Flashback Friday: Rude Awakening

Currently Reading:  Just finished Anny Cook's Phantom's Rest, and OMG!  This one is AWESOME!  I love some of the honest and humorous conversations in this book, and the action in the last twenty pages will keep you scrolling/turning pages until the end!  DEFINITE RECOMMENDED READ!!  Available at Kindle and Fictionwise.  You will NOT be disappointed!


Aug 2001:
We returned from Canada, and I discovered my 'friend' L had NOT taken care of the extra hamburger buns, after all.  They were a moldy mess in the concession stand storage area.  I was furious at her, and worked throughout the next week to load everything up; contact people about buying some stuff, and giving the stand a thorough cleaning.

Youth Football was beginning; their concession stand was happy to buy our leftovers, plus some of the baseball coaches came to me about opening the stand for some Adult Softball games.  I agreed to keep the candy and soda for a while longer.

I'd counted all the money; tallied up the stats from both tournaments, and made a note about what had worked this year and what hadn't.  L called me; I'd gotten over my fury at her and went over to her house.  We started brainstorming about next year when all of a sudden, a bomb dropped.

L:  I might take over the stand next year...

Me (blinking):  Huh?  I'm not ready to give it up yet; I'm finally figuring out the kinks.  I'll be happy to have your help....

L (leaning forward):  H wants me to take it over next year.

Me:  Why?  What's he got against me?

L:  I honestly don't know.  But while you were gone, he was bad-mouthing you left and right.

Stunned, I went home and called the secretary, who assured me everything was okay, and that the bills had been paid.  I told him I'd paid the gas station, and knew changes had to be made the following year.  He told me not to worry; I'd done a good job with the resources we had.

My next phone call was to H, the league vice-president.  I apologized for pulling him away from a family gathering, but wanted to know why he wanted L in charge next year.

His answer was blunt.  "You spent way too much money."  End of conversation.

I called K, our secretary again, asking how much was too much.  "Don't worry about it; everything's fine."

But still I worried.  And prepared my 'farewell' speech, just in case.

At the banquet, H stood up after the food had been served and announced he was going to be President, with so-and-so as the VP, and L to take over concessions.  Immediately, conversation exploded.  People asked me why I wasn't doing the stand; all I could say was, 'I was forced out.', which brought up more questions.  And why weren't we voting on our President and VP?  This wasn't an election; this was a takeover!

The trophies were handed out; people left the banquet, still in a tizzy over what had taken place.

And again, I was incensed that the food I'd promised the football concession stand had been used for the banquet, and complained to the secretary.

"I was getting ready to sell it to the Football League; they complain I spent too much money?  They just took some of our revenue away!"


"I know; it's out of my hands.  I went to bat for you; I thought you did an excellent job.  But they overruled me."


Next Month:  The Community Split In Two.

Present Day:
Getting ready to head north again for my friend Alan's funeral.  The kids are going with me; S is getting her eyes checked and possibly new glasses; youngling wants to hang out with Grandpa and Big Brother at the frat house.  I may or may not have access to the computer, so have a great weekend!

Who Knew?

Thanks to all who commented the past two days:)  Surely everyone knows by now that yes, my publisher is NOT going to require me to update my series to modern day:)  I DID get an idea to do a 'Next Generation', but we'll see what happens after I finish writing books #8-12, lol!

I figure if I release two books per year, that gives me two years to finish writing book #8 and start on the rest.  Here's hoping Lynne gets over her vacation/tantrum/attitude over whom I paired her with and talks to me again, lol!

And the outpouring of support for stories set in the 1980's was AWESOME!  I need to go investigate The Wild Rose series, which takes place in 1985.  Maybe I've started a trend; so many have expressed interest now.


Update On My Trip North:
Still waiting to see if my dad is going to come down and get me tomorrow.  Daughter also wants to go, so she can get new glasses.

Keeping this post short; I need to get back to work on Love Finds A Way before my LOTR edits arrive!  And yes, Kenzie hasn't posted yet; I may do another 'combo' post next week.  We'll see....In the meantime, come back tomorrow for some more of my 2001 memories.  The month of August was an eye-opener.  You never know who your friends are until 'lightening strikes'.  See you tomorrow!

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions....

Had a tough day yesterday.  First an email from my new editor asking me to update Love On The Rocks from 1984 to present day.  My first reaction was to throw a colossal tantrum, dig in my heels, and say NO WAY!

