Feel Good Friday

Here's the list:
1. Awesome friends.
2. Fantastic roadtrips that would have been great even if we were just going to drop off an envelope instead of checking out the...
3. New Retreat site! Whoo!!
4. The cooler temps. Man, it is nice outside.
5. Hearing my sister say: "better than yesterday" because it means her ordeal is near its end.
6. Weddings on the horizons. And this one is going to be epic! Really epic!
7. Booksignings also on the horizon. More on that later.
8. The fire we have planned for later.
9. Talking to K2. Even if it was only text messaging and only for a little. Man, I miss that kid!
10. Double cheeseburgers for dinner. Even if I accidentally caught stuff on fire. More on that later as well.
Lots up for tomorrow!
Behave!

Roadtrip Thursday

Today, Simon and I took a roadtrip to visit a potential site for next year's retreat! It was a beautiful drive through mountains (and I mean through - tunnels are fun) and farms and tiny little towns. It was also a long drive, but when you talk the whole way you barely notice how long you've been on the road. Ha!
The potential site has turned into a definite site and we are thrilled with our new location. The staff there was so welcoming and fun. They were very busy with end of camp snafu's, but still took the time to give us a proper tour and never once made us feel rushed. The coordinator had already picked out a meeting room for us and after looking at it, we knew we'd found the right place. It's perfect. Beautiful views. Nice rooms. Plenty of places to write. It's got everything we need.
My only problem now is that I can't wait for the retreat!!
Behave!

Things...

I'm thinking about...
1. How totally sad I am that the RWA National Conference started today and I am missing it.
2. How hot it is again! Though I hear we have a beautiful weekend on the horizon. And maybe some thunderstorms tonight.
3. Why on earth I wore a white t-shirt to eat spaghetti.
4. How many people I know with birthdays this week.
5. Not being able to sleep in tomorrow. It'll be worth it. Especially if this place is a go for the writing retreat.
6. The weekend.
7. Getting starting on my editing...
Guess that's what I'm going to do next. It's going well, though my bones are like a tiny baby mouse and they need to be tyrannosaurus rex sized. I am getting there though.
Behave!

Summer Survival: Year Two: Entry Four

Summer is going so fast. The natives and I have barely had a chance to seek pleasant experiences outside of our camp. In a few short days, it will be the month of the return to the educational camps. I will admit I look upon it with mixed emotions. The yearning for the structure has not yet overtaken me, probably because there has been less unstructured time around the camp this year. I cringe at the thought of assignments and projects and supplies, the lack of sleeping in, and the constant outlay of shells and beads.
Keeping foodstuffs in camp has become an epic situation. I trade for the necessary products only to have them disappear while I rest. Or so it seems. Then, I hear constant laments about how starving they are because there is nothing to eat. I do not understand. Perhaps I never will. I will also never understand how they can be so rude to each other one minute and then decide to happily do something together the next. I am clueless as to how this works, and no amount of asking gives me the answer I seek.
For now though, we will make the most of the remaining time.
Behave!

Monday Stuff

My day started out bad!
Woke up late after a terrible sleep and my truck wouldn't start. Called B. He was too far out to come and help me. So I called a friend who I knew would be driving my way on her way to work. She came to help jump me, only it wasn't working. Now, I'm not stupid. I know how to jump start a car, but no matter what we did, it wouldn't start. She called her husband, and don't you know it started for him - on the first try. My pride was a bit wounded at that, because, after all, I do know how and have done it several times. Not that it really mattered, but still...
I then found out that I'd messed up a bunch of stuff (after being pleased with my progress) and had to go fix it all and then do it the right way.
Needless to say, my day didn't start off very well...
But it got better. Much better.
Here's why:
1. I have the best friends anyone could ask for. I just do. They are excellently awesome and I'm amazed and humbled by them.
2. I somehow managed saved a really huge dragonfly from certain death without hurting his wings or getting dive bombed.
3. I didn't have to cook dinner, or clean up.
4. I got to snuggle baby K and wish her momma a very happy birthday.
5. When we left the baby snuggling and birthday partying the sun was setting. The sky was amazing with reds and oranges and these awesome clouds. The clouds on our right looked like mountains. The ones in front looked like two angels and stayed directly in front of us the whole way home - never losing shape or spreading out like the other clouds had. Pretty spectacular.
6. Sleeping in for a little bit tomorrow.
7. A fantastically beautiful day today. Not too hot and a very nice breeze.
That's a pretty good list for a Monday, especially one that started out so crappy.
Now I must sleep.
Behave!

Sunday Funny

....Behave!

What do you think of the new layout?

Remember This?

Sounds better than 108* heat index and Heat Advisory Warnings! Yes, I am crazy, but I'd much rather have snow than excessive heat!

That is all!

Behave!

Stupid Stuff

I've been working hard to get an agent for some time now. Crossing my i's, dotting my t's - doing my best to present a professional image and a quality product. I keep track of my submissions, follow agents through social media, frequently check blogs and websites to get a perspective of their status with queries and when I might possibly have a response and to try to gauge whether or not we'll be a good fit for a long term professional relationship. I am deadly serious about it and keep my spreadsheets and tracking calendar updated at all times.
And I have just horrified myself.
In checking around to update my files, I found an update that a particular agent had responded to all queries as of a certain date and if you hadn't recieved a response to resend. I went and checked my spreadsheet and sure enough, I'd queried. So, I went back to the website, re-read the submission instructions and realized I'd made an error in both the email address and the material the agent requests. Horrifying enough, but salvagable. I copied and pasted my letter, added the material, fixed the address and hit send.
This morning, I realized I mixed everything up. My first submission was correct. I checked on the wrong agent and then ended up sending a letter with the first agents name to the second agent. That sucks! Hard. In my defense, their names are very similar as are the names of their agencies, but still.
I know mistakes happen and that agents are human, too, but I am horrified.
Horrified.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

A long week.
Let's see about this list!
1. Friday! duh! Ha!
2. My mother-in-law improving.
3. The near end of my sister's ordeal.
4. My grass getting cut.
5. Thunderstorms.
6. Sleeping in.
7. Weekend plans changing to give us a semi-relaxed weekend.
8. Next week's plans to visit the potential new retreat site!
9. Hanging with the bff's. Man, I have missed them!!
10. Jason Manns! He put on a great show last night!
That is all for now.
Behave!

Yes.

...../>Just because...
Because I'm really far behind on my Dr. Who watching. (I'm behind on every show right now). Because I had to get up at o'stupid-thirty this morning.
Because I'm tired.
Because the quiet morning I got up early to have was interrupted by kids getting up early to watch the show I wouldn't let them stay up last night to watch.
And that is all...
Behave!

Thursday?

I have no idea what day it is this week. This seems to be a frequent problem for me. And I can't believe I missed posting yesterday, but I do have a good excuse. The gnomes were threatening an uprising and all of my time was taken up with negotiations. Things are okay for now, but the situation is somewhat of a pressure cooker. I'm not sure how this will end.
***
Hopefully my sister in on the last leg of this spider bite journey. She had the plastic surgery to replace skin over the area yesterday. She's in an immobilizer for a little while, but is now without the tubes and wires she's been stuck with for the past several weeks.
***
My mother-in-law remains in the hospital. She is undergoing tests, but seems to be gaining strength. We really don't know too much at this point.
***
This week has seemed long! But tonight I get the chance to hang with the bff's and hear my favorite, Jason Manns. Very much looking forward to it!
***
It can stop being so danged hot now.
***
That is all!
Behave!

That Positive Thinking Thing

Or remembering to notice and enjoy the good stuff.
...something like that...
Everyone says there's power in positive thinking and I believe that. It's hard to remember to keep a positive mindset at times, especially in the face of perpetual toxins, but the alternative turns you into a bitter, angry person. The bad stuff has the power to wreck your day and cause you to miss the good stuff. But it's hard some days. Really hard.
So here's a reminder - for you and me.
Go outside and look at the clouds, notice the blooming flowers, close your eyes and feel the breeze on your face. Focus on the good things in your life. Remember your hope and your dreams and the people who love you.
And never, ever, ever give up.
Behave!
p.s. Taking a break from Tall Tale Tuesday for a few weeks. I promise it will return!

Monday

Again? Seriously?
There are too many Mondays!
And it's way too hot out! Way too hot!
So my boys are home from a fabulous week of Boy Scout camp. They took Honor Troop for the week, won first prize for the "gateway" contest, and B won first prize in the Scoutmaster cook off for his peanut butter pie.
And then...
Then, yesterday we had to call an ambulance for B's mom. She was scaring us to the point where a trip to the hospital in a car was not a good plan. She's okay. Admitted to the hospital and hopefully we'll finally figure out what's been going on with her. She hasn't been well for a while now, despite numerous doctor visits.
So...
We're continuing with normal life around here. Normal life being a disaster every minute and a half, or something like that. But...what do you do? Look for the positive and do your best.
And that is all...
Behave!

Summer Survival: Year Two: Entry Three

It has been a long week around the campfire.
The male members of our tribe went to other fires for the week, leaving the young native and I alone to tend to the duties and details of life in this camp. She and I have had the opportunity to bond, goof off, and do girlie things and it has been good. I appreciate her sense of humor and her love of frozen treats.
I, stupidly, thought this week would be perfect for me taking care of my own duties in addition to those of parenthood and bonding. I was wrong. Having one native at camp is far more taxing. It requires far more from me. Especially since said native is used to having other natives in residence. She has not been tolerant of my need to put words on the page, despite the deals I have made with her and the way I have spoiled her all week. Though I have been able to get a little done, it is not nearly as much as I had orginally hoped.
The males come home very soon - within the hour, I hope. I have missed them terribly. Have missed the chaos and their laughter and their faces. I had to opportunity to visit with them last evening and I swear the youngest male native has grown four inches and lost ten pounds. I have missed his smile and the smile of the man who lives here with me.
Though now I must face moutains of dirty, smelly, filthy laundry.
That is all for now!
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

End of the week!
Here's the list:
1. Hanging with my baby girl all week!
2. Air conditioning!
3. Sleeping in!
4. Movie week.
5. My sister seeing an end to the horrible spider bite experience. She still has a little while to mend, but she has a time frame now.
6. My granddaughter.
7. Writing time! Whoot!
8. The rain. My grass is getting green again.
9. The evening plans.
10. The possibility of a relaxing weekend.
That is all!
Behave!

