Wednesday Mutterings

From the Murphy's Law department: Another flat tire.
The summer-like temps have finally taken a break. It's nice and cool right now with rain in the forecast. I can definitely deal with that.
I picked up four huge handfuls of candy off the sidewalk, road, and grass from the parade last night. The marchers would throw it out and the candy usually landed in a yucky puddle. Some was saved - if it was caught or placed into a hand - but for the most part a lot of candy was wasted in front of our house.
K1 is living large since he now has a full time job. The boy loves his momma though. Tonight he went shopping and bought me Supernatural Season 2! What a sweetie! I'm very excited because not only can I watch 2 full seasons anytime (within reason) I want, tomorrow is new episode night.
There are a lot of squirrels in our backyard. We also have a Dogwood tree. Right now the tree is producing these little red berries at the end of the branches. The tree isn't very big, so the limbs aren't too sturdy. Over the past few days, it's been raining squirrels. They'll go out to pick the berries and end up falling out of the tree. It happened 3 times in a row the other day. This makes the dog go absolutely nuts and is good for a laugh.
That's enough muttering for one day...
Behave!

Parading...

Tonight was our town's annual Halloween parade.
Always a blast - a houseful of people, lots of food and obnoxious behavior. It's really cool to be able to sit on our front porch and watch (we're on the parade route). This year was no different, though much more subdued than usual because many of our usual crowd were missing due to work and other obligations.
We'd decided to have appetizer type foods since everyone pretty much grazes the entire time. Usually I make chili or tortellini soup and I was in big trouble because I didn't plan to do that this year. (Not to mention it was like 87* here today - who wants chili?) I let the kids talk me into trying "Mummy Wrap Soup" and it was a huge hit. There was only one bowl left out of a huge crockpot full. It looked terrible though - you take egg whites and drizzle them into the boiling soup and surprisingly, it really does look like mummy wrappings.
Oh. And it rained.
Many pulled out of the parade. There were no marching bands and not many floats. Our cub scouts marched and they looked awesome. My little guy was soaking wet and super tired when they got home. He took his shower and promptly fell asleep on the couch.
Got my Suburban back today. Am keeping my fingers crossed the problem is fixed. Our mechanic is reasonably certain it is, but refuses to be sure since he's as frustrated with it as we are. Oh, and I ended up with a nearly flat tire after I'd finished the shopping and errands. Don't know what's up with that, but it completely falls in line with the whole "Murphy" thing.
The temperature's finally dropping here. Thank goodness.
That's all for now.
Behave!

More Murphy...

Remember when I decided to change my name to Murphy?
I'm keeping the name.
The fuel pump on the Suburban was fixed, but there seems to be more wrong with it than that. At least this time it decided not to work right in front of the house. I did manage to get it started and after a very stressful drive, get it to our mechanic.
Now we wait for the diagnosis.
B did some routine maintenance on the washing machine and discovered the housing for the motor is cracked, among other things. So far it continues to work, but for how long is anyone's guess.
K's are off school today. And tomorrow.
We'll spend some of the time cleaning and preparing for tomorrow evening's Halloween parade. I still have costume components to acquire and food items to purchase, which is nearly impossible with a sick child and without a vehicle. I'm sure I'll figure something out.
What can I say?
It's Monday.
Behave!

Saturday...

Yes, a rare Saturday post that isn't a video or quiz.
Today was my writer's group chapter meeting. Always a wonderful time. I leave there full of energy and smiles. Today I left as the newly re-elected chapter librarian, which is a pretty cool position since I hold all the books in our small library and they're at my fingertips should the need arise. It is amazing how often I forget that and spend too much time searching for information that's only a few steps away (but have no problem remembering when someone else needs something). Anyway. The meeting was excellent, but small today, due to several members being away at the NJ conference. I wish I could have gone. It's a conference I've never been to due to normally being on vacation this weekend. And I actually got to go to lunch after the meeting, which is a rare thing too.
Anyway. Again.
I had a point when I started this post, but darned if I can remember it. That's what I get for blogging when I should probably already be in bed. The day went too fast and tomorrow will be the same.
That's all I've got.
Behave!

The Boys Are Back!

And the wait was absolute torture.
But they're back!
Of course I'm talking about Supernatural! (I'll bet you already knew that though)
I don't even know where to start - I was enthralled - from the opening credits to the creepy-assed preview for next week. 13 whole minutes went by before the first commercial. Yay!
Dean hooted like a cowboy and had the whole "I'm going to die. Let's live a little." attitude going through the whole episode even though he did his job very, very well. Sam seemed a little tougher to me. A little less angsty. I loved the look on his face when he opened the door on Dean and then later asked for Dean's knife so he could poke out his own eyes because of what he saw. The dialogue was fantastic and so were the camera shots. Bobby was excellent - as always. And even though we only got a brief glimpse of Ruby, I liked her.
Anyway.
I loved it!
The boys are back! Finally!
That's all for now...
Enjoy the weekend!
And...
Behave!

Things...

Things no one - make that no offspring - in this house know how to do:
1. Turn off lights.
2. Get out a new roll of toilet paper.
3. Close the shower curtain - either during showering or when finished.
4. Turn off lights.
5. Close any cupboard door.
6. Push in chairs.
7. Turn off lights.
I seriously don't think the K's are the only such offspring. Are they?

Things I should not be subjected to when I am trying to write:
1. "Hey Mom, come and look at this email." (Uhhh...I sent you that email. No.)
2. Bad, bad movies that make me shake my head because I still hear even though I'm working.
3. The smell of popcorn made the "right" way.
4. A nice cool breeze that makes me want to either take a nap or go for a walk.
5. The headache, stuffy head and sore throat I am dealing with today. Ugh!

Behave!

Told ya!

Remember when I mentioned this - the ironing board in the grocery store parking lot?

Well, thanks to my mom - here you go!

I'm not sure if it's still there, but really, who loses an ironing board?

**2 more days until Season 3 of Supernatural starts!!**

That's all I have for today!

Behave!

I'm Changing My Name...

To Murphy.
Why?
Because I've had Murphy's Luck lately. And a lot of it.
For example:
Saturday we took a family jaunt to an eatery in the city. B remembers his dad taking him to this place when he was a kid. And it was his parent's 51st anniversary. Oh and the restaurant was closing on Sunday after 70 years in business.
So we went. B picked up his dad from the nursing home and I met them in the city - scoring an end of the busy street parking space (which is always a bonus in the Suburban). We ate, had a great time, took a walk to the river - the experience is one we'll all remember for a while.
I load the kids into the Suburban so I could take them to rehearsal. I start the truck and right before I pull into really heavy traffic, it dies and won't start again. (Did I mention this is on a really busy city street?)
Anyway, after much running around, hassles and a long wait for the tow truck (and subsequent loss of funds due to paying for tow truck) we were finally done with our adventure.
Kind of.
The truck is at the shop - possibly the fuel pump.
Oh, and the total reason I'm Murphy now?
We just made the final payment.
And that's just an example of why I'm Murphy.
So there you have it.
Behave!

Finally Friday!

Temperature is much nicer here now.
A cool 74* with a nice breeze.
That makes me very happy.
This will be short. I don't have much, if anything, to say.
So, I'll leave you with a few random things from my day.
The cardboard box in my living room. It's a big one - not quite refrigerator size. It made a nifty fort, until the kids split the side. I threw it out, and it's back in the living room. I don't get it. I fully understand to coolness of boxes, but in my opinion, this one's done its time and is now considered trash. Obviously I'm the only one in my family to think so. Especially since K3 currently has it arranged like a duck blind and is reading a book inside.
The fender bender that occurred this morning at the four-way stop near the younger K's school. Apparently there was much honking and a moderately loud crash. I was standing not far from the scene and didn't hear or see it. Since this isn't the first time I've proven to be totally clueless, I'm beginning to wonder about the cohesiveness of my brain these days.
Today was "pajama day" at the younger K's school. Yeah, they went to school in the pajama's. It was kind of weird to walk them down the street with them wearing sleep pants and slippers. K4 was outside at gym when I arrived at school to pick them up. That was weird too.
Okay - so I got more than I thought I would.
Enjoy the weekend, and...
Behave!!