After all, do you know how much 80's pop culture is in my books?  I wrote it at the time because it was the book I wanted to read.  I could not find any books which talked about college life, such as the Anne Emery books I'd loved with Tobey as the heroine.  That series followed her through high school and into her first year of college in the 1950's.  I wanted to show a college in the 80's, and also throw in some social issues so it would have more of a plot.

Book #1 takes us from 1984-1986.  Included is the space shuttle Challenger exploding; certain clothing styles; and songs.

Book #2:  !985-1986, and shows pay phones and the heartache of having to wait for letters to arrive.

Book #3:  1986-1988.  There's a discussion on AIDS, and how at the time there were only three ways to catch it.

Book #4:  1987-1988:  Mainly songs from 1988; discussions about computers being more popular and would soon be in every home; political discussions.

Book #5:  1988-1989:  Discussions about CD's vs tapes and the election of George Bush (senior).

Book #6:  1988-1989:  Songs; attitudes toward homosexuality/AIDS

Book #7:  1989-1990:  Songs, clothing, the arrival of the Lottery in Indiana

Book #8:  1989-1990:  Attitudes toward interracial relationships (wip)

Book #9:  1990-1991:  (not written yet)

Book #10:  1990-1991:  (not written yet)

Book #11:  1991-1992:  (not written yet)

Book #12:  1992-1993:  (not written yet)

Book #13:  1993-1994:  Computers had arrived, but no internet yet.

Book #14:  2003-1005.  A reunion of the girls in books #2-6.

I asked my daughter, who's read the first two books if the time period bothered her; she said she didn't even notice; she just enjoyed the characters and storyline.  The initial beta readers all enjoyed the 'trip down Memory Lane' or told me, 'I never went to college; this was fun to read!'

So what's your take?  When you read a book, does the time period bother you?  How much time to elapse before something is considered 'historical'?  Would you read something from the time period in which you grew up, or would you rather read something more modern, or from 100 years ago?  Some people are fascinated by the Regency period; others the Pioneer Days, Ancient times, or Civil War era.

And would I be shooting myself in the foot if I refuse to update it?  Or 'caving' if I did?  My heart and gut tell me to leave it as is...but then again, I DID make drastic cuts to several of the books to make them 'publishable'.   Should I just table it and wait another twenty years, until they meet the 'historical' qualifications?

Sad News....
And a half hour after that email, I received the heartbreaking news a former classmate of mine had died.  Alan and I had dated for four months in HS, and he used to play his guitar compositions for me.  He played Tuba in Marching Band; Oboe in concert band; Bass in Orchestra and Jazz Band, in addition to the guitar.  He also got me hooked on the classical songs The Planets; we'd listed to Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars the most.  He and I had just reconnected on Face Book two months ago, and he'd sent me three songs he'd composed.  I happened to think about him over the weekend; I realized I hadn't seen any updates on FB, and was going to shoot him an email.  And then my mother called with the news.

I'm going to try to make it to the funeral on Saturday.  The world has lost another musical genius; I'm sorry it took us twenty-five years to find each other again, however briefly.

In other Family News, daughter saw the orthopedic surgeon yesterday, and today we're taking her for an MRI, and back to the surgeon next week.  She doesn't have to wear the imobilizer, so that makes her happy!

Bachelorette Party!

No; not mine.  A friend of mine is getting married in 2 weeks, and when I found out her bachelorette party was starting with a Temptations Party, I decided to crash it!

See, she and her friends are nearly my CK's age, so I wasn't 'officially' invited.  However, my friend BC was, so I tagged along with her and everyone was glad to see me.  I especially cracked them up when I informed "I may be older than all y'all, but when it comes to sex toys, I'm twelve."

Turns out several of the young ladies' mothers had given them vibrators for their eighteenth birthday....what did I get when I was 18?  Ummm......books, clothing, music, makeup....yeah, no sex toys.  I don't even know if I knew of their existence!

Anyway, fast-forward to the bar.  Somebody had brought along a card game, and when the first person who drew a card had to kiss someone, I prayed for leniency to Fate.  And it was granted; my first card I had to do a shot with a geek.  And since two guy friends had joined us, BC offered to be the geek.  I told her I only did shots of B-52; she opted for the tequila.  And once again, I had to inform the bartender what a B-52 is:
Bailey's
Kahlua
Grand Marnier Whiskey (very thin layer at top)

I downed mine in one gulp, earning cheers from the two guys at our table, and apparently earning myself some respect, as from that time on, I was included in the joking and high-fives!

