2024 - WHERE HAVE YOU GONE? (But tons of memories were made!)   First off, I have to tell you our precious pooch, Maggie, is doing so much better. After a visit to the vet and getting medication, she's back to normal. Oh, and chicken and rice helped, as well. Thank you for your prayers.    It’s almost Christmas, and as you can see from the above photo, Ray and I are rather festive in our holiday t-shirts. We planned to find ugly sweaters on our trip to Goodwill, but when we saw these cute little numbers, we couldn’t resist them.   And while we shopped for our holly-jolly fare, I asked my sweet hubby, “How is it possible that it’s almost Christmas? Where has this year gone? Shouldn’t it be July 4th that we’re celebrating instead?”   Here are the highlights of my (and hubby's) year: The Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl. Will they do it again? I read sixteen books this year. WOW! Top pick: A Million Little Choices by Tamera Alexander – (Hint: the central theme is how the couple handles infidelity). Ray’s cousin in Florida found out that she is cancer-free. Fun time at my 50th Class reunion this summer. Have I really been out of school that long??? Losing two family members and three close friends this year has taught me that life is precious. Make the call, visit, or write a note to someone that pops into your head. Tomorrow may be too late. Last but not least, I have to give a SHOUTOUT to you, my faithful newsletter readers. I love the notes you send me. Thank you for being so loyal each and every month. Wishing you and your family have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Happy New Year!!! December bargain – Rekindled for Christmas Eve - .99 cents through Dec. 31st!    www.amazon.com/dp/B0BD8ZGMZ5 "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11 (KJV) Until next time...   ONE LAST FUNNY FOR 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co-uk3fvneY&authuser=0 Janetta Fudge Messmer - Author of Christian Comedy/Romances “Turning Life Into Comedy” E-mail: janettafudgemessmer@gmail.com Website and sign up for the newsletter: http://janettafudgemessmer.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetta.fudge.messmer Twitter: https://twitter.com/nettiefudge

   

 

EXPANDING MY COMFORT ZONE

(And I lived to tell you about it!)

 
As any of you know, owning a pet is fun and sometimes unpredictable. Right now, Maggie is under the weather. We’re feeding her chicken and rice, but if that formula doesn’t work, we’ll be visiting a vet. Please pray for our precious pooch.
 

 

I’m not going to mention how many days until Christmas, but November is zooming by. Since most of us are running around getting ready for Thanksgiving, I’ve decided to make my offering shorter this month.

WRITING NEWS:
I wrote “THE END” a few days ago on Mouse in Your Pocket. The last chapter took FOREVER. I’m not complaining because my aim is to give my readers a satisfying ending, but I learned a valuable lesson this time.

Don’t, and I repeat, don’t brainstorm with your hubby (or anyone) when you’ve already written 4000+ words on said chapter. When Ray suggested, “It has to be short and sweet,” those seven words changed how I wanted the story to end.

But don’t worry, the 4000+ words are in an Extra Word file. Maybe I’ll use them in a future book. But for now, I’m editing Mouse in Your Pocket and getting it ready to send to my editors. That’s when I find out if it makes sense.

DECEMBER FUNNY (times two):
Since I was using the word fiancé in my newest book, I wanted to make sure I spelled it right. Off to Google, I went. I spoke the word into my phone, and the next thing I hear is, “Beyonce is an American singer and songwriter…”

No, Google, that is not what I asked for. I chuckled and tried again. This time, I got the answer. And if you’re wondering, the spelling for a man is fiancé, and for a woman, it is fiancée.

SECOND FUNNY:
On November 7, I jumped completely out of my comfort zone. But it actually started the week before when I saw an ad for an Improv night at a comedy club in our area. For some strange reason, I said, “Sure, why not.”

I clicked to get tickets. However, the closer the date got, I almost chickened out. I even hoped (and I’m kidding) that there’d be riots in the street because of the election results so that we couldn’t go.