Random Wednesday

Okay, who ordered the summer-like weather?
It's around 90* here today.
And of course, I did not expect this when I planned the week's meals and did the shopping. It's too hot to make the warm and homey foods I have on the menu. Last night we did leftovers to avoid heating up the kitchen, and tonight I had no choice but to make the already defrosted turkey breast - complete with mashed potatoes and gravy. It was good, but too hot to eat. Sigh. Luckily, cooler temps are on the way and there's even a thunderstorm in the forecast for this evening.
On at 9 p.m. est tonight - a brand new episode of Ghosthunters. Yay!
Only 8 more days until Season 3 of Supernatural. (Yay! Yay!) And, today, I got to see some of the bonus material on the Season 2 DVD. Very cool.
Lots coming up on the calendar. Lots more trying to get crammed into spaces already overflowing. Time to crank up the cloning machine again.
As always...
Behave!

Random...

It seems the most common thing that brings people to my blog is the word "random". Maybe I should have named the blog with random in the title since it seems I regularly post random thoughts.
Already it's the last week of September. How the heck did that happen?
The really cool thing about that is it means Supernatural starts in just 10 days. Click on the preview on my widget below. I can't wait. But you already knew that.
Anyway. We're now into my very favorite season. But you already knew that too.
Since I seem to have nothing new to say, I'll go for now.
Behave!

Fatal Flaws Class

FATAL FLAWS CLASS
by Laurie Schnebly Campbell

Giving likable, plausible characters a compelling conflict is easier
with Enneagrams. Counselors and personnel managers use this
personality tool to identify the nine types: Perfectionist, Nurturer,
Achiever, Romantic, Observer, Skeptic, Adventurer, Leader and Peacemaker.

Each of them has distinctive traits, including a fatal flaw, that will
naturally bring them into conflict with other people...AND with
themselves.

You can read the class lectures on a yahoogroups listserv, or have
them emailed directly to you. For details on this $30 class, held
Oct. 1-29, see www.WriterUniv.com
*Re-posted with permission.

A Quiz...

**This will make my critique partners laugh. Though in my defense, I don't get there/their/they're or it's/it confused. It's those stinking apostrophes that I tend to ignore, but hopefully they'll agree I'm paying attention more.

Happy Weekend!
Behave!

Housekeeping...

Not really.
At least not as in cleaning my house. We won't go there right now.
Since I missed posting yesterday due to an insane day that didn't feel like it was ever going to end, I need to pretend it's yesterday and say: Happy Birthday! to my dad.
And yes, I did talk to him. They're currently on vacation (which I think was a ploy to get out of dealing with the birthday obnoxiousness that belongs to this family). At the beach. And when I talked to my dad yesterday, he had the nerve to tell me his knees got cold while they were on the beach earlier. I told him I had absolutely no sympathy for his cold knees and that he's not allowed to complain because, after all, he's at the beach and the rest of us are not. His response? Laughter.
Anyway.
Last night was back to school night - at K2's high school and her drama school. Since the drama school is new to us, we went there. What a fantastic place. Their philosophy is awesome, as is the community awareness and involvement they strive for. They meet in the oldest church in the city, which is incredible to look at and be inside of. The facility is filled with antiques, old photographs and apparently, even a ghost.
Oh, my point? I do have one, besides the rambling. Listening to K2's teacher talk about learning the craft, honing the craft and the different exercises she teaches to help the students learn to step away from themselves and play the part really struck me. Writers and Actors are very similar. Instead of acting on the stage, writers act on the page. It's more internal, but no less demanding than acting.
And that, my friends, is my deep thought for the day.
Enjoy the weekend, and, as always...
Behave!

Talk Like a Pirate Day...

Did you forget?
I did, until I saw it somewhere this morning. And that's bad (if you're me) because me an' me hardies always be celebratin' this day. (See post below - sadness factor applies here too because of missing vacation and the usual hype 'talk like a pirate day' brings as we prepare for the beach.)
Anyway.
Word meters are lying. Again. I should take them down. I am making good progress. And I'm getting ready to start something new. My brain is working - ideas are forming - coming through in vivid and odd dreams. (Like Misty driving a minivan on the railroad tracks. When I told her, she was more upset that she was driving a minivan and not a cool ride, than the fact that she was recklessly careening me, and my basket of laundry, around a sharp curve as I searched for a pair of socks. Did I mention the dreams are odd?) (Oh and there's so much more to that one. Which is where the story ideas are coming from - not the train track escapade. You don't even want to know. Trust me.) Anyway. (Again.) I'm not rushing this new idea. Things are filling in nicely without much effort on my part - for right now. Once I finish edits, I hope to have enough to start "mind mapping" it.
What's happened to "Under the Bridge", you ask? Nothing. Yet. I've decided to take a longer respite from those edits. Mainly because I absolutely need to write something brand new and because there's still something not quite right with it. I'm working on it, but not forcing it. That might not make sense to anyone but me.
So there you have it...random Wednesday ramblings with a dash o' pirate.
Avast, me hardies. Mind the rum and keep yer scurvy tail out o' trouble on this fine sailin' day.
(In other words...)
Behave!

This Cooler Weather...

Makes me think of this beach:

And that makes me sad.

If we were going, this would be the height of email countdowns, lists, preparations and excitement.

I chose the gloomy beach sky for a reason...cause that's how sad I am.

Still, there is one thing that's always true: A bad day at the beach is way better than a good day at home.

But...what are you going to do? We couldn't make the trip this year, but one thing's for sure, when we do go again it'll be that much sweeter. That's what I'm looking forward to.

Seriously, I'm not as gloomy as this post has led you to believe. Just buried under piles of obligations and an enormous 'to do' list. Managing, I guess you'd call it, but with a smile (most of the time).

The week's a busy one - so posts may be spotty.

That's all for now.

Behave!

Supernatural Season 3 Promo

Coming soon!

Funny Friday

Or maybe not - depending on what your idea of funny is. Maybe it's not my dog in a hat. I do have one of her wearing sunglasses. K3 thought this was the funniest thing in the world this morning and asked me to post the picture here.
Other than that, I find I'm without much to say today.
Unless you want to hear about all the stuff that broke in my house this week. And I'm sure you don't.
Behave!

Beautiful Day Thoughts

The sun in shining, but the temperature is low - according to my gauge, it's 68* outside. Perfect weather in my opinion. And I'm thinking...
Good Thing/Bad Thing.
We do this at dinnertime. Starting with the youngest, we go around the table and each person gets to tell one good thing and one bad thing from their day. Sometimes it takes the entire meal to get through them. Occasionally, B and I have to gently stop the hilarity that very often arrives with some of the stuff they come up with. Guests are not exempt from this exercise, unless we have a particularly large crowd (that's fair warning - just in case you find yourself at my house for dinner one night).
Anyway. Today you're getting my good/bad things.
Good thing: The current weather.
Bad thing: The distracting sound of chainsaws in the very near vicinity.
Good thing: The brief rest period I managed.
Bad thing: The lack of sleep from the past 3 nights that made the rest necessary, and the dog's constant barking during said rest time that made it just "rest" time and not "nap" time.
Good thing: The excellent everything bagel sandwich I just made myself.
Bad thing: There are no more everything bagels in the house and I've already gone to the store 3 times this week and won't be going back again before Friday, if I can help it.
Good thing: Supernatural Season 2 is out on DVD as of yesterday.
Bad thing: I have not purchased it yet.
Good thing: The wedding B and I going to this weekend - date night (and I'll hopefully actually get to dance with my hubby).
Bad thing: Not knowing what to wear (translation: what fits) yet, dealing with a packed schedule and kid obligations that need worked out still and it's already Wednesday.
There you have it. A brief list - or not so brief - or just silly. Hey, what do you want from me? I already told you about the lack of sleep!
Behave! :)

