Wedding Recap...

Weddings are weddings. Each the same and each different with the obvious bride, groom, locations, ect. Wedding guests are the same, too. They clump together with the people they know, they dance, they're friendly to other guests, and they feel honored to have been invited.

The first wedding we went to was one where I'd only met the groom a few times, and never the bride. I spent most of my time hanging with my hubby and observing the other guests.

The second wedding was close friends - friends that are really, truly family. Those are the best weddings, hands down, because you have that connection - not just with the bride and groom, but with most of the guests. You're hanging out with friends and celebrating.

The third wedding was a cross between the above. The groom is Godfather to our children, and even though he and his new wife have been together for quiet a while, we haven't had the opportunity to really get to know her. Our lives have taken different paths over the past few years, so the ability to socialize has been nonexistent making part of that connection awkward and lost, but underneath that the reason the friendship was formed is still there. It was a beautiful wedding, and one of the most unique receptions we've ever been to.

The picture is of the reception site, an old tavern built in 1794 that has been restored over the past few years. There was food throughout the building - a kids room - chafing dishes of mac n' cheese and chicken fingers in a bunk room complete with beds and an old wood burning stove, coffee room, and various appetizers in each room. Guests were encouraged to investigate the building, take pictures, and find a place to hang out. Tables were spread through each of the rooms and outside. Candles were everywhere (I don't think the main house has electric). It was kind of hard to see, but not too bad (for adults - it stressed the younger K's out, big time). As the place filled with people, it got horribly hot - bad enough K3 nearly passed out and had to go outside for some air. We ended up leaving early because of that and the general fatigue of the younger kids.

And now, for now, we're done with the wedding circuit. As of right now, the next wedding on the horizon is my cousin's - which will have to travel for, but it's not for about 18 months or so.

The recent weddings just bring home that one day we'll most likely be the parents of the groom and bride. And that'll be a totally different perspective on weddings.

I only hope it's not for a long while!

Behave!

Like I Have Time For This...

Go here to see what I've been spending too much time on today.
I love my blog here at Blogger, but Word Press offers the option of making pages, so I'm using that one like my website.
Check it out - let me know what you think.
I'll be playing with it as time allows, but so far, I'm digging it!
Behave!

Another Wedding Saturday

This one's the last for now.
And since it's not until evening, we can take our time getting ready. Which is different from last week's hurried shower train and run around-ness. Except K2 has a 16th birthday party this morning and she's stressing me out with the details and needing directions. But, that's beside the point.
Oh. A point? Do I have one?
Do I ever? Ha!
Bob's car goes into the shop next week for some exhaust work, so I thought this was appropriate! .... What can I say? Life is reasonably boring at the moment...
Behave!

Friday!

No more Fiesta. That's a summer term and can't be used after Labor day. Kind of like white shoes or whatever. ha!
It's raining here, compliments of Hurricane Ike. I love it. Or I will once I've finished the running around. Looks like the perfect night for movie watching.
Let's see...There's not a lot going on today. So I'll leave you with this: Behave!!

Stay Off the Sidewalks!

There's a new driver on the streets!
K2 nailed her driving test. She took it in the Suburban and parallel parked that beast like it was a tiny little car. As soon as I saw that (I was hiding behind the building so she wouldn't see me), I knew she had it made. She was positive there was no way she was shoving our tank into the allotted space. But I knew she would - it only looked smaller because instead of cones the area is surrounded by those huge highway barriers.
She already has plans to borrow the Suburban tonight. I'm sure I'll cry when she drives away - just like I did with her brother. Another step toward total independence. It's a good thing. And a sad one for Mommy. Kind of.
Last Thursday before new Supernatural! Whoot! Tonight is the rerun of the season finale and since I don't have my season 3 DVD's yet, you can bet your behind I'll be glued to the television making everyone around me be quiet.
That's all...
Behave!

Answers!

The correct answer: 1
A horse took me on a wild ride over uneven terrain and huge piles of brush.
It was a very long time ago. Friends of ours had a beautiful white mare. She had a lot of spirit despite being up there in years. We were outside, clearing some brush on our property. They'd ridden over to check out our progress and say hello. Now I'd ridden this horse many times before and was comfortable with her. Apparently, she felt like trying to freak me out because she took off like a rocket. It was all I could to do hold on. Honestly. I loved it.
The other two were complete and total lies. Nothing similar has even remotely happened to me.
So. Anyway. I know. Lame.
I already told you about my week. No, it hasn't gotten any better, but we are on the downward slide now. New Ghosthunters is on tonight and that makes me happy. AND one more week until new Supernatural.
That's all I have for now.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Sorry I'm later than I intended to be. I won't post the answers until late tomorrow.
Let's see. I'm a little brain fried still, so give me a sec to come up with something at least partially interesting...
Okay. Got it.
How about....
Topic: Random
Which of the below is true.
1. A horse took me for a wild ride over uneven terrain and huge piles of brush.
2. I was chased by bees after accidentally smacking their hive with a stick.
3. We were at a wedding reception at the same hotel where a celebrity was staying and I was mistaken for her.
Well, it might be lame. I'm sorry. It's been a long week already and it's only Tuesday!
Behave!

A Monday List

I haven't had a list for a while, and since my brain is totally fried today...
Ten Reasons I Love Fall:
1. Cooler temperatures.
2. The leaves changing.
3. Pumpkin scented candles.
4. Pumpkin bread.
5. The return of heartier meals, like soups, stews, and all the stuff you don't feel like eating when it's millions of degrees outside.
6. Sweatshirts.
7. The way it smells outside.
8. Halloween!
9. Bon fires.
10. Snuggling under a blanket.
There you go.
Behave!

Weekend Wrap Up...

Well, we lived through the weekend.
What a blast.
The wedding was fantastic, even with the pouring down rain brought by Hanna. And, boy, did it rain hard! Crazy. We actually started out our weekend on Thursday when we went to the bride's parents house for dinner. Then, Friday was the rehearsal dinner, which was a lot of fun and a late night. Saturday morning we were up early to start the shower train (remember 6 people, one bathroom, two teenagers). The rain started right before we left, but it didn't dampen the day one bit. We danced, laughed, and carried on until late. And we decided the new couple should name their first daughter Hanna in honor of their wedding day. Ha! Who knows if they'll agree with that, but we thought it was funny. Also, my mom's been losing weight and when she got out of the car at the wedding I was shocked. I guess I didn't realize how much weight she's lost! She looks fabulous and she had on some kickin' shoes! The younger K's had a blast. They danced, ate cake, and ran around with the other kids.
Oh, and I need to make a minor adjustment to my previous post. Jo took offense to me saying she was our adopted child this weekend since she's not a child. So, she was our house guest and traveling companion. Hopefully that makes her happier.
My pictures aren't that great so I doubt you'll get to see any of them. If I can figure out how to upload one from my phone, I can show you the tower K1 made during dinner Friday night.
This week's a busy one. Lots going on.
Stay tuned, and...
Behave!

Fiesta Friday!

