Are We Done Yet?

Do you have a minute?

God, you startled me. Ross? What now? This had better be good because my bloggers are getting tired of this.

Not the ladies, they love handsome men.

Little full of it for a secondary character, aren't you?

I have things to say too.

Well then say it will you - I have writing to do and I am just thisclose to giving you warts.

Just this one thing. I don't like the way Jordan treats me. Shouldn't I have a little more respect?

If you put some clothes on, maybe he would respect you more.

The no clothes are for you.

Thanks. I appreciate it. Anything else?

Do I hear a bit of sarcasm here?

What? Me? I don't know why. I have characters jumping out of no where asking me assinine questions at all hours of the day and you think I'm being a little sarcastic?

There's no need to get touchy. I realize you're the author and all ...

Got that right.

But I was also wondering, when am I going to get my story?

Can I finish this one first? Or is that too much to ask?

Finish it. What's so hard about that. We all know that Jordan is going to fall in love with Skye and vice versa, they have great sex and then live happily ever after. What more do you need?

Great. I'll just write that down and we'll sell a million copies.

You're being sarcastic again.

You think? Your powers of observation constantly amaze me.

I'm not feeling the respect here either.

Where do you think Jordan gets it?


Reluctant Reunion word count: 4,111 (I took out some stuff)
Tonights word count: 1,121 (yes you read that right)
Gags for characters: Priceless

This is book draw day. You know the drill. If you want a book from the backstock, just tell me.

Jill Shalvis:

The Rancher's Surrender (Intimate Moments)
Hiding Out at the Circle C
Tangling With Ty (Temptation)
Roughing it With Ryan (Temptation)
Luke (Temptation)
The Bachelor's Bed (Temptation)
Get a Clue
Beach Blanket Bad Boys (Anthology with Linda Lael Miller, Alison Kent, Lucy Monroe, Susanna Carr and Morgan Leigh)
Blue Flame
Bared (Blaze)

Bad Boys:

Bad Boys to Go by Lori Foster, Janelle Denison and Nancy Warren
Bad Boys on Board by Lori Foster, Donna Kauffman and Nancy Warren
I Brake for Bad Boys by Lori Foster, Janelle Denison and Shannon McKenna

Romantic Suspense:

Double Play by Penelope Neri
Heartbeats by Susan Rae
Half Past Dead by Meryl Sawyer
Don't Say a Word by Barbara Freethy

Contemporary Romance:

Sexy, Single and Searching/Eager, Eligible and Alaskan (Duet) by Lori Wilde
Blame it On Chocolate by Jennifer Greene
Good Girls Don't by Kelley St. John
The Model Man by Genie Davis
Jordan by Lori Foster (Temptation)
Getting Rid of Bradley by Jennifer Crusie (Temptation)
Riley by Lori Foster (Temptation)

Paranormal/Fantasy:

Heart Choice by Robin D. Owens
The Last Bride by Sandra Landry
My Favorite Witch by Annette Blair
Unleash the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon
The Star Witch by Linda Winstead Jones

And From the Other Side of the Park

Hey!

Again? What now? Skye?

Of course its me. Were you expecting Florence Nightingale?

Right now that might not be a bad idea. What do you want? And if you get naked I'll scream.

Unlike He-man, I don't need to get naked to get my way. I have a brain and I use it.

We've established that. Anything else?

Yes, my story. Did you forget that this was my story? It's a romance - Hero and HEROINE. That's what a romance usually involves - unless you're Emma Holly, and then a few others could be included. This isn't like Emma Holly's books is it?

No, but I could change the POV totally to the man's if you get my drift. And before you get all high and mighty let me clarify one thing. It's my story. I choose what gets typed and what doesn't.

... You finished his scene.

Really? I wasn't aware of that, thanks for telling me. Note the sarcasm? I'm not amused.

Hah! If I were a naked male you would be.

Honey, if you were a naked male, amused would be far from what I would be feeling.

Guttermind.

Is there a point to this?

You left me standing on a sidewalk in a pair of sunglasses. You haven't even established what I have on. As far as the reader is concerned, I could be naked. Are you just going to leave me like this?

You have a brain. You figure it out.

Reluctant Reunion Word Count: 4,414
Tonights Word Count: 594
Clothes for Heroine: Priceless


Toni's having a contest - go give it a try.

You Talking to Me?

Hey!

What? Who's there?

You know who this is - your current hero, Jordan Sinclair.

I've already got the loony bin set up, don't push it.

Really. You've left me in the office about ready to slap the kid brother around and you haven't been back since. What gives?

Who told you you could talk to me?

It's all over heroland. Characters can talk to their authors.

Name one.

Bo Black talked to Shalvis.

Aha, I knew it! Damn Aussie. Listen Buster, let's get this straight. The Shalvis has deadlines and contracts, I don't. You can't push me around, I just cruise along at my own pace. You're not the only fish in the bucket you know. Jared, Nathan, Travis, Morgan - they're all waiting to tell their stories, so you can just go back to heroland - please tell me there isn't a heroland - and wait until I'm ready. Wait, don't do that. Keep that shirt buttoned. It disturbs mom when you run around naked. Stop it I say ... damn, I'm in trouble.

