taught the basics anymore.

    

    Anyway, that was me. I was that sort of teacher. I loved it when the kids asked for help, and I'd give them clues, and they could grasp those clues and figure it out. I remember telling one kid that the Blarney Stone could be kissed more easily by a leprechaun than it could be by a normal-sized person. She got it! Then, she turned and told me that leprechauns weren't people!  LOL...loved that!! That's a thinker!

    

PHOTO CREDIT: PINTEREST.COM 

Averick!!

     Grammas are pretty hearty people, you know. We can take a lot of things, and let most of them just roll right off our backs. When my son Reuben and his wife Josie told us the day their little girl was born, rather than letting us in on the fact that they were having a baby, we were all -- especially me-- just a little stung by the news. It was INCREDIBLE news, of course, but to find out after the baby arrives that you're having a new granddaughter, I have to say, was a little nerve-wracking too.

    So, when Josie became pregnant again, just months after Evie was born, she and Reuben decided my old heart wasn't strong enough to surprise me a second time, even if the new baby was due on my birthday!!  When the time came for little Averick to join his big sister Evie, I have to tell you, he did it with style. He came a little early, like his dad. He came by C-section, which, of course, is scheduled, but a bit more painful for his mom. Averick didn't know that he was born into a military family with his parents being Army veterans!! Josie took both births, two within 11 months of each other, very, very well. 

    Like is sissy, Averick was born big, strong, an healthy. He has the coloring of a rich and healthy glow. His hair was thick, but nothing like his sister's...geez Louise; that girl had thick hair. Josie could braid it in the hospital; that's how long and thick it was. Averick was a bit more conservative, being heavy on the hair side, but not overdoing it. He is so handsome, so attentive.

    At just six months old, he's sitting up and looking at everything he can. He's taking notes whenever big sister decides to school him. He's probably going to get taller than she is, but for now, she's a head taller and able to tell him later when they compare photos. Averick isn't my new grandson's first name; he was named for his father, Reuben, but he goes by one of his middle names. Both kids have really wonderful names. 

    It was "Take Your Kid to Work" day yesterday, so Reuben took Averick with him and then stopped by the house to show him off to Gramma. I love it when they swing by. He can do that with either kid or both, and he can do it as often as he wants. I wish I lived closer to them; I'd be THAT Gramma, I'm sure. I would love that opportunity. I really haven't had it with my other grand. 

    Nothing says love like new babies, and nothing is more beautiful to a woman than her own kids or the kids that her kids have. So yeah, I'm a little prejudiced about who has the best-looking kids these days, but I always knew it would happen. I always knew Reuben would make a boy even better looking than he was!

Evie!!

     So, there I was, as I usually am, minding my own business, and I get the shock of my life! It was a good shock, but it also came with a bit of a pang. It was just before Christmas 2023, just 10 days before, when my son called me out of the blue to let me know he's a father. He didn't let me know that he was going to be a father, or that his wife was pregnant, and they were expecting their firstborn, no, he said, "Merry Christmas, it's a girl".  He and his wife Josie had kept their "secret" from most people. Maybe out of necessity, Josie did tell her family and employer, but we were all very surprised, for the most part.

    When I say I was over the Moon, I mean it. I love babies, and my kids' babies are the only ones I love more than my own.  I won't give you her full name; we call her Evie.  Evie was born on December 15, 2024, and of course, because she's lucky, she was born in the Great State of Oklahoma. My other two grands were born in Indiana; they're Hooisers! Evie is now about 18 months old and running everywhere, keeping her parents on their toes. Her snappy, dark eyes and thick, thick, thick brunette hair set her apart from all the rest in our family; she certainly took after her mommy.

    It's been a minute since I got to play with her, but Gramma always says that the minute they leave my house. I would love to live closer to them and see them more often. It would make me happier than a Golden Retriever meeting someone for the first time; that happy. I would be happy if I could see my grands more often. They all mean the world to me. Evie is no exception. She's so pretty, sweet, and smart, and of course, you know I'm not just saying that because I'm biased.  No, if you ever meet her, you'll have to agree. It's simple. It's the truth.

    A few months after Evie was born, and because I told my son how it hurt not to be a part of her coming into the world, he and his wife decided to tell us when she found out she was pregnant again! Wow! Woot!!  Evie would be a big sister, and she just barely got here herself!! What a birthday present!  "Hey, kid, what did you get for your first birthday?" Well, her little brother came about a month before Evie turned one, but she's already the quintessential big sister to little Averick. When I say they are two peas in a pod, they are. They are both dark, have lots of hair, and are by far the cutest kids in their city. I won't say where that is -- but trust me, there are a lot of kids there.

    I love my little Evie and my little Averick!! I'm sure I'll kiss them soon, and she'll have to tell me all the things her little brother has been doing that annoy her!

Perry Mason and Me

     Not everyone who knows me knows that Perry Mason and Della Street are my parents. I don't go around bragging about it, because you know how some people can get...all uppity and whatnot. People try to one-up each other when they find out a friend or colleague has famous parents; it's only natural. I decided to tell the truth, now that both have passed.  I haven't kept it a secret that they are my parents, I just don't mention it to everyone. It's not the first thing out of my mouth when I'm introduced; you understand.

