Remember Me

Well hello there! You may have noticed my absence from blog writing and reading for the last, let me see..... Oh my, has it really been three weeks?!?! It seems I took a longer Spring Break than I realized. Time flies!

Six days of my three week blogging hiatus was spent in Nashville. I basked in the warmth of family and sunshine, while another blizzard roared in Northern Wisconsin. I read a few books and discovered for me reading books and writing are not compatible. Hopefully I am not unique in this respect.

I also found myself paying attention to the nuances of the authours characters and descriptive. I kept my nifty yellow and pink highlighters at the ready for the words that portrayed emotions and situations perfectly. So now I have three books with splashes of yellow and slashes of pink throughout.


Now I am all geared up for the A-Z Challenge. I am dedicating the A-Z Challenge to my six wonderful and very eventful days in Nashville. I hope you will tune in.

P.S.  I missed the last Crusader Challenge too.  Hanging my head...down in the mouth etc. etc. etc. 

Tears, Tears And More Tears!

For results of 300 Follower Give Away scroll to end of post. 

Photo taken from this Source

I don't usually address politics or current affairs on Inkpots n' Quills.  But for the past few weeks my life has been overtaken by politics. Every time I came to the page, pen was determined to address my political agnst.  The result, I posted/wrote nothing at all.  That is not working for me.  Sorry!  I hope I do not offend, no offense is intended or meant.

You see, I am one of those villainous State Workers in Wisconsin.  I am not going to go into the financial ramifications of Walker's Budget Bill.  All working and unemployed middle class people are hurting financially.  But Walker's original Budget Bill deprives my classification of medical insurance and retirement benefits. What have Republican politicians against healthy citizens?   He (Walker) supposedly rescinded that portion of his bill, but can I or anyone else believe him.  Recent events makes me think not.

This appalled State Worker of Wisconsin is not a  union member.  My classification did not afford me the choice of union membership, much to my disappointment.  But let me tell you after the shenanigans at Madison's Capital building on Wednesday night, restrictions or no, Thursday saw me seeking out a union to join and if that is still not possible I will contribute to one.  I am sickened by Walker's blatant Union busting tactics cloaked in the guise of budget.

According to Scott Walker, there are the haves and the have nots and State workers, the likes of me fall into his "haves" category.  Imagine my shock as I mulled over this stunning revelation.

"Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Japan has been hit by a massive 8.9  Earthquake followed by devastating Tsunami waves and the aftershocks continue. The death toll numbers increase with each news sound bite.   As I type the Tsunami waves heads for Hawaii.   The Americas are bracing for its arrival.   Low lying Chile is also in its path.  My heart and my prayers go out to all who have been ravaged by this cataclysm and all those bracing for it. 

Is there anything we in the blogsphere can do?  Are there any bloggers out there affected by this disaster? 
Is there anything we as a community or I as an individual can do? 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I hate to finish on this sad note so I will direct you over to Talli Roland's.  It is the last day of her Big Book Giveaway marking Publication Week of her book, "The Hating Game"  Congratulations to all the wonderful winners.  Great Giveaway Tallie and a big *bualadh bos*!

And now to Winners of my 300 Follower Give Away.  I didn't have any cute little nieces and nephews to draw the names this time.  But I found this wonderful site called "The Hat." Find the download for this program here .  I had such a great time shuffling and shuffling.  Such laughing I had.  Yes my life is that sad!!! LOL.

Anyway this is how the names came out:
1.  Shallee @ Shallee McArthur
2. Margo Benson @ Margo Benson
3. Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
4. Niamh @ Words A Day

And Mr. 300 is Nick Thomas @ Along These Lines.

There are three signed copies of Talli Roland's "The Hating Game" and two Amazon Gift Cards to be allotted. Please let me know your preference by email or in the comments.  (ormondann at gmail dot com)  First Come etc. etc. 

I wish I could give all the wonderful followers of Inkpots n' Quills a token of my appreciation.  But this Wisconsin State Worker must live in reality.  So, all I can offer my lovely blog supporters is a *Huge, Gigantic, Foot Stomping Bualadh Bos*

10, 9, 8..........

300 GiveAway

I can't believe it, I passed the 200 follower mark in record time. One minute I had 167 followers and the next time I looked I had 210.  This debunked my plan for a 200 follower giveaway. (says she with an afraid to be overly pleased grin on her face). Of course my follower number increase is due to the very wonderful Crusade I signed up for. I must give credit where credit is due.  So a major THANK YOU to my fellow Crusaders. I hope you all enjoy your visits to Inkpots n' Quills as much as I have enjoyed meeting you. 

The sword welding Rachael Harrie at  Rach Writes the Crusader Organizer is holding a follower celebration at the moment too. Pop over and have a gander. 