Movie Week, Part Two

Day five?
Added to the list:
4. Despicable Me - loved it. We had a great time watching, eating too much popcorn and laughing. It's a feel good, funny movie.
5. Julie & Julia - I've seen it before, but I still like it. K4 loves it. Meryl Streep's portrayal of Julia Childs is amazing.
6. Confessions of a Shopaholic - very cute. Classic romance storyline. Cute hero. Good characters. I will confess that I missed the very beginning though.
7. Henry Poole is Here - Interesting. I liked it. We didn't know a lot about the characters, but I'm not sure we needed to know more than we did. It was enough. It's a movie about miracles and new beginnings.
There aren't as many movies as I thought there would be going into this week, but there's been plenty of junk food. I'm scared to put my jeans on!
More later...(I think there will be more movies)
Behave!

Thursday Trash

A random accounting of my week so far.
1. The gnomes are growing mushrooms in my flower bed. I think they're poisonous ones. I am scared.
2. Entertaining one kid who is used to having her siblings around for a week is much harder than entertaining when they're all home. Just sayin'.
3. I looked at my calendar. I thought things were going to calm down now. I was wrong.
4. College paperwork never ends.
5. Display chairs at the grocery store are comfy spots to wait for your mother-in-laws prescriptions. Though, people look at you weird.
6. Random hormonal outbursts from pre-teen girls are often scary and confusing. (i.e. the slamming of the remote and the crying about how the only thing on television are commercials. *scratches head*)
7. Air conditioning rocks.
I think that's enough!
Stay tuned for additional movie reviews.
Behave!

Answers!

Okay, here we go with the answers! I know, I know...you can't wait! ha!
1. I don't carry a purse, but I will take a bag with me occasionally, depending on where I'm going and how long I may have to wait. After the long camping weekend, I discovered two pouches of fishing worms in said bag. Yes. We came home on Monday and I found the worms on Wednesday.
2. We came home from camp last weekend to find our trash cans tipped and garbage all over the yard. Nope.
3. My dog is such a nervous nellie. As soon as something is different, she licks her paw so much that she limps. Yes. And she's got her paw completely tore up right now.
4. On one of our recent trips to the hospital to see my sister, I witnessed a man peeing in the parking garage. No. But it wouldn't surprise me.
5. I braved my sisters "Garden of Death" (possibly where she got bit) to prove to my kids that there was nothing to be afraid of. Yes. I had myself all freaked out.
6. I found a bag of sliced cucumbers in the 'burban. No telling how long it had been there, but it was one of the most disgusting things I've seen in a long time. Nope.
7. I would rather live somewhere with alligators than somewhere with snakes. Yes. I'd rather live with snakes than alligators.
Okay. That is all. Back to the edits!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Which of the following statements are true:
(There is more than one.)
1. I don't carry a purse, but I will take a bag with me occasionally, depending on where I'm going and how long I may have to wait. After the long camping weekend, I discovered two pouches of fishing worms in said bag.
2. We came home from camp last weekend to find our trash cans tipped and garbage all over the yard.
3. My dog is such a nervous nellie. As soon as something is different, she licks her paw so much that she limps.
4. On one of our recent trips to the hospital to see my sister, I witnessed a man peeing in the parking garage.
5. I braved my sisters "Garden of Death" (possibly where she got bit) to prove to my kids that there was nothing to be afraid of.
6. I found a bag of sliced cucumbers in the 'burban. No telling how long it had been there, but it was one of the most disgusting things I've seen in a long time.
7. I would rather live somewhere with alligators than somewhere with snakes.
Okay, the humidity has affected my brain. I can't think anymore. Which of the above are true?
Behave!

Movie Week

Day two.
It's movie week around the old homestead.
So far we've watched three.
1. Ice Age 3: Well, what do you say about that? I've liked all of them so far.
2. Where the Wild Things Are: Did. Not. Like. It was angry and disconnected. We almost shut it off three times, but hoped it would get better. It didn't.
3. Blind Side: Loved it. K4 lost interest during the football scenes and went to research gerbil care (that's another post). I loved Sandra Bullock's character. She was tough, no nonsense, but filled with compassion and the strength to do the right thing.
We're 2 for 3. Not bad, but the one we didn't like hangs like a dark cloud of wasted time and confusion.
I'm not sure what else is on the movie list. K4's starting to like more than cartoons and kid movies, so it's pretty cool. We're planning to hit the theater tomorrow or the next day, though I have no idea what we're seeing.
Now...now that it's after 10pm, now I can think about writing.
Behave!

The Gnome Wars

I hate to say it, but I think the gnomes are winning.
(Don't tell them I said that though)
They've resorted to sabotage because I refuse to budge on certain issues. (like girly mags and an unlimited supply of booze - I have impressionable children at home. Not gonna happen.) They have killed all of the flowers in their garden, except for the Hostas, and some of them aren't looking too hot. The hearty lavender I planted is dead, though the other two lavender plants I put in pots are thriving. The daisies didn't come back. The ivy didn't either.
I'm not sure what they used to poison the earth, but part of me believes they're using that section of earth as their toilet. I think that would explain it.
The gnome that lives inside has moved to a higher perch. I believe this is so he can watch over us and report our conversations and movements to the outside militia. Also, I think it gives him a sense of importance - like a king or something.
I think I need to be more cautious, or I may wake up a prisoner.
Behave!

Video Archives...

Beach Retreat!

Behave!

My House...

This is what I find on my camera when I try to download pictures of the baby.

Don't ask me. I have no idea. I don't think that's the video taker's cereal though. I have a feeling this happened while the cereal owner was out of the room.

Strange stuff...

Behave!

Ha Ha!

....Behave!

Feel Good Friday

At some point this week, I re-found my positive outlook.
So...here's the list:
1. My sister being at home. She's still on IV meds and has a visiting nurse, but at least she's in the comfort of her own home. With air conditioning.
2. Movie night with the family!
3. Talking to K2 for a long time last night. I miss her!
4. Holding my beautiful newborn granddaughter while her mommy got some sleep. She is precious.
5. K3 finally (finally!) holding his niece and his smile of pure love.
6. Eating peanut butter sandwiches in the car as the younger K's and I traveled all over the continent yesterday.
7. Decent writing days.
8. The weekend!
9. The minimally cooler temperatures. It's not much, but it is somewhat better.
10. Coming home to find all of the laundry washed, dried, and folded.
That is all for now.
Behave!

This Reminds Me...

Of the elevator at the hospital.
1. The sign said: No Moroccans. (Supposed to be No Smoking, but obviously someone defaced it.)
2. When the elevator got to the ground floor, instead of a 1, it was a Klingon symbol. Scary.
3. The ceiling was a mirror - a twisted, crooked, sick looking mirror. A mirror that made you look like you belonged in the hospital instead of just visiting.
4. It smelled weird. Like sweat and old gum.
5. If there were more than three people inside, it bogged down and took forever to reach your floor.
Behave!

Summer Survival Journal: Year Two: Entry Two

We are cooking in our own juices. The temperatures are extreme and so are the attitudes from the natives. They are uncomfortable. I do understand as I share their discomfort. But seriously? When a gentle reminder that it is your turn to load the utensil cleaning device causes a meltdown of nuclear proportions, then it is time to cut and run.
Though I cannot run. I cannot hide either.
The natives have been somewhat subdued due to events that have taken place with their countrymen. Every insect infringement is cause for concern and I do understand that, though I would appreciate not being disturbed from a peaceful slumber to inspect questionable itchy spots. I would also appreciate it if the door to my private sleeping chambers would be closed after they are done disturbing me since it is the only room in the house with a cooling device.
I believe these things are too much to ask.
We have danced for cooler temperatures to no avail. Perhaps this extreme weather will not break until after we have perished?
Send ice...
Behave!

Gotta Love It!

...maybe I would watch it then...
Gotta love Dr. Who!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday...Or Not

There's a lot I could Tall Tale Tuesday about, but I'm not feeling any of it.
I mentioned the weekend was not relaxing and I'll tell you why. Or at least some of why.
Tuesday evening, my sister got bit by something. By Wednesday morning, she had a rash. This rash got bad enough that she went to the doctor Wednesday afternoon. They said she had shingles and gave her a bunch of meds. Thursday morning, she was in so much pain she could barely walk. And she had a fever. She called the doctor and went back in. They gave her different meds, drew a circle around the area and told her if her fever got higher or if the redness extended beyond the circle to go to the emergency room. She texted me a little before 11pm to tell me they were on their way to the emergency room. She's been in the hospital ever since. Sunday night they did surgery to remove the necrotic tissue and the infected area. Now she's got a wound pump to help draw out the nasty fluids. They still don't know what bit her, or what's causing the infection.
There's a possibility it was a Brown Recluse spider. We're still waiting to hear anything on that. It's rare in this area, but not unheard of. My brother-in-law thinks he caught one and it's currently in a jar waiting for confirmation on what species it is.
It's possible she could come home today. With the wound pump and a visiting nurse.
So there you have it. Scary stuff.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Post Camping Edition

I don't think I've missed blogging this many days in a row in a long time! Not that you've missed me or anything. Ha!!
This weekend was perhaps the weirdest camping trip we've had in a long time! It was very quiet, with only my parents and us out there in the wilds. And we had a lot of running around to do, so it wasn't very relaxing. But let me hit the good highlights and I'll fill you in on the rest throughout the week.
1. The very cool nights. Made for some excellent sleeping.
2. Getting to see and actually talk to K2. Even if it was only for a few hours.
3. Chicken Taco Soup
4. The owls we heard in the trees Friday night.
5. Hanging with the kids.
6. The texted pictures of my granddaughter.
7. Hanging with the folks.
8. Getting a visit from my granddaughter when we got home from camp.
9. Showers. Flushing toilets. The Internet.
10. Air conditioning.
More on the weekend through the week.
Behave!

