London Bridge Is Down and Life These Days

There is a certain sadness that has been blanketing the world since yesterday morning.

After 96 years of life and 70 years, 214 days Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, Queen of Great Britain and the Commonwealth has died.

Even though she was a queen to the UK, the rest of the world loved her.  We shared her sorrows and her joys, her upsets and her bad times as she shared ours all over the world.

She rallied her nation in times of trouble and strife even before becoming queen. She shared their burdens from World War II on.

I loved her because she was a piece of a country that I love, a couple of my favorite authors were born and died there....many of my favorite music artists are British.  I love British stories, and I love watching the monarchy and British television programs as much as I love Korean dramas.

I think that it is awesome that her reign outlived her great great grandmother, Queen Victoria AND it outlasted the reigns of her male predecessors.  She was a modern woman of her time like Queen Victoria and helped ease the citizen through the changing times.  

She sacrificed a lot for her country, at times she couldn't spend as much time with her children as I am sure she wanted to, but she made up for it as they got older.  

She was a present grandmother when her grandsons needed her.  During the loss of Diana, she chose to be there for her grandsons even though the nation was criticizing her for her slow response to the death of Diana.  She was following protocol.

I will be honest, I thought that she was purposely outliving her son because of how he had behaved throughout most of his life.  King Charles III was never one of my favorites in the family, but in recent years he has been proving himself to being the kind of person to represent the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth as Head of State.  His reign won't be very long, but I am sure that in his time, he will do a good job.  Still not a fan of the Queen Consort but that is alright.

Rest In Love, Your Highness and God save the King!!

Since the end of July, I have been taking myself into control. I began by re-starting my beauty routine and taking vitamins.  I felt that it was time for me to be proactive in my life so that I would feel better and be ready to return to work.

My latest Petscan showed that I am still basically cancer free but there was a few places between my colon and intestines that lit up and my doctor wants me to have a colonoscopy so that we can clear up the issue fast, but he doesn't think that this is cancer, which is good.

I have been trying to get more exercise and improving my stamina so that I can go back to work.

The only concern that I have is that I have gained thirty pounds and I now weigh more than I ever have in my life.  I don't like this and in research, found that I am now over weight, even though you can barely tell because it is distributed throughout my body.  I don't like this at all so I am trying to lose it in a healthy and positive way.

I have been so bored with everything in the last few months.  I am so ready to go out and start working again.  

I get lazy too.  I haven't even finished Diana Gabaldon's latest novel for some reason.  It has been out since last November.   I know that part of me wants to take it slow and savor it because Herself likes to take her time writing and makes sure that the novels are at their best, but this other little part of me doesn't want to read for some reason.  I will read in spurts sometimes. I don't know why I am like this.

This also happens when I try to knit.  I will knit for a while but then put it down and not do anythng with it for a week or so.  I quit in the middle of some of my projects too.

I don't like to watch a lot of television lately either.  I spend a lot of time watching Korean dramas though.  I need to figure out what is wrong with me these days and fix them.

Raven

Outlandish Knitting Treat, Cooking, Loving Fall

Today I received great news!!  

I love Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series and I love knitting.  This is no secret. So this news comes as a double joy for me.

Diana Gabaldon's publisher, Random House has published a book for knitters!! YAY!!

Outlander Knitting will be available on October 27. I can't wait!! The fall and winter just became more interesting!

I love to knit!  I have a new pattern and yarns that I am looking forward to doing.  There are some new techniques in the pattern that I am looking forward to learning how to do.

What I love about knitting is that I can do it while watching television, listening to books on audio, or listening to music when the pattern is simple.

I also love knitting because I can make things for others that come from the heart. 

It also gets me inspired as the seasons change, I can knit anywhere at any time. 

Someday I want to learn how do more in the textile/yarn arts arena...spinning yarn, dyeing, weaving, and other things related yarn.;

I have been getting more excited about cooking recently.  Usually I don't like to cook because it is only myself that I cook for, and I don't want to spend the time to cook just for myself then do the dishes afterwards, but recently I have been WANTING to cook for myself. I have been getting a comfortable feeling when I do.  I think that I am getting tired of microwaving my meals or ordering from Door Dash.

The scent of food cooking in my home that has been making me happy. So does baking.  I get a sense of nostalgia when I cook the meals that I used to eat when I was growing up and with my family. 

I have also been getting more into my Auxiliary commitments lately too.  Since the slow opening of the state and country, it is nice to be able to be around that side of my family.  I missed them so much. I can't wait until things get put into a sense of stability.

Last week, I took care of the problem at my job. While things got a little better, I don't think that anyone quite figured out what I did or why I did it. I'm not surprised by this. It's hard for their minds to understand that people shouldn't be treated as I had been treated. They didn't get it that the manager/owner did his job because my supervisor wouldn't do hers.

