This is a weekly feature hosted by This Side of the Pond.

1. Do you have a sister? Tell us something about her. If you don’t have a sister, tell us about a friend who has been like a sister. Or tell us about a sister-in-law if you have one who is extra special. 

I do not have a sister, at least on this side of heaven. My mom had a baby in between my brother and I who did not make it. Her name was Faith Leanne. My mom had toxemia, which is now called preeclampsia and the baby had to be taken early by c-section. This was in the early 70s when they didn’t know as much about how to help premature babies. She died when she was about two days old and is buried in a tiny cemetery behind a church down the road from my parents’ house. Every year on her birthday, June 28, my parents go to her grave and place flowers there.

2. Resister, assister, insister, persister…choose one and explain how it relates to you and your life lately. 

This is a bit of a tough one because I am sometimes all of these. I guess right now I am struggling because I can’t be the assister I would like to be. I would like to assist in helping pay our bills right now but I can’t. I don’t have a full or part-time job and the side jobs I’m trying to do aren’t helping at all. In fact, they are costing me money at this point. I have to pay for a variety of services to self-publish my books and I have to have camera equipment to take the photographs I submit for stock photography.

I can’t say for sure I’ve been able to recoup either of those costs so far. Once in awhile I get enough money from stock photography to help cover one bill or put back in the pot for mortgage. I am hoping that this year I can find more ways to support the family, although my husband says my teaching the kids (they are homeschooled), cooking meals, etc. is even more important. Poor many is probably delirious from working too much.

3. Share a favorite song, book, movie, or television program that features sisters.

Sisters from White Christmas is what comes to mind first for me.

And then when Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye do it later in the movie.

4. August 3rd is national watermelon day…are you a fan? Do you like watermelon-flavored candy? Besides eating the melon as is, do you have a good recipe made with watermelon? 

August 3 is also my mom’s birthday and she loves watermelon so that is a good combination.

I love watermelon but sadly it has not tasted as good this summer. I have some lingering effects from when I had Covid last year and it appears that watermelon is among the things that do not taste right anymore, sadly.

It doesn’t taste rancid like peanut butter did for a very long time, but it doesn’t taste…. Right. I don’t know how to explain it other than it tastes like some sort of melon, but not sweet at all. I do like watermelon-flavored candies but I have to be careful because I am allergic to corn and corn syrup is in most candies (and every other processed food).

I do not have any good watermelon recipes. I just like it plain or added to a fruit salad.

5. ‘Tis August…what are three things you’re looking forward to this month? 

I am looking forward to this month being slower than previous months, honestly. My husband has restaurants he wants to take me to and places he says we need to go and if he wants to pick one day a week to do that, I am fine, but July was crazy busy. My head was spinning. I need more days in August to just sit, sip tea, and read a good book before school starts on August 31.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Yesterday I made myself a cup of herbal tea with some tea I’ve been waiting for. I made it with just the right amount of honey but then I had to leave to take my daughter’s friend to soccer practice. I had intended to take the tea with me but forgot it at home. I thought about that cup of tea the entire 20-minute drive to that practice. This morning I made another cup of tea, but it was nowhere near as good because I hadn’t washed the soap well enough out of my cup.