HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh my gosh, the NEWS. So we are not talking about any of that here.
Let me tell you some good things. And then we want to hear yours!
These are the animal tracks in the snow on our patio. Look at all the creatures! Birds (one of them going in circles, pretty funny), rabbits, squirrels, Jonathan filling the bird feeder. And I think a cat, although…whose cat? Mystery cat.
Also in our back yard, this is a cardinal in the rhododendron in the snow. What a perfect photo!
My adorable grandson has a big role in his high school musical, IN THE HEIGHTS and we are going to go to NY to see him. Aww.
I made beef stew and it was delicious! I did not forget the beurre manie and that really makes a difference. I did not take a photo.
So, Reds and Readers, with the power of positivity, tell me three good things in your life. NOT book things. Just other things in your life.
HALLIE EPHRON: I had to think awhile for this one since. I’m going to share 1, which is that I am thrilled to have been invited to teach mystery writing in Paris this spring. More details to come. Good thing 2: My grandson gave me a hug without me begging for it. Good thing 3: I haven’t yet slipped on the ice.
DEBORAH CROMBIE: Good thing 1) Watching my granddaughter and her team play soccer. (Indoors for the winter season.) Watching these ten -year-old girls brings me so much joy. They have such promise, and you can see their developing personalities in the way they play. And I love that although they play hard, they are not downhearted when they lose.
Good thing 2) I stepped out the back door for something last night and there was a blazing sunset. I had to watch in awe until it had faded to dark.
Good thing 3) Still meditating with a cup of tea in front of the new faux Christmas tree every morning. Must take it down this week but enjoying it so much for now.
JENN McKINLAY: Good things! I have an amazingly good thing to share but I can’t yet. Darn it! But I managed to get my Christmas tree and holiday decorations down. And I have plenty of work to keep me busy this year which I am grateful for given the crazy times we’re living in.
RHYS BOWEN: Jenn–teaser! No fair. Good thing number one for me is having John home after battling pneumonia, and a very scary time.
Good thing 2 is that Clare and I have finished our next Molly book and it’s ready to go off to Minotaur this week. And it’s good.
Good thing 3 is the sun is finally out again after a period of non stop rain, and the view from my windows always enchants me, especially as a lot of people still have their Christmas lights on.
LUCY BURDETTE: good thing number one, my dear old friend Yvonne has been visiting for the week and I’ve enjoyed seeing Key West through her eyes. (She thinks we are always always having fun, so don’t tell her how much time I spend working or watching television lol.)
Good thing number two: it’s the seventh anniversary of T-bone’s Gotcha day. I nearly didn’t select him because there were so many cats in the SPCA that it was completely overwhelming. He was the right cat for me and for us and besides, he’s gorgeous and very good at social media.
Good thing number three: (see number one above.) We saw the most gorgeous manatees on our morning walk the other day. I consider a manatee sighting to be a wonderful omen!
JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Lucy, congratulations on T-Bone’s Adoptiversary! My pets loom large in my “good things” column as well, so for number one, I’ll put how lovely it is to sit in the comfy settle next to the kitchen woodstove, reading a good book with the Shih tzus around me.
Number two - getting daily pictures and videos of my grandson “Paulie!” His moms are rightfully shy about having his face online, so you’ll just have to take my word he’s the cutest little chubby-cheeks ever (exept when he has his mobster face on.)
Number three - I’ve already started pulling together my tax info and getting everything down on a spreadsheet for my accountant. I know, most of us don’t think of getting taxes done as a good thing, but I for YEARS I was always late and had to get an extension - which I then sometimes didn’t meet! So it’s a thrill to know everything will be in Kevin’s Dropbox as soon as I get the last 1099-R form.
HANK: Taxes, argh. SO glad you are making it a postive. This is all so great! Perfect. Now your turn, Reds and Readers! Tell us a non-book good thing!
Rhys, it is so good to hear that John is recovered and home . . . .
ReplyDeleteGood things . . . John and I are both over our flu/cold/whatever it was and are feeling so much better . . . spending time with family is always a good thing . . . the grandbabies make our hearts smile . . . .
