I survived Winter Storm Fern, Jan 25, 2026

 January 27, 2026

Yep. I made it through Winter Storm Fern in good shape. I know not everyone did, but here in my part of western Maryland, we had five inches of snow topped by two inches of sleet with no freezing rain to speak of. There is something about the configuration of the mountains right here that pushes clouds out and around us. Anyway...

I made a couple of videos, one about my storm preps and one after the storm. I invite you to view them, and I invite you to subscribe to my channel for more seemingly worthless content. Or maybe you'll find a hint or two, who knows? You won't know unless you go. 

How's that for a shameless plug?

KC

Stat check

 

January 12, 2026

I haven't checked the stats here at Between the Keys since mid-2023. I guess I was a little busy caring for Ron and the aftermath of his passing. But this morning, I decided to take a look, and wow! I had no idea so many people were reading! Thank you! Thank you!

The downside is, having over 10K hits doesn't translate to 10K sales, but it makes me wonder. You would think sales would be at least a quarter of that number, wouldn't you? 

Across the years, I've been aware of other authors claiming their sales have been under reported. Some of them managed to get proof - I have no clue how. It is food for thought. 

Anyway... I was quite pleased to see how many visitors have been here. It makes me think I need to up my game and blog more frequently. Then again, I need to write more frequently, too. Maybe that is really why folks are stopping by - hoping I've been busy writing. 

     _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/KCKendricks

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, LGBT gay romance, Kindle romance, m/m romance, a writer's life, contemporary m/m romance, GLBT m/m, rural living, statistics, 

The Kendricks 1300

January 4, 2026

It seems this new year has already brought a milestone. Thirteen hundred posts here at Between the Keys. Never did I imagine, way back in January 2008, that I'd still be blogging on this platform. I wasn't at all sure I would like writing blogs, but here we are at thirteen hundred. 

It's been a while since I posted number twelve hundred in September 2023. So much has happened since then. My beloved Ron passed from this life, and I've settled into retirement on my little manor. Both have been life-altering. My retirement days are much as I envisioned, but losing Ron was like living in a black hole. Enough time has passed and I'm almost back to my "old" self. 

I posted the 2025 Retrospective just two days ago, so I won't repeat everything today. I invite you to go back and check out that post about a look back at the past year. 

This post is a simple one - let's mark the milestone! As I write this post, tomorrow will be Sunday, January 4, 2026, and the last day of the New Year's holiday. This post will go up in the wee hours. I'll enjoy Sunday, because Monday is the big back-to-work day, even for writers. I'll be posting promos for January After Dark on Monday, something I postponed due to the Christmas/New Year's holidays. Along with that, I will resume work on the next story (or two). 

Will there be a Kendricks 1400? I hope so, but if I've learned anything recently, it's that the universe does not respect plans made too far in advance. Knowing that gives me the proper tools to work with going forward. I wonder where I'll actually end up? 

     _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/KCKendricks

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

KC Kendricks, Rayne Forrest, Between the Keys, milestone, future writings, m/m romance, LGBT gay romance, loss of spouse, planning ahead, rural living, retrospectives, Kindle romances, blogging

You can call me Wimpy

January 3, 2026

I think it's official. I have become a wimp. 

Our winter started early. By December 21, 2025. it was January cold. We've already had one major wind event, too. It's not our normal. Maybe that's why I'm calling myself wimpy. 

My home office has been in the sunroom, which my late husband built, for over a decade. It started out as a simple porch that needed some new decking. Then he suggested we put a roof over it, which we did. When that was done, the man said we should screen it in so we could sit out there in the evenings. So we did that, and you guessed it. He wanted to add windows. So now I have a "sunroom." I'm not complaining because he did a great job on it. We enjoyed it for years until we screened in the back patio and I moved my office into the sunroom at that point. 

Sooooo... It's cold. With windows on three sides, heating the sunroom can be problematic. During the aforementioned wind event, I couldn't work out there. I couldn't get the temperature up in the room. I capitulated. For the first time ever, I moved my desk and computer to the living room. 

And you know what? The location isn't bad. I'm going to stay in the living room until mid-March. It'll give me time to do a thorough cleaning in the sunroom. It has also answered a very important question - new desktop or new laptop in 2026? The answer is new laptop. It's a lot more portable than my desk! 

This little adjustment made feel wimpy. This is the first year I've been bothered by the cold. I freely admit to disliking really hot weather, but temps in the 20Fs and 30Fs have never been a problem for me. I guess it's a first step to feeling my age. 

I don't think I like it much. 