Tuesday Random

Hey!
It's been a while since I've written a random post. Bet you missed them!
This morning I saw an ironing board in the grocery store parking lot. Not the same parking lot where the toilet brush was, but the same chain of stores. This ironing board was a regular sized one, with legs, and was at the edge of the parking lot in the tanbark area. I wish I would have had my camera. And I wish I knew how these things happen. Have you ever lost anything like a used toilet brush or an ironing board in a grocery store parking lot?
I haven't.
My truck's windshield has a leak right above the driver's seat. By the time I made it up to school to pick up the younger K's my pants were soaked in the back. Oh, and by the way, it's raining here.
Rehearsals started last night. The kids had a blast. K3 didn't want it to end. They taught them an entire dance number in less than 2 hours. And the kids were doing fantastic. Not me. I would have still been trying to figure out which was my left foot. They did a "dance off" at the end of rehearsal - the older kids did the dance first, and then the younger kids did it. Both age groups had every step down.
I won't say I had as much fun at rehearsal. I took my laptop along expecting to get some writing done. I plopped myself down on the floor, (no chairs) nearly in a corner and started doing a critique for a friend. Let's put it this way...the laptop battery died after only 45 minutes (and I didn't even bring a notebook to write in or a book to read). I spent most of that time trying to angle myself away from this person who was intent on finding out what I was up to. My head hurt from the noise of 120 excited children in an echo-y room and the air conditioning was turned up so high I had goosebumps.
That's not an exaggeration.
Next time, I will have a sweatshirt, alternate writing methods and a better spot to work.
Happy Tuesday!
Behave!

Contest!!

Megan Hart is having an awesome contest!

If you've never read a book by Megan, you have no idea what you're missing. No idea at all. Megan writes the kind of books that stay with you days after you've finished reading. "Dirty" and "Broken" are out already. Go. Buy them. You won't be sorry.

(Note and Disclaimer: Before you click on the book trailer at the bottom, notice the book cover clearly states "An Erotic Novel". 'nuff said?)

Click To Play

Click To Play

Go - Check it out!

Not as silly...

The dog felt it necessary to try to fit through the tightest spots. She was lucky she didn't fall off the bank since this path was really close to the edge.
Makes me laugh though...it looks like she's playing hide and seek. She'd been chasing bees, which always cracks me up...until she catches one, eats it and then vomits everywhere.
But you probably didn't need to hear that.
Rehearsals start today...
Here we go again.
Behave!

Silly...

Any guesses??

A Picture...

Anomaly pic.
This was taken Friday night at camp. (Notice how crazy my dog's eyes look - in the full size pic they're red.)
I don't know what the blue circle is. Reducing the size doesn't do anything for the impact of the picture. I've blown the round thing up and the blue swirls with lighter blue at the center. My photo software program is kind of outdated, so I couldn't do a lot with it. I find it interesting, but in no way am I saying this is an orb or anything like that. It was pretty easy to dismiss the other pics with circular spots, except for two others - one with a green glow and one with a similar blue tone.
I guess it could be, except I don't know enough about them to be qualified to judge. I've been doing a lot of research on them, among other paranormal things. Maybe it's a bug, a reflection, or some glitch in my already nearly-defunct camera.
Anyway. I thought it was neat - especially when coupled with my dog's creepy eyes. So there you have it. Something to ponder on a hot Friday afternoon.
The main reason I posted this is because, fact and research aside, the ideas and scenarios inspire me. I mean, what if it's a fairy or something? Or a tiny alien?
I'm cultivating an idea for a new book and I like the ideas that pop into my head when I'm studying similar-type pictures. (Which is why I've been doing so much ghost picture searching)
There you have it.
Enjoy the weekend!
Behave!

Something Pretty...

Early morning at camp.
I only missed it once out of the three mornings we were there.
This picture was taken at the end. I love to watch the mist swirl, shift into nearly a funnel and dissipate. It's soothing and fills my brain with tons of interesting thoughts and ideas.
Our camper is positioned in such a way that if it hadn't been so darned cold this weekend, I could watch the mist from bed. Still, we sat in front of the camper, bundled up in sweats and drinking coffee, watching the fog shift and change.
This was possibly our last campout of the year and was very quiet. My parents were the only ones in the meadow, besides us. My sister and her husband were busy with work on their house, my brother was away elsewhere, other friends were dealing with post knee surgery limitations, add the passing of my brother-in-laws grandmother (the matriarch of the meadow) and the weekend was subdued.
We might do a fall campout - if we can coordinate everyone's schedule and pick a weekend that isn't full. That kind of makes me laugh (in a sarcastic kind of way). Tonight the younger K's are auditioning for their very first play, 'Alice in Wonderland, Jr'. Seriously, what do you think our chances of having a free weekend are?
I'm still hopeful though.
Behave!

Weirdness...

So, the practical jokes have started around here again.
Last night I pulled the covers back on the bed and found K2's hideous Halloween mask on my pillow. She asked me about it this morning, and was offended I wouldn't give said mask back. (Oh, I did - just not in the way she wanted. It's waiting for her. ha)
On the not so practical, or jokey side...
Someone must have rested their elbow, or done something, to a brand new tube of toothpaste. It's nearly gone now. I found a huge puddle of blue goo on the bathroom counter. And I found a pirate hat, sword and gold hoop earring in the bathroom. Don't ask me...
This morning was one of those mornings. You know what I mean, the mornings you swear aliens have kidnapped your reasonably self-sufficient children and replaced them with impatient, helpless beings. I'll save you from the details. Right on time though. This is usually when things fall apart a little. My sister reports similar alien child replacement at her house this morning.
Anyway.
That's all I have right now...
Behave!

Fun Stuff...

Back from a weekend of camping! Rested and tired - if that makes any sense.
Anyway...
Stole this from Natalie.

Google the phrase "(Your name) looks like" and find the best ones from the first page of results.
Okay, here we go:

Victoria looks like a crack whore.
Victoria looks like she woke up on a bar room floor and went...
Victoria's head is bigger than her body. She looks like a freak!
Victoria looks like a 6 year old bridesmaid with a lollipop head.

I know you were only supposed to go through the first page, but there was only 2 there so I kept going. Kind of sad though...I mean, not one nice thing?

Oh well...
Hope your Labor Day was laboring!
Behave!

Random Friday

Too much to do. Not much to say.
And a busy weekend ahead that the mere thought of makes my brain hurt.
The younger K's are off school today, but K2 still had to go to her drama school. I'm lucky because she doesn't rely on me to wake her - especially since she gets up at some ridiculous time like 5am - but I do get up to spend some time with her before seeing her off. No sleeping in, and no going back to bed, even though I entertained the thought. I have too much to do and I probably wouldn't be able to sleep again.
K4 fell on the playground at school yesterday. Skinned her knee and hurt her wrist. The x-ray's I was certain we'd have to get don't appear to be on the horizon. She's moving it more and telling me it feels much better. So...whew.
Well, it's September already.
The kids all say they feel like they've been in school forever already. In my opinion, that's good. Let's just hope they continue to be as enthusiastic as time goes on.
Well, enough insightful thoughts from me. Ha!
Enjoy the holiday weekend!
And...
Behave!

Happy Blog-iversary!

It's been one year since I started this blogging thing.
Can you believe that?
Anyway.
I've been fiddling around, checking out videos on different video posting sites. Yesterday I came across some about the greatest television and movie kisses. Being the hopeless romantic I am, I clicked, watched and now find my head filled with thoughts.
You know I'm not a huge television watcher. Besides Supernatural and Ghosthunters, I rarely pay attention to what's on, so I didn't know a lot of the shows on the video. Hot or not, those kisses really meant nothing to me because I lack emotional investment in the show. Same with the movie video.
So, now you're getting my list of the best television and movie kisses, in no particular order:
1. Sam and Madison - Supernatural - Heart
2. Allie and Noah - The Notebook (rain scene)
3. Robin and Marian - Robin Hood Prince of Thieves
4. Aragorn and Arwen - Lord of the Rings, Return of the King and Lord of the Rings, Two Towers
5. Wil and Elizabeth - Pirates of the Caribbean, At World's End
6. Buttercup and Wesley - The Princess Bride
7. Harry and Sally - When Harry Met Sally
8. George and Mary Bailey - It's a Wonderful Life

Okay, so I didn't make it to ten. I know there's more - many, many more. Short of spending more time than I have sorting through the video cabinet, this is what you get. I know someone's going to point out ones I should have here and I'll feel like a huge idiot for not thinking of it myself.
So...have at it!
Behave!