There wasn’t (thank You, Lord), and we went. I have to say that seven-and-a-half years in Toastmasters helped me. During the show, the audience would shout out a word to those of us on stage, and we’d take it from there. I appreciated that the person running it said, “Keep it clean.”

Will I do it again? YOU BET. I had a blast. And who doesn’t need to laugh and/or take a trip out of their comfort zone? I didn’t die, and you won’t either. Next time, though, I’ll have Ray snap some pictures of me making a fool of myself.

I’ll end with fruitcake. You either love or hate it. As you can see, our family enjoys them over the holidays. We spied that WinCo had them the other day, so we bought one. That night (see above photo), we devoured a sizeable piece. And two days later, we went back to the store, bought two more, and froze them. I always say, “Be prepared.”

We’re not sure what we’re doing for Thanksgiving this year, but I pray you and your family have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING and count your many blessings from 2024!

What is a favorite Thanksgiving tradition of yours?

Another of my books is ON SALE for .99 cents: 
 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CL53W615

Until next time…

Janetta Fudge Messmer - Author of Christian Comedy/Romances

“Turning Life Into Comedy”
E-mail: janettafudgemessmer@gmail.com
Website and sign up for the newsletter: http://janettafudgemessmer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetta.fudge.messmer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nettiefudge

 

TRIALS & TRIUMPHS = FUN (And the story behind the story!)   There’s so much news, I’m not sure my Bootober Newsletter will hold it all. HA! I’ll do my best to fill you in on all the latest happenings. As I mentioned last month, we’re back in Arizona for the winter. And knowing my hubby, pooch, and myself, we always have a story to tell, especially after we decided to leave our RV up in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Next summer, we'll pick it up and travel around the area again.   About a week before we headed out to Arizona, I suggested we buy a pop-up to tow behind the Jeep. This way we wouldn’t have to stay in hotels on the way down. Ray agreed, and we found one in Missoula, Montana. After getting sleeping bags and other supplies, we hit the road.   1st Night: It took us less than 18 minutes to set up the trailer. We gloated at our achievement since we’d never owned a pop up before. But after settling in for night, we discovered we’d be braving some chilly temps (mid-40s). Seeing our breath had us rethinking our decision. PS: Had to call the seller to ask how to turn on the lights. Who knew there was second switch? 2nd Night: Setting up the trailer that evening took well over an hour. A rather humbling experience to say the least. Pop-ups are a little trickier than just pulling our Winnebago into a spot. Weather was toastier that night. Side Note: KOA put us in tent site. We parked the trailer in the parking spot. Kind of strange. 3rd Night: We were back to a reasonable time of cranking the puppy up. However, when Ray tried to fill the water tank, we had a mini flood under one of the banquette seats. No, we didn’t call the seller again, but a quick clean up told us all was well.   Lake Powell Horseshoe Bend at sunset 4th and 5th Nights – Page, Arizona: We finally mastered the pop up upper and downer, and you could call us Tom and Terry Tourist while in Page. If you’ve not been there, it’s a must see. And as usual, I’ve attached a few photos for your viewing pleasure (see above).   