Figured out how to make the potato leek soup taste like the soup I had in Austria. Yum! The sun is out. I started a new habit of doing nothing for ten minutes in the morning to start the day. I start the day calmer. I am grateful to have made it to my birthday month.
ReplyDeleteI’m figuring out how to do things that stumped me over the years. I started Duolingo lessons and lingvano lessons. I finally got back to writing my novel. I’m on a roll. I still have tasks to accomplish, which can be overwhelming. I decided to do what I can each day without worrying or getting stressed about it.
And happy about all of the good things happening to our jungle reds .
ReplyDeleteSo many good things, thank you all for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMy uncle in Ohio is out of the hospital - I am so happy I visited him in November and will get back there for a few days in March.
In February, with my best friend, I will be seeing Arcadia, my favorite play ever, in London at the Old Vic. Then we are going to Scotland for a week.
Our favorite restaurant in Nice, La Merenda, is a tiny place where you sit on rattan stools. They can get pretty uncomfortable after a leisurely French lunch. When we went there after their holiday closure, we were delighted to see that the stools now have leather cushions on them! I am looking up how to say “cushions” in French so I can thank them when we return today.
Good thing #1 and 2: My eldest granddaughter got married and my youngest granddaughter got engaged. We are overjoyed with their choices and wish them all a happy future.
ReplyDeleteGood/Bad thing #3: Christina and Walt finally convinced his parents to move Florida where we could keep a better eye on thing. Then their health suddenly took a nose dive once they got here; she has dementia and he is frail with heart problems. They will both be moving in with us sometime over the next month or so, allowing to take better care of them. This will mean a lot of disruption but will provide them with a better life, so it is more than worth it.
Good thing #4: Christina and Walt have both signed up to be wildlife rescuers. their training class starts this weekend.
Good thing #5: I got the sweetest thank you card from my middle granddaughter yesterday for her Christmas gifts, which reminded me how lucky I am to have such a kind and loving family.
Good thing ongoing: I get up every morning and I am vertical. I look outside and see the wonder and beauty of nature. Despite the current political climate I am able to find beauty and grace and humor in so much around me. Life is good.
I don't know about three good things but since the directions for those of us in the JRW response community said, "tell us a non-book good thing!", I can answer that easily enough.
ReplyDeleteI have a job interview on Thursday. Okay sure, it isn't for a job that is a lifelong dream or anything but assuming I get said job, I'll be back on the "the government can steal my money" ledger again.
Given the pitiful response or mostly the lack thereof to other jobs I applied for, getting an interview is a good thing.
Good luck on your interview Jay.
DeleteI hope you get the job, Jay. Good luck!
DeleteGood luck Jay!
DeleteGood luck, Jay! (Selden)
DeleteGood luck at your job interview, Jay!
DeleteFingers crossed, Jay!
DeleteSending good vibes for that job interview, Jay. Good luck!
DeleteGood luck, Jay!
DeleteGetting an interview is a very good thing, Jay! Good luck!
DeleteSending good energy your way, Jay! -- Victoria
DeleteGo Jay!
DeleteGood luck, Jay! — Pat S
DeleteGood luck, Jay!!
DeleteGood thing #1 - I'm happy that I moved to North Carolina. #2 - I love the new medical professionals that are seeing to my health and putting it on the right track. #3 - I wake up every morning.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea, it somehow feels like a psychological protest to the struggles of the world right now. 3 good things for me are: 1) enjoying the winter wildlife/nature in our backyard every day. 2) My fiddle orchestra rehearsals started back up again last night. 3) My husband and I are both healthy at the moment and have a roof over our heads. Bonus: we just returned from 2 weeks in the UK and had a wonderful time - provides me years of memories to treasure.
ReplyDeleteMy brother and sister-in-law will be here for a visit in just 10 more sleeps! One thing we will do while they are here is the glass bottom boat tour at Silver Springs State Park. We should see some manatees. It will be our first time doing that and have heard it is great.
