OK, so somehow, with coaxing (for which I offer my thanks), my story has been approved.

Find it here:

Nature's Catherdral

And here it is…

Nature's Cathedral

And I got it in by the skin of my teeth – plus some creative help from the moderator, for which I offer thanks!

And I've submitted my entry. Let's see if it sneaks by the moderators!

It's a true story, and I've titled it Nature's Cathedral.

Ollie-ollie-in-come-free!

Come on in!

I'll make myself a cuppa Earl Grey, then try one of those potato candies – never heard of such a thing, but I'm game.

Wait … that's the wrong thing for a Bear to say, isn't it?

Both of my parents managed their exits about as gracefully as I've seen it done. I should be so good!

Dad died on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) at age 89, after playing golf with my brother, who was visiting, and birdying the last hole he ever played on a magnificent chip onto the green from the rough. He died of a heart attack at 11:15 that night – no hospitals, fuss, or lingering effects.

Mom slipped away at age 94 a few years later. I'm convinced she knew what she was doing – just ate less and less until she just stopped. She was in hospice for three days after refusing further treatment for UTIs, with our daughter, her granddaughter, sitting by her bedside.

I still miss both of them, but can feel them with me, especially at Christmas.

Great theme, and I know exactly what I'm going to write, based on something that happened to me.

Now all I need to do is find some words, tumble them together, and see if I can keep it under 1,000 words!

I'm a wordy SOB (which stands for "Son of a Bear")!

Quote by gillianleeza

I am way behind on Christmas stuff. Part of it is because none of my kids will be here. They were all here for Thanksgiving, so I really can't complain. My brother and I are trying to figure out how we handle the holiday with my Dad. We will probably spend part of the day with him and take him out to eat. Currently, COVID-19 is circulating among the residents in his memory care unit. Three people are hospitalized with complications. I came home today and tried to disinfect myself, lol. I do not need Covid again.

I hope Monday is being kind to everyone. Take care of yourselves and stay healthy. Cheers.

No, COVID is not the kind of Christmas present you – or anyone – wants. I trust you've had the most recent vaccination. Lady Jay and I have had seven vaxxes against COVID so far, plus wearing masks almost everywhere we go, but with a 4-year-old granddaughter in school, we're likely to get anything that's going around as she visits here most days.

Treat yourself gently is the only other thing I can suggest, Gillian. And take care.

Let's get some Guatemalan coffee going, along with Darjeeling and Orange Pekoe (black) teas, to nestle alongside Cora's goodies.

.

Quote by Cora

Hey everyone.

I hope you all have been well. I will scroll through past posts later to learn of what I missed. I just wanted to stop by for a greeting.

verbal, I am very sorry to hear you are limping. I hope things improve.

My book club started up again. I have been spending much time reading and learning. We meet once a month for book club, dinner and dessert, wonderful conversation, and pray the Rosary together.

I hope everyone had a beautiful Thanksgiving. I certainly did. I learned how to play chess. I very much enjoy the game.

Tomorrow marks the first of 12 Days of Christmas. And December 23 is my birthday! I am very excited; for the season and my birthday.

I will try to come around more often but I am not sure if it will be on a daily basis, especially when I have to read and during the Holiday Season.

.

Delicious-looking treats, Cora!

I've always thought that the 12 days of Christmas started on Christmas Day and ran through to the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6th. But what do I know?

Cora, may I humbly suggest my book, Bear and Girl, for your book club? I would be pleased to send you a complimentary copy to consider if you could PM me a mailing address. It will take some time as it comes from Amazon, but not by express courier.

Jeff, sorry to hear of your continuing problems. But, as they tell struggling actors – use it! Write a story about it. That way at least you get some value out of it.

We have our tree up, all the tree lights festooned, and the first decorations have found their way onto the tree. We have a traditional first decoration – The Pink Pig – which is a particularly ugly pink felt decoration given to Lady Jay by her (now deceased) aunt in England. We feel duty-bound to put it on the tree – but always at the back where it won't be seen. Then, next, our son and 4-year-old granddaughter hide The (glass) Pickle on the tree, which we are supposed to find once the tree is completely decorated.

All part of our Christmas traditions, of which there are a-plenty.

Here's a photo of this year's edition of The Village…

It started with a relatively modest set that Jay had before she met me. I was so entranced with it, that she kept adding to it. Then it became a travel thing. We have houses or buildings that come from several countries, including the US, Portugal, Australia, England, and so on.

I doubt if there is a real village anywhere that's like this, but it's a reminder of lovely times and visits past. And isn't Christmas about nostalgia?

