Tag Archives: The Muffin

Plans to Give You Hope and a Future

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Did you ever have one of those days, two years after a pandemic, when the sun is shining and everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off, and there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done because at last–AT LAST!–you can go where you want and do what you want?

Except right there in the middle of your joy, there’s a feeling of not-rightness. And you remember Ukraine and want to cry for the heartbreak in their lives.

It’s a hard time and it takes me back to those days and weeks after Mister Man died and I’d wake up with the sun shining and for a blissful moment or two in my forgetfulness, I’d wonder what the glorious day would have in store for me. But in the next moment, reality would say hello again and grief would almost take my breath away.

Yeah, those were tough times, and I feel like a whole nation on the other side of the world might be experiencing those same feelings of loss and confusion.

And so here at home, we pray, we send help in whatever ways we can, and we grab ahold of the hope that a peaceful resolution can be found soon.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11

And I know that even in my dark days, I needed routine. So I’m out and about again, singing with my choir, going to lunch with friends, and writing.

My plans–the ones I’m pinning my hopes to– are to finish up edits on my novel but first, I had to work out a bit of a sticky wicket with whether to have an epilogue or a last chapter. I discussed all that over at The Muffin in The Epilogue Question. (Spoiler Alert: I went with the Epilogue. )

And then, after watching Juniorette Hall perform in The Addams Family, a Musical, an idea just came to me, so I wrote The Just Trap.

All will be well, y’all. I just know it.

♥Cathy and Libs (who didn’t get her teeth cleaned after all, but that’s a whole ‘nother story.)

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

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Okay, yes, it’s January. It’s supposed to be cold. And furthermore, I know there are plenty of folks dealing with FEET of snow outside their windows, whereas here, I’m just stepping out into twenty degree weather with teeth chattering. (It actually did snow a few weeks ago–BRRRR!) But I just feel like it may be colder than it usually is Down South this year.

Plus, as you’ve probably surmised, I’m a bit of a wuss when it comes to being cold. I always think of that Robert Frost poem, Fire and Ice, when I’m freezing, because frankly, ice, freezing, and cold temperatures would mean the end of the world to me. As Youngest Junior Hall said after kicking a basketball into his father’s company car rear window, “Just kill me now!”

Anyway, for your reading pleasure, FIRE AND ICE by Robert Frost

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

And whilst we’re on the subject of weather, high winds and LOTS of rain brought a surprise to my neck of the woods. (Literally.) You can read all about it in Thoughts About Woods and Writing over at The Muffin.

Fortunately, the house is still standing and I’m still writing. In fact, I have my space heater going full blast, I’m munching on Hot Tamales and I’m getting ready for Nonfiction Fest that starts in just a few days. I think you’ll love it, no matter what you write (and I give you a couple good reasons why over at The Muffin in Best Kept Secrets.)

So I hope you’re nice and toasty wherever you are, and healthy and happily writing. And just to cheer you up, I’ve written a little poem of my own, which I call, Solving the Cold Dilemma (by Cathy C. Hall):

If you’re cold and have no heat,

Find some Hot Tamales and eat.

But honestly, a fire is even better,

And maybe a warm and cozy sweater.

♥ Cathy and Libs

November NaNo and Novenas

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I would just like to say to anyone who may have sent an email or text or message that’s gone unanswered, I have a really good excuse.

To my friend whose novel came out and I read and thoroughly enjoyed but haven’t quite got round to posting that review yet, it was wonderful and I will get to it. (And P.S. You can read all about it in this interview with Kara Bietz on her book, SIDELINED.)

And even though Libs can’t read, I feel like I should apologize for letting her out and then forgetting to leave the door open so that she could come back in. (To be fair, she seemed pretty happy, sitting outside on the steps in a sunny spot. Where I found her three hours later.) Again, I have a perfectly good reason for that oversight.

See, I had this idea for a cozy mystery–which I’d made a good start on–and I was determined to employ some “planned neglect” during National Novel Writing Month (NaNo for short) and…well, you know what? I wrote all about it already over at the Muffin in “Planned Neglect (Or How I Met My NaNo Goal Without Even Trying).

(I managed to squeeze in another blog post over at the Muffin earlier this month. It is always quite the adventure “When The Universe Strikes.”)

Anyway, here it is, November 30th, and I’ve completed about 15,000 words more than I scheduled, just by ignoring almost everyone and nearly everything. That seems like a pretty fair trade-off, right?

(Oh, wait! Today is the feast of Saint Andrew which marks the beginning of the Christmas Novena. You can find out more about this special Advent devotion here. And sure, I was writing, writing, writing, but you know this Catholic girl remembered to say her prayers today!)