Reluctant Reunion word count: 3,812
Tonights word count: 477
Nekkid muses: priceless

Continued prayers for Olga - go visit her and give her a hug.

Momma

That's my mother's high school graduation picture - 1947.


Monday nights mom and I have a tradition. We stay up "late" to watch Jay Leno's Stupid Headlines - mom loves them. Now, about 9:00 she'll start heading for bed and I tell her "mom, it's Monday night - we have to watch Leno's headlines". "Oh yes, I like those" and she'll go back to her chair to watch whatever else is on at the time. We'll go through this a few times until 10:00 when I join her to watch the news. Then Leno comes on. She still gets quite a bit of his monologue and laughs/giggles along with everyone else. But I've noticed something lately. She doesn't seem to "get" a lot of the headlines. The humor is too subtle and I end up having to explain a few of them to her. That really takes the fun away for me. Just last year, those same headlines would have had her laughing out loud, now there's just empty giggles or silent stares. A sign that the Alzheimer's is silently winning this war we've fought so hard to contain. I knew we wouldn't win, but I had hoped to stave it off for a while longer. I'm not ready to lose her yet. I shouldn't be too upset - after all, we've managed to put off the inevitable a lot longer than a lot of people. The life-span of an Alzheimer's patient is usually around 10 years after diagnosis. Mom was diagnosed in 2001. Officially. We (the family and doctor) really knew she had it for a couple of years before that. So by this time in Alzheimer's years she ought to be a lot farther along than she is. By this time, most patients are already in nursing homes, no longer cognizant of present family members, living mostly in the past. Mom still knows who we are, she still knows that her husband, parents and one child are gone. She still knows where she is. But I can see little bits of her disappearing every day. Slowly, the mother that I knew, the woman that I relied upon for my entire life, is fading away. People ask me why I'm so tired all of the time - after all, mom doesn't require any real "work" yet. Have you ever watched anyone fade away (Ruby has)? My father was in hospice in our living room for about 3 weeks before he died. We watched him leave. But this is different. I've often referred to Alzheimer's as a "dying of the soul". Where the "life" of a person silently vanishes, leaving only an empty shell. I used to see flashes of my mother every now and then, but even those are getting few and far between. I have a teenager on my hands most of the time now, a toddler at other times. And I miss my mother.

Heeeeere's Toni!

Lookie what's come out!

Her Sanctuary

Running for her life, ex-FBI agent Elizabeth Ward escapes to Montana with a new identity. She craves peace and solitude to lick her wounds, but instead finds handsome rancher Nat Sullivan. Nat is trying to hold his ailing family together, while struggling to keep the ranch from bankruptcy. The last thing he needs is a beautiful stranger reminding him there is more to life than work. But Elizabeth is not what she seems. And when a murderer and rapist track her down to the remote mountain ranch, they all find out about the power of revenge.

Author: Toni Anderson
Publisher: Triskelion
Publishing Date: April 2006 (ebook)
Print Release: TBA

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

The entire household was in bed by 9:15 last night. I know I was asleep by 9:30. Wonderful - looked forward to 8 1/2 hours of sleep. No cat fought, no disturbances at all - I slept straight through to ... 4:15. Yes, you read that right - 4:15. 6 1/2 hours later. Remember, my body is used to no more than 6 hours of interrupted sleep, so I guess 1/2 more was good - and no interruptions! I dozed until 5:55 and then decided to get on up. Oddly enough, I feel refreshed anyway (must have been the uninterrupted part).

I'm planning to get a lot of housework done today. Somewhere in there, Bebo and I are going to watch Pride and Prejudice. I know the movie will get watched, just wondering how much of the cleaning I'll really do - we know what happens when I "plot".

Oh, and if running around the house like a "mad-cat" is any indication - Devlin is feeling really good this morning. All cat toys have been investigated and played with, rugs have been scattered and every inch of every room has become part of the Indianapolis 500. Wish I had that energy.

So what are you going to do today?

Another (Chapter) Bites the Dust

Reluctant Reunion word count: Hah! Hah I say! Or to put it another way - in transition.



Look at the title of my blogsite. Remember how I explained that a writer's journey is long and winding? Well, I came to a fork in the road and took the wrong one. The stuff I wrote last night and a little from the night before ... well it, for lack of a better word, stinks. Big time. And to think I actually plotted a little of this one. It's trying to follow the plot that keeps fouling me up, so I'm going back to just listening to the voices and writing what ever comes into my mind. I do better flying by the seat of my pants. I tried to make this one a romantic suspense, but the mystery just does not want to cooperate - so I think it's just going to be a romantic comedy.


How about you? Do you plot or just go with the flow?

Revenge of the College Essays II (or is that III?)