Incidentally, the lowest level, at the bottom left, is there to allow the 4-year-old granddaughter to arrange things as she pleases. All the items there are non-breakable, so she gets to feel that she's part of it.

Good morning everybody!

I see that the coffee urn is waiting to go, so I'll get things started.

We've got some nice Costa Rican medium-roast in the urn, and some Darjeeling from Sri Lanka for the tea.

I can see that there are some leftover Thanksgiving cupcakes, and some fresh-made spice bars, so that should tide folks over until someone with more talent arrives with goodies.

Lady Jay has many of the Christmas decorations up. She used to play a game where she would put up a few a day, and then, when I got home from work, I had to see if I could pick out the new ones.

"This one?"

"No – that's been up for a week."

"Oh. THIS one!"

"No, that went up yesterday."

…and so on. The kids always got a giggle at Dad's expense because I was so bad at it.

Now that our kids have their own kids, she has the 16 or so big Rubbermaid tubs of decorations labeled by kind.

"Bring up the Santas box…Now bring up the Angels box…now bring up the forest and lights…"

Then, the Big One … "OK, we're ready for the three Christmas Village boxes!"

We have a big bookshelf in the sitting room, and she clears three levels off, then carefully builds up the infrastructure so that our son and DIL can actually lay out the village – from photos taken last year.

It's a big production. And I'm an integral part of it. I'm the BFI – Brute Force, and Ignorance.

Just call me "Fetch".

And since it's not Canadian Thanksgiving, merely American, I'll get things started.

I think that's what they call a "non sequitur" in the trade.

We have a special coffee blend today – Peet's Holiday Blend dark roast coffee.

There are Twinings English Breakfast and Lemon Ginger teas brewed up and ready.

And some Thanksgiving-like treats.

Hope everyone has a safe and sane Thanksgiving – and Gillian, all the best. ❤️ Missing your mom for the first major holiday has to be difficult, especially with your dad having problems.

Oh well – it's Monday. Let's get some caffeine going.

Let's go with Black Bear dark roast coffee from Muskoka Coffee Roasters, Tetley's Orange Pekoe and Oolong teas.

Plenty of sodas in the fridge, plus hot water and condensed milk for those who want to make hot chocolate. You can also use the frother to heat the milk if you wanna.

And I've got some peanut butter cookies and spice bars to go with the caffeine.

How's everybody doing this (American) Thanksgiving week?

From the reports, the Left Coast is getting socked. Power outages, power lines down, trees down, cars crushed, roofs caved in… all worrisome.

I hate to think what will happen to the blue coastal states once a certain thing becomes president. "FEMA funds? For YOU? Ferget it - and next time vote for me in 2028"

We've got some Kick Ass Coffee from Kicking Horse Coffee Roasters today, plus Earl Grey Cream and Matcha Green teas for everyone.

Soda/pop coolers are full, lots of Coke Zero for those who want to avoid poisoning themselves with sugar and prefer other chemicals instead.

And we've got hot chocolate sachets for those who want it.

Folks, if you're on the West Coast, please help your neighbours. I have a feeling the authorities are going to have their hands full for a while.

WAY too perky, Mendalla. "The marvel of the dancing ape is not how well he dances, but that he dances at all1"

Well, since it's Hump day, and no one else seems to be around, I'll get humpin'…

Coffee is Dark Affair from Balzac Coffee Roasters of Stratford, Ontario (not that far from where Mendalla lives).

Teas are Earl Grey and White.

Sodas (or "pop" as we Canajuns call it) in the cooler, hot water's in the kettle, and all's right with the world.

Or at least, this little bit of it.

Lady Jay and I have got visitors – my younger brother and his wife. Fortunately, they are late risers, so I thought I'd pop in (or should it be "soda in"?) to see how y'all are.

Anyone got a funny story?

So we go to the local farmer's market every Saturday morning. One of the merchants sells fresh eggs and poultry. Really good stuff, too. He's trying to get people to order their Christmas turkeys ahead, so for the last couple of weeks, he's been wearing silly things on his head to draw attention. Two weeks ago, it was a hat that looked like a cooked turkey.

This weekend past, he had a turkey head – googly eyes, wattle, big beak – on his head. So I walked up to him (we're on friendly terms) and asked, "What's that funny-looking thing sticking out of your ass?"

He broke up and a friend who was standing next to me also broke up. Then the merchant stuck his hand out and said, "That's gonna be the best comment all day!"

Thank you, folks, I'll be here all week! Well, half of the week, now that it's Wednesday and all.

Quote by verbal

Be careful of that delayed grief, Gill, dear. That can fire on you with both barrels. I am glad your boys will be around, that will lift your heart.

