Blog Posts | Mary J. McCoy-Dressel | Sensual western romance. Heartwarming stories. Strong family ties.

- Daily Prompt: Canopy Walk
  
  Posted at 4:27 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on January 26, 2023
  
  Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t visited.
  
  January 26, 2023 Daily Prompt
  
  In a town named Midland, Michigan, there is a place called Dow Gardens with a Canopy Walk and other activities. I’ve visited Midland for breakfast or lunch on my way up north.
  
  One thing I want to do while there is experience the Canopy Walk on the grounds in Whiting Forest. Read more about Whiting Forest at this link.
  
  Guests of all ages and abilities are immersed in the forest on the nation’s longest canopy walk, 1,400 feet long, soaring up to 40 feet above the ground.
  Dow Gardens https://dowgardens.org/forest/
  
  The Canopy Walk is a walk through the forest but this walk is high above the ground. Since I’ve never been there, I can’t describe it to you or give my experience. It’s on my agenda to go next spring. I’m trying to talk my cousin into going with me. We both like to walk, and he likes to drive. Win-win for me. Ha-ha.
  
  Note: The photo above is there for effect and isn’t related to Dow Gardens.
  
  Here’s a video with a great explanation!
  
  Dow Gardens is approximately two hours from where I live, so it’s close enough for a day trip. Apparently, you have to walk over a mile from the parking lot to get to the Canopy Walk, so keep that in mind. Oh, and they’re open year round except for major holidays. They also have an admission fee. With so many other things to do at Dow Gardens in Midland, Michigan, I plan on making a day out of it to see as much as possible like Butterflies in Bloom happening in March and the first part of April.
  
  Photo by Cindy Gustafson on Pexels.com
  
  The video and links above will tell you more than I can, but one day, I’ll have my own story to tell.
  
  Doesn’t Dow Gardens sound like a fun place to visit?
  
  Posted in #AmWriting, #daily-prompt, #WritersLife | 8 Comments | Tagged #WritersLife, Butterflies in Bloom, Canopy Walk, Dow Gardens, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Pure Michigan, walking trails, Whiting Forest
- Writing Prompts at Your Fingertips
  
  Posted at 9:58 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on December 22, 2022
  
  Bloganuary
  
  Well, in January 2023, Bloganuary begins again. I’m not sure if I’ll participate this year because I have enough writing to keep me busy. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy it, and doing it again would force my procrastinating mind to not procrastinate (maybe) at least for thirty-one days. I enjoyed reading the other participants posts too.
  
  If you followed my blog posts all of last year, then you know in January I participated in Bloganuary. My post at this link explains it. Or in the search bar, type in Bloganuary and you’ll see my month of posts in 2022. Oh, wait. Oops, I didn’t post throughout the entire month of January because I started late.
  
  Check it out and let me know if you will participate.
  
  Weekly Prompt
  
  You may not know, but WordPress has a weekly prompt. I wanted to participate in the weekly prompt in 2022 but never remembered to look. It’s posted on Facebook. This week’s prompt is Travel. Use Word Prompt with a hashtag to tag your post and on social media. You will need to scroll through the posts to find the prompts or click to view photos. They aren’t hard to find because a photo accompanies the prompt post. They will post other information there too, so it isn’t only prompts. Notice you can share other media besides writing. Here’s what they say:
  
  WordPrompts are designed to help inspire your creativity. We’d love to see what new recipes, photos, blog posts, or stories this week’s word inspires…
  WordPress on Facebook
  
  FYI Update about the above Weekly Prompt. It looks like the Facebook page has replaced the daily prompt with Bloganuary. Maybe they’ll bring the weekly prompt back in February.
  
  Daily Prompt
  
  Recently, I noticed Daily word prompts in the back-end of my blog where we find announcements and news. For example, today’s daily prompt is: “What was the last thing you did for play or fun?” When did daily prompts begin, anyway?
  
  On another topic, WordPress sent out a post about writing and posting newsletters. If you’ve read about it, have you considered checking it out? I asked a couple questions in the comment section and received a reply. I might look into it after the new year. It sounds like it’s a regular blog post with newsletter themes. Subscribers from other platforms can be imported.
  
