On a limb with Claudia

D surprised me, and Rose, on Friday with an anniversary trip to Aspen. We are staying at our favorite dog friendly hotel right near the ski resort. This is my first trip to Aspen. It’s a gorgeous little town tucked between the mountains. It’s not too crowded.

Let’s do some unconscious clearing in this inspiring setting!

Who won last week? My old friend Squirrelly from The Lone Grey Squirrel. He has a choice between a signed copy of Denver Cereal, a signed copy of the Fey or a jar of honey!

How do you enter? Just leave the answers to these word prompts (created by Luna Nina) in the comments. If you want to see something really fun – come back mid-week to see what everyone wrote. It’s amazing!

Let’s play!

Your prompts:

1. Nursery ::
2. Side effect ::
3. Heart to heart ::
4. Try ::
5. Hog ::
6. Symptom ::
7. Collide ::
8. Fury ::
9. Incorporated ::
10. Summer ::

My response:

1. Nursery :: rhymes
2. Side effect :: s of modest living
3. Heart to heart :: Stephanie Powers and what’s his name
4. Try :: ing too hard
5. Hog :: ging the covers
6. Symptom :: of a Down
7. Collide ::  ’Crash into me’ by Dave Matthews Band
8. Fury :: hair vest
9. Incorporated :: for protection
10. Summer :: outside

Enjoy your Sunday! When you play I’ll link to you here!

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Previous Chapters

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Alex breath caught. The words – our home is destroyed – ripped through her. Her sanctuary, her one safe place, her home was gone forever. She siphoned out a breath.

“Our neighbors?”

“The bombs were designed to have full impact on our homes. Your neighbors have some damage but no one was home. Oh my God, Alex, where’s Max?”

“He’s on his way to Paris,” Alex said. She looked over at John. “I think he’s on the phone with John. Are you still in Atlanta?”

“Yes,” Raz said. “I’ll be there tonight. Alex…  I… I’m just glad you’re all right.”

“I love you too,” Alex said.

“Oh God,” Raz said. She heard him sniff in the background. With a gust of wind, he blew out a breath.

“Do you want to hold or just come here?” Alex asked.

“I’m on my way,” Raz said. “We’ll buy another, Alexandra. We’ll rebuild. At least….”

“We’re alive to do it. Yes,” Alex said.

[...]

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Yeah. I gave up caffeine on Sunday.

Four days later? I can bearly write a cogant sentance.  It’s unbelievable to me.

The oddest thing is that I can’t remember the last time I quit caffeine. Coffee? Sure, I don’t mind going with out coffee for months. But all caffeine?

No iced tea.

No jasmine green tea.

No chai tea.

No macchiatos.

No espresso.

I’ve even broken up with the Earl of Gray.

So, if I’m not making any sense… let’s blame it on the lack of caffeine. ‘k?

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Have you ever thought about doing less?

It’s a strange concept, I know. Especially for me to be talking about. 

But sometimes, working more, trying harder, putting in the effort, is exactly the wrong thing to do. In fact, the kindest thing we can do sometimes is to simply do less. 

How do we do less when the world clambors for more? 

I stumbled upon this idea: a One Day Sabbatical.  One day off.  No technology. No TV. No movies. Just you and the world. Many religious traditions require a day off a week. Even the The Artist’s Way encourages people to take a day off for inspiration.  

In our fast paced world, time to think your own thoughts is the ultimate luxury. 

And a kindness we must embrace. 

What keeps you from taking a day of rest?

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“Patience is waiting.
Not passively waiting. That is laziness.
But to keep going when the going is hard and slow – that is patience.”

Happy Monday!

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We finished our garden beds just before the rain came. I’m hoping to get out there this afternoon and plant my little seedlings. We’ll see. If not today then tomorrow?

Certainly the rain, and cooler weather, has been a treat for my running project. I’m inelegantly training for a half marathon in December. One step at a time, I’m moving forward.

Just like The Fey blog tour. One stop at a time, it continues forward with lots of fun, prizes, interviews and…

I love spring! What’s going on in your world? More importantly, what’s going on in your unconscious!?

Who won last week? Bunny from BlueBunny She has a choice between a signed copy of Denver Cereal, a signed copy of the Fey or a jar of honey! How do you enter? Just leave the answers to the unconscious mutterings in the comments. If you want to see something really fun – come back mid-week to see what everyone wrote. It’s amazing!

Let’s answer the word prompts and find out.

1. Lisa ::
2. Hope ::
3. Irene ::
4. Tony ::
5. Anna ::
6. Dolly ::
7. Laura ::
8. Debbie ::
9. Wilson ::
10. Paula ::

My responses:

1. “Lisa ::, Lisa, Lisa, why aren’t you…
2. Hope :: ful, for a change. Your sister,
3. Irene ::, is always so cheerful.”
4. “Tony ::’s got me down, Ma! He’s not over…
5. Anna :: . I mean he says he is but…
6. Dolly :: says that he still moons over her in homeroom. And…
7. Laura :: says that she saw them together after school. 
8. Debbie :: says she that Dolly and Laura are just trying to cause trouble. But…”
9. “Wilson ::, what do you think? You’re Tony’s best friend,” Ma said.
10. “Paula ::’s going to prom with him,” Wilson said. Lisa ran to her room for a good cry.