Here’s a pro tip, if you want a quick turnaround on a story, send it to Weird Horror. I was rejected within 12 hours, and 8 of that was sleep. Yeesh.

Nothing new here. I have a good friend who is moving to Ireland. She can’t live here any more. Makes me sad.

But at least there are cookies and coffee to help us through the day! Seize the carp!

.

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

– Abraham Lincoln

"A house divided against itself cannot stand"

Likewise, Lincoln

A wise man, and, unfortunately, a prophetic one it seems.

Right now, where Lady Jay and I live, the nighttime temps are flirting above and below zero (that's Celsius for the uninformed). It has been unseasonably warm here until about now, but I suspect that's going to change.

They're saying we're going to have a La Niña winter, which means cold and snowy – yet the La Niña engine (in the Pacific off Peru) doesn't seem to be able to catch, just splitters.

So, climate-wise, the new normal is no normal, right?

Expect the unexpected – like the Spanish Inquisition…

Hey there, hi there, ho there.

Finally settling down to work on a story for another site. About time, too – in fact, almost out of time.

That, plus housework, plus my normal environmental research, plus trying to keep Bear and Girl moving is keeping me busy.

Gillian, sad and glad to hear your news. I know it's heartbreaking, but, as Mendalla said, take care of you, because if you don't, you can't take care of anyone else.

I'd like to try some of the Buddha's Blend, and a couple of peanut butter/Hersey's cookies, please.

Nice to hear that you've found a kindred spirit, Elyse! Good on ya, mate!

OK, so I have a new story up:

Henry and the Hunter

It is two of the characters from Bear and Girl, but set before the beginning of the Bear & Girl series.

Hope you enjoy it!.

I haven't been writing as much of late. I've been busy trying to figure out how to promote Bear and Girl. The free book promotion did goose interest, I've got a lot of nice ratings, and a few outstanding comments, which always help, but sales are drifting off again.

I find it interesting. There is an entire industry devoted to "helping" indie authors promote their books. It reminds me very much of the San Francisco gold rush – the 49'ers, well before the NFL team, and the actual source of that team's name. It wasn't, in general, the miners who made money off the gold rush, but the suttlers – the people who sold supplies to the miners.

There is a LOT of conflicting information about How to Make YOUR Book A Best-Seller! – for just $59.99! Or $29.99. Or $129.99. Or let us do it for you! $4999.99!

It gets confusing, especially as all the advice boils down to: Give us your money!

Perhaps, later, once I know something, I'll post a thread on how to promote a book. Maybe that will get some attention.

Meanwhile, since I'm gluten-intolerant, I brought some peanut butter cookies – GF! – for y'all!

I know Mendalla for one likes 'em, and hopefully everyone else will, too.

BTW, I know Writer Girl's life is complicated at the moment, and she's taking a bit of a break, but I'm sure she'll be back.

I was clearly wrong, very wrong, about the election, and you have no idea how sorry I am about that.

The lambs have voted for the slaughter.

Good-bye 19th Amendment and women's right to vote.

Good-bye Brown v Board of Education. "Separate but equal" will return for African-Americans.

Putin wins, America loses. The John Birch Society now rules the U.S.

Other losers include Ukraine, Gaza, and, to a lesser extent, Canada and America's allies.

Perhaps I'm being overly gloomy, but it feels like Germany in 1935.

And Canada may be Austria.

Welcome to Amerika.

And if I have but one wish, it is that I'm wrong about all of the above.

OK, so it's decision day in America.

Or, as St. Ronald of Raygun put it – It's Morning in America!

Although nobody knows, I strongly suspect Harris is going to win, and win big.

We will see, but if you're American, you owe it to yourself, to your country, and honestly, to the rest of the world to vote today.

I've noticed the decline in activity. It's hard to miss. I'm not writing as much simply because RL has become more active and demands more of my time and attention.

I write (occasionally) for another site, and the activity level there is lower, too – as well as the general level of quality, IMHO. I have one friend who reads everything, and she says that the good writers aren't writing as often, and there are a lot more not-very-talented people posting stories that are basically repetitive and derivative.

I suspect that it's people emerging from their pandemic shells, TBH. Writing and sites like this were a Godsend for me during the pandemic. They gave me something to do that I found fulfilling, and created a network of people whom I came to enjoy and care for. Many of those people have drifted away – as, I suspect, they would say about me. I've had people message me asking when I'm going to start writing again, and have at least three series going that I would continue.

But time is of the essence, they tell me. And time is as much the problem for me as anything else.

I'm not sure there is a cure. It may be that sites have a natural lifespan. I'm not experienced enough to know.