My next card was to have a man sing a love song to me.  Karaoke hadn't started yet, so we tabled this one while we debated which song Nathaniel would sing to me.  I wanted Bryan Adams; BC wanted Dolly Parton; he wanted Randy Travis or some other song I'd never heard of.  And since he left before it was his turn, he promised to sing to me on Sept 8th, when he would next be in town.  'I'll sing eight of them to you."  Woo hoo!

Card #3 was to have the DJ play 'Wild Thing' and dance solo.  I declined this one, as it was time for me to leave at that moment and go pick up my daughter.

And my final card?  I had to have my friends pick a hot guy and dance with him!  I was disappointed in their choice, but the guy was a good sport about the whole thing!

So my first raunchy bachelorette party was a success, other than the fact I did not get to dance a great deal.

Why was this a big deal?  I didn't have a bachelorette party, and the two I attended for my best friends were on the tame side.  All we did was go to a bar and dance.  No raunchy sex talk or anything.  So yeah, I've led a sheltered life....

What was your favorite memories of bachelorette parties, either your own or friends'?

On The Agenda Today:
-Daughter is meeting with orthopedic surgeon (I'm not going to get my walk in; her appointment's at 8am!)
-I have a dental appointment (please, let there be NO cavities!!)
-Working on Ch 6 of LFAW.

"What Do You Mean, You've Made A Mistake?"

Aug 1991:
I was now six months pregnant with K, and our four kittens were crawling around the apartment, getting to know their new living arrangements.  Rosie (Roseanne) was black and white; Tag-A-Long (named because he followed my SU everywhere) was a black shorthair, with a tiny patch of white under his chin; Gizmo had her mom's long fur, but was solid black with green eyes (Tag's were yellow); and Tiger, the baby grey-striped, was very aptly named.


It became soon apparent we had the 'Shelter for Dysfunctional Felines'.  Why?  I'm glad you asked!


Rosie:
My SU was lying on the floor watching TV and I was in the kitchen.  All of a sudden, I hear, "Hey, when did Rosie grow a pair of balls?"


"WHAT?"  I went running into the living room.  SU is holding a very indignant-looking Rosie and inspecting the private parts.  "You're the one who called out the gender after they were born....how could you make a mistake like this?"


"I guess they blended in with his black hindquarters."  He lets Rosie go free.  "I guess we'll have to change his name to 'Roosevelt'.  Or change the spelling, at least.  We've got a Rosey Greer instead of Roseanne Arnold."


"Poor baby....gender confusion at four months!"


Tag:
This one was an 'abuse' victim and Mama's Boy.  My SU stepped on the tiny little thing when he was one month old and fixated on following the SU around.  Ever try to administer First Aid to a mewling kitten with sharp claws?  Not easy.  He crawled into our closet and slept for two days.  I called the vet, who told me to watch for seizures.  After two days, though, he crawled out and was fine.  But we did notice he stayed close to Mama Smokey, and seemed reluctant to leave the box when it was time.


Gismo:
She had her mama's independent spirit.  If she wanted attention, she'd come to us.  And in the coming months, as the only female, she'd discover unwelcome attention from Tag.  So she was the first of the four to make an overnight trip to the vet, which I'll tell you more about next month.


Tiger:
Our 'problem child'.  He discovered he liked People Food better than his kitten chow; he refused to use the litter box at first; he was always sharpening his claws on the furniture or climbing the curtains.  Tiger is damn lucky he survived his first year!  We had to mix an egg in with the kitty chow to coax him to eat; otherwise, he'd have starved to death.  And I quit feeding him leftover meat from my plate.  He also endured his nose being rubbed into his messes, and was the first to have his nails trimmed.  And since he was also the first one to purr, he spent a great deal of time on my lap.  He was the most loving of the four; I guess to make up for his antics!


Mama Smokey:
As soon as she weaned the kits, and we had her spayed, she shot out the door of the apartment and refused to return.  She'd come around for food; the kits would run to the door and look out; she'd get this puzzled look on her face which clearly said, 'You still have them?" and walk off.  Another one of her litters was upstairs, but she never ventured up there (only two had survived).


I was finally wearing maternity clothing and my cravings had switched from the Olive Garden Salad to potatoes.  Specifically, potato latkes.  I think I went through a 10-pound bag of potatoes in one week, making homemade potato pancakes and hash browns.


Basically, the recipe is grated potato and onion; a little bit of milk; an egg; salt and pepper.  Drop by teaspoon into greased skillet and fry a minute or two on each side.  Yummy!  I'm not Jewish, but I love latkes!


And yes, the SU soon grew tired of eating these too....


Present Day:
So far, the new routine is working!  I take the kids to school; walk four laps around the park; come home and start my day.  Think I'll try to do five laps in September, so it's an even 4 miles.