Reluctant Reunion word count: 4,138
Tonight's Word count: 215 (muses decided it was too cold for running around nekkid)




Some of you are already familiar with my favorite book Non Campus Mentis, which is a compilation of real college history essays compiled by Professor Anders Henriksson (Workman Publishing, New York, 2001), but they always bear repeating. I've tried to put new ones in, but since I don't remember exactly where I left off last time (and, if I remember correctly I jumped around the last time) there may be some repeats here - but they're always good for a laugh. As before, everything is typed exactly as in the essays and any comments I feel the need to make are in bold. Have fun.



The hiring of prefessional armies made aggression more controlled and intimate. The Prussian army, for example, would surprise young men by grabbing them in unfair places and sending them to Shanghigh. (I just love it when young men are grabbed in unfair places.) Gustav Adolf Hitler perched on the Swedish throan and looked droolingly at Germany.


The Thirty Years War began with the Defacation of Prague. Prague was capitol of Bulemia, where they always knew the emperor ahead of time. (That's because he thew up everywhere.)


These good times ended when England suffered Civil War between the Musketeers and the Round Ones. (Annette vs. Charlie Brown, cool.) Oliver Cromwell solved this and other problems by removing prominent things from people who disagreed with him. (Which is why he didn't have an army, no unfair places to grab.) The Anglo-Dutch Trade Wars broke out because of trade and possibly not. Winston Churchill helped begin a New England colony. (That Winston Churchill, he was into everything.)


King James Stuart Charles I was beheaded in 1649 and restored with his family several years later. (But he suffered from terrible headaches)


East of the back of the beyond were the Russians, who knew nothing at all during this period. (you really need a comment here?) Russian nobles wore clothes only to humour Peter the Great. Peter filled his cabinet with accidental people and built a new capital near the European boarder. (Oliver Cromwell could have done this if he hadn't removed those prominent things)


Frederick William the Electrode fought on both sides of several wars (along with his trusty sidekick Magnetic Boy)


It was the 18th century Enlightenment that contributed most to the 17th century (But isn't that against the space/time continuum?) The Enlightenment was a reasonable time that seeped slowly into one of Europe's ears and then creeped out the other. (I'm sure it creeped out many things. Hey, wasn't that in Wrath of Khan?) Philosophy was based on falsies and this led to shaky foundations (Gypsy Rose Lee, the Mother of Philosophy?)


In Deism God has no direct influence on daily life, but just watches like a movie, eating his candy and munching his popcorn. (But does he have his cell phone off?)

And last, but certainly not least:

When not working in the church, Bach composed pieces on a spinster in his home (You think I'm touching this one?)

Morning

Devlin's test came back in - look at post below this one for an update.
Reluctant Reunion word count: 3,923
Tonight's word count: 539




Morning is my favorite time of the day. But it only lasts for about 15 minutes. Not what you were thinking, was it? It's that golden time when I first step out to get the paper. I'm met with the sound of quiet. Did you know that quiet has a sound? It's serenity, calmness, a nothing that is soothing to my nerves. Then the early stirrings of nature creep in, the slight shaking of the leaves as the wind blows through the tree branches. I watch one of the feral cats stalk a bug in the grass below the ramp where I stand. It dances in the faint light, jumping from spot to spot, intent on it's prey. Carefee, caught in the moment, enjoying life without fear. It spots me, wariness creeping into it's play. A swat at the bug, a glance my way. But it doesn't run for we have a tenuous relationship, this feral and I. In the distance a dog's bark breaks into the silence. The world is stirring and my time is finished. I pick up the paper and head back into the house to wait for another morning.

What about you? What's your favorite time of day?

The Results are In

Well, it's a bacterial infection. Somehow some bacteria was introduced into the household and infected Devlin. It has taken over his body. The antibiotic he was taking didn't put a dent in it. The vet is starting him on a couple of other antibiotics (yes, two). He'll start those tomorrow. Why Devlin and not the other cats? Because I got him on the day he was born, he never received those precious antibodies that are present in mother's milk. His immune system is compromised. So we'll go with this new treatment and see how it goes. He'll continue with the phenobarbital as the seizures are still occuring. Yes, he still has them, mostly in the morning, a few at some other times, but the majority of them occur early in the day. Just continue to keep your fingers crossed that we can stop this infection from doing any permanent damage.

My Muses

Still waiting for Devlin's test results.

Reluctant Reunion word count 3,381
Tonight's total word count 587





Sleep is an over-rated thing. Who needs it anyway? You'd be amazed at how creative one can be without sleep. Not only am I hearing the voices, but they're running races through the room. Nekkid. And one of them looks a lot like Hugh Jackman. Which helps for those who are familiar with the project. Those who don't - well, my hero looks an awful lot like Hugh. It's when they take over the computer for those stupid card games that really get to me. I mean, aren't they here to work? I don't want to hear about their lovely trip to the Bahamas. And what is it with this coy act? When I sit down to type they're off to the mall or somewhere, but when I want to sleep, oh no, can't allow the poor author to get any sleep. That would be asking too much. So I'm up until 2 stupid o'clock tapping away on the keyboard (probably hitting that "n" key a lot). And that really fouls up my day, screws with my reading time and is generally a pain in the tukus. Rene talked about scheduling on her blog. Scheduling, schmeduling. Not my muses - they call the shots. It would probably be easier to schedule tea with the Queen. Just who works for who here? Obviously I'm not the one in charge and that really irritates me, in case you haven't noticed. They eat my food, drink my liquor ... and someone's been messin' with my high-heeled shoes. Am I planning to write tonight? Haven't you been listening? I just go with the flow ...

