Rewarding Posts

Reading blogs has turned me on to some great products - Adagio teas, Dansko shoes, Tartar Shield dog biscuits - all of which have become indispensable to me. Blog surfing allows me to meet so many people around the world, people who share not only ideas and emotions, but goods and services that make life more enjoyable. In turn, when I find a product or service that excites me, I'm happy to blog about it, to send it out into cyber space never knowing who might come across it at the exact moment in life when it could most help.

I've recently signed on to Pay Per Post, which allows me to not only discover some great new products and services, but also to share them with you ~ and be paid for doing so! I can choose from a huge list of "opportunities," do some research, and write about any that peak my interest. It gives me a chance to stretch my writing wings a little bit, too. Best of all, Pay Per Post allows you to donate your earnings to one of several charities. Right now, I'm donating my fees to the Alzheimer's Association.

There are no fees to participate, and no obligations to complete a certain number of posts. It's a fun way to spark some writing ideas, sharpen your writing skills, and earn some money - and it gives me another good excuse to blog!

Into the Future!

When I was growing up, my grandparents lived with us, and while it was perhaps not the greatest thing for my parents marriage, it was a gift for me. I was the only grandchild they had, so naturally they thought the sun rose and set at my feet. And yes, according to conventional wisdom, they "spoiled" me ~ not so much with material things, as with love and attention, which are certainly greater gifts in the long run. My grandmother often stayed up nights with me, comforting me with stories during my frequent asthmatic episodes. And she was the one who started me off on the piano, teaching me "Amzing Grace" and "The Blue Danube" waltz. My son also had the benefit of a close relationship with his grandmother, who lived just a short bike ride away. My parents were literally the only babysitters Brian ever had, and he considered their house "home." My mom was always available with a listening ear, a hot meal, and, yes, some extra cash if needed. She still delights in pampering him with his favorite foods, and has been busy shoring up the pantry in preparation for his visit next week. Grandmothers have been very important in this family. Now, it's my turn. This morning, Brian and Nantana called with the splendid, thrilling, exciting, and joyous news that they are expecting a baby! Grandchildren are marvelous additions to any family. But when you're an only child who is the daughter of an only child, the wife of an only child, and the mother of an only child~well, do the math. There are very few of us around the table at holiday time. So I'm more than excited about this baby. In many ways, I'm just plain relieved. Brian has no siblings, no cousins, no aunts or uncles - when Jim and I are gone, he would be completely alone in the world. Thinking about that was heartbreaking to me. But now - no worries. Children are the link to the future, your best "insurance policy" against isolation and lonliness. And yes, selfishly, I wanted all those unique and wonderful traits I love about my son - his creativity, his intelligence, his independence and quirky sense of humor - to be passed along, to continue to exist in the world. Combined with Nantana's good sense, determination, and caring nature, and with who knows what combination of characteristics from his or her Asian-Armenian-English-German-Irish-Scotch heritage - well, this child is bound to be quite a person. I can hardly wait!

Fascinatin' Faucets

We live in an old house - older than I am, and that's saying something lately. We've updated most of our plumbing at least once in the past 31 years, and I'm planning some more renovating in our "master bath," (a real misnomer in an early 1950's style ranch house!) This time, I can use the internet for my shopping, rather than wandering around in Home Depot or Lowe's. I've been browsing Faucet.com this morning, and I'm completely astounded at the variety of bathroom faucets available. I've been looking at Delta faucets because we have those in our Florida home, browsing through 20 pages of sink faucets, ranging in price from $54.00 to $411.00!

Once I decide, I can make my purchase on line. There are handy information pages to help me choose the correct type of faucet for my sink, a toll free phone number for "real live" assistance, and free shipping options. What could be easier?

I love the internet.

Friday Feast

AppetizerOn a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you look forward to your birthday? I used to look forward to it immensely, and I still enjoy the idea of remembering the day I was born (all those many years ago!). I just wish I didn't have to keep getting older. As far as a rating - hmmm, I'll say 5, somewhere safely in the middle.

Soup What is one word you don’t like the sound, spelling, or meaning of? Suck. Even when it's used for it's actual meaning, and not in the pejorative sense.

Salad Do you wear sunglasses when you’re outside? If so, what does your current pair look like? I wear sunglasses more often than I used to (its another one of those age things, I guess). I tend to lose sunglasses, so I have about six relatively cheapo pairs scattered around the house and in the cars.

Main Course If you were to write a book, to whom would you dedicate it? I have written one book (unpublished, but still...) and partly because of the subject matter and partly just because she deserves it, I would dedicate it to my mother. The book I'm thinking about writing now, the one that's marinating in my brain in preparation for NaNoWriMo next month, would be dedicated to my husband.

Dessert Name a beverage that you enjoy. Coffee at sunrise, Chardonnay at dusk. for more feasts, go here

Travelin' South-A Free Raleigh, NC Get Away

I get the urge to take a road trip in the fall, to meander down winding country roads, visit small towns along the way, have homemade apple pie in "mom and pop" diners, and, of course, marvel at the palette of crimson and gold painting the landscape. I've hankered to visit North Carolina for some time, and I was doing some cyber research the other night on the official tourism site for the city of Raleigh. I had no idea this was such a "happening" place for the arts lover...North Carolina symphony concerts, the Carolina Ballet, the Carolina Museum of Natural History and Art, Broadway shows, historic walking tours, Branford Marsalis in concert...some of my favorite things to do. All the attractions of city life, with the charm of a Southern small town.

Because I love fall, I was especially attracted to the fall getaway pages, and I eagerly registered for a chance to win a Free Raleigh Getaway that includes accommodations for two at the Courtyard by Marriott, gift certificates to Bloomsbury Bistro, tickets to the theater and to the Impressionist exhibit at the Museum of Art, and even more.

So now I have my heart set on winning this trip. But feel free to register yourselves - just promise to tuck me into your suitcase if you win!