"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it." - Hebrews 13:2



Monday, October 29, 2012

A ton of bricks...



I’m a little bit out of it this week. Last Wednesday, we got some bad news regarding our rescued greyhound, Pickles.



Pickles the greyhound  ~ Photo by Loree Huebner


We found out that she has bone cancer. I feel like I’ve been hit by a ton of bricks.

Long story—short, a few weeks ago, Pickles started to limp slightly, favoring her front right paw. I really didn’t think much about it figuring she probably just pulled something while running around the yard. She stopped limping after a day or two, and I assumed all was well. Then she started very slight limp again last week. By Wednesday, it was obvious that it hurt her terribly. I thought there might be a fracture, so I took her over to the vet. After a few x-rays, we could see the telltale shadows on the bone just above her “wrist” on the front paw—cancer. A second x-ray to the chest revealed that it hasn’t spread yet.

All I could do was stare vacantly at the wall as we talked over the options with the vet.

Amputation? Chemo? Natural course?

I needed to think. We brought her home with pain medication prescribed by the vet.

We adopted Pickles when she was four and a half. She ran a long time on the track. The “track life” is extremely hard on these amazing creatures—don’t even get me started there. Anyway, she was happy to be a retired, 45mph couch potato in our home. We welcomed her with open arms. Pickles turned ten in August.

After talking with our greyhound friends, we decided that because of her age, she is not a good candidate for an amputation. It might give her a few extra months, but she would spend it trying to get over the shock of losing a leg. I can’t do that to her. I also found that this disease is not uncommon to the breed. This might have something to do with the track life…what they endure...what they are given...but that’s another story.

On top of everything else, in just a few days, her limp has gone from slight to critical. We have it wrapped for support, and give her the pain medicine—which just knocks her out. I can tell that it’s suddenly become too much for her. She can’t even touch it to the floor anymore. Eric is so sweet. He carries her up and down the stairs, and outside.

Her buddy, Fly, our 14-year-old, Border Collie, knew something was up. We noticed for the last two weeks, Flysie had been leaving half of her canned supper for Pickles to finish. Funny how dogs know stuff…

Well, needless to say, yesterday, we came to a hard decision. This week, we will have to say goodbye to her. The pain is getting worse by the moment. I don't want her to suffer. I didn’t think it would progress so fast. I am devastated. We are making her as comfy as possible and loving her until we take her for the last ride. Eric and I will be right with her as she takes her final breath.

I thank all of you who have sent warm wishes and prayers our way.

Thank you, my friends.

Ever have to make tough decisions for a furry friend?

Between you, me and the gatepost,

Loree



Sweet Pickles ~ Photo by Loree Huebner




Monday, October 22, 2012

Who’s got your back?



Saturday, I had one of those days…

First, while texting my son, I accidently deleted a few pictures from my phone. Right away, I usually remove the pictures that I want to keep, but I had just taken them, right? Grrrr! All hope was dashed when I found that instant upload was not turned on. <shaking head with a heavy sigh>

After a chat online with the Samsung Galaxy S III people, and a call to the AT&T store, I found that the pictures could not be retrieved. So it goes. It was my fault for not uploading and storing them immediately, but life is so busy. I lost few great photos and a precious video from one album. A hard lesson learned: take the time.

Day ain’t over yet…

After spending two hours dealing with the phone, I accidently pulled out the plug of my computer when I got up from the desk. Don't ask...it was another strange accident. I plugged in the computer and turned it back on, only to find that it wouldn’t start up. On one window, I actually saw the words: Boom Crash. Yeah, this can’t be good. As it went through all sorts of “fix it” windows, I wasn’t worried because I do use an auto back up, and I always back up my files to a stick, and external hard drive. It would be a big hassle, but my stuff was saved.

Thankfully, the computer restarted. All was well, but it really left me thinking about this world of fancy technology. We must take the precautions to make sure our work is backed up, and our photos are safe to see again.

Got any great tips on file back up and photo saving? Got any horror stories to share?

I would love to hear what you have to say on the subject!

