Wednesday Warbling

Missed yesterday. Sorry. I won't go on about craziness, just know it exists in my world.

DD is loving school. She loves everything: the kids, the teachers, the classes, lunch, having a locker .... yesterday she was SO happy (having had an especially good day) that she would NOT be quiet. She talked a mile a minute about anything that crossed her mind, and even if she had nothing to say she hummed or spouted nonsense words or just giggled maniacally. It about drove me crazy. But it's hard to get angry when someone is just so darn happy.

They're having a field trip on Thursday and she wanted me to drive (mostly so she could ride with her new best friend). It's ALL DAY and my schedule is already nuts, but I told her if they couldn't find enough people I would. Thankfully, they found enough people.

I know, I know ... I should participate, but Oy.

She's doing pretty well, grade-wise, too. All 90s except English where she first forgot to do the homework on time( so 10% off) and then did it sloppy and partly wrong. She got a 57%. AND she had to redo it correctly.

I check on her homework assignments, and I nag a bit, but she's old enough that she knows what to do and is competitive enough she won't want to fail. Hopefully.

I tried taking pix of the stairs last night, but they didn't come out. Will take more today in natural light. They look nice enough, but I just know come winter with me running up and down in my socks that I'm going to slip. And fall. I'm not the most graceful person when it comes to stairs and fall down (and up) most sets of stairs I use at least once.

I did take pictures of the magnets my mom cross-stitched and that I'll be putting up on DistinctivelyDD soon. Aren't they adorable?





I also located a crafters store where you can rent space for your stuff. It's not in a great spot and I don't know how much traffic it gets, but I'm going to look into it and see what I think.

Yanno... in my spare time.

On a side note -- going through the slush pile again at Samhain Publishing kinda sucks. The wait is 3 - 4 MONTHS... *sigh*. I'm antsy. And I can't help but think about submitting it somewhere else at the same time. I'd love for the sequel to be at the same publisher, but there's no guarantee they'll take it and if I wait to submit elsewhere, it's just going to make the time before it sees the light of day that much longer.

Decisions, decisions...

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Your Next Car Should Be an Audi

You are pretty conventional when it comes down to it. You have mainstream tastes and interests. You value quality and craftsmanship. You rather have a few nice things than many low quality possessions. You are very focused and responsible. You take your duties seriously, no matter what they are. You are patient and trusting. You know that the best things in life don't come overnight.

What Should Your Next Car Be?

About 80% right, but I don't like Audis.

===============

Busy Weekend!

Missed yesterday ... sorry! The day just got away from me. I had a crazy weekend and I think I'm still recovering.

On Friday, DH is off work and decided we needed to go up to the lake. Keep in mind, we couldn't leave early (had to take DD to school) and then had to be BACK early (to pick DD up). It was the quickest day on the lake every (the lake isn't exactly nearby).

Saturday I did some running around in the morning with DD and my mom. Got home slightly after noon and spent the day cramming three days of website work into an afternoon (had to build the LASR/WC website and edit all the reviews for the next week, plus Goddess Fish stuff which is a little crazy).

I also got really annoyed that I was spending so much time on others (personally and business-wise) and decided that I was going to FINISH "Now and Forever" (the Kitchen Matches sequel) and get it submitted. Don't remember what set me off, but I was so mad! LOL... guess it worked. I hunkered down, finished the scene in the middle (involving Zach and wedding dresses *G*) and rewrote the ending (which was much more satisfying for me ... hopefully the publisher feels the same), then edited the synopsis, wrote up a query and blurb (since I was "fired" by Samhain for not submitting in the past two years -- means I have to go through the slush pile again -- means I have to wait 12 - 14 weeks to hear back, darn it) and sent that sucker off.

Here's the blurb (which I'm sure will change):

Zach Weathers doesn’t believe in marriage. He’s tried the whole commitment thing before and got taken for everything he had and then some for his trouble. So it’s surprising when he finds himself seriously attracted to his sister’s all-things-love and romance wedding planner.

Mena Smythwhite believes in happy-ever-afters and after spending years helping other couples get theirs, she’s on the search for one of her own. She’s not into one night stands or serial dating and is certain her Prince Charming is waiting to be found. So why is she intrigued by the one man who laughs at romance? A man who sneers at love and simply won’t do?

Sunday, we attended the local shelter's fundraiser. What a crazy time! DD sold a few things (all pet oriented -- she has some gorgeous shepherd's hook book marks with dog and cat charms and beads, some cat and dog earrings and more).

My mom had crocheted some dog sweaters (SO CUTE! They'll be going up on DistinctivelyDD soon ... which is morphing into a store for three generations: DD, me and my mom) and cross-stitched the most adorable magnets (which will also be going up on DistintivelyDD when I have time).

The most amazing thing about the day was that there weren't more kerfluffles between dogs. I saw one and there was a rescue dog wearing a muzzle who was there to be socialized, but otherwise, everyone seemed to get along famously.

I was exhausted when I got home, but still had work to do. So when Monday morning came, I did NOT want to get up. Then it was rush-rush-rush to get DD off to school, then I met my mom for some couponing and other errands, and didn't get home until after noon, leaving me little time before I had to turn around and go get the daughter.

The hours just disappeared.

Today, despite actually needing to go to the grocery store, I'm determined to stay home. We have food (though I need to make dog food...) so it can wait one day.

I'm sure there's more, but I'm out of time this morning. Gotta go wake the kidlet.