Decision Made...

And work started.
My progress this morning has been much better than I'd hoped.
I wasn't sure I wanted to work on "Jagged Edges" first, but the truth is, "Under the Bridge" is just not ready to be edited yet. There's something stopping me and I'm listening. The thought of tearing into it makes my head hurt and after spending all day yesterday reading, I've decided to work on it last. That's probably as hard to understand as it is to explain.
Anyway.
My coherent thoughts aren't with me again today. My focus is on the edits, as they've been for what seems like ages now.
Oh, and my horoscope just keeps lying to me.
Seriously!
I was supposed to have many obstacles in my path yesterday. The day turned out to be a pretty darned good one. Maybe mine is reversed? Or maybe I should stop checking it. So far, none of the awesomely cool stuff predicted for me this year has come true.
Oh well...
That's it.
Behave!

What do you mean we have to go back?

Seriously, no one said that.
I guess I should have called this post Day 2.
Everyone had a fantastic first day. Things are smoothing out with the traveling conflicts. And I'm ready to find a routine and get busy.
First, I have a few decisions to make. Pay no attention to the word counts on the sidebar. They mean nothing at the moment - not until I decide what I need to do. I'm working on it and that decision is my goal of the week.
Next week, whatever I decide will begin, if not before.
I find I don't have much to say at the moment. Nothing coherent anyway.
So...
Behave!

And They're Off...

To school!
All I can say is...it's weird here.
The dog started in before they were even dropped off. She's been moaning and whining all morning. And following me. She's already checked out their rooms twice, bothered the cat and can't seem to make up her mind where she wants to be. Right now, she's beside me - whining.
B is taking care of drama school traffic today. So tomorrow that trip will start for me.
So what am I doing?
Ha! Not much. Yet.
B will be home after he drops K2 off at high school. I don't know what his plans are, but I imagine they'll include yard work. The routine - my routine - won't start until after Labor Day. Hopefully by then we'll have worked out some kind of ride share with the other kids from K2's high school attending the drama school.
For now, I'm enjoying the quiet. (Translation: blaring the music I want to listen to and not competing with Sponge Bob)
Behave!

Supernatural/Dean - Never Too Late

I wish...

Friday!

What a blur!
And it's hot again!
We have a heat advisory already in effect for tomorrow. Which should be fun for B and K1 since they're helping a friend of ours with roof repairs. Yikes!
Teachers have been met - easing the mind of especially the youngest K. They're very excited for Monday.
I'm melting, so this quick check in is about all I can stand at the moment. I'm going back to my air conditioned room to read.
Enjoy the weekend!
And...
Behave!

Thursday Random

Well, look at that...
Somehow I've managed to blog every day this week. So far.
Still no weird dreams, except something did wake me up around 1am. I have no idea what it was, just that it interrupted a pretty cool dream and I never did get back to that dream.
Nope. Not telling you what the dream was...
Anyway.
I keep getting my days mixed up this week. Yesterday I thought it was Friday all day. This week has seemed long to me and I don't know why.
Tonight we're heading out to hear my very good friend/adopted sister play out at one of the local taverns. Should be a blast. She hasn't played out in a very long time, which is a shame because she's very talented.
And the weather is still slightly crappy here. I definitely don't mind the cooler temps, but we haven't seen the sun since Saturday.
That's about it for my random day.
Behave!

And if I would have...

Not even one slightly whacked out dream.
I slept very well.
Which is surprising. Considering.
If I would have, the bad dreams would be blamed on Megan for sending me a link to a scary video at o'dark thirty last night when everyone else was in bed, including the dog. By the time I went to bed I'd been totally saturated in spooky stuff.
She has the link on her site. DO NOT WATCH IT! I'm not kidding.
(I watched it again. Very freaky stuff.)
Don't do it. Just don't.
I know you will anyway. Because none of you ever listen. :)
Anyway.
On the home front, things are chaotic. The kids are acting like Christmas is Monday instead of the first day of school. They are wound so tight it's not even funny. Of course, it could be the 3 straight days of rain we've had too.
That is all.
Behave!
(and don't watch it!)

Setting myself up...

Anyone who knows me knows I have an interest in the paranormal.
So, tonight I signed on the Internet to do some additional research for Under the Bridge. Things weren't going well. I wasn't finding what I wanted (I've come to the conclusion it's just not there. Whatever. I'll deal.). I decided to go a different direction and clicked over to a website I check out when I get one of 'those' emails - you know, the ones that claim kidney hunters are waiting at gas stations to rip out your vital organs and watch out for the needles hidden in the gas pumps and don't flash your headlights and if you forward that email you'll get a hundred bucks for every person you send it to and a recipe for some famous restaurants equally famous dessert - Yeah, you know which ones I mean.
Anyway.
I went to the site to check out some older urban legends to see what I could find as inspiration.
And I ended up spending way too much time looking at "ghost photos". Page after page of eerie images and not so eerie images. Some were pretty freaky. Others not so much.
I'll let you know if I have weird dreams tonight. As a disclaimer, I have to say I usually don't. I've watched scary stuff while already in bed and haven't had a second thought. Except I think the odd dreams from the last time I looked up spooky stuff are still hanging over my head.
We shall see...
Behave!

Now you see me...

Haven't been absent on purpose.
See post below. Same stuff, different weekend. Or different weekend, different stuff - still crazy.
I've have my head in the editing cave. As you can see, one project is finished. Yay!
I'm about ready to go back into that cave, but with a different project.
And one week from today school starts!
We're ready. I guess.
Of course, today we took the dog for her last haircut of the season and it's freezing and rainy outside. Well, not freezing, but much cooler than it's been lately.
I'll try not to be so absent this week.
Until next time...
Behave!

One Thing After Another...

That's how it's been around here.
It's Wednesday already and I have no idea how that happened!
I can't say anything too major has been going on. Just a bunch of little things. Most of them inconsequential and annoying.
Tried to blog last night, but my computer decided it was time to update. Things move very slow during updates - so slow I couldn't bear the waiting. During this same time, I was working on printing out a hard copy of my manuscript for hand edits and ran out of black ink. Couldn't get the printer que to cancel and ended up shutting the printer off to deal with this morning. Got that fixed, and my pages printed (in blue, red, green and some color the printer made up as it coughed out the last vestiges of ink).
Oh, and I hurt my back.
I don't know how. Just that it hurts a lot. Couldn't find a comfortable position for sleep, and kept waking up. Yes. I know I need to take it easy today - which is where the printed out copy will come in handy.
At least you know I'm still here...
Behave!

Getting Closer...

Summer vacation is sounding its last hurrah.
2 weeks from this coming Monday.
Teacher assignments came today.
Oh. My. Goodness.
That started a wave of excitement, a sudden urgent need to go school shopping, and an almost frantic mode of anticipatory discussion. They're ready. For the most part. K2 still hasn't received any details for her drama school and there are scheduling conflicts waiting to be worked out.
And I'm still a bit bittersweet.
The routine will be nice to have once again - for them and me. Fall will be here shortly, which always makes me happy. But...*sniff, sniff* summer is nearly over.
Anyway.
The status bar for the edits is still lying. I am nearly done. Just a few scenes to tweak and one to rewrite in a different point of view. Heavy work, but not horrible. There's no point in updating my progress since it's really hard to put an exact percentage on what's left to do. I should finish within the next few days, depending on how our weekend plans thwart my attempts.
I might get some work done today, but then again...maybe not.
It is Fiesta Friday.
Behave!

Scared!!

