A Blog Becomes a Book

View from the Cart: the Story of Mulligan, a Golf Course Dog is finally published and ready for purchase.
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It's a privilege to work side by side with our adult children on collaborative works. In creating this book, Greg recorded stories from Mulligan's life. Hearing him tell the stories with his emotions and point of view so evident made it easy for me transcribe his thoughts to create a finished product. We both agree that this work represents his life as a golf course superintendent, with a working Black Lab, honestly and candidly. Greg had dabbled in writing this nonfiction narrative through stories posted on his blog, View from the Cart. Comments from readers lead to a more serious effort to publish.

There is something for everyone in this story of second chances. Dog lovers will make a connection to a wonderful Black Lab, while golfers will appreciate the description of the golf courses and peeks at a golf course superintendent's life. The book's 8th grade readability level makes it a quick read appropriate for readers from preteen through retirement!

Ten anecdotes invite readers to take a ride on a golf cart see Mulligan at work. Stories include such topics as golf etiquette for the course dog, Mulligan's first ladies' day, encounters with members and other wildlife, work related injuries, and a touching story of his adoption from the Colorado Lab Rescue group.

A Summoning Stone: the Second Generation

It seems appropriate that Book Two: Vision Caster of the Summoning Stone series would have a connection to generations. Indeed, fifty years after Danielle discovers the magic of the summoning stone, her grandchildren return to Hope via the transforming power of the same stone.

In creating the sequel to the first Summoning Stone book, Book One: the Prophecy, I began to see how people of all ages and stages discover the same timeless strategies for living a life that has meaning. In Book One: The Prophecy, Danielle and Kirk find the Tree of Truth and learn "...each person must choose his own destination and the paths that lead to it." In Book Two: Vision Caster, Gabrielle and Jeffrey begin the maturation process to adulthood when they learn to sacrifice their own personal interests to help others.

I believe whether you have spiked green hair, thinning gray hair, or perhaps no hair at all, you share a universal desire to live life in a meaningful way.

Dairy Queen Days

When our boys were growing up, we had a wonderful family dog who loved to ride in the car. The fact that we stopped at the Dairy Queen after we adopted her, to celebrate with ice cream cones all around, probably forged her early connection to car riding and happy events. At any rate, she was always up for a ride in the car. Unfortunately for her, sometimes our rides took us past the Dairy Queen to the vet’s office. These were two vastly different destinations: one anticipated, the other-not so much! Yet she never balked at an invitation to ride in the car. To her, all trips were Dairy Queen opportunities, and, if once in a while she was disappointed when the car stopped at the vet’s, she was willing to take that risk rather than miss a trip to the Dairy Queen.

My husband and I just returned from two days with our 4 month old and 4 year old grandsons. We spent the night with them while their parents had a well deserved overnight break. For these little ones, every day is a Dairy Queen day and begins at an hour retirees only see on the PM clock. They don't want to waste a minute at either end of the day. Kudos to all parents who are raising their children to anticipate Dairy Queen days while equipping them to bounce back optimistically from anything less.

Campaign Songs for Everyone

The recent discussion about the 2008 presidential candidates' selections for campaign songs makes me wonder if each of us might benefit from selecting a campaign song, so to speak, for our own lives: a song that would reflect our vision and speak to our values. It would be interesting to see if song choices divide out by generations. Could I find a title from the 21st century, or would I stick to the classic oldies? Would my kids go back to the Beatles or find a better fit with a song from a current artist? This discussion has the makings for a good party game.

And what if, like some candidates, we changed songs as our life circumstances changed? Would we be considered fickle or shallow for giving up on the values by which we hoped to be defined? Or even more interesting, would we be considered fickle or shallow for selecting new songs that reflect what others want us to be?

Is There an Age Limit for Parental Imprinting?

Recently my daughter-in-law called to tell me our eight week old grandson had begun sleeping through the night. She added that her pediatrician indicated there is some speculation that infants adopt the sleep habits of their parents. My son, daughter-in-law and their older son all go to bed early and sleep well, so it makes sense that the new little guy will do the same. After all, what else is there to do when everyone else is in bed and the house is quiet?

The concept of imprinting is interesting. My own writing career has now expanded to include both sons in overlapping projects. Is it possible there is no age limit on parental imprinting? That's an unsettling thought. Or even worse, do imprinted traits lie dormant until some triggering event calls them out in one big family wave?

2008 New Year's Resolution: No Changes, Please.

I resolve that a legacy of 37 years will endure and make its mark on 2008: no changes please! As I replaced my desktop image to the latest family picture today, I discovered a template which I am determined to use for my remaining New Year's Eve resolutions: a .jpg image of 3 generations of Shaffers.

My MAC can do amazing things, but its flat screen can't possibly do justice to what lies inside a loving father and husband of 37 years, two grown sons-successful in their careers and relationships, and two grandsons who will reap the rewards of this legacy, if we allow it to endure through their maturation.

Somethings cannot be changed for the better. I resolve to look back and linger in the best moments of parenting and marriage that will, I suspect, survive and transcend any misguided efforts at improvement.

We All Need "Yes, You Can" Friends

A first effort at hiking part of the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina taught me an important lesson about the value of the "Yes, you can!" people in our lives. In preparation for this 7 day trip, I enrolled in cardio boot camp and strength conditioning classes at my local rec center. My (young) fitness instructor's favorite motivational expression was "Yes, you can!" We heard it over and over as we perspired, and groaned, and pushed ourselves to exhaustion. The day I left to go to North Carolina to begin my hike, one of the class members gave me a card. The envelope read "Save for some time when you think you can't go on."

Despite a fall that sent me to the emergency room and a one-day rest , I didn't open the card; I thought things could always get worse. So, I saved the card until the last day when we left the trail to come home. It was a beautiful handmade card with a design that said "Yes, You Can!" The inside was signed by the class, many of whom had written inspirational thoughts. Why, oh why did I save that source of encouragement when I could have savored it and used it countless times along the trail? Why are we so stubbornly resistant to help?

Each of us has special people in our lives who believe in us, even when our goals and efforts seem off center to others. We need to hear their voices shouting "Yes, you can!" in our heads as our own doubts and less than helpful comments from others threaten to derail us. Cling to those treasures. Count on them to be on your side as you plan your next challenge, and your next, and your next. Challenges lead to rewards like the view at sunrise from the Fontana Dam Shelter in North Carolina.