Well. It's Friday. Again.
Let me just back up a minute and say...Wow. September. Already. How did that happen? Ha!! I love fall, so I'm psyched. Kind of.
We have a busy weekend ahead. Not like that's anything new.
Our oldest friend's daughter is getting married tomorrow. We've been friends with them since I was still in high school. B was in their wedding. T was in ours. I used to babysit the bride, so this is kind of weird. It's also only the second wedding most of the K's have been to. K4 is nervous because she doesn't know what to expect. I'm more nervous about waiting until the last minute to find their nice clothes and see if they fit. Yes. I have. ha! K2 is taking care of the guest book and programs, which means we have to be there early. Not to mention, Jo is playing at the wedding and since she's our adopted child this weekend, we have to be there early for her to get set up. And all of that means I'll miss my meeting tomorrow, which makes me a little sad, but the wedding and subsequent after party are sure to be a blast!
And that is all. I doubt you'll hear from me again until Sunday, but hey, you never know! I'm going to remember to take the camera, so maybe I'll have some pictures of the frivolity.
Behave!

Ha!

Behave!

Rambling

Can't do anything about the spots on the picture, but I think you can still see it okay. That's the camper. I'm not sure what day it was, but judging by the minimal amount of towels hanging on the line, I'm going to guess it was Saturday.

Today I'm waiting.

K2 and I ordered new cell phones. Well, she had to get a new one - hers shuts off while she's texting and since I was eligible to upgrade as well, I said what the heck. The phones were free, the shipping was free, and the only thing we're paying for is one activation fee since they waived one. Pretty sweet. Except I can't really go anywhere until they get here since I have to sign for them. And I need to go to the grocery store. Oh well.

Oh, and look on the sidebar there. You can sign up to follow my blog! You can do it anonymously if you want. Don't leave me with zero followers, I feel pathetic enough!

What else?

2 weeks until new Supernatural! I can't wait. There's a new trailer up. It's so awesome. Season 3 came out on DVD Tuesday. No, I didn't get it yet. It'll probably go on my Christmas list.

I cracked my elbow pretty good last night and now it hurts really bad. I don't notice it too much when I'm typing, but bending it more than the minimal amount I have to bend to type hurts pretty bad. Like I needed that on top of the tooth stuff.

That's all for now.

Behave!

Answers!

Okay, so that one wasn't hard.

The answer is:

1. The loss of Internet services.

This. Drives. Me. Crazy. As you well know.

2. Untied shoes - whatever.

3. Barking dogs - definitely annoying.

4. Sirens - loud.

5. Not being able to find the TV remote - doesn't bug me downstairs, but if I can't find the one in my room I get cranky.

And...

To the left is one of the pictures I took over the weekend. I swear, I have enough pictures of Jo to post one a day for a month. It seemed like she was always in front of my camera. And, like she said in my comments, every picture is blog fodder.

So there you have it.

Feeling a bit pitiful right now thanks to the beginning of what is probably going to be some lengthy dental work. Yay me.

Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Here we are again.

Ready?

The subject: Things that irritate me.

Which one of these irritates me the most?

1. The loss of Internet services.

2. Untied shoes.

3. Barking dogs.

4. Sirens.

5. Not being able to find the TV remote.

Yeah, I know I gave you more choices this week.

Still no prizes.

Isn't that picture pretty? We were surrounded by wildflowers this weekend. Our creek-front property was loaded with yellow and red flowers. B picked me a huge bouquet of all different types of flowers and put them in a coffee cup from the beach. Beautiful and perfect.

Behave!

Back From the Wilds

Again! And for the last time this year. Well, probably for the last time this year.

Anyway.

I have lots of pictures and lots of stories to share.

We didn't have as many nights this time because of rain, but we still had a blast. Well, if you don't count the fact that I almost blew up the engine in my truck and my broken tooth.

That's all for now. I'm weary, filthy, and have a million and a half tons of laundry to take care of!

Behave!

Sunday!

And we're picnicking at the meadow!
Hope you're having an enjoyable holiday weekend! I know we are!
I'll probably have some pictures to post over the coming week! The camera's already packed and ready to go.
Behave!

Blogiversary!

It's my two year blog anniversary! Who knew I'd still have something (nothing) to say!! Ha!
Picture cracks me up. I don't know where that street is, but it reminds me of the time B and I were driving around hopelessly lost. The macadam road turned to stone, then to dirt, then to barely a path. We saw a road sign "cemetery lane" and turned down thinking it had to lead back to civilization. Only it didn't. We ended up in a really scary place - like we'd been led there to die. There was an old cabin with sheets hanging in the glassless windows and a man standing on his front porch with a shotgun. The road ended right in front of the cabin, and no, there wasn't a cemetery around at all.
No. I am not lying.
Enjoy Saturday!
Behave!

Fiesta Friday!

It's a good question!
I want to live in that lighthouse!
That's all for now!
Behave!!

Writing Challenge Stats

I talked about the writing challenge going on with a small group of my writing friends. It's over now, and our results were incredible.
June was a tough month for all of us. Daily writing was difficult and finding a routine seemed impossible. Hence, the birth of the writing challenge. We used page counts for five out of seven days - so if you worked all seven, you kept your five highest count days. That left ample room for summer fun/obligations. The scoring was: one point for each page of new work and one point for five pages of edits/revisions. We all kicked in some cash for the prizes, and at the end of the week, the winner got a nifty Barnes and Noble gift card.
Everyone won at least once. Some of us won twice (raising hand), but what's really amazing is the amount of work we did. We didn't count critiquing, even for each other.
Between the five of us in seven weeks:
We wrote a total of 1, 050.50 pages. (translates into 262,625 words)
We edited a total of 4622.50 pages. (which is the equivalent to about 12 books.)
Together, that's about 14 books between 5 people in less than two months! We even impressed ourselves. I'd just made a comment about feeling like I didn't get anything done over the summer. Then, our fantastic spread sheet guru sent the tallies. And remember, this challenge started after the fourth of July. We had an entire month before that without reporting in.
We also did critiques for each other and our other critique partners. I did four full-length books, two partials, a short story, and several chapter critiques. But, like I said, those numbers weren't counted because the point of the challenge was to get new pages/revise our own stuff. Forward progress.
I'm still amazed at how awesome we did.
Now that school is back in session, we won't need such a high motivator all the time - just an occasional kick here and there.
So, there you have it.
I have to tell you, I feel pretty darned lucky that these ladies are with me on this journey. They keep me moving, help me keep my hope, refuse to let me burn frustrating manuscripts, tell me when something sucks hard, and hold my hand when life hands over crap.
Enough sap. I need to get to work.
Behave!

My Kid

I usually don't post pictures/videos of my kids, but this one's a little different. I also refrain from religious or political commentary, but this, too, is different. K2 is in this video. She plays the lead girl. This is the performance that was recieved so greatly that they've performed it at other venues. It highlights the struggles teenagers go through on a daily basis. Grab some tissues.

Behave!

Answers!

No one guessed correctly!
The answer...
Number 3.
I have never had a black eye.
I may have had a bruise somewhere near my eye, but as far as I can remember I've never had a swollen, purple and black eye.
I don't know the exact amount of stitches I've had during my lifetime, but it's not fifty. Probably closer to half that.
No one ever recognized me in the emergency room. Not even back in the day.
So, this one was harder as promised. Heck, it was even hard for me! ha!
Next week I'll do silly things.
Getting in the swing of the school routine just in time for a long holiday weekend. Go figure.
That's all.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Okay. Here we are again.
Two lies. One truth.
You figure out which one is true.
Today's subject: Injuries.
1. I have had an approximate total of 50 stitches in various places on my body.
2. At one time, they recognized me in the emergency room.
3. I have never had a black eye.
Hopefully this one is hard enough. ha!
Answers tomorrow.
Behave!