So the other night I was double-checking some research for the book I'm editing. Yes, I research first, but this particular story element took a wider turn than expected. I needed more information and I wanted to make sure my fictional world had at least minimal ties to reality. Writing about "the unknown" gives you a lot of creative freedom, but knowing the facts is important.
Anyway.
I didn't think it was going to take me all night, but I wasn't finding the information I needed. Page after page of demon and vengeful spirit related information - and still not quite what I was looking for. More research while on the phone with a friend helping me from her computer, lots of laughter, and an eventual find of at least part of what I was looking for. Lots of creepy and unusual information exchanged.
Then...
The nightmare.
I woke up nearly hyperventilating. I'd dreamed of my legs being clawed by demons in human form and I could swear the pain was real. The dog decided to change positions about this time, nearly knocking over a chair in our room and adding to my fright. Everything I'd read earlier came rushing back, especially a particularly scary story.
I'll admit it. I was afraid to open my eyes.
...Are you done laughing yet?...
So, yeah, I managed to get myself back to sleep. The next day I found out that the same friend who'd helped me with my research had a nightmare about the same exact time I had mine.
What do you suppose that means?
I don't want to think too hard about that.
Can you blame me?
That's all.
Behave!

Tagged: Music

Natalie tagged me.

Here are the rules:
1. Go to this link at Pop Culture Madness (scroll down - see the list of years on the left?)
2. Pick the year you turned 18
3. Pick five songs from that year
4. Wax nostalgic about each song and why it’s special
5. Pass it on to 5 more friends

Ha! Okay, I'm going to do it, but I have to tell you up front that I suck at song titles and artists. I can remember the tune, but that's about it. But...Here goes:

1. We Built This City by Jefferson Starship
I remember this song because they played it so darn much. Wasn't a favorite. At all. I would, and still do, change the channel if it comes on.

2. Born In The U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen
Do I need to say anymore? That was like the theme of the year, and for several years after 1985.

3. Everyday by James Taylor
I love James Taylor.

4. Small Town by John Cougar Mellencamp
This is one I probably know all the words too. I'm not sure what that says about me, except I loved me some John Cougar. I think I even had the cassette.

5. Can't Fight This Feeling By REO Speedwagon
Yes, I saved this for last. As soon as I saw this listed I knew I had to put it up. Okay, I'll admit back then I loved the song. Now, it just makes me giggle. Except when Dean Winchester sings it.

Actually, I was amazed at how many songs I know on my list.
Time for tagging: Ami, Jo and...(Okay, the others I would tag have either already been, or wouldn't do this even if I did tag them.)

Behave!

Late...

But with good reason.
We've been totally packed with social obligation these past few days. Yeah. I know. It's a terrible life. Someone's got to do it though!
Tonight we're off to a pool party. The kids are so excited. They've been ready to go for hours.
So...We came home after being gone all day to find the refrigerator suspiciously full of condensation. I checked to make sure the door was firmly closed before we left at 9am because it has a tendency to not want to shut the whole way. K2 "thinks" it was open a little when we got home at 4:30, but she's not sure. Guess we'll be on fridge watch over the next few days. There's no doubt the milk on the door will need thrown out. The plastic container is swelled and the milk no longer feels cold. #$*&)
Did I mention the heat yet?
The temperature is only 88*, but the heat index is 96*.
We're under a heat advisory right now.
I'm so glad we're going swimming.
Guess I'd better go find my suit!
Behave!

Hot!

93*
Bleech!
(K2 is trying to sunbathe. K3 is spraying her with the hose. It's pretty amusing.)
I'm trying, people, but I'm still not able to come up with coherent thought patterns. Maybe it's the heat. Maybe it's my brain. I don't know.
It's not like there isn't anything going on. We're busier now than we were with the play schedule, only now it's a different kind of busy. More fun and less driving, which is good, but no less draining.
Well. That's it.
Have a good weekend!
Behave.

It's Only What Time?

I started trying to write this blog over an hour ago.
During that time, I've accidentally deleted what was actually a non-nonsense post - twice. While I amazed myself by actually having coherent thoughts, I don't have the time, or brain power to recreate it yet again, so you're getting the nonsense you've come to expect from me.
Here's what happened from the time I started trying to blog:
1. K4 fell, scraping her hip and elbow. Much drama, ice and hugs.
2. The dog barking at everything that moves.
3. The cat stalking every cup left in the living room last night. (okay, there was only 2, but he bats at them until he knocks them over and then has the nerve to glare at you because there was no milk spilled. I moved them before the spillage happened. He didn't like that either.)
4. Pirates in my backyard. It's like costume day out there. Every kid has something pirate on, from my niece's striped leggings to the pirate hat worn by K3. Odd things are going on out there, but who am I to argue? They're outside, not fighting and having fun. All good things.
5. The phone rang three times.
6. I made guacamole for tonight's dinner. Don't ask me why I didn't finish the blog first. But the guac turned out very well. Now if I can only leave it alone so there's actually some left for dinner...
7. Someone calling my cell for Gordon. A weird number and bad connection that makes me wonder if the call was from overseas.
Am I going to give you a hint as to what my previous blog posts were about? Nope. I figure if tragedy struck twice, then perhaps I shouldn't blog about the topic at this moment.
That is all...
Behave!

10 More Things...

10 Things I'm looking forward to:
(in no particular order)
1. School starting.
This is bittersweet. Mainly, because we've just really started our summer vacationing. Then again, the return of the routine will be good.
2. Fall
Because it's my favorite season.
3. October 4 - Supernatural Season 3!!
4. September 11 - Supernatural Season 2 on DVD!!
5. The younger K's auditioning and hopefully performing in their first play.
6. One more camping trip.
7. The continuation of "Fiesta Friday" even after school starts.
8. K birthdays!
This, too, is bittersweet. My babies are getting older! K2 will be 16!! 16!! How did that happen?
9. Christmas
I'm going to try to find my spirit long before the season starts.
10. Getting the editing finished and starting something new.

Yeah. So it's a pretty lame list. Don't know what to tell you.

(So I posted my "10 things that drive me nuts" list yesterday and out of those 10, 8 happened yesterday. The only things I did not have to deal with were: 3. Door to door salesmen. 7. Phone calls at 3:51am. Sigh.)

Behave!

10 Things...

That drive me nuts!
(In no particular order)
1. Flies in my house.
2. Telemarketers.
3. Door to door salesmen.
(This includes religious solicitation)
4. Pop ups.
5. Stomach illnesses.
('nuff said?)
6. Not being able to sleep.
7. Phone calls at 3:51 am.
8. Going to the grocery store.
9. Losing my Internet connection.
10. Laundry.
Believe it or not, I had to really think to come up with 10. Okay, so maybe my mood isn't as grumpy as it needs to be to make this kind of list. I'm sure I'll try again another time when I am cranky.
Behave!

Random Monday Thoughts

Humidity sucks. (Right now, at about 8:15, the humidity is at 90%. Ugh.)
So does the torrential rain we had last night that flooded our basement yet again.
Nah. I'm not as cranky as it seems. Just having an extreme lack of anything coherent to say these days. Maybe because my brain's been wrapped up in editing, I haven't spent much time thinking about anything else.
So. There you have it.
I got nothing.
Behave!

Friday!

And it's noisy...really noisy...outside.
I'm not sure why. I haven't discovered the source yet, but think jackhammers, saws and multiple loud bangs. Yeah.
That's going to be great for my concentration when I get back to my edits. I am making progress, and yes, I'm "technically" (by my own rules) supposed to take today off, but I need to finish. So, I'll work for a few hours, then see what kind of "Fiesta Friday" trouble I can get into. After, that is, I see what can be done about the sorry state of the house. Three days with only doing the barest of necessities and it shows.
Summer vacation is quickly coming to an end. The lunch money information for the new school year came yesterday. The teacher assignments and schedules won't be far behind. I'm trying to ignore all of that for at least a few more weeks. Seriously. It's not even August yet.
That's all I've got.
Enjoy the weekend, and...
Behave!

Oh Hey!

Well, I've got nothing today.
No weird stuff to talk about.
No crazy happenings.
No interesting pictures.
Or interesting thoughts.
The day kind of slid by with me slaving over edits.
Tomorrow will be pretty much the same.
Exciting?
Yeah. I know.
Behave!

More Done!