ReplyDeleteI. I got to see and spend time with my week and a half old grandson Silvio yesterday and he's already past his birth weight.
ReplyDelete2. I get to see and play with Ida Rose on Thursday (autocorrect wants to call her Idaho Rose...)
3. I'm working through all the tricky revisions on my manuscript and I figured out a couple of important parts. Yay me!
Edith, 'Idaho Rose' sounds like it should be a song for a barbershop quartet!
DeleteAs a retired U.S. history teacher, I have been feeling something close to despair this week. Thank you to everyone for sharing your "good things." My heart swelled reading them all. My good thing: we suddenly have had a red fox coming to eat sunflower seeds under our birdfeeders outside the kitchen window. So lovely and something that I, a lifelong watcher of wildlife, have never been graced with in the past. Our house sits in the middle of fields so he has to trot across open snowy pastures to reach us. He feels like a balm to my heart and a gift from God. (Selden)
ReplyDeleteSelden, I've been graced with red fox sightings a few times--never fails to leave me with a sense of joy.
DeleteI have seen them in London. Once I was staying in a flat in Notting Hill and when I walked out into the little walled garden one evening, there was a fox on the wall looking down at me. There is something quite magical about them.
DeleteThis is such a great idea, Hank. Reds, I am happy to hear about progress on books, visiting friends and relatives, kids' performances, and so glad that John has recovered from pneumonia and returned home. As for us:
ReplyDelete1. We are starting to look for a summer trip with our grandchildren and their parents.
2. I am almost caught up writing in one of my book journals for 2025. Now I only have about 20 audiobooks to write about in the second journal. (Susan, I needed that push.)
3. Irwin just told me that my town had the highest number of reported bear sightings in Connecticut in 2025.
have you seen any bears on your property?
DeleteJudy, my son lives in Granby and finds it amusing that he sees bears in CT much more often than he ever did in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park. It seems to me that they've become almost like raccoons there! (Selden)
DeleteDru, we live less than 2 miles from the border of the capital city and have had at least one bear sighting every year. We have taken down the bird feeders because that is their McDonald's. I'll try to post a photo for you to see later this morning.
DeleteSelden, I know! Right?
Hard to do at this moment, but:
ReplyDelete1) The sun is shining. It is warming up the house. The cats and the dog are lowling about looking for the best sunbeams. The days are getting longer – I know that is technically 2.
2) Christmas with everyone together was a good visit for all. Positive vibes there.
3) I finished 1 puzzle since Christmas and have started on puzzle 2. The first was harder than I expected, and this one is iffy. Either way, it is a pleasant way to wile away an afternoon. No work is getting done including looking at garden catalogues…
Now off to the hospital, where we all suspect that the clock will be seriously ticking…
Oh, and I agree with Hallie – I haven’t yet slipped on the ice! And Rhys, so glad to hear about John!
Margo, holding you and your sister in my heart today. Hugs.
DeleteMargo, I had my own sister scare last Saturday. This 'sister' from JRW sends you hugs.
DeleteHugs
DeleteHang tough and enjoy the sun on your face.
DeleteHugs, Margo. We are all holding you and your sister in our hearts.
DeleteMargo, sending hugs and healthy vibes.
DeleteSo many good things. Thanks, Hank, for inviting us all to look through rose-colored glasses this morning. And grateful to hear that John is back home!
ReplyDeleteFirst, my mom's 96th birthday is today, and all three siblings and spouses surprised her by getting along long enough to have a nice restaurant dinner with her. (Tongue in cheek. But we are all SO different.) We all know how amazing it is to have her around and relatively healthy for so long.
Second, My immediate family is all healthy and doing well, including Steve and me. We still rise daily, thank goodness.
Third, my cousin is coming over tomorrow to help me start a quilt for middle daughter. I have had the pattern and fabric for 15 years, but never "got a roundtuit". She is now in a settled relationship, hallelujah, and I want this to be a gift, and a surprise to them both. I know she's forgotten all about it.
Karen, your project reminds me of Jenn finishing that scarf for her Houligan. Your daughter is going to be thrilled. My mom always said her quilts were made to be used, to be enjoyed until they wore out. I agree to a point--I'm ready to retire one of her quilts, so it can be handed down to the next generation.