  DISCLAIMER: I’m mentioning it a lot here, but I’m not affiliated with WordPress or Automattic in any way other than having this dot com website/blog. I wrote this post because if I’m interested in word prompts, maybe you are too. A simple search for writing or word prompts can be found in many other places as well.
  
  Thanks for reading. Stay warm, healthy, and happy! Peace and Love.
  
  Happy Holiday Wishes!
  
  We have a blizzard headed this way. Oh my!
  
  Photo by Markus Spiske on Pexels.com
  
  As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily. The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessèd world.
  ~Terri Guillemets via The Quote Garden
  
  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Bloganuary | 11 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Bloganuary, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Romance, Word Prompts
- Let’s Get Real
  
  Posted at 5:28 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on December 15, 2022
  
  It’s hard, sometimes, when nothing’s stopping you, to know what’s stopping you. ~Robert Brault, rbrault.blogspot.com
  
  Are you stressed in your rush to meet a goal before the year ends? I haven’t decided if I am or not. Sure, I’m stressed, but it’s not the same stress I experienced the last two years of rushing to get books out before the year ended. It’s not stress of meeting any goals before this year ends. It isn’t illness, though I’ve had my share of doctor appointments in 2022.
  
  This Year it’s Personal Stress
  
  My oldest son learned of a major eye condition. I came close to hopping on a jet bound for California. He’s going through treatment which includes shots in his eye. After the specified number of shots, they’ll determine if he needs more treatment.
  
  A very ill close friend I’ve know for years is having a difficult time with her health and is losing everything she has including her cat because she can no longer care for herself. Giving up her cat at this stage isn’t good for her mental health. Of all times, she needs her cat. She’s devastated.
  
  Another friend and I communicated with one of her family members, as we bounced ideas off of each other to find the best place for our friend to live. Her family member found a place two days ago. She’s moving in today. Through her illness, I’ve learned a lesson about doing a better job of caring for myself so this doesn’t happen to me.
  
  Whoever this new me is, has had a lazy year. It isn’t like I haven’t been writing, but four partially written books later, not one of them is ready to publish. It’s no different with reading books with none finished. The year started out in a new apartment, so for the next ten months, I “waited” to see where I’d be at the end of the year and dreaded making a decision on moving or staying. It’s good to know this is no longer a stressor.
  
  Photo by Ann poan on Pexels.com
  
  Back to the First Paragraph Above
  
  Maybe I am in a rush to see a new year arrive, but can it change me back to me? Since COVID came to my state, I’ve lived as if I’m waiting for something. Know what I mean?
  
  Next, it’s procrastination that has me stressed and the fact I can’t find a way to move on from it. Have you heard of Decision Fatigue? I think I’m experiencing this. Combining this with procrastination seems like a losing battle. Again, this has been common in people since COVID too.
  
  One of my best friends is a psychologist. The other day on the way to the hospital to visit our ill friend, I asked her about Decision Fatigue. She wasn’t familiar with the term. As I described the definition, she said she wasn’t surprised that it exists and was familiar with the symptoms. Have you heard of it?
  
  Here’s some info:
  
  “Decision fatigue is “the idea that after making many decisions, your ability to make more and more decisions over the course of a day becomes worse,” said Dr. MacLean, a psychiatrist. “The more decisions you have to make, the more fatigue you develop and the more difficult it can become.”
  Lisa MacLean, MD via Sara Berg, MS
  Senior News Writer at AMA.
  
  Distraction
  
  For the last half of this year, I’ve turned my TV on earlier and earlier in the day. To my credit, this doesn’t happen every day. This is odd for me, since I’ve never been a Daytime TV watcher since watching soap operas with my mom. It doesn’t help though I’m grateful – but my cable provider gives us the Premium Peacock streaming app as part of the package. Now, it has the Hallmark Channel on the app and free to me. Admittedly, it’s a nice distraction.
  
