Another Blogiversary!

I can’t believe it’s been two years since I started this blog. Where did the time go? Somewhere between working, writing my books, raising my family and connecting with my online friends a whole year has flown by.

Over the last year…

My 6 most popular posts were:

Weekly Photo Challenge: My Happy Place

Birds, birds and more birds at the National Aviary

Getting Wet at Niagara Falls

Challenge Accepted!

First Cats in China

What Could Be Better Than Cats With Your Tea

 

My Aggie in her Disney box.

Most of my views are from these 6 countries:

United States

Philippines

Germany

United Kingdom

Canada

Australia

 

I want to thank all my loyal followers, especially these 6 who thrill me with their comments:

Marj Mallon – kyrosmagica.wordpress.com

Christy Birmingham – http://poeticparfait.com/

Hairball Express – https://hairballexpress.wordpress.com/

Ann M. Filutze – https://www.facebook.com/ann.filutze

Crazy Chinese Family – http://crazychinesefamily.com/

Another Day 2 Paradise – https://anotherday2paradise.wordpress.com/

 

In the Spring of 2015 my debut, international romance novel, Hong Kong Treasure, was released!

A deadly Philippines typhoon stole Annie’s memory. Now, can a handsome Chinese stranger save her from the danger she has forgotten?

To read an excerpt, click here.

To purchase it in paperback or ebook format, click Amazon.

 

Besides my regular posts every 2nd & 4th Tuesday, I began my Friday Fun Posts. Each Friday I post a funny video, a photo asking for a caption or a humorous joke or photo to get you through to the weekend.

To see a sample of my Friday Fun Posts, click here to read last Friday’s post.

I’ve also begun frequently posting the Daily Post’s Weekly Photo Challenge. Each week the WordPress Daily Post issues a photo challenge theme.

To see a sample of the weekly photo challenge, click here.

All in all, it’s been a wonderful year and I’d like to share the good fortune with you. Write a comment below and leave a link to your blog so we can share in your good fortune.

…And here’s to another year of blogging!

 

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Friday Fun Post #18: Two For the Price of One

This Friday I thought maybe it was a particularly tough day for you. So, here are two funny images to enjoy. Who doesn’t love cats and babies? Have a great day!

 

 

Which one is your favorite?

Did you miss last Friday’s Fun Post? Click here.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Victory

This week’s Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge is victory. To celebrate a win.

One of my greatest wins is being married 30 years this past July! To celebrate that win, my husband and I went back to Niagara Falls where we originally spent our honeymoon. In this day and age, it certainly seems a victory when any marriage lasts longer than 10 years. It’s a sad but true fact. Marriage takes A LOT of compromise and forgiveness but is well worth the effort 🙂

This is on the American side. The blue spots are people, just to give you an idea of the size of these falls!

Close up to the American Falls. You can see the Canadian tour boat in the top left corner.

I encourage anyone to visit Niagara Falls, both the Canadian and the American sides. Besides the breathtaking views and activities at the falls, there are amusement parks, museums and shopping galore on each side. Loads of fun.

If you want to take part in the Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge, click here.

To see my last entry in the weekly photo challenge, click here.

Has anyone else been to Niagara Falls? You can view more photos and the activities on my Getting Wet at Niagara Falls post.

Friday Fun Post #17: Funny Joke

This Friday I thought I’d give you a funny joke to get you to your weekend.

(I found this on Pinterest but could not find the original post.)

Hope that made you chuckle today 🙂

Have a good weekend!

And don’t let the fact that it is Friday the 13th bother you. It’s all superstition…or is it? Read 13 Unlucky or Lucky? and decide yourself. Let me know what you decide.

Whirlwind Weekend in Philly: Part 2

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I spent a whirlwind weekend in Philadelphia. It was part research for my next book and part vacation trip.

To read part 1 of this trip, which includes Philadelphia’s Free Library, the Rocky Steps and a tour of the Eastern State Penitentiary, click here.

I love the gargoyles over the door!