DeleteHappy Birthday to your mom, Karen.
DeleteOne, no falls on the ice (yet). Two, I'm learning to get the pill down the cat's throat (Holly, almost 18, thyroid issues) by crushing it (the pill not her throat) with the kitchen pestle and hiding it in tuna, dried shrimp and her favourite treats; sheesh. We should all be so lovingly treated! Three, our new writing course (Writing for Pleasure: beginnings & endings) in February is sold out :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to have a chance to share in everyone's happy thoughts and moments. Thanks! Mine are:
ReplyDelete1. Last night I had an hour-long phone call with our 32-year-old son, and we laughed a lot about small things. He told stories about his work, the fun he's been having with good friends, and his plans for the next eight months. I hung up, shared his news with my husband, and went to bed in a great mood!
2. We've invited two couples we're very fond of to dinner tomorrow night. I'll be doing a lot of cooking before then, but I'm really looking forward to spending time with them and hearing their news.
3. This Friday, two women friends are taking me out to dinner at a restaurant we like. It's for my birthday, which was in October (!), but this is the first time we've managed to get together. I'm very touched by their determination to celebrate with me, and I know we'll have fun.
That’s the trifecta - family, friends, and food.
DeleteSo many good things:
ReplyDelete1) Incredible awe-inspiring sunrise behind Mt. Hood yesterday morning--and then I turne around and my twin was coming up behind me on the ridge. We enjoyed it together.
2) Related to number 1: We decided to go down to the lower trail because we had heard coyotes. We saw 5 of them--they were wandering around the grass of the golf course enjoying the morning light. One got close enough for a photo.
3) Yesterday afternoon a few of us accompanied an immigrant member of our church to get photos and fingerprints for his work permit. We got there and were told the wait would be at least 45 minutes. We had the most amazing fun conversation in Spanish and English--2 40-something gay men and 2 60-something white women. I think we all were grateful for the delay.
Oh, Hank -excellent idea! How great everyone has something good to share! #1 My husband is making continued excellent progress after his hip replacement in November. #2 I am almost over this ridiculous cough/cold. #3 It’s sunny today and the first bird I saw at the feeder was a beloved cardinal.
ReplyDelete1. Yesterday's blog got me wondering whether my favorite grandmother ever read stories to us (the other one would not have). I've been asking my sisters and cousins - my grandmother came over from a shtetl in Russia, and I don't know if she ever read much at all. But the emails back and forth have been wonderful. My cousin knows the most, as my grandmother moved down to Dallas eventually, and we were in Pennsylvania.
ReplyDelete2. We've been buying flowers to keep in the house for some time now. It still seems special. We don't have the sort of garden that will give us flowers. This latest batch is from TJ's, and they smell wonderful.
3. The database Eat Your Books keeps giving us wonderful food gifts. New Year's Day week we had two of the best things we've eaten in a while, the kind of dish that one talks about for days, at least I did. I am so greatful for a Facebook colleague who mentioned EYB.
4. I know, no books, but a friend who also has a book coming out in the same series told me that my book was finally listed on the Cambridge University Press site. It's happening. I know our mystery authors publish books every year, often several, but many scholars never even publish a single book (articles are more the thing), This book has 34 edited chapters, including 4 by me, and 2 by my husband (I really had to twist his arm). The relief of being done with it is tremendous. And I co-edited it with a friend - working with her over 4 or 5 years (yes, it took that long) was fruitful and satisfying. She even came down to Lex for 5 days, she took a suite at the Marriott, and we worked like crazy for 4 long days.
5. And she taught me about computers, TVs, and HDMI cables (she wanted us to see her computer screen on the big TV screen). Now when we travel, we take an HDMI cable, go onto our NordVPN (if we're in Europe), and watch our favorite British shows. And that's a very good thing. We also use the HDMI cable in American hotels, if we want to relax with a favorite show.