Someone....

Told me I look older now that I'm a grandma.
So...
Now I feel like this...
Ha!
Behave!

Wednesday?

Kind of lost track of the days this week. I'm a total bonehead. I should have done Tall Tale Tuesday yesterday and I could have had everyone guess K5's birth stats! What is wrong with me?
I went back and looked at the answers from last week, and Misty came the closest with June 30th and 9lbs 5oz!! Not too far off!
So, today was just...ack! Mostly ack! with some cool thrown in for good measure. So, we'll go with a list:
Ack!
1. Running late.
2. Kids fighting and nagging each other and being bossy.
3. Still being exhausted.
4. Not getting any writing time in.
5. Missing K2 and her not be able to see her new niece yet.
Cool!
1. Getting to see K5, even if it was only for a few minutes.
2. The easy, confident way my son cares for his daughter. He is a diaper changing king.
3. Jason Manns!
Tomorrow is busy, too, with camp preparations and another visit to the kids after they settle in at home. (I never, never thought I'd be saying "the kids" in reference to my son and his family, but...there it is...ha!)
Behave!

New...

Lots of new today.
New babies, new parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, great-grandparents. New birthdays. New families.
My granddaughter arrived at 7:50 am after a long night. She weighed 8#11oz and is 19" long. She is beautiful - perfect and healthy.
Mother and child are doing well, though S hasn't gotten much sleep since sometime Monday. She did a fantastic job through her labor and kept on even when she didn't think she had anything left. Watching K5 enter the world was one of the most awesome and beautiful things I've ever experienced. Yes. I cried. A lot. Watching my son take care of the woman he loves as she labored to deliver their child was also an awesome and beautiful thing. Watching her reach for him during her worst moments and seeing her respond only to his calming touch also made me cry.
Yeah, I'm pretty much an exhausted emotional wreck. ha! I've only managed to grab about 2 hours of sleep today after being up for 27 hours straight. I will be going to bed early tonight.
Behave!

Well...

Man, today went quick.
It's still hot. Very hot. And all of the storms we've been promised have totally skipped us. That's a little disappointing to me because I love a good storm. We're supposed to get one tonight, but so far nothing...
I cannot believe we're almost at the end of June. Heck, we are at the end of June. A few more days and it'll be July. Summer is going fast and I don't feel like it's really started yet. The next thing I know, school will be starting again!
We're on the baby wait. They're at the hospital right now. I'm waiting for the call that says they're keeping her before heading out. If not, then I'll go to bed with my phone clutched tightly in my hands. Things are moving along though and very soon I'll be a grandma. For real. Weird.
And that is all for now.
Behave!

Weekend Recap

Bridal Shower: Lots of food, excited talk about the wedding, bachelorette party plans, gifts, hats, and sun. So much sun that I now have a sunburn. The bride was thrilled with the gifts and had us laughing hysterically as she told stories while she opened them. K4 had a blast being my sidekick for the day and she did very well in the grown up setting.
Birthday Party: For the bride - a milestone birthday. We went back to their place for more food, swimming, talking, hanging out, and mosquitoes. Catching up with friends I haven't seen in a long time and meeting new friends. We got home way too late with two very exhausted kids. K3 & K4 were in the pool 99.8% of the time - getting out only to shove some food down and hit the bathroom.
Sunday: Still tired from yesterday. Hot again. Tree trimming (nightmare), grocery shopping. Catching up with friends, chicken salad with grapes and cashews for dinner, movie watching. Missing K2, especially after talking to her on the phone for nearly an hour. Looking forward to hitting the a/c and closing my eyes.
...and that is all...
Another week like the last few coming up, and hopefully a grandbaby as well.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Man, this week went fast! Or is that just me?
Here's the list:
1. K3 & K4 playing chess.
2. Not having to cook.
3. Air conditioning.
4. The weekend plans.
5. Lightning bug frisbee.
6. Hanging out with my husband.
7. Baseball games with suite seating.
8. A clean house.
9. Backyard fires.
10. 11pm grocery store runs.
That's all for now!
Behave!

Summer Survival Journal: Year Two, Entry One

My time with the natives has been different so far. That man who assists me with them has been grounded to camp, which has been a blessing in a lot of ways. I have not had to do the menial tasks that often consume my days, the ones I am not looking forward to taking over once again when he is back to scouting for food and doing his manly thing.
Today we took the natives on a small journey to stock up on foodstuffs and trade for pretties to be given as gifts. You would think that the journey would be one of wonder and excitement for them, but that is not how it went. They seemed to take their fear of being away from camp out on each other, calling names like "poopie head", "man girl", and "stick person" enough that I had to gently remind them that they should stop it immediately or fear my wrath. They laughed at me in the way they do, because they know I am powerless against them. They know they are slowly chipping away at the glue that holds my sanity in place and that soon they'll have that glue destroyed enough to convince me of anything they want.
Mistakenly, we went to a different trading post than our usual, comfortable one, and of course, arrived perfectly at feeding time. The space was crammed with people, which forced the natives to go into a frenzy of following us too closely, or stopping in front of us as we hurried to gather the necessary supplies. We bribed them with round food and hurried back to camp.
I fear what will happen with that man with me is back to his normal man thing. I fear the heat and the flies and the way the natives plot and plan. That time is coming soon. My only consolation is the installation of a cooling device in my sleeping area. I think this will do much for my morale.
We shall see.
Behave!

Wednesday

It's hot here. Damn hot.
And yes, I do remember when I was freezing my rearend off a few months ago. We don't have our air conditioners on yet, so I'm allowed to complain.
I'm getting back into my revisions - cutting some terrible stuff, changing some things up and hopefully making a much better story. I need some air though, some serious air. Blah. I feel like the heat is eating my brain and that brain is currently running down my body in a big puddle.
This week has gone really fast. Tomorrow's Thursday already and Thursday includes suite seats at the baseball game. Then we head into another busy weekend. Bridal shower madness will occur on Saturday, with first the bridal shower tea party and then a birthday party for the bride later. We're also invited to another birthday party later in the day. And we're on baby watch, so we'll see how it all works out.
And that's it from here.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

How about we do this differently this week?
With the impending birth of my granddaughter (I am still way too young to be a grandma!), how about we guess her birth weight, length, and her arrival day?
The actual due date is July 3rd. The doctor says all conditions are right for labor to begin at any time.
So, when do you think it will be and what do you think her stats will be?
Behave!

Happy First Day of Summer!

It's a gorgeous day out there! Lots of puffy white clouds and a tiny little breeze. It's hot, but nice and shady in my backyard. Where I will be for the rest of the day - doing yard work and enjoying B being home.
***
This weekend turned out well. Saturday wasn't quite as relaxed as I'd originally thought, but it wasn't as hectic as last week. Sunday was gorgeous and spent at the meadow with the dads. Well, most of them. We missed my brother, and a few others, but it was still a nice time. The upcoming week is pretty full, but manageable.
***
Now I have to start focusing on college stuff. It kind of makes me sick to my stomach to think about the financial aspect of it, but we'll figure it out. It makes me even sicker and sad to think about my baby going off into the big bad world! But she's ready, even if I'm not.
***
Time is already going fast. The next thing we know school will be starting again. Heck, the fourth of July is only two weeks away! That's crazy!
***
Enough rambling. I have weeds to pull and a manuscript to edit!
Behave!

Hold This Spot For Me...

...Tomorrow! I will be back tomorrow with the weekend recap!
Happy Dad Day!
Now I'm tired. Going to bed.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Saturday Edition

Whew! Another packed week in the tank!
Here's the list, including the reason I didn't post this last night.
1. Surprising my sister. For real. She cried and everything. We threw my middle sister a surprise 40th birthday party yesterday. It rocked. My mom did an awesome job putting things together, including her and my dad busting their butts to make their yard look gorgeous.
2. B going back to work next week. It's been a long two weeks for all of us. He's going stir crazy. The next time he's off for two weeks, we'd better be laying on a beach somewhere.
3. Surprising K2 with her graduation present. It wasn't what I wanted to get her, but the offer was something we couldn't refuse.
4. My new phone!
5. Getting through Thursday and that insanity.
6. The baby wait. Things are progressing, but slowly. I've been taking my phone to bed with me every night just in case. She's due in exactly 2 weeks, but I don't think she'll make it that long. Though I could be wrong. The new guess is Monday - Summer Solstice.
7. Getting some writing done and wanting to get so much more done.
8. Having a reasonably relaxed Saturday stretching out in front of me. Have to do the grocery shopping and get gas and ink, but other than that, it's an easy day and I'm not sure I know what to do with myself.
9. Looking forward to spending tomorrow at the meadow with the Dads.
10. Sleeping in a little, though I could have stayed in bed for another two hours.
That's all for now!
Behave!

Things I Wish I Liked....