Daughter's knee is now in an imobilizer, and she goes to the orthopedic surgeon on Monday.  I'm currently enjoying her inability to sit in the front seat, because this means she can't change my radio station!


Want to know what I'd be if I wasn't a writer?  Come over to Romance Books R Us and find out:)


Oh, found out my youngest may be ADD instead of dyslexic.  Looks like another trip to the doctor....


Have a good weekend:)

New Cover!

Isn't it pretty?  The only thing which may change will be the design on the glasses they are holding.  I may also email her about centering the word 'Tales'.  In a previous cover, it was centered.  But since the logo was added at the top....maybe it threw it off a little?  I don't know.  All I can say is,


"THANK YOU COVER ART GODS!"


Come back tomorrow for my memories of Aug 1991:)

Good News Wednesday:)

Currently Reading:  Began Phantom's Rest by Anny Cook, and am up to Ch 2.  Liking this very much!




First of all, hats off to my friend Jamie Carie, who has been informed she's receiving a Faculty Citation Award for "excelling in her career/field of study"!!  Yay Jamie!!!  WTG woman!  To enter her Kindle contest, either click the link or the picture to the right!  What's the contest?  Design a hat for Lady  Kendra, who stars in her latest book,  Pirate of My Heart:

She gave up everything for a chance at true love . . .

When her doting father dies, Lady Kendra Townsend is given a choice: marry the horrid man of her uncle’s choosing or leave England to risk a new life in America with unknown relatives.

Armed with the faith that God has a plan for her, Kendra boards a cargo ship and soon finds herself swept away by the rugged American sea captain Dorian Colburn. But this adventurous man has been wounded by love before and now guards his independent life.

He wasn’t prepared to give up anything for anyone…

No swashbuckling man needs an English heiress with violet-hued eyes to make him feel again or challenge his faith with probing questions—or so he thinks. It is not until Dorian must save Kendra from the dark forces surrounding her that he decides she may be worth the risk.

Good News #2:

Arbor U has a new logo!  Designed by my good friend Benjamin Martinson, this change was necessary due to my other being under A/H copyright.  I'll have to make a minor change in Balancing Act when Gretchen is talking about the school colors (note to self:  Check 1st chapter of Love On The Rocks), but I love the fact the school name is on the ribbon:)  I should get my new cover either today or sometime this week.  This makes me excited about working on Ch 5 again!  Yesterday I only got as far as page #32, due to the craziness around here (keep reading!).

Bad News:  

Aren't you glad I told you all that good news first?  The Daniels household has been sidetracked with foot injuries.  Daughter's knee locked up and became painful to navigate stairs; the SU stepped on something and his foot swelled up and bruised; this morning my right heel protested the four lap (3.2 miles) walk I've been taking every morning.  

As a result, daughter's right leg is now encased in an imobilizer and is possibly facing orthoscopic surgery to repair cartilage in her knee (we'll find out once we meet with the orthapedic specialist).  The SU's right foot is in a soft 'boot' and ordered to ice it often until the swelling/bruising fades; I wrapped my right foot in an Ace Bandage, plus wore a sock over it, but three steps onto the walking path and pain shot through my heel.  So I guess I'm not to walk until I get some decent walking shoes, which will be after Sept 1st.  My one piece of GOOD news is, I've lost another two pounds:)  So my weight is at least going in the right direction, lol!

What's YOUR midweek update?

My College Kid's New Home

This is the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity 'house'; a block of lower level apartments.  K's is lower left at the back.  Plus, Granny (age 89) decided to give him her car so he'd have reliable transportation.

His is one of three bedrooms.  Each contains double bed, desk, chest of drawers, a HUGE closet with mirrored doors, and a private full bathroom.  I didn't get a private bath to myself until AFTER I'd graduated from college!

He's got a nice kitchen, complete with dishwasher and ample pantry/storage space.

I'm envious of that shelving unit!  Not standard on the apartments; a former tenant built them and the fraternity inherited them.  I've threatened offered to take them when K graduates in three years, lol!

Talk about spoiled....each unit has their own washer/dryer behind these doors.  Remember saving quarters for the vending machine and washer/dryer in the dorms?  My kid is soooo spoiled!

And finally, the view from his living room patio.  Beyond the trees is Walmart, Subway, and Applebee's.  And, the apartment complex supplied them with free wifi.  AND they have full use of the pool during the summer months.  Guess where we'll be spending next summer, hahahahaha!  Plus, the fraternity president said the youngling is welcome any time.