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/KCKendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Rayne Forrest, Between the Keys, contemporary gay romance, m/m romance, rural living, an author's life, writing, wind, winter, wimps, sunrooms, building, aging

I can still call myself a writer

 December 9, 2025

I typed THE END in one of the three manuscripts I have on the go. I cannot tell you how good that felt! I was relieved I finished one after months of struggling with a few inner demons. And no, I don't think I'm going to whine about them. If you've been following along, I think you know losing Ron changed everything for me. 

It felt good! There's still some work to do. I need to write the blurb, add the front and end material, set up a book page here on the blog, and get the book uploaded everywhere. At least the cover is made, and I'll share that in a day or two. I'm happy that getting it finished has invigorated me, and maybe inspired me, to buckle down and finish another of the stories I've had on the go. 

I've struggled with the question of whether or not I should hang up my keyboard, but at the moment, I know it's not yet time. I've been worried about what I'm going to do this winter when I can't get outside and writing is the answer. I knew that but wondered if I could actually do it. I'm cautiously optimistic that I can. 

You wouldn't think that after twenty three years I'd still question the muse. She was asleep for a long time and I can't guarantee she won't fall back into a coma. 

Now it's time to move on and get busy with those aforementioned finishing touches. It doesn't pay to bask in a small success for too long. Building on it is a lot better.

_*_*_*_*_*_*_

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/KCKendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, contemporary gay romance, m/m romance, rural living, fiction writer, GLBT romance, Kindle romance, Twitter, Blogger, Facebook, books

Summertime is busy time

 

July 22, 2025

Yes, the writer has actually typed words onto the page! 

Beyond getting a bit of writing done, life has been busy. That's not a complaint at all. Busy is a good thing, in my opinion. I'm happy, relieved, delighted, and joyous that I have more to do than a) watch television all day, b) sit at the computer all day, and c) mindlessly shop with friends all day. Yes, this girl has a wide streak of cynicism in her. But it's true that I come from a long line of "doers" and not "loafers." 

Summertime is a busy time when you live way out in the country. I've been gardening, mowing, tree trimming, canning, and making a few videos. Why did I add videos into my already busy schedule? I want women in my age group to see that it is possible to manage on your own. I'm not bragging about it. I'm simply showing it's possible. https://youtube.com/@kckendricks. 

And writing. Yes, writing! I'd like to say I've pounded out thousands and thousands of words a day, but those days may be in the past. Life is different now, and so am I. I get written what I get written and I'm okay with that. I'm also okay that I will get a book or two out in this calendar year. 

I'm learning to be more content when I can't get it all done in one day. That's content- not complacent. There is a difference. I'm learning that even mowing the lawn can be a satisfying experience. If anyone had told me I'd have this level of contentment living alone, without Ron, I wouldn't have believed it. 

So allow me to enjoy this busy summer. I've been through changes and I'm a new me. Happily, though, the writer has survived. She's still here, and her muse still speaks. 

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KCKendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, writing, m/m romance, LGBTQ gay romance, summertime, rural living, gardening, authors, new books, life changes, 

An odd interruption to writing and guilt

 June 19, 2025

There's no shortage of things I need to do. And then there are those days when something bugs me and I just go do it. Take for example the pictured stump. 

I was, for once, happily working on one of the WIPs. I've got that sucker past 10,000 words and I now know the characters well enough to know where I want them to go. Will they cooperate? That's always a question. 

But I digress...

I typed the last line of Chapter 5 and looked out the office window at this stump. If that stump were removed, I could take the old Husqvarna mower through there, no problem. The next think I knew, I was on the John Deere 1023 digging out the stump. 

It needed done, but I'm not sure I needed to run right out and start it. For one thing, I was halfway through the removal when I heard thunder and saw lightning. The last place I wanted to be with a thunderstorm coming was atop a big hunk of metal beneath a lot of tall trees. I headed for the barn. 

We got over two inches of rain so it was a couple of days before I went out and finished the job. Heck, I even have some video footage I'm going to post once I get it edited. 

The thing is, I'm okay that I took the time to get the stump out. I've got to stop guilting myself when I need to do home and garden chores. I'm on my own now. No one else is going to do it. 

I've got to stop thinking in terms of not publishing six books a year as failing. It's not. Giving up would be the failure. Putting pressure on myself to write, write, write when so many other things are in my life is a failure to myself. 

I think I'm more of a work-in-progress than the manuscripts! 

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KCKendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, writers on writing, contemporary gay romance, m/m romance, LGBTQ gay, rural living, guilt, John Deere 1023 tractor, time management

Updates from the Manor

June 10, 2025

I've been busy. Country living isn't all sipping bourbon on the porch. It's constant movement before it's time to sit on the porch (or patio in my case). The other day, I made a little video to show what's been going on lately and posted it. 