  It took two years to make the decision on when and where to get my hair cut since my regular person retired. It’s been six months now since the haircut, and I’m procrastinating and questioning where to go this time. It’s a simple haircut! Ekk.
  
  Here’s another article with a quiz:
  
  “Decision fatigue is a new term based on studies finding that the more decisions we make, the worse our judgement gets as we become increasingly worn out from, yes, the very process of decision making.”
  Ellie Hughes via Women’s Health
  
  The article in Women’s Heath was written in 2013, so I guess Decision Fatigue isn’t as new as I thought. I know I’m not the only one going through this. It’s too personal of a question for me to ask, but I wonder if any of you are experiencing anything similar. Maybe it is time to set goals for next year so this doesn’t happen in 2023. Then again, I’ll need to do more than look at a goal list.
  
  Thanks for reading. Many of you are taking a blogging break for the holidays. Wishing all who celebrate a Happy Holiday season.
  
  Don’t forget to take care of you, my friends.
  
  Photo by Ann poan on Pexels.com
  
  Posted in #AmReading, #AmWriting, #WritersLife, new year | 18 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Decision fatigue, Let's Get Real, mary j mccoy dressel
- Whatever it Takes
  
  Posted at 11:55 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on December 6, 2022
  Hello. Are you all doing well? Having fun. Staying warm?
  
  Here we go: During the summer, I posted this post and this post where I mentioned a new holiday story as a second book to Blue Snow in the Moonlight. I’m no longer in a hurry to get this book out in 2022. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t get it finished and edited in time for the holiday season.
  
  Fork in the Road
  
  So, I will continue writing it with no intention of publishing in 2022. Am I sad? Yes and no. Well, more yes than no. This way, I can give it the time it deserves. It’s the holiday season, so I’ll finish the draft of this book now while the inspiration of the season surrounds me. 🎄🎁⛄❄❄❄🎅🤶🤠 On a positive note, it’s nice revisiting Cullen’s family from book one while writing this, since my hero is his best friend.
  
  Take a Good Look
  
  Blue Snow in the Moonlight sales had stalled in the beginning of the season. Why bother with book two if no one reads book one? On a side note, after tweaking my Amazon ads, sales mildly increased on both holiday books.
  
  I know what experts say about low sales:
  - Take a good look at the book cover. Check.
  - Examine the book description. Check.
  - Get reviews. It has barely any reviews and ratings. The last time I looked on Goodreads, it had a 4.67 rating and on Amazon it has a 4.7. Not bad, but there aren’t many.
  First, I took a course on creating A+ Content for Amazon retail pages. Some of my author friends have created A+ Content on their pages. I saw the A+ Content on your latest book, Jacquie B. Any advice? I’m guessing you used Book Brush. Second, I took my own advice and published it wide to see if new eyes on it will make a difference.
  
  To Date
  - I tweaked my description in hopes of making it clearer to the reader.
  - I talked with my cover designer and mentioned I had a few things to try first, but if nothing changed, I’d want to tweak my cover.
  A day or two later my cover designer sent me a couple of cowboy stock photo images we could use to replace the first one. I chose one to have ready. Well. Well… WELL!
  
  Then this happened when I opened my email:
  
  I almost did a “Which do you like best” poll. The answers might’ve made my decision harder. Truthfully, I was afraid to ask.
  
  I could have uploaded this new cover and book description weeks ago, but I didn’t until yesterday. Again – procrastination came into play. This cowboy fits my hero’s attitude about Christmas, and the cottage is a better fit for Cullen’s rental cottage. Don’t get me wrong. I love my other cover, but maybe I like it more than readers do. A single hero on a cover is appropriate for my genres. I’ve included the revised book description if you want to read it.
  
  Revised Description
  
  He makes her an offer she can’t refuse.
  
  If it was up to Cullen Hollister, he’d hibernate this time of year. But he has a renter in his cottage, cattle to tend to, and kids waiting on Santa Claus. So, instead, he’s in the town square, ready to light up Sugarton in a festive Christmas display. In the crowd of onlookers, a stranger’s smile captures his attention and awakens lost desires. After the hoopla, an acquaintance introduces her, but her heart seems as cold as his.
  
