May your 2024
Be the Best 2024
You’ve ever had!!

Weather in the Tries:
The coming week will be low 30s at night and low 40s for highs during the days with a tad bit of sun on Thursday and a slight chance of rain on Saturday. 

Some Happy News with Which I Begin 2024:
Yeah, I know, I wasn’t going to write and post a new one until next week. But I had such a wonderful phone call the other day, I just had to share. My publisher and Good Friend called to tell me I’d sold 91 copies of Madame Dorian! Thirty were bought on one day!

Good news indeed, but also slightly puzzling. Oh, I’m not complaining, I’m just curious—why the sudden interest? Did a school buy them? Libraries? We have no idea, but Boy Howdy! are we celebrating!!

I’m truly grateful, but I wish I knew why, so I could maybe replicate it;-)

Update on Family Celebration:
Favorite Grandson has a job he enjoys, and he spent the Holidays filling in for people who wanted the time off. He’s taking his time off the end of January, to cover his birthday. That’s when my Favorite Family and I will have our get together and celebration.

Goodbye and Hello:
I am writing this on the last day of 2023, you will receive it on the first day of 2024. I have no idea when you’ll actually read it;-)

I am attending a New Year’s Eve Party tonight. The first one I’ve attended in so many years I’ve forgotten how long it’s been. Someone finally got an idea for said party I can go along with. We can come, drink how much we want and not have to worry about driving home with a road filled with (potential) drunks–including us. We’re having our party on Zoom!! It should be a lot of fun! Now, do I want wine or tequila? I have all day to reach a decision.

And the good news doesn’t stop!
On February 6, 2024, I will be the featured reader at Cobalt Café, an online open mic for poets from anywhere in the world. Cobalt Café is every Tuesday night, 7.30 Pacific Time. If you want to read, you need to sign in at 7.15 Pacific Time. Go here to read more about the Cobalt Poets series and here to sign up to attend, whether or not you want to read. You will receive two emails a week from Rick Lupert, our host. One on Sunday and one on Tuesday, sending you the link. If you have subscribed to the Email list.

Photo of the Week:
Took this a couple years ago. Not sure if it was windy, or my telephoto wobbled, but it’s slightly out of focus, and l think it looks like a painting. It’s a juvenile Great Blue Heron.

From the Paws of the Big Chihuahua:
My human says it’s time to make a New Year’s Resolution. Whatever that is. She explained that people decide to improve their lives, and make a resolution, a promise to themselves, to do whatever to improve. How can I possibly improve me? I mean, I’m the Big Chihuahua! The Brave Dog! Oh, wait, I know. I hereby resolve to take more naps and get my human to join me!!!

Quote from Jimmy Carter (via Robin Givan and NYT):
“Hospice care is not a matter of giving up. It’s a decision to shift our efforts from shoring up a body on the verge of the end to providing solace to a soul that’s on the cusp of forever.”