Making videos started years ago as a way to entertain my late husband. As he lost mobility, I videoed walks with the dogs and areas of the Manor he couldn't access with his power chair. He enjoyed it. And I videoed some of his antics on the tractor.  He requested a video of the professional tree trimmers taking down the leaning maple, so we shot that from the safety of the sunroom porch. 

These days making a video is more about a record for myself. Some future me is going to look back and remember that the woman of today did exist. Heck, I need these videos now to prove to my running buddies that THIS WOMAN can really operate a tractor and a chainsaw. 

So I made a little video. Go watch it. Subscribe to my channel and help me out. I'll never sneak into the YT algorithm if you don't. 

KC

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, YouTube video, LGBTQ gay romance, gardening, making videos, country lifestyle, rural living, Holly Tree Manor, romance author, life updates, new things, m/m romance, loss of spouse, rebuilding life

Retirement reflections

 May 19, 2025

Three years ago today, I walked out of the day job office for the last time. Or maybe I should say for the last time as a full-time employee. I've been back to visit the lovely young woman they hired when I announced I was retiring. She is a true gem. 

The woman who was my immediate supervisor when I retired is preparing to announce her own retirement. She's waiting until the moment feels "right" to her, and I support her thinking. I have told her a few times that she'll just simply know when she's ready. She was the best "boss" I had in my twenty-two years there and on a certain level, I hated to leave and not see her every day. We've stayed in touch, meeting for lunch at least once a month. 

My official retirement date was May 31, 2022, but I coasted those last few days on vacation time. I stayed on as an "administrative consultant" so the new girl could call me with questions and not feel like she was bothering me. She couldn't "bother" a person if she tried. She's that sweet. It's who she is. 

So have the last three years gone as planned? No. Have they gone as hoped? No. My beloved Ron died last year. I was supposed to have years and years of retirement fun with him. Instead, it's just me and a bunch of cousins and girlfriends having "fun." They're great company, but it's not the same. 

I had planned to do a lot of writing in retirement, but Ron suddenly needed more care. I was grateful to be home to be with him even though I lacked the energy to write. I've been struggling with it ever since. 

My days are full of taking care of my home, inside and out. There is a garden to tend, grass to mow, firewood to stockpile, autos and equipment to get serviced. Self-care is more of a priority now, as anyone who lives alone will understand on a gut level. The rosy retirement movie that played in my mind no longer exists. And you know what? That's fine! I'm making a new movie, one that shows a more independent and healthy me. 

I still need to gather in the threads of writing discipline and get busy. I have three WIPs to finish, and it's already the last part of May. If I want to publish them in this calendar year, I need to buckle down. I may never get back to being able to publish six or seven books a year, but maybe I can do four. 

No, retirement so far has not been what I expected, but I'm fine. Life is often full of the unexpected. We need to adjust, even if it takes a while, and keep going. That's my plan now - just keep going. 

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KCKendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, m/m romance, LGBTQ gay romance, contemporary gay romance, retirement, death of spouse, a writer's life, rural living, publishing, history, friends, cousins, equipment

Sometimes it's out of our control

May 15, 2025

It's been an interesting couple of days. There was rain in the forecast, but I didn't pick up on the fact the rain would be a deluge. We got two inches in less than twenty-four hours. That's a lot for us. Some areas just west of our location got even more. The Potomac River is flooding in some spots. 

Rain is one thing. Power outages are another. Back in the day, outages were common here. The power blinked every day in the hottest part of summer. Then came the Big Ice Storm of October 29, 2011, and the power company had a massive amount of damage to repair. It seems they were able to make those repairs count because the regular power blinks stopped after that. 

Tuesday was a mess. It rained. Boy, did it rain. I'd already emptied about two and a half inches out of the rain gauge and Tuesday brought two more. I kept an eye on the radar. The sump pump cycled a few times and I knew that when the heavy rain hit, around nightfall of course, the pump would cycle about every five minutes. I got the Troy-Built 5500 generator ready and it's a good thing I did. 

About nine o'clock I heard a strange thump-boom. The lights flickered not once, but three times. I heard the sound again, and the house went dark. I bolted out the door and started the generator so the sump pump could keep working. I called the power company's emergency line to report the total outage. They gave me an estimated time for the power to be restored - eleven o'clock. At a quarter past eleven, they said it would be one o'clock (that's AM). I let the generator run and listened to the pump cycle. 

The generator powers the sump pump, the water pump, areas of the basement, the living room, kitchen, and the master bedroom. I turned on the hall light knowing that when the power was restored, that light would come on and let me know I could shut down the generator. I could watch the Weather Channel's radar map, and my Kindle was fully charged. Deuce and I were doing fine, and Loki slept through it all. I couldn't turn on the computer, but that was okay. I didn't want to take the chance. 