And They're Off!

First day of school!
We sent them off - three different schools, three different times...new experiences.
K2 couldn't stop saying that this is her second to last first day of school. It's hard enough thinking about next year being her last year of school. It's hard enough thinking about her being a junior this year. But, they're all off to their respective schools, and B and I are hanging out for the day. Which is kind of a lie, because I'm on the computer and he's on the phone taking care of work business. But, we have plans for lunch and other running in a little while, so it's really not a lie.
And I'm completely weirded out that school is in session again. It just does not seem like we even had summer. I think back, look over my previous posts, and still wonder what the heck happened. I don't know. Usually, I'm ready for the routine to start again, but I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet. I think the kids were though, so that's all that matters.
Anyway.
That's all for today. Excuse me while I wander around the house, reveling in the silence while I miss the chaos and the summer I feel like we didn't have.
Behave!

Saturday...

Once again, I went somewhere interesting, and once again, I forgot the camera.
Figures. I would have had some good pictures, too.
We had B's company picnic today. This year, they had it at a camp and all the camp amenities were available for us to use. It was a blast, but man, am I tired.
So, I'll tell you the pictures I would have had.
K4 all by herself in a kayak for the very first time. (she loved it and didn't want to get off the lake)
K3 nearly falling out of his saddle on the trail ride. (he'd never been on a horse before, but caught on quickly and had a blast.
K2 and her "friend-that's-a-boy-but-not-her-boyfriend" (this is what we call him) soaking each other while in kayaks.
Horse butts.
Trail poop. (I know you would have loved both of those)
The top of a mountain. (awesomely cool to be there)
This little stone thing with a tiny little door.
The roof of a cabin with what looked like the entire inside contents on top. (It looked like a youth group camp out. And I'm assuming the boys did this to the girls from the pink towels and pillows on the roof. Very amusing)
A huge pile of steaming tan bark. Huge pile. (I wanted to drive over it, but B said that was a bad idea. Go figure.)
There you have it. I'll bet you already have some mental images for the horse butts and trail poop.
ha!
Behave!

Friday...

Don't know what happened to yesterday...I appear to have that issue on Thursdays. And it's not like anything was really going on around here anyway. It was a long, crappy day for the most part, full of house cleaning, laundry, and minor kerfluffles.
Today's the last Friday of summer vacation and we're heading out for school shopping.
Yeah. Pray for me.
I have three very detailed, very long lists of required school supplies and clothing. K2 has her own separate list of stuff she wants, which she will be funding, but requires my vehicle services and patience while I wait for her to make her selections. I have my own list of required items, that they'll have to be patient through. And we have to do the "meet and greet" thing with K4's teachers this afternoon. Then, there's the grocery shopping, which is probably not getting done today. I'm almost sure the only visit to the grocery store I'll make today will be to grab what is absolutely necessary over the next two days. The thought of coupons and long, detailed lists, hauling numerous bags inside and putting them away is like a nightmare on a regular day.
At worst, I'll have some interesting blog fodder from our adventure. ha!
That is all.
Behave!

Answers!

Okay, so this week wasn't as well received as last week, but whatever. I'm having fun doing it, so it'll continue.
The winner? My mom.
She tried to post a comment (and for that she gets tremendous credit), but it wouldn't work for her. Of course, she knows me very well, so it's obvious she knew the answer. Only she wasn't 100% sure. She said she had a vague memory. (You know there's no prize, right, mom?) ha!
The answer:
3. I once helped with pig birth.
It was when we lived in Iowa, so I was in 6th grade. I had a friend who lived on a working pig farm. Right now I can't remember her name. I'd spent the night and sometime after we'd fallen asleep, her mom woke us and said we were needed in the barn. It was cold. (the whole time we lived in Iowa it was winter! I swear!) The steam in the barn was weird to me. The sow was having problems and all hands were needed to take care of the piglets. I'd never experienced such a thing before, but after being shown what to do, I did my share of airway clearing and piglet care. It was a very cool thing.
As for number 1. Ha ha ha...I can sew buttons and patches, but if I ever tried to make my own clothes I'd look like I was wearing a sack. Then there's that pesky time issue Vicky B. mentioned. ha!
Number 2? I'm reasonably versed in the basics of engine mechanics (meaning old car engines-not newer ones), but definitely not auto body repair.
So there you have it!
Come back for more lies same time next week...
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

I think the quiz last week went well. We'll see how long it is until I run out of lies...or maybe that's truths...ha!
Ready to try again?
Same format as last week.
Two lies and one truth.
Here we go.
1. I make most of my own clothes, though not underwear or socks, or jeans.
2. I am reasonably skilled at auto body repair.
3. I once helped with pig birth.
There you go.
Which one is the truth?
Still no prizes, but eventually...
Answers tomorrow.
Behave!

Last Monday

This time next week, the kiddos will be sitting behind their desks in the great halls of learning. Weird, because usually I'm so ready for school to start again - not because they're driving me nuts, but because the lack of schedule has taken a toll. I don't have that urge for some reason this year. Go figure.
I had wanted to use this week for total relaxation and a last bit of summer fun. Then I looked at everything that's on the schedule. Ha! Between orientations, schedule pickups, teacher meet-and-greets, school shopping, appointments, and other obligations...ha ha ha. We'll see what we can manage...
On the writing front...
I *think* I may have taken the challenge last week. Not sure yet, the final totals aren't up yet. If I didn't, it's not for lack of trying. This week is the last week and since most of us have the same pre-school events and obligations, the winner will be anyones guess. The new pages are finally flowing the way they should. I'm not in mourning over anything but the wasted time anymore. This week will be more pages, some owed critiques, and then more pages, though I am taking a more relaxed approach due to everything going on.
Tomorrow is another "Tall Tale Tuesday".
Look for it. Comment.
Bear with me as I fine tune it.
Behave!

Sunday...

(I see that the video I tried to post last Saturday finally arrived dated as Friday. Weird stuff.)
The coming week is the last week of summer vacation.
I've been thinking about what I expected out of this summer, and what actually happened.
So here's a list:
1. Sleeping in - expected it, and happened. Though going back to getting up at o'stupid-thirty doesn't make me happy.
2. Pool time - didn't happen as much as we thought it would thanks to schedules, rain, and other stupid stuff.
3. Fiesta Fridays - Only a few, they were fun, but still...a bust
4. K2 getting her license - hasn't happened. Yet. That's thanks to conflicting schedules, vehicle difficulties, timing issues.
5. Weddings - still working on them.
6. Grilling - happened a lot, then a dry spell, now we're back to it.
7. Camping - we had a nice extended weekend and two other "supposed to" weekends that didn't happen. There's still one on the horizon.
8. Writing time - I managed okay with this. Did more than I thought I would, but not as much as I would have liked to. If that makes sense.
9. Relaxed pace - ?? Bwah ha ha ha ha
That is all.
Behave!