Today, taking the daughter (and maybe even the spouse) to the ER.  Daughter's knee popped again the other day, and even with her knee brace, she says it's painful to go up and down stairs.  And yesterday, the spouse reported stepping on something and the underside of his right foot was bruised.  Today, it's swollen and he's complaining of pain when he walks.  So, family trip to ER again....fun, fun.

In good news, I've reached Ch 5 of LFAW.  I'm up to the infamous party scene, heh heh heh....oh, if only I could turn back time....would things have been different if they'd turned out the way I wrote it?  And changed a few other details around.....

New Week, New Routine....

Currently Reading:  Finished reading Bronwyn Green's Just Right yesterday, and LOVED it!  Definite Recommended Read!!!  Next up:  Anny Cook's Phantom's Rest:)

Did I mention the kids are back in school?

Last week, after dropping the youngling at school, I came home and got on the computer.  The spouse slept until around 11am, then we'd talk about what we were planning to do the rest of the day.

On Friday, a friend mentioned she'd begun walking 5 miles a day and was losing weight.  I got the bright idea to revive jump start my own walking program and instead of coming home today, went to the park.  One lap=.8 miles (I've checked this with my trusty pedometer), so 5 laps equal 4 miles.  Unfortunately, my left foot (the one with the slight arthritis) gave out after four laps.  I refuse to be in pain just to get that extra eight tenths of a mile in.  Maybe tomorrow?

After the SU wakes up, we're initiating Operation Clean House.  He's got the 'urge to purge' and finally take some of our stuff to Good Will.  I've only been wanting this for the past two years; it's taken him this long to finally help me!

We took CK back to Purdue and moved him into his new apartment; I'll post pictures tomorrow.  And had an excellent meal with friends I've not seen in a while.  Did I take pics while I was there?  No...baaaad Molly!  But the gentleman who has encouraged me in my writing all these years was thrilled to find out my work is on Kindle, and that AU will also be out this fall on Kindle:)

Now, back to edits and laundry before the SU wakes up!

Oh, Kenzie blogged again yesterday!  Click here to see how she deals with the summer heat and what is needed in order for words to flow:)

Flashback Friday: New School

Aug 1981:
We'd come home from a three week vacation in Florida and Mom and I dove right into another week of intense band camp.  We began learning our field show, and I was informed I was an alternate, meaning I wouldn't be in the show, but would help put the props on the field.  I still had to learn the routines, in case of injury.  And somewhere during my three weeks off, something in my brain 'clicked', and I realized what I was doing wrong in the double-fast spins, and could now do them properly.  I also entertained the neighborhood kids by practicing the routines in our front yard, where there were no trees to grab my flag as I tossed it into the air.

I started my new high school with anticipation, and was relieved when several of my band mates were in some of my classes, so I relaxed a little.  And there was a total BABE in my 5th hour class who sat across the aisle from me.  He had All-American looks; he was at least six feet tall; blonde hair; nice eyes; an easy, engaging smile.  Instant tiny crush; after all, I was still 'in love' with D, who would be off to Purdue that fall, and I couldn't wait to see him again.

There was also a problem with my locker:  It refused to open.  I don't think I could get inside it for the first week, but thankfully I had my mom's office.  I remember one day she said to me, "Bruce said to tell you your locker WILL OPEN now...go try it!"

The second time through my fourth combination, the door came open!  Yay....now I didn't have to carry all my books around anymore!

Present Day:
Wishing like anything I could attend Def Leoppard/Heart concert with a few friends tonight!!!  But I know the spouse will throw a fit.

Happy Birthday Barbara Huffert!  And she has a new release out yesterday, so show her some love and go buy it here?

I'm off to do laundry.  Taking College Kid (CK) back to Purdue in the morning, and since tonight is his final night at work, guess who gets to make sure all his clothing is washed, dried, and packed?

As for BB....ooooooh, once I learned Brendan was the one doing battle with last night's evictee, I was REALLY hoping for a 'Brenchel' face off.....as I told my friend Trish last night, via FB, I may watch the rest of the season in 'Mute' mode...whenever 'Brenchel' is on camera....

Have a good weekend:)

PS:  Is it a bad sign when one's own MS puts her to sleep during edits?  Gah...happened again yesterday!  And I'm only on Ch 4!

