Hi, I’m Sherri & welcome to my blog!
Greetings to you from me and thank you so much for reading my blog!
Here is my story in brief (famous last words, ha!)…
A born and bred Brit widowed at the age of 21, I remarried and moved to the US with my American then-husband to the Central Coast of California in the mid 1980s. There, we raised our three children for the next seventeen years.
Then my marriage broke up.
Trials and turns have twisted in and out of my life, leaving behind their footprints.
For one, my dear jailbird dad has left a few of those footprints on the cold, hard floors of the many prisons and halfway houses where he has lived for most of his adult life, thanks to an addiction to alcohol that he cannot defeat. *
But please know this blog isn’t about blame and recriminations:
it is about forgiveness and healing and living joyfully in a New Day.
Returning to my ‘home’ in the UK in 2003, I faced life as a forty-something single mum with the prospect of finding paid employment, And then, life took me completely by surprise the day I met the man who is today, my lovely Hub.
He took my hand and led me back into the sunshine.
We are now settled in the West Country of England with my youngest adult child and assorted pets which, to date, include two black kitties and a grumpy bunny but once included a family of Chinese Button Quails, a corn snake called Charles P. Snake, an African Land Snail called Vladimir and three degus called KPS: Kevin, Peter and Sam. This is what happens when your youngest is an Aspie and a consummate pet lover.
Turning fifty wasn’t so bad (what better pay back than rocking out with your grown up kids at my first Metallica gig?), but things took a downturn in the coming years. My youngest struggled for years with debilitating social anxiety before receiving a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome (High Functioning Autism) at eighteen.
Job loss (mine), financial reversal and two car accidents followed. That old ‘black dog’ became my constant companion and for a long time I felt pretty damn worthless, insignificant and washed-up.
So I got down on my bended knees and prayed.
Not one, but several doors, slammed firmly shut in my face. Well, don’t ‘they’ say that when one door closes another opens? This is true, but it’s no good if you stand still and don’t actually walk through that open door.
It took me a long time just to get the self-belief that I could actually attempt it, never mind achieve any measure of success, but one day I said, “Enough!” I got up off my knees.
With renewed courage and faith, I stepped over the threshold of that doorway to follow a new path towards my life-long dream, in which I dared to call myself a Writer.
What’s at the end of your path?
Selworthy, Quantocks, Somerset October 2012
(c) Sherri Matthews
“Rise up; this matter is in your hands. Take courage and do it.” Ezra 10:4
And it was on the other side of that door that I was at last able to find the answer to the question I had asked myself all my life: how can I turn my life experiences into something that others will hopefully find valuable, worthwhile, and maybe even inspiring?
Is it even possible? Risky, yes, but as I always say, better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all. So here I am. Writing.
Weaving stories from the past, making sense of the present,
giving hope for the future.
Why the name, ‘A View from My Summerhouse’ you may well ask?
My Summerhouse in Spring
Some of my most endearing and happiest memories from my childhood are of playing in my grandparents’ summerhouse at the back of their glorious garden in Cheshire, and I longed for one of my own one day.
I had to wait a long time, but a couple of years ago, lovely Hubby built one for me in our garden as my office.
My summerhouse is my writing haven.
My hope is that in sharing my stories here, you are encouraged and inspired to chase your dreams and to never give up.
No matter how side-lined or insignificant you feel, or how dark your days may seem, I urge you to remember that there is always hope, always a light shining in the darkness, always the knowledge that you are not alone. And if I can change my life for the better, so can you!
The view from my Summerhouse may not always be rosy, but I hope you will share it with me, rain or shine.
Love Sherri x
*At the time of writing this page, my dad was 81 and living in a half way house. He returned to prison almost a year later for breaking parole – he had ‘a few pints’ – and remained there until, very ill, he was taken to hospital. He died peacefully, five days later, surrounded by the love of his family, on 17th July, 2016, three weeks before what would have been his eighty-fourth birthday. He gave me the one gift he could: his blessing to write his story. My blog is dedicated to him. Be at peace darling dad.
A View From My Summerhouse 
An adventurous, full, exciting and blessed life you have Sherri!
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Blessed indeed Jessie…have been down but not out that’s for sure and so much to be thankful for x
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It won’t let me like this unless I sign up as a blogger? But I LIKE it!!!
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Thanks Diane…always can count on your wonderful support. Will keep you posted on Facebook! xxx
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Wow, you’re coming on in leaps and bounds and I’ve just shared your page on Facebook.