5. We haven't had a bad snow/ice storm yet! Yay!
6. We decided to start watching The Pitt, as our cable package changed. I insisted on watching the first episode of ER first, and it streams on the same channel. Ah, what a treat. How young everyone looked! I couldn't believe it. George Clooney. I didn't remember he ever looked like that. And Noah Wyle. So, so cute.
Congrats on your book being listed.
DeleteCongrats on your book being listed, Beth! And Noah Wyle, what an interesting journey he's had. There was a long profile in the NYT Magazine on Sunday. We watched the 1st episode of season 2 last night as well and I think it's going to be good.
DeleteHearing about all those good things certainly makes me feel good! Add that to your ledger!
ReplyDeleteSince I no longer have a dog I have been feeding the birds. Years ago when I planted a couple of pine trees I dreamed of the day I would see a cardinal in them. Never mind that I already live in the woods; I needed pine trees too. After two years of only one pair of cardinals, I now have two pair. I can't help but wonder if these, or maybe one of these, is an offspring of my original pair.
I have been seeping better at night even though I have been trying to cut back on the meds. My dr. wanted to take me off them completely, her reasoning being they would make me loopy and I would fall. Actually it's the other meds that she okayed that make me loopy, but I assured her I only take them when I am in bed.
So much ice around here, which concerns my son greatly (well, me too) but he has been picking me up and taking me to do my errands. He also keeps the driveway clear, so I should be able to get in and out by myself, but I am very grateful that he's with me and willing to carry my shopping up to the house.
Such a good thing to do, when everything feels overwhelming. Counting my blessings 1) tomorrow I will be 72 and the love of my life is giving me fresh flowers 2) I live in Canada (since I grew up in the US, I am especially happy I am here now) in a wonderful place filled with birds and wildlife, and 3) next week I will be having coffee with a dear friend who has been battling cancer for over five years now but remains one of the kindest and most joyous people I know.
ReplyDeleteAnother two things. Watching birds who come to the feeder.
ReplyDeleteAnd my favorite daily pastime. Copying Mansfield Park (which I had never read) by hand, word-by-word, with my fountain pens. I do it for a bit whenever I walk into my office. I've been copying books by hand for many years, but somehow this is different. I sometimes feel that Jane Austen is whispering the words to me. (Like St Gregory and the dove/pigeon?)
What a cool thing to do!
DeleteWow, Beth, what a fun thing to do. I'm a fountain pen lover, too.
DeleteIt's a good thing, a writing thing. After a two-month bout of bronchitis, I'm giving myself the month of January to write the first draft of a 15,000 novella as a practice run for a standalone book. So much fun, though with a 1972 setting, no cell phones and no internet are giving me fits.
ReplyDeleteNon book things...
ReplyDelete1. The sun is shining, even though it's cold out.
2. The remodel of the second bedroom/my office is going well.
3. The Buffalo Bills won their Wild Card game last week. On to Denver!
My niece was especially happy when the Bills won on her birthday.
DeleteAll the icons possible started appearing on my car dashboard and the brakes locked up about 1/2 mile from home and I was able to make it home safely. The guy who towed my car to the dealership was so kind and took good care of her. The folks there have been most gracious. Waiting to hear what's wrong with her. My landlady has offered to take me to the library and grocery store while this gets sorted out. Blessings everywhere! -- Victoria
ReplyDeleteSo glad you have some lovely people around you.
DeleteHappy to hear that John is home, Rhys! And that no one has had any ice related falls. All of your good things have certainly brightened another gloomy Ohio morning! On to good things: 1) my younger sister was released from the hospital on Sunday; 2) younger nephew's SO gave me a lovely bouquet for my birthday and the flowers make me smile every time I see them; 3) PK the torty cat did not throw up this morning! My bare feet thank her profusely :-)
ReplyDeleteBonus good thing: Christmas tree is put away and we miss the lights. But while cleaning out the shelves in my closet, I found a string of woodland lights--these are small wooden shadow boxes with woodland scenes that glow from the lights within. These are now displayed along the top of the piano and brighten gloomy days and enchant the cats at night.