Chapel of the Holy Cross 6th Night – Sedona, Arizona: Beautiful scenery everywhere we looked. A gorgeous day to see the sites. Our campground almost caused me to spend a night in jail, but we lived through it, and it will be in my next book. Who makes their guests find their spot then go to the office and check in? They did.  7th Night: We’re in our park model for the season. And the pop up is in storage. There you have the Messmer Adventure in a nutshell. And speaking of nuts – yes, we are!!! And that's the story behind the story!!! WRITING NEWS: I told you last month that I was going to a writer's conference. It happened, and all I can say is that I met so many nice folks. Even though I have an outgoing personality, I’m a little shy (yes, it’s hard to believe) when I’m put in situation where I don’t know anyone. But not that weekend. I decided there was no time like the present to be bolder. And it worked. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed something or laughed as hard as I did those two days. If the Lord and I hadn’t had our discussion beforehand, it may have had a different outcome. Sometimes, we have to put ourselves out there and see what happens. It was pure joy!!!   PS: Before Ray dropped me at the conference, we decided to go to breakfast. On the way, he saw the low tire light on the dash. We got there and sure enough, the right rear tire was low. Went and ate and when we came back out—the tire was completely flat. No worries, we had plenty of time. Ray called for roadside assistance, but then I noticed an Ace Hardware across the parking lot. We went and bought an air compressor and plugs. Thank You, Lord, that I’m married to a mechanic.     Ray aired up the tire, which took a half hour, then he fixed the hole. As you can see by the photo (above) – it was a honking screw that caused the damage. WOW!!!   MORE WRITING NEWS: I received a 5 STAR review on Pigtails and a Tool Belt. I had to share it. The person said, “I loved the guppy, and that Samantha talked to it.” TOO FUN!!! And another story behind the story: I’m at a book event and a lady stops by my table. We chatted, and I told her I was writing Pigtails. She asked, “Does it have a pet like your other ones do?” I had to admit that it did not, but a few days later, while writing a scene, the opportunity to add Goose the guppy came up. I don’t know why I picked a fish, but I’m glad this reader approved! PS: It's still ON SALE for .99 cents!!! OCTOBER FUNNY:   Not to tell any of our deep, dark secrets. But we leave laundry to the last minute. Since I was down to two pairs of underwear, I asked Ray, “Do you need me to do laundry? His quick response cracked me up. “No, I’ll just go Al dente.” After I controlled my laugher, I said, “You do know that’s a way you cook pasta? I think you meant ‘commando.’ People, a reality show is going to show up with their cameras one day and film our antic. HA!!!   Waltzing with a Grease Monkey is on sale for .99 cents. Here’s the blurb about the novella: Penelope Price teaches ballroom dancing. At night, she moonlights as a mechanic alongside her ex-boyfriend, Derek. One day, her two professions collide. Will Harrison waltz into Priceless Dance Studio and steal Penelope’s heart, or will Derek’s wit and wisdom win her back?  https://amzn.to/3QHNnL9 Until next time… Janetta Fudge Messmer - Author of Christian Comedy/Romances “Turning Life Into Comedy” E-mail: janettafudgemessmer@gmail.com Website and sign up for the newsletter: http://janettafudgemessmer.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetta.fudge.messmer Twitter: https://twitter.com/nettiefudge