  As his luck goes, a blizzard forces them together in the cottage he loathes. He’s drawn to her and admires her assertiveness, down-to-earth nature, and blue-snow eyes. Cullen discovers a yearning more powerful than stubbornness. If Christmas magic is real, will it show him how to trust again, or is it as fake as his previous marriage?
  
  Elle Palmer-Shaw uses her cousin’s wedding in North Dakota as an escape from sorrowful memories. She meets the handsome green-eyed owner of the cottage, and a simmering attraction grows. Christmas takes on a new meaning while spending time with Cullen and his kids.
  
  His memories of the cottage are painful, yet he makes her an offer she can’t refuse. It’s a simple solution until she’s called back home. She tries to convince Cullen to keep the rental cottage available—to give them a chance when she returns—even after dropping a bombshell about her past. But will he destroy his walls and let her in, or will he continue to exist instead of live and love?
  
  Learn more at Amazon and at this Universal Link.
  
  So, here we are. It can’t hurt to try something new. If nothing changes, I’m giving up. Ha-ha. I’m not a quitter. Let’s say we’ll see what happens.
  
  Off topic, but as of yesterday, I published “wide” the Two-Five Ranch Outlaws series books too. They aren’t available at all the retailers yet. The holiday season is likely slowing down the publishing process. It shouldn’t be long. Whatever it takes, right?
  
  It seems like ages ago already, but I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. Can you believe we’re on a countdown to Christmas now? I’m not ready! Are you?
  
  Apologies for not getting around to your blogs, my friends.
  
  Enjoy your week. Thanks for reading. 💖
  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Blue Snow in the Moonlight | 8 Comments | Tagged #eBooks, #WritersLife, Christmas romance reads, cowboy, Forced Proximity, Holiday romance reads, Kindle eBooks, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, western romance
- Snippet Saturday: Of the Cowboy’s Own Accord
  
  Posted at 4:11 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on November 12, 2022
  
  For today’s post, I’m posting a snippet with my Army Ranger, a soldier-cowboy from the Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight – Of the Cowboy’s Own Accord.
  
  Dane Carlson gave up ranching to serve his country. He swore he’d never get involved with a woman until he retired from the military. Then he met Gracelyn Clark while waiting for his flight back to Ft. Benning. From there he’d be deployed for nine months. Gracelyn’s flight had been delayed too. We’ll say they had an enjoyable night together. This snippet picks up two weeks later. Gracelyn is arriving for his deployment.
  
  Snippet
  
  Slightly modified.
  
  Dane gulped, still not sure how it happened. If the weekend worked out, he’d mention her to his mom. He hoped his mom wouldn’t break a leg dancing on the dining room table. Everything about this woman said forever…if she was real. He shuddered.
  
  Then, her picture appeared on the screen when the phone vibrated, telling him the shudder was for the right reason. She was real. He put it into gear and drove to her gate. There she stood. “Criminy almighty.” Hotness times ten or fifty. Gracelyn wore a body-hugging, blush colored dress with piping in a darker shade that ran across the front and above the waist. Holy… High heels made her at least three inches taller. “Whoa-oh, baby.”
  
  Her hair waved down her back with a few locks falling over her shoulder. His heart raced at first sight. He wanted to run his hands over the smooth material of her dress and over her curves. Three privates stood to the side, and he had a good idea of their thoughts. He’d be thinking the same thing. Hell, he already was. They’d think differently as soon as he stepped out of the vehicle. His new rank of Master Sergeant garnered even more respect than he previously had as Sergeant First Class.
  
  He opened the door and hopped out, taking a minute to salute the guys back. With her arms held open, he went into them like a little boy seeking comfort. “Gracelyn,” he murmured. “You’re real. Thank the gods I didn’t imagine you.” The little boy rapidly turned into a man. Holding her this way, he felt protective. Her supple, petite body fit nicely into his arms. He leaned his cheek against the top of her head, his arms tightening so his body could sink into her.
  