Good luck with your new career and I look forward to seeing the April edition of Prima with your photo and of course your article xxx
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Hi Sue! Looking through & I’m just a little mortified that I haven’t replied to your lovely comment, I was sure that I had though! Thank you so much for sharing on FB and also for following my blog and of course for all your support. Look out for Prima, it’s out any day now! x
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No need for mortification! I’ve now seen your story in Prima and was struck by how much you look like your Dad. A truly genuine, heartfelt story and you look great in the photo too, what a star. Looking forward to seeing you soon x
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I like it too!!
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Thank you Mike xx, your support, as always, means so much.
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Sherri, good luck on all of your adventures. I love reading your blog no matter what the topic is that day (yes, even if there are no cats mentioned). Keep up the good work — great topics, great writing. 🙂
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Thank you Beverly, I really appreciate this and your encouragement. Likewise with you, keep on keeping on 🙂
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you are blessed indeed. Thanks for sharing! And thanks for reading my blog.
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Thank you so much and I will be back!
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My first visit to your site, so congratulations on your lovely award. Also I have enjoyed my sisit and will be back again.
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Thank you very much Sherry for visiting and enjoying my blog and for your kind congrats! I sincerely hope that you will drop by again very soon 🙂
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Hello Sherry
I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog. You are proof that no matter what life throws at you, its always possible to bounce back, stronger, wiser and happy. We have no limits, apart from those we impose on ourselves. The future is up to us. Your light shines bright.
Thanks for stopping by my little blog too, and saying hello. 🙂
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Hi ‘Rogue Healer’ and thanks so much for your lovely comment here, I really do appreciate it! Yes, what you say is so true…and it matters not that we are knocked down, what is most important is that we get back up, with the strength that God gives us. I very much hope that you will continue to enjoy reading my blog, as I will yours! 🙂
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Thank you. I most certainly will. 🙂
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Hello, I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award! Please visit this link http://anushrusrini.wordpress.com/2013/04/14/the-versatile-blogger-award/, just some simple rules to be followed. Keep writing!
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Thank you very much Shruti for this lovely surprise and honour, I will now do my part 🙂
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Hi, Sherri. I’ve nominated you for the Sunshine Award because of your cheerful and inspiring posts. Please read all about on my post at: http://moggiepurrs.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/moggiepurrs-earns-second-award/. You can also copy the logo onto your blog site and display it proudly. Congratulations!
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Thanks so much Beverly, I really appreciate this and it’s so great to know that you find my posts cheerful and inspiring! That really means a lot. Watch this space 🙂
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You do write very well 🙂 Take care 🙂
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Thank you so much Shruti…I really appreciate your encouragement & kindness. Have a blessed day 🙂
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I just love reading your stuff! I know you have many, but I’d like to nominate you for the LIEBSTER BLOG AWARD. Here’s the link to read on the award. http://sheilamariegrimes.com/liebster-blog-award/
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Hi Sheila, and what a lovely surprise! Thank you so much for thinking of me and nominating me for this award. Your support of my blog and your great comments are very much appreciated, best of all, that you enjoy what you read! I’ll get to this just as soon as I can 🙂
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Hi Sherri, I’m again passing on a good deal, The WordPress Family Award. No hurry, no stress, just know you are in my cyperspace family. Here’s a link to the info: http://sheilamariegrimes.com/2013/06/15/wordpress-family-award/
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Hi Sheila! Just posted on your blog to thank you so much for this wonderful award, a beautiful surprise! It is really lovely to be part of your cyberspace family and I will be posting this very shortly 🙂
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Fantastic introduction of yourself! (Also–I want a summer house!) Thanks for visiting the Jenn stories. It’s great to have you there!
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Hi Jennwith2ns!!! Love that btw! Ahh, thanks so much, and for visiting here. I hope you will return, as I certainly will do to your blog very shortly! Oh, and here’s hoping that you will have your summer house soon and not have to wait as long as I did 🙂
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Haha! It’s not looking good . . . but I do live at the edge of a pond, so that’s quite lovely.
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I really enjoyed your blog! and your adventures sounds awesome! oh is that the picture of your house? it looks really cute!
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Hello Insung, and how lovely to see you here, thank you very much for your kind comments. So glad you have enjoyed reading my blog and I hope you will visit again very soon. I will certainly be visiting your blog again 🙂
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Good to see the comments flowing again and please do keep us apace with events from the summerhouse!!
