Live, Love, Repeat --Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

To Trevor's surprise the judges of the semi-finals were not from an older generation. If they had been, he wouldn't have felt a whisper of self-consciousness. This group of judges appeared to be a group of very loud and man-hungry women in their twenties and thirties. Of course it made sense. This 'eye-candy' festival in Las Vegas paraded as an opportunity to promote small businesses. An attractive male owner or employee, preferably single, represented local businesses, each vying for one of the generous advertising packages. Trevor knew only the top prize would tide the company over until the season rolled into full gear. He compressed a snide smile on his lips, willing himself to put on a good show in the name of promoting Prestige Pools.

Trevor joined the other forty odd men in Speedos as they paraded around the beautiful pool at the Nugget. Each man wore a number on his right hip. Trevor measured himself against the rest. He stood at six feet two inches, slightly above average. Several of the guys sported obviously spray-painted tans. He knew his was all natural, even if the calendar read the end of March. Spending time in the cooler sunlight seemed warm after his polar dip last month.

Brodie had spent hours with Trevor at the gym and the results were impressive. Trevor hadn't been flabby to begin with, but they'd done a bit of sculpting, and Trevor felt confident, until number thirty-one paused in front of the gaggle of women and entertained them by making his pectorals dance. Whoops and screams filled the air leaving Trevor with little doubt as to the favorite. Several more of the guys joined the dancing pectoral display. Trevor considered it but decided he needed to find a more unique talent for the female audience. He considered what his talent might be as he sauntered past a group of panting females. Dang, this was demoralizing. Still, as luck would have it, he found himself between two apparently less appetizing guys for the duration of the early competition.

The first cut made, he found himself in the next round where he knew he excelled. He looked good in his tuxedo and he knew it. A group of ten guys made the cut. In this round, the guys presented their dancing skills. Trevor's jaw dropped to observe a few of the guys did little more than shake their butts and snap their fingers. Number five did some kind of pole dance ending with him ripping off his shirt. Trevor scowled, hoping the guy had at least had the decency to own the tux rather than rent it. For the first time in his life he appreciated a mother who insisted he learn how to dance and take her across the ballroom floor in a tango.

Trevor approached the women on the panel of judges, his music playing.

"Would one of you ladies care to dance?" Two of the women scowled at him; apparently they either didn't know how to dance or doubted his ability. He noticed the slender judge, closer to middle age, wearing the backless evening gown, squeeze a smile from her lips, a smile denoting her interest. He approached her and offered his hand. "May I have this dance?"

She nodded and stood.

"Would you prefer an open form or a closed one?" Trevor asked hoping he wasn't making a major mistake.

"Closed."

He gathered her close, her chest next to his, the inside of their right thighs together. To his surprise, she had obviously danced the tango in the past. Together, they covered the floor. The sultry movement of dancers as an impromptu team flowed with fluidity, although unrehearsed. They didn't share a single word, conforming to the competition policy which discouraged contestants and judges to mingle. The last chord faded as she leaned away from him, their thighs still anchored for balance. He brought her upright. She tilted her head in a modest thank you, and he escorted her back to her seat with a, "Thank you for your assistance."

He smiled and retreated to the wings of the stage to wait. His marks were mixed, some high and one or two extremely low. Apparently there were mixed opinions amongst the judges on how involved any judge should be with the actual competition, not merely the judging of it.

The talent portion followed. Trevor wished he could share his true talent but the show demanded performing arts, not visual, which meant his designing of pools, even the one here at the Nugget where this contest would finish on the morrow, remained out of the question.

He stood in the wings watching and listening, an opera aria in need of a little help, and a love song inaudible due to the swooning audience, maybe because the guy ripped off his shirt again. Vocal talent followed a jazz trombone. A drum solo, and a strip tease dance lacked timing. The humorous story telling stole the show, followed by a ventriloquist act and knife juggling. Trevor knew trouble loomed but the last act before his own sealed his fate. Aaron, the guy who had started the pectoral muscle dance at the pool,strutted on stage without his shirt. Trevor shook his head. He couldn't see the display but by the whoops and hollers from the audience, Aaron out did himself. He turned toward Trevor to leave the stage, his sculpted abs accentuated by the spotlights.

"Ladies and gentlemen please welcome Trevor Palmer," the emcee announced as the screams faded.

Trevor carried the microphone on stage. He looked good in his tuxedo, his shirt popping with bright whiteness. At the pool, his rich brown hair had been relaxed, as though he'd run his fingers through it, but tonight his hair exemplified perfection.

"I'm not matching that performance. I wonder if Miss America could." Trevor meant his comment as a snide remark toward Aaron, but the audience ate it up with an approving roar.