A random list...
1. S'mores. It's not the graham cracker's fault, or the chocolate (obviously). It's that darned marshmallow. In my opinion, marshmallows are only good for ammo.
2. Spearmint. No. Wait. I don't ever wish to like that. I have many bad memories associated with spearmint. I can't stand the smell of it. Seriously. It makes me sick just thinking about it.
3. Peanut butter sandwiches. I don't dislike them. But they're not something I ever choose to eat.
4. Same with hot dogs. It's a very rare that I ever eat them.
5. Woodpeckers. I mean, they're very cool, but I'm completely squicked out every single time I hear one. I'm not talking about the little ones either. I mean the huge, freaky Pilated Woodpeckers. *shudders*
Well, there's your random Friday morning list of weirdness.
Feel Good Friday later on!
Have a great Friday!
Behave!

Done For Another Year...

Today was the local annual street fair. You know the one I mean, the same one I moan and complain about every single year. Because...I don't like it. It's too busy, too loud, too dirty...I hardly ever go down because I can't stand the crush of people and the heat. And don't even think about driving anywhere. It's impossible, plus, you run the risk of someone parking in your private spot while you're gone.
Though, there are good points to it. We usually end up with company - usually folks we only see this time every year, and invited guests. It is fun to hang out, eat some food, and watch people go by.
This year was a lot different.
K2's going on a big trip in a few weeks. It's an expensive trip and the kids have to help earn the money and since she's working away from home my niece and I volunteered to fill in for her. Which meant getting up at a stupid time and going to help set up, rushing home to make brownies for the bake sale, sending the kids down with various coolers and other items, and then going back down. I swear I walked 650 miles today.
We didn't invite anyone to come over and hang today, mainly because we had no idea what our timeframe was going to be. The 'rents came over for a little while and my sister came to pick up my niece. No stop ins, or unexpected guests though, which is fine since we're completely wiped out and now must spend the next several hours listening to the neighbors party. It's always like that. Always. Most people around here take tomorrow off to recover. And I will admit, we've had our share of parties and noise - like the time my brother-in-law's band played in the back yard.
It's nearly over now. All that's left is the noise and clean up. I'm exhausted and a little frazzled.
So how was your day?
Behave!

Answer!

Ready for the answers?
Here we go...
Things that are irritating me right now...
1. The toilet seat is broken. And, of course, it broke in the middle of the graduation shindig. Yes. Irritating as all get out and yes, we're getting a new one as soon as we have ten minutes to go to the hardware store!
2. The flies in my house. Yep.
3. Having at least 45 mosquito bites on my legs. Nope. I rarely get bit. *knocking on wood*
4. My cell phone being broken and the one I'm using not working right all of the time. Yes! My new one will be here tomorrow.
5. How sticky everything feels with this humidity. Yes.
6. Telephone calls that aren't for us from people who refuse to believe we're not who they want us to be. Yes. How irritating is that?
7. Being conned into working a booth during our town's street fair this week. Believe it or not...and I know how hard it is to believe, yes. I am working it. I don't want to, but it's for a good cause.
8. Waking up to find a spider crawling over my face. Ewww! Not that I'm aware of.
9. Having to suck the water out of my mother-in-laws car a second time. She either has a leak or keeps leaving her window down - not sure which. Yes. Still don't know what's up with that.
10. Finding out the neighbors have been feeding my dog all kind of things she should not eat. No wonder she's been having trouble. No. Though I would not be surprised to find this out.

So there you have it. Back to the insanity for me.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

So, my test was about being able to post from email. That's pretty cool and, of course, it means I'll be unstoppable! ha!
My brain is pretty much fried after the past week, but let me see if I can find anything interesting to use for Tall Tale Tuesday...
I'm going to try a different format this week. From the list below, tell me which are true. Some will be easy, others might be lies.
Things that are irritating me right now...
1. The toilet seat is broken. And, of course, it broke in the middle of the graduation shindig.
2. The flies in my house.
3. Having at least 45 mosquito bites on my legs.
4. My cell phone being broken and the one I'm using not working right all of the time.
5. How sticky everything feels with this humidity.
6. Telephone calls that aren't for us from people who refuse to believe we're not who they want us to be.
7. Being conned into working a booth during our town's street fair this week.
8. Waking up to find a spider crawling over my face.
9. Having to suck the water out of my mother-in-laws car a second time. She either has a leak or keeps leaving her window down - not sure which.
10. Finding out the neighbors have been feeding my dog all kind of things she should not eat. No wonder she's been having trouble.
So which are true?
Behave!

Testing...

I'm testing out a new feature. Well, not new, but I just discovered it.

Let's see how it works.

Behave!

Weekend Recap...

By the time I got home yesterday, I was too wore out to post any kind of weekend in review. Man, what a long weekend! Let me sum up...
Friday night: Finish preparations for the big graduation shindig. This included a lot of chores B couldn't do because of his bum leg. Moving stuff, cleaning things...but it got done and I was thrilled.
Saturday: Up early to do the shopping for the big graduation shindig. Finished the house cleaning, luckily there wasn't a lot. Cooking. Rearranging the patio and setting up. People began arriving a little before noon and our last guest left a little after 10pm. Long day. Nearly twenty pounds of taco meat gone, but I think everyone had a good time. Also, sometime during the day, my cell phone crapped out on me. I have no display screen whatsoever and wasn't getting calls.
Sunday: Up early again. Baby shower preparations. Rain. A lot of it. I think I spent more time wet than not. Help decorate and prepare for the shower. The shower went well, despite the weather. K1 and S weren't as surprised as they should have been. It took them hours to open the gifts and then we hauled it back to their place. Didn't get home until way late. Exhausted beyond belief.
Today: Up early one more time. Obligations. Dead battery in the phone I was using. Not a charger in sight. Borrowed a phone, but still not getting calls. Working on that one. Got a call from K1 right before the phone battery died. My granddaughter may be arriving sooner than her due date according to their doctor visit today. I definitely need to get this cell phone problem worked out as soon as possible. Probably after our meeting tonight.
Tomorrow? Hopefully sleeping in a little providing I don't get called to the hospital tonight.
That is all for now.
Behave!

Tomorrow...

...I will give you the weekend lowdown!
Too tired right now, and I feel a little bit like the mamma opossum, but it a good way.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Getting this in under the wire.
So here's the list:
1. B doing okay since his surgery. He's still in some pain, but improving every day.
2. After running around like a chicken with my head cut off, I'm nearly ready for tomorrow's graduation festivities. Grocery store, cooking, and a few last minute things to do, but I'm nearly there.
3. The kids (all but K2) getting their rooms cleaned. There's a lot of trash, but I am thrilled with how well they did. The house feels so much lighter and I know that doesn't make much sense.
4. My kid graduating. Yes, that's a no brainer.
5. The weekend. Man, do I need it.
That is all for now!
Graduation party update tomorrow!
Behave!

Random Thursday Stuff

Where to begin?
1. Lots of cleaning going on around here today. K1 is packing up to move out. His mess is immense. There are boxes in my living room, boxes in the hall, trash everywhere. We're also in the throes of getting ready for the weekend graduation shindig. Progress is being made. But it doesn't look like it. At all.
2. Tonight was a big scout event. Court of Honor. This year was somewhat low key since it's kind of late in the scouting year and all of the awards had already been given out, but it still needed to be done. As a treat, B arranged for the boys to make a huge ice cream sundae. As in an 8 foot section of trough and a three gallon container of ice cream. They demolished the ice cream, eating the mess of toppings and ice cream from the trough without spoons. Pretty funny.
3. This morning K4 woke me to tell me the dog pooped in her room overnight. The dog never does that. The only thing we can figure is she didn't go yesterday. Apparently she refused to leave the porch when she should have been taking care of business. Then, this afternoon, the cat barfed in her room. She's pretty ticked considering she just cleaned her room.
4. B's in some serious pain today. Seems the third day postop is way worse than the first or second, despite him taking it really, really easy. Everyone assures him it's normal. He hates it. I've stopped asking him how he's feeling because I get an array of smart-assed answers.
And that's all I can think of right now. I'm considering doing some rennovations to the old blog. Don't be shocked if things are a little different within the next few days.
Behave!

Oops!

Can you believe I just now remembered it's Wednesday? Totally missed Tall Tale Tuesday this week. I'll pick it back up next week. Maybe I'll have some good ones after this week.
Raining here. Kind of nice. The temps are lower, which is also nice. Lots of stuff going on. B's doing well after his knee surgery. Lots of ice and grumbling because he's down for the count.
Bedrooms are getting cleaned. Things are getting prepared for the big graduation party this weekend. Tomorrow will be busy, for sure.
That's it for today. Exhaustion has settled in.
Behave!

A New Chapter...

So my girl graduated last night.
I knew I was going to cry. And I did. It's amazing to me that she's closed this part of her life when I swear she was just a toddler two weeks ago. I sat there, stunned, proud, and nearly overwhelmed with emotion and excitement for her. She managed to graduated with a very fine gpa and even received an award (though we have no idea what it is yet since she missed the ceremony due to the camp counselor gig).
Once we got home, she packed the rest of her stuff and went back to camp. I have to admit I was a little sad about that, but the training portion of the job is important. And, I guess I need to deal with her being gone. Because she will be. Pretty much from here on. After camp is college, after college is a life not lived with her parents. And I'm okay with that. I am. But that doesn't mean I won't miss her, that I don't already miss her.
Now...where are my tissues?
Behave

Yep. Sometimes It's Like That.

>Just sayin'
Behave!

