Sharon Qualls ~ Author ~ Blogger ~ Friend

When I first started blogging ten years ago it was as if a whole new world had opened up for me.  I was able to connect with people who had like-interests and they were kind and caring and interesting and talented...  

*sigh*

You get the picture.  

Friendships grew from my early blogging days.  Friendships that I cherish to this day.  My thing about social media and especially blogging is this:  You get to know someone from the inside out, not the outside in.  You know their heart.  And that is most special! 

Well, let me tell you about one friend in particular that I grew to love.  Sharon Qualls was a feisty, opinionated, sassy, smart, talented lady who loved taking pictures of her pets, flowers, wildlife, nature...  anything she saw beauty in, that is what her blog would be about.  Her first blog was Life With Jack and Jill.  Jack and Jill were her dogs.  Later she started a couple of other blogs, discontinuing that one...  I believe the latest was Now You See Me (not sure about the title).  Anyway, she stopped blogging eventually, but her and I stayed connected on Facebook.  

We had a sort of bond in that she and I both enjoyed writing and reading.  I'll never forget the one day she asked me for my address and said "I'm going to send you something and don't dare send anything in return!"  

Let me tell you, if Sharon said DON'T...  then you better NOT!  

LOL!

I had purchased several of her books in the past and really enjoyed reading them.  So when her newest ones came out, she gifted me with the complete series.  I was so very grateful!!

We chatted on the phone a couple of times (very long chats) and touched base back and forth on Facebook, but then... she disappeared.

I would send her messages, but with no response.  Finally, a couple of weeks ago I found her physical address online and sent her a Thinking of You card.  I heard back nothing.  Until last evening.

Her husband, Bobby, was kind enough to call me to let me know that yesterday she passed away.  I was shocked and filled with sorrow.  A talented writer and beautiful soul, gone too soon.

Sharon had suffered a stroke in August, according to Bobby or (DH) as she referred to him on her blog.  It had been down hill since.

I, for one, will miss her sweet, sassy self!!!  Bobby asked me to let blogger and facebook friends know she is gone.

Rest in peace, my friend.

ReConnecting and Poor Gracie

It's been a week of re-connecting with old friends.  

Socks was Gracie's buddy from when she was a wee-one.  Heidi (socks mama) and I used to take Gracie and Socks for walks together.  I had lost touch with Heidi for about five years.  It was good to find her home, finally!  We had a nice time catching up.

And then there was dinner with some 'old' school pals... tho they (we) are anything but old!!  Quite the contrary.

Our memories may not be as sharp as they once were and just maybe a couple of us have an ache and pain or two or three.   But still...

We remain young at heart....

Mother's Day flowers from the kids remain just as fresh as they were a week ago.

And I am still enjoying their beauty.  Each time I walk through my house I'm like, "Wow, I can't believe how pretty these flowers have stayed".

Gracie has one very nasty ear infection and I am suspect that it is another case of otitis media.  Her hearing is about 75% impaired at this point, and so I will be loading her into the car shortly for another visit with Dr. Fox.

We don't laugh enough.  And so, I leave you with this:

Hope you all are having a great start to the week!

Let's Be Friends

It is like spring here today!  I like it.  But here's the problem.  We are supposed to have warmer temps for days on end and then BAM winter again!

Last year this happened and our beautiful trees out front did not bloom because they budded during the warm and died when the cold came.

*sad face here*

Here is what I like to do to pass time in the winter months:

* watch tv
* go to bed early
* wear pjs when not working
* sleep late
* watch more tv
* DOODLE ON MY IPAD

And speaking of doodling, My granddaughters (especially Summer) love when I draw pictures on there.  Summer climbs up into my lap and wants to watch and then she'll draw too.  It is calming.  And fun.  We name the characters we draw according to how their look turns out.

So.  I decided to take many of my winter iPad creations and put together a book for kids.  I can't wait to show it to Summer and Marissa!

Do you have a kid in your life and a device where you can read an ebook?  Then be sure and buy a copy of LETS BE FRIENDS from Blurb for just $1.99!  This will be coming out on Amazon in a couple of days (hard copy) but it is very costly to buy that way (34.99).

I hope everyone is staying warm and safe.  There is so much bad stuff going on in this world...  we need to pray and to think positive thoughts.

Cupcake Marissa,  me,  and angel Summer

 

Laughing Out Loud

Thank you all for your kind words and comments on my last post.  I truly have some of the most kind-hearted followers and friends that anyone could ever ask for.

We're doing okay.  I haven't been to any of your blogs lately because we've been kind of putting our lives back together and regrouping so-to speak.  I've missed you all and I will be back to visit very soon!

Justin is so excited about his new book.  It was his birthday June 7, so we got him a little cake.    He was banging away on his computer when we got to his apartment (marketing his book.)  Thank you all for the kind thoughts and words on that as well.  AND for those of you who purchased the book..  Bless your hearts!

Honestly...  you bring tears to my eyes.

Dear Diary,  I have to share this or I will burst.  Sometimes I am so entertained by Mom I can't contain myself.  Let me set the scene.  It was getting late and I was a little more tired than usual.  So I decided to head for bed early.  A little later I heard mom (from under the covers where I'd buried myself hoping to be left alone.)  'where's gracie?' she asked.  I could hear her scurrying back and forth through the house... sounding a little frantic if I must say so...  She was unable to find me.  She looked in the usual spots.  I was not under the bed.  My chair was empty.  Not in the back room.  Not here... nor there.  'I can't find her!' she said.  That's when  I could no longer hold back and I had to LOL!  When mom saw my laughing stub of a tail peeking from beneath the covers and moving wildly back and forth she started laughing too.   Gracie.