Sorry, I couldn’t stop myself!

Happy Sunday! If you post, I’ll link to you here!

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Previous Chapters

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Three weeks later
September 8 – 10:15 A.M.
Denver, Colorado 

“I’m sorry to bother you. I’m looking for Alex Hargreaves,” a medium sized muscular man said when Cian opened the front door.

“And who might you be?” Cian said.

It was the eight of September and everyone was on edge. Well, Cian was always on edge having not quite settled to living in Denver. He said that the altitude kept him agitated but Alex thought his agitation was just part of his personality.

“Who are you?”

“Joseph! Get in the house. Oh my God, what are you doing here?” Alex asked. “It’s not safe to be here.”

She pulled him into the house then held him to her. They stood in the entry way hugging until Alex wiped the tears from her eyes and stepped back.

“It’s great to see you,” she said taking his hand.

Captain Joseph Walter nodded, working to control his emotions, then smiled at her beaming face.

“You too,” he said.

“This is John’s brother, Cian Kelly,” Alex said. “This is my Captain, Cian. Joseph Walter.”

Joseph shook Cian’s hand and Alex led him into the living room.

“So you know,” Joseph said under his breath.

“I found out a couple weeks ago. How did you know?”

“Remember all that trouble you got into after marrying John?”

“I was almost kicked out of the Army,” Alex said.

“John’s IRA connections made for a good excuse to kick you out,” Joseph said. “Ben vouched for you and Charlie…” Joseph’s eyes filled and he cleared his throat. “I still can’t say his name without….”

“He was your best friend for more than twenty years. It’s understandable.”

Alex hugged him.

“Cian? Would you mind closing the drapes?” Alex asked.

After closing the living drapes, Cian returned to the kitchen where he and Eoin were working on possible recipes for their probable bakery. Joseph took one end of the couch and Alex sat facing him from the other end. As if he wasn’t real, she scanned his face, his hands and the casual t-shirt and jeans.

“How are you?” Alex asked.

[...]

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The Blog Tour starts tomorrow with a Thursday 13 interview about writing at Popping Bubbles!

The questions and requests keep coming! It’s a very exciting time for me!

Here’s the list of blogs and dates. If you have time, I’d love to see you around the Blogisphere! 

May 21, 2009 - Popping Bubbles

May 22, 2009 - Devyl Gyrl

May 25, 26, 27 and 29, 2009 - Not a Mean Girl

May 28, 29, 30, 2009 - The Eclectic Collection

June 1, 2009 - Puniglio

June 2, 2009 – Raven’s Range

June 8, 2009 - Tuesday Update

June 9, 2009 - Dark Novels

June 9, 2009 - Tinkerbell

June 10, 2009 - Tiny Tyrant

June 11, 2009 - As Kat Knits

June 12, 2009 - The Morning Meeting

June 13, 2009 – Dolce Bellezza

June 15, 2009 - Kymlee is Awesome

If you’d like to host, I’d certainly love to visit! Just drop me a line at:  alexthefey@gmail.com  We have a few more blogs to schedule. 

I’ll be back next Wednesday with another (less than) fascinating look at Claudia.

Cheers!

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Claudia here:  MJ Ryan is one of my personal heroes.  She’s so many things to so many people. To me, she’s an excellent example of someone who, uncomfortably, uncertainly, yet magnificently  follows her own path. If you havn’t enjoyed the luxury of reading one of her books, I’d strongly encourage you to pick one up.  My favorite, so far, is This Year I will. I had the heart pounding joy of an email exchange yesterday. She selected the following passage from her latest book, AdaptAbility,  for today’s Simply Kind Tuesdays. I’ll have a review of the book and copy to give away later on in the month.

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things….Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing…

from Naomi Shihab Nye’s Different Ways to Pray

One of the upsides about unasked-for change is that it a great leveler. Suddenly we’re more aware that we’re part of a huge human community struggling for survival. Then we’re faced with a choice. We can see it as every person for him- or herself and try to grab whatever goodies are available. Or we can allow our awareness that we’re all in this together to open our hearts and offer as much kindness and help as we can.

Being kind helps the giver at least as much as the receiver. As Studs Terkel put it in one of his last interviews, “Once you become active helping others, you feel alive. You don’t feel, ‘it’s my fault.’ You become a different person. And others are changed too.’ When we focus on someone else’s problems, we put our own in perspective. Plus we take a break from worrying about ourselves, which is always a good thing. A friend who was in a California fire zone last summer emailed me during the time it wasn’t clear whether she lost her house, saying, “If we focus on helping others, panic diminishes.”

I keep reading that volunteerism is up. Maybe we’re all getting it. Maybe one of the effects of this monster wave of change we’re all trying to cope with is that we’ll turn toward one another, not against. I fervently hope so.

–M.J. Ryan, excerpted from AdaptAbility, How to Survive Change You Didn’t Ask For (Broadway Books, May 2009.) www.mj-ryan.com

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“Our lives are better left to chance,
I could have missed the pain,
but I’d of had to miss the dance.” 

– The Dance by Tony Anata,
sung by Garth Brooks

 

The Dance – Garth Brooks

I was driving home from seeing a friend for lunch when I heard this song. I haven’t heard this song in about ten years. It still makes me cry. 

I wonder what chance has in store for us this week.

Happy Monday!

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