"Maybe a duet?" Trevor knew he could make his pectorals dance, maybe not to the music as Aaron had, but enough. He tightened his muscles, causing his shirt to go tight with each flex. The crowd cheered.

"Naw. That's just a cheap rip-off on his talent." A few cheers. Were they expecting him to rip his shirt off? He didn't intend to.

"This is more my style." Trevor pursed his lips, wetting the inner edge with his tongue. The women seated in the front squealed. A smile ripped across his face. He couldn't do it. He could feel his eyes twinkling under the spot light. He shook his head, wiggling his lips in an effort to get his smile back under control. More screams. He walked over to the five women in the front row who seemed to be leading the screams.

"What is it you think I'm going to do?" he whispered as he leaned down. The microphone caught his words.

"Kiss." "Show us how you kiss." Came the responses. Trevor stood up and looked into the spotlight, amplifying his surprise as it played across his face. He looked at the women, pulled his mouth into an 'O' and exhaled.  He could only think of one way out of this expectation--play it up.

"Seriously?" he asked into the mic. "You want me to do that here?"

Family Bonding Part 7

Don't forget date night! Kids are important, but so is your partner. Going out for a special night at least once a week—just the two of you—is important for reconnecting. It also shows your kids how important you are to each other.

Remember: This series of Family Tips started-for me at least- at Source: Inc.

Live, Love, Repeat --Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Mercedes rolled her eyes in disbelief. Her twin sister was so different now. When she arrived in town her hair had been .blonde. Over the months it had morphed, with a lot of help from chemical bottles, into a rich auburn that looked pretty good if Porsche kept the roots colored.

“Think of it as a late birthday present to me.” Porsche coaxed.

“You are not dragging me to this—“ Mercedes shook her head trying to find the right words to describe her distaste, while a smidgeon of interest niggled her thoughts with anticipation. She hadn’t allowed men of any age, weight or size to be a part of her life since leaving home. Now, just months from graduating with her Master’s Degree, Porsche dangled tickets to the most sought after show in Las Vegas. This wasn’t a show on the strip with all the glitter and glitz but real men—local men—available men. “This meat market you call an auction for charity.”

“Well, you don’t have to go to all the events with me. I know how you hate seeing men in speedos.” Porsche’s eyes glittered with excitement. No doubt the less the guys wore, the better she’d like it. That is where the differences had started back in the day. Porsche ogled the high school jocks, or at least what their small community had to offer on that agenda. Mercedes had gotten caught watching JC, the post high school playboy in town, in a compromising position. Her jaw had dropped to her knees. While heated embarrassment broke in waves over her, JC had disentangled himself from his latest conquest, pulled up his jeans and approached her. She didn’t remember what he said but she would never forget his meaning. She had no interest in a three-way and even less in him. When it came to women, men were pigs, no matter their age.

“But you might really enjoy the evening show,” Porsche continued. “The talent exhibitions from these guys it should be quite entertaining.”

Mercedes knew Porsche’s version of good entertainment didn’t match her own and yet she had ‘pinky promised’ on their birthday to spend an evening with her sister in the coming year. Why, oh why had she allowed herself to believe the evening would never come? It had and in the form of not just one guy, but a whole bunch of them.

“Fine,” Mercedes bit off the word. “But you still owe me an evening for my present. I don’t know what it’ll be, but you better not renege on your side of the bargain.”

Porsche pulled on her pink jacket, the one she always wore these days. Pink currently reigned as Porsche’s signature color. Looking in the mirror she pulled the hood up and positioned it about her face.

“Me? Renege? When have I ever not kept my word?”

“Oh, Sister, how about pretty much every time you have a few too many drinks? Don’t deny it. You never could hold your liquor. Why do you drink anyhow?”

“Because sister dear, its fun.”

Mercedes scowled. “I wouldn’t call a hangover fun.”

“Maybe not, but what goes on between the first few drinks and the hangover is…” Porsche gyrated her hips enticingly.

“I should have asked you to be sober for a whole year for my birthday present.” Mercedes grumbled.

Porsche turned her back on the mirror and glared at Mercedes, her posture portraying total defiance. “You wouldn’t dare ask me for that. It would be totally cruel and unfair.”

Mercedes shook her head gently. “Only for you, dear sister. Only for you.”

“If you do that, you might as well add me swearing off men for the rest of my life.”

Mercedes pantomimed a swooning death. “Heaven forbid. Your heart might stop.”

“I know. Right?” Porsche kissed her sister and stepped to the bedroom door, adding a shoulder twist and eye roll. “Thank you for not being so cruel to your one and only sister.”