Between you, me and the gatepost,

Loree




Coming up in future weeks:
Look for my interview with the lovely and talented author, Stacy Henrie. We’ll be talking about Stacy’s debut novel from Love Inspired Historical, Lady Outlaw, and her upcoming, three-book, inspirational romance, WWI series with Grand Central Publishing. Keep an eye out for that!


Monday, October 15, 2012

Characters we know and love...



As I near the end to completing the writing of another novel, I find sadness creeping in—the people (oh, I mean the characters) that I have come to know and love will soon be replaced by a whole new spread sheet of characters.

The same feeling happens when I fall in love with a novel that I’m reading—you know the kind, where the characters stay with you for a while.

Writing or reading, we invest our time and emotion into the characters. We fall for them, and we feel for them. We find ourselves yelling out when danger is coming their way, or screaming with joy at a surprise reunion.

If you’re a writer, some days you spend more time with these characters than you do with your own family. I find it a bit sad when the time comes to part with them. Do you?  

Writers: Do you have memorable characters that stick with you like an old friend?

Readers: If there are characters you love, do you wish you could know more about them? Continue on where you left them?

Writers and Readers: Ever find yourself cheering, yelling, weeping, or fearing for the characters that you are writing or reading?  

I would love to hear what you have to say.

Between you, me and the gatepost,

Loree 

Monday, October 8, 2012

Heirlooms


Heirloom  (noun)

Merriam-Webster defines heirloom as:

piece of property that descends to the heir as an inseparable part of an inheritance of real property
something of special value handed on from one generation to another
a horticultural variety that has survived for several generations usually due to the efforts of private individuals


In my current WIP, my heroine must leave her home. Along with the necessities, the one thing that she takes with her is a precious family heirloom given to her by the man that she loves. The heirloom once belonged to his dear departed mother—so you know that it is special to him. That heirloom travels with her throughout her journey. It is a gentle reminder of him, and her love for him, even though she is uncertain of his love for her.

Short and simple this week:

Have you ever written an heirloom into your story? Did you give it some focus and importance?

Or

Do you like to read about a precious token given away in love? A special gift kept close to the heart?

Does a small detail like an heirloom, bring flavor and substance to the story?

I would love to hear your views.

Between you, me and the gatepost,

Loree


Monday, October 1, 2012

Difficult Decisions




Sunset on Sanibel Photo by Eric Huebner


Sometimes we are faced with difficult decisions.

Two weeks ago, after a month and a half of no travel or flying because of my back problems, I got the go ahead to fly again. I had intended to go to a writer's conference. Not thinking I would get the go ahead, I didn't really prepare for it. When the doctor said, "travel was okay" - 3 days before the conference - I was very sad. But God had His mighty hand in this one. Hubby coaxed me for a day to go to the conference. I had taken the time off of work - why not? I explained to him that I wasn't prepared. Sweet Hubby then said, "Well, let's take that trip to Sanibel Island (Florida). You've been wanting to go back there, and we didn't get to go anywhere for our anniversary." Ahhhh, romantic! but doable?

Within an hour, we had booked the flight, got our room at an inn on the beach, arranged our car rental, and rearranged hubby's schedule to fit. I had never planned a trip like that in just a few days. It's always been at least a week or two. It felt so romance-novelish.

I've got to tell you that my mind is still on Sanibel this week. The weather was perfect - 85 degrees. We walked the beaches, shelled, and watched incredible sunsets over the Gulf. I'm so glad we listened to God's promptings and took the trip. We've been so busy lately. Eric and I reconnected, I reconnected with my awesome Maker, and I feel refreshed - even my writing is better since I have returned. The trip was just what we needed.

Ever take a impromptu trip or romantic getaway? Ever listen to God's promptings, even though you weren't sure about it?

I would love to hear from you.

Between you, me and the gatepost,

Loree



Our shell haul from the Gulf of Mexico
Photo by Eric Huebner
We had to ship these home.


Another awesome sunset on Sanibel
Photo by Eric Huebner

Loree Huebner (yep, that's me) hunting for large, vacant, Conch shells
in the Gulf at Captiva Island. Yep, we found some!
Photo by Eric Huebner