I do know that I miss the activity of the earlier days – even though I am, myself, guilty of being less active.

It's a quandary.

Quote by gillianleeza

I'm hungry now. All the cookies look amazing.

We had my mother's funeral last Friday, and on Monday, we will move my Dad into the memory care unit at their retirement community. I feel guilty about it but know it is best for him. He needs 24-hour-a-day supervision. Hopefully, he'll adjust well, but I know it will be a process.

I look forward to returning home and not having to stay with my father anymore. It's been over two months, and it has taken its toll on my mental and physical health. I can finally make plans to see my son and daughter-in-law in Germany.

I hope everyone is doing well. I'll be around more after next week. Take care of yourselves.

.

It's always tough to have to do that – but as I may have said before, you can't give what you don't have. If you don't take care of yourself, you won't be able to take care of your father – and you'll both be worse off.

Rule #1 – take care of you. But it can be damnably hard to do, especially with guilt hanging over you.

Thanks to those who have downloaded Bear and Girl and especially those who have left reviews. They make a world of difference!

Meanwhile, let's stoke the coffee pot with some Guatemalan beans, and brewed up some Darjeeling and Matcha green teas for everybody.

Cookies (courtesy of Molly) in the cookie tins, and all's right with the world.

Until next Tuesday, that is.

Fingers crossed, folks! It's going to be a bumpy ride.

As they say on a plane when bad things are happening, "Brace yourselves, bend over, and kiss your ass goodbye!"

Quote by verbal

Morning all. Thanks for the coffee and treats.

Glad the book is doing well, James.

World Series is starting up again today. It’s loo kinda over already - we’ll see if the Yankees can get a toehold the next three nights.

And the election is 8 days away. Quite the rally at Madison Square Garden last night. I won’t comment, other than Wow. It’s stark rhetoric, and a stark choice.

Coffee and a cookie please.

Watching from Canada, all a Polar Bear can say about the American electorate (or at least half of it) is…

WTF???

All good here. I had almost 6,000 downloads of the Bear and Girl ebook since last Wednesday.

Now, if I could just sell that many when it wasn't free, I'd be in business.

Still, since I'm not in it for the money, hopefully this will get the word out.

I'll have a mug of Earl Grey and mosey back to a booth to ponder the Witch-ness of What…

Quote by Mendalla

So now Molly is the cookie lady? We probably need a sign-up sheet or something to keep it all organized. 😀

.

Organized?? What kind of place do you think this is?

I made some gluten-free pumpkin spice bars, starting with a recipe from my grandmother – mom's mom – so treat them with reverence please!

Just a heads-up: I did an interview with an online magazine for Bear and Girl. One thing they asked is how readers could connect with me if they wanted to know more. I gave them an email address, but also said that I drop in from time to time and then could connect with me here. I also recommended StoriesSpace as a place where they could work on writing their own stories.

I would doubt that there will be a flood of groupies (worse luck!), but I did want to warn everyone of the (highly unlikely) possibility!

Bear and Girl is now available free of charge on Amazon as a Kindle ebook.

In the States you can download it here:

Bear and Girl US

In Canada, it can be found here:

Bear and Girl Canada

In the UK, find it here:

Bear and Girl UK

Elsewhere, it should be available through whatever your local Amazon website is. Search for Bear and Girl Behr, which is my pen name.

I would appreciate it if y'all could download copies, and, if you feel the urge, leave a review on Amazon.

Many, many thanks!

Quote by verbal

Ooh, Molly brought treats!

Thinking of you and your family, Gill.

Another day, another crushing Mets loss. It ain’t easy being a Mets fan. I have even been flying our Mets flag from the porch. If the Mets lose, I am flying it upside down, like Alito’s wife.

Coffee and a cookie please. I should bring in treats sometime.

.

I think I'd pay to see you fly Alito's wife upside down…

🤣

Costa Rican Gold coffee this morning, and I've made it in a French Press – Le Monde, to be specific, so if it tastes a little inky, that's why.

Teas are Orange Pekoe (a black tea, oddly enough), and Oolong.

I've emptied the lemonade, and replaced it with fresh-squeezed apple cider – YUM!

This year's crop of apples is outstanding so far, and Lady Jay and our family have discovered a new strain which is about the best we've ever tasted: Golden Gala. It's a cross between Golden Delicious, which are crisp but have almost no flavour, and Gala, which are sweet and crisp-ish. Golden Galas are very crisp, very sweet, have a thin skin, and can be used to cook as well as eat right off the tree! While they last, we're buying nothing else!

Hope Gillian is coping. Like Verbs, I can be a good listener if you want an empathetic ear.

Take care, everybody!