 

MORE MAGGIE STORIES (And $10 well spent!!!)   I snapped the above selfie as we traveled back to Arizona. I believe our Boston Terrier/Jack Russel mix had an attitude that day and was saying, “Really, Mom. I have a window to look out of, and you’re bothering me.” She can be such a brat. HA!!! PAYING IT FORWARD: If I haven’t told you, I’m not a fan of LITTER. When I see it on the road, I want to pick it up. On this particular day in Coeur d’Alene, I spied a large piece of cardboard lying in the crosswalk as we pulled into the station for gas. While Ray filled the tank, I watched high schoolers as they came to the convenience store during their lunch hour. One young man carried what looked like the item I’d spotted on our way in. He then disposed of it in the trash can. I’m almost beside myself and rushed out of the RV to commend him for his act of service. Ray’s still pumping gas, and I asked my hubby, “Do you have $10?” He did, and I went into the store and located the boy. I tapped him on his shoulder and handed him the money. Then I said, “I saw that you picked up the trash and threw it away. Thank you for doing that.” He gave me a huge smile and thanked me for the money. Before I left, I asked him his name. He said, “Justin.” He made me proud and renewed my faith in the generation coming up. I hope his friends didn’t give him too much trouble because a gray-haired lady (me) accosted him at Maverick. It felt great to ‘pay it forward.’   WRITING NEWS: Here’s another error that I’m glad didn’t make it into the final draft of my book. I scratched my head when I came across it, wondering why my brain and fingers disconnect at times. It does make for a touch of humor when I run into them. And I changed ‘flood’ to ‘floor.’ HA!   MORE WRITING NEWS: In my work in progress, I’m tackling the repetitive words I used in my first draft. Remember, I write by the seat of my pants. OH, MY GOODNESS!!! Here’s a short list of the vocabulary I overuse - think, that, glanced, stared, all words with ‘thing’ in them, and grin. The good news – I’ll be done with the pesky process by mid-week.   FINAL PIECE OF WRITING NEWS: I’m getting ready to attend a writer’s conference the end of September. It’s my first one in a long time, and I’m excited. Ray will drop me off at the hotel in Phoenix, and I’m off to fill my brain with writing information. I’d appreciate your prayers.     We spent three weeks in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and it wasn’t enough time to see everything. If you’ve never visited there, make plans to do so. The lake, mountains, and friendly folks will have you questioning why it took you so long to get up there. The city is not paying me to promote it, but I have to tell you it’s worth seeing. We left our RV up there in storage, so we’re heading back up there in the spring once again. SEPTEMBER FUNNY: A few weeks ago, I took Maggie out for her morning stroll. About five minutes into our walk, I discovered I didn’t have a bag with me to pick up her poop. Normally, this would upset me, but not today. My ingenuity came to the rescue and cracked me up. I searched my pockets for a tissue…anything to help me be a good citizen. I glanced over to Maggie, and she was nosing a chip bag. Hum! That could work. I snatched it up and wondered how I’d get Exhibit A (poop) into Exhibit B (bag) when I needed it. We walked a little farther, and another piece of trash caught my eye—an empty flip-top cigarette box. Ah hah! A scoop. Maggie did her business, and the ‘scoop’ and chip bag worked without incident. Praise the Lord!!! I hurried back to the RV and told Ray, “MacGyver doesn’t hold a candle to what I just did.” Then I explained what had happened. We both had a good laugh.   Fall is in the air, so why don't you grab a book (preferably mine) and head to your porch? Pigtails and a Tool Belt (a Romantic Comedy) is ON SALE for .99 cents. https://amzn.to/3sa1KNP Until next time…     Janetta Fudge Messmer - Author of Christian Comedy/Romances “Turning Life Into Comedy” E-mail: janettafudgemessmer@gmail.com Website and sign up for the newsletter: http://janettafudgemessmer.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetta.fudge.messmer Twitter: https://twitter.com/nettiefudge

   

WE FINALLY MOVED NORTH
(Book News, an oops, and a hint)

  
Most of you know I LOVE sunsets. So, I had to share the photo (see above) that I took at Lindsey Creek Winery outside of Lewiston, Idaho. I may have to use it as a future book cover. We’ll see, but it sure made me praise the Lord for the beauty He created.

As the title says, “We finally moved north.” And we’re enjoying the cooler temperatures with less A/C and more breezes coming in the opened windows. Last night, though, temps called for an extra blanket. I chuckled when we tucked it in, remembering the 100+ we’d left behind a week ago.
 

As you will see, I’m jumping around this month. I took these photos when we were still in the southern part of Idaho. A lady we met told us, “Oh, you have to go to Silver City. You’ll be on some dirt roads, but they aren’t bad.”

We headed up there and let me tell you – I’m glad we had a 4-wheel drive Jeep because we used it to get there. It’s an old mining town, and people still live there. The two buildings shouted for me to take their picture, so I did.
 

About a week ago, Ray’s computer acted up. He fixed it and moved on. The next day, I opened mine, and a black screen stared back at me. As a writer, that’s not a happy sight to see. Hubby worked on mine and got it working too.

Unfortunately, it didn’t last, and now I'm the proud owner of a new computer. Some of you might be asking, "Why the above photo?" I’m glad you asked. When you replace a 'puter (as I like to call it), it's stressful.

We worked on the project of moving information from one computer to the new one. I got quite flustered. No, on a scale of 1 to 10, I was at 1050. I kept saying to my hubby, “I don’t want to lose anything.”

