National Blog Posting Month in March

National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo as it's commonly referred to) is all about Risk during the month of March.  The following is directly from their blog post about March's theme:

When was the last time you took a risk? I mean, honestly threw caution to the wind, said even a small chance of success was worth the possibility of failure, and took a big chance? If you can't remember the last time you took a risk, what are you waiting for? Don't you know that with great risks comes great rewards?

This is an extremely timely topic in my life.  There are a couple of things that have had me thinking about risk recently.  So, I'm taking part in NaBloPoMo during March and will be thinking and blogging about the different elements and potential rewards of risk.  Care to join in? Just follow the link and sign up through the fifth of the month.

Teaser Tuesday's - Mr. Churchill's Secretary (second teaser)

Teaser Tuesday's is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just do the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser this week is from page  82 of Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia Macneal:

"And we'll need the Nazis' help if we're going to achieve our ultimate goal," Murphy said.  "The destruction of England."

I am still reading the same book from last week but this is a new teaser.  The book is really good - I just haven't had much time to actually read it.  When I do pick it up though, it is enthralling!

Booking Through Thursday - Libraries

Booking Through Thursday is a fun, weekly, bookish question and response event. This week's question is:

How often do you visit a library? Do you go to borrow books? Do research? Check out the multi-media center? Hang out with the friendly and knowledgeable staff? Are you there out of love or out of need?

I love the library and have since I was a little girl! It has always been such a magical place to me.  Fortunately, I have passed my love of books, the library and bookstores on to my children.  Since that is the case, we visit the library at least once a week.  We borrow books and now that my oldest child is doing school projects - we do research there, as well.  And both of my kids adore using the children's multi media center.  The library has so many great computer learning programs for the kids.  The library is a place we need for practical purposes but it is also a place that we absolutely love.

Wordless Wednesday - Cactii

Yarn Along

Yarn Along is a weekly event hosted at Small Things.  The idea is to share what you are currently reading and knitting or crocheting.

This week, I am reading a book called Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia Macneal.  It is about a woman who is asked to be one of Winston Churchill's secretaries during World War 2 in London.  I've just begun the book but it is really intriguing so far.  Although, I do love Historical Fiction and most anything set in England.

I am crocheting a Granny Patchwork Afghan that I am going to be working on for some time.  It's really lovely so far and I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

Teaser Tuesday's - Mr. Churchill's Secretary

Teaser Tuesday's is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. To play along, just do the following:

- Grab your current read

- Open to a random page

- Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teaser.

My teaser this week is from page 16 of Mr. Churchill's Secretary by Susan Elia Macneal:

Here's something I can do for the war effort, she thought, something I can do and do well.  There's a need and I can fill it.  It was as simple as that; and in wartime, it was all that mattered.

Writing

I am a tad bit embarrassed to admit that I have gotten very little writing done since the end of November.  I have my reasons (okay, my excuses), of course: Christmas, starting a home-based business, revolving illness through my family.  And while these reason-excuses are legitimate, I need to get over it and get on with the writing! Knowing this and doing this have been two vastly different things lately, though.

So, what am I going to do about it? Starting tomorrow, I am recommitting myself to writing 500 words per day.  I was doing so well with this last summer and fall.  I went into November and successfully completely NaNoWriMo.  In December, I submitted two books for hopeful publishing and then just dropped the writing ball. 

I've got a couple of ideas bouncing around in my head and tomorrow I'm just going to start writing.  I know I need to park my butt in a chair, in front of my laptop and get something down.  Please feel free to ask me all about it.  I'd appreciate the accountability.

Feel free to tell me how the New Year has been treating you and your endeavors.

Other Hobbies

What hobbies - besides reading, of course - do you love to do? A couple of years ago I decided to teach myself to crochet.  It was something I had started to learn as a little girl but never got very far with it.  I always wanted to learn but never made the time.  When I did, I was surprised at how fast I picked it up and completely fell in love with the craft.  The above is a shoulder wrap that I made for my mother-in-law for her birthday.  She loved it, I'm happy to say.

Now I'm considering giving knitting a go.