At ten minutes to one, I called the power company again. NOW the recording said it would be three o'clock before the power was restored. I no sooner disconnected the call when the hall light popped on. I waited a couple of minutes before I flipped switches and shut down the generator. Halleluiah, I could go to bed! Note that I didn't say I'd go to sleep. It was a while before that happened. 

Fast forward to last night and we had a few more power blinks around eleven o'clock. I was concerned but not panicked. The rain had stopped and the sump pump wasn't cycling. 

So here we are this morning. It's misty and foggy outside, but all is well inside. The adventures of the last two days were out of my control. I'm grateful to have reached the point in my life where I can roll with these unexpected outages instead of getting angry and driving myself into a fit. 

I was prepared for an outage, but I'm pondering how I can be even better prepared. The generator runs great, but as with all mechanical things, it ages. It's over twenty years old and has more than a few hours on it. Now I wonder if I should get a medium sized power bank to run the sump pump, just in case. 

Being prepared is not out of my control. I can be proactive, and I'm going to look at a few things this summer and hopefully fine tune my emergency response capabilities. It just makes sense, especially for a woman living alone. 

And who knows? Maybe this experience will work its way into a story soon. 

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KCKendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, m/m romance, contemporary gay romance, LGBTQ+ romance, rural living, country lifestyle, Troy-Built 5500, rain system, power outages, preparedness

The health of this writer

 

May 5, 2025

Health tips are everywhere. Do this. Do that. Bad. Good. Must. Avoid. I confess to being at the "who gives a fuck" stage with it all. I think all this so-called advice has morphed into how a blogger or a YouTube-r gets more views to generate more income. BETWEEN THE KEYS is not monetized. My opinions are out there for free. This is my blog, a record of my days, my thoughts, my opinions, for what it's all worth. This is who and where I am on this day. 

So.... why am I writing about health instead of working on the current WIP? 

There was a family gathering this past weekend and talk turned to health. This seems to be a more and more popular topic at these events. I get annoyed when talk turns to glucose levels. People act like they don't believe me when I tell them mine is fine. My grandmother was diabetic and folks seem to think I should be one, too. The reading pictured was taken at about 7:00 AM this morning. It really PISSES ME OFF! Yeah. It does. As soon as I'm finished venting, I'm texting that picture out to a few family members. 

Why is this number so important? There is something with glucose levels called the dawn phenomenon. Go look it up. As best I can tell it's got a lot to do with biorhythms and your very smart body preparing you to have enough energy to wake up via the liver making glucose. It's a whole thing. 

Now you may wonder why I check my levels on a semi-regular basis. My grandmother was diabetic and I have her genetics. I also have access to more and better information than she ever had. I check my levels to watch for trends.  

I've read the articles where sitting all day is considered to be the new smoking when it comes to chronic health problems. I sat behind a desk for most of my working years. Then I came home and sat at the computer to write. I also walked on my lunch breaks and walked the dog after I got home. Now that I'm retired, I'm outside moving around a lot. Being the Lady of the Manor requires a lot of physical activity. 

Refined white sugar is the new devil. Carbohydrates are evil. Seed oils sit at the right hand of the fallen angel. Intermittent fasting and a high protein diet will help you live forever! All the hype gets in the way of the truth which is we do need to look closely at those things and be smart about them. My morning coffee demands a pinch of sugar and a glug of cream, so bite me.

I never realized that I practiced intermittent fasting for most of my life. My natural hunger pattern seems to be to want food between ten and eleven in the morning, and then around between five and six in evening. Three meals a day never really worked for me. When I worked, I'd have a cup of yogurt mid-morning and eat supper around five. Maybe I created my rhythm over the years. 

What I am changing is carbohydrates. I'm going low-carb. I discovered long ago I feel a lot better if I don't eat carbs with my dinner. No problem. I'm intentional with it now that I'm cooking just for myself (and the dog). 

Know thyself. Yes, I want to stay healthy. Yes, I want to avoid the problems my grandmother had. And yes, I want to shove pictures of my healthy glucose numbers up the collective nose of certain family members. Maybe that's the real motivation. 

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KCKendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Between the Keys, KC Kendricks, glucose levels, healthy writers, low carb, LGBT gay romance, m/m romance, contemporary romance, rural living, a writer's life, country lifestyle, family

Keeping oneself amused

April 26, 2025

It's the little things in life that keep me smiling. My 2025 garden is planted. It's raining on the garden. The rain enabled me to burn the brush pile this morning. Driving my car is soooo much fun!  The odometer rolled up a fun number....76543.

