ATTENTION: THE ADVENTURE OF A-Z BEGINS

A2Z_BADGE_2016All thanks to Arlee Bird and helpful gnomes, fairies, minions – all those who work so hard at this annual blog-fest and encourage us all along the way – Thank you! Deep gratitude!

If it’s your first time participating, good luck! Your 2nd 3rd 4th or 5th time – good luck! We all know it’s a mission and a half in spite of how well we’re prepared. Many of my posts have been done in advance for April 2016. I’m busy with ‘L’ as I write. I remember the early days of still putting up a post for the next days’ letter at midnight .. that particular April was a killer. Being let off on Sundays was a blessing!

I’ll be away from the middle of April, in Botswana! Tomorrow’s letter will say something about Botswana but the post will not be my immediate experience of it as I am there from 16th April to 23rd April. I HOPE to have my A-Z posts lined up so that they go into the stratosphere while I’m away, irrespective of whether or not I have internet access while away which I doubt actually … so in advance, I’m notifying you that there may be a gap in my responding to any comments you may make on my posts (always so grateful) as well as my making comments on yours.  If late in responding please understand the reason why. Unless a croc or a hippo or a lion gets me while out in the bush, my responses to yours on mine and my comments on yours may take a while … off to Botswana on Sat 16th April, back the following Sat 23rd April.

By the time you read this, I will have given a talk last night on ‘The Art of Ageing’ and, since I am prescheduling my posts, I can’t give you any feedback –

I’ll be keeping my posts short-ish. Hopefully 350 words or less …

So, may the adrenalin serve you well, but do not let an overload adversely affect your adrenals ..

At this point I bid you adieu as I wonder what to say about Botswana –

71 Comments on A-Z begins!

  1. The A to Z has already thrown up many surprises. I’m so glad I’m part of it for the first time. I’ve met a few new friends and found great blogs to follow. Yours is one! Thanks for following OMBH… I hope you find a smile or two when you visit! 😉 Baie Dankie!! 😀

  2. Pay attention and watch for crocs, hippos, and lions. I have delicate adrenals, so could really use your thoughts about the Art of Aging. Maybe next April? Have an amazing trip, Susan. Sounds like you have this covered.

    • Thanks Elaine! My adrenals are also delicate one way or the other – the talk was actually Art IN Ageing and was addressed to elderly men and women who had taken up art under the guidance of a professional artist and art historian, on a weekly basis and the many beneficial effects of that …

  4. Awesome!

    This is the first time I’ve ever heard of the a-z challenge so very much looking forward to reading through your entire alphabet Susan! Who knows if i’m still blogging next year i’ll join in the fun for sure!

    Enjoy Botswana, lucky you! Warm greetings, Deborah.

    • Awesome! If I could embolden the A I would, but I can’t! Next year for sure … but now that I think about it, if you would care to …I can try to add a line or 3 of yours to my particular posts? You would have to send me in ADVANCE eg from C (Monday) to Z … If I can quote a FEW of your lines of your poetry (obviously acknowledged as yours) at the END or maybe the beginning of my eg C, D etc to Z it would be an honour and a privilege. You know that my posts are psychological .. C is Change (I changed my mind about the focus); D is Dark; E is energy etc as agents of change ,. I can let you know my headings, as yet incomplete .. we would have to communicate via email I think ..

      Thank you for coming by! Have a lovely weekend! Warm greetings to you too, Susan

      • Wow, now there’s an honour! 🙂

        Sadly life is too hectic at this time due to visiting and worrying about my mother for me to keep in regular contact … however, if you’d ever like to quote a few lines of any of my poems now or in the future Susan please do.

        Just have a look on my website, see if any of the poems works for you and fits into your daily theme … I’ve placed my poems in categories, that might help. Blessings always, Deborah.

        • That’s very kind Deborah thank you … I may well do that. All good wishes caring/worrying about your mother. May yours and her wounds continue to mend as you bring your beautiful self into the equation –

          Blessings to you, Susan

  6. This added comment will give a more vivid picture: My tailor-made Full Sails and Fair Winds is like a similar phrase, “Fair Winds and Following Seas,” a traditional farewell to a friend and voyager. It is sometimes used generally to wish you a good voyage in life. When the sails are full, it gets you closer to where you want to go. And, the following seas means that the ocean current is pushing you in the same, ideal, direction.

    • That’s lovely Joseph thank you. I’ll remember that – may I use it in some way in the A-Z with yr permission and obviously acknowledging you? I’m not 100% sure I will but I would like to maybe …

  8. Love this, Susan! And—Botswana! How exciting! AND exotic… at least for me. Will be looking forward to hearing all about it when you come back. Kudos for getting all your posts (well, most of them) organized for before you leave… I’m still drafting the one for Monday. *Sigh* Why do I do this to myself? 😀

    Thanks so much for coming by to say hi at Life In Dogs — loved hearing about your rescuing of lost dogs. They can’t say it, but I’m sure they were beyond grateful.

    • Thanks Gulie, Botswana is exotic for me too!

      This weekend will be one of toil for me. I’m still stuck on L .. but good luck to you, it’s a BIG and wonderful topic your’e addressing.

    • Thanks Sharon for coming by … nice when the adrenalin is in flow. Remember to breath though .. have a great weekend!

