Hermiony Vidalia Criony Fiddlestadt (Granny) New Years Resolutions

Granny_T-shirt

Hermiony resides in the fictional town of Fuchsia, Minnesota and Granny is the main character in the book Granny Hooks A Crook by Julie Seedorf.

Every year the citizens of Fuchsia are hounding me to make New Year’s Resolutions. In the interest of keeping the merchants I work for happy, I will do so this year.

  1. I will not let any more furry creatures adopt me this year.
  2.  When Franklin winks at me I will not blush.
  3.  I will give up donuts this year. Wait, it’s not Lent, I will not give up donuts this year.
  4. I will  practice the art of patience with my adult children. I am changing the locks on my door.
  5. I will make at least one trip a week to Red Hot Mama’s Boutique.
  6.  I will remember where my cars are this year. I will not lose them.
  7. I will try something new, perhaps skydiving at the Fuchsia Airport  or water skiing in Blue Bird Lake or snow skiing down Blue Bird Hill.
  8. I will help the Big Guy in new ways. Surprise is the mother of invention or something like that.
  9.  I will spy on my neighbors, especially the new ones that are moving in.
  10. I will laugh, I will mourn, I will love. What is a better resolution than that?

Did you know that they make spyglasses with camera’s?  That’s it, my last resolution. I will buy myself a spyglass with a camera so I can take better care of my neighbors.

Happy New Year and Foofidleyfa!

Giving Children The Gift of The Christmas Season

Christmas gifts.

Christmas gifts. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Recently I did a story on a sub Santa Program in my home town. Sub Santa provides gifts for those children that otherwise would not have a Christmas this year because of their family circumstances. I think Leo Buscaglia says it best when it comes to what we can do to help someone else.

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

Leo Buscaglia

This is brief excerpt of the story that will appear in The Courier Sentinel this week.

Dawn Navarra has been working with the Sub Santa program sponsored by the Wells, Minnesota Lake and Kiester Lions Clubs for 12 years. It is the smiles on the faces of the children, knowing that they are going to get a gift that puts a smile on Dawn’s face. “When I see that smile on the face of a child it goes way into my heart.”

Sub Santa started many years before that at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, organized by Audrey Schroeder. The Lions became involved with the program about eighteen years ago.

Sub Santa provides gifts for children who might not otherwise have a gift under the tree on Christmas. Trees with tags are set up in area banks in Kiester, MN Lake and at three banks in Wells.

This might be a story about three small communities in Minnesota but the Caring and Sharing and Sub Santa programs are helping all across the nation sponsored by different groups and different individuals. Please take the time to find one and put a smile on a child’s face this Christmas.

There is a real need in our communities,” Navarra shared, “Until you
work with it, you don’t really know.

We don’t know unless we experience it ourselves. The entire article can be read in the Courier Sentinel. Like their Facebook page for updates on their new website coming soon. https://www.facebook.com/TheCourierSentinel

Remember what you do to help someone else, may change their lives forever.

Granny Is Back From Her Tour With Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour!

granny_hooks_a_crook_4You can’t keep a good Granny down but Granny sure is tired after flitting around from blog to blog promoting the book Granny Hooks a Crook.

“It was an interesting experience,” Granny said thoughtfully. I felt like Sally Field when she won the Oscar for Norma Rae. She shouted “They liked me, they really liked me.” I felt like shouting that too because everyone was so gracious.”

“Of course, I didn’t write the blog posts where my author, Julie Seedorf, was the guest blogger but I guess she did ok. She didn’t quite have my pizzazz or my Fuchsianess. There were times she was serious!!! Of course, I am serious too but I don’t let anyone see it. If I am on the verge of tears from sadness or happiness I usually get all crotchety and slam my umbrella down although I didn’t feel like doing that on this blog tour.”

Granny’s tour was arranged by Lori Caswell from Great Escapes Book Tours. “Lori did a great job,” Granny stated, “She didn’t even panic when my author didn’t get the guest post in on time. I don’t know what was wrong with Julie that day. She told me she was writing my second book and was so deep in thought that she forgot. It couldn’t be that because she hangs with me, Hermiony Vidalia Criony Fiddlestat, that my forgetfulness is rubbing off on her, could it be?”

Granny and Granny Hooks A Crook was hosted by:

 Kelly P’s Blog –  Community BookstopMelina’s Book BlogCozy Up With Kathy Christa Reads and WritesMochas, Mysteries and More fundinmentalMusings and Ramblings – Guest Post readalot blogEscape With Dollycas Into A Good BookBrooke Blogs .

“My author didn’t know what to expect. She should be used to that because she never knows what to expect from me. My motto is: Don’t expect me to do what you think I should do because I’ve already done it and I want to try something new. Yes, I know, I like to rhyme.”

” I kind of like this touring thing but my author says she needs to take time to write now. She tells me her second book in the Fuchsia, Minnesota series is half done. She and I are wrestling with the name for the next book. I am at my prime and I have a new weapon, but it’s a secret until the next book is out. Did I tell you, I have another Granny to compete with? It is the Granny from “Whatchamacallit? Thingamajig? that is about my author and her grandkids. It is a book for young readers and hits the hearts of adults too. Apparently this Granny gets in lots of trouble too, the only difference is that I save myself, this other Granny has to have her Grandkids save her. What a wimp. Anyway to make a long story short, which is hard for me, Author Julie tells me that she is writing that second book to Whatchamacallit? Thingamajig? What’s up with that. I might have to tap her with my umbrella or my new weapon so she makes me, Hermiony Vidalia Criony Fiddlestat her main priority.”

Granny has had her say. She is back from her tour. She is up to saving Fuchsia, Minnesota again, and she is back to driving her kids and Franklin Jester Gatsby a little crazy. Granny will let you know when she is touring again.

“Wait a minute, I’m not done. This is what the bloggers said about me. If I don’t tell you, no one else will.”

 

 loved this book, the humor, adventure and mystery. ~Community Bookstop

..a really lite and whimsical story, I absolutely loved it. ~Melina’s Book Blog

Julie Seedorf has a great imagination. If you like cute and fun reads, you’ll like Granny Hooks a Crook. ~Christa Reads and Writes

Lots of Drama, action, laughter. ~readalot

Granny is funny, sassy and mischievous. If you like funny cozy mysteries, especially those with older sleuths, this is a story you should check out. ~Brooke Blogs