Family Bonding Part 6

Do the morning or afternoon school run. This gives you a chance to encourage your kids to have a great day, ask them how their day went, and show them how proud you are of them.

Live, Love, Repeat --Chapter 1

Trevor adjusted his goggles and jumped. He might as well have dived into liquid ice. The bone chilling water enveloped him, slicing through his flesh with numbing clarity. The painful cold caused every hair on his body to stand on end and set his teeth to chattering. His breath effectively stolen by the freezing water, he managed to fight to the surface of the pool.

He stared at his work crew in shock, unable to think of a single cuss word.

"Cold, ain't it hombre?" Rufus, the only Mexican on the crew asked. Rufus stood a mere five feet four inches tall, with jet black hair in careless disarray, his typical work uniform of jeans and baggy tee shirt threadbare, but clean. He held Trevor's towel in a crumpled wad of disheveled terry cloth. Trevor eyed the towel, anxious to wrap himself in its warmth.

He tried to glare at each of his three employees in turn. Was his face frozen solid? His eyes seemed the only organs still responding to brain impulses. No wonder the guys refused to inspect the pools. What had he been thinking? He'd been thinking of how to get a jump on the competition and save his floundering company at the same time. The company, his legacy and inheritance upon his father's passing, or rather forty-nine percent of it. His mother, in conjunction with the stockholders, owned the other fifty-one percent.

Trevor had shown a propensity for designing pools early in his life and over the years his father had made Trevor's drawings a reality with several of the pools installed in the greater Las Vegas area. Trevor much preferred designing to installing or maintaining. Conceiving, planning and drawing were the part of the business Trevor did best. Running a crew proved his downfall last summer. If he couldn't manage these guys they might all end-up unemployed. He had to find a way to prove to himself, his mother, and the stockholders his value as more than a rich, spoiled screw up.

The outdoor temperature in the sun at this hour boasted 52°F and rising. Not bad for a brisk walk, but not the overly warm triple digits this same pool area would harbor in three month’s time. People wanted to use their pools as soon as the temperatures hit the low eighties which required inspecting and repairing the pools in cooler temperatures.

"Ready to get out Boss-man?" Brodie, the smart-aleck on the crew, crossed his arms over his chest. Not an easy feat for a guy with a chest circumference of fifty plus inches and arms to match.

Anxious to get out of this fix without losing face should have been Trevor's first concern, but survival preempted his faulty leadership skills. His gaze fell on Darin, the youngest man on the crew and Brodie's 'little' brother. Both brothers wore Under Armour and jeans for work this morning. Brodie often beat Darin's tender hearted emotions out of him whether physically or by shear intimidation of muscle and strength. Even so, Darin didn't let Trevor down this time.

"Guys," Darin hesitantly pleaded. "His lips are turning blue. Shouldn't we help him out?"

Brodie dropped his arm, his palm toward Darin as if to catch him with an underhand swing. "Not 'til he admits we aren't 'girly-men.' What do you say Trevor? Are we being 'girly-men' for refusing to jump into these unheated pools for another month or so?"

Chilled to the bone, Trevor did his best to swim toward the pool steps at the shallow end of the pool. As soon as he thought he could reach, he put his feet down to touch the bottom of the pool. Had the guys warned him the cement owned colder temperatures than the icy water he would have laughed. Now he could barely gasp in shock.

"I…" Trevor's teeth chattered. "Never said 'girly-men'." He locked eyes with Brodie knowing he needed to appear impervious to the cold if he wanted to come out on top in this situation. Could his muscles actually be shriveling? He needed to play the part of leader even if this decision proved one of his less sensible edicts.

"No?" Brodie held both smaller men back with his tone and imposing presence. Trevor knew neither of them dared cross the ogre. In Brodie's present humor he might toss them in the pool to keep Trevor company.

Trevor shouldn't have lost his temper last week during the combined crew meeting and card game. Mixing business with pleasure proved to be a stupid idea. Business gave way to betting. Insolent wise cracks damaged crew morale causing Trevor to place an unwise wager hoping to improve crew loyalty. Trevor bet his masculinity against Brodie's, more than a simple wager of one man's cajones against another's. Trevor wasn't sure what motivated Brodie, but he suspected just the opposite of what motivated him-- That had instigated a rather reckless decision and now he paid for it in spades. Wanting the guys to work together and get into the pools to inspect them for any needed repairs and make them, wasn't worth catching pneumonia, even if it would pacify his mother and the shareholders. A visceral knowledge of imminent failure hovered over Trevor.