I'll end this with a quote that I got from Sasha's blog. I don't think she indicated who said it, but it's very apropos for us writers.

"The main difference between writers and schizophrenics is that schizophrenics Do what the voices tell them and writers just put it on paper."

Update: I did do some writing tonight, but the muses decided they had rather go see a midnight movie and abandoned me at the computer. So I'm going to bed. That should bring them running back.

And Now for Something Different

Not that I'm putting Devlin aside, but enough already. Still waiting for test results.

Anyhoo - the "N" key. Yeah, that one on your keyboard. 3 of us (hi Dennie and Cece) have noticed a peculiar phenomenon - it's been nearly rubbed off! Not that there aren't other keys that are faint, but the "N" key is almost totally gone. What's with that? For example, I have up to the last question mark, used 32 "e's" and 34 "t's" compared to 23 "N's" and yet the "t" key is bright and shining, while the "e" does show slight wear. Is it because I sometimes hit the "n" instead of the "m"? But then again, I hit the "m" instead of the "n" all the time too. Do I hit this key harder than other keys? I try not to, poor "n" key doesn't deserve to be smacked around so much. I need answers! I deserve answers! I don't like unsolved mysteries. Yes, the "q", "z" and "x" are long neglected keys (is there a Key Protection Service that I can be turned into for neglecting certain keys?), but what about poor "H"? I've typed Hugh Jackman plenty of times - that key ought to be fading away - but nooooooo, it's nice and clear. Do the other keys have it in for the "n" key? Maybe they're jealous because of its clear, clean lines, its simplicity of form. Perhaps "n" has been nosing in on "m's" territory too much. But could there be a higher conspiracy here? With the "n" gone, would we not be forced to buy a new keyboard? As the keys slowly disappear like Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians", are we stuck with a "faceless" keyboard? And maybe like Christie, the "n" key isn't really gone, but rather waiting to off the other keys having bounced suspicion off of him - or is it a her? Bebo says it could be like the "Back to the Future" movies - perhaps someone has gone into "n's" past and changed it - therefore causing "n" to slowly fade in the present. And where do these keys go off to - is there a key heaven? My mind is boggled too much. Anybody have any answers? Please, help me save the "n" key.

Devlin Update

Okay - we are still on a "wait and see" phase. Since we just upped the dosage on Sunday it may not have had time to kick in. Also, he probably bottomed out energy wise yesterday because of all (10 known) seizures that he had on Saturday. She took more blood to see if the white blood count has gone down - we might get those results this afternoon. Meanwhile, she gave him five more antibiotics just in case. He does seem to be better today. Also, while describing the symptoms of seizures that another cat she was treating I realized that they were similar to something Devlin has done his entire life. Every once in a while when I would pick him up or move him he would growl, hiss, or bite. I thought he was just high-strung, but no, these are another form of seizures. So this is not a new thing. I also got us theorizing that maybe that was why his mother threw him out of the "nest" - they seem to know when something is wrong with the kitten. In other words, the high white cell count just might have been coincidental - not connected with the seizures at all. I gave him his pheno at 10:00 and he is already conked out.

That's it for now. I'm having brunch (didn't have breakfast) and then probably to sleep for while (another one of those weekends). I might do some blogging first, I don't know. If I haven't been by, I will.

Short Post

Real short post. I will have something to talk about after our morning trip to the vet, so please come back later Monday morning.

One and a Halves

One of those nights - have you ever had one where you wake up almost exactly the same amount of time all night long? Every one and a half hour, almost on the dot, I woke up. Devlin stayed next to me all night and kept having seizures, but this time he stayed on the bed. And it wasn't the seizures that woke me up every time. I went to sleep at 10:00 and woke up at 11:30 and that set the pattern for the entire night.

He isn't much better today. I'm supposed to go to a birthday party - my uncle's 96 birthday in fact. I'm not that overly fond of him, but I'd feel bad if hardly anyone showed up. My aunt has been really nice and has even sat for mom while I go out so I'd hate to disappoint her and then ask her to sit again. Mom would like to go. But there's three reasons I'm considering not going - 1) I'm tired, its raining and the kids won't be playing outside; 2) As I said, it's raining, storming in fact and I don't particularly like to drive in thunderstorms, nor do I want to take mom out in one where she's liable to get soaked in the process; 3) I really don't want to leave Devlin alone if he's having these seizures. The thing is that there are people there that mom would love to see. Her sister, for instance, who she hasn't seen since Christmas (they don't drive and live in another town). I guess I could take her out to see them this week to make up for it.