Talli Roland has graciously agreed to send me three signed copies of "The Hating Game" which will be released on March 9. One copy will go to follower 300.  Oh and Tallie is holding a "Hating Game" launch week with a Mega Bookosity give away.  Great books in the offing there!

Names will be drawn from follower commenters on posts until March 9, for the other two copies and two Amazon Gift Cards.

I can't say Thank you enough for following Inkpots n' Quills. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on my posts. Your support and encouragement is greatly appreciated.  

You are STARS!  Yes you are!



I'm a Stylish Blogger, Yes I Am!

I have received this Stylyish Blogger Award from

 Catherine at Dispatches of the Deise,

Gen of Living on Earth

and Trisha of Words + Stuff

OhThank you, Thank you and Thank you again!

.

Image thanks to Goggle Images.

Big silly grin on face, feeling delighted with myself etc. etc.

The Rules of this award are:

1. Link to the person/persons who bestowed me with this lovely award.  Thank you ladies! Three great blogger friends.  If you don't follow them, well what are you waiting for!

2. Tell you seven things about myself.  hemmm, can I think of seven things, now there's a challenge.

3. Pass the award to three other people...Only three, now that is tough! Methinks this rule was made to be broken!


Seven Things About Myself:

1. I love history. Especially the life stories of Women in history.

2. On the history note, Anne Boleyn has intrigued me since my pre-teens. I think I have a copy of just about everything written about her.

3. I do get annoyed at interpretations of Anne and have been known to fire the offending book across the room. Case in Point "The Other Boleyn Girl" How totally historically incorrect! Reluctantly stepping off my soapbox.

4. I am the oldest in my family. Younger siblings may describe me as the bossiest. I beg to differ.

5. I love to knit. I made two little matinee coats for "Little Sir" (a post introducing Little Sir)

6. I also enjoy cooking. I have a major collection of cookbooks and yet I buy more. I love reading them.

7. Let's see can I think of an adventure.....When I was 19 I wanted to go to Dublin for the weekend. But I missed the train so I went outside the train station, stood at the side of the Dublin road, put my thumb out and hitched. A very nice young Scottish man in a blue car stopped and to my delight was heading to Dublin.

The time seemed to fly by as we chatted about this, that and everything.   Before I knew it we were driving down the main street of Naas.   He said he needed to stop for dinner and very generously asked if I would join him.  I hesitated wondering if this was against hitching protocol. My next thought was did I have enough money to pay for a meal in this posh hotel.  I need not have worried though because he treated me to a lovely three course dinner in the beautiful Victorian dining room of Lawlors Hotel. After dinner he ordered two glasses of Cointreau and set them alight. I was very impressed by his obvious sophistication. As we neared Dublin I thought he would drop me on O'Connell Bridge and head for his Holyhead ferry, but he drove me to the door of my friend's house in Glenageary. He declined the offered cup of tea afraid if he delayed he would miss the ferry.  Such a gentleman. His name did I hear you ask?  During the journey to Dublin I learned much about this Scotsman. The one of the little details I seemed to miss was his name!
Still kicking myself over that one.

So there you have it. Seven things you might or might not want to know about me.

And the award goes to:
1. Brigid @ sort of writing

2. Barbara @ From My Kitchen Table

3. Olive @ Write Olive

4. Niamh @ Words a Day

5. Theresa @ Substitute Teacher’s Saga

6. Old Kitty @ Ten lives and second chances

7. Len @ Conversations with Self

8. Mary @ Máire Rua Writes

9.  Mise @ Pretty Far West

10. Aine @ Áine Tierney

Just a few of my favorite Stylish Blogger buddies!
Be sure to visit them.

I would like to Welcome  all the Crusaders and new followers to Inkpots n' Quills.  *waving* My follower numbers have soared so quickly, I can barely keep up.  I aplologize to those I have not returned the follow, but your blog is not linked to your profile and I have been unable to find you.  Sorry! :(

A Shark of a Story

Thanks to Google Images.

 Today is the big reveal..  The truth about my First Crusader Challenge story.

 I have always loved the sea and did compete in sailing competitions around Southern Ireland in a GP 14 named "Rubber Duck"  I think the word fuliguline reminded me of this little experience. 

The boat did in fact capsize into a school of Basking Sharks. Basking sharks are often seen traveling in larger schools of up to a 100 or more. I swear there were hundreds of them! 

 I was indeed wearing the thick Atlantic Ocean grade insulated wetsuit. Which I was told after the fact was a good thing or my skin could have been ripped to ribbons due to the basking sharks skin with its large dermal dentacles (denticle" translates to "small tooth).  Basking shark skin is very rough and scratchy because it is covered in MILLIONS of scales like tiny shark teeth!