Picked up Harry Potter Book 7 Saturday evening around 4:30. Started around 7pm. Read until 2:30am (with more breaks than I would have liked). Started reading again around noon. Finished Sunday afternoon around 2:00pm (again with the breaks).
Now I'm waiting for someone else to be done so I can talk about it.
This week starts the movement of the sidebar. I did start Friday night, but there's nothing significant to report yet. The list is kind of intimidating to me at the moment (all those zeros). And I don't think I'll have this plan again. Ever. Though letting one of those books sit this long was what I needed to do. My brain's in the right place to fix what I couldn't figure out was wrong with it, and I'm actually excited about the edits. Still, and even though many of the edits won't take long, the list is daunting.
Live and Learn, right?
Ragtime is over. It was a great show, but very intense for all involved. K2 is looking forward to actually being able to hang out with her friends and do more than spend 2 hours preparing for her performance. She didn't make the play she auditioned for, which is a little bittersweet. It would have been cool. But the kid (and her parents) need a break.
So, now, with 5 weeks until school starts, let Summer begin!!
Behave!

Done!

Finally!

Cursed Fate is complete!

Now on to the edits...for this and two other completed, but unrevised works.

Continue to behave!

Of Not Sleeping Well...

It's been that kind of week for me.
Can't fall asleep. Can't stay asleep. And when I do sleep, the dreams are so totally whacked I can't figure them out. I don't even think I want to.
My opinion is that this is simply the culmination of our schedule and now that the end was in sight and now, most-likely, no longer is, well...
K2 auditioned for another play. I knew when she approached us that it was something she'd do, but I had my concerns. The main ones being the back to back schedule and the starting of school in a little over a month (she starts her drama school, too). No rest for the weary. She's good though. Her arguments equal that of a trained negotiator - always have - and she assured us she could handle everything. We're waiting to see if she made it in - a long wait, since the casting list has been postponed to today. (Mom, check your email. Mom, anything? Mom, will you call me (during tonights performance) if the email comes after I leave? Mom, check your email. Mom, you didn't sign off email did you? uhhhh....)
Anyway.
In addition to that, I can't seem to shut my brain down writing-wise either. I'm mere pages away from finishing my book and am now dealing with the rush of what comes next. Ideas and plans won't leave me alone. And while that's okay with me and exciting, the not sleeping part is getting old.
Yeah. I guess it's a Friday whine. But it's my blog and I'll whine if I want to! :)
It is absolutely gorgeous out today. Low humidity. Nice, nice breeze and a perfect temperature.
Enjoy the weekend, and...
Behave!

More Potter!

I am such a geek.
Last night, I got a phone call. The caller I.D. said it was the bookstore where I'd pre-ordered my copy of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows". I was excited. On the other end of the line was Jim Dale, the guy who narrates the audio books for Harry Potter. And it was so freaking cool!
I've heard how great the audio books are. Several friends and K3 love to listen. Sadly, I've never had the chance. K3 listens at lights out (his way of getting a little extra reading time in - which is fine by me). Now we'll definitely do so on our next long car trip.
Anyway.
I'm trying to decide when I'm going to pick up my copy. Do I go at midnight and wait in line, but also get the benefit of actually seeing people dressed up? (and also take a huge chance on hearing the spoilers I do not want to hear) I want my copy badly, but I'm afraid if I do go at midnight, I won't go to bed when I get home. Instead, I'll crack the book open and spent the rest of the weekend unshowered, tired and reading.
As for the spoilers, they're out there. And that's a shame. I understand the Potter mania. I'm there, though I'm not as versed in Harry's world as many. I don't understand why and probably never will, and it means I'll avoid places where the book is being discussed already.
Yeah, I'll probably be in line "as Friday turns into Saturday". I promise I won't post spoilers here. At least until the book has been out a while.
Behave!

Cute Turtle

He had a name. I can't remember what it was now.

Isn't he cute?

Another cool thing found at camp. The kids wanted to bring him home, but didn't argue when we explained why it wasn't a good idea.

Eh! What can I say? It's Tuesday. It's hot. I'm tired and don't have anything coherent to say.

Except I do have to question why there's an entire deck of Uno cards spread out in my living room. No one's been in the room for hours and they weren't there earlier. Either the cats been up to something or we now have spirits who want to play cards. Or I missed something - which is most likely the case.

Time for me to find a cool spot and curl up with a book!

Behave!

Potter!

Finally! After two failed attempts to see "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", we made it to the theater.
I'm still digesting and deciding.
I absolutely did not hate the movie, but I needed so much more than it gave.
I was glad I didn't have time to re-read the book. I think I would have been greatly disappointed. I didn't lose interest, or need to check the time - which is a good sign. I think it just boils down to the fact that I wanted more. K2 loved it, absolutely, but she hasn't read any of the books. K3 and I spent quite a bit of time discussing book vs. movie - which is very cool to me since he's only 10 and his perceptions are very different than mine. We'd met there, so had 2 cars, and he rode home with me so we could discuss. Totally cool.
I think I'll wait to post my deeper thoughts after I've seen it again. Of course, by then, my judgement will be totally skewed because I'll have already read the last book.
So...who knows what you'll get!
All for now!
Behave!

Opening Night

Ragtime opened last night.
And I do believe I finally got a photo of K2 in her costume.
Trust me when I say she looked beautiful. My mom did an awesome job creating K2's "immigrant" attire. (Which is fabulous for me because despite years of patient instruction, I did not receive my mother's creative genes in that area.)
Anyway. The show was awesome. I'm amazed by the young talent in that theater. These kids have goose bump inducing voices and all seem so totally at home on the stage. K3 did a great job with tech support. He had on a huge smile when I caught up with him. They were all very excited when we finally met up at home at nearly midnight - which meant we didn't get to bed until after 1am. More show tonight and tomorrow, rehearsals in between, and the same next weekend.
*The toilet brush from my below photo...yes, still in the grocery store parking lot. Yes, still making me giggle.
Have a great weekend, and...
Behave!

Friday Funny

Yesterday before leaving on the trek to take the K's to rehearsal, we had to make a quick stop at the store for water bottles. As I got out of my truck, this pink toilet brush was the first thing I saw. I giggled and said how I wished I had a camera phone because there's something you don't see often - especially in the parking lot of the grocery store.
I'd given K2 the camera so that her friends could take a few pictures of her in her costume (88 pics and not one single one of her dressed for the show!). She reminded me of this and I had to share.
If you could see the fine details, you'd notice it obviously had been used. A lot. I can't help but wonder how, and why, it came to rest here. And if it will still be there when I go to do my regular shopping today.
Whoot! We finished with trumpet lessons this morning. One task checked off the summer list. This makes me very happy. I think I've stated before that some sadistic idiot must have scheduled the practices at such an early time.
Not much fiesta on the books for today. Regular errands and the opening of the musical tonight. Still...it is Friday. And my early morning forays of sitting in my car and pondering the balance of life are over. That's cause for celebration all on its own.
Behave!

Something Pretty...

For a pretty day...
It's beautiful out. Nice temperature, low humidity and everything fresh and clean after the rain we had last night.
The girls found this butterfly near the water. It's flying skills didn't seem to be up to par, and it hung out with them for a long time before finally reaching a branch above our heads. The girls did a fantastic job being careful of its wings and not holding too tightly.
Today is busy.
That's all...

Various Wednesday

Same as "random", but it's time for a new word for now.
*Yesterday, I found a note written on the toilet paper. It said: Sisy is so werid. Which translates to "sissy is so weird". I've learned not to ask why.
*Was supposed to go see the midnight showing of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix". Guess who could go because of the uncertainties of rehearsals? Guess who is very bummed?
*Talked to Misty (who is at the conference) this morning. Even with all her transportation issues and the length of time it took for her to actually arrive at the conference hotel, I'm still wishing I was there. And I know I'm not alone in this.
*We're supposed to get some rain today. I hope so. It's so muggy and there's only the faintest hint of a breeze. I'm not complaining. Not really. Usually, I can ignore the heat, or at least find a way to escape it.
*I've been having a lot of weird dreams lately. This happens when I don't get consistent writing time. I'm tired of waking up feeling strange though. I've been dreaming about friends I miss and lots of just downright odd things. Nothing funny or even amusing. These dreams are darker and have the potential to make me sad. A lot I don't remember, except for the deep feeling of sadness.
*I heard on the radio this morning that they're remaking "Footloose". I loved that movie. From what they said, it'll be a musical. And the main character will be one of the Disney actors, except I can't remember his name.
*I "think" I have a new title.
Well, that's enough various for one day.
Stay cool, and...
Behave!