And I almost missed it! I pulled into my parking spot beside my house, looked down, and there it was! How close was that to missing it? Pretty close.

Anyway, I found it amusing and thought I'd share it. That's not bad mileage for a 2011 Charger. I think the old girl has more than a few miles left in her, and I'm glad. I don't like making car payments. Even the odd repair is cheaper than a car payment. And the cold hard fact is, I don't plan on replacing her. Considering I live in rural America, and I'm getting older, the best vehicle for me is a "small" pickup. The day may come when I sell the Charger and trade in the Colorado on a newer one. But that day hasn't arrived. 

Until then, I'm going to enjoy driving a car that hugs the road and can go fast when I'm in the mood. It's the little things in life. 

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KCKendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, 2011 Dodge Charger, Chevy Colorado, rural living, a writer's life, m/m romance, gay romance, Kindle romance, fast cars, private amusements

Keeping the writer happy (in theory)

 

April 13, 2025

It's always good to get the cover made for a work-in-progress. I find inspiration in having that accomplished. Having a dual screen set-up, I can have the cover up while I'm actively writing. It's a visual aid. Unfortunately, it was not enough of an aid to keep me from working on what is for me a vital springtime chore. 

Every spring, I need to pull up a winter's growth of weeds and grass at the gable end of my house. Yes, I have woven weed barrier down, but it can't stop weeds and grass from trying to grow in the pea gravel. A few years ago, I revamped the area in a big way. I won't allow all that hard work, and it WAS hard work, to be for nothing. 

I decided to reduce the number of big pots I have in this area for this year. I'm scaling back on the veggies this year since I'm on my own. There is room in the garden area for annual flowers now. 

But this area beside the house is important. I park my Charger there and I HATE to come home and look at a weed patch. It wrecks my mood. Now I can come home and park beside a neatly tended area. It'll made me happy!

And a happy me is a writing me, or at least that's one theory. 

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KCKendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, gay m/m romance, LGBT gay, Kindle gay romance, contemporary gay romance, rural living, gardening, book covers, a writer's life, seasonal work

The door is open

March 28, 2025

A year ago today, my late husband and I shared our final conversation. He died less than two full days later. 

I'm struggling with the fact it's been a year - three hundred sixty five days - and yet the memory is still fresh and clear in my mind. 

Where do I go from here? It's a serious question to which I have no definitive answer. 

I've survived the last year and I'll say it myself because I doubt anyone else will - I've managed it very well. Ron spent the last years of his life preparing me, teaching me, empowering me. He was a good man. He knew what was coming and making sure I was ready was more important than preparing himself for his own passing. Again, he was a good man. 

The door is open. The future invites all of us to step through and see where the path goes, but that first step is daunting. And there is a first step to take in every day. 

I suppose I need to give myself this weekend to reflect and grieve. To acknowledge it has been a year since Ron died is to acknowledge just how real the future without him will be. 

In some ways, I've been waiting for this first anniversary to come and go. It doesn't make absolute sense to me but at the same time it does. It's a completed cycle. It's proof I can manage on my own. It tells me some of the jokes with my girlfriends about not wanting to take on another man are not jokes but fact. I do not want to be a caregiver again, and at my age, it's certain I'd eventually become one. I'm saying no even if it means being on my own for the rest of my days. 

Beyond the open door lies freedom, the kind of which it's time to experience. The only question that needs to be answered now is am I really brave enough to accept the invitation?

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KCKendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, a writer's life, m/m romance, LGBT gay romance, Kindle novels, rural living, loss of spouse, grief, moving forward, contemporary gay romance, erotic romance novels

A to Z Blogging and distractions

March 24, 2025

So for a hot minute I thought about doing the 2025 A to Z Blogging Challenge. Maybe not for an entire minute. Been there, done that. It takes a lot of time, and that's time I don't want to devote to it. 

I had to go back and look to see when I first took the challenge. It was in April 2011. I thought it might be a great way to promo the books I had available. I made a calendar and got to work. 

When April 2012 rolled around, I was more prepared. I pre-wrote several blog entries to stay ahead. In 2013 I really got into developing a calendar. In 2014, we picked themes and mine was a subject near to my heart - A Rural Life. I kicked off the month with a story we cousins still laugh about. Our grandparents were sometimes larger than life. 

As I approached April 2015, I questioned my sanity when I thought of doing the challenge yet again. My 2015 theme was Many Sundry Things and I went all over the place with entries. But in 2016, I pulled up my big girl britches and jumped in again with some Time Management. 

