Tag Archives: blogging

If I Were a Carpenter… #DreamJob #DailyPrompt

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What’s your dream job?

Other than becoming a world-famous author (still working on that one 😁), or a National Geographic photographer (camera equipment is EXPENSIVE!), I used to fantasize about carpentry- I know, strange, right?

Photo by Caroline Cagnin on Pexels.com

I’ve always been a fan of captivating architecture, whether it’s a twenty-story post-modern building, the arching silhouette of a grand cathedral, the steel girders of an awe-inspiring bridge, or the humblest cottage.

Photo by Ertabbt on Pexels.com

There’s something about the flow and symmetry of these works of art that pleases the eye and gives birth to the imagination. I think it takes a romantic at heart to create these marvelous structures. Someone who dreams their building will live on for future generations to appreciate, fall in love with, and create lasting memories buoyed by the beauty and grace surrounding them.

That’s the power of architecture.

Photo by Adrienne Andersen on Pexels.com

Carpentry, on the other hand, is personal. A carpenter puts his love of wood into every piece he designs. Hours of labor go into sizing, shaping, sanding, and sweating over his work before the final result is revealed.

My grandfather wasn’t a master carpenter but enjoyed working with wood. He made Mom a bedstand that she uses to this day. It has waves and swirls decorating the dropdown edging and a handy bookshelf built into the bottom like a secret hideaway. I can feel the joy and tenderness that went into its creation and it’s like he’s right here with us, though he’s been gone almost forty years now.

Hand-hewn furniture is timeless. It tells a story. It has a history.

This song encapsulates my fascination and love of carpentry and by extension, architecture. It’s a love story all of its own. A legacy to pass on to future generations to dream and even start their own long-lasting impact on our culture.

I have a Pinterest board I created for architecture if you’re interested- https://www.pinterest.ca/jacqbiggar/amazing-architecture/

And here is one of my favorite buildings here in Victoria.

What is your dream job?

A Character Study- #NewRelease #NARomance @jacqbiggar

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Character Study- Renée

A blogging friend of mine likes to do an introduction to her characters before the release of her books, so I thought I’d do one today.

Image by Shahid Shafiq from Pixabay

Renée Thomas is the most serious and oldest at twenty-one. Her sister, Izzy- Elizabeth Mae Thomas- is two and a half years younger. She’s the moody, intense one of the family. Last, but not least, is their brother Benjamin. At nearly twelve years younger than Renée, Ben is the baby they love to spoil.

As children, Renée and Izzy did everything together, climbing trees, biking, sharing clothes, and secrets. But the night of Renée’s high school graduation and Izzy’s sixteenth birthday, that changed.

Renée is betrayed by her long-time boyfriend, Simon, her sister suddenly hates her guts, and she witnesses her father’s suicide.

Unable to handle the terrible chain of events, Renée leaves town, heading to California and her accepted application to UC Berkeley.

Two years later it’s Renée’s mom who is gone and she is forced to return to face her demons.

Two years later

The town looks the same as when I left for college. The Welcome to Smuggler’s Cove, pop. 7562, sign bows with the weight of the old town’s worries on its aged wooden frame. God, I’m glad I escaped.

My second-hand SUV chugs up the hill and over the bridge. Chinook, the river named after the salmon who travel hundreds of miles to spawn in its muddy brown water, gurgles over the rocks far below. Giant rubber tubes in a rainbow of colors filled with laughing teens dot the surface. I’d joined them many times to get away from the oppression at home.

Image by Brigitte Werner from Pixabay

Home.

It’s been nearly two years since I left and would’ve been longer if I had my choice. Hard on the heels of guilt come the ever-ready tears. Fact is, while I soaked up the west coast sunshine and campus life, my little sister had taken over the reins of the house, getting my brother to school, paying the bills, and caring for Mom.

This is the story of two sisters torn apart by unspeakable horror and brought together by tragedy. Can family ties overcome the pain of betrayal?

