AVE MARIA
(with a healthy dose of HOME ALONE)(don't forget the books!)
Hello beautiful friends. Well, I am sick today. Stomach virus. Who knows where I got it from as I have been out and about and doing a lot, including ‘working’ at the animal “clinic” too… www.hart2heartanimalrescue.com (might actually be working as a vet technician aid soon (stay tuned!))—I won’t get into that, YET, but the jist here is that I have been around a lot of people the last few days, so it could have happened anywhere at any time. I could have gotten sick from anyone. I don’t try to backtrack where it came from anymore, because it’s unsolvable. I don’t care either, I just want to look forward and feel better. I have already been neglectful with the fluids, so I just made myself a nice cup of tea and I am hoping I can proceed with writing this. But as Shanora Williams (follow her! She just joined the ‘Stack! And I have written in the past about reading her books, they’re always a fun trip!) …said in her post the other day, with her the brain never shuts down, and mine doesn’t either, so that is helpful in writing this now—especially since I really am not feeling well. The 2nd time I had covid (possibly the first time too) started out just like this… with a stomach virus, so let’s pray on it that it’s not covid because that is the most annoying virus to have and get. I have had them all (as you can imagine—especially with a weakened immune system that has actually in the recent year been doing better as in I don’t get viruses and colds as often as I used to, or they’re not as bad to notice because my nose literally IS always running this time of year, or maybe all times of year (asthma is a fun ride ya’ll…) …
So, the last few weeks… my HOLIDAY HOPE short story was posted in 3 parts, and it is ALL out now… I am happy to report that. Hope you got a chance to check it out. If not, here are the links to all 3 parts…
HOLIDAY HOPE - by Laura W. - Me0wMix -- Part 1
“HOLIDAY HOPE” - by Laura W. - Me0wMix – Part 2
HOLIDAY HOPE: PART 3 - by Laura W. - Me0wMix – Part 3
I am proud of my writing and all the submissions and publications I have worked with this year. Grateful to report I will be self-publishing my memoir in 2026. Not sure when in 2026 yet, but IT WILL BE HAPPENING. And then we shall see where my writing goes. =) Again, I do plan on having a “day job” in this time period but I want to do more of the things I love in this time of my life and that includes writing and of course reading.
I was going to write about Home Alone and Christmas and how inspiring that movie is in some ways, but I’ll leave that comment here and let you decide and find out for yourselves. Are there any Christmas or Holiday themed movies you enjoy watching over and over this time of year? Mine are mainly “Home Alone” and “Home Alone 2” and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” of course. But also, on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I watch “A Christmas Story” each year and one year I watched all 12 showings of it. I didn’t sleep! That was in my 20’s when I never slept anyway and could (somehow) get away with it! Haha! Although I think I was losing my mind because I couldn’t sleep then. For a while (about 10 years) I tried just about every different sleeping pill out on the market in the early 2000’s and 2010’s to help me sleep. I think getting off benzodiazepines though, completely is what fixed me. That took a year to come off of entirely. But I digress, more stuff for my MEMOIR. (It takes roughly a year for BENZOS to empty out of the system completely—ask Google)…
Christmas is alive and well in my house and I am ready to go (despite being sick). Mack had a kitty cold last weekend and we took him to the vet, and he seems to be doing much better. Aurora was sneezing a couple of times, but she seems much better than Mack was. I don’t think Aurora ever really got sick, thank goodness! Mack got a steroid injection as well as an antibiotic to ward off anything that could be bacterial or what not. I do think he just had a virus… I just do not want that to turn into pneumonia. Poor guy. He has been sleeping by the heater, he likes doing that. I remember Pixie (my MOM’s deceased cat) did as well. Speaking of MOM, I miss her. So much. And I miss my HOPE and my CHINO like I lost my arm or something. It just still hurts. The agony of it all… it’s just so painful and grief just ebbs and flows and I wish it would just FLOW RIGHT OUT OF MY BODY AND MIND without the GUILT that that can come with that. I just miss them ALL and I feel like I get right back to the BARGAINING stage of the grief and being so SAD that I’m like WTF!?!? And on top of it, being sick (sorry to mention that again) … just NOT FUN. I did find my MOM’s nativity set that her cousin (who sadly died from DIABETES in her 30’s—don’t quote me on that, although I believe that’s correct) … her cousin made her this beautiful nativity set by hand and all ceramics and painted it. What artwork, what a prize to have. I will treasure it.