Rufus broke ranks as Darin made an effort to plead Trevor's freezing case to his brother. While Darin kept Brodie busy, Rufus skirted the pair and stood at the top of the pool steps, the terrycloth in hand. Trevor spared little attention to the brother's rivalry until safe from the bone chilling water and frostbite. Rufus draped the towel over Trevor's shoulders before he cleared the icy cold.

"Th-thanks, man," Trevor shivered out the gratuity and headed for the sundrenched pool deck. There he laid himself flat, hugging what warmth the hard concrete offered at nine in the morning. He turned his head toward the feuding brothers. Brodie held Darin in a chokehold. Trevor exhaled. At least Brodie wasn't threatening to throw Darin in the pool.

"Come on, man," Trevor called across the frigid water. Brodie wasn't a mindless bully; he just acted like it when he believed his manliness was in question. "It's me you're mad at this morning and you proved your point. The unheated pools are too cold, even if they've been covered like this one. Let him go."

Brodie continued to hold Darin in his strong grip. He extended his arms over the pool at chest height. Darin struggled to keep his feet on the pool deck. Brodie had him poised above the water at a forty-five degree angle. Darin dared to look over his shoulder at the chilly water below him.

"I dare ya, you little wiennie," Brodie taunted his kid brother.

"Brodie," Trevor called. "You put him in the brink and I'll fire you for harassment."

"You wouldn't," Brodie argued, his attention more on Trevor than his captive.

"I would. Think about it. You explaining to your sweet mother and your hot girlfriend why your little brother still has a job and you don't."

The taunting look of glee on Brodie's face broke to concern as he squinted at Trevor. Several moments passed while Darin arched his back and tried to keep his feet on the pool deck. Brodie pulled his arms in and let go. Darin scrambled in an awkward dance and managed to remain on dry ground.

"You're probably going to fire me for your being in the pool this morning anyway."

 Trevor smiled, his lips warming as he lay prone on the pool deck. Brodie's antics never ceased to amaze Trevor. Occasionally a big man like Brodie needed to slink like a dog.

"Nope. You didn't push me in. I jumped of my own accord." Trevor pushed up to his elbows, placing his hands flat on the concrete to warm. "You know, I didn't call you girly-men."

"No?" Brodie questioned.

"Rufus, you're in my sunlight. Move it," Trevor ordered. Rufus stepped to the side moving his shadow off Trevor's inert form. Trevor resumed his banter with Brodie. "I told you that you needed to 'put your big girl panties on' and do the pool inspections."

Darin meandered behind Brodie and mimed pulling on overly large panties. Trevor managed to keep a straight face but Rufus chuckled at Darin's antics. Brodie spun on his antagonist.

"Don't do it Brodie. I'm not bluffing about firing you." Trevor warned.

Brodie turned back to glare at Trevor. "Fine, but only 'cause I need the money."

"Glad to hear it." Trevor hugged the concrete again, thankful for the heat it gave. "You need cash, so I take it you're going to represent Prestige Pools at the Mr. Nevada Contest."

"Heck no. I'm not parading around in a 'g-string' for no bunch of toothless old fogeys with drool to their chins." Brodie skirted the pool and advanced on Trevor. "The bet was that you inspect this pool, not that you'd get in it. Did you have time to inspect the bottom and all the walls in that split second under the water? I doubt it. That means you, Mister Boss-man will be the one putting on a show and strutting your stuff."

Family bonds Part 5

Exercise together. Shooting some hoops, taking a walk, or just throwing or kicking a ball together while you small talk will be great for your family relationships.

Live, Love, Repeat

 One life...
Porsche has sworn off all men but meeting Trevor has changed her best laid plans, throwing her resolve to find the perfect man for her sister against her stumbling head on into the ideal man for herself.
 

 Living to love...
In our contemporary world, Trevor Palmer must sink or survive, quite literally. Choosing to manipulate the changing hands of his company for his own good, he relocates to the rough country of Idaho. In searching his great great grandfather’s journal for a lost and hidden mine but when that goes awry, costing him the woman he loves, he must not only deal with his emotional loss but cope with being wheelchair bound. Paralyzed from the accident, Trevor must choose to move on with his life or let his misery consume him. A decision made all the more difficult by his controlling mother and her new husband.

 Possible to Repeat...
Mercedes has worked hard to get her job as a therapist for a new age rehabilitation clinic but will her creative therapy heal Trevor or bring them both to destruction? Trevor’s disability may be more in his head with his Conversion Disorder but it may be a physical loss as well. His loss is real but may cause him to abstain from love. Mercedes cannot let herself fall for a patient especially when a family catastrophe hits.