Thinking!

Behave!

Supernatural

Behave!

Fiesta Friday!

A Friday list:
Ten random things I'm thinking about.
1. What's wrong with my caller ID? It's not working.
2. I'm out of stamps.
3. What to make for dinner.
4. Where the download cable for the camera is hiding.
5. Why my son is wearing two t-shirts and shorts. He says he's cold, but that doesn't make sense.
6. Pumpkin bread.
7. Where is the mail person?
8. One more week of summer vacation.
9. How much stuff is on the calendar over the next month.
10. Where is the sun?
Busy day. Lot's of administration duties and running around.
Behave!

Thursday: Writing Challenge, School

So, we're still going strong in our writing challenge. I'm in second place for the week, having been recently knocked out of first. We still have days though, (and another week) so I'm not giving up hope of another win.
My problem is...the book I finished recently? The one I'm working on revising? The one I mentioned going in strange directions? Well, it has to be mostly rewritten. Dang it. The first (nearly) half is fine. But the second half? I hit the delete button.
Now my struggle is getting over trashing that much hard work. And crafting new pages. It's kind of like trying to jog through quicksand. There's an emotional punch there, self-inflicted, of course, but still there. Worry, dread, fear...deleting that much work feels like a failure, even though it isn't really. At least the garbage is out of my system and I know what I don't want the story to look like. But...
Yeah, I know. Get over it.
I am. Honestly.
Anyway.
On the home front...
We have a little over a week until the first day of school. K2 is excited. She already has her schedule. She'll be a junior this year, so the world is kind of hers at this point. K3 starts middle school, and besides being a little nervous, he's really looking forward to school starting. Then, there's my baby...
In first grade, she decided she wasn't going anymore. She said she was moving to 'the french'. Last year wasn't too bad, probably because her teacher was one K2 and K3 both had, but we did have our moments. This year...sigh...she's got issues with pretty much anything that relates to going back to school. Pencils, reading challenge material, lunch money, a different hallway to go down, the earlier start time of school...you name it, she's worried about it. This all translates into high drama. On a daily basis.
Fun stuff...
We'll see if I get through it with my sanity intact.
Behave!

Answers!

Thanks to everyone who commented!
Vicky B! You guessed right! And I guess A. too, even though you knew the answer and questioned the truth of the truth. ha!
The answer is....
2! I once was attacked by a Maine Coon.
Cat. (and yes, A, I was really attacked!)
I was 14 or 15. My friend, Wendy, had gotten a new puppy. We took the puppy over to her neighbors, (I carried him) who had these 2 huge Maine Coon's. I'd never seen a cat that big in my life. And they weren't happy with our presence. They kind of slunk around the edges of the room, watching us and growling a little. We decided we should go, and just as we were opening the door, one of the cats jumped on me. It was hanging off my back trying to get to the puppy. Then, it bit my left wrist. I had claw marks on my back and leg, and a pretty good bite mark. Scary! In retrospect, we should have known better than to take the puppy over, but what can I say...
So there you have it.
I have never taught a dog training class, and I was born in a hospital.
Look for more lies next Tuesday!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Remember when I first started this blog and had the bathroom quiz?
And how said quiz ended abruptly when multiple weird things stopped showing up in the bathroom on a regular basis? (Not that I don't often find strange items in there)
Anyway. I started thinking about an alternative, and I came up with Tall Tale Tuesday. Every Tuesday (providing I remember - ha) I'll post lies. Either in multiple choice format with one truth thrown in, (you'll have to figure out what's true and what's a lie) or I'll tell you a story (you'll guess whether or not it's the truth). No prizes yet, but that's a future possibility.
Sounds easy, right?
Okay, then. Here we go.
Today is multiple choice. You tell me what's the truth.
1. I used to teach a dog training class at a local pet store.
2. I once was attacked by a Maine Coon.
3. I was born in the backseat of my parent's car.
So...have at it. Two are lies. Only one is the truth.
Tomorrow I'll give you the answers - even if no one comments! (come on, people, comment - I know at least some people read this! You don't need a blogger account!)
Behave!

Adventures in Grocery Shopping...

1. Getting out the door to do shopping is nearly impossible here on a usual day. Today is was way worse. Certain people decided to get in the shower just as I was ready to head out the door. Ack.
2. The store was busier than I've ever seen it on a Monday.
3. New kinds of Poptarts make my kids really, really happy.
4. Some people have absolutely no sense of humor and do not appreciate the way in which we shop.
5. There will always be a screw up at the check out when you have a very cranky baby. (this happened to the woman in front of me)
6. When you buy a box of pre-cooked bacon and it feels empty, it probably is. Luckily, the cashier mentioned how light it was and I opened it there. Not a thing inside. I would have been ticked off - amused, but ticked off - had I waited to open it while preparing dinner.
7. People get really mad if you mess with their gas points. Also, this has nothing to do with me, just an observation. But since gas costs so much, it's completely understandable.
8. I wonder if it's a good idea to shop where people know you. Just sayin'
9. I'm getting really tired of being asked "can I get something at the checkout?". Luckily, school starts in two weeks and I'll go back to doing the shopping gloriously alone.
10. I hate shopping.
That's all. Another stupid list from me.
Behave!

Ha!

Behave!

Sunday!

A wedding list:
1. When only one of you really knows one of the people getting married, it's a bit awkward.
2. Having just your spouse to hang out with at such a wedding is worth it.
3. Waiting in hotel bars for the reception to start brings back memories of traveling to weddings and makes you nostalgic.
4. High heels suck - especially when you slip them off and then forget them because you're not used to wearing shoes at all.
5. Eating late and eating stuff you normally don't means you feel like crap the next day.
6. Rushing from a wedding reception to a surprise wedding shower is more fun than it sounds.
7. Especially when a wrong turn is made and you end up having to ask a state trooper who thought he was hiding for directions.
8. Catching up with old friends is good.
9. Having an entire afternoon and evening with just your spouse is awesome, even if you didn't get to dance at the reception.
10. Having a bloody nose and not being able to get it stopped and get your makeup put on will make you have to rush to get to the wedding on time. And it sucks.
And yes, all of it really happened.
A nap is definitely the first order of business for today.
Behave!

Kitties!

Behave!

Fiesta Friday!

Don't know what happened to yesterday.
So, today there's not much Fiesta-type stuff planned, but it's still Friday so the title is adequate.
This weekend starts the wedding circuit. I guess I should figure out what I'm going to wear. ha!
On the writing challenge front...I'm just a few points behind Simon (I think). We have a spreadsheet guru who keeps track of our daily reports and yesterday's totals aren't all quite in yet. She got me by 3 points yesterday, but there's still three days of challenge left for this week. To even be in the running this week we have to bypass someone else and she's pretty far ahead of us.
I finished my edits. The book's resting right now. I'll pick it back up next week and figure out what's next. I spent some time yesterday re-reading older manuscripts. Started editing one I really love, then the pull of revising the book I finished a few weeks ago reared and due to logic/book types, I changed my plan, or maybe it's really that I stopped procrastinating. I've had a new opening for the story for a few weeks and it was time. It's been time - when I think about the changes I want for the story I know I'm ready to tackle them. It's not going to be an easy trek though.
And let's see...what else?
Not much. I do not want to talk about school shopping. I do not want to talk about the fact that my Suburban's in the shop and needed more than we thought. I do not want to talk about finding something suitable to wear to this wedding.
That is all.
Behave!