Monday Random

Tonight is graduation. I'm heading to the store in a few to stock up on tissue for B and I. We'll both need them. Luckily, today is forecast to be a little cooler than yesterday, so we might not die in the heat of the auditorium like I was told. I guess I should find something appropriate to wear as well.
K2 returned from her camp training late last night. Not only did she park me in this morning, but she made so much noise I'm surprised the entire house didn't wake up. She woke early for graduation practice and had so much to tell me that since she left, my ears are ringing. She's bruised and sore from all of the high adventure training they did, and has no voice. And then she tells me this...
Apparently, for some reason, (and I'm not sure what that reason is, either solidarity among the counselors or because they're all idiots) they each swallow one of those capsules that contains the foam animal (the ones you put in water and watch your little foam creature emerge). Then, when it comes out, they put it in a baggie and take it back to camp, or have someone verify that they did indeed pass it. Sounds gross and somewhat dangerous to me. I can't believe she did it and I'm still mortified!
So, I'm feeling a little melancholy today. My baby girl is moving on (and being gross). Expect a sappy post at some point later. Oh, and tomorrow is the last day of school for the other K's. And B's knee surgery. Summer Survival here we go!
Behave!

Sunday Funny

.../>Ha Ha!
Behave!

Why It Matters...

Today was my monthly RWA chapter meeting. I looked forward to it with a mixture of hope and dread. Hope because I love these people. They're my writing family. They get me (even if they think I'm weird, especially when I talk about mimes.). The dread was because I've been in crisis mode lately. Yes, again. Or maybe, still. Definitely still.
I've been analyzing the way I've felt and am feeling quite a bit the past few days and today really did help put things into perspective, though I'm still a little ways from being healed. Over the past few months, I've dealt with several major blows. Okay, a lot of them. And we're only talking career-wise, not the trauma and turmoil that's gone on in my house. I picture myself as a cockroach under the heel of a steel-toed work boot. Crushed. Or like a dragonfly and my wings have been pulled off. I work hard at my writing career because I want it so badly. I know I can maintain a long term career. I know I can be a full time author even with my hectic family life. And, like I said, I want it.
In my crushed state, I didn't/don't care. I don't write. I don't think about it, except with a grimness that scares the crap out of me. I even gave myself permission to quit, but the very thought filled me with a dark sickness that didn't leave until I decided that idea was ludicrous. Knowing I can't quit does help, but it doesn't propel me to the keyboard except to play the treasure hunting game I'm enamored with. I open the document, move my cursor to the right line and...stall. I re-read the short story I'm working on and get to the portion where I need to add more words and I stall. I wonder what the point is, why I try so hard, why I keep coming back to something that continuously beats me to a bloody emotional pulp.
We had a pep talk session at the meeting, because I'm not the only one struggling right now. I wrote down a few of the inspirational things said because despite knowing them and saying them on a regular basis I needed to remember them for myself. Then, I helped critique a friend's story and as I was going through her pages, I could feel that spark. It was dim and sad, but still there - shoved in the back behind my emotional baggage and the chaos of life. I'd like to say I grabbed that tiny flame and how my touch turned it into a roaring bon fire, but that would be a lie. But I at least reached for it. I want to hold it in my hands again and feel its pulse. I want to hear it breathing. I want it to lead me to purposeful writing time and the joy that brings.
After today, I remember why I do this. Because I love it. Because I have stories to tell. Because it's who I am at my core. And I know I won't quit. I'll stay a cockroach even if I occasionally get a face full of toxins or the business end of a well-placed heel, because after all, a cockroach can live through a nuclear blast and sometimes that's what this feels like to me.
And, while I'm not full of the joy quite yet, it's there enough for me to purposefully nurture. I have enough back to want to do something - to reclaim what's mine and move forward. I do know that it's something I will never give up, even if I never get that publishing contract or the career I envision. And that feels significant to me. (unless the mimes arrive)
I think I might just be okay.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Ah! Friday!
Here's the list:
1. Getting to help out with field day today. It was really hot, but fun.
2. Sleeping in a little tomorrow.
3. My writer's group meeting tomorrow!
4. The crazy rain storm we had last night. Loved it!
5. Crossing things off my "to do" list - though each time I do two or more things go on. I doubt I'll ever finish a list!
6. Survey Monkey. I love it.
7. Maybe some time with my hubby later. I hope. (and not that kind of time. Get your mind out of the gutter! ha!)
8. School almost being out!
9. Upcoming events.
That's it for now. I still have a million things to do and kids will be pouring in the door any minute. Breaks over.
Behave!

Thursday

What I'm thinking about today:
1. Our summer experiment: The compostable Sun Chips bag that is now tacked to the playhouse roof. We're seeing if it really decomposes as fast as they say.
2. Summer Survival Journal: Year Two will begin soon. Wait for it.
3. New 21-year olds are a pain in the butt.
4. Next week's terrible schedule. K2 graduates on Monday (sniff, sniff), B has to have knee surgery on Tuesday, the kids get out of school on Tuesday...and it goes on and on...
5. Flies: I hate them.
6. The grocery store: I hate that, too.
7. Leg cramps: last night I had such a horrible one that I now have a bruise on my calf. It still hurts, though it's getting better.
8. Coffee: I drank so much this morning that my stomach is angry with me.
9. My to do list: It's long and half of the stuff on there are things I don't want to do.
10. How high my grass is and when we'll have time to cut it. We might be bailing it if it grows too much longer.
That is all for now.
Behave!

Answer!

1. B jumped in the kayak and paddled over, realizing it was indeed a human skull and finding the rest of the skeleton in the creek around it. We called the police and now our serene camping spot is a hot bed for a potential murder. They're hoping to match the body to an old missing persons case. Nah. But probably possible considering the hillbilly boaters that floated by on Saturday. Bad enough that we made the kids get out of the creek until they passed. They were very intoxicated - one stood up to pee in the water, tipping the boat and filling it with water. While that was going on, the other guy trudged to the opposite bank and apparently used the bushes for a number two toilet, and wiped himself with his underwear which he then tossed into the creek. They bailed the water out of their boat and continued their journey. Oh, and it was only around ten in the morning, too.
2. After the authorities came, we were told it was most likely a Native American skeleton washed downstream from the caves a few hundred feet away. The heavy rains and subsequent flooding finally dislodged him. It's a huge find and very awesomely cool. I'm not sure what they're going to do with it, or if they're going to inspect the caves for more. I want to be there if they do. (Not really in the cave though. That's too confined for me.) Nah. But also possible. There are caves and evidence that Native Americans lived nearby. Very cool.
3. Much speculation surrounded our discovery. We were just about to jump in the kayak and check it out when we walked a little further down the creek and could clearly see it was just an odd rock with other odd rocks piled around it. Disappointing, but not. Well, yeah.
That's all for now.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Camping style.
Yesterday while goofing off with the binoculars, we spotting what looked like a human skull across the creek.
Which of the following really happened?
1. B jumped in the kayak and paddled over, realizing it was indeed a human skull and finding the rest of the skeleton in the creek around it. We called the police and now our serene camping spot is a hot bed for a potential murder. They're hoping to match the body to an old missing persons case.
2. After the authorities came, we were told it was most likely a Native American skeleton washed downstream from the caves a few hundred feet away. The heavy rains and subsequent flooding finally dislodged him. It's a huge find and very awesomely cool. I'm not sure what they're going to do with it, or if they're going to inspect the caves for more. I want to be there if they do. (Not really in the cave though. That's too confined for me.)
3. Much speculation surrounded our discovery. We were just about to jump in the kayak and check it out when we walked a little further down the creek and could clearly see it was just an odd rock with other odd rocks piled around it. Disappointing, but not.
What do you think?
Behave!

Back From the Wilds

*This was supposed to go up yesterday. I'm not sure what happened!
First off, Happy Birthday to my oldest baby! It's difficult to wrap my head around the fact that he's 21 now. And about to become a daddy. I distinctly remember him being a baby, and quite honestly, it doesn't seem like it was that long ago. I don't feel any older, so how does this happen?
I know. I know.
Anyway.
We're back from our relaxing weekend in the wilds. It was wonderful. The weather was beautiful. The company awesome. The kids all had friends down either for the entire weekend, the afternoon, or just overnight and they had a blast. We hung with the family and friends and also had a blast.
There were geese, eagles, frogs, deer sightings, fish, turtles, tons of Mayflies, and the huge spider I stepped on while barefoot. My sister's dog caught two groundhogs, so there were two funeral services for said beasties.
Good sleeping, good eating, lots of laughter - Great weekend.
And now we're home again - with insanity looming on the schedule.
I want to go back.
Behave!

Sunday Funny

<...>Behave!

The Gnomes Did It

....It's getting ugly!
And I'm scared.
Stay tuned...
Behave

Feel Good Friday

Here we are at Friday again!
And here's the list:
1. Thankfully cooler temperatures. The past two days were nearly unbearable. I'm not ready for that kind of heat yet.
2. Catching up with one of my bff's. Though it meant being on the phone until midnight. It was worth it. I miss her.
3. Camping! Whoot! First campout of the season and I am so looking forward to it.
4. Changing my mind about what I'm working on. Again. Though I am very happy with my decision and I haven't abandoned the other ideas. I'm heavily editing/rewriting a story that I absolutely love - call it a modern Frankenstein story.
5. Strange cooking ideas that actual work out. Store brand brownie mix + a few packets of hot chocolate mix = awesome brownie cookies.
6. Being nearly ready to hit the road for camp.
7. Big baby bellies! About a month until my granddaughter arrives.
8. The fact that even though our calendar is extremely loaded, most of it is fun stuff. Now if I just had an unlimited supply of cash - birthdays, graduation, parties, grandchild - you get the picture.
I'm off!
Behave!