The Eye

I woke up Friday morning and realized that the "Great Eye of Sauron" was on the tree right outside the camper window on my side of the bed.
B was already at work and the entire place was silent. Well, except for my giggling.
In the background you can see the muddy creek. This was, obviously, after the rains. We had a spectacular view. The bank was only about twelve feet from our camper door, and a there was a little drop off before the water. (You can kind of see it in the background. The photo's deceiving though - it's not as steep as it looks.)
With this view we saw a lot of cool things - some that we've never seen before - a bald eagle (actually two - a juvenile and an adult), an egret in the shallows directly across from my "Lord of the Rings" tree (a common sight), an otter and a mink.
Blog land is quiet these days as many are in Dallas for RWA's National Conference. I'm jealous I'm not there, and haven't been to National since New York a few years ago. But the D.C. conference is on the horizon in two years and I'm hopeful.
And, oh yeah, I am still working on the "still needs a new title" book. The word meter lies. I need to update it. I'm almost done. Work time has been a bit fragmented due to all the crazy stuff around here. With a little luck and some major self discipline, I hope to be done by the weekend.
Hot as blazes here. (good cliche, huh?)
I'm waiting for the rain...
Behave!

Back From the Wilds

I said I wanted to go back.

And we did.

It was not long enough and too long - which tells me we came home at the right time.

This photo was taken the morning after some extreme rain. Down that path you'll find more trees, rocks, ticks and horseflies.

The rain was crazy. Torrential downpour for nearly two hours - and that was just one storm out of many. Everything was wet - even around the edges inside the camper. K4 had been sharing a tent with her cousin, and we ended up with about 4 loads of wet clothes, wet sleeping bags and deflated air mattresses. Thank goodness my sister lives nearby and we were able to get the clothing dry again without too much effort.

Saturday and Sunday were absolutely beautiful. The kids were able to get in the creek again. Sunday we took a 2 hour float down the creek, thanks to my brother and sister-in-law dropping us off at a good floating spot. It was kind of hairy at times with the kids. K4 wasn't sure of the whole thing. We ran into a huge patch of horseflies and a fish jumped up and hit my tube, splashing me in the face and scaring me just a little. We found tiny baby frogs and the scenery was amazing.

I have many pictures - the little turtle the girls caught, ugly bugs, the "eye of Sauron" (you'll see), and the flooding creek.

That's all for now...

Gone Fishin'

I was.
Not really.
I mean, I was gone, but didn't fish.
Except for when I was helping K4 with her rod. She said it wasn't casting right. I checked it out, seemed fine and when I went to reel it back in, the lure got tangled around some weeds.
And...stupidly, I yanked. Hard. The lure flew up the steep bank and caught me square between the eyes. Cut the bridge of my nose a little and there's a sore spot. I was really, really lucky. And those standing near me were laughing too hard to see if I'd lost an eye.
It was that kind of weekend. But such a blast. Lot's of badminton playing, a sorry attempt at volleyball (it was the balls fault - really), creek swimming and campfire sitting.
I want to go back.
That's all for now...

Thursday...

Can't decide if that's Finally or Already.
There is much to be done, but I seem to be having trouble getting started. Well, that's not entirely true. I've started, switched gears and then re-started. To say concentration and I don't appear to be friends today is an understatement.
Which leaves you, maybe all two of you that read this, with more random ramblings.
*My living room, and I mean all of it, is filled with a little people party. The entire bin of the little plastic dudes is empty. There isn't a place to walk or sit.
*Our remote has disappeared. Again. I will most likely find it in some odd and ridiculous place. Probably after I finally break down and purchase a new one.
*My foot - where I stuck myself with the ballpoint pen - is not pretty. (Yes, mother, I am taking care of it) I can't wear flip flops and there's a painful lump in the center. It occurred to me that I never looked at the pen when I kicked it out of my foot. What if the little metal roller ball is stuck in there? I am soaking it, and keeping a close eye.
Posts will be sporadic over the next week.
Consider yourself alerted.
Behave!

Seems Like...

All my days are full of random stuff lately.
*Was helping K3 clean his room and ended up jamming a pen in my foot - right between my toes. It stuck. K3 almost puked. I bled, and it stings a little, but doesn't really hurt.
*What does hurt is the big toe on the same foot where I sat his desk. I'm having a stupid day.
*It's hot here. Really hot.
*I miss Supernatural. I've been watching Season 1 on DVD and it helps, but its hard with the younger kiddos home since I don't let them watch that kind of stuff.
*Our dog is acting weird. Weirder than normal. I think she's too hot. We finally got the a/c's in last night and earlier she actually opened our bedroom door and went to bed.
*Did I mention how hot it is here?
Do you remember a few weeks back when I mentioned the possibility of my sanity being affected by the insane schedule?
I think it's happened...

Random Monday...

Homemade ice cream.
B's mom gifted us with an ice cream maker, actually two of them. One is the standard electric one, which makes a huge batch. The other is this little ball that you roll or play with. That'll be very cool for camping. Her only request was some lemon ice cream.
All the recipes I found for lemon ice cream required numerous steps, double-boilers and whipping the heavy cream before it's added. Uhhh....not happening. I did find a no-cook recipe for vanilla and I adapted that to make lemon. And, as a miracle, I was actually smart and used the little ball for that batch. It only makes a pint, so if it hadn't turned out, then the waste of ingredients wasn't as severe. There was none left and the kids had a blast "making" it.
***
After several days of drying, the camera actually works again. The knobs are a little tight thanks to the mud, and it's still not quite right. It does work though. For how long, we'll see.
***
Hard to believe it's the last week of June already. And only the third week of summer vacation. On one hand time is flying by, and on the other, it seems like the kids have been out of school for months.
Anyone else feel that way?
Or is it just me?

Friday!

Fridays are official summer goof off days.
Today, so far, we've done just that. (After the required obligations, that is)
Went to see "Pirates" again.
I still love it - even more than the first time.
Next, we're off to a local pub to listen to a friend play guitar.
The weekend is one of those weekends. K2's play schedule is becoming more intensive, as is B's job as one of the stage/tech crew. Which means in a few weeks, we'll be done with the crazy schedule. For now.
I did manage to stay true to my statement yesterday. I did not get talked into going to the street fair. We had a quiet, but fun, day sitting in the backyard. So, to me the day was a great success.
That's all...

Crowds...

Today is our town's annual street fair.
What started out as a way for local merchants to thank their patrons, has turned into a huge, crowded event. The main street is closed for blocks, with several side streets closed as well. Rides, entertainment at several different venues, games and hundreds of vendors selling everything from hot dogs to buffalo burgers to candles to brooms.
Sound like fun?
When I was a kid, it was. It was crowded, but nothing like now. We live close enough that we have to guard our parking - yes, even the parking we allow in our yard today (and pick up a ton of trash afterward). We're talking 10's of thousands of people. Armpit to armpit. In the sun. Most decidedly not my idea of a good time. Though most years, I end up going down at least once. That will not be the case this year. The predicted crowd is many more than even last year's record number. And I'm not going.
I'm much more content to hang in my backyard. We always have company and some of those people we only see on this day. Some years we go all out and host a backyard shindig, sometimes even with a band (it's good to be related to musicians), and party crashers. Other years, like this one, we take things easy. We will have company, and that's fine, but the expectation is for low numbers.
I have to hand it to our town though, this event is so well orchestrated. By this time tomorrow (actually, much earlier) you can't even tell something so huge happened. Everything is back to normal without even a speck of trash.
I'll let you know tomorrow if I was finagled into going down despite how adamant I am right now.
Behave.

Rest In Peace: Spanky

K2 took these pics the Friday before the camera went into the creek. I don't know why I went ahead and downloaded them, but I guess it's good I did.

Sometime overnight into Monday, Spanky passed away. I went to make sure K2 was up so we could get started with the rest of our really busy day. She popped her head out into the hall after I'd left and said she thought something was wrong with Spanky.