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Thank you and I certainly will 🙂
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Hi Sherri, Thank you for all your lovely comments and for being a fun, interesting blog friend. I enjoy reading your blog a lot and to show you just how much I have nominated you for an award. You can check out the details here: http://myfeatherquill.wordpress.com/2013/08/06/knighting-people-bouquet-of-3/ Enjoy x
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Oh thank you so much Lydia, what a lovely surprise and it really gladdens my heart to know that you enjoy reading my blog so much! I humbly accept this award and will visit your blog right now to get the gen! You made my day 🙂 x
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Hello Sherri my lovely!!
I have nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award 😀 Details are over on my blog, please accept 🙂 For rules please check: http://versatilebloggeraward.wordpress.com/
All the best! x
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Aww, thank you so much my lovely Maria for thinking of me for this award, which of course I humbly accept! I will take a look right now and get to it asap! Have a great day 🙂 xx
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You are very welcome my love! 😀
Hope your day is going well! Xx
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Hi Sherri, thanks for dropping by my blog “The Encouraging Scribe” and commenting on The Writing Day that Wasn’t. Thank you also for deciding to follow my blog, I hope you won’t be disappointed 🙂
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Hi Lyn, you are very welcome and thank you too for visiting my blog and I hope you like what you found here! I am very much looking forward to reading more of your posts and I know I definitely won’t be disappointed! 🙂
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You are one strong woman I have met and I cannot wait to have a look in your summerhouse.
“no matter what! Have hope!” – I so agree!
You might want to check this out – http://knisha.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/hope/. Resonates with your quote so.
Love to you, Sherri! I’ll keep coming often to stand by you and as you say, “The view from your summerhouse may not always be rosy but even when it isn’t, I will take a look with you.”
Have a perfectly happy day dear!
-Asha
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Asha, what a most beautiful comment. I have indeed visited your ‘hope’ post and have left a longer reply there for you. How wonderful to know that you will be visiting me here, at my ‘cyber’ summerhouse, and ‘standing by me’ no matter what! I am blessed indeed to have this community. Thank you so much, and I look forward to your visits, as I will surely be paying you many! Ahh, a ‘perfectly happy day’, what a gorgeous sentiment. May I wish you the same, dear Asha.. 🙂
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Life slaps us around a bit and if we stay positive…we see the beauty that surrounds each of us! ~Sherry~
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Hi Sherry, thanks so much for dropping by and for the follow. I love your blog, and your ‘travel spirit’. You inspire me! I love your comment, and it is so true isn’t it? We sure do get slapped around a bit but so long as we get back up when we fall down, then we truly can start to see the beauty in life once again. Have a great day 🙂
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There is something worthwhile to be found in each day, in each person, in each situation if we look hard enough. Blessings as you seek and find and challenge and grow…
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How very true Theresa, blessings do indeed abound, if only we open our eyes and seek them out in even the simplest of situations…thank you so much for visiting my blog and for all your lovely, insightful comments on different posts, I have really enjoyed reading them. I hope you will be back again 🙂
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Hello Sherri my fave blogger!
I have nominated you again! 😉 I really think this award suits you 😀 please accept 😀
The Sunshine Award. Rules here: http://lostinthelabyrinthh.wordpress.com/2013/08/20/and-the-sunshine-award-goes-to/ 😀
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Hello my love! Ahh, you are a sweetie, thank you so much Maria for thinking of me and yes, of course I will accept your sunshine! Congratulations to you, you deserve it. I will get to it as soon as I can. Have a lovely, sunshiny day 🙂 xx
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I just nominated you for the Sunshine Award, but I see Maria already beat me to it! 😉
http://aspiestory.wordpress.com/2013/08/21/the-sunshine-award/
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Oh, that’s so kind of you, thank you so much! Congratulations on your award, a beautiful award for your beautiful blog 🙂
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Thanks for your visit to my blog! I wanted to drop by and invite you to join in Project O which is a look into how opinions are formed around the world. If this interests you and if you have a social issue you might want to share with people, please consider joining! The post can be found at the top of my blog under Project O – The Original Project Idea and the template is the post next to it. Thanks again for taking the time to visit my blog! –OM
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Hello OM! How lovely to see you here and many thanks for thinking of me and for the invite to your Project O. It sounds intriguing and definitely something I would be interested in so yes please, I will head over to your blog right now and take a look 🙂
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Thank you for the reply and I hope you will join in! 🙂
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Beautiful ‘About’ page. I love your message. You are strong and positive. Two great traits.
Thank you again for following my blog, Wrestling Pollyanna. I appreciate your support.
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Thank you so much Carolin, I felt the same way about your ‘About’ page! Many thanks for dropping by and for your lovely comments on my poem page too! I hope to see you again here at my ‘cyber’ summerhouse, I am certainly looking forward to reading more of your posts 🙂
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You havea very interesting site Sherri, it ranges from poetry to recipes with some in the middle. I believe will follow you and see where you take me !