Turning Cartwheels:)

Currently Reading:  Finished Susan Wiggs' At The King's Command and At The Queen's Summons and found myself skimming most of it, though I enjoyed reading the first half of both books.  And admittedly, I read most of the first one.  Maybe if the middle book had been available at the library, I would have enjoyed the 2nd half of the 3rd one more.  I figured out who Pippa's parents might be around page 100, but was not satisfied with the ending.  I was hoping for more of an explanation of the Gypsy saying.  Or maybe I missed it in the skimming.  Who knows?  I may purchase these books at a later date and reread them.  If you like historicals, then you might enjoy them.  Recommended With Reservations.


It's the first day of school!

Kids are GONE!

Whoo hoo!  Seven uninterrupted hours!!

Now if I could just get the spouse to find a hobby...or leave the house for several hours....

We already discussed going to Denny's (personally, I'd rather go to BW3 for lunch!), but decided to wait until next month.  We have to drive CK to Purdue this weekend and money's already a little tight.  So he's gone back to bed, and I'm in front of the computer, getting ready to edit Ch 4 some more on Love Finds A Way.  I've already added 1K to the MS; making a LOT of changes!

Update on Dish:
Called them; they are 'in negotiations with the provider, since they've increased their price in order for us to carry the channel...' But I also lucked out and FOUND they are playing several episodes from 3-5 in the afternoon!  I've already set them to record for today and tomorrow.  I'll check later to see if the programming is switched, as there are at least one episode per day I've got recording.

Coleman....Hello?
I've also spent 20 minutes on the phone yesterday and Tuesday with Coleman Customer Service, and still never got through.  I finally went to their site and emailed them.  Our airbed, purchased in May, as sprung a few 'threads', for lack of a better description.  The thing, fully inflated, looks as if it's pregnant on one side.  It's under warranty, and since CK tossed the box last month (with the warranty info), I don't know where to send it for repairs.  And their site is no help, and neither, it seems, is their toll-free number!  Maybe if I try when they first open, rather than right after lunch?  I'll set the timer for an hour.  They are on Central time, and I'm on Eastern.  Very frustrating.

Habit Change

Once upon a time, Molly was a faithful Blogger who posted every morning or evening; started at the top of her blogroll buddies and read didn't get up from the computer until she read them all and commented on some.

And then the wonderful 'following' button appeared, and let her know who had updated, saving her time.

She joined yahoo groups once she was published, to chat with other authors and to promote her own work.  Soon her inbox was flooded with chat digests, and she quickly learned which loops to read and which ones could be skipped.

She was dragged onto Face Book, kicking a screaming, but was soon addicted to the site.  Twitter baffled her, until she took the plunge and started participating in word wars.

She decided to add new features to the blog.  Weekly interview, and a weekly flashback.  Soon she was swamped with scheduling the interviews and finding out certain memories were faulty.

Her home life grew stressful with family members' health issues, her own edits, and trying to work three days a week.  Soon she was only posting two or three times a week, and comments were few and far between.

And the blog waited.

Life is about to return to normal, but the habits have changed.  She used to click email, FB, blog, and once in a great while, twitter.  But now Blogger, even though it is #1 on her bookmarks, is now the 5th tab to be  opened.  The lineup is now FB, email, Twitter, Blogger.  And Kenzie hasn't even posted yet this week.  But we blame the busy weekend, the editing, and the getting-ready-to-send-the-kids-back-to-school-craziness.

So keep checking back; hopefully I'll have plenty to say once my cover is finalized (I found out my logo IS under copyright, so have to design another) and the edits are finished.  I also hope to get back to reading!

Today, I'm getting ready to come unglued on Dish Network.  Why?  My INSP channel has disappeared.  I've been DVR-ing old episodes of The Waltons and was looking forward to Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman coming at the end of August.  I was ALMOST done with The Waltons!  And they're not on NetFlix, so I guess I'm going to have to buy the DVDs if Dish is no longer carrying the channel.  But why mess with a GOOD thing?

Anything YOU want to rant about?  Or notice any changes in YOUR daily online habits?

What Did YOU Do All Weekend?

Friday night, I attended a mini-HS reunion from McCutcheon.  I crashed their 25th reunion two years ago because I'd gone to school with half of them from K-9th grade.  My friend Angela (front row, pink shirt and white pants) and I met in the 5th grade.  Betsy (next to me in the back row with curly hair and glasses) remembers a particular conversation about raw cookie dough.  Traci (back row white shirt) was in several classes with me.  Beth (front row, long brown hair and gray shirt) was in the 6th grade with me.  Tammy (far right, black and white dress) and I had Home Ec together.  And if you're new to this blog, I'm in the back row, 2nd from left (black shirt).  Aren't we a good-looking  bunch?  The men were whistling at us as cameras flashed, lol!

