“…Love can find you at every time in your life.” The last line in the quote inspires my muse. Age is only a number when it comes to love. Yes, I can agree with this because, once, love found me at a time later in life when I never expected it.
#laterinlife #Romance
The Future Holds… Holds What? Good question. I’d like to know, and I will soon. This title could refer to a lot of things. Health? Finances? Life. Today my post refers to the high cost of apartment rental fees.
Skyrocketing rental fees are knocking at my door. It’s happening to many. Are you experiencing it?
If someone doesn’t do something about these high rental costs or the costs of buying a new home, we’ll see more homeless people. This is not a political rant, so let’s not make it one.
My apartment here was remodeled a short time ago. Now the owner’s plan is to remodel every apartment, including the one I’m in, in this complex and the one I transferred from (same owners) replacing them with a more luxurious design and a layout redesign, which equals higher rental fees. My cousin is a victim of not having his lease renewed at the other complex because of the remodel plan. Tenants over there have to move when their lease is up. It’s an increase I would not qualify for if I still lived there. Neither can some of the other tenants.
My cousin moved the last week of July, but he was able to take one of the newly remodeled apartments at a much, much higher rental fee. It used to be fifty dollars was a huge increase from one year to the next. Our incomes don’t go up two to three hundred dollars a month!
If apartment owners read this, I’ll likely get brow-beaten, but I have to blow off steam. Now, we’re talking about a two to three hundred dollar or more increase. It seems, in my opinion, apartment owners in general have found a way to increase rent, get rid of lower income tenants, and attract those who can afford to pay their high dollar.
Granted, many apartments do need an update. Making an apartment pretty to the eye, doesn’t mean it changes what’s behind the walls in older complexes like plumbing and electrical.
What makes me so mad, and I can only speak for where I am, is this is happening to an entire complex, and not everyone can pay the increase. They don’t have a choice except pay or get out. Get out they say! It isn’t easy to find an affordable apartment these days, let alone pay the rental fees and moving expenses. My cousin was devastated when he received his letter of non-renewal. His first questions was: “What did I do to not have my release renewed?” 😥 He didn’t do anything.
This is not only happening here. A friend lives in a different complex in a different city, and she received a letter saying they are remodeling when their lease is up. I guess they too have a choice to take a newly remodeled apartment, but at a higher rent. She’s also on a fixed income. Her rent is also climbing to the “market value.” Then she received another letter saying they’d remodel the kitchen while she lived there. I “heard” through the grave vine, the same could happen where I am now.
Thankfully, I’m lucky at this moment. At least for now, but the clock is ticking. Had I still lived in the other complex, my lease would “not” have been renewed. With my transfer over here, my lease now expires a year from when I moved in here. However, my reprieve is short, because my lease renewal is not far away.
Remember the awful smell that drove me out of the other place? Well, I strongly feel that God’s hand was in this whole move thing as far as I’m concerned. If not, I would have been in Timbuctoo or who knows where after July 31st.
The last I heard about where I am now, they ARE renewing our leases and not, ahem, “kicking us out” so they can remodel. “Kicking us out” are my words, not theirs. At least that was the plan when I asked my manager if they were doing the same thing to us here. Months have passed since I asked, though.
I’m only blowing off steam about this place because no one knows where I live. I don’t want to call out my complex. They aren’t the only apartment owners doing this. New managers here walked into a mess when they came, anyway, so now they have to deal with this. They’re doing a wonderful job with the mess that was left for them.
However, while in the office, I asked and they gave me an estimate on my upcoming rent, saying it’s a market value increase. Yikes, the increase is frightening. OUCH. Ouch!
I don’t know what’s going to happen, not only to me, from this point on. In the meantime, I’m still cleaning out what didn’t get cleaned out with my last move, because like it or not, another move is in my future.
If I don’t plan on staying here, then I have until the 1st of September to find a new place because I need to give a two-month notice. If I can’t find a more affordable apartment, I’ll live here another year. When I moved here, I hadn’t planned on it only being for one year, so I do want to stay. God led me here. I have faith the same thing will happen when it’s time to do it again. The local news had a spotlight on rising rental rates this past week. They mentioned getting a roommate might be the answer. What do you think?
Please, if you leave a comment, keep it non-political, because I will delete it. I don’t like saying it but… MY blog. MY rules.
Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful weekend.
#WritersLife:
In my previous post with this same topic, I mentioned changes I made in my current work in progress, which included dealing with my hero’s name, changing my heroine’s name, and the spelling of her name numerous times. Plus, I changed the spelling of the child’s name three times. All that took place within the first 11,000 plus words. Ah-ha, but hold on a minute.