I don't know, my aunt would not understand the animal thing - she grew up on farms and animals are animals - so she doesn't understand how this particular one is more my baby than my pet. More my baby than the other cats I own.

Guess I'll stop here before I become too maudlin.

A (Very) Little Irish Humor

A young Irishman sat at a pub in the New World drinking beer and conversin' with the barkeep. Another comes in and sits besides him. He says “how you do?” hears a lilt and says “you be Irish?”
“Yes I am.” The first man yells. ”Barkeep give us another round and one for my friend here he's from the mother country as well.”
The second man asks-so where in the old country ye from. ”Dublin” responds the first.
“Dublin you say - so am I” and the second man hollers “barkeep bring us another round and a shot of your best Irish Whiskey for me and my friend here."
Afterwards the first man asks from where in Dublin and the second man responds with the street and the first man says “well I'll be - so am I” and yells barkeep another pair of beers and Irish Whiskey for the pair of us. The phone behind the bar rings and the barkeep answers it. The owner of the pub asks how’s business. The barkeep responds “not too bad - The O'Malley twins are here getting drunk again.”


Have a great Saturday!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

For John O'Connell, Mary Clancy, John Hanlon and Catharine Brady - who probably never heard this song - The National Anthem of the Republic of Ireland. Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone.

Amhran na bhfiann

(A Soldier's Song)

Seo dhibh a cháirde duan Óglaigh,
Cathréimeach briomhar ceolmhar,
Ár dtinte cnámh go buacach táid,
'S an spéir go min réaltogach
Is fonnmhar faobhrach sinn chun gleo
'S go tiúnmhar glé roimh thíocht do'n ló
Fé chiúnas chaomh na hoiche ar seol:
Seo libh canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann.
Curfá:
Sinne Fianna Fáil
A tá fé gheall ag Éirinn,
buion dár slua
Thar toinn do ráinig chugainn,
Fé mhóid bheith saor.
Sean tír ár sinsir feasta
Ní fhagfar fé'n tiorán ná fé'n tráil
Anocht a théam sa bhearna bhaoil,
Le gean ar Ghaeil chun báis nó saoil
Le guna screach fé lámhach na bpiléar
Seo libh canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann.
Cois bánta réidhe, ar árdaibh sléibhe,
Ba bhuachach ár sinsir romhainn,
Ag lámhach go tréan fé'n sár-bhrat séin
Tá thuas sa ghaoith go seolta
Ba dhúchas riamh d'ár gcine cháidh
Gan iompáil siar ó imirt áir,
'S ag siúl mar iad i gcoinne námhad
Seo libh, canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann.
Curfá
A bhuíon nách fann d'fhuil Ghaeil is Gall,
Sin breacadh lae na saoirse,
Ta scéimhle 's scanradh i gcroíthe namhad,
Roimh ranna laochra ár dtire.
Ár dtinte is tréith gan spréach anois,
Sin luisne ghlé san spéir anoir,
'S an bíobha i raon na bpiléar agaibh:
Seo libh, canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann.
Curfá


English lyrics
We'll sing a song, a soldier's song,
With cheering rousing chorus,
As round our blazing fires we throng,
The starry heavens o'er us;
Impatient for the coming fight,
And as we wait the morning's light,
Here in the silence of the night,
We'll chant a soldier's song.
Chorus:
Soldiers are we
whose lives are pledged to Ireland;
Some have come
from a land beyond the wave.
Sworn to be free,
No more our ancient sire land
Shall shelter the despot or the slave.
Tonight we man the gap of danger
In Erin's cause, come woe or weal
'Mid cannons' roar and rifles peal,
We'll chant a soldier's song.
In valley green, on towering crag,
Our fathers fought before us,
And conquered 'neath the same old flag
That's proudly floating o'er us.
We're children of a fighting race,
That never yet has known disgrace,
And as we march, the foe to face,
We'll chant a soldier's song.
Chorus
Sons of the Gael! Men of the Pale!
The long watched day is breaking;
The serried ranks of Inisfail
Shall set the Tyrant quaking.
Our camp fires now are burning low;
See in the east a silv'ry glow,
Out yonder waits the Saxon foe,
So chant a soldier's song.
Chorus

Revenge of the Jedi Kids

Did you know I have Darth Vader living next door? Really. I was laying down (lying down?) trying to take another futile nap when suddenly a voice booms out from just below my side window. Darth Vader! I sprang to the window (and that hurt) and saw a 15ish year old kid out with the youngsters. He was standing there yelling in a James Earl Jones deep voice. James Earl Jones doesn't need to yell and neither did doo-rag wearing kid. They hadn't been out there earlier - nobody was. I thought maybe the kid-snatching aliens from the planet Uranus (because that's where they're bothering me) had come down and scooped them up. Nope, no such luck. They were waiting for me to lay down for a nap, the little creeps. I.am.toast. I'm not kidding. I was sitting here around 8:30 and just started yawning. No reading for me tonight, I have got to get a decent nights sleep. Oh, wait, I'm planning an early night, so that means the kidtens will start chasing each other, wrestling, biting my toes under the covers and all sorts of shenanigans that they would only do because I don't want them to. It's a conspiracy. The universe wants to see what will happen if Eve doesn't get any decent sleep for a week. What will happen? You don't even want to know ... honest. Been there, survived that. It was not a pretty sight. So, I'm doing this ridiculously lame blog early so I can climb under, er, into the bed and dream of Hugh Jackman and nekkid cabana boys. And if Darth Vader shows up I just might shove an Ewok up his ...