All-in-all, I for the most part enjoyed the Challenge. But if I recall correctly, the A to Z organizers changed the format in 2017 and that was my excuse to STOP IT. Six years was enough participation for me. Plus, my day job and caring for my mother were getting the best of me. (I'm going to address some of that later in a post about retirement.)

It takes me about an hour to go from start to finish on a blog entry. I need coffee or tea. I need to let Deuce out. The washer or dryer beeps at me. I'm cold so I need a sweater. I'm hot so I have to hang it up. I get a notification I have a new email so I need to go read it. Did I ever mention I have several blogs about distractions? I do. 

In the course of writing this entry, I was distracted by some of the old A to Z blogs and read them. Can you believe I allowed myself to be distracted yet again? Yep.

I'm not participating in the 2025 Challenge. I'm delighted that it's happening. I approve of continuity. I just have too many other distractions important things in my life right now. 

Gotta go. Deuce wants to play and my coffee cup is empty. I think the dryer may have beeped, too. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KCKendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Between the Keys,  KC Kendricks, A to Z Blogging, contemporary gay romance, m/m romance, GLBT gay, Kindle gay novels, distractions, a writer's life, rural living, writers on writing

Another step forward

 

March 16, 2025

So I got a new phone. 

Why is this news? Because it means I finally had Ron's phone disconnected. I will no longer be able to dial his old number and hear his voice. This was hard to do. 

Yes, I paid the extra money to keep his phone active for the past year. My money and my choice. Maybe someday those among you who haven't yet lived through such loss will understand because the big loss will come, be it parent, spouse, child, or sibling. No one gets an exemption. 

I didn't get the best phone on the market. I don't need it. My phone is my PHONE. I talk, text, take pictures and videos (of the dog), and I check the weather. I don't find struggling to read on such a small screen enjoyable. I much prefer the computer for actual work. I do tend to compartmentalize my life, and work is done at my desk with two large monitors. 

Figuring out the new phone has been frustrating. Even YouTube only got me so far. The good news is that I'm getting there. I figured out how to turn the volume and brightness up - yea! The bad news is I ended up setting new passwords all over the place. This did not make me happy, but Google knew it wasn't talking to my old phone and wanted to make sure I'd not been hacked. It was a mess because there is me me and writer me on the same devices. Someone at Google doesn't get it. 

A new phone means a new case for said phone, so off I went to Amazon. There were too many choices and I likely made the wrong one. We'll see later today when Big A arrives. Why they run a truck all the way out here instead of mailing the case I'll never know. Obviously a thin cell phone case would fit in the mailbox. I doesn't make any sense to me since I live waaaaay out in the boondocks. And living waaaaay out here is why I use Amazon instead of driving twenty miles to the nearest shopping center every week. But I digress...

I'm usually pretty hard on myself when decisions involve my emotions. I tell myself it's silly to be sad over a necessary business decision. I know the truth in that. Ron's voice has been gone for almost a year. Letting go of a mechanical facsimile is a logical step, yet grief knows little of logic. 

I went to the cell phone store first thing in the morning and I was exhausted the rest of the day. But this morning, two days later, I picked up the new phone to check the weather forecast and I knew everything on the phone front was okay. 

We move forward step by step, and it seems I've taken a few more. 

     _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KCKendricks

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, a writer's life, loss of spouse, LGBT gay romance, m/m romance, Kindle gay romance, rural living, cell phone, country lifestyle, writers on writing, life changes

Pulling thoughts together and keeping the fingers limber

 

March 8, 2025

"In a country where they turn back time...." (Al Stewart, The Year of the Cat)

This evening as I prepare to go to bed, I'll enact the yearly ritual of setting the clocks ahead one hour. In the debate about Daylight Saving Time, I come down squarely on the side that says give me more evening hours of daylight. For what all that is worth. Being retired, I'm running on my own personal bio clock. I wake up when I wake up. Even Deuce has adjusted to life without the alarm clock. 

My Saturday morning ritual has changed, too. Back in the day, I was trained by the alarm to be up at six o'clock to prepare for the day job, and that carried over into the weekends. It might be Saturday, but I was up early - and that was okay. I loved being up early and having a quiet house while Ron slept in. 

Early Saturday and Sunday mornings provided the best block of undisturbed writing time I had. There was something about having those quiet hours that made the words pour out. I was very productive in those years. That gradually changed as Ron's health went downhill. Now I'm retired and I've become what I always wanted to be, The Lady of the Manor. And that's a Manor that requires time and effort to stay neat and tidy the way I like it. 

