A Novel Creation www.WatersWords.com

  Failure to Launch Back in April you may remember I shared that our sweet dog, Roxy, was going to live with her “daddy.” She was, after all, Shawn’s dog. If you missed that post, you can read it by clicking HERE . After dropping the two dogs and the cat off at Shawn’s house, Mike and I went on down to the Florida Keys for our anniversary. We had a great time and Shawn enjoyed having the critters around. He was ready for them. It was a little disappointing, however, that the cat learned how to use the doggy door he installed before Roxy did. These animals love Shawn. They’ve known him all of their lives. And Shawn loves them. He offers loving care. Even when he was away at work, he could see what they were doing via a camera he installed and could talk to them.  As they say at NASA, all systems were “go.” When Mike and I returned the following week, we stopped at Shawn’s house to pick up Honeybee and Tiki-Kitty. We knew they enjoyed the visit but were happy to head home as wel...

Tending to Self- Inflicted Wounds Have you ever read a book that was terrible? A book where the writing was so awful YOU wish YOU HAD NEVER WRITTEN IT?  That’s right. I recently read a book I wrote a few years ago. I was sure it was pretty good... but might need a little work.  A little? I know what I had in mind…except I was probably a little out of my mind when it came to putting the story on paper.  The truth is...this was a book I had just started writing the week Tom died. That was in October of 2014. Nearly ten years ago. It was always hanging over me like a half painted living room ceiling. I “finished” the book in 2021 and sent it to a publisher. The editors who read it were kind but honest.  Brutally honest. But that’s what I needed. They basically said the book has potential…with a lot of work. I put it away. Out of sight. Out of mind. In the meantime, I had a few “fits and starts” for a couple of other books, but lacked the motivation to make them happe...

"There's No Place Like...Family" Since Mike and I married, I don’t get to see my side of the family that often. My mom, children and grands are at least an airplane ride away. But this past week was an exception. My oldest daughter and oldest grandson drove from Ohio to Florida for a short visit…With My Mama! The visit was brief, but a wonderful experience for this girl.  They had all heard us describe our Florida home and looked at the pictures on the internet when it was on the market in 2023. We’ve changed nearly everything in the house since then. Roof to floors. Inside and out. But the big draw for us…and them? The outdoor space. The lake. You can go to Lowes or Home Depot all you like, but you can’t improve that view. We took the boat out on the lake, marveled at the wildlife, fed some fish and watched the glow of the sunset dissolve into night.  My Mom and Grandson With Mike at the Helm We took the boat to one of our favorite restaurants, The Cove. Delicious and fu...

  Living Now in the Good Ol' Days! Some people live in the past. They long for the “good old days.” I lived those good old days. Some were better than others. Plus, I’m fully aware I am currently living in the “good ol' days” right now….except that will be later, uh…well, I think you get it. Right?  Some people live in the here and now. What it is the saying…”Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow you shall die…” ?  I'm pretty sure that’s a pirate motto or something.  Then of course there are those longing for the future. The “someday.” Or the “one day, I’ll be able to …” You hear it all the time. I generally try to find balance. I hold onto the good memories of the past, enjoy the life Mike and I are carving out now, and look forward to new adventures tomorrow.  Actually, I am a bit in “Tomorrowland” as I write this. I am living in great anticipation. My oldest daughter and either one or both of her boys…my grandsons….will be heading this way from Ohio in a few ...

  Scream, Laugh, or Cry? I choose to laugh. Today. A few days ago when my computer crashed, I cried. Not because I chose to cry. I simply couldn’t help myself.  It is a new week. A couple of friends called to see if we wanted to join them at Pudgee’s for lunch Friday. We pass the place every time we go to church or head south to Brooksville on US 41. We always say, “We need to check that place out.” So when Roland called to see if we wanted to join him and his wife for lunch at Pudgees, we were all in.  Originally, Mike and I thought it was simply an ice cream store, but the place offers sandwiches with all the trimmings. Mike and I chose footlong hotdogs with fries. The food was great, but the best was time spent with our friends.   I could post more about the afternoon, but the real story is what happened before we left the house.    Mike wanted to empty Tiki’s litter box. I was to hold the door for him to carry it outside. I pushed the door ope...

Computers: Love 'em or Hate 'em I have a love/hate relationship with computers. Please assure me I am not alone.     It is particularly frustrating when I am working on a novel and my computer seemingly crashes.  On Saturday.  After hours.  No tech support.   I have a back up computer. That’s good… even though it is just different enough to cost me a couple of hours to reset the password, go through pages of “I accept” statements and a bit to figure out how to get the “view” I’m used to seeing.   My REAL tech support team lives up north. I call them  Kids ‘R Us.  It includes daughters, sons-in-law, and grandkids who know much more than I do.   The helpdesk at  Kids “R” Us  usually starts with a "did you try" statement.   “Did you try turning it off then turning it back on?” “Did you try resetting your password?” “Did you try…” Well, you get the idea.   The answer is yes. Yes I have tried everything. (Well there was th...

  Intentional.   A Look Back. As we are nearly midway through the year, I decided to revisit my “word of the year” to see how it is playing out for me. If you didn’t read the January post where I chose the word “intentional” for 2024, I’ll put a link at the bottom for you.   I usually post my word for the year above the desk in my office. I didn’t exactly have my writing area  set up the during the remodel, so much of my writing has been at the dining room table. I can see “thankful” or “bountiful” or maybe “harvest” as part of a display above the table…if I had a word hanging there at all….but “intentional”? I don’t think so.   I’ve always linked my word for the year with my writing. To tell the truth, I hadn’t deliberately thought about the word since January. Yet, it has surfaced…even guided me in my writing efforts...unintentionally!   A Replica of Hemingway's Desk on His Boat, the Pilar. His work was both "Intense" and "Intentional" Writing Intentional...