Another Step Down the Happiness Project Path

Today I attended the last formal meeting of the Headwaters Writers' Guild for 2013. Rather than writing from prompts as we usually do, today's leader Nancy, passed around sheets of paper with each member's names written at the top. The idea was to write positive things about each member. (check out Nancy's post at http://headwaterswritersguild.blogspot.ca/ )

I looked forward to seeing what everyone would write about me, especially since my kids had done the same project in school and came home with some wonderful comments about them. So, what did I come home with? I've posted the comments below:

Open hearted and generous.

Easy to like.

Attention to detail and a genuine love of writing are but two of your gifts.

Beneath those golden locks lurks a keen mind!!

Diane's motives are a mystery.

Intelligence, level-headed and kind. A great friend - loyal, patient.

Prolific writer - great story teller - awesome characters - good friend.

I love the way you read your stories - your personality really shines through.

You are motivated, active and caring. You are an inspiration.

You have a really great sense of timing in your stories.

Thanks for remembering me, you obviously can make a person feel more comfortable.

Your stories are so imaginative and complete little worlds and I love your characters. Congrats on being published!


Wow, what great comments! Talk about inspiring!

One of the best ways I know of to improve happiness is to surround yourself with creative and supportive people.
I must admit, my kids are some of the most creative, supportive people I know. By the time I came home from my meeting today, my youngest had a list and was ready to hit the grocery store. At 12 years old, he decided it was a good day to make Beaver Tails - basically flat pieces of fried dough dipped in cinnamon sugar. While I would rather have sat and done some editing, supervising him in the kitchen was as much fun as watching him eat the treats when we were done. Creativity at its tastiest!

For today, I am grateful to have such a great group of writers to work with.
I am also grateful for having great kids who love to do the things that make them happy - like cooking - and even putting up a Christmas tree can be an adventure. But that's a blog for another day!






 

Slow and Steady wins the Taste Buds

I'm used to writing novels and painting pictures one small step at a time. Sometimes it's agonizing to know what the finished product will look like, but your hand can only move so fast. I had the pleasure last night of walking my fourteen-year-old son through cooking a three course meal. As I am prone to do, he chose recipes that were way over his beginner head. That didn't deter him.

He made up his shopping list and did the shopping (with a little help but that was mostly to pay!). Yesterday afternoon, he and I got out all the things he would need to make this meal. I have to admit I was a bit sceptical. He chose four interesting recipes: Cheese Bites, Parmesan Potatoes, Drumstick Cake, and Ginger-Orange Glazed Chicken. The cake he made Saturday. On Sunday, for 2 1/2 hours, he minced garlic and ginger, zested oranges, chopped potatoes and created a masterpiece.

Slowly and surely, all the bits and pieces came together to create a meal that even the pickiest eater in our house enjoyed. My son proud as he should have been. He even impressed his uncle, a chef.

So why am I talking about cooking in a blog devoted to writing and art? Cooking, as my friend Laura reminds me, is an art. One step at a time, you take something that might be nothing on it's own, but when blended or sauteed or mixed it can become something wonderful. Just like words and paint.

My son says he wants to be a lawyer or a teacher. After this weekend, he may consider a new vocation.

Let it snow, let it snow . . .

We woke up to a blanket of snow and more barking from up the hall. Another day, another sick kid. Seems our family is notorious for the barking coughs around here. I can think of much better things to be famous for!

I had a sudden abundance of broccoli today. No, it didn't appear out of the snowbank, it was from the snack program at school. Can you believe they were going to throw it in the compost? Yikes! I used my creative skills to create two masterpieces: Broccoli Soup and Potato-Carrot Soup. Oh, and some biscotti for my party. I was going to bake buns tonight but my energy is waning. Cooking certainly is a creative endeavor - especially looking at the mess I make of it. At least it turns out edible 99% of the time!

Still doing some edits on Take The Money and Run, my first novel, so that I can start to submit it all over the place again. My lovely editor Laura has both my other books to edit, critique, tear to shreds, etc. Hope she goes easy on me, it is nearly Christmas after all.

Had a lovely evening last night at a book launch for a fellow Headwaters Writers' Guild writer named Clare McCarthy. He published his novel The Hurleyville Taxi: Two thousand pounds of Bacon and Bone. Book Lore hosted a book signing and the place was packed! Congratulations, Clare! You can find out more at www.northwordbound.ca.

We also discovered another of our writers Harry Posner's book Word Bird. Harry graciously showed us his book and posed for pictures. It's on my list for Christmas!