As excessive amount of tears ran down my cheeks (yes, I was a big baby), Ray assured me that everything had moved to their rightful place and handed me my computer and mouse. I dried my tears and checked out everything. 

This is where the above photo comes into play. After I put my computer away, I decided to call my sister to tell her my woes. I got up and was halfway to the bedroom when I realized I was carrying my mouse, not my phone. I laughed and told Ray, "Please take a picture of me. My readers will get a kick out of it." And I hope you did!

PS: My hero (Ray) won an award for his patience that day, that’s for sure.

WRITING NEWS:
 

If you talk to any writer, they will tell you about boo-boos they’ve made in their manuscripts. Above is one of mine. I thought you’d enjoy seeing it. I’m glad it didn’t make it into the book. And I’d like to know how she talked with a mouthful of toothpaste. HA!!!
 

 

After reading this sign, I had to take a picture of it. I can see my character in Book #12 saying this exact thing. Am I dropping a hint of what the book is about? Stayed tuned for more clues in the coming months.
 

The final bit of writing news…Early Birds Adventures (a 5-book series) is ON SALE for $3.99 through August 31. https://amzn.to/47xzLbg

And, as always, thank you for reading my books and monthly newsletter!!!

Until next time…
 

Janetta Fudge Messmer - Author of Christian Comedy/Romances

“Turning Life Into Comedy”
E-mail: janettafudgemessmer@gmail.com
Website and sign up for the newsletter: http://janettafudgemessmer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetta.fudge.messmer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nettiefudge

 

COMEDY TIMES THREE (and some writing news...finally!)    July is filled to the brim with funnies. As I’ve said before, “Comedy follows us around.” Here’s an example: After dinner a few nights ago, I cleaned up the dishes. For some strange reason, I looked at my Fitbit when I finished, and my heart rate read 127 bpm. WHAT? Just to let you know, this menial task does not excite me. But I thought I’d get my hubby’s input on the matter. His brilliant observation was, “Didn’t know you could get a workout washing dishes.” I didn’t either. HA!!!   2nd funny: For those who have read the third book in the Early Birds series (Girly Birds), know that the cover has a funkified VW bus on it. I've told Ray for years that I want one to travel around in. So, when I saw the above pictures, I had to share it. And since I’m getting older, I hope someday this pup will be parked next to my chair instead of a boring metal one. It would definitely brighten up my day and the lives of others who saw this crazy lady wheeling it around.   Here’s the 3rd and final funny: Some of you know that July 4th is our anniversary. This year we celebrated forty-three years. Some days, it feels like yesterday, and other times… Anyway, we ventured out to a couple of wineries to commemorate the day. First up, the Hoston Winery on Chicken Dinner Road (see above photo - it does exist). The name cracked us up, and I told Ray, “There has to be a story behind this crazy name.” And when we heard it, I knew I had to share it in my newsletter. Back in the 1930s, a woman named Laura Lamb invited the governor and his wife to their farm for dinner. Her hope was that she and her husband could convince him to fix their road, which was in poor condition. Rumor had it this lady was noted for her fried chicken, apple pie, and hot rolls. After dinner and before dessert, she mentioned the road condition to the governor. The story said that he hemmed hawed around about fixing the road. Laura said, “If you don’t agree, you don’t get a piece of my apple pie.” In turn, he said, “Laura, if you get that road graded and graveled, I’ll see it gets oiled.” She did her end of the deal, and then called the governor. The next day, they oiled the road. Laura went out to check the mail the next day, and someone had painted “Lamb’s Chicken Dinner Road” on the freshly paved road. They were in bright yellow letters. Rumor had it that school children chanted the name, and the name stuck. Side Note: The winery serves a variety of wines. A few are aptly named for the road: Chicken Dinner Red or Chicken Dinner White. And we’re happy to report that no chickens were used in the making of the tasty wine!!! WRITING NEWS – And it was a long time coming: I have to admit I’ve been in a writing slump for quite some time. Yes, I’ve shared ideas with you about Book #12, but each has fizzled out for some reason. HOWEVER, I have great news. As of today, I have 38,589 words in my latest book. WOOHOO!!! This idea has been swimming around in my head for years. The funny thing about it is, I wrote the book’s opening line five years ago and then put it away. Why, I’ll never know, but late last month, I opened the file, and the rest is history. Here is the short blurb. Please tell me what you think… Jessica Montgomery inherits her eccentric uncle's land. She's torn. Does she sell and go back to her interior design business? Or does she clean up the junkyard to see if Melvin left her something of value in the clutter? Oh, did she mention a mouse plays a part in the story? Jess hates mice. And the man who is close to stealing her heart is engaged. Can things get any worse? Yes, they can.  I love all of my books, but this one is becoming one of my favorites. I can’t give you a publication date yet, but I’ll keep you posted. And as always, thanks for reading my ramblings. Oh, before I forget, Rekindled for Christmas Eve and An Unexpected Christmas gift are .99 cents each. I hear, if you read a Christmas-themed book during July, the temps around you drops fifteen degrees. Enjoy!!! Rekindled for Christmas Eve: www.amazon.com/dp/B0BD8ZGMZ5 An Unexpected Christmas Gift:  www.amazon.com/dp/B0CL53W615     Until next time…   Janetta Fudge Messmer - Author of Christian Comedy/Romances “Turning Life Into Comedy” E-mail: janettafudgemessmer@gmail.com Website and sign up for the newsletter: http://janettafudgemessmer.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetta.fudge.messmer Twitter: https://twitter.com/nettiefudge