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Hi there xbox2121, lovely to see you here again, and thank you very much for your kind words and the follow, I’m so glad that you find my blog interesting and I sincerely hope that you continue to do so!
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Sherri, just read your post; I hopped on over from Opinionated Man’s blog. So nice to visit your summerhouse. You are indeed a courageous woman; I think that’s what faith does for us. I, too, began a new season later in life, so good for you, girl! I’ve signed up for your posts and intend to come back to offer lots of encouragement.
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Hi Susan, thank you so much for hopping over from OM – I am just in process of doing Project O! – and visiting me at my summerhouse! Ahh, what lovely words of support, I really appreciate the follow and the encouragement, that means a great deal to me. I look forward to sharing our ‘new seasons later in life’ together… 🙂
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A lovely narrative of your life up until now. I am a mum at home with my children and I love it. I can’t imagine passing them over to anyone else. I sometimes wonder what I will do once the youngest is at school but I’m sure something will come up. It was good to read how much you treasured that time at home with your kids. All the best with your writing!
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Thanks Rachel and yes, I did treasure my time at home with the kids and I still miss it very much! Time for some granchildren me thinks, hint hint!! It is a constant transition for us mums with our children. I’m so glad that you are enjoying this very imnportant time at home with yours and making the most of every precious moment 🙂 This is one phase in your life and another will follow, when the time is right. I hope you will visit again, I will certainly be coming over to your blog again very soon!
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Never too late: there’s the mantra.
Best wishes!
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Many thanks beeseeker for dropping by, hope you will visit again. It’s never too late, that’s for sure and very best wishes to you too 🙂
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Hi, I have nominated you for the Leibster Award as I love reading your blog. http://jas2jar.wordpress.com/2013/09/06/leibster-award/
Jane
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Hi Jane, thanks so much for thinking of me and for the award and your kind words, I’m really glad that you enjoy reading my blog. Congratulations to you too! Thank you too for the follow. I will try to get to the award as soon as I can 🙂
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Hi Sherri, I am nominating you for the One Lovely Blog Award. There are no questions to answer. Just stop by and pick up the award if you would like. Have a fabulous day!!
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Oh wow, thank you so much Wendy for thinking of me for this ‘One Lovely’ award! Yes please, I would love to accept it (and no questions to answer, wonderful!) so I will come over to you right now. You have really made my day 🙂
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Wow, Sherri! What a journey. I’m happy life is giving you happier times and your summerhouse. It’s lovely and I can picture myself writing in a place like that. Best of luck to you and wishing all your dreams come true. 🙂
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Ahh, thank you so much Pat, it’s lovely to see you here and I’m so glad that I met you too over at your lovely, welcoming blog! I dreamed of having a summerhouse for so long and it brings such joy to me. Bless you for your kind wishes and I wish you the very same too! 🙂
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You’re truly welcome, Sherri, and glad we’ve met too. You’re welcome to come back and sit at my “kitchen table” on my site anytime and share a tale or two.
I’ll be over for some visits too at your Summerhouse. BTW what do you do when it gets colder or is your climate warm all year round?
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I really look forward to our visits Pat!
Climate-wise here in the UK we have had an amazing summer (first one in 7 years!) but now it is starting to feel chillier. It won’t be long before the heating goes on! Winters can be mixed, sometimes very cold and wet, other times lots of snow. Just never can tell 🙂
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Holly Molly Sherri it seems like over night you have doubled the amount of followers you have. Don’t make the mistake I did and overload yourself or you will soon be living on this site 🙂
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Really? I gained 3 from what I can see but my numbers only show 2. Maybe you are seeing different figures to me!! I do take on board what you are saying though and I really appreciate it. It gets very addictive doesn’t it and time consuming. I’m in a mad rush today as I have to leave to pick up my son and his girlfriend and I was desperate to get my post out!!! Bob, I wanted to give you the award for One Lovely Blog but I know you don’t ‘do’ awards but please know that I really do love reading your blog, and if you did accept awards, I would give them all to you!!!!! I hope you are getting things sorted out, have a great weekend 🙂
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Thanks Sherri for the thought and congrats on you awards. I was basing the amount of followers on the number of likes you had. Maybe its because I came back to your post so late in the day? Anyway you have a great weekend as well !!