I had adopted a summer schedule when I first retired. Ron got up when I did and we had a cup of coffee while watching the weather channels. Then we'd go outside, if the weather was good, and do our chores. Frequently, I'd work in the garden and he'd just keep me company, but it was good to have someone to talk to while I worked. That all changed in 2024, of course. With his passing, it was an abnormal year.

It's been a year since. It's Saturday morning. I'm at the computer, and while writing a blog isn't writing a book, it's still writing something. My brain is pulling thoughts together and my fingers are setting them into being in the real world. I feel very blessed to be sitting here doing what I'm doing. And if I listen closely, I can hear the echoes of Ron's voice asking me if I'm ready to join him for a second cup of coffee. (Well, it always sounded more like an order, but that was Ron.) 

I'm determined to keep on track this summer. The summer of 2024 is a blur in my memory, but I know to be kind to myself over it. I know this summer will be different. Not "normal" the way my summer's used to be, but much, much better than last year. 

Will I spend Saturday mornings writing? That depends on the weather. It may be I water the garden before I do anything else. It may be all my writing will happen in the afternoons when I'm ensconced in my air conditioned sunroom office. 

I'm sure I thought these same thoughts last year, at some point, anyway. But I think this year, now that I'm in a better headspace, the afternoon writing is actually going to happen on a regular basis. 

You were right, Ron. Again. Your passing left a void, but life does fill in around it. 

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KCKendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, contemporary gay romance, m/m romance, death of spouse, writing, a writer's life, gardening, time management, rural living, LGBT gay romance novels

That did not go as planned!

 February 12, 2025

As stated on Monday, I'm in the homestretch for completing The First of February. I still need to write the cover paragraphs and set up the book page, tasks I'd hoped to have done yesterday. 

Yesterday did not go as planned. <deep sigh>

The forecast was for snow to begin early afternoon, which it did. I decided to make a dash down the mountain and support a few local businesses in the nearest small town. It was going well until I tried to start the Charger to drive home. I pushed the Start button. Nothing. Nada.

My handy dandy code reader said P2122. Google said that code was a sensor misalignment. What. The. Fuck??????

Bottom line - the car wouldn't even crank. I called my cousin and he was Dave-on-the-spot in ten minutes with a portable power pack. He hooked it up and BAM! The car started immediately. He followed me to the automotive shop I deal with and they installed a new battery. 

And here's the real kicker - the old battery was original equipment. The mechanic was impressed. He told me the old battery still had a Chrysler product sticker on it. Now, I knew the battery was old because I'd never put one in the car, but I didn't think it was original. Wow. 

He also said the onboard computer probably kicked out that code to prevent damage to all the electronic gizmos on the car, but he admitted that was just his theory. Bottom line is the car is fine and thanks to my cousin, so am I. 

So to summarize, the day did not go as planned. I got the front and end material added to The First of February and that was it. SO...today I must write the cover paragraphs and get the book page set up. I'll need to go back through recent blogs and add the link, too. 

I can't go play in the snow until I get those two things accomplished. 

    _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KCKendricks

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, The First of February, LGBT gay romance, m/m romance, Kindle gay romance, contemporary gay romance, rural living, 2011 Dodge Charger

Thin Ice and a warming trend

January 25, 2025

A few days ago, January 20th to be exact, marked a year since I knew Ron wasn't going to recover. I don't know how I knew, but I did. Every other time over thirty years when he had a health crisis, I was calm and I knew it would be okay. Last January, it was simply different. Passing this anniversary has affected me more than I care to admit. I've been stalled these past few days. 

I know how important it is to allow yourself to grieve. And I know grief doesn't travel a linear path. It twists and turns and doubles back on itself leaving a person exhausted. 

We've been in the middle of a very cold January. Our creek has frozen over, but not strongly enough I'd test the ice. Today, the temperature has risen above freezing - hallelujah! I went out to start the Charger a little bit ago, fully expecting to find a dead battery, but she fired right up! There is still snow on the house roof, a testament to how well my humble abode is insulated. I'm delighted to see on the weather app that we're beginning a warming trend. 

The current WIP is at the point where I'll wind it up. This is going to be a long book! I've been considering several options, thinking each one through, but I won't know which is the winner until I begin the next chapter. That's a bit of a metaphor for my life. I see several paths before me and I never know which one I'm going to take until I move my feet. 

It's time I move my feet. The passing of time can be gut-wrenching, but it will happen whether we're happy, sad, content, or angry. The first year without Ron is swiftly coming to a close. March 30 will be here in the blink of an eye. I can't change time, but I can change me. I did not expect to still be a work-in-progress at this time in my life. I thought I'd have it figured out by now, but now I suspect I never will. 

Life is sort of like the water in my creek. It might run swiftly, but sometimes it will freeze over and no one can see what lies beneath. When it thaws, we carry on to whatever new revelation it has brought us. And that's enough philosophy for today.  