The Resurgence of the Gnomes

Did anyone else watch this show?
I did and I loved it. Especially the fact that their beds were in the wall. ..... You have to watch gnomes. They have attitudes, but usually those attitudes can be adjusted with a healthy dose of liquor and a midnight poker game. I have no problem with that, but they damned well better earn their keep while they're spending all night goofing off and terrorizing the cat. It would be nice if the yardwork was done, and the rest of the housework, too. Mine do nothing, despite the fact that I take care of their garden and make sure they look all spiffy. Even the one in the house is all disdainful and angry-looking. Last night I realized he's standing with his back to the room, which is never good. I want happy gnomes, not gnomes that look so evil that I fear for my life every night.
I think I might have to go into gnome negotiations to make sure I get what I want while I'm providing them a place to live. They've been somewhat disgruntled every since Nic visited a while back. I think Nic's fairy talk riled them up and now all they can think about is "fairy relations". Sick and something I so don't need to know about.
I have a feeling these negotiations are going to take a while.
Wish me luck.
Behave!

Answer!

Which of the following is the truth:
1. Upon opening the camper, a large rodent ran out between my legs. Bigger than a mouse. I screamed like a little girl and slammed the door. After gathering my wits, I armed myself with a metal pole and reopened the door. Nothing ran out, but the distinct odor of rodent urine and little fluffy bits of fabric filled our sweet summer haven. I am not happy. And I'm not sure if it was a squirrel or a rat. The extent of the damage is not yet known, but it looks like we'll be dragging our old trusty tent along this weekend, just in case the camper is now a rodent house. Joy. Nah! And Nat's right, I probably would have said something very unlady like.
2. Because I'm lazy, I drove the 'burban around my sister's yard to get to the camper. I had stuff to transfer and didn't want to have to walk too far. After taking care of my business, I pulled forward to turn around and made my first big mistake - mud. And a lot of it, too - like a swamp to my axles. Four wheel drive wasn't helping. She won't be happy with me for the damage to her yard. I was less happy with having to have her father-in-law pull my big ass out with the tractor. Also a no. Though I was a little worried when I had to put it in four wheel drive, but there was no damage and no getting stuck.
3. After taking care of my business with the camper, I decided to be nice and give my sister's camper a looksee for small rodents. Unbelievably, we somehow managed to get through another year parked next to their camper without a single dropping in ours, and I really wanted to tell her theirs was all clear as well. We have the same key for our campers, so I unlocked their door. And promptly broke the only key we know the whereabouts to off in their lock. I managed to get the door closed and locked, but now we have a stub for a key. Oh, and they still have mice. Yep. Luckily, I found our other set of keys. We were sure they'd fallen into an abyss somewhere and my brother-in-law is still able to get into their mice-ridden camper.
So there you have it.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

The pre-camping edition.
So today the dog had a grooming appointment for her summer cut. It takes hours. So, I figured I'd check out the camper, grab our coolers, and hope like heck the camper didn't have mice.
Which of the following is the truth:
1. Upon opening the camper, a large rodent ran out between my legs. Bigger than a mouse. I screamed like a little girl and slammed the door. After gathering my wits, I armed myself with a metal pole and reopened the door. Nothing ran out, but the distinct odor of rodent urine and little fluffy bits of fabric filled our sweet summer haven. I am not happy. And I'm not sure if it was a squirrel or a rat. The extent of the damage is not yet known, but it looks like we'll be dragging our old trusty tent along this weekend, just in case the camper is now a rodent house. Joy.
2. Because I'm lazy, I drove the 'burban around my sister's yard to get to the camper. I had stuff to transfer and didn't want to have to walk too far. After taking care of my business, I pulled forward to turn around and made my first big mistake - mud. And a lot of it, too - like a swamp to my axles. Four wheel drive wasn't helping. She won't be happy with me for the damage to her yard. I was less happy with having to have her father-in-law pull my big ass out with the tractor.
3. After taking care of my business with the camper, I decided to be nice and give my sister's camper a looksee for small rodents. Unbelievably, we somehow managed to get through another year parked next to their camper without a single dropping in ours, and I really wanted to tell her theirs was all clear as well. We have the same key for our campers, so I unlocked their door. And promptly broke the only key we know the whereabouts to off in their lock. I managed to get the door closed and locked, but now we have a stub for a key. Oh, and they still have mice.
So which one is the truth?
Behave!

My Life

<....This is what I have to listen to. Constantly.
I do not understand.
Behave!

What I Learned...

At the retreat.
Yeah, I know I've been home for a week now, but it's still relevant.
1. The retreat's not only about word count. Or it doesn't have to be about word count.
2. Sometimes you have to give yourself permission to say you don't think you know what you're doing.
3. There are always people at the retreat to either kick you back into the chair, or hold your hand while you figure it out.
4. It's okay to feel frustrated and apathetic as long as you don't let it rule you.
5. Dancing in the hall is a good way to unclog your brain.
6. People shouldn't tell you they think they see someone walking in and out of your room (especially when what they see isn't really there) until after you are done sleeping there. (We've always thought the retreat site was haunted.)
7. Sometimes the idea you need is already on your hard drive.
8. Saying you're going to sleep in doesn't mean you'll get to.
9. Having no voice is not an excuse for not writing.
10. If you keep the temperature of your room too hot or too cold, people will not want to linger and talk to you.
There's probably more. But the bottom line is that I went to the retreat in somewhat of a crisis. I had no idea what I wanted to work on and while I ended up with a great idea that I will eventually craft into a book, I was still 'meh' about everything. After spending a lot of time talking and thinking and brainstorming, a short story I wrote a while back was mentioned and it's now being turned into a full length book.
And yes, even with all of the power washing and the insanity of my home, I did manage to open the document and write a few dozen words today. And that makes me feel fantastic.
Behave.

Feel Good Friday - The Saturday Edition

The week was like a runaway freight train full of rattlesnakes and scorpions, with a few alligators thrown in for good measure and a rabid dingo or two . Yes, it was that bad.
But, let me see if I can find some good in there anyway. Might be a short list.
1. B bringing me wildflowers.
2. Hanging out with good friends.
3. People who love the retreat as much as I do.
4. Bon fires in the backyard.
5. Sleeping in this morning.
6. Power washing my patio.
Umm...that's about it right now, though there are probably a few other good things I just can't think of right now. It wouldn't be B's knee injury, the microwave blowing up, or even how insane the next few weeks are going to be, or how my writing time has been inadequate.
That is all.
Behave!

Yeah. It's Like That.

....Very funny. And, sadly, very true.

Feel Good Friday tomorrow.

Behave!

What Day Is It?

My week has definitely been off-kilter.
Not only am I having a little trouble adjusting to "life as we know it" after the retreat, all of this other stuff keeps popping in just to keep me off balance. I mentioned the chaos on Monday. Well...it hasn't gone away.
I'm tired. I feel like I'm running on auto-pilot right now and can't tell you how thrilled I am that tomorrow is Friday. (Though I still keep thinking today is Wednesday. That's what life without Supernatural will do to you!)
I won't go through the list, because while it's burdensome, it's mostly boring. But at least you'll know that there's just stuff going on in case I disappear in the void. I hope I don't, but you never know.
Behave!

Answer!

Sorry it's late. I got derailed by ER visits, doctor appointments, and the usual stuff of life.
Here we go with the answer!

1. One year my sisters and I decided to decorate Mom's birthday cake with fresh lilacs. When cake time came around, we had a nasty mess of disgusting flowers and gross icing. I can't remember what happened next, except that we ate the cake anyway. I know there are pictures of the three of us holding this cake that we absolutely slaved over and were very proud of. Very true. A nice gesture, I suppose, considering Mom said lilacs were her favorite flower.
2. We'd planned a birthday blowout on a significant birthday year for mom. It was supposed to be a surprise, but I think she knew. Anyway. We had pouring down rain, ticks, and a gas leak siren during the party. Apparently, we were supposed to evacuate the area, but we had no idea. No one died. And I think it turned out okay, despite the mud and wetness. True. We had a blast and since we were unaware about the gas leak, we were just very annoyed by the siren.
3. Several years ago, we went out to a Chinese buffet for Mom's birthday. Eight out of ten of us ended up with food poisoning. I managed to be one of the lucky ones, probably because I wouldn't touch Egg Drop soup with a ten foot pole. Everyone always jokingly suggests that we try it again, but no one ever means it. Never happened.
Might be back with more later!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

The birthday edition!
In honor of my mom's birthday, we're doing Tall Tale Tuesday birthday style!
Which of the following is a lie:
1. One year my sisters and I decided to decorate Mom's birthday cake with fresh lilacs. When cake time came around, we had a nasty mess of disgusting flowers and gross icing. I can't remember what happened next, except that we ate the cake anyway. I know there are pictures of the three of us holding this cake that we absolutely slaved over and were very proud of.
2. We'd planned a birthday blowout on a significant birthday year for mom. It was supposed to be a surprise, but I think she knew. Anyway. We had pouring down rain, ticks, and a gas leak siren during the party. Apparently, we were supposed to evacuate the area, but we had no idea. No one died. And I think it turned out okay, despite the mud and wetness.
3. Several years ago, we went out to a Chinese buffet for Mom's birthday. Eight out of ten of us ended up with food poisoning. I managed to be one of the lucky ones, probably because I wouldn't touch Egg Drop soup with a ten foot pole. Everyone always jokingly suggests that we try it again, but no one ever means it.
So which one is the lie?
Happy Birthday, Mom!
Behave!

