UPDATE: The winner is…Teresa Christianson!
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Just popping in to say hi! This is chemo week, so I’m keeping it lowkey. Monday was boring, but not awful, waiting six hours for all the medicine to flow through my brand-new port into my body. The aftereffects started like they did the last time with the “chemo flush” (red face and neck) Tuesday afternoon. I took Pepcid and Benadryl to combat the reaction. In the middle of the night, the muscle and joint aches began. This time it wasn’t as bad because I have new medicine to help me sleep through some of it. Rest is key! Today, the aches continue, but I expect them to abate later tonight and for every day going forward to be a little better. There is a rhythm.

Unlike my last chemo week, I have been able to get some work done, in spurts. I’m happy about that. And I’ve spent more time with family rather than holed up in bed. I’m not comfortable, but I do find happiness in just listening to their noise and joy. My family is loud and boisterous, and it’s impossible not to enjoy and soak up the energy.

Trying to find a theme for today’s puzzle was tough until I glanced around my desk and realized I have seven candles scattered around the top of it. There are more in my bedroom. Most have floral or fruity scents. My daughter likes the ones that smell like baked goods. The 20-year-old likes fresh, grassy scents. Everyone likes different scents whether it’s a candle, a cleanser, or just the smell of fresh-cut grass… But let’s go with candle scents today for a theme. I don’t want to think too much. LOL

Solve the puzzle for a chance to exercise your gray matter, then tell me what sorts of scents you like in your home for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card.

UPDATE: The winner is…Theresa Privette!
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Let’s have some fun today!

This morning, while I was enjoying coffee outside with my dd and the girls were getting ready for school, the sky was overcast, and there was the slightest chill in the air. Lately, we’ve been making lots of lists, having the girls thinking about Christmas gifts they’d like and things we’d like to do this Fall to enjoy the season. My dd has already changed out her seasonal decorations in the living room. We’re going to pack as much fun and nostalgia into this coming Fall and Winter as we can—concentrating on happiness.

So, I know it’s still early for some to even think about the Fall—heck, we still have some very warm days ahead of us here in the South—but I was thinking about all the things I do look forward to. My list isn’t all that random. I’m sure you can relate to some of the items I’ve listed. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me about things you look forward to with the change of seasons, your “signs” that Fall is coming…

UPDATE: The winner is…Christine!
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Wrapping up the story coming to you next Tuesday, I’ll have to say I’ve done as much research into Yellowstone and its surroundings as I have archeological digs in the Yucatan jungle or research facilities situated on an ice floe in the Artic. I hope you have the book pre-ordered, because I think it’s going to be a fun addition to my bounty hunter world. If you haven’t, follow this link: Pre-order Cyrus

I thought all that research might be worth at least a fun puzzle, so here goes…

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift car, solve the puzzle, then tell me what sights you have or would love to see in Yellowstone National Park!

UPDATE: The winner is…Kerry Pruett!
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Last weekend, my daughter and SIL splurged on a new Blackstone griddle. Frankly, I’d never heard of one, and when they explained it to me, I thought, yeah, a new barbecue, right? Well, my daughter is very, very serious about her new griddle. She has never once expressed interest in our grill or our smoker. In fact, the first night we had it, after she seasoned the griddle, she cooked our entire breakfast-for-dinner (eggs, bacon, sausage) on the griddle in a quarter of the time and dishes we would have normally in the kitchen. Plus, we ate at our patio table outside, steps away from the griddle. The following morning, the 19-year-old made a ton of French toast in minutes, and again, we enjoyed our meal on the patio.

Okay, I’m sold. Instead of multiple pans and cooking times, everything is done on one surface at the same time—outside. And clean-up is quick!  Cool. We’re going to make hibachi and smashburgers this coming weekend, and I can’t wait.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, then make some suggestions for other things we might cook up on this new outdoor griddle.

UPDATE: The winner is…Kerry Jo!
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School lets out on May 23rd! We didn’t have many snow days last winter, so they’re out early! Yay! We love our summers with the kids. We plan little events all summer long, whether it’s something simple like eating watermelon at the poolside or heading to the cinema for a movie. My lovely brother gifted us with a canoe he wasn’t using when he last visited, so we have something to add to our activities!

I’ve made a list of activities I’m pretty sure we’ll do this summer. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, give me some more ideas! And if you have kids to entertain, what do you plan to do?

UPDATE: The winner is Jane!
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Next Monday is going to be a big day for folks in my area. Schools will be closed. Everyone I know is planning a party. My sister and brother are driving down to enjoy the view from my other brother’s yard across the road. I bought the glasses and the T-shirt!

Of course, I’m talking about the GREAT SOLAR ECLIPSE. Which we may or may not be able to observe. The weather forecast changes daily. We can only hope that the stars align, along with the sun and the moon, so we can observe it all happen. Otherwise, we’ll get to enjoy total darkness during a thunderstorm. Woohoo.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me whether you will be a lucky person to be in a place to observe the phenomenon—and do you have party plans?

UPDATE: The winner is…Kerry Jo!
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Sometimes, I struggle for themes for puzzles. Today, I didn’t have to look far for an idea. I have three bottles of ink sitting on my desktop with the most interesting color names: Chicken Coop (which is a rusty color), Robin’s Egg (the teal blue), and Parrotfish Twinkle (the green). I experimented with those three inks last night to produce the bookmark above.

I had those ridiculously named colors then opened a palette I put together myself with some of my favorite Daniel Smith watercolors (all D.S., except for the ochre and the pale green) to come up with the rest of the colors for the puzzle. They’re ones I’ve been using the most often lately.

So, for the contest… For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, then tell me what fancy-named colors you love. (Okay, so I don’t care if it’s a fancy name or not.)