Letting Go: The Defiant Sisters- Book 1

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B3R41NWF

International: https://books2read.com/Letting-Go-Defiant-Sisters

TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61269995-letting-go–the-defiant-sisters-book-1

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/letting-go-the-defiant-sisters-book1-the-defiant-sisters-duet-by-jacquie-biggar

A coming-of-age novel about the pain of misconceptions and learning from them.

 When life gives you lemons…

Izzy

Mom is barely in the grave and the prodigal child is here to pick the bones clean.

I don’t want her here. My sister’s defection is a wound that won’t heal and her return simply rubs at the scabs covering my heart.

I’ve managed just fine without her. She can go back to her fancy college and forget about us- that’s what she does best anyway.

If only I didn’t need her help. Or miss her so much.

Renée

The day my dad committed suicide I ran. I’ve been running ever since.

Going home is supposed to be the answer. Instead, it makes me question every thoughtless decision I’ve made.

My sister hates me. My little brother barely knows me. And Simon… is engaged.

None of it matters- or so I tell myself. I’m here to make amends and face a past haunted by regret.

As long as I can convince myself to stay.

Letting Go is a young adult romance dealing with tragedy, restitution, and love in all its aspects. The story relates to sensitive topics that may be triggering for some readers.

A Walk Down Memory Lane- #Anniversary #Romance @jacqbiggar #mgtab

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Photo by George Dolgikh @ Giftpundits.com on Pexels.com

DH and I have been together for forty years- hard to believe!

We met July 9, 1982, on his eighteenth birthday. It was also our high school’s graduation party. There was a huge after-dance party out at a friend’s farm with at least half of the grads attending. So many people, loud music, alcohol (the parents at the farm took the keys of everyone attending for safekeeping), and a bonfire at least ten feet high- in a word, chaotic.

All of that, yet the moment we bumped into each other it was as though no one else was there. Corny, I know, but true.

We spent every available minute together for the next six months, then moved into a tiny little holiday trailer on his oldest sister’s land ( he’s the baby out of six kids) until we could afford something better.

Here’s a couple of photos from the early days:

Me at the Edmonton, Alberta Museum and DH with my little brother, Michael. (I’m the oldest of three).

Two years later, on June 16th, 1984 we were married under a beautiful blue sky with puffy white clouds.

And four years after that, we became parents of a beautiful baby girl.

If you think I look scared, you’re right! lol

We’ve had many ups and downs during our marriage, but one thing remains true- we loved each other then, and we love each other now.

Today, we plan to visit the beach and generally spend the day together. We may be older, but the romance is still there 🙂

Making Time For Things We Love

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In the last two years, when I was at home for a while, the days seemed to be everlastingly long. Half the time, I couldn’t tell what I’d done with each day. At the same time, all the things I needed to do didn’t seem to get done.

Now, I’m still working from home some days, but they go by so quickly, it’s hard to reconcile the fact that so much time is passing. That brings to mind all the things I enjoy that I don’t do enough of—blogging is one of those things.

As I scrolled through my posts recently, I was reminded of how much I enjoyed the blogging community and that I’ve lost contact with a fair number of people whose company I used to enjoy. Visiting other writers’ blogs was fun and I learned so much about places I was unlikely to visit. Plus, the writing community is filled with so many wonderful people.

These days, most of the writing I do is fiction and rest is for work. Sometimes, at the end of the day I’m so exhausted I can barely think, much less write. More than ever, I’ve been thinking how important it is to make time to do the things we love. Life is so short and goes by in a flash.

I’ve been trying to make more time for reading and I’m hoping I can practice my calligraphy because it has been a while. Gardening seems to be a distant thing in my rearview mirror. It’ll take some doing to switch things up, but I’m game. Life is about living to the fullest and that’s what I am to do.

What are some things you like to do but find you aren’t indulging in them anymore?

Speaking of time, I’d like to introduce you to a character who refuses to acknowledge that her relationship has changed over the years. She has become the woman scorned but has no intention of making that her permanent situation. At least not without a taste of revenge. https://lrd.to/absolution