Porsche’s fate is forever sealed. Trevor can choose to let the accident bind him to his wheelchair and the Las Vegas heat forever or to take his mobility back. Will he dare to follow the spunky therapist’s questionable theories for healing? Will Mercedes choose to take a gamble and even risk her own career success or professional suicide?

Family Bonding Part 4

Attend kids' concerts and games. Kids want to see your face in the crowd. You can share their wins and help them understand their losses. These shared experiences make for great conversations over many family dinners to come.

Family bonding Part 3

Read with your kids. Reading not only helps you connect with your kids, but also helps build their vocabulary, increase their curiosity about life, and gets them interested in reading. They will cherish it forever.

I remember… Paper dolls.

I remember the Paper dolls my sister made for me.

Happy Birthday Sis

1960

By Shaunna Gonzales

Winter breaks from school over the Christmas Holiday and snow days meant paper dolls, especially when it was too cold to play outside. And definitely too cold to go horseback riding as we were wont to do.

I'm not talking about the professionally inked and cut paper dolls or the ones we could cut out of a magazine. I'm talking hand drawn, originals by one of my favorite artists, my oldest sister. I need to explain that I am the youngest of six sisters, in this story my brothers don't count.

My older sisters held a beauty pageant with their dolls and the one rule was the 3 inch height of the doll which they carefully drew and cut on the cardboard type papers from Mom's nylons. That and she must wear a white, one piece bathing suit which was drawn onto her body with pencil.

This was great until the doll my sister gave me had a vibrant green swimsuit. I won't tell you how much time I spent crying and begging for my doll -- I don't recall her name, to be in the pageant or the hours I begged my sister to draw me a second doll. The good news was that my doll was the most petite and looked the best in almost every dress the team of dressmakers (my sisters) could and did design. It also meant that out of guilt, at least I think it was guilt, my sister made my doll some of the most beautiful paper clothes. Clothes worthy of the Red Carpet. Clothes that the other dolls couldn't wear due to their size around the middle (think size 6 versus size 10 or 12. Yeah, even in dolls it mattered.)

Of course my doll had another feature the other dolls didn't, her swimsuit was strapless. A very big deal when Mother randomly burned dolls that were not modest, even in their swimwear.

When your paper doll is roughly 3 inches tall, you quickly learn that she is only for in the house, and at our house-- as no one else had the artistic skill to create these ladies to the necessary specifications. No matter, I did, years later, glean one of the few men my sister created, a paper version of Barbies' Ken doll.

These 'Ken's' were not big on wardrobe as the ladies were. They 'owned' one suit, generally along the lines of a tuxedo and well, you guessed it, the white swimwear. Their sole purpose was to make the ladies look good. Sorry guys, now you know why my brothers don't count in this story.

Despite the cajoling engaged in, I must admit to many happy hours of solo play with these dolls. They traveled far and wide in my mind's world, Western garb designed and fitted but the doll, being two dimensional could never straddle a horse. She did however, time-travel to the regality of the Victorian romance or Medieval Times where, as always, she looked gorgeous and yes, always got the guy. Romance was simpler then, I was in grade school

 I'll forever cherish my paper dolls, whether or not my sisters kept theirs all these years I don't know. I did safely tuck mine where I can't find them. I still treasure the simpler time and a wise use of a childish imagination, even if my heroine couldn't ride horses.

Family Bonding Part 2

Eat dinner together. Dinnertime is a perfect way to share your successes with each other, regroup or just catch up. Make sure to ask kids specific questions about their day. And keep the TV off.

Family Bonding Part 1

Turn off your phone. Compartmentalize your life to focus your attention on what you're doing and enjoying at that moment. If it's work time, then enjoy working. If it's family time, then enjoy the family!
Our family went to a married part of the families home for the afternoon. We ate (always a favorite) and played basket ball as the whole family. One might think "How can you do this for hours?" Turn off all the electronics. Not a cell phone to interrupt or an ipod to buzz. Overall, a very nice afternoon.

Just Sayin'

Just sayin' and checking in.
Things haven't gone very well this week. My reps are down and my energy level has gone out the window. I have the hardest time walking without falling... Not a good thing. Not ready to call it quits but certainly ready to surrender for the time being. That said, all is not lost as my latest book has a cover. Hoping to have everything finalized in the next few days for the release of my latest work, Live, Love, Repeat.

Look for it on Amazon. Wishing I had a link for you to click on, but It isn't working yet. I assume that I have to have all my ducks in a row.

Lunges

Can I just say these scare me?

Balance issues--- think I will try this with my hands on the backs of chairs rather than on my hips. I may need heavier chairs...

