Have you got the Pandemic Blues?

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a week of vacation. I needed the break. It was a great week of sun, boat rides, and swimming. There’s something about being by the water that seems to calm my restless soul.

When we go up north, it’s easy to forget about the pandemic and the restrictions and the illness. We’re in our own little world of boating, swimming, watching sunsets, and just enjoying our down time. I think everyone needs to do this. Get out of the house and go somewhere and just have some fun.

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When you work from home, you tend to never leave. You don’t need to unless it’s   to go to the store or run a few errands. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut during these times.

To keep my spirits up, I’m exercising more. That means I’m running. I’m not fast. I won’t be winning any competitions, but it helps me keep a positive attitude and it’s good for my body. Did you know running is good for your bones? If you’re worried about osteoporosis take up running. I just had a bone density scan and my doctor says he can tell I’ve been exercising. 🙂

 

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I’m also writing more, which helps me focus on something other than this pandemic and all the information flying around about it. I’ve finished one story and I’ve got another one going and it’s going well. I’m liking this new one almost as much as the one I just finished. The one I just finished has a lot of my heart and soul in the story. I’m very excited about it.

 

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I’ve also started collecting recipes to make some new and exciting meals. We’ve gotten into kind of a food rut lately, and we’ve been eating out more. Which isn’t the best for our health. Cooking with your family is a great way to spend some quality time together and cook up some new healthy meals.

 

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So, the point I’m trying to make is, use this pandemic to work on some projects you haven’t had time to start. You’ll feel productive and it’ll help get your mind off your circumstances. Make it work for you.

How are you spending your time during quarantine? Have you started any new projects? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

Who’s Accountable when a Cop crosses the Line?

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a long week of working. I’ve finished editing my story and it’s off to the beta reader. I’ve already started plotting out a new story and I’m excited about this one, too. Hopefully, I can do it justice. 😊

photo provided by https://www.everypixel.com/image-10518701651842115375

 

But enough about that, today I’d like to talk about what’s going on in the world. These are strange times indeed, with a pandemic and rioting because it’s forcing businesses and non-profit organizations to close, tensions are high, and that’s not even the worst of it. A black man was killed this week by police officers. They didn’t even try to hide the fact they were doing it even when there were witnesses video taping the whole thing. This sickens me. The cop who did this was fired then arrested, but it’s not enough. It will never bring George Floyd back to life.

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Most of us live in a bubble. We focus on our jobs and raising our kids and stuff like this rarely touches us. It happens in some other city and some other state, so we don’t feel threatened by it, but this kind of blatant disregard for human life can’t be ignored. How did Derek Chauvin even become a police officer? According to a source, he had twelve complaints of police brutality.  Why was he still on the force?

 

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There was plenty of evidence that this man had a problem. Why does it take something like a murder before action is taken? Why wasn’t he put on leave and forced to go to a psychiatrist to keep his job?

 

The only answer I can come up with is that his superiors and colleagues didn’t think it would ever lead to this, but shouldn’t we be preventing things like this from happening? Especially when he had a history of police brutality?

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I think we should not only hold the officer himself accountable but also the institution that allowed this to happen in the first place. I’m glad he was fired and I’m glad he was arrested. I hope he goes to prison for a long time, but it shouldn’t end there. I think there needs to be some accountability for his superiors for allowing him to continue working when he had so many accusations of police brutality against him. These are warning signs that something bigger could happen, and in this situation, it did.

 

How do you feel about the situation?  Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

Quarantine Week Three and a Book Review!

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after week three of our quarantine and there have been some developments. My boys’ school has closed for the rest of the year and my hubby’s office has extended their lockdown to the end of April. I’m still working from home, but I’ve taken a few days off to regroup and work on my story. Sometimes you just need a break, right?

I took the whole weekend and worked on my story. I’m finally putting the scenes together and I’m getting excited. We’ll see how it all works out. 😊

 

While I’ve been doing a lot of writing, I’ve also been reading. The two seem to go hand in hand. I thought I’d share with you the book I just finished because it was so good. I loved the characters in it and the storyline. I’m a big fan of WWII stories and this one did not disappoint. So, without further ado, here it is!

 

 

 

NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY BESTSELLER

#1 GLOBE AND MAIL HISTORICAL FICTION BESTSELLER

One of NPR’s Best Books of the Year!

One of Bookbub’s Biggest Historical Fiction Books of the Year!

Reese Witherspoon Book Club Summer Reading Pick!

The Girly Book Club Book of the Year!

A Summer Book Pick from Good Housekeeping, Parade, Library Journal, Goodreads, Liz and Lisa, and BookBub

In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption.

1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She’s also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie’s parents banish her to Europe to have her “little problem” taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister.

1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she’s recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she’s trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the “Queen of Spies”, who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy’s nose.

Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn’t heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth…no matter where it leads.