To date, the word count is 24,094 words. All the changes I made in the beginning, made me realize how much easier it is to plan a story. It isn’t like I haven’t jotted down notes, because I have many. The thing is, you have to look at the plan.
Changes didn’t stop in the first 11,000 words.
Plot Changes
Back to the AH-HA, BUT HOLD ON A MINUTE: One sleepless night an idea came to me to change my boy child to a girl. Writing another little boy in a story—this story with this plot—would veer a little too close to one of my other books. Can’t have that now, can we. So, now I’ll say the child’s name got changed four times.
You’ve probably heard before: Writers, don’t stop thinking about a story, or stories, when we walk away from our computers. Nope. I may not have plotted 100% of this story out in writing, but I continually plan and plot in my mind. As I continued thinking of this story, I didn’t stop at name changes.
One of my characters never made it into the first 11,000 words because he/she died before the book opened. It hurt my heart hard that this character wouldn’t appear in the book because even though not there, she/he occupied space in my mind and minds of my characters. Before I knew it, I grew to care about him/her. To relieve my ache, I gave this person life. That’s not to say there won’t be a death because if not, there goes part of my plot. Oh, Dear!
Oh, Dear.
OH, DEAR!!
As a series writer, bringing my person back to life had a little to do with thinking ahead. One day she/he might appear as the hero/heroine in another book. Working her/him into the story meant I had to create a life for said person. This one is still developing as we go, but I had lots of info on this character already, anyway. I can’t promise a big role, but this person is a necessary secondary character. I’m glad for this change. Patting myself on the back.
However, I have typed out all of my research thus far. I had a lot of fun researching classic, vintage, antique, vehicles. One video I watched took me for a ride through town. When the driver jumped on the gas and those Headers opened up, my heart beat faster. (Memories.) I felt like I was along for the ride too. Research alone takes a lot of time but can be fun. One of the most important parts of this video, showed me an answer to a question that had me searching and searching to no avail. Yeeha.
Writing fiction is so much fun. Writing romance is tons of fun, though, not always easy. I can’t wait until this book is finished. At this point, I need to concentrate on guiding my hero and heroine to an ending. Thank goodness I write romance because, plotting or no plotting out a story, I, and readers, know there will be a happily-ever-after. And that, my friends, makes my heart happy too.
Thanks for reading and going along on this journey through Blue Snow with me.
Somehow the Fourth had its quiet moments, too, even for little feet and childish voices, and small hands stole into each other as we sat looking at our fire-works with a sense that independence was a fine thing to declare.
~Lucy C. Lillie, “Memories of the Fourth,” Harper’s Young People, 1885 June 30th
You’re not what you used to be, but, America, you’re still mine.
HAPPY 246th BIRTHDAY, AMERICA.
Hello, friends. Enjoy your Day – Have fun – Be safe!
Hi! I’m sharing an excerpt from my second new December release, South of True North, featuring Cade and Faith. You’ll finally meet Faith in her POV.
Townsfolk cheered when they fell in love. Then they destroyed them with rumors and lies.
Rancher Cade Outlaw and his ex-fiancée share custody of their daughter. After a heartbreaking breakup seven years ago, they’re growing close again. Seven years ago, Faith’s ex-boyfriend’s vengeful attack on her destroyed Cade and Faith’s happily ever after. When he asks for a do-over, he vows to protect the relationship from the pain that separated them—to keep her and their child safe from their past. But how can he take a step back if he gets the chance to settle the score? Is his love for Faith and Nadia strong enough to hold on to the second chance they deserve?
Heartbroken, pregnant, fired from her job, and Cade’s focus on avenging the assault took a toll on Faith Ribeiro. To heal, she’d left him. Years later, a Fundraising Executive and single mom, she lives with emotional and physical scars. Cade is the only man she’ll love, and she can’t deny the powerful chemistry between them. However, rekindling a relationship may invite wickedness back into their lives. What will she do this time if Cade still wants to pay back her abuser? How much will her heart break if Nadia gets swept up in their chaos after striving to keep her from it?
They’re stronger together, though they need to overcome the challenges standing in their way of a peaceful life—hate, heartache, vengeance, and family betrayal. But how will they hang on to the profound love they once shared if they don’t come out of this unscathed?
Available at Amazon.
Setup: Faith hasn’t stepped a foot on Cade’s ranch for over seven years. Today, she put on her brave face and took their daughter, Nadia, to the Two-Five to get a school project she had started with her dad.