Random Business

1. One of the hamsters died. The funeral commenced last night after much sorrow from K3 who had been taking care of the poor little critter. Said hamster had not been well for a while.
2. K1 gets the stitches out of his ear today. It's healed quite nicely and he's eager to get them out.
3. Kids fighting. Fighting. Fighting. No one can seem to leave anyone alone. Ever. K4 is quietly playing by herself and K3 will not stop pestering.
4. Fighting gives me a headache.
5. It's a beautiful day today. Not too hot. Nice breeze. I swear I had to use a crowbar to get the K's outside though. Go figure.
6. K2 has made the decision not to return to her arts school. There were many factors behind the choice and it's taken her quite a while to come to her final conclusion. I'm a little sad, but also relieved because of the travel/schedule conflicts. The courses she'll pick up in high school will serve her better for her college choices.
7. Thinking about colleges gives me a headache.
8. Even though there's over 2 weeks before school starts, not an hour goes by that I'm not asked about going school shopping.
9. School shopping gives me a headache.
10. Revisions are coming along nicely. I made a lot of progress yesterday, and plan the same for today.
11. I miss Supernatural! When I sat down at my computer there was a lovely picture of the boys with their "anti-possession" tattoos. It will take all my strength not to spend the afternoon on you tube looking at Sam and Dean videos.
That is all.
Behave!

A Little More Awake...

And it's time to get back to work!!
I'm about 1/3 done with my revisions and I'm eager to get this finished. I already have my document open, and have my handy dandy editing notebook ready on the proper page. I'm getting there - just moving a little slow despite getting a superbly good sleep last night. We went to bed at an insanely early time for us. I was sure I'd end up tossing and turning and not sleeping since that's been the norm this summer, but I crashed shortly after I convinced K2 that she needed to stop coming in our room and trying to talk to me about plans for tomorrow. Not plans for today - Tuesday - but plans for Wednesday. Anyway.
So, I do have to get busy, especially since I was tough-talking Simon about our weekly writing challenge. I've won once. So far. And so has she. We'll see who takes this week. Should be interesting. Except I've been spending far too much time reading author blogs about the national conference. I need to stop that and set my sights on the next conference, which means staying focused on my writing.
Oh, and a late birthday shout out to my sister-in-law! I remembered all day that her birthday was yesterday...until I blogged, and checked email. I did send her a note, but it was later than I'd planned. And I should have called her, but time got away from me in a major way. So...Happy Birthday, S! Now you're as old as me!! Ha! (and yes, I can get away with stuff like that, because not only is she my s-i-l, she's been my friend way, way longer.)
That is all!
Behave!

The Party's Over

And we're finally back home!
We spent all day yesterday and last night at my sister's house. Today we said goodbye to my cousins (they're both cousins now since they're engaged - makes it easier). We had a really great visit with them - lots of laughter and carrying on. But I'm tired. Very tired. And we have stuff going on tonight, so there won't be much rest to be had.
Tomorrow we head back into our usual routine - which isn't really a routine except for the sleeping in part. School starts three weeks from today. I can't believe that. I'm not sure if I'm ready for it quite yet. I feel like we haven't even started summer and now it's almost over.
Stupid me forgot the camera all weekend, so I have no pictures for you.
That's all my tired brain can think of!
Behave!

Where to Begin?

First off...I forgot to say...Wow! It's August already! Ha!
Except now it's August 2nd, so there's really no point in lamenting July.
There you have that.
Today was my RWA chapter meeting. Always a blast. I get to see friends, laugh, and I usually always get chocolate (we get chocolate for rejections). I also threw my hat into the ring for our upcoming elections. I've been the chapter librarian for many years, and I'm ready to try something new. So...if it all works out, I may get elected for vice-president. We'll see. I'm excited about the opportunity to force myself out of my shell. It may not appear so, but I'm a very shy person and public speaking and I are not friends.
Anyway.
From there I rushed home to gather some things and the dog before heading over to my folks house. The younger K's were already there, thanks to my mom watching them for me this morning. My cousin and her fiance were also there. (Whoot! Recent engagement!! Fun wedding on the horizon!) My brother was there, but sadly, no one else from his family due to work schedules. Neither of my sisters were there due to previous obligations. It was still fun. We hung out, cooked some food, made my dog do goofy tricks, and laughed - much like last night. (which went really, really well. We had a blast.)
K2 arrived back home. Thank goodness. She had a fantastic time on her trip, but she's totally exhausted and was ready to head for home even though she took a nap while we were watching this really dumb movie about sharks with huge brains. uh...whatever...
And here I am. On my bed with my handy dandy wireless Internet. Ha! Watching an episode from season 2 of Supernatural, and thinking really hard about working on some revisions. Except I'm tired - exhausted really. Tomorrow promises to be even busier than today, but with more fun, more food, sangria, and lots of hanging out.
That's all for now.
There might not be a post tomorrow, but then, who really reads this anyway?
Behave!

Fiesta Friday!!

Yay!
I don't know what happened to yesterday's post. I posted a Supernatural vid, but it never came through. Go figure.
So, today is really a Fiesta Friday!
My cousin should be rolling in here sometime late this afternoon. I'm nearly as ready for tonight's festivities as I can get, sans the shopping. We're heading out to take care of that in a few though.
This is going to be a weekend of Fiesta! I have my RWA chapter meeting in the morning. K2 comes home tomorrow afternoon. We're gathering at my folks tomorrow. Then Sunday is more gathering and hanging out.
I kind of doubt I'll have time to post, but, you never know. All this fun stuff doesn't bode well for my revisions, but it is summer and I am still making good progress. I'll fit some in if I can, but am not going to freak if it doesn't happen. We'll get back into our same old routine soon enough.
That is all.
Enjoy the weekend! I know I will!
Behave!

Midweek Slump

I forgot about this picture from the retreat. Pretty cool from the nearby cemetery.

It's hot here. Too hot to even think about doing all I have to do around here. Of course, just when I get ready to get started, something happens. Today was K1 asking for a ride to the doc to get his head checked. It's fine. The doc is pleased with how it looks. He's not sleeping well though. I'm hoping tonight is better for him since he no longer has a pressure bandage on his head.

We finally heard from K2. She's having a blast. They're painting a house right now. And she has no voice, so anyone who knows her knows what that means. She's definitely having a grand time.

Plans are coming together for the weekend. Well, mostly. Now if I could just figure out what to make for dinner Friday night, and get my house cleaned. Ha! I'm too hot and tired to care right now. Plus, there's the back pain that doesn't seem to want to leave. How rude is that?

That's all...

Behave!

Teenager Tuesday - Part Two

Do you remember this?
K1 with stitches, abrasions, ect?
Today went similarly.
He called me this morning to ask when his last tetanus shot was. Obviously, that can't be good.
An accident at work with a drill gone mad, and you get that on the left.
Yes, that's his ear - the back of his ear to be exact.
Seven stitches, ripped up cartilage, a hefty antibiotic, and no work until Thursday.
Fantastic. He's doing okay, just in a little bit of pain. Poor kid - this is on top of having food poisoning last week.
Behave!

