This week was a joy, both professional as well as personally. My novel was nominated fro The Pacific NW Booksellelrs Award - which is lovely 'cause I'm kind of a big nobody around here and I'd like to be a somebody! However, most important to me, I am up and around!! I've been resigned to my bottom since September due to a knee injury, eventually having to have surgery. That was January. Finally, finally, finally, I went to a glittery party last night! I couldn't dance, but I could walk to the hall from the car and enjoy the conversations and -- SEEING FRIENDS! I am so grateful for my friends, and my family who have been total mensches, taking care of me.
YOU! You brought me joy this week -with your very generous offer, your beautiful words, and your vulnerability that inspires the rest of us to share our stories with the world.
I'm in wet, dismal Michigan, too, and not even at home in the Upper Peninsula, where the chance of snow is almost a given, even now. So, while I miss home, and still have about a month to go in the dread city, no fault of my own, I'm grateful that it's just rain and not snow.
But Jane, I love that you couldn't think of the name of the plant but chose to publish this piece anyway, promising to get back to it when you found it. I can't tell you how many times I've put a piece on hold because I couldn't think of something that needed to be in there. Why didn't I think of that?
This is just one of the many things I've learned from you, so I guess you would be second on my Gratitude list today.
I have to confess I am in sunny Catalonia, where my husband and I are based each winter. I'm grateful to be in this beautiful, peaceful part of the world, in a small village where we have been embraced by the local community. However, I haven't been out of doors yet today as I'm working on the final, final edits of a book - a memoir about opting for an adventurous life instead of having children, where that choice led me and how it is panning out in later years. (I recently turned 71. ) Finally seeing the book done and in published form later this year will be a source of gratitude! But what I'm most joyful about and grateful for right now is that my partner and I are in good health and that, after many years of marriage, we still delight in each other's company. Those are the greatest gifts and I never take them for granted.
The snow and mud are gone (finally) here in northern Vermont. I'm feel joy when I here the Peepers and tree frogs. I ordered 5 lbs of wildflower seed and will be turning a 1/4 acre if lawn into a meadow. The thought if it makes me smile.
Celebrating my twins 18th birthday, alongside my 16 closest family members. Seeing my 12yr old nephew totally smash his DJ event in London, and witnessing such joy from his little fans, along with helping my sister move into her long-awaited forever home. It’s been a big week and there’s So much to celebrate! ❤️
Spending the weekend with my grandchildren while their parents were in CA at a concert celebrating Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday has supplied me with many moments of joy.
Today is a sunny breezy cool one. Very grateful for my shady wilderness yarden the birds that sing and the small squirrel who really was begging my attention. Once my eyes finally found him directly above and in front of where I sat, he chirped once more and left. Took me awhile to see him. I know he knew. Maybe he wanted to take me somewhere to see something? Maybe a visit from beyond? I dunno. But I like it .
I'm grateful for a sunny but windy day in Florida after taking cover in a closet at 5 am during a tornado warning, and that my internet is back on so I can read Beyond. I'm sad and angry about Florida politics but I shouldn't go there on a Good News and Gratitude Thread. Happy that my writing will finally be in The Sun Magazine, May issue, after countless rejections there. Although my piece is just in Readers Write, my good writing buddy, Diane, is on the same page and we both get a year's free subscription. Oh, and my queen's wreath is in full bloom! Beautiful purple-blue flowers.
Thank you, Jane. Thank you, everyone. I am grateful to be in this community again. A cardinal landed in the dogwood tree as I opened my eyes from a quick nap before dinner on this rainy Friday. We had no cardinals during our ten years in California; even after a year back home here to see the bright red in a grey-green background is sublimely profound. I floated through a challenging Saturday in the very right leaning public eye, in part due to the perfectly timed arrival of a single cardinal.
The weather was so sunny and warm where I live in California that I got to sit outside on my patio with my cats for the first time since last summer! We all loved basking in the warmth and sun!
What a lovely idea! It’s damp and rainy in Ny, but we have cherry blossoms 🌸 and they are gorgeous! I’m also so grateful for the lovely community people like you are building here on Substack. And for your gorgeous writing, Jane. Your words rádiate care & compassion.
Among the guests at my book launch party was a gifted young writer I’ve been following on social media. She has written her way through a few brutal years, attracting a community of supporters with the clarity and confidence of her emerging voice. I read her posts with rising anticipation for what is to come but have never offered more than a line or so of encouragement. If I’d had more children, she could be my youngest, the daughter who never was.
Someone took a photo of us together, both smiling with delight at finally meeting in the so-called “real world.” She was holding her signed copy of Starter Dog. When I shared the photo online, she commented that I had made her week. I’m not Margaret Atwood. My book is not a bestseller. And yet I have the power to lift someone up and give her hope for the next story asking to be told. I couldn’t be more grateful for the privilege.
Love this idea. It's been a hard and rainy week here in Auckland too. What brought me joy was a fresh delivery of firewood, lighting my first fire of the Autumn and seeing my two gorgeous kitties snoozing side by side in front of it... the little things....