Lunges work your entire chain of leg muscles. Stand with your feet spread shoulder width apart. With your hands on your hips, step forward with your right leg and take your left knee to the ground. Return to the initial standing position and step forward with your left foot, taking your right knee to the ground.

Forgotten Family Bonding

 7 weeks of Tips

The modern age may demand your attention through handheld devices and smartphones, but your family needs your attention from, well, you. Don't let your phone compete for family time and instead, exercise these simple, practical and very human tips to reconnect:

Source: Inc.

A friend recently reminded me of the need for family bonding. All of us either remember the things we did with our families as kids or wish we could have better family ties. It is my hope that in the coming weeks I'll be able to share some ideas found originally in INC.

I chose not to include them all at once because I want to include more personal notes of how it is done in my own home, maybe how it has improved our family relationships, etc.

If you just can't wait for my input, please find a copy of Inc. and enjoy, even share it with your family. Until my next post on this subject, try setting one day or evening aside where everyone, mom dad, teen and on down to the baby turn-off all your devises. UNPLUG.

Push-ups and Sit-ups Report

Squats and Push-ups are becoming well, not easy but I can do them and not die on the spot. Leg lifts are coming along...ha, ha, ha but sit-ups? This is gonna take a while to get comfortable with. Between the head rush and the muscles arguing the fact, well,let's just say I'm doing them.

After talking to a fitness coach I am reminded that I should not do the typical sit-up. So, Not sure how to describe what I'm trying to incorporate, but i am trying!

All in all, the good news is: if I, in my limited MS camp can do these so can you!

Once Upon Two Kingdoms

Book blurb

Freedom to Choose is Paramount for any human

An arrangement made when Elizabeth was just a babe ties her to someone she has never met, never spoken to, never loved. Now she desires freedom—a way to choose her own path—her own husband. The moment Elizabeth meets Patrick she knows he is her soul mate. But when you are bound to a crown how is any choice your own?

Once Upon Two Kingdoms by Anna del C. Dye

Clean romance

Elizabeth should be celebrating her birthday but she is dreading her royal commitment. A commitment made for her by her father at her birth. In the neighboring country, Patrick finds his father’s meddling in his lack of a love life irritating at best and when the monarch reveals Patrick’s betrothal as part of his responsibility to the welfare of the kingdom it become worse. The young man revolts the only way available to him. What Elizabeth and Patrick don’t know is how their individual reactions will affect the course of their respective kingdoms fate or their own. How will two royals—strangers to each other—remain true to themselves and still fulfill their commitments?

Ms. Dye’s tale is told in the classic style reminiscent of the old classics – a familiar tale with a twist. While some threads of this story could be woven tighter and given a richer texture, overall it is quite engaging. Ms. Dye’s villain is deplorable in his intent and his lackeys are inept giving the reader hope for a happy ending. An enjoyable and light read, safe in both romantic heat and evil violence, for the youngest romantic.

Follow Anna on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/AnnaDelC?fref=ts 

Links to where book is sold
http://www.annadelc.com 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_10?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=anna+del+c.+dye&sprefix=Anna+del+C%2Cstripbooks%2C265 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Anna-del-C-dye?store=book&keyword=Anna+del+C.+dye

AnnaDelC.com - Home

www.annadelc.com

This post is courtesy of: 

LovingtheBook LaunchParty

Adding sit-ups to Push-ups

Sit-ups. 

Oh I'm gonna hate these! These are my instructions. Note: Moving my head like this may make me dizzy.

Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet placed flat on the floor. Wedge your toes underneath a couch or bed frame to keep your feet planted. With your hands behind your head (don't pull yourself up by the neck), begin your sit-up. Instead of going all the way up to your knees, stop halfway and pause before returning to the ground. Doing so alleviates tension in the lower back, while isolating the middle and upper abdominals.

Sharing with You

Just added the link to Raffle Copter in the right column. I'm all for free chances at a good read and I'm sharing it with you. Click and follow link for your own chance to win!

Push-up Report

YES!!!
I've done better than I expected. My exercise journal for yesterday, the 5th looks good (for a woman with MS, that is.)
Up and down a flight of stairs. Walk to see friend and back -- felt good/strong.
Squats-(keep in mind these are more like the ballet warm-ups) 3 sets of 35. Yep those last 5 per set are killers.
Push-ups-( using kitchen counter) 3 sets of 30. This is huge for me! Great job IMHO.
Leg Lifts--(didn't expect to incorporate these for another week) Yep these numbers are not as good but sooner than expected. 3 sets of 5 (per leg). Prefer to do them alternating rather than on one leg to 5 and switching.