The Basking Sharks sheer size and power must be respected. They are HUGE! They have two dorsal fins.  The larger one is to the front of the shark and smaller one towards the tail end.  Scary! 

What I did not do was turn the boat to the wind and sail away leaving my not so Knight in Shining Armour behind.  It is what I wanted to do, but didn't. That could qualify as my good characteristic or my bad one.  Depends on the day.  My sailing days were numbered after this experience.

 Jemi you were right!  Well done.

Now you all know a little something about Basking Sharks.  Blogging is so informative don't you think!

Crusaders Challenge

Rachel at Rac Writes has set The First Crusader Challenge:
So I must tell you in  300 words or less:

· one secret
· one lie
· one interesting quirk
· one annoying habit
· one of my better character traits, and
· one of one favourite things in the whole world.

And I must include the  words, “bloviate,” “fuliguline,” “rabbit,” and “blade”.   No this is not a joke.  After looking up the words the following story came to mind.  I hope you enjoy it more than I did!
Oh and don't forget to check out the other Crusaders who have taken on the Challenge here!

When I was young I sailed the seas like fuliguline.   I competed in races around the south of Ireland in a GP14, the “Rubber Duck.”  When the races were over my fellow sailing competitors gathered in the pub and would bloviate on the day’s events.  There were many a tall tale and a boisterous sing song.  I had no fear of the seas.  I relished the wind and sea spray in my face, the exhilaration of hanging out the side of the boat as the wind caught the sails and the spinnaker.  My head just brushing the waves until that fateful day.  It was the three point harbour race.  We were ahead by a hair as we rounded the Black Rock.  The sail flapped, the boat keeled as we tried to tack.  But alas it was not to be and the boat capsized.  He landed on the Black Rock; I landed in the water and tried to disentangle myself from the ropes.  I turned and that is when I saw them.  Sharks fins just a few feet away.  I felt like a rabbit trapped in a foxes den.  

 “Grab the boat and turn it over,” he shouted at me. 

“ Sharks,” I screamed back at him, “Sharks! “ 

“Grab the ropes and turn the boat,” he shouted.  “They won’t hurt you, they are only Basking Shark, they only eat plankton.”

One of the large barnacled bodies passed right by me.  Thankfully I was wearing my Atlantic Ocean wetsuit or my skin would have been cut to ribbons.  I righted the boat and managed to climb in. 

“Now,” he said, “Ease her over here.” 

 I looked at him and if I had a blade I would have run him through. 

Turning the boat into the wind, “Swim,” I said, “After all they are only Basking Shark, and they won’t hurt you.”

Something about this tale isn’t strictly true, can you guess what it is? Will reveal the little fib on Wednesday, 2/23.       Ooops went ten words over!  HeyHo!

o!

Nicole Ducleroir's ~ Bernard Pivot Blogfest

The other particapants taking part in Nicole's Blogfest can be found at One Significant Moment!
Thanks Nicole.

1. What is your favorite word?
    I love the word Chivalry.  It conjures days of mists and dreams.
 
2. What is your least favorite word?  
   Torture.  My body aches in sympathy
   
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
    Classical music, a beautiful painting, a sunny spring day, a walk by the sea.

4. What turns you off?  
    Blaring televisions, constant interruptions and sometimes guilt about what I should be doing   instead. 


5. What is your favorite curse word?
    Shite.......excuse my French!

6. What sound or noise do you love?
    The sound of a child's laughter.  I also love the sound of the sea  waves breaking on the shore.      Very soothing to the soul.

7. What sound or noise do you hate?
The sound of crunching or nails running down nylon shower curtains.  The old type of nylon/vinyl curtains. When I was young I became very ill and an ambulance was called but the doctor felt I was too ill to move.  He ripped the shower curtain off the bath rail and wrapped me up in it and submerged me into a bath of freezing cold water and ice to bring down the deadly fever.  

 My children when they cried with pain.

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?    
When I was in secondary school I wanted to be an Archaeologist.  Make great and historic discoveries then write a memoir detailing all my wonderful and exciting discoveries and experiences. 

9. What profession would you not like to do?   I would hate to be a nurse.  I have a phobic fear of needles.  It is a bit embarrassing really at my age but there you go!

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Welcome! Let me hold the Gate for you!

To my fellow Crusaders, I am just surfacing from a nasty bout of flu.  I plan to visit you all soon. 

Move Over Eleanor of Aquitaine.



I have taken the plunge and joined  Rachael Harrie's Second Writers' Platform Building Crusade. What about you?  Have you signed up yet?  I am so excited at the prospect of meeting new writers and gleening all your wonderful Platform building tips! 

Eleanor of Aquitaine enters Constantinople, 1147 A.D.
Illustration from Women Warlords, Tim Newark, Blanford Press, UK, 1989



He's Here!!!!