Just so you won't get terribly bored - whatcha reading?

Please Tell Me It's Not Wednesday

It's going to be one of those days where I beg for a bear. I have nothing to blog about. My mind is too tired for anything deep and profound. Except, if I had a bear, I would train it to go and destroy the drum set of the kid next door. Or should I say the uncle of the kid next door. The one that goes outside every day and bangs on the drums while I'm trying to take a nap. That's right folks - no nap since last Thursday. This does not make Eve a happy camper. I have an assignment that I volunteered for (gladly) that I have to have done by tomorrow night (Thursday morning at the latest - but I hate to be the latest). I thought I could get some done tonight, but I don't think these little green eyes will stay up to midnight. I do have some more cleaning to do (I swear, I have a scanner), but that will take a backseat to this other stuff. The voices? They've kidnapped Jill's Malibu Barbie and have taken off for the Bahamas. More power to them - I didn't particularly want to go to the Bahamas anyway. As much as I hate heat, could you really see me enjoying it there? But that does bring me to a question. If someone were to come to you right now and said you could drop everything to go anywhere in the world that you desired and that time would be suspended so that you wouldn't have to worry about missing any deadline while you were gone (money was no object) - where would you go and would you take someone with you? Me - oh, I'd head straight for Ireland and I would take Bebo, of course. Only one week - and don't worry about the job, the kids or anything - remember, time has been suspended and when the week is up, you'll be back to the exact time and place you were when you left. Come on, don't tell me you're not sitting there wishing you could escape for a little while. We won't tell anyone where you've gone - honest :)

Devlin and a Little Shameless Promotion

First, thank you for all of your support during my crisis. I have no children, so these animals get all of the maternal love that I possess - especially Devlin. How's he doing? Well, his body is finally cool(er) which means the fever is either gone or going away AND he's playing! Yes folks, he got a toy mouse out and was stretched out on the floor (that in itself was new as he hadn't left my bed much for three days) batting it around. Not moving much, but hey, we'll take what we can get, even if it didn't last long because Bailey ran up and took it away from him. Indicative of how he's feeling - he didn't go after Bailey to get it back, which is what he would have normally done. But he's better and I'm very relieved.

Now on to other things. Guess what comes out today?

Her Passion by Denise Belinda McDonald
ISBN: 1-59998-052-5
Length: Novella
Price $3.50
Genre: Romance/Contemporary
Publication Date: March 14, 2006

Can a brief affair sustain a woman before her upcoming, loveless marriage?

Joel Burkhart’s life is work, work and more work until he finds that one woman he’s compared every other woman to since high school, but she’s taken.

Colleen Nance feels her life closing in on her with her nuptials nearing. When passion ignites, she loses her head and loses control.

With a ticking clock, can the pair find what the need in each other or are they destined to continue in a passionless life where status quo is good enough?

You can order it at Samhain Publishing or through Dennie's blog.

Heartbreak

I have mentioned Devlin many times. He is the kitten that I have had since the day he was born. I fed him every 4 hours, stimulated his senses, cuddled him and, yes, even burped him. When I would take him in to the vet and set him on the exam table, he would creep across the table towards me on scent only (not only are kittens blind the first month, they are also deaf), mine was the first face he saw, the first voice he heard. He is my baby, no matter what cat comes after him - this is the one that I have bonded with like no other animal I have owned. He was born with a parasite that robbed him of three weeks of nutrition - he was only getting enough to stay alive, but not to grow. He did not gain an ounce in those three weeks - he wasn't thriving. I medicated and medicated and prayed and prayed. he made it through that illness and I thought we were home free. I had noticed little episodes (hard to explain) on and off - not frequently, once every month or so, nothing to be concerned about. This morning was different. It lasted longer. It starts with a weird rippling of the muscles down his back, then he starts biting and licking his tail and back area, followed by frantic running around the house and ending with panting. I took him to the vet. First, he had a fever - which the doctor said could have been caused by the seizure - yes, seizure. Not epileptic but a sort (the name I don't remember) that sometimes appears in cats. She showed me a description in a vet's manual and he had all of the classic symptoms. She took blood. I took him back home while we waited for the results - meanwhile the seizures continued - 6 in almost 6 hours. The doctor called close to 7:00 (she's great). Devlin's white blood count was way up. She suspects a feline form of meningitis (not contagious) but we can't know for sure unless I were to take Devy to a specialist and have a spinal tap done. Can't afford it. She has started him on an animal form of Cipro (yes, she waited for me to come on up there and get the medication) called Baytril. The seizures are escalating - 11 now in 8 hours. The Baytril might alleviate the seizures, if not we will have to start him on phenobarbitol. This, hopefully, will only be on a temporary basis until the seizures are controlled. If none of this helps we will probably have to have him put down. I am so scared. And my heart is slowly breaking - this is my baby. Please think about us in the next few days - we're going to need all of the prayers and good wishes we can get. And I could use a few cyber hugs too.