A nauseous stomach overtook her as she drove up the ranch road. An unfamiliar horse to her grazed near the porch.
“Grandma’s horse. Hurry, let me out.”
Faith passed the porch, pulled off to the side, and stopped. “Please rush, Nadia. Grab it and come back. We have to get home.”
“Why? Wanna see my pony?”
“Not today. Hurry.” Cade’s horse grazed close to one of the barns. She sent a text: Are you near your house? I’m parked by the porch. A few moments later, he headed this way from the barn office. She rolled down her window.
“Hey, is anything wrong?”
She smiled. “Nope.”
He leaned in to kiss her. “This is a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?”
“Nadia needed her project. I didn’t think anyone would be here, then Nadia said that was your mom’s horse.”
He looked back. “It is. Mom’s talking to Ronni about finances.”
“Can you please hurry Nadia along?”
“You’re fine here. Settle down. Nobody’s going to bother you.”
She glanced in her rear mirror. Nadia came out the door with Ruth. Cade put his hand on Faith’s shoulder, and she placed her right hand over it. Nadia and her grandmother stood on the porch checking out the pictures on her board. “You haven’t told me what went down between you and your mom yet.”
“Leave it alone. Some things never change.”
As she expected. Their daughter called from the porch. “Daddy, Mom wants the hot picture of you and Mommy on the beach.”
Cade chuckled. “I’m sorry,” he muttered to Faith, “but that kid kills me. I’ll bring the pictures tonight, but they are not to be put on her board.”
“Don’t worry!” Faith winked. “Your picture is going in my secret stash.”
“Yeah? I’d like to see your secrets.” He ran his gaze over her, his eyes lowering and lingering on her chest in a low tee.
She glanced down. “My secrets belong to you. Go get your daughter, or let me leave.”
“Don’t go anywhere. Come on, Nadia,” he called.
Faith glimpsed the side mirror as his mom peered at Cade.
“Don’t be in such a rush. Let her stay and spend time with Grandma today. We’ll go for a horseback ride. Does she have a day off?”
“Not today, Mom. Come on, sweetheart.” Cade went toward the porch, up the steps, and took her hand and the board. “They’re in a hurry. Nadia needs to finish her school assignment.” He returned to the SUV where he opened the back door for her. “Buckle your belt.”
She waved to her grandma. “By Granny. Love you.”
Ruth said she loved her back. Faith hadn’t wanted to fold in on herself, but it tore at her heart that she wasn’t a part of this, though it thrilled her to see Nadia so accepted.
Ronni, Cade’s sister and a friend to Faith, came out and stood beside her mom. “Hello, Faith! Nice to see you. Have fun with your board, Nadia.”
Faith made eye contact with Cade. “Scoot over.” She stepped out and waved. “Hi, Ronni. Have a nice day. You, as well, Ruth.”
She got back in, and he clutched the door frame with both hands. “I’m proud of your confidence. I’ll see you later.” He leaned in and kissed her on the mouth, and Faith wrapped her hand around the back of his warm, sweaty neck. “Thank you,” she whispered, leaving her cheek to rest against his. “I’ll see you soon. Buckled in, Nadia?”
“Yep! I can’t wait to work on my board. Come on. Bye, Daddy. You kissed Mom.”
Faith hooked her seat belt and met Cade’s gaze with happiness in hers. “It’s nice to see you smile. Don’t work too hard.”
“Uh, then they’ll fire me.” He winked at Nadia, “Guess what? I’m kissing Mom again.” He leaned in the window and planted a long-lasting kiss on Faith’s lips that she thoroughly enjoyed. “See ya.”
“Soon, cowboy.” Faith turned the SUV around, lifted her hand, and gave a subtle wave to Ronni and Ruth as she passed the porch. “It looks like you have a lot of pictures. I’m excited to look at them.”
Nadia asked, “Why didn’t you come in?”
End of Excerpt
Faith’s reasons for not going inside can’t be explained to a six year old. Making it as far as the driveway is a big deal for her. Find a recent snippet for another new release, Blue Snow in the Moonlight HERE.
Thank you for reading! Have a wonderful weekend! ~MJ
About me board images: Created @ Picmonkey by yours truly with Shutterstock Images
The great secret that all old people share is that you really haven’t changed in seventy or eighty years. Your body changes, but you don’t change at all. And that, of course, causes great confusion.