When all is said and done, once the whew is over, I feel better.After all isn't that what exercising is all about?

You Know That Feeling?

I must admit this was shared by a friend, but in all honesty, I echo the sentiment.

Say No to Winter Weight Gain

The holiday season plays only a small role in the ups and downs of fitness. In fact, the majority of winter weight gain is due to exercising less. While joining a gym (or setting up a home gym) isn't a bad idea, doing so is not for everyone, especially me.
A dear friend recently enlisted her friends to set-up a way to be more accountable. I think it is a great idea and my previous post, shared by another new friend really spurned me to find my own way to be more accountable.

So my plan is this: In the coming days I will engage in a new fitness task, try it out seriously for five days to see if my health will allow me to incorporate it long term and whether I can do it or not. 
Let's be honest, I don't like to exercise and I blame it on my Multiple Sclerosis (MS), but I don't hurt all the time now so... It is time to see if I can reclaim a better quality of life. Granted, I'm not terribly overweight but I am extremely out of shape from the core muscles to my fingers and toes (okay so I do walk--some, and I type--a lot) but you get my gist.

Little of no equipment required..YES!!!

Worried about failing? Not so much. Remember, most living with MS are immobile. I can walk and climb stairs. I won't promise to report on my progress (yes, I will try to remember), but if you are really curious, you are welcome to leave a comment and ask. I will be brutally honest when it comes to what I accomplish--even if it embarrasses me. Okay, now I'm scared.

Check back to see what I'm endeavoring to do each week...I'll post my new exercise on Mondays so I have the whole week to groan or learn to love it!

Overall goal: a comprehensive full-body workout:

February 2-7 
Push-ups I'm told these are perfect for toning the chest, triceps and shoulders. I'm not ready for the standard military push-up, or even doing them from my knees, so I will use my kitchen bar to lean into.


This one I know I can do. I'll return and report on Friday. Well see if I can push it to 2 sets of 30... Wish me luck!

Updated February 4th.
Push-ups are going great with 3 sets of 20. -Not exactly what I had in mind (3 sets of 25) but I'm a lot closer than I thought!
Squats are something i used to do a lot of in ballet class, well, kinda sorta with ple-as (Don't know how to spell that rascal). Pushing it to 3 sets of 35 before my legs threaten to dump me on the floor but I managed after completing the first two exercises to still have a small bit of energy so I did 
Leg Lifts! I didn't plan on adding them this early but although they were few (2 sets of 5), I did them!

How to Stick to Your Workout Resolution

Every new year finds abundant advice on how to exercise. These six tips will help you build your resolve and achieve your fitness goals. Do what you enjoy. Life is too short to do exercises you hate. If you despise the gym, try walking or working out at home or outside. And if you're sick of your exercise routine, change it up. Plan workouts in advance, for example, at the start of each month. Cross them off as you complete each one and post the results where you can look at them daily. Fitness apps and wearable trackers can help. You're more likely to work out if you can see actual progress. Join a fitness forum or online message group for your favorite type of workout. Sharing inspiration and motivation with other people, even if they're perfect strangers, will help keep you motivated and accountable. Train and compete for a sport or annual event that you enjoy. The competitive motivation will add dimension to each workout. Get a checkup and tie workouts to your health levels. If your blood pressure or cholesterol is high, set a goal or baseline to get them down. Decreasing your risk of disease is a great motivator. Find training partners who will hold you accountable. Close friends and family members may not be ideal if they won't be tough with you. Find new, less forgiving workout partners when you feel a need to achieve. Source: Men's Health

Shovel Sledding

Dedcated to my brother

Byline June Bridger

As a kid I didn't know we were poor. We made due with what we had and on a winter day when my brother was given the responsibility of watching his little sister we didn't dare return to the house for fear of being told we couldn't go back out or worse, getting in trouble for what we found to keep us busy.

I remember dragging the little red sleigh over to grandpa's, where the animals were, right on my brother's heals.  Well, it started out that way, his legs were a lot longer than mine so I kinda, sorta just followed his tracks in the snow. When I finally caught up to him, he was busy shoveling rotting potatoes to the pigs. I hung back knowing the one sow had been wild and also being warned that she would eat me if given the chance. Not sure whether that was true or not.

While waiting for him to finish his job, I decided the hill nearby that had once been the river bank looked good for sledding. Red sled runners sink in fresh snow. It didn't go well.

