Santa came early this morning to the Devlin house! Since one of the children would have missed opening pressies with her siblings, we made special arrangements with Santa for him to arrive early Christmas Eve morning! And it’s a good thing, too. Later in the morning there was a family emergency, and it looks like Christmas Day will be spent shuttling back and forth to the hospital. Nothing horribly serious, so far, but disappointing just the same.

I was up at 5 AM to be at my daughter’s so I didn’t miss the kids sneaking into the living room for a peek, and wouldn’t you know they all slept until 7!! Gah. It’s mid-afternoon now, and I’m ready for a nap! But the kids were over the moon with their presents, and there were plenty of hugs all around. (Well, worth losing a couple of hours of sleep.)

Anyways, I had something wonderful planned for today’s post (not really, I always wing my posts), but I’m too tired to think of what might be fun or wonderful, so I’ll just end with my wish that you all have a very, Merry Christmas!

I’d love to hear how your preparations are going!

I closed out a bunch of contests, so be sure to check below to see if you are winners! There are still two things going on that you can take part in…

1. An early holiday gift from me to you… (FREE Read) — It’s a FREE read folks! And you’ll like the story, swear! It’s funny and very sexy!
2. ‘Tis the season to be challenged… (Puzzle & Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!

I’m also trying to clear my desk so I have room to work on my 2020 Mind Map. Don’t know what that is? Here’s an example of one—obviously (almost laughably) not mine.

After I finish the map, I’ll work on planning what I want to write in the new year, and begin driving down into each month’s goals so I can commit to a plan of action. I’m scaling back my goals. My mom will need more support this year. My mind isn’t the steel trap it used to be… I want to write some things I’ll enjoy writing, rather than slogging through stories. I guess my theme for 2020 will be something along the line of “Finding My Joy”.

I want to do a little traveling. Nearby things I’ve neglected to see or do. Arkansas actually has quite a lot to do, depending on the season. Plus, I want to get back to attending the local art guild meetings and take some lessons. Fill my creative well with something other than artful words.

Anyway, I’m rambling. If you try a mind map, I’d love to see what you come up with!

Only person missing was…me! Don’t get me wrong. I love that they had a blast, but I missed all my babies. 🙂

The kids returned after being away for a week on a family cruise. They had a great time and brought me back all kinds of cute bits and pieces of Mexican art and jewelry. Nothing expensive, because I love the cheap tchotchkes. I have a new magnet for my filing cabinet, a ceramic Aztec mask, a bright yellow agate toucan—that sort of thing. I’m in heaven. 🙂

Last night I climbed into my own bed and was asleep in two seconds. Swear. My bed has a pillow-top mattress and a memory foam pad on top of it. I rarely turn my mattress, because I like that slight hollow my body has made in all that foam. It’s like a cuddle when sink into it. Plus, my collection of cushions—large, small, furry, silky—get tucked around me, too. Under my neck, at the small of my back. Ahhhhh.

So, do you love your bed? Does it feel like a cuddle when you climb inside the covers?

Btw. That pic is not my bed. My bed has a sturdy Shaker-slatted frame. My quilt top is covered in orange and red medallions, and the colors of the pillows make it look like the inside of a gypsy’s wagon…

Open Contests & Giveaway

These contests and offer are still open! Take advantage while you can!

1. Global Happiness (A Puzzle & a Contest) —Will close Saturday! Win a download of your choice from my backlist!
2. Tell me a holiday story… — Will close Saturday! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Something or someone is marching along… — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. An early holiday gift from me to you… (FREE Read)

Planning for 2020

December’s actually a little late for me to begin planning what I want to accomplish in 2020. Any other year, I would have begun in November by drawing a mind map to start organizing my thoughts about my biggest priorities.

In fact, until this year, EVERY year, I led a group of authors through building their mind maps and then in December, I conducted a “Write 50 Books a Year” workshop to help them—and me—plan our work for the New Year.

However, this year, I stepped back from my Rose’s Colored Glasses group, needing some time to heal after two years of terrible losses (my grandmother and father). I’ve been a bit aimless as my publishing schedule this year will attest. I lost my ambition and focus.

Now, I’m trying to get back in the groove, so I’m “bribing” myself with new treats to try to encourage some excitement in me. I’ve always planned my work goals on Excel spreadsheets, and I’ll do that again this year, with an emphasis on “realistic”. My integrated plan—life and work—has been an evolving thing. I was a Filofax girl forever and then for several years, a Bullet Journal girl. I don’t have the energy to do the BuJo thing again. So, I bought a very pretty Erin Condren notebook. It’s shiny, rose-gold and pink, has tons of stickers and pretty pages. I spent yesterday assembling it, but then I opened it to January and froze.

I was afraid to commit pen to paper and mar those pretty pages. Or maybe, I was afraid to commit to a schedule because I know I won’t take it seriously…? Perhaps, I need to spend time playing with my Excel worksheets some more. I’m not sure.

However, 2020 has to be better than 2019. I have to be better. So, to you, my friends, any suggestions to help me buckle down and get the work done? What planning system do you use? I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Not this car. But I now own my Honda Odyssey! Woot! I made the last payment last week!

I’m a little giddy. The payment was an albatross for years. The fam needed something big enough to carry SEVEN people at the same time, thus the hugely expensive van.

I’ve only kept three vehicles over my lifetime past their payoff. The choices of whether to hold onto them were never mine. Either my ex or the situation required a change. So, I’ve only felt this relief and sense of accomplishment three times in my life—my Ford Pinto in 1982, my Toyota Scion in 2007, and now the Odyssey. Of course, I’ve owned a number of used cars over the years. My fave was a 12-year-old powder blue Mercedes, much like the one in this picture, that I bought during my second tour in Germany. I paid cash for it and drove the hell out of it. I hated having to sell it when I left. 🙁

So, how about you? Have you owned cars past their payoff? Have a fave car you’ve owned? Tell me about it!

Contests Still Open!

1. Scavenger Hunt (Contest) — This one ends tomorrow! Win a $10 Amazon gift card!
2. Open Contests, Real Life, and a Flashback Contest! (CONTESTS) — Win a free book! 2 Winners!
3. Dena Garson: Let’s Make Easy Christmas Ornaments! (Contest) — Win a pair of handmade earrings!

Update

This is a weird holiday season. Mom went into the hospital last Friday and is still there. Doctors have to perform a surgery, but they’ve been trying to get her heart to behave before they do, so here we are, crossing our fingers it will happen today.

In the meantime, company is beginning to roll in. One brother arrived today. He’s going to do most of the cooking, so he’s already pitching in grocery shopping, etc. Another brother comes in late tonight. A cousin tomorrow. We hope all goes well and mom will be home for Thanksgiving, but if not, we may be delivering her meal to the hospital (PG, everything go well).

As for me. I’m not a cook. I managed to cook a chicken in the crock pot to use in the dressing, but that’s as far as anyone trusts me to muddle in the kitchen. I’m still recovering from a nearly month-long illness, but at least I have my voice back. I am late on delivering edits to a client-friend, and feel awful about it, but it’s been insane around here. I’m doing what I can in short bouts to get through them.

And of course, there is no time for new words. sigh

All the kids are out of school, so they are constantly underfoot. Lots of noise. Not that that is a bad thing, mind you, but it does add to the surreal vibe of this week.

Anyway, here’s hoping your week is more joyous than mine, so far. Let me know if you’ve got holiday plans!