Updates in comment section - Thanks for all of the prayers and support.

Funny Friday

Y'all know how my Thursday nights are (little sleep) so I'm changing "humor day" from Wednesday's to Friday's - I only have to cut and paste (well, I do have to search my humor file)

Groaner #1

Two guys were in a bar, and they were both watching the television when the news came on. It showed a guy on a bridge who was about to jump, obviously suicidal. "I'll bet you $10 he'll jump," said the first guy. "Bet you $10 he won't," said the second guy. Then, the guy on the television closed his eyes and threw himself off the bridge. The second guy hands the first guy the money. "I can't take your money," said the first guy. "I cheated you. The same story was on the five o'clock news." "No, no. Take it," said the second guy. "I saw the five o'clock news too. I just didn't think the guy was dumb enough to jump again!"

Groaner #2

A dietician was once addressing a large audience in Chicago. "The material we put into our stomachs is enough to have killed most of us sitting here, years ago. Red meat is awful. Vegetables can be disastrous, and none of us realizes the germs in our drinking water. "But there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and we all of us eat it. Can anyone here tell me what lethal product I'm referring to? You, sir, in the first row, please give us your idea." The man lowered his head and said, "Wedding cake."


And last, but not least, Groaner #3

One of Microsoft's finest technicans was drafted and sent to boot camp. At the rifle range, he was given some instruction, a rifle, and bullets. He fired several shots at the target. The report came from the target area that all attempts had completely missed the target. The technician looked at his rifle, and then at the target. He looked at the rifle again, and then at the target again. He put his finger over the end of the rifle barrel and squeezed the trigger with his other hand. The end of his finger was blown off, whereupon he yelled toward the target area, "It's leaving here just fine, the trouble must be at your end!"

Happy Birthday Diane

Happy Birthday Diane

Your friendship has meant a lot to me. I know this last year has been hard on you and my one wish for you is that this year brings you what your heart desires. You deserve it.

Promise Me That You Will ...

Be kind to yourself.

Look in the mirror and see

that you are beautiful.

Make three wishes.

Be strong.

Nurture your soul.

Continue your prayers.

Let go of any pain.

Banish any anger.

Take one moment at a time.

Hear music.

Make music.

Seek inspiration.

Learn.

Promise me that you will ...

Believe in fairy tales

and in the magic

of your dreams.

Find that dreams do come true.

Hug yourself.

Feel the sun shine.

Believe again.

Smile.

Seek laughter.

Always remember that you have

a guardian angel

watching over you.

Find hope.

Find your true love.

Promise me these things.

- Linda Ann McConnell

Fair Park

Headache quite a bit better - thanks. Just a dull throb now. I can live with that.

Anyways, since I didn't get a lot of pictures of the festival - I did manage to get a couple of shots of the Centennial Building (which housed half of the festival - the other half was in the Automobile Building - the area in between the two buildings usually has water in it). The Texas State Fair was built during the Great Depression by men participating in the WPA (Work Progress Adminstration - I think) which, for those of you who may not know, was a program by the government where artist, builders, etc. were paid to build parks, highways and other public works. The architecture was in the Art Deco style with huge murals and statues adorning the various buildings. It was finished in 1936 for the centennial of Texas Independence and FDR cut the ribbon. Over the years many of the murals were painted over because they were considered too risque for decent people to see and others just deteriorated. (couldn't have those art deco women with naked breast showing - give me a break) In the last 5 - 10 years they have been painstakingly restored to their former glory. You can see part of one in the picture of the bagpipes. I haven't had a chance to see all of the restoration - I don't get to the fair often, but I've seen pictures of them and it's pretty awesome. Sorry about the light poles, but they wouldn't move out of my way. When I used to go to the fair as a teenager the colors behind the statue to the right were no where that vivid, nor were they anywhere else on the building. Now, if only the fair itself didn't take place while the weather was hot. Even though we had a decent day - it still got a little warm in one of the buildings and I had to use the inhaler once. And the weather is hotter and muggier during the fair. Anway, Fair Park is a quite decent place to visit - aquarium, Science Museum, Museum of Natural History, etc. These buildings are open year round. It was at the Fair Park music hall that I got to see Yul Brynner in "The King and I" and Richard Burton in "Camelot" (not to mention John Schneider in "Brigadoon" - still a cutie). I have a lot of memories of the fair as a teenager - but I haven't been in over 10 years, and it was probably a good 15 years before that the last time I attended. Some people are fanatics about it and attend every year, driving from various parts of Texas. Not me - unless you were to have Hugh Jackman there ...

I'm Sick

Blasted, pounding headache. I'll be laying low for the day.

