WW - More Animals

Sorry still not much going on - lol

last week I posted about the ducks I see- well later that week - noticed +Google+  made it into a gif:

Harlequin Romance Series: Spotlight post on "Switchback"

Read the two other Harlequin series posts I did Here and Here.

Today I am spotlighting the book "Switchback," by Catherine Anderson.

Blog Tour: A Wanted Man: A Writer's Space

I posted the other day about another Harlequin book I read. Go here to read that post. I am a few days delayed writing this one. But want to let you know about the book a Wanted Man, by Jennifer Morey.

The author would like to share with you her Writer's Space:

Song Playlist for A Wanted Man:

The Heart Wants What it Wants – Selena Gomez

Treacherous – Taylor Swift

Enchanted – Taylor Swift

E.T. – Katy Perry

Stars Dance – Selena Gomez

How-to Tips for Aspiring Writers: Writing is the most important, of course. Know your grammar and how to tell a story. If you aren’t a natural, join critique groups and enter contests. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. Learn as much as you can. I am still learning after having 16 books published! Easily taking offense to criticism will make your journey a lot harder. Stay positive and believe in your talent as much as you believe in yourself.

Writer’s Space: I write all over my house. My office is in a loft, and I have a living room with no TV that is open to the dining room.

Love Lessons Learned: Love heals all. Hands down.

Movie Star Cast: Ashton Kutcher and Kathleen Heigl – if she had dark hair.

Three Strategies for Dealing With a Troubled Teenager

With changing hormones and both physical and mental growing pains, most teenagers will experience mood swings and small outbursts at some point in their development. While this is to be expected, many parents wonder how much of this is normal. When do your teen's normal mood swings and acting out turn into verifiable behavior problems? A few signs that there may be an issue include grade falls in school, a lack of motivation or interest (particularly in things that they used to enjoy), and activity that seems suspicious or out of character. If you suspect that your teen may be experiencing some of these issues, there are several actionable steps that you can take, depending on the severity of the situation. 

Speak With School Staff

The first course of action, if you believe that your teen may be experiencing difficulties, is to speak to school staff. Teachers spend hours every day with your child and see him or her interact with others. They may be able t shed insight into what is going on. School counselors are also a great resource and may be able to speak with both you and your teen to correct the behavior problem and get back on track. This also ensures that you are keeping the school in the loop about what is going on so that any future problems can be easily mediated. 

Seek the Help of a Therapist 

Sometimes it is difficult for troubled teens to speak to their parents or family members about their behavior. Perhaps they are embarrassed or need an impartial opinion. This is where the help of a licensed professional can come in. Look for a therapist who specializes in working with teenagers. The therapist will likely have a consultation with your child and and prescribe a series of sessions, with frequency depending on the severity of the situation. Oftentimes health insurance will cover this sort of treatment. 

Consider Alternative Living and Learning Options

If it seems that nothing else is working, you may want to consider a residential option for your child. Therapeutic boarding schools provide students with the opportunity to live and learn in community with others facing similar challenges. Onsite staff members are trained to deal with troubled teens and issues ranging from low self esteem to substance abuse. These types of programs tend to be holistic and help teens get back on track for a happy and healthy life. One such program is Wood Creek Academy, located in western Montana.

Tips to Start RVing Full-Time

Many people would love to live in an RV full-time. There are a number of benefits:

• They get to travel at a whim, while still having the security of being in their home.
• They don’t have to deal with the complexities of maintaining a house.
• They have a lot more freedom.

However, there are still going to be some challenges along the way. Here are some general guidelines that anyone living in an RV should follow.

Get Used to a Change of Pace

Curtis Carper, an author with The Fun Times Guide, wrote an article about adjusting to his new life as a full-time RVer. He said that, ironically, one of the most difficult things in his new life was adjusting to not having a tight schedule.

We live in a society that tends to be very fast paced. One of the reasons that you are investing in an RV is to get away from this. Try to get into a more relaxed mindset.

Make Sure to Plan to Some Degree

One of the most compelling reasons that people choose to live in their RVs is that they can travel anywhere on a whim. Having the freedom to make spur of the moment decisions sounds very exciting, but you can’t be a full-time RVer without planning to some degree. Traveling costs money and it will take a long time to complete all of your trips if you don’t have your trips planned out at all.

Take the time to brainstorm some ideas before your trips. Think about the other destinations that you want to see along the way. You will receive more pleasure from your trips and complete them more cost-effectively if you take the time to prepare in advance.