It's That Time of Year...Again

RWA National Conference time...
and again...I won't be there. I'm bummed, to say the least.
It's in San Francisco this year. Originally, I entertained the idea of jumping on a plane with my mom and sisters for some girl bonding and visiting (we have family on the left coast). It's probably a good thing it didn't work out since some of that family is coming this weekend and I have no idea how child care would have worked out with the schedule around here. Anyway. Nat's getting on a jet plane soon and I can't wait to hear how it goes for her.
Next year the conference is on my coast. Washington DC, baby. My RWA chapter is looking into chartering transportation based on member interest. And I'm definitely interested. Hopefully, it works out for me to actually get there. Just the thought of going makes me all excited and it's a whole year away. For those of us not attending the conference, things are slow. We have to live vicariously through blogs and a lot of the email loops are mostly silent until at least Monday.
Anyway.
It's Tuesday. Library day for us. The kids are patiently waiting for me to announce it's time to go. I hate to get there first thing since they have story time for the toddler set and it's chaos, so we'll be waiting a little longer. I haven't heard from K2 yet. I'm anxious to find out how it's going for her. On Friday my cousin and her fiance arrive for a long weekend. That should be fun. I'm hosting dinner their first night in since most of the family has other plans. At this point, I have no idea what I'm making, though they assure me they're not picky eaters.
And I'm busily working on revising one of my all time favorite manuscripts. Out of everything I've written this one has a special place in my heart. The revisions are going well - it's one of those times where I actually love editing probably because I'm confident that the bones of the story are strong enough.
So that's it...a rambling post...
Behave!

List of 10 Monday

So, today you're going to get a list of my 10 favorite Supernatural episodes and why they're my favs.
10. Bloody Mary - Season 1 - It's spooky and brings back how you felt when you were younger and talking about stuff like that at sleepovers. Plus, I think this is the episode where I became totally hooked on the show.
9. Hell House - Season 1 - Funny brother stuff, Sam in a towel - 'nuff said.
8. In My Time of Dying - Season 2 - Dad's deal with the demon, Sam trying to communicate with Dean, Dean in scrubs and no shoes - 'nuff said.
7. Playthings - Season 2 - Brotherly interaction, Sam making Dean promise, the dolls, the grandma, and milf.
6. Born Under a Bad Sign - Season 2 - Bobby, Bad Sam - 'nuff said
5. All Hell Breaks Loose - Part 1 and Part 2 - Season 2 - Bobby, Dean's angst and "Get me some pie", Sam, the end of the yed, and the beginning of trying to save Dean.
4. Bad Day at Black Rock - Season 3 - Bobby's counsel, Bella, "I lost my shoe", "I'm Batman"
3. Mystery Spot - Season 3 - Love the "groundhog day" theme, the trickster, and how Sam changes.
2. Houses of the Holy - Season 2 - The angel concept.
A tie for number 1...
1. What Is and What Never Should Be - Season 2 - Dean, Dean, Dean. And Dean's vision of a different life. What he sees for his brother and how he doesn't focus on himself.
1. No Rest For the Wicked - Season 3 - The boys singing "Wanted", holy water in the sprinkler system, Bobby, Sam's power, Lillith, Ruby, Dean's pre-go-to-hell sight, poor, poor Dean.
Seriously, if you're not watching it, you should be. I can't say there's really an episode that's not my favorite. They all are, but these are the ones I love the most, with probably a few I've missed. Each episode has a reason to love it.
Almost 7 weeks until Season 4 starts. I can't wait!
Behave!

Whew!

What a day!
It was long. Very long. And thank goodness, it's finally over.
I started the day early and feeling really crappy after a sleepless night. I don't think I fell asleep until nearly 3 am - don't ask me why, this has been happening all summer. It's down to occasionally now, but there for a while it was every night.
Anyway. We dropped K2 off for her trip to Pittsburgh, then we had to get ready for B's family reunion. It's always pretty hot on family reunion day, and this year was no exception. We had a really good time, made better by the fact that B's sister and family were there and we always have a blast with them.
Then, I left there to go check on my friend, Jo, who happened to fall off a parade float Saturday and separated her shoulder and broke her hand. She lives alone, so you can imagine how much of a hassle it is for her to get the simplest things done. And they put a childproof cap on her pain medicine...she had to call her neighbor to come and open it for her. Geeze. Anyway. I took her some food, rewrapped her boo-boo, and did some household chores for her.
Then, rushed home, rested for about 5.2 seconds before having to head out to boy scouts. The meeting went a little longer than normal. Doesn't that figure?
Haven't had a day like this in a long time.
And like I said, it's finally over!
Excuse me while I crash.
Behave!

Oops!

I can't tell you how long it's been since I've missed a day of posting! A while. I guess.
Yesterday just got crazy around here and the next thing I knew it was evening. I did absolutely no writing-type stuff yesterday and I barely checked email. But, I did stock my fridge and pantry, went to lunch with my hubby, and goofed off a little.
We relaxed around a fire last night while the kids played with glow sticks and roasted marshmallows. Lots of talking and laughing, which is just what we needed. K2 leaves tomorrow morning. We still have a few things to do to finish getting her ready once she gets off work for the day. Then, it'll be another week with her gone. The last one for the summer. Thankfully. I thought we were heading into a summer lull, but apparently not. The next few weeks are stocked full of different things - most fun - like my cousin's impending visit, weddings, a possible camping trip, parties, then there's taking the kid for her driver's test, stocking up on school supplies, putting a fresh coat of polyurethane on the living room floor, and finishing the stairs. And more. We're heading into August pretty darned fast.
And there you have it!
Behave!

Mother Hubbard

I've been telling the kids to look again when they say there's nothing to eat. I distinctly remember stocking up on their favorite snacks and cereals - the stuff they can pull out of the cupboards without any help from me. Well, as it turns out they're right...Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard is very, very bare.
So now I'm faced with creating a grocery list that will be no less than two pages long. I just did a quick run through of what we're out of. Everything! Seriously. The fridge is empty. So is the pantry. And the freezer. I'm not quite sure how that happened, but it does tend to occur at times. There are no sandwich bags, no foil, no flour. We're on the last little bit of dish liquid, dog food, cat food, and toilet paper. The kids kicked the last box of cereal this morning. It's sad, really. Since I've been making really quick trips to the store and only paying attention to the immediate meals I've planned, it makes sense.
Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow? Ack! I don't mind shopping, especially if I have a list and a fistful of coupons. I don't like to linger there at all, and I hate everything about it from the time I put the goods on the conveyor until I finally get it all stored away. The only small caveat is finding out how much I've saved on coupons and watching the gas points go up. But it's a necessary thing. And it's in the original plans for Friday. There's just been so much other stuff to do on shopping day...
Eh. So it's a lame Thursday post. What can I say?
Behave!

Goofing off...

>Not to shabby!

Behave!