“Both funny and heartbreaking, this epic journey of two courageous women is an unforgettable tale of little-known wartime glory and sacrifice. Quinn knocks it out of the park with this spectacular book!”—Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author of America’s First Daughter

 

My Thoughts:

I have to say my favorite character was Eve. She was so mysterious and I wanted to keep reading just to find out her story. I’m a big fan of stories where the underdog wins in the end and this is that kind of story. I also love stories where people stand up against the Nazi Regime and this is that kind of story, too.  It has everything, spies, betrayal, and redemption. A great read during a Quarantine!

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post. Do you have any good books to read during the quarantine? Leave the title in the comments! I’m always looking for a good read!

 

 

Quarantine: Week Two

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. My family and I have gotten through another week of quarantine and we haven’t lost our minds…yet. I’ve been putting my story together and I’m getting more and more excited. I’ve written this story differently than my other stories and I really like how it has turned out. I can’t wait to see the finished product.

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So far, my family and I have stayed healthy, so the quarantine is working for us. It has also brought us closer together with late night Uno games and binge-watching Netflix. I love hanging with my kids.

 

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But this quarantine can be hard on people who don’t have a family. People who live alone can become depressed and lonely. So, check on your friends who live alone, send them a text to make sure they’re okay. This is a time to stay connected even if we can’t get together.

There’s a variety of ways you can stay connected in this trying time. Social Media is a great way to stay in touch and make sure everyone is okay. There’s also program’s like Skype and Zoom where you can video chat with your friends. At the very least, you can pick up the phone and give them a call.

 

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Another way to fight depression is to stay busy. I’ve been working on my book, so it doesn’t register that I’ve barely left the house in two weeks. Hubby has a couple of major projects going on around the house that’s keeping him busy and the boys have their video games where they communicate with their friends. I’m letting them have more screen time because playing video games is another way to fight depression.

They’ve been reading every day and their school has a website set up where they can do some assignments. I think it’s great, but I’m not forcing them to do it. I believe they’ll be just fine when they get back to school. The school must adjust to the students needs and I believe they will.

 

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So, that’s how were dealing with the quarantine, working on our own projects and having more family time and staying in touch with my single friends. How about you? How are you combating depression in this crazy time when you can’t leave the house? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

 

Quarantine: Week One

 

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Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. Last week was the first week of quarantine for us due to the Corona Virus. These are interesting times. Never in the history of the world, have we ever had a situation like this, except for that one time when the Bubonic Plague hit, but we weren’t alive then, so that doesn’t count.

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When I think about it, it does scare me. This virus that spreads like wildfire leaving death and destruction in its path. This is very real. I know there were many people who felt like it was ‘fake news’ in the beginning and who can blame them? The way our media spins things and out right lies to the public, but this is a very real situation.

The only answer is social distancing and of course, washing your hands. Fortunately, we’ve been practicing it.  I feel fortunate that I work for a company that allows its employees to work from home. In the beginning it was a recommendation, but last Friday they closed the doors and all employees are required to work from home. Our schools have closed, and I haven’t been out of the house in a week. So far, we haven’t driven each other crazy, but who knows how long this quarantine will last.

 

There have been some positive changes due to this situation, though. Because people are staying home, the earth has started to self-correct. Pollution has been reduced and there are dolphins in the canals in Venice. That hasn’t happened in years, maybe being a part of the indoor generation isn’t a bad thing.

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I’ve also been able to spend more quality time with my family. The other night we all sat down and played Uno until eleven o’clock on a school night. I had the best time. Gone is the rigid schedule of dinner, homework, and bed. I’ve spent most of this weekend in my pajamas and helped my hubby with a home project we’ve been working on.  Last night we had movie night and binge watched “The Office” for a couple of episodes. My boys love that show and it was nice to laugh and enjoy each other’s company. I have a great relationship with my family, and it’s getting stronger because of the quarantine. This is a good thing.

Photo credit: hannah.rosen on Visual hunt / CC BY

My kids are learning to negotiate. This is another good thing. For example, the school created a website with lessons on it for each grade and subject. I expressed by excitement over this because I don’t want them on their computers all day. I also expressed that I wanted them to read for at least a half an hour each day and get outside and get some fresh air. My oldest immediately piped up and said, “We’ll get outside every day and read for a half an hour, if we don’t have to do the stuff on the school website.”

Photo credit: sozl on Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-SA

I laughed at this, but inside I was bursting with pride. It’s a good compromise. The schools will have to adjust to their students like they always have, and I’m confident my boys will get where they need to go educationally. So, if I get them outside for an hour each day and reading for a half an hour, it’s a win-win in my book. Plus, I’m helping build my son’s self esteem and reinforcing his problem solving abilities. Another win.

Let’s turn this horrible situation into a positive. This is an opportunity  to slow down and strengthen the bonds with the people we love. Do it before it’s too late. We don’t know who the virus is going to take from us. Make sure you leave memories of love.

Photo on VisualHunt

 

Stay healthy and safe my friends, and please know, I appreciate every one of you. I’ve made some great friends through the blogging community and I’ve enjoyed reading your blogs and connecting with all of you. Let’s keep up the good work and show the world that Corona Virus isn’t going to bring us down!

Thanks for reading my blog today. Do you have any news or statistics on the virus? Or maybe you have some recommendations on how to spend our time during the quarantine? If so, leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!