This summer, it’s all about you!

Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

I thought it might be fun to do something a little different with my blog this summer. I’d like to conduct an informal interview and to spotlight one blog each Friday. Participants would answer five fun questions, nothing stressful because it’s summertime.

This is my way of saying thank you to all those who nominated my blog for awards and to those who continue to visit each week. Plus, I love getting to know you all better.

If you’re a regular visitor and you’re interested in participating, please comment below and email me at jaweatherholt@gmail.com. I’ll email you ten questions and you pick the five questions you would like to answer. When you email your answers to me, you can include a brief bio, a link to your blog, as well as any project you would like to spotlight. If I get a decent response, I’ll go through the list alphabetically by first name.

For those of you taking a blogging break this summer, I know many of you are, enjoy your time off! Have a safe summer.

***COMMENTS CLOSED 5/31/14 – 17 BLOGS WILL BE SPOTLIGHTED THROUGH SEPTEMBER, 2014.

Today’s your lucky day!

Image courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

The question has probably crossed everyone’s mind at least once, for some, perhaps more than once. What would I do if I won a multi-million dollar lottery?

Earlier this week, Derek, my significant other, was at a gas station when he spied 3 lottery tickets drifting on a breeze through the parking lot. He assumed they were from a past drawing, but when he looked at the date, he saw the tickets were for that night’s drawing.

When he arrived home and showed me the tickets, I started to wonder…what were the odds of finding 3 lottery tickets…could these be winning tickets? Winning this particular game wouldn’t result in a life changing win, but what if it did and what if we won.

It’s tempting to think that a large sum of money can bring happiness and solve all of your problems, but stories I’ve read about past lottery winners tell a different story. If not managed properly, a big win can turn into a big disaster. Surprisingly, people with prior experience of winning the lottery have repeated the same mistake, spending too much money too soon.

Even $50 million can run out if you splurge on anything your heart desires such as, luxury homes, high end cars and foreign travel. Bankruptcy, divorce and estranged relationships with family are just a few problems that some lottery winners have faced. As it turns out, Easy Street might not be that easy.

Derek and I didn’t win any money from those 3 tickets, but we didn’t lose any either. If we ever did win the big one, we’re pretty conservative when it comes to money, so I’d like to think we would be the exception.

What would you do if you hit the jackpot?

All Scream for Ice Cream

Image courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

When I was a kid, it was officially summer time when the ice cream truck rolled through the neighborhood. The white box shaped truck with its brightly colored popsicles, snow cones and bomb pops painted on its side, captured the attention of every kid in the neighborhood.

No matter what we were doing, when my friends and I heard “It’s a Small World” in the distance, we scattered as if we were ants sprayed with poison. We raced to our houses, raiding our piggy banks or begging our parents for spare change. As the melody grew louder, we knew time was of the essence.

For years, our ice cream truck was driven by a patient older gentleman who cruised the neighborhood at a snail’s pace. He made a point of learning everyone’s name and your ice cream of choice. If you were short a couple of pennies, he kept a jar of spare change to make up the difference.

One day our world changed. The soft melody of “It’s a Small World” went silent. In its place, the screeching sounds of an electric guitar. Gone was the sweet elderly man. The new driver was young. He had long wild hair and wore a tie-dyed tee shirt. This was no ordinary ice cream man. He raced through the neighborhood. If you weren’t at the corner when he stopped, he sped to the next.

I’ll never forget the day he played a game of cat and mouse with my neighbor, Timmy. We knew if we wanted ice cream, we had to be at the corner. On this day, Timmy had trouble scrounging up his change and he didn’t make it in time.

As the truck raced away from the corner, Timmy chased after it. To our surprise, the long hair slammed on his breaks, something he had never done. When Timmy was within arm’s reach of the truck, long hair floored it and then stopped again. This continued through the entire neighborhood. Poor Timmy was exhausted by the time the truck left our neighborhood.

Timmy didn’t get his ice cream that day and he didn’t join us at the corner the next few days. A week later the sound of the electric guitar faded. “Camptown Races” echoed through the neighborhood and a new driver was behind the wheel. Things were back to normal and we were able to enjoy the carefree days of summer.

What was your favorite ice cream treat?

Mother Knows Best

Image courtesy of wikipedia.org

When I was in the third grade, I threw my first tantrum. Of course, this is the first one I recall, but my mother can probably remember plenty of others. I have a vivid recollection of this particular tantrum.

Growing up, my mother always dressed my sister and me in cute clothes. We wore Carter, Buster Brown and Garanimals. She had good taste and wanted us to look “presentable” when we left the house.

The morning of the tantrum, my mother chose the outfit she wanted me to wear to school. I was mortified. I put it on with the hopes that when she saw how ridiculous I looked, she would take pity on me and let me pick another outfit.

I don’t remember the shirt, but I do remember the plaid brown and black Knickerbocker pants and white “Go-Go” boots. I came down the stairs and she met me in the foyer. Her first words, “You look so cute in that outfit.”

Image courtesy of wikipedia.org – women wearing Knickerbockers

At that moment, I dropped to the floor, crying, kicking and screaming. This was the beginning of my tirade. “Why are you doing this to me? Why are you trying to embarrass me? Everyone will laugh at me! I look so stupid! I’m not going to school!”

My mother was never one to put up with such an outburst. At 5’1″ and a petite frame, she was a force to be reckoned with. She grabbed my wrist and pulled me to my feet. “Dry up.” I remember her saying. “You’re going to wear that outfit and I don’t want to hear another word.”

She drove me to school in silence. Typically, I rode the school bus, but it came and left as I threw my fit. During the ride, I realized I was going to be late. I would have to walk into the class while everyone was already at their desks. All eyes would be on me. I never like being the center of attention, especially when I was dressed like a freak.

My face was on fire when I entered the classroom. Everyone watched me as I took a seat at my desk. I was already dreading recess since that meant I would have to get out of my chair.

A funny thing happened as we filed out of class and onto the playground. My friend said, “I love that outfit.” Another girl, who I didn’t know that well said, “I wanted boots like that, but my mom wouldn’t buy them for me.” I smiled. Maybe my mom was right, maybe this was a cute outfit.

On this Mother’s Day, I’d like to say thank you Mom, for loving me in spite of my occasional tantrums. Thank you for always knowing what was best for me. I’m thankful to have a mother who is also my best friend.

My beautiful mother with my father.

Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day weekend!

Hanging with Friends

This past weekend, as I finalized my short story for submission, rather than shut out the outside world, I decided to take it in.

I retreated to my favorite place to write during the spring and fall, the back patio.

This…is my sanctuary.

I had all sorts of company.

Who says a writer’s life is a solitary one?

On a beautiful day, I refuse to stay holed up in a dark room with a tiny window. I want to be inspired by nature’s beauty.

Of course there are thousands of ways to get inspired, but after a long and cold winter, I crave nature’s inspiration. There is nothing that inspires me more than listening to the sounds of nature and hanging out with these beautiful creatures.

Please check out the special gift I received from my dear friend, Patsy. What a wonderful surprise…this is why I love blogging, so many kind and caring people. Thank you, Patsy!