Little Sir has arrived!!!! He is the gorgeous little man in my arms. Little Sir is my First Grandchild and the Son of my Beautiful Girl. What a day we all had on Ireland’s first day of Spring and St. Brigid’s Day. February First now also has the auspicious honour of being Little Sir's birthday.

When I got home from the hospital and finally crawled into my bed, tears began to flow. Again! I lay there wondering where these tears were coming from. Little Sir was safely delivered and my Beautiful Girl was looking relaxed and content when I left her. I was surprised I still had tears left in me. I cried for two hours straight in the hospital as My Girl's labour intensified. Pacing the hallway, staring out the window watching the steam puffs from the frigid air rise from the footpaths below. Trying to repress the unrelenting urge to burst into the Labour and Delivery room to rescue her. I pulled one tissue after another from the box in a frenzy until it was empty. I chewed the inside of my lower lip raw with all the nervous biting.

I pondered on the reason for these tears, streaming down my cheeks. Were they tears of excitement, delight and happiness. Or maybe tears of relief tinged with tiredness. I wondered if they were the uncried tears from the potpourri of emotions I experienced throughout the day. I had gotten very little sleep the night before, constantly checking my mobile and listening for the telephone. I fell asleep before I fixed on the cause. I still don’t know the reason for these particular tears but on waking up yesterday morning I was filled with a sense that all was right with the world. I couldn’t wait to get in the car and motor off down the road to see my Beautiful Girl and Little Sir.

This morning when I got up, I started to write a poem about the newest addition to my heart. Now, I am no Katharine Tynan, Ahem! so I have no idea what possessed me. The poem is at the, oh no don't like that, need to find another word and cross that out, phase....but I am sure it will get there. Finished I mean.

So anything exciting happening in your world this week?

P.S. If this post seems slightly incoherent it might have something to do with my giddiness...
Please except my apologies.

I'm A Nana In Waiting....But I'm A Mother First

Daughter's Baby Shower

I sit here not knowing how to express or articulate the myriad of contradictory emotions whirling around within me. I am happy, anxious, excited, worried, giddy, nervous and impatient to name but a few. No wonder I am exhausted! The reason for this mish-mash of emotions, my Baby Girl is on the verge of delivering her first child. My first grandchild!  From today on I will refer to first grandchild  as Little Sir on this blog.

Last week Husband and I went out to dinner with the very happy, proud expectant parents. Daughter beamed with the healthy glow of expectant motherhood. Conversation naturally turned to the upcoming event and Father-to-Be turned to me and asked, “Are you excited!?!” I was a bit taken back by the question. I stuttered a bit and stammered my affirmative reply. Father-to-Be looked a bit disappointed by my stammering response. I attempted a redo, but alas it was too late.

So why the insipid reaction to said question. I will tell you why. I am excited my Girl will very soon experience the sheer joy and bliss of a child of her own. I can’t wait for her to experience the endless well of love that will be unleashed in her when she holds Little Sir in her arms the very first time. I am also giddy with excitement over the prospect of a baby in the family again. I love babies! Some would say I am addicted to babies! So why the hesitation…… Well as a mother I have an inherent need to protect my offspring.  I know this will spill over onto Little Sir....but he is not here yet!

So let’s start with Labour. I would do this for my Girl if I could. But since I can’t I have been bombarding Heaven’s Pearly Gates with fervent prayers and novenas! Asking, well begging actually that her labour be as easy as possible. Hopefully God has been paying attention to the gnashing of my teeth.

We are going to be at the hospital with Daughter. Husband asked me if I was going to be able to watch Daughter in labour without crying. I threw him a Tundra stare in response.  Don't tell him, but you know he might be right. 

The labour is not my only concern. I worry about how the ground will sift beneath her, when she arrives home with Little Sir and the weight, the enormity of responsibility takes hold. I remember peering into the Moses basket at my first Little Sir and my whole body shaking with fright. What if I did something wrong. I know my Girl is not me. She is a very capable, confident young woman, but still I worry. I want to wrap her up in a bubble of love and protect her from the anguish she will feel if Little Sir suffers from colic and she spends hours pacing the floor unable to ease his discomfort. Or the tears she will shed as he wails due to that awful scalding teething rash on his bum. When he has his first sniffle or runs a fever and she is beside herself as to how to soothe him.

And later when Little Sir decides it is time to walk on his own two feet and topples over or careens into the corner of some piece of furniture. And later again when she brings him to school and he wails as she pries her coat tails from his little hands with a breaking heart. Or maybe Little Sir will  turn with a grin and wave her goodbye and her heart will break because he doesn’t need her all that much anymore.

This is why I hesitated when answering Father-to-Be’s question. Because in my heart Daughter is still my Baby Girl and protecting her has been my mission since that wondrous day I first held her in my arms.