  “I’m real, baby.” She held him close. “You feel fantabulous in my arms. ACUs look great on you.”
  
  “Fantabulous, eh. That’s a big deal.” Dane gave an extra tight squeeze. His fingers moved up and down her back, taking note of the zipper. The dress held the smoothness he imagined. He held her an arm’s length away. Her eyes were as striking as he remembered. “You look great. Wow, as stunning and sexy as you were in my dreams.”
  
  She smelled heavenly—feminine and floral but with enough spice to make it sexy. Pushing her hair back, he stared at her eye-catching features. “You’re so beautiful.” His lips parted to kiss hers. “Mmm,” he mumbled before their mouths connected.
  
  She rested her palms against his chest, her gaze following as she clenched the material. “Your muscles are bigger.”
  
  “They’re the same, honey. I’ve been working day and night for two weeks. Got to.” He took one hand from his chest. “Come on.”
  
  Dane opened the passenger side door, and she took his arm. “I’m glad I came. I have an apartment lined up to look at in Phoenix when I fly back. Timing is perfect.”
  
  “Check out the other areas closer to work. Avoid that Phoenix traffic.”
  
  “All right.” She peered up at him. “Thank you for asking me to come.”
  
  “My pleasure. Get on in there. I got you a room close to the base.” It was one of the best in the area and a lot of families stayed there when there was a reason to come.
  
  She slid inside but caught the door. “Room for me? What about you? No leave time?”
  
  “Let me get in.” He closed the door. What about me? He couldn’t assume she’d want him staying with her, so to be safe, he hadn’t planned it. It wasn’t far from the base, so it wouldn’t take anything to run back and forth.
  
  Inside before shifting, she reached over for his hand. “Aren’t you staying with me?”
  
  Dane pulled out and headed down the highway. Yes, he wanted to stay with her. He wanted to learn what he hadn’t known yet. Touch her. Feel her in his heart. Dammit, what happened to me? This would be a difficult weekend. He should’ve said good-bye over the phone. Everything he didn’t want had happened. But he hadn’t known he’d want her.
  
  UNIVERSAL BUY LINK: books2read.com/u/3Lkqeb
  
  END
  
  Believe it or not, it took me most of the day to post this. It was fun looking for a snippet, though. Again, I might as well show my old stuff since I have nothing new to show. Unfortunately, this holds true for the rest of the year.
  
  I’ve been “under the weather” all week. It could be from my booster shot, or I picked something up before or after. I did get to see my youngest son for a short visit when he and my DIL were in town. He worked virtually while my daughter in law worked at another of her company buildings here. It’s sad when they leave, but they’re happy where they are. I want them to be happy.
  
  I hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend. Thanks for visiting.
  
  Posted in #AmWriting, Double Dutch Ranch Series, Excerpt, Of the Cowboy's Own Accord | 9 Comments | Tagged #Romance Writer, Double Dutch Ranch Series Love at First Sight, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, soldier-cowboy, western romance
- November NaNoWriMo 2022 aka NaNo
  
  Posted at 5:00 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on November 2, 2022
  
  Ha-ha, try saying the title fast. Are you participating in #NaNoWriMo this year? I’m not, but as I’m writing this post, I want to. However, when I participated, I always took my own advice… So…Write as much as you can, when you can to stay ahead of the game. Good luck!
  
  Gather snacks. Don’t forget a beverage. Stay hydrated. Have fun!
  
  In Comments, post a link to your NaNoWriMo profile if you’d like others to find you.
  
  If you’re new to NaNoWriMo or don’t know what it is, check out the link HERE.
  
  Need some inspiration? Five or more of my books written through NaNo are now published. They weren’t competed in thirty days, though. Also, after NaNo, it took hours and hours of editing before hiring a professional editor.
  
  Have a great rest of your week!
  