Back to Reality

I think I want to go back. Now.
I came home to absolute chaos. I arrived home before the family, giving me just enough time to pull out the computer and start my laundry. Then there were hugs and talking and lunch making. I missed my family. A lot. I wanted to take a nap. That didn't happen.
Because of schedule conflicts and whatnot, we ended up scheduling my mom's surprise birthday celebration Sunday evening. We wanted to do a huge shindig, but absolutely nothing worked in our favor for it. Coordination talks went on for weeks before we finally had to compromise our grand plan and do what we could, which made us all sad (because we wanted the shindig for her).
(Let me back up a minute to fill in details. K3 went on an overnight hike with the Scouts Saturday. They hiked the A.T., camping somewhere north of here. His first time, and not only was he nervous, I was too. He did great, though he came home filthy, very sore, and with blisters on both feet. And he came home approximately 45 minutes before we had to leave for Mom's party. And he had homework that needed to be done before this morning.)
So, we did the party, which was fun, despite the boatload of cash B and I dropped for dinner. It was great that Mom's friends brought another friend Mom hadn't seen in a long time. We, my younger sisters more than I, kind of grew up with this woman and even after all she's been through the past couple of years, she's still sharp as a tack and fun to be around. (As in, she apologized for running over my foot with her wheel chair after she was done laughing. ha!) It was late when we got home and there was still homework to be done.
Anyway. Today was total chaos in so many ways. I won't go into details here because I'm not sure I have the space, but here's the summary: too much laundry, filthy house, house guests, truck needs a new ignition switch and won't start half the time, no food in the house, band concerts, full calendar this week...you get the picture.
I'm hopeful for Tall Tale Tuesday tomorrow. We shall see if I have anything worthwhile.
Behave!

Retreat! Last Day!

Well, it's nearly time to go. And I'm sad. And happy.
Leaving the retreat is always bittersweet.
We always think another day would be great, but the true fact is that is wouldn't be. I love being here - love having nothing to do but write, but I miss my family, too. The retreat is one of those perfect places. At least for me. By the time I go home I am recharged and comfortable in my writer's skin. It's easier to focus on the writing with everything else going on at home because I've had this time to recommit to my career and goals. I've been with other people who share my wants and needs and who understand how my brain works.
This year hasn't been about word counts. At all. It's been about figuring out what I need to do - finding my spark and maybe even a part of myself. I am ready to go home. Ready to continue with my next project - which, as it turns out, has been under my nose for a while now.
So...
Until next year, retreat room. Thank you for being here when I need you the most.
Behave!

Retreat! Day Three! Update...

*Our injured duck returned to the nest around lunchtime. She's sore and bruised, but no major damage was done. She recieved copious amounts of tickets and attention, including having lunch brought to her room and she's feeling much better now.
*We give out raffle tickets every year for a chance to win a prize. This year (at dinner tonight) I've instituted a new way to get tickets..."Convince me you deserve them." I think I'll keep it for next year.
*On the writing front, I have made what I think is a good decision and am once again feeling good about things. Excited, even. Things feel right and the weight and fog are gone. Yes!
*Tonight is our annual game. Then a trip to the graveyard for frivolity. Then probably a dance party. And then more work.
The retreat has gone far too fast this year.
More later.
Behave!

Retreat! Day Three!

Wow! The time is going too fast.
Did pretty good with the word count yesterday until I realized I wasn't really feeling the new shiny. Hit a brick wall of "what the heck am I doing?". Still don't know, but am more relaxed about it anyway. Not sure what I'm going to work on today, but releasing myself from expecting a huge word count has helped. I have a feeling I'm going to have a long list of "what I learned at the retreat" when I get home.
Last night was out with the gang. There were 10 of us at Applebee's for snacks and drinks. We had a blast and it was really good to begin to get to know some of our newer members. We got back late and, of course, I couldn't sleep. I decided I'd sleep in this morning, because, heck, why not? Had a crappy night's sleep on top of the difficulty falling asleep.
I opened my eyes a few minutes before my alarm was about to go off and decided, yes, I was staying in bed. Drifting off again when there's a commotion in the hall. Then a knock on my door. I ignored it, figuring they'd go away. Then my phone rings. Crap. One of our members took a tumble in the shower. The ambulance was called. She had a really big knot on her head and her hip hurt really bad. She's at the hospital now, so we're waiting to hear what's up with her.
Update later.
Behave!

Dear Supernatural People,

Pardon the break in Retreat madness for a Supernatural squee moment.
We finally got to watch the season finale today and...Holy Crap!!
Amazing!!
I don't think I can properly recap it enough. Maybe we'll get a chance to watch again before we go home and I can write a decent post about it. But I have to tell you I can't stop thinking about it. It was amazing! Fantastically Amazing!
Behave!

Retreat! Day Two!

And Feel Good Friday!
Here's the list:
1. Feeling better, though I have no voice! (yes, the voice is gone. I have a little squeak now.)
2. Sleeping really good last night.
3. Retreat! What else do I have to say about that? No cooking, no cleaning...
4. Coming to the realization that this weekend isn't really about seeing how many words I can get on the page. It's about me and writing and doing what I want/need to. I do have words. I have a fair amount of them as I explore this new story idea, but I've given myself permission to set it aside and continue my edits if I get to a place where that would be more productive. And that is good.
5. Going out later!
6. Being here tomorrow, too!
It's going to be a short list, because pretty much everything about today has been awesome!
Behave!

Retreat! Day One - Continued

Dear Retreat Room,

I have missed you so much! I am very happy to be back inside of you. (except for the fly that's buzzing my head! Where did he come from? We're on the 3rd floor with no open windows. He will have to die.) Your bed is comfy, your blankets warm and I have all of the pillows to myself.

I love that as I sit at my nifty table and rest my feet on the bed that I can lean my head over and see Simon, and that all I have to do is holler and she'll look up - like when I find a great song on the 'pod that I think she needs to listen. I love that Natalie is the next room up from Simon and even though I can't see her, all I have to do is walk a few feet and I'm bothering her. I love being surrounded by so many people who don't think I'm all that weird.

I love the bathroom that is all mine and not shared by anyone else. I love the fluffy towels waiting in there for me and even the "sanitized for your protection" thingy that covered the toilet when I first arrived. I love being able to set the room temperature any degree I want (right now, it's super hot because I'm freezing.) and there's no one to complain about it. I love not having to think about what to make for dinner and not having to cook - that I can stay at my nifty table until it's time to eat.

Also, I love my new story - though I'm very early into it. I do have character names now thanks to K2, but no title for this one yet either.

So thank you, retreat room, for being here for me yet again, for helping to inspire me, for giving a place to call just mine even if it's only for a little while. I appreciate you more than I can say.

(The only thing that would make things better is if this stupid cold would lighten up already. I did take half a dose of Nyquil and it helped, so I'm hopeful.)

More later.

Behave!

Retreat! Day One!

Finally!
Up very early this morning to finish getting ready and to take care of the bake sale items for the fundraising car wash this weekend. (Did I mention how busy the weekend suddenly got?) Took the kids to school, but not without making a return trip home for the missing backpack and swimming stuff. Finally get back home just as Simon pulls up, load the car, jump in and squeal.
Miss our intended Sheetz stop. Try to plot my new book. Finally find a Sheetz for breakfast. Finally, finally, finally got here! Whoot!
I am all set up in my room with Metallica blasting on the iPod. Attendees are rolling in left and right so I haven't been able to get much writing done yet. Plus, until about an hour ago, I still had no idea of what I was working on. Now I do and it's going to kick some serious butt.
We'll be heading out to lunch very soon, and then it'll be back here for writing and attendee checking in.
Oh, and did I mention I've been blessed with a seriously sucky cold? Yeah. I feel like absolute hell right now, so I think a nap will be on my afternoon agenda as well.
More later!
Whoot! Retreat!
Behave!

Answer!

Good guessing...

Here we go with the answer!

1. I noticed the dog had something large in her mouth earlier. When I stepped outside to see what she was into, I found a large male duck in her mouth. He was dead and I don't think she killed him. I'm a little confused as to how the duck came to be dead in our yard. You'll also be surprised to know that I managed to remove the duck from the very protective dog and hide it so she couldn't get to it again...though I don't know what to do with it now. Do you throw it away or bury it? I'll let B figure that one out. Nope. But there were ducks in my back yard. The neighbor said one was wounded. K2 took pictures. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see them since they were gone by the time I got home.

2. K3 had a dental procedure this morning to remove several stuck baby teeth. They gave him nitrous. The last time they gave it to him, he hated it. I think he liked it a little too much this time. Not only did he ramble constantly the whole way home, he sang to me, including songs I didn't even know he knew. Yes! It was an interesting experience. All I could think about was how much bigger than me his is, and what was I going to do if he fell down or something. He sang Michael Jackson to me the whole way home and insisted I stop to buy him some applesauce.

3. I mentioned yesterday how I demolished my only pair of jeans, but I didn't mention how. Maybe because it's embarrassing to reveal that as a grown woman, I decided I could still climb trees as well as I did when I was a kid. Not only did I wedge myself between branches, but I got the butt of my jeans caught on a particularly sharp stub of a branch and tore the seat right out of my well-worn jeans. Nope. The truth is: the thing that holds the button in place ripped and then the zipper wouldn't stay up at all. It made for a very uncomfortable day.

Tomorrow! I will be blogging from the RETREAT!! And, since I found the camera and the cord, and remembered to buy batteries, there will pictures!
Until then...
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Tuesday's rolling right along, which is fantastic because it's one day closer to the retreat!
Here we go with Tall Tale Tuesday!
Which of the following is the truth:
1. I noticed the dog had something large in her mouth earlier. When I stepped outside to see what she was into, I found a large male duck in her mouth. He was dead and I don't think she killed him. I'm a little confused as to how the duck came to be dead in our yard. You'll also be surprised to know that I managed to remove the duck from the very protective dog and hide it so she couldn't get to it again...though I don't know what to do with it now. Do you throw it away or bury it? I'll let B figure that one out.
2. K3 had a dental procedure this morning to remove several stuck baby teeth. They gave him nitrous. The last time they gave it to him, he hated it. I think he liked it a little too much this time. Not only did he ramble constantly the whole way home, he sang to me, including songs I didn't even know he knew.
3. I mentioned yesterday how I demolished my only pair of jeans, but I didn't mention how. Maybe because it's embarrassing to reveal that as a grown woman, I decided I could still climb trees as well as I did when I was a kid. Not only did I wedge myself between branches, but I got the butt of my jeans caught on a particularly sharp stub of a branch and tore the seat right out of my well-worn jeans.
So...Which one is the truth? And yes, there's only one. ha!
Behave!