DeleteMy sister spent a week here, visiting from California. She is a get it done girl with the most positive energy. Taking our 100 year old mother out is so much easier with two of us. And we had fun too. Saw Ragtime at Lincoln Center on Sunday and got mani/pedis yesterday. I am so lucky. Denise Terry. Ps. Book related. Injustice finished At Midnight Comes the Cry. Just Wow.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Hank, for reminding me of a few ways to "Find the Joy". It's true it is often found through the simplest of means ~ For example, gazing at a night sky full of a "gazillion" stars and a winter's full moon or walking along a peaceful trail whose only sound is that of quiet. I am especially fond of your woodland creatures theme. :-) ~ The "Thumpers" and "Woodstocks" who come to visit your backyard as well as the beautiful bright red Cardinal gracing your Rhododendron shrub. I love that you welcome all of them to the party. On that note here are just three of the many blessings in my life of which I am grateful and that also bring me comfort and joy.
ReplyDelete1. Mr. Squirrel who has recently discovered his own private banquet in our little courtyard still inhabited with a few pumpkins that are playing nice with our holiday evergreens. Choosing the biggest and thickest-skinned pumpkin of the bunch he made short work of shredding it to find all the seeds but it proved to be a tight squeeze when he nearly got stuck inside the pumpkin itself. He also didn't care that I took a photo or two as well as a video of him enjoying his munchies. One thing was for sure...He did not clean up after himself :-) leaving the mess for us to clean up but we were still happy his tummy was full and he was no longer hungry. It's hard to get angry with our outdoor friends when all they are trying to do is survive.
2. After having just undergone emergency eye surgery to correct losing 80% of the sight in my right eye I am reminded of the wonderful caring and competent medical team both my husband and I have especially during the past 8 years when age, Agent Orange and genetic predisposition played a huge part in bringing major medical challenges front and center into our lives. My intent is not to introduce a pity party here but instead to acknowledge and be grateful for all those physicians, surgeons, nurses, technicians and health care workers who work so hard to keep us healthy and happy as best as we possibly can. I am hopeful I will once again be able to sit down and read my books again ~ a hobby I was sadly struggling to comfortably do prior to this surgery. Cheers and many thanks to those who are in the medical field! They are a big part of my "finding the joy" in life again.
3. And finally ~ I find great joy in celebrating each holiday, birthday, anniversary and Saturday date nights with my partner of nearly 50 years. As the road of life is shorter now in the front than what follows behind me I appreciate even more so every moment I am blessed to spend with him, my family and my friends. These moments need not be complicated either. Just enjoy them for the contentment and happiness they bring and the fact that they exist.
Such a great idea ~~good news is very welcome here. Glad John is home, babies are beautiful and birds are gorgeous. On Nome St.: 1. Amy is entering her 3rd year still in remission from cancer. I have lost about 60 pounds last year due to my new diabetes medicine. We both our thrilled with our new bodies. 2. The cats move monthly from one location to the next. Right now the shy cat is in my bedroom at my feet. First time in years that she has graced me with her presence. 3. If all goes well I will have a small piece for the Writers Who Kill Blog towards the end of January.
ReplyDeleteA very dear friend who's been wanting a baby for years will be a mama in March! Baby shower this weekend!
ReplyDeleteRhys, I'm so happy John is home and doing better! Pneumonia is scary. I love all of these good things. My good thing number 1 is the joy I get from reading about everyone else's good things. They are simple, every day, life things, but that's what makes them so joyful. These days, we definitely have look for the little things to bring us joy. Good thing number 2 is that my T-Bone (dog - real name Tess, but we call her T-Bone a lot) is curled up beside me keeping me warm while I write. Good thing 3 is the fluffy, fat squirrel on my deck this morning eating seed out of the little squirrel picnic table. Yes, they make a mess, but squirrels are so entertaining and cute ... and Tess/T-Bone loves watching them.
ReplyDelete1. It is sunny today!
ReplyDelete2. Talked to our son last night. He is happy and doing well.
3. My husband is taking me to a big big book store today and we will stop at Virginia's only Buc'ees!