  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, nanowrimo | 8 Comments | Tagged #WritersLife, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, NaNoWriMo 2022
- Wordless Wednesday: Nature’s Way
  
  Posted at 9:37 am by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on November 2, 2022
  
  Posted in #WritersLife, Seasonal, Wordless Wednesday | 0 Comments | Tagged #AuthorsLife, #WordlessWednesday, #WritersLife, fall colors, Kalamazoo River, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, walk in the park, Wordless Wednesday
- Short Snippet Saturday: Scars and Fake Records
  
  Posted at 3:44 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on October 29, 2022
  
  Here we are on Saturday. The sun is shining brightly through my windows today. It’s nice out, too. The morning hours brought thick fog.
  
  This Saturday Snippet is from Finding Kimber, the second book in a spin off series to the Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight. Kimber is a newcomer to Arizona. You can read more about Kimber and how she got to where she is at this LINK from Meet Our Heroines.
  
  The actual snippet is short. All this other writing around it makes it look long. ❤
  
  This book is available wide at this Universal Link.
  
  Brief setup: Earlier in the day, Tressa experienced the worst moments of her life. She’s giving up her identity to keep her family safe and is about to enter her new life in Arizona with a new name. Jerry is her godfather. Before retirement, he had a career in a branch of law enforcement. Everything he’s doing for her now is off the books. Melinda has been hired to accompany Jerry in getting Kimber settled.
  
  Saturday Snippet:
  
  Later in the hotel in Boise, Idaho, Melinda came to stand beside her. “Think of your parents and Charlotte. They’re safe because of your decision. A murderer is off the streets.”
  
  At fifty-three, Melinda didn’t look her age. Her auburn hair shone, and her green eyes were friendly most of the time, though they had darkened and hardened as of late. Tressa took a deep breath. “If I must do this, I’ll make the best of it. I have a good incentive to make it work—my family’s life.”
  
  Melinda patted her back. “And don’t forget it’s for your life.”
  
  Tressa buried her face in her hands. “I can’t stand them being hurt.” She pounded her chest. “It aches so much right here.”
  
  Jerry sat beside her, waiting until she got control of herself. “All of us will keep you safe, Kimber.”
  
  It was the first time she’d been called Kimber. She clutched her chest again. “I don’t know if I can do this. My heart is broken.”
  
  He handed her a degree from San Francisco University. There was a high school diploma, awards from high school, report cards, and her new credit history. “Like the passport, we’ll create your driver’s license and other photos when the scar from the removal heals. Are you sure you want the mole above your lip removed?”
  
  “Yes, it always stood out. Yes.”
  
  “All your records prove you are Kimber Kay Sinclair. You’ve nothing to fear. You need to do what we suggest. In my job, we warned, ah, our witnesses, to obey our rules. You’ll survive as long as you do what you’ve been told.”
  
  Tressa went through the motions while trying to distance herself from all the horror of the past and then today. Over a period of the last thirteen months, she had set money aside for later. Untraceable money meant for Kimber Sinclair. “But how? How, Jerry, did you do all of this?”
  
  “Kimber…” He smiled upon using her new name. “You know I can’t answer your question. And it’s best you don’t know, either, my dear.”
  
  Book #2
  
  END
  
  Here is what the book is about and where to find it:
  
  She’s wary of her future. He’s burdened by his past
  
  Cattleman Zachary (Zach) Bryson arrives in Arizona with hopes of leaving the ghosts from his past behind. Hired by a stranger to run a ranch, he meets the owner—a secretive woman with no ranching experience. He’s seen her before, but she wasn’t a redhead with green eyes. In their first encounter, she swept him off his feet without their exchanging a word. Why did she change her appearance? What secrets lay behind those heart-stopping eyes? Seeing this job as a challenge, he sticks around to tackle this hottie head-on.
  
  After her life is threatened, Kimber Sinclair is forced to flee her lush Oregon county for a small town in Arizona with sand, saguaros, and dusty cowboys. She settles in to live a lie—to discover the person behind her new identity while she mourns the death of Tressa Garnett—her given name at birth. However, keeping a distance from her ruggedly handsome, broad-shouldered, wise-cracking ranch foreman, isn’t easy. She struggles daily to hide her secret from Zach who demands answers. By telling him the truth, his life could also be in danger.
  