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/bookshelf.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@KCKendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, LGBT gay romance, m/m romance, contemporary gay, rural living, a writer's life, Men of Marionville, Centerville Muscle, Kindle romances, grief, winter

The 2024 Retrospective

January 2, 2025

The year 2024 will not go down as my best. Far from it. I had high hopes for 2024, and all of them were crushed. However, I am nothing if not resilient and I will persevere. I've lived through hard times before, and I'm older now and better equipped. But that's not what this blog entry is about. This is a retrospective, a recap, of the year just passed, challenging as it was. Okay - it was a lousy year and this is not a report I expected to write for 2024.

January  to August 2024
I started the year out determined to work with YouTube and post videos and podcasts. I settled on calling the series what I call myself - The Accidental Writer. I thought it was an excellent start, but my life quickly derailed.

My husband's ill health crystalized into something very serious. Writing was not an option, but I thought about it all the time. I tried to keep up the appearance of normalcy, but as the weeks went by, cracks formed. With my husband in and out of the hospital, I began to realize my indestructible man who had beat kidney disease and beat cancer twice wasn't going to win this battle. 

On March 30, 2024, my beloved Ron lost his battle with a lung cancer we didn't know was happening until it was far too late. He had been cancer-free since 2006, and this diagnosis was a shock. Ron was a good man, and he is sorely missed by his family and friends. His passing didn't leave me the emotional energy to write. I didn't even try. 

I spent the next little while dealing with grief and not much else. I tried to blog some, focusing on the future and getting back to my life. I took a hard look at myself and my new unwelcome single life, and I knew Ron would expect me to pick myself up, dust myself off, and do what needed to be done. I worked on donating his clothes, sorting drawers, making a video (that I had to remove because of some nasty troll), and the garden. But I still hadn't gotten back to writing.

As the summer progressed, I developed some forward momentum and managed to keep it going. I wasn't happy with my inability to focus, but I felt it coming back in drips and drabs. I started to worry that 2024 would be the first year since I was originally published back in 2003 that I didn't complete a manuscript and get it published. I didn't want that to happen.

In August, I picked up the threads of Once in October. It felt good! What wasn't good was giving up on the 2024 garden. I accepted defeat and hoped for better in 2025. The writing was going slowly, but it was going. It wasn't always easy as I was seized by restlessness. Ron had been gone for six months. Where had the days gone? 

October 2024
Well, I didn't get the book with October in the title out in the month of October, but I was moving the story along. I processed the last remnants of my garden. Better luck next year.

November 2024

November is the season of firewood. I worked with my cousin, something I enjoy, and we have enough firewood to get through the 2024-25 season and beyond. November also kicks off the holiday season. I was busy with get-togethers with friends. Writing was done an hour here, an hour there, but Once in October neared completion. 

December 2024
It's pretty clear by now 2024 was not a year I'd wish on anyone. Once in October was completed and I loaded it up on Amazon and other online vendors. 2024 will not be the year I miss getting even one book out!  

On the nature front, a pair of hoot owls have moved into the neighborhood and they seem to be staying. I love hearing them call at night. Our hunting season hasn't lessened the number of deer coming through here at dusk. I don't think anyone is out hunting. I only heard one gunshot at dawn during the entire season.

With Once in October out the door, I'm ready to focus on the next story. I'm considering doing videos again, so we'll see how that goes. If I don't get views, I won't waste my time.

No, this was not the year I'd hoped it would be. I retired in May of 2022 so I could spend time with Ron. We didn't get even two years. Now I'm retired and on my own, and you know what? I think it could be much, much worse. 

I'm healthy. I can afford to stay in my home. I have family and friends around me. And Ron is still with me in spirit. 

It's easy to wish the year 2025 will be better with no help from me, but I know that isn't so. This new year just begun will require work, and prayer, to be what I wish it to be. It's up to me to stay in a positive frame of mind and emotion, and to do the work. I think I'm up to the task, but we shall see.

Thanks for sticking with me. Look for joy and you will find it. 

KC Kendricks/Rayne Forrest

The 2023 Retrospective

The 2022 Retrospective

The 2021 Retrospective

The 2020 Retrospective

The 2019 Retrospective

The 2018 Retrospective

The 2017 Retrospective

The 2016 Retrospective

The 2015 Retrospective

The 2014 Retrospective

The 2013 Retrospective

The 2012 Retrospective

New Year's, KC Kendricks, Rayne Forrest, Between the Keys, look to the future, yearly retrospective, m/m romance, Kindle romance books, time management, writers on writing, rural living, LGBT author