Happy to report a terrific week! Helped get three dogs off Death Row and into rescue via Twitter! And my writing is going again, so no complaints here. Love these threads, Jane. It's really an excellent reminder that there are still good things happening ;-)
This week was a joy, both professional as well as personally. My novel was nominated fro The Pacific NW Booksellelrs Award - which is lovely 'cause I'm kind of a big nobody around here and I'd like to be a somebody! However, most important to me, I am up and around!! I've been resigned to my bottom since September due to a knee injury, eventually having to have surgery. That was January. Finally, finally, finally, I went to a glittery party last night! I couldn't dance, but I could walk to the hall from the car and enjoy the conversations and -- SEEING FRIENDS! I am so grateful for my friends, and my family who have been total mensches, taking care of me.
YOU! You brought me joy this week -with your very generous offer, your beautiful words, and your vulnerability that inspires the rest of us to share our stories with the world.
I'm in wet, dismal Michigan, too, and not even at home in the Upper Peninsula, where the chance of snow is almost a given, even now. So, while I miss home, and still have about a month to go in the dread city, no fault of my own, I'm grateful that it's just rain and not snow.
But Jane, I love that you couldn't think of the name of the plant but chose to publish this piece anyway, promising to get back to it when you found it. I can't tell you how many times I've put a piece on hold because I couldn't think of something that needed to be in there. Why didn't I think of that?
This is just one of the many things I've learned from you, so I guess you would be second on my Gratitude list today.
I have to confess I am in sunny Catalonia, where my husband and I are based each winter. I'm grateful to be in this beautiful, peaceful part of the world, in a small village where we have been embraced by the local community. However, I haven't been out of doors yet today as I'm working on the final, final edits of a book - a memoir about opting for an adventurous life instead of having children, where that choice led me and how it is panning out in later years. (I recently turned 71. ) Finally seeing the book done and in published form later this year will be a source of gratitude! But what I'm most joyful about and grateful for right now is that my partner and I are in good health and that, after many years of marriage, we still delight in each other's company. Those are the greatest gifts and I never take them for granted.
The snow and mud are gone (finally) here in northern Vermont. I'm feel joy when I here the Peepers and tree frogs. I ordered 5 lbs of wildflower seed and will be turning a 1/4 acre if lawn into a meadow. The thought if it makes me smile.
Celebrating my twins 18th birthday, alongside my 16 closest family members. Seeing my 12yr old nephew totally smash his DJ event in London, and witnessing such joy from his little fans, along with helping my sister move into her long-awaited forever home. It’s been a big week and there’s So much to celebrate! ❤️
Spending the weekend with my grandchildren while their parents were in CA at a concert celebrating Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday has supplied me with many moments of joy.
Today is a sunny breezy cool one. Very grateful for my shady wilderness yarden the birds that sing and the small squirrel who really was begging my attention. Once my eyes finally found him directly above and in front of where I sat, he chirped once more and left. Took me awhile to see him. I know he knew. Maybe he wanted to take me somewhere to see something? Maybe a visit from beyond? I dunno. But I like it .
I'm grateful for a sunny but windy day in Florida after taking cover in a closet at 5 am during a tornado warning, and that my internet is back on so I can read Beyond. I'm sad and angry about Florida politics but I shouldn't go there on a Good News and Gratitude Thread. Happy that my writing will finally be in The Sun Magazine, May issue, after countless rejections there. Although my piece is just in Readers Write, my good writing buddy, Diane, is on the same page and we both get a year's free subscription. Oh, and my queen's wreath is in full bloom! Beautiful purple-blue flowers.
Thank you, Jane. Thank you, everyone. I am grateful to be in this community again. A cardinal landed in the dogwood tree as I opened my eyes from a quick nap before dinner on this rainy Friday. We had no cardinals during our ten years in California; even after a year back home here to see the bright red in a grey-green background is sublimely profound. I floated through a challenging Saturday in the very right leaning public eye, in part due to the perfectly timed arrival of a single cardinal.
The weather was so sunny and warm where I live in California that I got to sit outside on my patio with my cats for the first time since last summer! We all loved basking in the warmth and sun!
What a lovely idea! It’s damp and rainy in Ny, but we have cherry blossoms 🌸 and they are gorgeous! I’m also so grateful for the lovely community people like you are building here on Substack. And for your gorgeous writing, Jane. Your words rádiate care & compassion.
Getting to go on holiday and getting to come home and especially bring reunited with our dog who had his own mini break at a friends 🥰
And a proper cup of tea 😊
Among the guests at my book launch party was a gifted young writer I’ve been following on social media. She has written her way through a few brutal years, attracting a community of supporters with the clarity and confidence of her emerging voice. I read her posts with rising anticipation for what is to come but have never offered more than a line or so of encouragement. If I’d had more children, she could be my youngest, the daughter who never was.
Someone took a photo of us together, both smiling with delight at finally meeting in the so-called “real world.” She was holding her signed copy of Starter Dog. When I shared the photo online, she commented that I had made her week. I’m not Margaret Atwood. My book is not a bestseller. And yet I have the power to lift someone up and give her hope for the next story asking to be told. I couldn’t be more grateful for the privilege.
Love this idea. It's been a hard and rainy week here in Auckland too. What brought me joy was a fresh delivery of firewood, lighting my first fire of the Autumn and seeing my two gorgeous kitties snoozing side by side in front of it... the little things....
Happy to report a terrific week! Helped get three dogs off Death Row and into rescue via Twitter! And my writing is going again, so no complaints here. Love these threads, Jane. It's really an excellent reminder that there are still good things happening ;-)