~Doris Lessing, 1992
Yes, it does! The quote above made my day. Referring to the first sentence, I’m so much younger in my mind than in my chronological age. However, I have changed. Haven’t you?
So, this all came about after I wrote a line in a book from a character who said he had ‘good genes.’ Finding another way to procrastinate, I thought about inheriting good genes and ancestral health issues. Oh, procrastination didn’t stop there. Next, I found a way for my thoughts to drift to life-long learning and other musings.
As a young person, I wondered who I’d be when I aged.
Do/ did you wonder too?
Would I still be able to write? To be creative? Type? So far so good there (minus the procrastination phases). My paternal grandmother had arthritis in her hands to the point of deformity. She could still lift a cast iron skillet with two gnarled hands and cook her favorite recipes.
My mother had arthritis in her hands, and her knuckles showed early signs of what would come. Arthritis caused both of them a lot of pain. When I started writing full time, I truly worried about inheriting arthritis in my hands and fingers. One of my fingers feels stiff now like arthritis is setting in. Instead of having it in all of my fingers like them, I have it in my big toe joints and knees, which hurts something awful and limits physical activity, though I push myself through the pain when taking walks and carrying groceries and laundry up a flight of stairs.
My paternal grandmother had a good amount of dark hair when she passed away in her eighties. My dad had more natural color than gray, and so did one of his brothers, while another of his brothers had a full head of white hair.
My dad and mom never looked their ages even in their seventies and beyond. Her hair had turned gray. They both had nice skin without a lot of wrinkles. I wondered if I’d take after my mother and not show my age? Hmm. Now that I’m there, the jury is still out on that one. I have a feeling when my youngest son and daughter-in-law visited, my son saw his grandmother instead of me. Oh, my!
All of my grandparents, and parents, had sound minds and a good outlook on life. I try to stay upbeat and nurture my creativity both in writing and photography. My dad had a creative mind. After retirement, he walked and read daily even through chemotherapy. Later in life, my mom walked over a mile each day, even during radiation treatment for breast cancer. She read magazines where my dad read the newspaper and a handful of magazines. I guess I have good genes, too, but my family has had a lot of health issues to keep in the forefront of my mind.
Anyone who stops learning is old, whether this happens at 20 or at 80. Anyone who keeps on learning not only remains young, but becomes constantly more valuable, regardless of physical capacity.
~Henry Ford, 1929
Don’t we all want to keep learning no matter our age? Am I right? Last night while watching a show on TV, I learned something new about bees, and for the first time, I saw a baby bee hatch!
Is there something new you’d like to try or have already?
Since I’m a writer, I’ll use this as an example: Many of us have been writers our entire lives. Even before we knew what it meant to be a writer in the true sense. A self-publishing writing career is constantly changing, as I assume is the same with hybrid and traditional publishing. It doesn’t matter if we’re twenty or ninety, we have to continue learning all the new ways of writing and publishing. If we don’t, we will soon get lost. Is it no different in other careers and hobbies?
Wouldn’t it be easy to give up? Throw in the towel so to speak. Who of us wants to give up on our dreams? So, we keep learning. As my life goes on, I’d like to learn new things like how to paint and write calligraphy.
During lock down my son and daughter-in-law took an online painting class. My youngest son sent me the picture he painted, and my daughter-in-law sent hers to her mom. (My daughter-in-law painted a cow in her way and colors she chose to use.) I never thought I’d love a cow so much, other than the cattle my fictional cowboys raise, but I sure do love this one.
One year for my birthday, the same son sent me a beginners guide kit to learn how to do calligraphy. He remembered after many years that I had always wanted to learn how. However, I’ve never taken the time to teach myself. YET. Two reasons: I don’t have the dexterity I used to have. My handwriting now proves it. In addition, my eyesight isn’t good for up-close work. New glasses should do the trick.
Never say never, huh? One day I’ll give calligraphy and painting a try. After all, I’ll have to find something to do when I choose to retire from publishing books.
No matter what happens from here on out, I hope I’ve inherited more of the good genes than the bad ones, so I can continue to feel young, if only in my mind. How about you?
Featured Image: mcredifine @Pixabay
Hands image: MarinaVoitik @Pixabay
Oh, I love writing “The End” sometimes, but it’s bittersweet today. Time has flown by since I signed up for WordPress Bloganuary on January 15th and published my first post on January 16th. I’m glad I participated, even for only half of the month. For those of you who read the post I wrote after signing up, I’m proud to say that, yes, I did post my blog links on the #daily-prompt page for all to see.