    I think the fantasy began around the time I could sit up and stare at the television set. I wasn't fixated on that particular show, not by any means. I had many, many favorites, but as I grew and as my imagination kicked into gear, it became more and more apparent to me that I would need to keep up the ruse about where I came from if only to see the looks on people's faces when I told them. I always say it with a straight face, and usually as it is almost an afterthought. 

    "Perry Mason is my father." I say, and when they ask who my mother is, I tell them, "Della Street, of course." No matter who I'm speaking with, they always answer me "Of course!" I've never had anyone tell me I was lying or that I didn't have all the rocks I know I have in my head. It's a simple fact, and we all deal with it.  I can't think now if I ever have mentioned it to my pseudo parents, Wayne and Becky Stringfellow. They may or may not be aware. It's been too many years; it's a moot point by now.

    Perry and Della had such an impact on my life, and if it wasn't for them, I couldn't tell people why I ask so many questions, why I dig deeper into matters that most people either don't care about or they steer away from. I don't steer away, I call in the reinforcements, the Paul Drakes if you will. I get in there, and I get to the bottom of things. It usually takes me longer than 47 minutes to do it, which is how long a Perry Mason show lasts, but I do find the culprit, and I do make my point known.

    Della, for her part, was always the faithful one. When I worked for Mr. Moler all those years (the attorney employer in my life) I tried to be as dutiful, but there was no way the man was going to ask me to work past 5:00 p.m., allow strangers to bunk at my place, or send me on some wild goose chase in the middle of nowhere while wearing heels and pearls. That didn't happen -- Della was always better than I when it came to stuff like that. I answered the phone, made coffee, and kept the books. I did what I was paid to do; I think Perry and Della had a bit more going on than an employer-employee relationship. In fact, I know they did, because I'm their kid!

    I've seen every Perry Mason episode and movie ever made. I own every Perry Mason television episode and movie ever made. I watch them over and over again.  I quote the man, and I listen to his wisdom.  Erle Stanley Gardner is my hero of heroes among authors. You can keep your J.K. Rowling, Grishom, and Tolkien...nope, give me a good old-fashioned murder book by Erle Stanley Gardner anytime; over and over again. He makes sense to me. He challenges me. I love that man.

    When the chips are down, as they have been, I usually have Perry Mason to see me through things. I couldn't go out to eat or pay my bills, but I could always count on a book being on my shelf if my electricity was turned off, and those times when I had to keep the kids fed instead of myself, those reruns of that show made it that much more bearable. I think my kids know about my parentage; they've asked if I got any royalties...to which I had to answer in the negative. Maybe I should have spoken up sooner about it. I don't know. It is what it is.  I'll survive.

Photo Credit: Max Allan Collins 

Jude's Almost Daily Blog Book 4

     I am in the middle of writing or rather organizing the 4th installment of my Jude's Almost Daily Blog Book series. It will likely be my last, but you can never say never, right? Since they don't sell, they may not be necessary, but then again, it's never known who will buy the books, when they will buy the books, or even IF they will buy the books. As strange as that may sound, I don't write them to sell them. I write them because I'm a writer.

    Jude's Almost Daily Blog Book 4 will be a little different from the others in that it will have recipes in the middle, not poems. The last three books in the series have about 80 blogs and 15 poems. This one has about 80 blogs and 15 or 16 recipes—mostly those I use often or ones I like. You may like them too; I tried to make it interesting and entertaining. 

    I had a bear of a time designing the cover. I had one thing in mind, and changed it. I then changed that one and finally came up with the one I have now. I will keep this one. I like it because, as a writer, I look out my window(s), drink coffee, and have other books on my desk. I have dogs, cats, and lizards near me, and I like butterflies. It's all good. Mostly, the blogs are about my life and/or my experiences, of which dogs, cats, lizards, butterflies, and kids are a part...my life, and I tried to reflect that on the cover.

    These blog books are relatively easy to produce because I write the blogs throughout the year and then when I have 80 or so that I can gather up and bind together, I just pull them off the blog page, copy and paste before formatting. It shouldn't take me more than a weekend to put it all together; the next week or weekend, I'll go through it for mistakes and spacing. Then...boom! It's up and loaded on Ingram Spark, and my 19th book will be complete.

    It's my 19th, I think. I could be off one. I'll have to count. I just sent "Dion" up for publication and then ordered a copy. It arrived last week, and I went through it this week, made a bunch of corrections, and reloaded it for the final publication. If there are still errors, my readers must forgive me. It's close. I try, but I'm not perfect - hence the blog books! They let people know exactly who wrote the other books they may be reading.

    "Dion" was so far out in left field from who I am that it was challenging but fun to write.  My lead character, Elle Finlay, is young, ambitious, a law graduate from Pennsylvania who has a bit of clout and financial standing. She's a bit of a minx and not that grounded in some ways, but is in others. She fights for what is hers, but she's a little loose around the edges, and that was a challenge for me to write because I tend to put my own personality or experiences in my characters. I had to NOT do that with her and others, but it's not as easy as you may think.

    The fourth blog book will be fun to read and quite informative. I hope you like the recipes, and know I got permission to post the photos. In fact, I went to the free sites to get some. I love the resources we have now for writing. Woot!! A book may cost me $50 tops to write, format, edit, and produce. It's the marketing that will get you! OUCH!!

 www.judestringfellow.com 

Photo Credit: Me.