Wednesday Whoot

It's raining here. Yay!
Finally a break from the oppressive heat that's been plaguing us for way, way too long! The rain means a slower paced day, even though the kids all had dental check ups this morning. But, at least that's over with for another six months.
I meant what I said about goofing off this week. It's Wednesday, and the most I've done on my own work is to print out a manuscript and arrange it in my revisions notebook. (It's a nifty notebook, too. It has Captain Jack and Will Turner on it.) I've done a chapter critique, a full manuscript critique, and a part of another full manuscript critique so far. Still have the rest of the last one to finish, but I think it's high time I get some of my own stuff done. Or maybe I should take a nap. I love to take a nap when it's raining.
Okay. So..nap first, then to work.
Sounds like a plan to me!
Behave!

Wouldn't It Be Nice?

Yeah. I'm in that mood again! Missing the beach and crying because we're not going this year!

B's having the same issues. He emailed me earlier and asked me to forward him some beach pics to brighten his day. Only, in my opinion, I think the beach pics make it worse since we're not involved in any kind of countdown to beach time! The only way that will happen this year is if some kind of miracle happens. And hey! I can dream, can't I?

That is all. I have laundry to fold.

Behave!

Moth Monday

How cool is that?

A Luna Moth caterpillar. I haven't seen one of these in a very long time - either the caterpillar, or the moth. This picture is extremely poor, I swear her foot is probably the clearest thing. And I'm not sure exactly who's foot it is. The caterpillar was found during the July 4th camp out. Pretty cool.

So, I finished my book. Yay. I'd planned to let it sit for a long while before tackling edits, but now I'm sure it won't be as long as I originally thought. I just need a little distance from it - a week or two - then I'll be ready to go through it. This week is going to be kind of a goof off week for me. I do have writing work planned, and I'm excited about both things I want to do, but I'm not pushing for great progress.

Another hot day is in the forecast. Fantastic.

Behave!!

Steaming Sunday

It's hot here! Really hot - like yesterday and the day before.

Anway. I was going through my July 4th pictures and came across this. Under that blue tarp is where my brother spent Saturday night. He had a cot in the back of his truck, a sleeping bag, and that tarp. Remember the Dobson Fly? Yeah. There's no way you'd catch me sleeping like that. Ha! It worked for him though - even though we talked about filling the under side of the tarp with moths and Dobson Flies. Of course, we didn't. He said he slept very well.

Lots of running around today, but I'm still hoping to finish the book.

Behave!

Late Night Ramblings

Almost missed the boat on a post for today! Not that anyone truly cares. Ha!
It's been a busy one - but all my chicks are back in the nest. They're tired, happy, and glad to be home. And so am I. More than I can tell you.
I'm writing this from the comfort of my air conditioned room, and I still think it's pretty snazzy that I can be on the Internet while lounging in bed. Maybe the novelty will never wear off. So far it hasn't. It's stinking, stinking hot here - like melt your bones hot and tomorrow is forecast to be the same. Fantastic. I would have escaped to the a/c much sooner, but I had to wait for K2 to arrive back home after a performance tonight.
I used the time waiting to write and I'm happy to report I'm nearly done with the book. Another chapter or so and it'll be finished. Then, it'll sit for a little while and rest before I tackle edits. I love this writing challenge I'm involved in. The reporting of the day's progress keeps me moving. I really hate to report zero's. We do the best 5 days out of 7 - so 2 zero days are acceptable as long as there's some progress on the other days. Starting fresh on Monday gives everyone an equal chance since we all have various things going on that dip into the writing time. If I do manage to type in "the end" tomorrow, I'll end up taking an extra day or two off next week.
Well, that's all - I told you in the title this would be ramblings.
Behave!

The End of a Long Week

Yay! It's Friday!
Tonight we get to go visit K3 at scout camp, and then he's home tomorrow. It's been a long week wondering how he's doing and missing him! K2 arrives back home this evening as well, and she's actually home for about a week before heading off on her next adventure. That's not to say she doesn't already have a full schedule for the coming week, but handling that is much better than her being gone.
K4 is very ready for her siblings to come home. And so am I!
This is a very Fiesta-like day, though the plans are all for the evening. Heck, it's already noon and I'm just climbing out of taking care of administration duties and the like, so the rest of the day should fly for me.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Behave!

Supernatural: Dude!

Because it's Thursday. Because I miss the boys. Because I'm too lame to find anything else to post about.
Behave!

Weird Wednesday

I still don't have much to report.
Still very quiet here.
My dog is sick. I'm recovering from some stupid, icky virus that hit me out of the blue and knocked me for a loop. Luckily, it's a short lived one, but my stomach still isn't so happy.
Summer is ticking by really fast. School supplies are on the shelves. The next thing you know Christmas decorations will be on display. I don't even want to think about that. I'm having a hard enough time thinking about outfitting everyone for the new school year. But it's coming up very soon.
I'm hoping the last part of summer will be better than the first half.
And that's all I have for now...
Behave!

This Looks Familiar!

It's pretty darned close to what my cat's been doing!
Not much to report today. Quiet.
That is all.
Behave!

Monday Madness...

Isn't that weird?

Yes. Those are nostrils you see in the eye holes. And K4's tongue. This is how she occupied herself one afternoon. I think it's very amusing. The kid loves scissors. Loves them. When I discovered there weren't many things in her room that didn't have cutting involvement, (comforter, mini blinds, pillow, baby doll hair - you name it) I had to take her scissors and hide every pair in the house. (and I'm not entirely convinced she's outgrown the habit, so I'm ever watchful) She loves to cut stuff. She'll even take scissors outside and cut the grass. She's only cut her hair once a few years ago, but she has given the cat and the dog a trim from time to time. When I see her with scissors I constantly remind her what not to cut. Fun stuff in my house. As usual.

Man, it's quiet here! I don't think either K4 or I know what to do with ourselves. She's enjoying not having to share the computer and the fact her brother neglected to put away his gaming system before he left. She figures that's a good indication that she can use it. But, she didn't sleep well last night and I know that's the stress of missing her siblings.

And the dog? She's acting all depressed and holding her paw up for sympathy love. I've checked it over three times now and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

That's all for Monday.

Behave!

Sniffle! and Camping Wrap up

So...we're down to one child at home this week. Weird stuff. Already and it's only been about an hour since we said goodbye. K3 was excited and nervous for his first solid week away from home. I'm sure he'll do fine. I just don't know if I will!

Camping wrap up...

We said goodbye to Freddie (the snapping turtle K2 found on her last day of school). He's now happily swimming in the creek with the other turtles. There were a lot of gypsy moths flitting about with no purpose except to breed and die. They were annoying, and directionally challenged, and would often fly right into your face, or in your mouth. Pretty gross, but better than the Dobson Fly. The guys caught a lot of different fish - ones we've never pulled out of the creek as long as we've been going. I didn't. I rarely catch any fish. Usually all I catch is trees, rocks, and the occasional hook between the eyes. Even with the rain, we had a fantastic time, and I can't help but wish we had another trip planned soon.

I'm off to see if I can erase one of my lower production days in this writing challenge. As of right now I'm in second place. We start all over again tomorrow.

That's all...

Behave!

Icky Bugs

This is a Dobson Fly.

Pretty gross, huh?