  10. Exciting stuff, and I love what you did with the “A” here!

    I’m participating in A-Z (and acting as a part-time minion for the first time) and in CampNaNoWriMo, where I plan to drat one novel, and finish another that’s ten scenes shy of done.

    Needless to say, it’s a busy month dawning, for me. Fortunately, the novels are plotted, and the first thousand words rolled out painlessly enough.

    I’ve got all of my posts started, but, since I opted for several moving parts, I’m scrambling right now to finish the B post – preferably before midnight.

    Once I get another step or two complete for all posts, things will ease up a bit, then a bit more. Right now, though, I’m working forward through the alphabet while still doing setup from the end forward, and things are a bit chaotic.

    Fortunately, I’ve made a commitment and a blog out of seeing the loveliness and potential in chaos. =)

    Looking forward to your Botswana post. My kids and I will be visiting out-of-state friends from the 7-10. I’s a 5 hour drive each way, so I’m hoping to have all my posts through Monday the 11 done before we go. That way, I can do some relaxed puttering while we’re there, and also have ample time for visiting. =D

    Boldly Going Through the Alphabet!
    @shanjeniah from
    shanjeniah’s Lovely Chaos

  11. Fun post, I love all of the A’s highlighted. Thanks for stopping by my blog too. This is my first A-Z and I’m looking forward to it!

  12. Thanks for stopping by my blog. I’m with you on writing shorter posts. When blogging daily, combined with other time commitments, it will become difficult to keep up otherwise.

    Like the others, I enjoyed watching your As pop up throughout your post.

  13. Full Sails and Fair Winds to you as you sail placidly through the A to Z, and also as you enjoy a well-earned time in Botswana. At this very moment, I have a dyslexia for additional letters of the alphabet and also for complete words. Poor Me!

    • Thanks Joseph for coming by! Full Sail & Fair Winds – sounds like a hailing to Odysseus? Unsure about the placid part though –

  15. Looking forward to reading about Botswana and beyond, Susan. And, later, when you return from Botswana, hearing about your actual adventures. How exciting for you!

    • Thanks Samantha – was just thinking about you – Have a lovely weekend and I look forward to your B post and photos!!!

      • I’m glad the challenge helped me found my way here 🙂

        Sorry you had a hard time seeing the “B” post, the poem is on the photo.

        Can’t wait to see what today’s post brings 🙂

        Niki #486

    • Thanks Shilpa the talk went well! Relieved about that! Botswana happens only mid April so there’s the A-Z to keep me out of mischief and on my toes 🙂 Have a lovely weekend!

  20. Wonderful adventure you’re embarking on, Susan. Can’t wait to read about Botswana, and your talk.
    Enjoy, have fun, try to relax (if possible), and see you back soon with a ton of stories.

    • Thanks Silvia for coming by! I’m here for a bit though before Botswana travels! Up to about N -i.e. the day of departure, I’m here! 🙂 Have a lovely weekend!

  21. Hi Susan – did you age a lot giving your talk?! Well done on A for A start …and I’m looking forward to the B for Botswana … and the rest .. cheers Hilary

    • Thanks Hilary! Yesterday I felt like a spring chicken hearing our Chief Justice Moegeng Moegeng find our President in violation of the constitution so this helped me muchly re: the talk .. it’s only April that makes me age – lack of sleep and all that!

  23. Good morning, Susan, I did chuckle at your post. Please don’t get eaten by any of the wild animals out in the brush!

    The A to Z Challenge definitely will be a challenge for you too traveling and possibly being without internet service.

    We MAY be moving in April… I hope early May, so I could be in the same position as you without internet service. This challenge will be INTERESTING.

    You are experiencing quite a year with Davey’s marriage and now your trip. ENJOY!!

    • I hope not to brush against any unfriendly creatures in the bush Gwynn! The trip is only in mid April so I’ll be here for a while yet!

      Thank you for coming by, and good luck with preps for future move!

  24. Best wishes for your trip to Botswana to be all that you wish it to be. As always, being your fan, I look forward to your A to Z’s.

    • It’s a way to go still Stephanie, tomorrow 2 weeks, but we know how time flies! Thank you for coming by and your kind words! I look forward to yours!

  26. I’ll be reading along with your writing, Susan. I do a lot of prescheduling. It serves as a draft. Saturdays, I read through what I’ll be posting the next week, do final edits, and publish. I like that approach.

    • Thanks for re-iterating that Jacqui – I’ll be working on several letters this weekend – am on L right now and it’s a tough one.
      Thank you for coming by and have a lovely weekend!

  27. This is no April Fooling! With the wedding festivities behind you can throw yourself totally into a new challenge. I liked A’s in school, and I like your A/a’s here too!

    • Thanks Susanne! I saw your link re: Dreaming & Mythology and will re-look at it hopefully over the weekend. Yes, this will be a hectic month – and re Botswana, no BnB for me! I think it will be tents! Hopefully good coffee made with due diligence ..

    • Thanks Pat! I hope to get some up on Botswana – unless an armadillo gets me (not there are any there I don’t think).

      And to you – all best for A-Z!

      Susan

  31. I love all the A’s popping out in this post, Susan and there are lots of them too! Hope you have a great time away, and I look forward to connecting throughout April.

    • Speaking of A – The Art of Ageing was well received thanks Susan! Glad it’s over though – 🙂 And now for adventures this month of April …

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