Here's a good one of Angie and I:)

Saturday morning, I went to Indianapolis and met the rest of the family for MDQ and ME's birthday party.  They were happy to see me again, as well as learn their school doesn't start until the 16th!  Instead of attending IPS, they will be in the Pike Township school system.  Here's hoping they have a good school year, and all the work I've done with both concerning attitude and reading has paid off.

We hit the pool in late afternoon.  Here is my youngling, CK (college kid), and ME in the deep end, seeing who can touch the bottom.  They were having a great time until my SIL freaked out and made them stop jumping off the side (can we say OVER PROTECTIVE?)

After my SIL left, play resumed.  Here's CK as he's about to hoist MDQ into the air for a back flip.  I'm surprised I didn't get a message on FB about their 'reckless behavior'!  But the important thing is, everyone had a good time....except my nephew's oldest daughter, who scraped her knee in the first hour and refused to leave the pool steps.  My SIL carried her back to the condo and stayed with her the rest of the time.

Sunday, I went to see my friends BC Brown and her niece Ashlae in 'A Little Night Magic'.  Here's A playing the part of Belle, and BC is far right, standing up, as a townsperson.

"Oh what a guy....Gaston!'  BC is far left.

BC also played Ursula; The White Rabbit; and Timon from Lion King.  They did an awesome job:)  In addition to playing Belle, A was also Pocohantis.  And at the end, they did a medley of older Disney songs, including the goodbye song of the Mickey Mouse Club:)

Today, I'm trying to get back on track with the housework.  School begins on Thursday, and I need to wash all bedding MDQ and ME used in the past 8 weeks.  Today we find out what class youngling will be in, and I need to arrange testing for him.  He's showing 6 of ten signs for dyslexia, but we have to make it 'official' on his record.  He's been doing better, but still would rather Echo Read.

I'm also close to having cover art for Love On The Rocks!  I just have to make sure my AU logo isn't copyrighted.  But as soon as I get the official cover, I'll post it:)

Have a good day and let the countdown begin!  4 More Days!!!

Flashback Friday: Starting School:)

Aug 1971:
I remember dreaming of catching the bus at the end of the street; instead, my mother enrolled me in afternoon kindergarten.  I carpooled with my next-door neighbor, whose father drove, and we also picked up another boy and once in a while, another girl.

The first day, Mom took a picture of T and I in his driveway; people would later tease us about holding hands.  We weren't; we were just standing really close together!  We both have big smiles on our faces.

Our bus driver on the ride home was mean.  I don't know if he quit or resigned; I just know that the next year, we had a new bus driver who would stick with us until I stopped riding the bus in high school.  I don't even remember if we were let off at our individual houses the way kindergartners are now.

Mom had returned to work by this time, and had arranged a sitter for us.  My hair was long that year; it fell around my shoulders.  And I don't remember being teased about my glasses, though I DO remember trying to leave them at home a couple of times.

Present Day:
I've a busy weekend ahead.  Today my dad is arriving to pick me up and take me to  Lafayette for a mini-HS reunion.  I'm looking forward to seeing everyone, and I'm also planning to crash another one down the block, to see another friend I've not seen since 1985 or 6.  He DJ'd a friend's wedding, and I danced with him.  He's now doing quite well in the music industry, and I'm thrilled we've connected on Facebook, Twitter, and his social network site, Synergy Project.  I'll let you know how it went next week.

On Saturday, Dad's driving me to Indianapolis to meet my family at my SIL's.  MDQ and ME turn 10 and 9 respectively, and a birthday party is planned.  We've had them all summer, and since they start school on Monday, they're moving into Grandma's house, since their mother still hasn't found a place to live.  Apparently my SIL laid down the law to J; we'll see how it goes.  On one hand I'm sad to see the kids leave; on the other, the house will be quiet, clean, and not so much drama anymore.  I swear I'm going to wrap MDQ in bubble wrap:  Between the falling down; stubbing her toes; hurting her fingers; strep throat; nosebleeds; UTI; sore throat; and pinkeye, I'm surprised the child has managed to survive this long (insert sarcasm).   She talks to her mom; five minutes later she's complaining of pain.  She doesn't talk to her mom, she gets whiny.  She's not the center of attention; she pouts when it's pointed out someone else has the floor.  Any time something doesn't go the way she thinks it should, there's a BIG DISCUSSION.  Sheesh!  Child is headed for law school, should she pass the 4th grade.

On a good note, ME is reading better.  And his anger seems to have diminished somewhat.  I hope it continues.   J finally broke up with the deadbeat; it was a condition her mother laid down.  The kids are happy she's no longer 'engaged' to him.