Finally, HAPPY FESTIVUS FOR THE REST OF US… IYKYK. =)
BOOKS
I am happy to report I have had some time to read the last few weeks, even with all the new Rescue stuff I am learning. I didn’t mention earlier in the post that I am learning and working on INTAKES now, which is a lot, but it’s a break and a new learning experience to get to understand another part in the RESCUE which is VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT.
I read one of the best books I read this year in the last couple of weeks. With that being said…
THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LaRUE by VE Schwab. – This book was incredible. Moving at times and it kept me wanting to know what happened. This can be considered a historical fiction and fantasy book but whatever it was, IT WAS BEYOND EXCELLENT and one of my FAVORITE books I read this year if not in the TOP SPOT for #1. I must look back, but WOWSERS. If you have not read this, go pick it up and if it’s ALREADY on your TBR (to be read for you non-bibliophiles) it’s time to bump it up. You cannot miss this incredible story that reminded me of “The Time Traveler’s Wife” (Audrey Niffenegger) which is along with “The Nightingale” (Kristin Hannah) my top book I ever read. PLEASE read this book, you won’t be sorry! 100 Stars out of Five. Seriously though… <3
HAPPY PLACE by Emily Henry – I am reading this now. It seems good like the Contemporary Romance books I have read over the years… I hope I enjoy the whole book. I wanted a quick read to finish out the year. I am almost to 150 books read in 2025 now. I believe this one is 147. I still got 8 days!
BEST OFFER WINS by Marisa Kashino – This was EXCELLENT. I saw it on a Booklist and that it was good. That’s what all the reviews were saying. I enjoyed it. The writer is an Asian woman, and I prefer reading different perspectives on life and the way different cultures think about things than the same old stories written by girls like me… I know my privilege. Trust me. But at the same time, I am privileged not to know all of it, which adds to my stupid privelege. Ugh! But yeah, this book was GREAT. It’s a quick read too—only about 300 pages. Add it in with your holiday shopping! Five Stars.
NORTHERN SPY by Flynn Berry—Another great read. I loved it. Another quick read and new author to me. I will probably check out her other books as well to see what they’re all about. I wouldn’t miss this one. Another Reese’s’ book club choice. I highly recommend it. Five Stars.
HER LAST GOODBYE by Rick Mofina – I picked this up on a whim and read it because it looked interesting it was sitting there in my Kindle and I wanted to get through some of the books I bought for my Kindle, my bestie, this year… haha! It was a good story, and I enjoyed his style of writing. Whenever I start a new author, especially a thriller style writer, I wonder how twisted they might go—he didn’t go too far with it, and it’s your typical thriller, but it had some good twists and turns. No whiplash like turns though, and hey, maybe you prefer that. Four Stars.
(Tried to read something that I just couldn’t get through the first two pages of—the writing style wasn’t for me… “Pretty Little Wife” by Darby Kane. Going in the recycle pile) …
So I mentioned one of my favorites of the year, so in case I don’t say or get to write another post by 2026… THE CHAIN by Adrian McKinty wins BOOK of the YEAR for me! Hooray! Congratulations Mr. McKinty!
=)
Thanks for reading my blog. May all your holidays be MERRY and BRIGHT and ALL THAT JAZZ. May your holidays be safe and HAPPY and please show yourself some grace and kindness this time of year. Nothing is easy, especially this time of year, and we all need to lighten the load sometimes, so it doesn’t feel so gosh darn HEAVY.
Merry Christmas. Happy Festivus (today). Happy Kwanzaa. Happy Hanukkah (I think that is over, sorry I am late!) and Happy NEW YEAR! May 2026 bring the best for all my readers. I love ya all!
-xoxo-
LWB*
PS- Sharing two pics from the Pancake Breakfast the Rescue had a couple of weekends ago.
Merry Christmas, Laura!