A Day at the Fair

Well actually they called it a festival, but "A Day at the Festival" just doesn't have the same ring to it. Another North Texas Irish Festival has come to a close. I'm already looking forward to next year. I tried to get a couple of pictures, but no matter what I did with the EV, flash, etc. I just couldn't get the indoor pictures to come out. I could have taken another picture of the sword guys but why - I have two from last year. So I took this picture of the bagpipers. Yeah, bagpipers - what can I say?

We ate too much, walked too much (yes too much, when your feet hurt and your knees ache - then it's too much). Beverly (that would be Bebo) had a Guiness for you Susan - I hope you enjoyed it. Saw Aefa Clancy and Robbie O'Connell sing - had to, those are two of my ancestor names. Aefa is the daughter of Bobby Clancy of The Clancy Brothers, a great Irish group that I love. Heard Eileen Ivers, saw Irish dancing, and ogled quite a few men in kilts. Bebo even got knocked over by an Irish Wolfhound. Yes, she got knocked over by a dog. She's a little sore, but nothing serious. Anyway, I'm off to bed now.

The Irish Are Coming

Another lovely day at work - I am so tired of this place. I love the bookstore, there's just such an atmosphere of "blah" here now. Tomorrow will be better. Bebo and I are going to The North Texas Irish Festival - its the largest Irish festival in the Southwest. She and I go every year. I plan to get another mug with one of my Irish coats of arms on it. I have O'Connell and Hanlon, so only Clancy and Brady to go. Then my Irish t-shirt is a must - oh, and a stop at the Ulster Project which brings children from Ireland to the U.S. - Catholic in a Protestant household and vice versa I think. Anyway, its a worthwhile project and I like to support it. Here is one of the only two pictures that came out from last years trip. I'll have to check the directions on my digital camera because none of the pictures that I took indoors came out. Irish bands and singers come from Ireland, Canada and the U.S. and there is music everywhere. And Guiness :)


So, what do y'all have planned for the weekend?

I've Found a Man

For those who came over from the other blog - did you forget we had a contest going on? The assignment was to find someone for me to model a secondary character on. The prize was a copy of Jill Shalvis' Room Service. My pick from your entries? No one. Sorry, but I was sitting here at my desk the other day and since there wasn't a mess to look at I started looking at my "potential characters" board on the wall above the desk and there he was ... my Scott Thorton (not our Scott - the name was picked out two years ago). Scott is a bit of a rebel, cowboy, Harley Davidson riding, ex-military, hard-ass. And who better to be his model than ... Josh Halloway. So who gets the book? I took all of the suggestions by those that wanted the book and put them in a box and picked. Mark-Paul Gosselaar was the name I picked out and Susan entered that name. So Susan wins a copy of Room Service! Yay Susan. As soon as Olga decides which book she wants from winning the draw last week, I'll get up to the post office and mail it off to you. No need to send the address, I still have it.

Wait for a minute while I drool, okay?

All right. (Deep breaths)

Now I'm going to send you away. Yes, I'm sending you to another couple of blogs. First it's over to Jordan Summers where she has a great product for you exercise freaks (er, fanatics? um, devotees?). It's called Prime Condition and you really should check it out.

Secondly, Dennie has a short story that you just have to read - Scruffy Dog Review - "Hudson Flotsam". It's funny.

Nothing more to talk about. Y'all be good now - and if you can't be good please invite me along!

Ahem

I almost forgot:

Happy Texas Independence Day!!!!

Momma Said There'd Be Days Like This ...

Mom has been in a cranky mood today - sort of like a three year old who has gone without a nap. It's really difficult when she's like this - constantly into things, wanting to help but causing more problems than actually helping. Anyway, that's put me off the mood to write, plus no nap. I know there will be no problem sleeping tonight.



I was up for quite a while last night reading Kate Walker's 12-Point Guide to Writing Romance. It's a pretty good book. I would have scanned it in and posted a picture of the cover - but I still haven't liberated the scanner. Anyway, it has some exercises to use for character development and I was messing with my hero Jordan (no Summers, he was named 2 years ago) and I came up with a revelation. Jordan is the middle of two brothers. Ethan, the eldest, has always been the responsible one, the smart (intellectually) brother. Ross, the youngest, is a typical youngest child - adored simply for being last, free of familial expectations because he would always be the baby. Jordan was stuck in the middle and spent his life trying not to be invisible. The best athlete, the prettiest girlfriend, etc. He had to be the best at everything he did in order to stand out, to be something other than the "middlin child". There's more to it, but this was the thing that stood out the most. I'm the baby, so I really can't relate to the middle child syndrome (might have to look up birth order stuff - wow, research!), but I can relate to being overshadowed by a sibling and feeling the need for the spotlight. I tried working a bit on the story and would you believe after all those days of yelling at me, no one was talking. I hate when that happens.


Spent a while today cleaning the room - more of the getting organized stuff. So that, the humongous shopping spree at Wallyworld, coupled with no nap, has made Eve a tired little camper. I know there were some other things that I had planned on doing here, but hell if I can remember what? I'm off to bed now.