We're returning home Saturday night; I had to compromise with the spouse about the weekend, as he does NOT want to go to my parents' house.  And next Sat, we have to take K back to Purdue.  I'm already getting flack from him for going to the grocery store and spending $150.  But at least we have food in the house, and I'm not going every day for the ingredients for dinner that night!  I don't know WHAT his problem is!

Anyway, have a good weekend!  I'm taking the camera, so hopefully I get some great pictures to share:)

Where Did July Go?

Currently Reading:  I finished The Land of Painted Caves and think there was too much time spent on the cave paintings.  After a while, I skipped over much of the description and went straight to the dialogue.  I also felt some of the more interesting sub-plots would add flavor to the story; instead, they fizzled out.  And I soooooo hope Ayla does get to see her son Durc and her old Clan again in later books!  I also want to reread Shelters of Stone; LOPC made references to it that I don't remember.  Course, it's been 8 years since I read it!


Next up:  I checked out two Susan Wiggs books:  At The King's Command and At the Queen's Summons.  The middle one in this trilogy wasn't available.  So far, I'm enjoying King.  And yes, hopefully soon I'll be able to buy e-books again....still getting ready to read Just Right from Bron Green; Phantom's Rest by Anny Cook; and Pretend With Me by Amber Skyze.  Maybe when a) I get out of Edit Hell and b) get caught up on my DVR'd shows, I can read again.  Esp if I'm the one who has to pick up the kids....I get to read for 45 minutes while I wait in my choice parking spot!  Yes, I know; I'm easy to please....


Seriously, didn't we JUST celebrate the 4th?  Oh...that was several weeks ago.  My how time flies when you're extremely occupied!

This summer has flown by.  June was a mass of missed appointments; library programs each week; and a houseful of kids, both mine and the neighbor's.  Want a good time?  Come to Aunt Molly's.  There are popsicles, lemonade, and plenty of iced tea in the fridge.  And if you play your cards right, you might get fed lunch or even dinner.  It took some time, but eventually ME stopped beating up on his sister and the food supplies dwindled.  'Aunt Molly's Cafe' didn't last long when we realized the younglings were devouring hot dogs at an alarming rate.

July brought a brief respite.  MDQ and ME went to their grandparents house for a week, and we enjoyed the quiet.  The heat set in; we spent a great deal of time indoors.  I also edited frantically, as Kenzie's third book was released on the 6th, rather than in late September!  I discovered this June 30th, so thankfully the book is short and the family left me alone!  We also got the wifi up and running, so now everyone's happy.  I can work at the kitchen table; S can be in her room; CK or the SU can be in the living room watching NetFlix; kids can play games on the desk top.

And now it's August.  MDQ and ME are just four days away from their collective birthday and return home; S and Youngling start school in nine days; CK (college kid) returns to Purdue on the 13th.  After a summer of having seven people in the house, we dwindle back to four.  And the only noise from 8:15-2:15 will be the TV or the tapping of my laptop keys.  I'm looking forward to it.

I took the summer off to tutor the kids in reading; I only planned to set up my booth once.  I'm skipping our Watermelon Festival to attend a mini-reunion and to celebrate MDQ and ME's birthdays.  I'll spend this month editing my Arbor U series and getting ready for the rereleases this fall.  Hopefully Teacher's Pet will be released sometime soon, and then I can get to work on the rest of the series, plus writing again.  My Chinese Fortune Cookie fortune the other day said, 'Your lost possession will be returned within the month'...I hope it means either my sanity, my privacy, my inspiration, or maybe it's talking about my Kirby vacuum cleaner?  But that's technically the SUs....

Anyway, I hope to be back to a more regular blogging schedule in the coming weeks.  Thanks to those of you who still check in with me occasionally!

Happy Birthday....

To my mother; my bff's daughter; and to Joe Elliot, lead singer of Def Leppard!

That's all I've got for today, other than THANK GOD Daniele put 'Brenchel' up for eviction this week! Now if they can stay there and Rachel can get leave....please, please. please let her leave.....

Feeling a little ticked off at the moment. Don't know if I'm suffering from stress or PMS. Want to know what gets me angry? Go check out Kenzie's Place.

In good news, I did finish revising Love On The Rocks Friday night. Took the weekend off, and now I'm about to dive into Love Finds A Way. I did edit the first eight pages yesterday.

Anyway, go find someone more interesting at the moment, like any of the blogs to the right. I'm crawling back into my edit cave.