Look for Affordable Lending Options Before Taking on Debt for Upgrades

If you are planning on living in your RV full-time, then you need to try to live with as little debt as possible. It may be tempting to take out a loan to upgrade your RV, but you’ll need to make sure that you can reliably make the payments on it first.

You will want to look at all potential lending sources before financing upgrades or the purchase of a new RV. Look for a low interest loan and see what terms you can negotiate.

Consider Long-term Costs Before Committing to a Purchase

If you haven’t already bought an RV yet, then you will need to consider the long-term costs associated with it before committing to a purchase. The number one cost that you need to think about is fuel costs. Most studies have confirmed that newer, diesel and camper RVs receive more miles to the gallon, so you’ll want to consider investing in one of them.

You also need to consider the costs of depreciation. Some newer models lose 10-15% of their value the moment that you drive them off the lot, so unless you are planning on driving it into the ground, you will either want to choose a less expensive RV or one that doesn’t lose value so quickly. You can learn more here if you are still looking for a new model.

View from my daily ride

Here's some pictures from what I see everyday back and forth from my son's college. 

Harlequin Series Blog Tour: A Seal's Temptation Bon Appetit and a Book

Hi guys - I  have a post for you today. And it is to let you know about the book I received. It is a Harlequin book called, "A Seal's Temptation," by Tawny Weber.

Here's a recipe from the author Tawny Weber:
Bon Appetit and a Book :

(click to enlarge)

Been absent lately

sorry haven't posted lately. you can say it is because I've been super busy or because nothing has happened lately. or a little of both.

Well nothing exciting anyway

anyway I drive my son to school now everyday, he goes to a College that is literally only like 15 min away, so I have to drive him and pick him up everyday. 

on the campus is some really old Pecan trees:

First Day of School 2015

Today was my daughter's first day of 10th grade. Which where we live is actually the first year of High School.

Hearth and Home: How to Enjoy Your Fireplace with Safety in Mind

There is probably nothing more inviting than a roaring fire in your home, especially when it is really cold outside, which is why so many people are keen to have a fireplace.

These fireplaces are a beautiful feature and one of the must-haves for a lot of people when they are searching for a home, but they can also be deadly if you don’t keep safety in mind.

Here is a look at how you can still enjoy your fireplace but do so with safety in mind.

photo credit: Photo pin.com

Understanding your fireplace

It is definitely worth taking a moment to understand the anatomy of your fireplace as this will help you understand how to use it safely and what limitations it might have that you need to be aware of.

Fireplaces are generally available in two different forms, they are either a masonry fireplace which is built entirely from bricks and mortar or stone and the other version is likely to be a fireplace that has been built in a factory and is essentially a lightweight metal firebox with an accompanying metal chimney.

You will encounter different versions of both types but there are some fundamental differences between the two styles and you will need to consider these when using the type of fireplace you have as safely as possible.

Masonry fireplace

If you have what is a more traditional style of fireplace that is built of bricks, they will require an extensive footing that is capable of coping with their large weight.

Always be vigilant and look for any signs of settling or movement and never assume that because it is made of brick it is virtually indestructible. The special fire bricks used are designed to withstand the heat generated but the lining can degenerate over time and this presents a fire hazard if the chimney is not checked and maintained on a fairly regular basis.

Prefabricated fireplace

If you have a factory built fireplace installed, one of their advantages is the fact that the fireplace and chimney are likely to be a complete system which is specifically designed to work safely and efficiently in unison.

The most important points to remember about these units are the fact that they are often not able to withstand the same level of wear and abuse that a brick chimney can, and a prefab fireplace is going to wear out sooner than its brick counterpart, so look for signs of aging.

General safety

In addition to ensuring that you always use fireplace screens for enhanced safety and protection from the threat of burning and the occasional spit of fire, there are a number of other safety measures to consider.

Make sure you have your chimney and appliance checked once a year and never leave a fire unattended for any length of time, even if you are using a fire screen and there is a door on the front of the fire.

Also make sure that you have working smoke detectors on every floor of your house and improve general fire safety by using seasoned hardwood rather than soft wood, which will increase the buildup of creosote.

A fireplace in your home is something to enjoy, but always with safety in mind.

Linda Jackson is a home decor and design consultant. She loves to write about what she has learned in the field. Her articles can be found mainly on home improvement websites.

Tropical Soap #review from Soap.club

For various reasons this review is very late. I won't bore you with the details, but I am sorry to the sponsor for that.

Camping Trip and Historical Visit

Hey guys. Last week I talked about how we went camping. Well it was right near a historic site. 

We visited the Appomattox Courthouse. This is where Lee surrendered to Grant at the end of the Civil War. 

daughter and husband walking into the courthouse - which is now a small museum