Heading South & Meeting Ginny and Phil

Me:  I'm sorry Gracie but we're leaving for a couple of days and this time you'll have to stay at the kennel.  

Gracie:  But why?  I can take care of myself.

Me:  Gracie, you know you can't.  Who would leave you out to potty?  Who will feed you and give you fresh water?

Gracie:  Lindsey will.

Me:  Lindsey can't do it this time.  She has her hands full with Marissa being sick again and Robby is sick too.  It will be okay.  You've been to the kennel before.  You like it there...  remember?

Gracie... You know I love you.

Gracie: If you loved me you wouldn't leave me.  

Leaving Gracie at the kennel was horrible!  When she found out we were leaving she cried and cried.  I miss her so much and can't wait to get back to her tomorrow...

Friday.  Headed south!

I was so excited!  Because our plans included stopping off in Virginia and meeting up with one of my FAVORITE bloggers Ginny of Let Your Light Shine and her husband Phil.  I have learned so much from Ginny by reading her blog AND she always includes a Bible verse at the end of her post which ties in with the post for that day.  If you haven't visited her already, you really should.  

Okay, so I was a little 'star struck' and came real close to asking Ginny, author of Let Your Light Shine for her autograph...  but I contained myself.

We had lunch together...

 Her and Phil are the genuine, sweet people that 

I thought they'd be!  It was fun!

THANK YOU GINNY AND PHIL 

for taking the time to meet with us!  

I Think I'm Okay

I'm glad to have the holidays over and Christmas cleaned up.  Now to focus on what lies ahead.

On January 21 I'll go to Hagerstown to have my surgery.  I was hoping I wouldn't have to go out of town, but an hour away isn't too bad.  

I am such a baby about anything hospital- or medical related.  It could be from being coddled when I was little...  So many nights I can remember going into Mom and Dad's room saying I didn't feel well and I always ended up right in between them in bed.  I felt safe there, like nothing could ever harm me....  Now mom and dad are gone...  and the baby remains> lol.  

Or it could be from taking care of Mom for so many years before she died at age 69.  I knew if I took good care of her I'd have no regrets.  And I don't.  But I do have a lot of painful memories of all the bad stuff she had to go through.  Probably one of the worse times was after she had her heart attack and she was taken out of ICU and put in a room on 4th floor.  I was staying with her, sleeping in the recliner.  When she couldn't get her breath and they had to code her it scared me so badly.  

Then years later, days before she died when I was with her and she seemed okay and was talking to me...  and suddenly she got a terrified look in her eyes, then began shaking and having a grand mal seizure.  I was alone with her at the time.  I went running down the hall screaming for someone to help.  She never came to after that.  She had grand mal seizures about every 10 minutes for three days....  before she let go.  

I could go on and on about the many scares Mom gave me,  But I'd be writing all night.  Maybe that's why I'm terrified of hospitals, doctors, medicine and the dreaded 'being put to sleep'.  Yikes!!!  

But it will all be fine, I know that. 

It's a stupid lesion, no big deal....  (in a really nasty place) >  

But thank you, my blogging friends for your support.  I have found the sweetest, most genuine awesome bunch of people here in blogland...   

I left the doctors office in a sort of shock on that 10th day in November, then blogged about my unpleasant experience.  I was immediately comforted by Mildred who said she'd be praying for me.   Sharon made me smile and gave me words wisdom. She is such a strong person... I admire her gusto.  Melodie was there with comforting words...  and Betty and Liz were praying.  Jim told me not to start making up stories in my head as to what it might be.  How did he know that I was doing just that?  Just that simple sentence from him made me feel better!!  

In later posts many of my other new blogging friends chimed in with comforting, thoughtful, loving words.  

So let me see.  I have God.   I have a wonderful husband, cute & cuddly pup, awesome kids and grandkids, plenty of good God-filled friends, and a collection of the most outstanding friends I've met in blog-land...

And I'm going to get a two-week vacation from work.

  I think I'm okay.

Best Friend

Darn it.  I forgot to take pictures.


Anyway...  yesterday I had dinner with a friend I hadn't seen in a good 25 years.  She was my best friend in grade school/junior high/and part of high school.   It's amazing how years pass and people change and yet memories of days gone by are so vivid.


We evolve from who we've been to who we are now... and the people who were once in our lives played a big part in developing our character...  whether we know it or not.


Thank you friend.  For hot summer nights sleeping on your front porch in sleeping bags, talking about boys, and eating bags full of candy.


Thank you friend.  For loaning me your clothes, including me on family outings, and teaching me how to 'get a guy'. LOL.


Thank you friend.  For making me laugh till I cried, sticking by me at camp when I didn't make friends as easily as you did, and sharing in my terror at the huge spiders that clung to the side of our tents at night.


Thank you friend.  For the many sleepovers, homemade chocolate cake made by your mom, and for always meeting me halfway when we'd go to each other's house.


Thank you friend.  For sharing you're 'today' with you're bestie from the 'past'.  It was great.