  If trouble finds her, will she choose fight or flight? Can Zach set aside his own issues, or will his nightmares prevent him from doing what he was unknowingly hired to do?
  
  Universal Link
  
  I’d rate this book “R” by movie standards. If you only choose to read one book in a series, you’ll still have a complete story in itself.
  
  Thanks for reading.
  
  I hope you get a chance to get outside and enjoy your weekend, especially if it’s as gorgeous as mine.<Waving>
  
  Posted in #AmWriting, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, Short Snippet Saturday | 3 Comments | Tagged #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Canyon Junction: Hearts in Love Series, cowboy, Double Dutch Ranch Series Love at First Sight, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Romance, Short Snippet Saturday: Scars and Fake Records, western romance
- Rental Rant Update: It’s a Wrap
  
  Posted at 3:48 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on October 22, 2022
  In an earlier post, I wrote a rant about the high-cost of apartment rentals. How it would soon come time for my decision to stay or leave where I live now. After I wrote the previous post on this topic, I knew I had to come to a decision or continue to stress over it until my lease expired.
  
  So, after working out a plan, I decided to stay another year. Deciding lowered my stress level. Well, September arrived with a letter I expected from my manager, asking for my decision to stay or to give a two-month notice to move out.
  
  The letter indicated the rental fee for the next year. Honestly, I knew I’d be shocked, and I was, but not because it increased a ton. Yes, it increased, but it didn’t increase as much as first quoted. Well, I marched into the office wearing a smile as always, to inquire about the quote before signing the letter. She checked. Yay. No mistake.
  
  However, I recently learned my utilities increased too. No surprise. When I handed in my lease, I gave my manager a list of needed repairs. Yesterday, a newly-hired maintenance guy arrived to repair my bathtub drip. Drip is putting it mildly. He also installed a new faucet in my bathroom sink. I’m easy to please, and now with a new faucet, I feel like a queen!
  
  The lower-than-expected rental amount could be for two reasons:
  - The first estimate earlier in the summer was based on the cost of a renovated apartment. It’s my guess their plan fell through at this complex. My previous post mentioned they planned on renovating the kitchen and bathroom while we still lived here. To repeat from the other post, my apartment had recently been remodeled. Not totally renovated like their new remodels, though, where they’d tear the kitchen completely out and redesign it. Still, without a total renovation, my apartment is nice.
  - Secondly, maybe their summer quote wasn’t for my apartment model. My model is a hundred square feet smaller than some others. When I moved here, I lost one hundred square feet of space and storage.
  Photo by Jessica Lewis Creative on Pexels.com
  
  So folks, the debacle about where I’ll live for the next year has ended. Prayer works. Some of you know I didn’t choose to live here, but I was forced to move because an atrocious odor in my other apartment made me sick. By the grace of God, this is where they transferred me. This time, I am choosing to live here, and it brings a sense of calm. I don’t think this apartment ever felt more like home than it does now. Maybe I’ll even hang my pictures. I miss looking at them.
  
  Enjoy your day! Thanks for visiting.
  
  Featured Image: mastersenaiper @Pixabay
  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife | 8 Comments | Tagged #WritersLife, Cost of living, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Rental Rant Update: It's a Wrap
- Wordless Wednesday: Field Trip 2
  
  Posted at 2:49 pm by Mary J. McCoy-Dressel, on October 19, 2022
  
  #WordlessWednesday
  
  Meet Stella.
  
  This was my second trip to take pictures of the scarecrows. I first saw this “Stella” display while driving past the park. I knew I had to investigate the display. After reading these little notes above, I had to look it up to learn more about her. “Stella was a service dog and led a remarkable life,” says her owners on their website.
  
  Unfortunately, she passed in August 2022. 😦 What a sweet dog and display.
  
  Posted in #AmWriting, #WritersLife, Wordless Wednesday | 5 Comments | Tagged #WordlessWednesday Wordless Wednesday, #WritersLife, Fall in the park, Mary J McCoy-Dressel, Scarecrow display, Wordless Wednesday: Field Trip 2
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