 

HOW CAN I BE SO OLD?  (My 50th Class Reunion and much more!!!)    In my May newsletter, I told you we made a stop in Colorado. It also included my 50th Class Reunion in Colorado Springs. How is it possible that I'm that old?  In reality, I graduated from Herington, Kansas. But at our All-School Reunion last year in our hometown, a bunch of us decided we’d change locales. Shake it up a bit in our old age. Wink! Wink!   Moving on to the reunion, I must admit that I haven’t had so much fun a looooong time. And the turnout was amazing. As you can see, sixteen classmates attended the festivities and braved the COLD on top of Pikes Peak the first morning. Our spouses were busy taking lots of pictures to prove we were there.   After we recovered from the altitude on Pikes Peak, we ate and then ventured to the Garden of the Gods. Our first stop: the Balanced Rock (see above). I bet most of you have the same shot. We drove around the park, showing our friends Bruce and Diane. They’d never seen it before. I’m sad to say, our 50th Class Reunion came to a close, and we had to say goodbye. A fun time had by all…even the spouses said so. I’m left to wonder where the Class of ’74 will go on their next reunion…   (We included spouses in the farewell photo.) ON THE ROAD AGAIN!!! Below I've included assorted photos on our way through Utah and into Idaho (our final destination for the summer). I hope I don't bore you too much with all the pictures I share, but I say again, “We live in a beautiful country.”   (Me clowning around with a moose in Provo, UT) (Bridal Falls in Provo, Utah) (Craters of the Moon in Idaho. WOW!) (An interesting fact from the Idaho Potato Museum) (The amazing Idaho Falls falls)   That's all for now, but please share a photo from one of your class reunions or a special travel pic with me. I'd love to see either or both!!! MY WRITING NEWS:   God’s Grace in Our Grumbling is a 30-Day Devotional. You will learn the Lord is ready to rescue us from whatever life throws our way. He will give us grace when life causes us to grumble. I hope these stories change your heart, as they did mine.  https://amzn.to/47CExnE PS: Next month, I'll share more photos from our travels through Idaho. Aren't you excited? Until next time…   Janetta Fudge Messmer - Author of Christian Comedy/Romances “Turning Life Into Comedy” E-mail: janettafudgemessmer@gmail.com Website and sign up for the newsletter: http://janettafudgemessmer.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetta.fudge.messmer Twitter: https://twitter.com/nettiefudge