After the 4th

I hope everybody had a fun-filled safe 4th of July celebration. I believe it was John Adams who said that the day should be filled with fun and fireworks every year. I spent the day at our Homeowner's Association cookout at our clubhouse and had a very nice time. Good, fun people and great food! My day started out with a very trying phone conversation. Have you ever met someone who is always right but yet so wrong? Here is the conversation I had with my neighbor:

Neighbor: "Is there a mail delivery today?"
Me:  "No."
Neighbor: "Why not? Is this one of those 17 plus paid days off the post office gets?"
Me: "It's a holiday."
Neighbor: "Since when?"
Me:  "Since 1776."
Neighbor: "What makes it a holiday?"
Me: "It's Independence Day, Jack. It's been a holiday since 1776."
Neighbor (Getting frustrated with my stupidity): Carole, it's only a holiday if someone says it is."
Me:  "Well, I believe George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Q. Adams, Ben Franklin and   many more declared it a holiday back in 1776."
Neighbor:  "Well, I have had 53 jobs and I never got the day off, so it's not a big holiday."
Me: "Some industries can't shut down for the day but almost all will compensate a worker by paying holiday pay."
Neighbor: "I never got holiday pay. What kind of holiday pay are you talking about?"
Me: "Most companies pay their workers double-time for working that day."
Neighbor: "Well, I never got it, so how can it be a big holiday?"
Me: "It's a national holiday."
Neighbor: "There is no such thing. It's not like Christmas or Thanksgiving."
Me: "It's a government holiday."
Neighbor: "Who said?"
Me: "Our forefathers. Washington, Adams, Franklin, Jefferson....those guys."
Neighbor: "You don't know what you're talking about. I gotta go put my trash out."
Me: "There's no trash pick-up today."
Neighbor: "Why not?"
Me: "Same reason. It's a holiday."
Neighbor: "You're going to start this again?"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!!!

Interview with Winsome

Today I am interviewed by the lovely and charming Winsome Campbell-Green. it certainly was an enjoyable question-answer interview.  Please visit and enjoy!!

http://womenbeautypurposeandempowerment.blogspot.com/2013/06/women-of-purpose-spotlight-sucessful.html

The curious question mark.

By now, everyone is aware that I read many books. I choose books written by Indie Authors and always do a review when I'm finished with the book.

Something has been bothering me lately..................
                                                                        ? ? ?

So many authors are using many, many question marks a the end of their dialogue sentences, and I'm not understanding why. There are times when the writer wants a declarative sentence to sound like a question; and I get that. But try as I might, I can't see the question in many of the sentences with question marks.

Can anyone come up with an explanation for me?

Memorial Day

Although Memorial Day is traditionally a day of remembrance of our deceased loved ones, lost to us while serving in the military, we also remember those civilians who passed away. Memorial Day  is a day of remembering, reflecting, and reminiscing as we honor those who served our country and those we loved. 

I remember and honor my father, a WWII Veteran. He served in Europe and came home with a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart, leaving the military as a decorated Master Sergeant. He came home alive, and married my mom. They had me first, and then they were blessed with four sons. 

Eddie Mack deserves to be honored on this day. 

My son, while never serving in he military, was destined for great things before losing his life to that terrible illness. 

Eric McKee deserves to be remembered on this day.

But, Folks, just take a moment and remember those who are still living. Say "hello" and "How are ya doing?" while you still can.  Don't wait until it's too late. Visit the grave sites of those who are gone, and then pick up the phone or get into your car and connect with those you love while you still can. 

Life is precious.

Terra's Turn

A very happy birthday to my daughter, Terra. She is 43 today. I hope the day is beautiful for her. 

I love you, Terra.

Eric's Birthday

I like to keep my posts upbeat, and informative, whenever possible.  I'll try to keep it that way today.

On May 30th, eleven years ago, the world lost a great human being. He was intelligent, talented, athletic, spiritual, kind, and one of the best people I ever knew. He was my son. He passed away at the age of 31, way before he should have. An autoimmune disease dubbed PNH, for lack of a better term, claimed his life. PNH is a bone-marrow affliction where the marrow cannot produce viable blood cells. The platelet cells are the clotting cells, but instead of clotting in a PNH patient, they clump, thus getting hung up in the liver; and consequently destroying the liver. Enough said.

Today is Eric's birthday. He would have been 42 today. He's gone but not forgotten.......so............

Happy Birthday, Eric. I love you now just as I always have, and I will always love you.

Consequences...........Finally!!

I'm proud to announce the long-awaited and long-overdue completion of "Consequences" the final book of the "Choices" series. Yes, the series started with Lindy and Ricky falling in love in high school and the choices that not only they made, but the choices of those around them. Consequences is the finale--the end result of how the choices affected everyone. It's only fitting to end the series this way, because choices always lead to consequences.

In paperback:

http://www.amazon.com/Consequences-Choices-Volume-Carole-McKee/dp/1482734370/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1367686812&sr=8-6&keywords=carole+Mckee

For the Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/Consequences-Choices-Series-ebook/dp/B00CLY267I/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1367686936&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=carole+Mckee+consequences+kindle