Whoa Monday!

All I can say is...Thank goodness it's over!
Again, it's been one of those days when I've been on the go for pretty much all of it...appointments, band concert, stop at the store on the way home because someone used the final sheet of toilet paper right as we were leaving, a run to the department store after dropping B and the younger K's at home, because I demolished my only pair of jeans today and there was no way I could wear them any longer. Yay me. But the upside to that is I got some stuff I needed for the retreat and I found a pair of jeans on sale.
Two more days until the retreat and I have at least four days worth of stuff to do before then. The weekend is insane for B and the kids, so extensive coordination is a must. But I made it through today and did get a lot of stuff done, so it's all good. But tomorrow is much of the same, though I have to tell you, I look forward to getting everything done so my relaxation time at the retreat is even more totally worth it. And a shiny new! Whoot!
That is all.
Behave!

Sunday Random

Happy Mothers Day to all of you Moms.
We did some celebrating yesterday and last night and had a very awesome time doing it. First we had to clean up our camping site, which was work, but fun. Let me just say I love power washing. I'm borrowing it to do our patio and I can't wait!
Anyway.
K2 dropped her phone in the creek. Awesome that. She's currently getting a new one after much woe and angst over the whole thing. Then...then, she left her truck keys in my truck and I got the whole way home when she called and told me. So I had to drive back up in my wet pants and frozen feet. But, the rest of the night was good and included good friends, good bands, and a lot of talking and laughing.
Today is moving slow, which is good. I know a lot of people think Mom shouldn't work today, but I had things I had to get done and I feel much better after accomplishing them. This week is nuts, with much to do before I leave for the retreat.
So there you have it.
Happy Mothers Day, Mom! I love you!
Behave!

Dear Supernatural People,

Wow.
I loved Death. (Yes, that sounds weird, but you know what I mean) The idea that neither he nor God knows who's older is very interesting to me, and the fact that Lucifer has him on some kind of a leash. I don't know what to believe though, and I guess that's good. Part of me thinks he doesn't expect Sam and Dean to let Sam say yes, because, let's face it, those boys rarely do what you think they'll do, or what they're expected to do. And then I see the previews, and it looks like Sam did say yes. And poor Dean's beaten and swollen face...
Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Crowley ammending he and Bobby's agreement so Bobby could walk was fantastic. I actually hooted! And Cass is back! Fantastic. Except that he's human now. I loved the scene with Cass and Bobby where he was starting to complain about having nothing and Bobby jumped on him. Nicely done.
The vomit was pretty gross, especially the hugging while Pestilence was covered with it. Ick.
I'm a little all over the place with my thoughts here. I'm hoping to get to watch it again today, but we'll see. Maybe I should have waited to write this until after!
That is all.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

The short list:
1. It's Friday. Obviously.
2. Even though I can't really sleep in tomorrow, I'm looking forward to the day.
3. And the evening.
4. Gas points.
5. Retreat in less than a week.
6. Getting stuff caught up!
Okay. That's enough for now. Dear Supernatural People post in a little while.
Behave.

Editing Diary

While my brain develops what to start at the retreat, I've begun edits on the story I just finished.
Here's how it's going:
1:57pm: Decide I have to do some editing.
Check email. Inbox is still empty. Open folder, click through several stories I haven't looked at in a while. Open short story. Consider it as a full length book. Add to brain pile. Finally open document to begin editing. Write note to fix something on page one. Again on page two. Pick extra paper off the side of my notebook. Check email. Note from B. Answer him. Ask a question. Back to wip. More notes. Stop to think. More notes. Get up to look out window because of the wind. Check email. Get answer from B. Ask something different. Quick social networking check. Nothing's changed since 1:56. Feed dog. Listen to see if the dryer is still running. Look at TV and wonder why it's still on, but do nothing to turn it off. Email again. Answer from B. Add his requests to grocery list. Think about dinner. Look at clock.
Decide to blog. Here I am.
2:31pm
So that's how I have only managed to get to page 10 in a half an hour.
Stay tuned.
Behave!

Good Thing...Bad Thing

Good Thing:
I am finally caught up with all of my obligations.
Bad Thing:
It took me three days to do it.

Good Thing:
I will be starting a new project at the retreat.
Bad Thing:
I have no idea what it will be. (I do have several ideas)

Good Thing:
Kids feeling better.
Bad Thing:
Waking up to hear "I puked".

Good Thing:
Supernatural tonight.
Bad Thing:
Only one more episode after tonight and that airs while I'm at the retreat without a television. (It will be fine though - thank goodness for iTunes)

Good Thing:
This time next week I'll be at the retreat!!
Bad Thing:
There isn't one!

That's all for today!
Behave!

Answer!

Sliding in under the wire tonight!
Ready?
1. Cookie dough from K2's Valentine's cooking making. The face is food coloring. The little ball of dough was formed to talk to the eggs watching from the sidelines. Do not ask, because I don't have an answer. No. But highly possible!
2. A clove of garlic. The face was there when the skin came off. K2 didn't want me to use it, but I did anyway. I told her the little garlic face would make her happy in her belly and she believed me. Yes. It was pretty cool. And we ate it. And were happy.
3. The head from a clay creation K4 made in kindergarten. The little statue was on the shelf in the kitchen. I came downstairs in the morning and the head was on the counter - far, far away from its body. I'm not sure how that happened and it's kind of freaky if you think about it. Nah. But also possible!
That is all.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Couldn't find the camera cord, so this one will have to do.
What is it?
1. Cookie dough from K2's Valentine's cooking making. The face is food coloring. The little ball of dough was formed to talk to the eggs watching from the sidelines. Do not ask, because I don't have an answer.
2. A clove of garlic. The face was there when the skin came off. K2 didn't want me to use it, but I did anyway. I told her the little garlic face would make her happy in her belly and she believed me.
3. The head from a clay creation K4 made in kindergarten. The little statue was on the shelf in the kitchen. I came downstairs in the morning and the head was on the counter - far, far away from its body. I'm not sure how that happened and it's kind of freaky if you think about it.
So which one is the truth?
Behave!

What I Want...

1. Laundry that does itself.
2. A house that cleans itself.
3. For summer plans to be solidified so I'm not stuck in the unknown zone and can actually make plans.
4. A really big computer bag.
5. To make sure there are no mice in our camper.
6. Camping!
7. The retreat to be here - though I don't want to wish away the time either.
8. New sneakers. Mine hurt my feet badly.
9. The college financials to come so we know where we stand for the fall.
10. Chickens.
Tall Tale Tuesday's coming up in a bit - providing I can find my camera cord.
Behave!

Sunday Funny

Behave!

May One

Indulge me a little, please...Holy Cow!! It's May already!!
Ha! (Though I do really mean that!)
Anyway. Today was the hottest day (so far) of the year, with temps reaching near 90 in some places. In a few months, the temps of today will be bearable, but coming off of freezing to death...It was pretty stinking hot. Not that I'm complaining, because I'm not.
Chapter meeting this morning - very fantastical time, lots of laughing, great speaker. K4 happens to love our speaker's books, so Grandma brought her to the end of the meeting so she could meet her and get her new book. K4 was thrilled and is very proud of her personalized books. She's spent the afternoon reading, which is always good, but very normal for her. Lunch was good and so was the conversation.
Then...the day kind of just...went.
Though the super secret retreat items have been manufactured and are currently spread all over my dining room drying. And they turned out spectacularly, thanks to Misty's super human ability with a pair of scissors. Teenagers have created chaos. So has the dog. Dinner was pizza.
In all...
A very good day.
And now I'm going to go figure out what to write at the retreat before I start editing the very terrible, completely awful book.
Behave!

Dear Supernatural People,

Good episode!
Pestilence! Max Headroom! Yes!
I liked the way this one started at the end of last week and flowed right in. Little concerned about the janitor guy at first. It took me a while to realize he was really Brady (the bastard!). Well, to be fair it wasn't really Brady's fault. Poor Sam. Is everything he thought good tainted by evil?
It was good to see the demon communication device still in action - as gross as it is. The flies were a nice touch. Brady was ruthless and a total douche, but it was very well done. Crowley. Love him and I hope he's not yanking their chain. He hasn't yet, but then we didn't think Ruby was either. So...
Sam's squinty-eyed assessment of Brady after he told them where to find Pestilence and his final revenge was nicely done. Dean watching as his brother soaked in what Brady was saying. Those are things I'm sure Sam's thought of many times.
I think Bobby's going to do it. I really do. I think he'll want his legs to work again as his payment. Which would be cool, but at the same time my stomach hurts at the thought. He's so desperate though, so tired, so sick of feeling like he's not helping. Crowley better not be lying to him.
I wish next week was here already. The previews are totally cool and I love the music.
This one is definitely one of my favorites this season.
Until next week. (And *sobs* not thinking about there only being 2 more weeks!)
Behave

Feel Good Friday

Here's the list:
1. Beautiful sunny days!
2. Girl weekend!
3. Supernatural last night. (post on that later)
4. Somehow managing to stay in the 50/50 challenge.
5. Tomorrow's meeting.
6. Retreat countdown. And my dining room being full of retreat stuff.
7. Dogs that love to open presents even if they can smell its not a treat.
8. Cool new pens.
9. New shiny ideas that are forming.
10. Dinner out with my baby girl.
That's all for now.
Behave!