There were lots of tears, from all the K's, but K3 took it the hardest. Spanky outlived her predicted years by about 10 months. Her death was not suprising, but it still affected the kids a great deal. She was a friendly little beastie who liked to snuggle on your neck and crawl into your pockets.

And she will be missed.

Happy Father's Day!

Not that I think many dads read this. Except maybe my own every once in a while. Maybe. (Just in case..Love You, Daddy!)
I think (hope) the dads in my family had a good day. We met at our camping spot after lunch. The guys fished, and caught lots. The kids swam and chased snakes. The women chatted and sat in the sun. We had dinner together, sat by the fire (I don't know why, it wasn't like we were cold or anything), laughed, and picked on each other.
I'd show you a picture of the decent sized water snake sunning itself on a rock very near to where we sat, but our camera was involved in unfortunate accident. As in, it fell into the creek. We'll see if it dries out and works again, but considering the amount of mud that was in it...I doubt it. Sigh.
That's all...
Behave!

Fiesta Friday!

Well, we lived through the first full week of summer vacation!
The week has had some interesting moments...
Like when the shelf in my fridge broke, sending jalapenos, yogurt, eggs and jelly crashing to the floor.
That was great fun, and my house still smells a tiny bit like jalapenos.
Or when I was summoned into school by K3's music teacher. On the only day I hadn't bothered to comb my hair or change into jeans. Pretty.
The grocery store with 3 wound up children was also a highlight. I know it's something I won't forget for a while. (as in, I'll be planning trips to the store without the entourage)
The dog now believes that she's able and entitled to be on the couch. Not. I've had to tell her to get down numerous times today. I'm not stupid enough to believe she doesn't get on when we're not home, but she never even tries when we are. Today, she doesn't seem to care.
It's weird though. Like hard to believe this is only the first week weird.
Anyone else feeling that way?
That's all.
Enjoy the weekend!

Haircut!

Same dog.
As you can see, or maybe not since the pic isn't the best (it was the most current overly-furry one), on the left is our little puppy, Abbie, pre-groomed. (She's a baby and only weighs 100 pounds!)
She carried a ton of hair around with her. And shed? Insane. I can't even begin to describe the amount of hair she could leave behind. On the right, is what she looks like today. Much thinner looking, and much, much cleaner. I can't even begin to describe combing her. It was nearly impossible, despite our best efforts. To give you a clue, it took the groomer nearly two hours to shave, bathe and spiff her up. She was miserable hot, and constantly digging to find a cool place to lay, hence creating more filth trapped in her thick hair. She's a Border Collie/Newfoundland mix, and has that really insane undercoat - impervious to pretty much anything.
Needless to say, she's much cooler now.
And considering it's only 60 degrees here, much cooler has a whole new meaning for her. She's freezing, and is currently curled up on the living room floor, covered up with a blanket.
Did I mention that she's spoiled too?
That's all for today...

Conflict

Nope. Not a serious craft post. Just what you're come to expect from me...ramblings that probably don't make much sense to anyone but me.
Anyhow...
In my house there's an extreme conflict of music tastes. Some collide and harmony can be found, but sometimes, there's total upheaval because no one can agree. Now I love a wide variety of musical genres, but what I chose to listen to depends on my mood, what I'm doing and what I'm writing.
At any given time, the musical extremes blaring from the open windows have the potential to make your brain explode. Anything from speed metal to show tunes with a hefty dose of country music thrown in. Normally, it doesn't bother me. Chaos and I are old friends.
I am, however, teased quite frequently for always turning the volume down. Nothing bugs me more than having to speak over what's supposed to be background music. If everyone is doing their own thing or not trying to have a conversation, I'm okay, but don't try to talk to me without turning down the tunes. When I'm alone, it's another story - louder is better.
I mention this because my choice of music this morning has totally irritated K3 and K4. They've even used my own words on me..."Headphones!" Except, my headphones have been hijacked by an unknown (ahem) assailant.
I know, totally pointless post.
Behave!

Thunderstorm

The sky is dark and flashes of lightning occasionally appear in the darkest of the clouds. I can smell the rain, though it's yet to fall out of the sky.
I'm waiting.
I love a good thunderstorm. I'm likely to be found on the porch, watching the lightning and counting to see how far out the storm is.
When I was little we lived in the midwest. Tornado watches and warnings were common and we spent many summer afternoons in the basement waiting out the severe weather alert. Well, when I say "we", I mean my brothers and sisters. I don't remember my mom ever coming down with us. She was content to watch the storm approach and take her chances with a twister. (Obvioulsy, I get it honestly)
So, I'm waiting...
That's all...

Day One: Random Things

I'd like to thank the idiot who scheduled K3's trumpet lessons at 8am.
Oh. Wait. That was me.
At the time, I'm sure I had a really good reason for this. Though now I can't figure it out.
Anyway.
As you can see, I made some major progress this weekend. And yes, I do realize I have to change the title for my book. I'm on it. Thinking.
The heroine in this story has a thing for cliches. She uses them, on purpose, to drive the hero nuts, break up tension and get people's reactions. I'm loving writing her - she's a little odd, but in a good way. (at least I hope) The hero is a lot more serious, but has his own strange sense of humor. They're a good match, though neither of them can see that right now. I'm right in the middle of the book, and right where I should be in the suspense, their relationship and the journey and I'm still having a good time writing them. So far, so good.
Obviously, the projected completion date for this book is already long gone. I've had to relax that goal a tiny little bit. Doesn't make me happy, but there's not much I can do. I was a little unrealistic and didn't think about the other obligations I had during that time.
New projected completion date: When it's done.
Yes. That's killing me because I have so much else I want to do, edit, revise and write, but I don't want this summer to kick my butt like last year did.
On another note:
The kids have already totally dismantled my living room. All the cushions are off the couch and the stools from the kitchen are arranged in some sort of "Stonehenge" shape. The cat looks mad and K3 is trying to convince K4 to make him a sandwich. I don't know for sure, but I think he's the boss of whatever they're doing. (She is, in typical K4 fashion, denying him his sandwich rights.) At least they're not fighting. Yet.
Behave!

Gnomes!

The gnomes have the beginnings of their garden and they are very happy.

Look at that guy. Doesn't he look happy?

Much tweaking needs done, but the flower bed is cleared out, plants are transplanted and the gnomes are out of the box in my dining room.

I'm happy too. Happy to see them when I go outside and happy I got so much done today.

So far. So good.

Behave!

It Is Done...

The school year.
And, most likely, my sanity.

I'm really looking forward to summer vacation, and here's why:
1. Hanging out with the kiddos.
2. Schedule change.
Though until mid-July we'll be pretty busy, there will be a little wiggle room in these weeks. I figure it'll be what we make it. We'll work things out so we're still having fun. (remind me of this in 2 weeks! LOL)
3. Cooking on the Grill.
I don't know why because there's just as much, if not more, work involved, but it just seems easier and relaxing.
4. My sister's new job.
She has off Fridays.
5. Friday's.
Official relaxation and "fiesta" day. Plans forthcoming, but this is to be the day that makes the running of the week worthwhile. We might theme them. We'll see.
6. Gnomes.
The gnome garden is coming. You'll see.
7. Naps.
As if. But I can hope.
8. No homework rush or searching for lost items.
9. No shoes.
And flip-flops.
10. Harry Potter.
The movie and the book.
11. Supernatural Summer.

You get the idea.
Behave.

Weird Wednesday

Today's been kind of an odd day.
I dropped the kids off at school and drove about an hour away to get some exhaust work done on my Suburban. The distance I traveled was well worth it for a few different reasons. We used to live in the area, so traveling the mountain road was familiar and a bit nostalgic. We loved living in that valley, but the daily travel was unrealistic for us. And I spent an hour writing while I waited.
After driving for most of the morning, arriving home before noon was a little odd. K2 had finals today, so she got home shortly after I did. We're coming down to the wire with school. One more full day and then Friday they go for just a few hours.
That means a new schedule. One that, at first, is going to be busier than the school year. Eventually it'll settle into a more summer like atmosphere.
I only hope I'm still sane by then.
That's all for now...
Behave...