I don't know if my brother found my dismal flop at sledding the hill humorous or not. I do recall following him to the spud cellar for the next load of pig fodder. The old spud cellar was built in the old river bed and nearby I noticed smooth slick looking tracks on the old river bank. When I asked my brother about it, he admitted that his "chore" was taking much longer because well--he was using his shovel as a sled. I obviously wanted to see him do it. So, with me standing in the river bed, he scampered up the far side a few yards away carrying his shovel. Now let me explain that this is no garden shovel. This is a shovel used to move loose coal and fill coal furnace hoppers. It could also be used to carry fifteen to twenty pounds of rotting spuds from the cellar to the pigs.  Imagine it big enough for a grown man to place his feet on without touching any other surface. My brother stepped onto the shovel and gracefully rode it down the bank and to about three feet from me.

He made it look so easy! I begged for him to let me try it. I must have begged him the whole time he carried another shovel full of rotting potatoes to the pigs and you know I wanted it bad 'cause rotting spuds stink. At last he agreed to teach me how to ride the shovel. Mind you there is a trick involved in riding a shovel down a one hundred and twenty degree angle. A trick he didn't bother to share with me until I had performed a somersault face plant.

The trick is a combination of standing on the balls of your feet, in snow boots, and balancing as the shovel moves down the slope at enough speed to give the rider a thrill. It took me most of the afternoon to master even once but on that day my big brother was no longer one of the teasing goonies but my hero and very best friend.

I went back to do more sledding a few days later when my brother couldn't go with me. The shovel had disappeared. The sled runs were still present but the shovel wasn't in the cellar as my brother had left it. Leaves one to wonder if Dad or Grandpa saw the snow runs and face plant prints and didn't like the idea of a six-year-old girl learning to shovel sled.

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Finding the Time

How does one find the time for all the worthwhile things in life?

It is an age old question that continually changes. Don't believe me? Consider how your list of things you spend time doing has changed since the advent of the personal computer, the internet, Face Book, Twitter and more electronic tools in cyberspace that I currently don't use. Of course there is the list of things that change just as fast, but on a smaller scale, such as: children/family needs, exercise, diet,'me' time, etc.

It all changes, all the time so how do you find the time?

May I humbly suggest: prioritize.

Yep. One word so easily said but so rarely done. In a way New Year's Resolutions are one way to prioritize. I, for one, refuse to seriously participate in the ancient custom. (I say seriously because I did consider a resolution or two and kinda sorta even mentioned one here that I most likely won't follow through on---so much for accountability.)

I prefer the--(now this is by the Book of Shaunna) method, of prioritizing which is: Friends on Face Book spurning me into action -  priority. Thus I get to my point, which has nothing to do with the title above or my general ranting.

Two major changes that I want to be accountable for (or prioritize) are:
1) Write 100 words, or more a day. Okay, I will take the weekends off due to making my family a priority. so far so good, because even writing here on my blog counts--for me at least. You see it spurns my creativity.

And this one is more difficult for me because it involves more facets of my complicated personality.
2) A friend has reached out and cried HELP! I love this friend and don't feel able to deny her that which she asks for; mainly my support. You see, in supporting her, I know from experience that I will be helping myself and who, in their right mind doesn't want that?

This friend has set-up a closed group, tailored to meet her needs and most importantly to her, make her accountable.

The deal is this for me personally; I need to watch what I consume so that I can cheer her on and share with her my current successes on that front. It goes on. I need to find ways to incorporate exercise and 'me' time into my daily routine.

This is where I need to share my commitment to self.
Exercise daily in spite of health barriers and record it for positive self reinforcement. Okay, I cheat because I am already doing this, but life has sent me a beautiful opportunity--curve ball. (Which if you follow me, I hope to share in the future.) I do simple exercise type things due to my health, for example: squats or ballet ple-as (sorry, not sure how to spell that one), push-ups (these are modified as I do them while leaning on the bar), climb stairs (sometimes), and superman flights (these are the ones where you lay on your belly and tense your whole body with your arms out front like you are flying) and record.

I'll be honest, I don't do all of these everyday. If I happen to go to water aerobics on one day, this routine goes by the wayside because I don't give that much time to exercise everyday. Which brings us back to this posts title--Finding the Time.

I refuse to allow time for self-depreciating diatribes when I chose to alter or shift things to fit my life and allow for 'me' time. We are all busy and no matter what you do, you only have twenty-four hours in a day. How many days each of us has is not a personal choice, but a gift from God/Heavenly Father.

I chose to make a better choice each day, and hopefully I, more often than not, make the best choice for myself and in turn give my God, my Heavenly Father, reason to elongate my days and ultimately, when I rejoin Him have Him smile and say well done.

Wishing you the wisdom to Find the Time to make the Best choices.