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Your weather sounds like ours in the States, Sherri. It’s getting cooler and seasons are changing to Fall. Though the last several days, where I live, in Colorado, we’ve had record rainfalls and flooding in biblical proportions. Today, we’re getting some much appreciated sunshine.
I suppose you pack up the Summerhouse when it gets cold and pull everything inside to do your writing. It won’t be long.
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I heard about the rains and floods in Colorado, sounds awful. I hope you have been ok. Glad to hear you are now having some much needed sunshine and I hope that things improve over there.
I can use my summerhouse all year round as it has power and I have a little electric fan heater so it heats up just fine. It is all waterproofed so I am as cosy as can be 🙂
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Thank you, Sherri, for asking about the Colorado floods. We’re okay and haven’t been affected much by flooding though we got tons of rain. There are many that have been affected though and it’s going to take a long time to sort it all out.
There are still many unaccounted for and they still have reached all the areas impacted by this. Many are still stranded. Prayers would be humbly and graciously appreciated.
Summerhouse sounds cozy and inviting especially those times when you need some down time with yourself.
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Thank you so much for liking many of my posts. It truly means a lot coming from someone like you!
“Do one thing every day that scares you” ~Eleanor Roosevelt~
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Well Anna, wow, I don’t know what to say, I’m really humbled (blush!). I really like your blog and I am looking forward to reading more 🙂
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Sounds like we both know what it is to live with great upheaval! Congratulations on not giving up. (And prayer has helped me too, even when I don’t know why or how small miracles happen).
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Bless you Tracy, so glad I visited your blog and thank you so much for visiting me here at my summerhouse and for the follow. Congratulations to you too, you know all about not giving up 🙂
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Thank you for taking part in Project O Sherri! I hope this experience was what you were expecting! -OM
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Thanks OM! It was a very interesting experience indeed, I was particularly amazed at the diversity of everyone’s backgrounds and of course opinions. I will be over to your site shortly to see the latest. Thanks again for giving me the opportunity to participate, I really do appreciate it 🙂
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I am glad you liked it!
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🙂
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Greetings from the professor!
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Greetings to you Professor, it is a pleasure to meet you and many thanks for dropping by and visiting my blog! I hope that you will visit again 🙂
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Great to meet you as well! Are you a Punchyish person?
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To be honest, I have no idea what a Punchyish person is, but when I get back to your blog and have a proper read I’m sure I will be able to answer your question accordingly!!! 🙂
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Awesome! Can’t wait to hear what you think.
You see, the professor asks the questions, because I feel–deep down in–that everyone is Punchy. 😉
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Hi! I nominated it for the Dragon’s Loyalty Award. Stop by my blog and pick it up any time 🙂 http://playfulkitty.wordpress.com/2013/10/15/playful-kitty-receives-the-dragons-loyalty-award/
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Hi Robin! Thanks so much for this lovely award, you have made my day! I will be over very shortly to collect it and read the rules. Many congratulations to you too 🙂
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I’m glad I could make your day 🙂
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🙂
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I’m envious of your summer house. How nice! I look forward to reading more from you.
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Thank you Christine, as I look forward to reading your blog too! I do love my little summerhouse I have to admit 🙂
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Glad rags on, Sherri, you’ve got another ceremony coming your way. I’ve selected you for the Versatile Blogger Award! http://moodsaplenty.wordpress.com/2013/11/09/second-award/
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Ahh, thanks so much for thinking of me Steven, that’s so lovely! I will get my glad rags on and get to it asap!!! 🙂
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Congratulations!
I have nominated your blog for the Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award.
More about this nomination is at
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Oh wow, thanks so much JBC, I can’t say what this means to me, thank you so much for nominating me for this wonderful award! You have given me a really lovely Monday, bless you 🙂
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Hi Sherri,
I stumbled on your blog through a fellow follower.
I just published a memoir, An Immoral Proposal. Since it’s self-published, I am IT! A mini Random House, writer, blogger, PR person, marketing and advertising person and the list goes on, to say nothing of being cook and housecleaner. (I hate housework – I’d rather be writing!)
I look forward to reading your blogs (as time allows!) Like you, I’ve learned to make lemonade when life threw me lemons!
Best regards,
Jennifer
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Hello Jennifer, how lovely to meet you, thanks so much for dropping by to visit my blog, I really appreciate it!
How wonderful, you are IT, absolutely! Many, many congratulations on the publication of your memoir, you have already inspired me! I still have a way to go, writing the first draft, getting there, slowly…
As for housework, what’s that??!!
I do really hope you will visit my blog again and enjoy what you read here and I do very much look forward to coming over to visit your blog!
Thank you again and see you soon 🙂
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