I had to set things right because my work anniversary has come, and I don't want to work in an environment that will make me uncomfortable since I am hoping to retire from that job. I also have rights as an employee.

I am looking forward to the fall.  It is my favorite time of the year.  The changing colors always soothe my heart. It is also a great time because the best holidays coming up...Halloween, Thanksgiving, Labor Day...my favorite holidays!! It is also time for the kiddos to go back to school (for what it is right now).

I hope that I can move before the fall comes so that I can get settled in and decorate. I plan to make my next place my permanent home...at least until I may have to move back to my hometown to be close enough to my family so that I can take care of them.

I have two brothers and two sisters, but one of my brothers has Multiple Sclerosis, and I plan to be there to help take care of him when the family elders pass away. He can take care of himself and things on his own, but someday he won't be able to, so I want to be near when that happens.

This is why I want to get my future savings plan set, and have job security. I want to take care of my family members and be able to live the rest of my life comfortably. I want to make sure that I stay healthy for them too.

With my anniversary at work, starting my 401k at work and putting money into my savings account, it is time for me to get my medical and dental situation going.

It looks like things are starting to get better, now I just have to keep going on this path.

Blessed be!

Tired of Things

It seems that I am questioning myself again-as a writer and as a person.


I need to figure out why I am feeling such ennui these days.


I am trying to read Persuasion, but for some reason, my heart isn't in the place to read.  I want to blog on Tea In Austenland about this but it is hard when I cannot get motivated enough even for that.


I will spend time evaluating myself and figure out why this keeps happening.


Though, I do believe that the attitudes and actions of others that I know online have been the root cause of all of my feelings of apathy.  I watch friends doing stupid things and it makes me want to smack the snot out of them, but I only shake my head and contemplate unfriending them on Facebook.


Another part of me is wanting desperately to go back to the way things used to be when I first began playing on the internet, or doing some changes on me and on the things I do now.  I guess I just want to do things differently or go back to the way they used to be with a difference.


I miss doing book reviews and blogs about Diana Gabaldon and Jane Austen, I want to add more to that too.  I am just ready to make my life productive.


I am also tired of the way things are in my personal life.  The same bad habits keep showing up and keep me from doing what I want to do the most.  I want a productive life!

Working On This Site Again/Mists Of Avalon

I have not been here in a while...I just had so many other places that needed my attention, and I really needed to take care of this place. It looked so bare sitting here alone.

I have been having some issues with self lately, but they are being resolved as I realize the truths that I cannot hide from myself. I will probably explain this at a later date.

However, finances being what they are...July 1 is the target date for getting my own place. I have been saving like crazy whenever I can these days...and it looks really good for me.

I have decided to give Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley another try, and I am finding it a very enjoyable read.

I am thinking of starting my own forum in the next few months, for Marion. I realize that the lady in question passed on some years ago, but she has many titles and a co-author that may provide some great conversation concerning the novels...I want to start some sort of reading group to encompass a few authors of the same style of writing and genre-fantasy/Camelot/history/novel...it might be fun. I wouldn't be able to begin this until I have moved into my own place and able to keep an eye on it all of the time, but the ideas are piling up in my head.

This is a very hot day...I don't think that I have not experienced a moment of non-sweatiness all day...all week!! I would keep complaining about it, but why bother...it only makes the situations worse...lol

I will also begin to write again. I am reminded of the things that Diana Gabaldon has written about writing and being a writer, and I realized that it's not enough to want it, but to do it.

So, computer or not, I have been working on my writing. I am putting pen to paper in the old style, and it is so much fun! Eventually I may find a really great site to showcase my work, but I want to take this one step at a time....

Tonight, I plan to sit back, have a cup of coffee, and continue to read-I am torn between my newest love of Mists of Avalon, or Rosalind Miles' Guenevere trilogy...lately, I have been enamoured of Avalon and Fair Camelot!! Either way, they are great authors and I will enjoy my evening after a much needed shower and supper!!

~Karol Lynn

We Have Diana!!!!

I was in a foul mood over a friend of mine...something he said that I will talk about later, but I have something for you...

On facebook, I found a group for hopeless Jamie addicts like myself and a few others here....and in a group wall post, I found this:

http://voyagesoftheartemis.blogspot.com/ Yes, that is our dearly beloved Diana Gabaldon's blog....I can hear you guys screaming!!!! YYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!! Direct contact with Herself!! What fun and excitement!!!

So, I will not talk about that incident until tomorrow, I am way to happy right now...I think I will go tell others what we have found!!! I am so happy!!!



Karol Lynn