I’ve been fortunate to have been all over the U.S. and I love my beautiful country. So don’t take this the wrong way when I say that I long to go back to Scotland. The first time I went I had not read Outlander or seen Braveheart, so when I say I love Scotland, it’s for the country and people, not a fantasy from books or a movie. (Although, I wouldn’t say no to meeting Jamie!)
I’ve been in Scotland a few times—the last time on a 9-day trip with my college roommate over a good bit of the highlands and Skye. I always 
thought that if I could afford it, I’d rent a cottage in the moors around Inverness and spend a summer writing. That’s my fantasy vacation! It hasn’t come about but I fill my fantasies by reading books in Scottish settings.
I’ll admit that I kinda believe in reincarnation, and the first time I exited the 
train in Waverley Station in Edinburgh I felt as though I’d come home. Maybe I’d lived there before. The city called to me. I wandered at will and had a great time and met some fantastic people. I also loved the area around Loch Ness (so beautiful!), and Stirling and Balquhidder are gorgeous. Skye had light like I’d never seen, and I could spend a week there just looking out over the sea.
You can see right now that I’m lusting for the place. Maybe someday I’ll get 
back there again. I haven’t given up hope!
Read the next blog in the blog hop by going here.
Dee
Only a Good Man Will Do: Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!
Naval Maneuvers: When a woman requires an earth-shattering crush of pleasure to carry her away, she can’t do better than to call on the US Navy. Sorry, Marines!
Especially in this season, there is much to be grateful for. There is so much, in fact, how does one limit it to a few? Don’t know… But I’m going to try.
and I learned things I’ve never forgotten. It planted my feet firmly on the ground and centered me. Plus, it gave me a perspective on everything in life since. As hubby says, once you’ve started to jackknife coming down Donner Pass in a blizzard, the meaning of “stress” changes forever more.
experience things most people have not. I’ve been able to write. I’ve enjoyed both working and not working. I’ve been blessed, totally and sincerely. It’s such a wonderful feeling!
I have to say, I am not a very good cook and I’ve become worse since being married. My family used lots of seasoning, so at one time I knew what I was doing with them. But Jack likes no seasoning—not spices, herbs, salt, or pepper. Nothing. He says he likes the taste of food as it is meant to be tasted. So I’ve learned to eat food the same way and that somewhat limits what one can do in the way of creativity. Consequently, my culinary acumen has suffered. I do still have a few dishes I cook and Jack eats them or he fixes a sandwich. (Okay, that’s not accurate. I fix his sandwich.) One of my favorite comfort foods is goulash, or what some call hamburger and macaroni.
with a slice of crusty bread and maybe a salad. Doesn’t matter—it takes me back to my childhood. Funny thing. Years ago when I first started making goulash for Jack and me, it didn’t taste the same as when Mom made it. I asked her why and after relaying how I made it, she asked when I added the secret ingredient. Once I started that, the flavors were the taste of home. See if you can spot the secret ingredient.
heritage. At any rate, this is not a difficult recipe but for some reason, we only had it for holidays and other special dates like birthdays throughout my years of living at home.
I hope you love this dish! It’s got childhood written all over it, though it’s my childhood, not yours. Maybe you’ll want to adopt it, though.
Next spring, hubby Jack and I will be married 46 years. Considering that we dated for nearly seven years before that and had met two years prior to dating, we’ve known each other, dated, and been married almost 55 years. When I say it feels like forever, you can understand what I mean. When I say that it feels like yesterday maybe you’ll know what I mean, too. When we were falling in love, saying we’d be together forever sounded so easy. Hahahahaha! How naive! It hasn’t all been easy but it’s all been worthwhile, and made easier by being able to laugh, both at ourselves and with each other.
Mexico once, for a harried, scary trip (do they have the concept of stop signs down? Not that I could tell.). For almost eight years, we were hardly apart except to go to the bathrooms, living in an 8 x 8 foot truck cab. There were times I wanted to murder Jack but I never considered divorce. (I’m sure he never wanted to murder me—I was the epitome of the perfect traveling companion.) And if you’re prone to divorce at all, driving a truck together will get you there faster than a CHP officer can write a speeding ticket. Those were great days!
After not graduating and leaving Virginia Military Academy in his junior year, Jack went back to school at age 63. Far from not graduating, he got his diploma and graduated summa cum laude! I’m so proud of him.
received calls. I laughed smugly at all those people glued to their Blackberrys and iPhones. I mourned for all those lost conversations when people sat across the table from friends and spent their time texting. I glared at those who unthinkingly knocked people on the sidewalk while playing Candycrush.
person.
I had to give up all apps, this is the one I would go of last. I am a sad, sad person.
happen in the first chapter because you have to be concerned with character introduction and plot hints. But using a prologue, the author can spend all of his/her time engaging the reader with emotion in what follows. You know me—I’m all for engaging!
examples and see where the author might have gone wrong. As for me, I never skip prologues. I might not read the rest of the book if the prologue is terrible, but at least I’ll have a good reason for it.
protagonists become engaged? Once they’re married are they happy? Do they have children? It seems that children or the announcement of a pregnancy are routinely in the epilogue of historical romances, and I like that little bit extra. It’s like biting into a chocolate—really good in itself—and finding a caramel filling that you didn’t expect. A step beyond satisfying and into the realm of happy.
is what I long to read. I have used them myself, and even enjoy reading them then. 😉