After touring the Eastern State Penitentiary, we hopped onto the purple Phlash Bus. This bus travels around tourist & historical places in Center City, Philadelphia. It’s $2 for a single ride or $5 for an all day pass. We picked it up outside the prison and bought all day passes, figuring this would save us a few steps as we made our way around the city. www.phillyphlash.com

 

We rode the bus to the Reading Terminal Market, one of the biggest and oldest market in America, opening February 23, 1892. It stretches between 11th & 12th street and Filbert & Arch streets. We saw produce markets, meat markets, seafood markets, and cheese, nut and baked goods stores with craft and cookware vendors scattered between them. So much for the eye to take in, my mind was reeling.

Reading Terminal Market

I bought some In-Flu-ential tea at the Herbiary which is a blend of elderberry, hibiscus flowers and thyme to help my sinuses. (Check out her website here.) For lunch, my husband had a Kamikaze Philly Cheesesteak sandwich (Pepper Jack cheese & hot peppers) from Carmen’s Famous Hoagies & Cheesesteaks. He said it was delicious and spicy, which I could tell by his watering eyes 🙂 I chose a Naked Veggie Burrito from the 12th Street Cantina. If you’re wondering what a naked burrito is, it is everything that goes into a burrito but in a bowl rather than a wrap. Great for people avoiding or eliminating wheat.

You can read all about the Reading Terminal Market here. Be sure to check out the History page. Very interesting!

Leaving through the doors to Arch Street we headed east a few blocks to Chinatown!

Chinatown Friendship Gate

Friendship Gate Up close

Loved this gate!

Architecture still present of a more prosperous era.

There was even these cool dragons next to a parking lot. Love dragons!

I shopped at a few different shops to pick up T-shirts, Buddhas, fans and a nice parasol for my book fair table display. ( My first book, Hong Kong Treasure, is set in Hong Kong & China.)

Reluctantly leaving Chinatown, we walked 7 0r 8 blocks over to the Liberty Bell Center. Unfortunately, by this time it was after 5 pm and the guard at the door told us they were on winter hours so they closed at 5. So, my husband missed seeing the Liberty Bell 😦 Guess we will have to make another trip back.

We hopped on the Phlash bus which drove us back over to our hotel, the Sheraton Center City Hotel. After depositing our, or more accurately my packages, in our room we went down and asked our favorite concierge, John, for a restaurant recommendation for some place close. My hips and legs were reminding me I’m not twenty any more. He sent us to Con Murphy’s Irish Pub two blocks from the hotel. I ordered a large salad and my husband had the bacon wrapped, meatloaf dinner with fries instead of mashed potatoes because I was hungry for french fries 🙂 The food was delicious. We weren’t brave enough to sit outside, but those that were, huddled around the heater set up.

Sunday morning we had a leisurely breakfast in our room then we headed back home. I so wish we could have stayed a couple more days. There was so much more to see! But work schedules would not permit it.

On the way home, up on top of the mountains, it was trying to snow but I ignored it. Winter comes entirely too fast for me.

However, I couldn’t ignore the snow around Oil City and Titusville.

Luckily when we got home to North East, the snow was gone. They had a slight covering that morning but it soon melted.

Have you traveled to the City of Brotherly Love? What was your favorite part?

 

 

 

Friday Fun Post #16: Is This You?

Well look, it’s Friday. That means time for fun.

Can you make a caption for this photo?

 

 

Mine: “The next person who fails to replace the toilet paper roll is gonna get it! I’m not bluffing.”

If you missed last Friday’s post, click here.

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Treat

This week’s photo challenge at Daily Post is about treats and indulgences. Vacations are treats and indulgences for me! No worries about dishes, work issues, writing deadlines or bills:) Just pure pleasure and treats.

This summer we went to the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, PA. Here are some photos of what we saw there.

The cutest little baby Burrowing Owl

Andean Condor

I love penguins!

Jim & I with a very large pheasant in the Rain Forest.

If you would like to read more about our trip, click here.

If you’d like to join the Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge, click here.