5 years of doing what I love @ Norma Galambos Lifestyle

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I am celebrating five years of blogging, freelance writing, hosting a podcast and owning a small business.
Time flies when you’re doing things you love, and each year seems to go by faster than the last. 

Life Happens When You're Making Other Plans 

The Hubs and I didn't travel outside Canada, but we were often on the go. We spent as much time as possible with our family. The grandkids are in various activities now; it's fun to watch them swim, skate and play volleyball, soccer and softball. 

We attended a gathering for my siblings and their spouses in Red Deer in September. I was so glad we had that time together as sadly, my sister-in-law lost her battle with brain cancer in May. She and her family planned a beautiful prayer service and funeral mass in Edmonton. It was nice to see family and friends, but I wish the circumstances would have been different. 

We love going to the lake in the summer and the winter and went as much as possible to various locations such as: Regina Beach, Saskatchewan Beach, Delaronde, Katepwa, Buffalo Pound, Candle, Martins, Emerald, Iroquois, and Big Shell Lake. We took in a Rider game and the rodeo in Regina. 

Merchandise 

Making bath and body products, spices, cleaning products, and gift baskets for my home-based business kept me busy through the fall and winter. I plan to add new products to my line, including bubble bath, body wash and covered notebooks. I attended seven tradeshows and continued selling my products at local businesses. 

Writing

In my year four summary post, I mentioned my dream of writing a novel. I didn’t tackle that venture yet, instead I decided a smaller project would be a better place to start. The first stories I ever wrote were for children, and I have a dozen of them waiting to be honed into their best version. 

I have always been passionate about history and I enjoy researching, writing and sharing stories about historical events. Why is history important? Learning about history helps us to understand how events in the past make things the way they are today. It is the study of change over time and teaches us empathy and tolerance. Everyone and everything has a place in time which then becomes history. 

My mom, who is ninety-four, has been my inspiration and source of information for many of my family and community history stories. She helped bring these stories to life by helping me see them through her eyes. Health issues have made it difficult for her to continue to do this, which breaks my heart. I am so glad that she shared these memories with me and that I was able to write these legacy stories.

Writing about parenthood, mental health, relationships, and self-discovery is also important to me. If we get to know ourselves, we often find we are more resilient than we thought. I strive to encourage others to let their creativity shine through.

Personal Development 

This spring, I participated in the Virtual Writer in Residence Program offered by the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild, of which I am a member. This was the second year I participated in the program. Last year I received valuable feedback on several of my adult-level short stories. This time, I chose to focus on two of my children’s picture books. The feedback I received was so helpful. 

In May, I attended the CANSCAIP (Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers) Prairie Horizons Conference 2023 - Challenges and Choices, which is held every two years. The conference was at Queen’s House Retreat & Renewal Centre in Saskatoon, only an hour from my home. This was an excellent experience, and I learned a lot from the amazingly creative people I met there.

Over the last five years, Saskatchewan history magazines published several of my short stories. I am happy that this information is now stored in their archives.

Thank you for reading my stories, listening to my podcast and purchasing my products. I know time and money are in short supply for many, I am humbled that you spend them on me. I appreciate your support so much. A like, a follow, or a share means a lot as I continue to work to connect with more people. I couldn’t do any of it without you. 

Here is a listing of my stories from year five in case you missed any:
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🔗 To read more stories and articles, visit Norma Galambos Lifestyle, where you will also find links to my:
  • About Me page
  • Podcast
  • Published Works page
  • Yard & Garden pages
  • Favourite Recipes Blog
  • Gift Shop
  • Social Media links 
  • Contact link
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