And it's not a small critter. They're huge - like 5 inches long huge. This one's a female. See those pinchers? The males have really, really long ones. They're mean. They both bite. And they stink. And fly. The larvae is called a hellgrammite. They're just as disgusting as the adults, except they don't have wings.

This particular one is in a bag. B wanted to show K3's friend who was camping with us Saturday night. K2 and I gave him a CT scan with a flashlight (they look hollow), and inspected his body with the relative safety of the heavy plastic. Then we let him go. Yeah, they're disgusting and scary, but killing it seemed wrong.

Thursday morning, I woke to hear B say, "Don't freak and cover your head." Yeah. One was in the camper and probably had been all night. I'd seen two on the screen door earlier, and when we went to bed there was only one. The seal between the canvas and door wasn't completely closed. I didn't freak since it was over and B got it out. If I was alone it would probably have been a completely different story. Ha!

So, there you have it. Something disgusting for the weekend!

Lots of camp preparations going on here. My living room looks like a laundromat explosion.

Behave!

Fatigue Friday!

... Yes. This is how I feel today. Had a good page count again yesterday, and then a late night last night, that included getting up early and finding a lovely present from my doggie in the bathroom hallway. That was compliments of her eating the cat's food last night. Fun stuff. Am now in the middle of some brainstorming with Simon and Burkholder - am obviously having some attention deficit issues - Ha! Actually we're all checking email and stuff, and the hard part is done. Now we're going to try to get some pages in on the writing challenge. In between talking. And laughing. And other brainstorming.
Not much Fiesta-type stuff going on today. K2 comes home from camp tonight, but then she leaves again Sunday. K3 leaves Sunday, too. Next week is going to be a weird one around here.
That's all for now!
Behave!

Supernatural: Savin' Me

As promised!
Enjoy!
Behave!

Snack Wrapper Hate

I swear!
Those clear plastic snack wrappers are the bane of my current existence! I'm finding them everywhere!! Bathroom, living room, dining room, bedrooms, beside the trash can, blowing in the breeze around the swing set. Just when I think I've found them all, another one peeks out from underneath the piano or the couch cushions. All of that while I've been assured by the small humans that live and visit here that they've taken care of their trash and cleaned up after themselves. huh.
I'm in the middle of a writing challenge right now. Some people are blaming me for taking them away from their pages, and calling me names! Like saboteur! All because I sent the links for Supernatural videos similar to the one I posted here yesterday. Ha! I think we all agree they're necessary inspiration in a world with too much time before new Sam and Dean.
As of the last tally, I have the lead in the writing challenge, thanks to a stellar 32 page day yesterday. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to hold onto that lead since I'm already slacking behind today and tomorrow is a brainstorming session for the new anthology. There is a possibility of some writing time once we've finished slamming ideas around, so maybe I shouldn't write the day off yet. Not that it truly matters in the end. I've made terrific progress and that's what it's about. Then, Monday we start again and hopefully by the end of next week I'll have finished my current wip. It's a way for us all to stay focused after spending the first few weeks of summer vacation wondering what happened to our muses.
I'll probably post another Supernatural video later.
But for now...
Behave!

Supernatural : The Best Winchester Lines

h, how I miss them!! How long until the new season starts?
Behave!

Then, The Rain Came

Thursday evening the rain started with a big ole bang. The thunder was so close it rattled the camper and your bones depending on where you were standing. It was crazy rain - coming in from the creek side. Usually when it rains, we're able to stand under the awning and watch, and keep the front camper window open. Not this time.

We had small breaks in between cloud bursts, but not long enough to even contemplate a fire. B and I made soup for dinner, and it turned into a collective pot with additions from my folks and sister. Instead of finishing it over the fire like we'd planned, we ended up dishing it up from the camper.

Anyway. When bedtime rolled around, we thought we were done with the rain. K3 had retired to his tent where it was surprisingly dry. We'd told him he could sleep in the camper if the rain got too bad. I don't think fifteen minutes went by before heavy rain started and he made his way over. I dodged the drops to check out his tent and make sure his sleeping bag was away from the sides and to stow his clothes in the truck. It's no wonder he didn't hang out in his tent, the rain was deafening inside. He was lucky though, the spot he picked was like an island by the time the rain stopped, (which wasn't until the next morning) and his tent stayed dry.

So, no, those aren't orbs in the picture. They're rain drops. I was trying to catch a picture of how the rain was falling on the creek, but my poor old camera isn't capable of that. Apparently.

That's all for now.

Behave!

A Funny!

It cracks me up!!
(And yes, I'm procrastinating!)
Behave!

What's That?

Believe it or not, we were really looking at something. Or at least trying to. B was sure he saw a young deer drinking from the creek downstream. Of course, my cell phone rang and spooked it, but we were pretty sure it was still in a patch of woods not too far in from what we could see. Besides that brief sighting, the odor of skunk, ducks, and some egrets, we didn't see a lot of wildlife this time. Oh, I did see some baby pilated woodpeckers. They were in that tree right behind B's head. Eww. Though babies are more tolerable that the full-sized creepiness of the adults.

There was an interesting situation caused by...something....we're not sure. Shortly after we went to bed Friday night, we heard a loud crack. With the way the nuts fall out of the trees, we weren't too concerned about it even though the noise was much louder than normal. Saturday morning, my sister went to take their Jeep to the house and found the entire back windshield shattered. You couldn't tell from the outside. Highly doubtful the breakage was caused by a nut, so here are the theories: A deer ran into it, aliens, jealousy over the new car they just bought, or the fact that my bro showed up later with his sling shot and the window figured it'd break itself before he could do it. We did a whole crime scene investigation thing, but couldn't figure out what happened.

That's all for today...maybe...

Behave!

A Room With A View

The view from the camper.

This was taken Wednesday morning. It's hard to tell, but the creek was very clear. I know it looks muddy in the picture, but it really wasn't - you could see pretty much every rock and even watch fish meander around.

My night alone with the younger K's? Actually, it went just fine. B left later than he intended, but not before telling me how brave he thought I was and making scared faces at every sound. Goofball. I wrote for a while, and as I was drifting off to sleep, K1 texted me. I spent the next while in a text conversation with him, so by the time we were done, I slept very well.

With the way things were going when we were setting up the camper, I wasn't so sure it would be an easy night. I broke my coffee pot - shattered it all over the camper floor between my feet. We parked the camper in a patch of poison ivy, so I had to pull that out as soon as possible. Luckily, I keep a pair of gloves in the camper for such occasions, and I normally don't get poison. We'll see if that holds true - I hiked through a rather large patch on Thursday because it was better than the alternative path over slimy rocks in the creek. I'm not just talking tiny slippery rocks, but huge boulder-sized ones with the potential for ankle breaking or other serious bodily harm should you happen to slide the right way and get your foot wedged between them. I wanted to take the camera on that particular adventure, but it was good B talked me out of it since I ended up on my butt in the creek more times than I care to count. Plus, I caught zero fish. But even with my slimy rock anxiety and my sister's spastic dog, our hike was a really good time.

The whole time away was really good - even with torrential rain, an overactive, insane moth population, a tick on my butt, and a Dobson fly inside the camper. (I'll show you a picture of a Dobson fly. They're disgusting, evil flying insects.)

More tomorrow!

Behave!