Category Archives: Uncategorized

Jan3

Deer “Doo-Doo”

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Deer “Doo-Doo”

I’m a professional career woman. (And yes, I’m retired.) I keep wondering if this is my “just deserts” for being an elementary school principal in my other life… I mean, seriously readers, who would believe that an educated, career-minded woman would end up strategizing time in her day to pick up deer pellets scattered throughout her less than pristine yard! It has become such a joke, that I have taken to introducing myself at Frenchie author visits in this way, “Hello everyone, my name is Mary Laudien. I live in Nanoose Bay with the deer and occasionally, my DEAR (husband Ryan). Days in Nanoose are spent scooping up Bambi pellets and replanting the appetizing shrubs dined upon … Read the rest

Dec20

Free Holiday Book Package Contest

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Free Holiday Book Package Contest

The Holiday Season is upon us and I wanted to thank my readers by offering Books 1 and 2 of my Frenchie Series as a Contest Give-Away.  Frenchie’s Best Friend-Follow the Blog is a Middle Grade novel that connects to Christmas in a humorous way.  Families are enjoying the series as  contemporary novels about family relationships,’tweens’, and French Bulldogs (and many other breeds…).  The novels appeal to anyone who has ever owned a pet or is a ‘pet-owner wannabe’.  You will “crack-up” when you meet Ethan’s Grandma Sis.  This 13 year old main character describes this quirky, eccentric woman as “not your typical let’s make cookies kind of Grandma”…  … Read the rest

Nov15

Canadian Patriotism Event (Inheritance Reduction Plan)

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Canadian Patriotism Event (Inheritance Reduction Plan)

Last spring, our friends, Alison Wright and Donald (Mucker) Munroe hatched a plan to celebrate Mucker’s sixtieth year as a Canadian citizen.  He immigrated from Scotland at the age of twenty-three and wanted to party with his community and family.

Our Mucker is a character who enjoys a big splash.  Three years ago, for his eightieth birthday party, he had a huge gathering representing a cross section of his life (former staff members from schools that he had led as principal, past students, sailing buddies, family, neighbors, and an eclectic array of friends) for a garden party.  But before the birthday festivities began, he led a parade through his neighborhood with pipers and, of course, fully decked out in his … Read the rest

Nov4

The Drama of Today’s Weddings!

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The Drama of Today’s Weddings!

Phew! I’m done, so done!  The last son/step-son is married.  How stressful can it be to just show up at one’s adult children’s weddings you ask?  Well, let me give you just a glint of insight into this wedding “gig”, contending with families consisting of step-moms, step-dads, ex-girlfriends, ex-boyfriends, step-brothers, step-sisters, half brothers and half sisters, OMG! What other family combinations can there possibly be?  Favorite aunts and uncles aren’t even a consideration after the extended families have been invited!

Consider the configurations of the guest lists and the insane task of trying to make each parent/step-parent comfortable with the wedding arrangements. Today when almost every parent of the bride and groom have new partners or are single and … Read the rest

Oct10

How Can a Fourteen Year Old Girl be a Threat to the Taliban?

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How Can a Fourteen Year Old Girl be a Threat to the Taliban?

The attempted assassination of Malala Yousafzai in Pakistan yesterday has me reeling!  I cannot understand how in a modern world, a fourteen year old girl could become a target on a Taliban hit list.  All this young girl wanted to do was attend school; a privilege taken for granted in North America and often not even appreciated.  Can you imagine this  girl’s courage to dress each morning and attempt to go to school after her right as a female to attend had been taken away? The Taliban deprives women’s roles and rights to openly attend schools. After shooting Malala and another girl who tried to protect her identity from the assassin, the Taliban immediately took pride in announcing their responsibility … Read the rest

Aug22

Big Boy’s Toys

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Big Boy’s Toys

Finally the departure morning of the long, awaited sailing trip together up Desolation Sound arrived. Two sailboats, two couples, and two weeks ahead cruising the Pacific Northwest coastline bathed in an August heatwave. Sounds ideal, right? Extensive preparation for this trip to “the wilds” was completed.  It all began with the purist sailor, Ryan (always indignant over the power boats and their noisy gadgets in anchorages) purchasing a honking, massive Honda generator.  Yes, a big boy’s toy. The justification, you ask? He could proudly brag he’d be brewing his wife a Starbucks Pike Roast on a newly purchased Keurig. Yes, another big boy’s toy. After all, Desolation Sound might actually be desolate!

Nothing matched the frenzied excitement caused … Read the rest

Apr21

Frenchie’s Best Friend Give Away in the Mail

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Frenchie’s Best Friend Give Away in the Mail

It was so great to receive the following response when I emailed the winner of the draw from the Author’s in Bloom Blog Hop!  It is obvious that Mel and her family are dog people and that they’re keen to read the humorous stories about Ethan (the 13 year old main character) who embarks on a devious scheme with his quirky grandmother to own his very own French Bulldog (unbeknownst to his overwhelmed single mother)!  I hope that the first two books of the Frenchie series provides the family with belly laughs and helps to ease the pain of losing their Krunchy.  Who knows?  After reading the novels, they may be just as Frenchie crazy as many of us … Read the rest

Apr17

Sense of Community Alive and Well in Nanoose Bay

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Sense of Community Alive and Well in Nanoose Bay

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At the first sign of SPRING, everyone has projects that they’re dying to get underway.  My Ryan needed/wanted/ pined for… a garden shed.  He had worked diligently over the winter months perfecting the design of his coveted SHED, by dusting off his Auto-Cad skills and then ultimately hired a professional, after all, to adjust the plan to comply with district building regulations. (Let’s just say after plans were created for the ideal SHED, reality hit! Apparently there are district size restrictions and the SHED became far less grandiose in size!)  Seriously, I think the man had secretly been planning a “MAN CAVE” complete with lazy boys, beer fridge and a flat screen TV.  Nope, that wasn’t going … Read the rest

Apr12

Authors in Bloom Blog Hop: Recipes, Gardening Tips, Give-Aways and a Grand Prize

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Authors in Bloom Blog Hop: Recipes, Gardening Tips, Give-Aways and a Grand Prize

Just a reminder to readers of the fun AUTHOR’S in BLOOM BLOG HOP.  Don’t delay visiting all of the sites below to meet new authors, gather recipes and gardening tips for spring, and enter into give-away raffles at each site.  And the best part of all is collecting a phrase from each site and creating a traveling story that must be pasted into a form on www.acozyreaderscorner.com to enter in the draw for an eReader of your choice and a $25.00 gift certificate.  Don’t miss out on the fun! Follow instructions below.

ENTER TO WIN the FIRST TWO NOVELS of the FRENCHIE SERIES

Frenchie’s Best Friend- Follow the Blog & Frenchie X2- Follow the Blog

WHO CAN ENTER the … Read the rest

Apr9

Enter to Win an eReader and Give-Aways in the Authors in Bloom Blog Hop

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Enter to Win an eReader and Give-Aways in the Authors in Bloom Blog Hop

You have until 11:59 p.m. on April 18th to enter the Authors in Bloom Blog Hop.  Remember, not only will you collect spring gardening tips and recipes at each author’s site, but you’ll enter for give-aways at each author’s web or blog page. At my site you just need to leave a comment on my April 8th blog (Author’s in Bloom Giveaway Hop  Enter to Win a Kindle! Enter to Win a Nook!)and leave your name and email address so that I can get hold of the winner when the prizes are announced after April 18th.  What will the  US/Canada winner receive?  The first two books of the Frenchie Series!  Funny and entertaining reads for all family members … Read the rest