My Next Thirty Years and AHHH!

I didn't mean for this to happen, but on the eve of my birthday I'm getting quite sappy! I remember when I was turning 30. I reflected on my life and decided it was pretty darn good. In celebration I shared with my friends some special songs including the one on my playlist by Tim McGraw. Nine years later, I feel the truth of the song still. Nine years later, I'm a Mom and a published author-two awesome labels I did not have when I turned 30!

At Dogwood my friend Mary shared an exercise in which we were to cut down a favorite song into seven or less words while keeping its essence. So, here is the exercise using this wonderful song: the best years of my life.

And speaking of Dogwood, I got to finally meet in person my good friend Magdalena. Here we are. Don't we look like we've known each other forever?



I got to be on a critique panel with Maddie James and Tara Taylor Quinn. Whoa! Am I big time or what!? Sitting at the same table with these two!





Tara wanted to excuse herself to get a Diet Coke because all the lodge had was Pepsi products. The woman obviously knows what's good. Ha, ha! I took away her excuse by pulling a can of Diet Coke right out of my purse. Then Fonda-the Diet Coke Queen-brings up one of her many 2 Liters. Here we are having a Diet Coke moment. (I'm taking the picture-that's why I look a little weird-but, do you see the elation on Tara's face?)






I met a really nice person named Patricia who had on a pair of awesome shoes. What do you think?



Here are Patricia, Fonda, and Maddie at a workshop. Please note the bottle of Diet Coke in front of Fonda (this is NOT the same one she brought forth to Tara T.Q.) Fonda should own stock in Diet Coke.



Greenbo is a Kentucky State Park. The weather was gorgeous! All kinds of wildlife were spotted, and what surprised me was how close this bear was to the lodge.



Oh, my gosh! Run! Run! He's after us!



Lucky for me, Patrica has on her pretty shoes. I don't have to run faster than the bear, only faster than Patrica in her pretty shoes (insert evil laugh here).

Disclaimer: Although there WAS a bear in the lodge, he was of no threat. In fact, he was quite a docile beast. It was almost as if he was stuffed.