Monday Check In

Last week...

Writing Related:  Writing is still going slowly. I'm telling myself slow progress is still progress and the story is moving forward. The physical therapy for my elbow does seem to be helping. The numbness/pins and needles feeling isn't as strong as it was and the pain that was shooting from my elbow into my wrist and last two fingers isn't happening as often as it was.

Motivational Quote:  "If you have faith and keep moving on, things will eventually fall in place." ~ Tina Dabi 

What I'm Reading:  I'm currently reading Hallowed Bones by Carolyn Haines. It's the fifth book in the Sarah Booth Delaney mystery series.  There are 29 books in the series so far so I have quite a few left to read. 

Random Things:  I saw a Christmas commercial the other day while I was watching TV. While August, even late August, seems way to early for retail companies to start advertising for Christmas, it did remind me that I need to start thinking about what design(s) I want to use in my holiday cards this year. Every year I say I'm going to start making the cards early. Yet every year it gets to be the second week of December and I'm rushing to get them finished. Starting next month, I'm going to make a concerted effort to make at least two cards every weekend so they will be completed and ready to be mailed by the first weekend in December. 

 Random Photo:

I went to a Goodwill store about an hour away from my home and found this scented candle. I can't imagine anyone wanting a candle that smells like a corn dog...which is probably why it was donated.
 

This I know for sure...

As I mentioned in Monday's post, I'm going to start burning a candle when I write. I didn't have any regular candles, just tapers for special dinners and a box of plain white emergency candles in case we lose electricity for any length of time. I bought a few candles from a couple of different stores with surprising results.

The 17oz jar candles I bought from a craft store were on sale 3 candles for $10.00. The 3 wick 14.5oz candle I bought from a national chain store was on sale for $10.00. The last candle I bought was a 12oz mason jar type candle from Walmart for $2.50.

In this case, I'd say the saying, "You get what you pay for" doesn't apply. The chain store candle which was the most expensive had the most amazing scent when you smelled the candle. (The scent is glazed donut.) When lit and burning, it doesn't have any odor at all.

The 3 craft store candles all have good scents when you smell them. (The scents are berry clementine, blueberry muffin, and roasted chestnuts. I'm guessing this last one was a leftover from Christmas.) The roasted chestnut one has a barely discernible odor when it's burning. The berry clementine scent is a little stronger, and the blueberry muffin has the strongest odor of the three when burning, but you really can't smell the last two if you leave the room they're in.

The Walmart candle was the cheapest and has the lightest scent of all of the candles when you smell it. (The scent is citrus burst.) This candle has the strongest odor when it's burning. It has a really nice orange type scent and you can smell it throughout the first floor.

I think I'll be checking out more of the Walmart candles this weekend.

This I know for sure...

A little business before today's post - I'd like to announce the winner of the PDF giveaway of Leath's Legacy by Anne Ashby. The winner is Joanne Guidoccio!


There's nothing like the scents of the holidays. I love the way my house smells at this time of the year. The pine smell from the Christmas tree, the smell of baking cookies, sweet rolls, and  breads. I wish there was a way to bottle the scents so I can enjoy them all year round.

I know there are pine/Christmas scented candles, but they just don't smell the same. I also found a Christmas sugar cookie scented candle, but it smells more like vanilla than cookie to me. And the smell of freshly baked bread and/or rolls...well, I haven't found anything close to that wonderful aroma.

I make homemade bread and cookies throughout the year when the mood strikes, but for some reason they just smell better at this time of the year. Maybe it's because of the memories of growing up making these every Christmas with my mom. Or maybe it's knowing I'll be giving the treats away to family and friends who love eating them as much as I love baking them.