I found it easy to fall into the routine of posting over fifteen days. With that said, since today is the end of the month, I’ll miss reading posts by other participants while I’m drinking coffee each morning. This brings us to the last January Bloganuary prompt:
Looking at the night sky has always been a favorite pastime of mine. Memories of sitting and watching the stars… Wait. “Watching the stars” sounds weird, but that’s exactly what we do, isn’t it? But yes, I have many memories of sitting outside at night taking in every bit of the sky.
Being at peace and feeling small in a big world is how I feel when looking at a star-studded sky, but I also feel lucky to know what a sky filled with stars looks like. If I ever lose my eyesight, I hope I can hold the sight in my memories.
I’m almost certain at least one of my characters in each book makes a comment on the night sky. I’ve always pointed out stars and planets to my boys. Now they both use star apps on their phones.
Living in an apartment complex like I do, it isn’t dark enough to see many stars. I feel like I’m missing out. It’s been a habit for years to look for the Big and Little Dippers and Polaris. I’ve never been able to find the many other constellations within our viewing range. I’ve found satellites, though.
I guess this is where I’ll end this post and say farewell to Bloganuary and to the other participants. I don’t know if this is the first Bloganuary, but I’ll likely participate next year, too, if it comes to pass.
Stay well. Be safe. See ya! ~MJ
Featured Image credit: Sindre Strøm @ Pexels
Well… I chuckled when I first read this #daily-prompt for #BloganuaryDay30. Me? A tree? After reading one of the quotes I posted below, I’d call myself a willow tree.
Looking back at my life, I guess this prompt has a simple answer. The quotes I posted sums it up for me, but most importantly, I learned that:
One can only hope, right?
Be like a tree. Stay grounded. Connect with your roots. Turn over a new leaf. Bend before you break. Enjoy your unique natural beauty. Keep growing. Joanne Raptis
Adapt yourself to change as the willow tree adapts itself to the weather. When the harsh winds of circumstance sweep across the landscape of your life, bow gracefully, bend gently, adapt graciously.
You are wise to study well the ways of the willow. In the face of change, in the throes of adversity, in the midst of conflict and crisis, the willow willingly bends its branches, but refuses to release its roots. ~William Arthur Ward, “The Wisdom of Adapting Yourself”
In the springtime, leaves unfolding,
Growing, growing one by one,
In the summer, always giving
Cool, green shade to every one;
In the autumn, tall and stately,
Dressed in yellow, red and brown,
In the winter, sleeping, sleeping,
While the snow comes softly down…
~Charlotte Lay Dewey, “A Song of the Trees,” in Kindergarten Review (Springfield, Mass.), October 1906
Have a great day. Stay warm and safe. ~MJ
Featured Image: Willow Tree: Image by Dalibor Smolik from Pixabay
We’re on Day 26 of Bloganuary #daily-prompts. Wow. I praise those of you who have posted every day or even most of the days this month. I didn’t begin until the sixteenth.
Note to new visitors: It isn’t often I post daily on my blog. This is something I’m trying out for the month of January 2022. WordPress created Bloganuary and gives us daily prompts to write about. It’s a way to get in the habit of posting. Get all the information you need HERE. You still have until the end of the month to write your own Bloganuary posts.
The prompt for today asks what is a favorite thing about myself. I’d rather ask others what their favorite thing is about me. Of course, I won’t! Instead, today I’m using a previous prompt. Earlier, I noticed the introductory #Bloganuary message said we can use the prompts or write anything we want. Well, great, because today I’m backtracking again to a prompt I missed:
I got up on January 1st this year and grabbed a stack of sticky notes (before coffee). I wrote a title:
In the beginning, I added to my notes in the morning, but throughout the day, I came up with other reasons to be grateful. Now I write it down when a new reason comes to mind. For example when the sunshine melted snow off my car. This meant I didn’t have to go outside to do it myself. Brrr. ☃❄☃
I chose these five to share with you today.
I figured in this case I’d show instead of tell. Thanks for visiting. It’s Wednesday. Soon, I’ll get back to posting Wordless Wednesday posts. ~MJ
Howdy, folks. Here we go with today’s Bloganuary prompt:
I could sum this up with one word, but I’ll add a few more:
That’s right.
Independence gives me inner strength and makes me feel strong. Without the inner strength that led me to this point in my life, I wouldn’t be the person I am today, and I’m grateful to God for His part in my survival.
I hope you don’t mind seeing two posts in your inbox today. Inspiration caused the first one.
Thank you for reading.
Mary J. McCoy-Dressel ~ Contemporary Romance 
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