OH! One quick note, because I'm so proud: they tested the eighth grade kids to see if they should be in pre-algebra or algebra I for the year. DD made it into Algebra I! I was so proud of her (and ... I'll be honest, of me, too. It means I didn't totally screw up schooling her *G*).

Now, going to wake her up and toss her into the shower. Have a great day!

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You Are Focused

You know what you want, and you know how to go after it. You feel equipped for whatever may happen. You are good at putting things together and following directions. You stay focused. You lay the groundwork for months or years before you act. You like to be completely and totally prepared. You are a late bloomer, and you may be coming into your own right now. You're still figuring out who you are.

The Hummingbird Test

About 60%

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Getting it Under Control

Life is on cruise control. I suppose that's a good thing, but it's pretty much same old, same old every day. To attempt to get myself more organized, I'm starting up FlyLady next week. I also plan on getting up fifteen minutes earlier, one week at a time until I'm up an hour earlier in the morning. THAT time I plan on using for writing.

I do well with specific lists of things to do. It keeps me focused (and I really love lining through the stuff I've done). So the night before, I'm going to write up a to-do list that includes my work, house cleaning (because, despite the jokes I hear running around the internet, that's not optional here at all) and writing. Surely I can find time for it all if I scheduled it in.

I also plan on scheduling daily walks, and some fun time at least now and then (Mom -- you listening? That's a movie or lunch *G*).

I hope it helps me feel a bit more in control of things... I don't like feeling out of control.

Sunday, DD and I (along with my mom) are going to have a table set up at a local animal shelter's fundraising event. DD will be selling her jewelry, of course, but she's also making special animal themed earrings, charm bracelets and bookmarks. My mom has been killing herself making crocheted dog sweaters and cross-stitched magnets. You'll be seeing her stuff up on DistinctivelyDD as we begin to branch out into other items (and multiple crafters ... I'm planning on getting stuff up there eventually, too... in my spare time).

Yesterday, Lexie ventured as far as the top of the basement stairs on her own. DD is frustrated and wants her to be upstairs NOW. She tried carrying her up, but Lexie just freaked out and ran back downstairs. I've tried explaining that critters do things in their own time and to be patient. Patience is not one of the things she's been blessed with...

No big plans for the weekend, other than Sunday. Anyone of you have something cool you're doing?

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You Are a Detroit Pizza

You are comfortable around others. You are equally at ease with strangers and friends. You are outgoing and easy to get along with. You are very congenial. People admire your courage and determination. You are nervy and undaunted. You are a square peg, but you never try to fit in with all the round pegs. You're happy being square.

What's City's Pizza Are You?

That's about right.

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Thank God It's Monday

Boredom is like a pitiless zooming in on the epidermis of time. Every instant is dilated and magnified like the pores of the face. ~Charlotte Whitton

Can I just tell you how truly glad I am the weekend is over? It was a LONG, difficult one. The weather was dismal (rain -- which we needed -- and cold, gray, blech) and the family was down, cranky, bored, tense ....

I'm glad we ended up not doing the craft fair, though. It was not well advertised, which wasn't that big a deal when it was going to be outside (because people would see it and stop), but with the rain, it would have been moved INSIDE and the crafters would have been in areas not so good. The church was having a flea market, bake sale, etc., and had already planned on being inside, so had the best spots.

In any case, DD was diligently taking pictures of all of her pieces and I was trying to find the time to get them up on her site in between all the other work I had. I got about 15 new things up and have another 40 or so to go.

Some of my faves (you can click on the pix to get to the store):







Once I get all her stuff up, I'll be having a promotional contest of some kind. Haven't decided WHAT yet, but hopefully it'll bring her a little business!

Last night was eventful ... I'd taken a long, hot bath and crawled into bed. Dropped off like a rock until I heard this loud THUMP and then a kid yell, "Let's go!" and screeching tires all outside our house.

I heard DH open the front door, so I went down to see what was going on. Apparently, he'd heard someone in our garbage can (we'd pulled it to the curb since garbage goes out today) and turned on the porch light. When he did that, whoever it was dropped the lid (the thud I heard), hollered, jumped in the car and took off.

We went and looked inside. Nothing added, nothing taken (everything in there is bagged first and I knew I had three bags -- all still there and not opened). We probably caught them right as they'd started -- when people drive up to our house, the headlights shine right in because of the angle of the road, so DH knew someone had stopped outside before they even got out.

We pulled the can back to our garage and DH called the cops. We just wanted to let them know it was possible some kids were either vandalizing stuff or trying to steal stuff (I always think about identity theft, etc -- those lovely preapproved credit applications just BEG to be stolen).

We shred everything (or burn it in the winter), and we recycle as well ... so mostly our garbage is icky stuff: food leavings, bags of scooped cat excrement, coffee grounds that don't make it to the compost, etc. But this isn't true of many people.

In any case, that lovely, warm drowsy that I'd been in went away and it took me forever to get back to sleep. *yawn*

How was your weekend?

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You Are Thoughtful

You need to know someone a long time before you open up. You are enigmatic and reserved. You are a visionary. You have big ideas for the future. You are inventive and easily inspired. You like to put your spin on things. You work best alone and at your own pace. You have a quiet and low key way about you.

The Day at the Beach Test

Mostly right.

Answers and Ambling

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. ~Russel Baker

Yesterday, Brandy asked: So CVS and Walgreens don't mind you stacking coupons?

I can't use two manufacturers coupons, but I *can* use a store coupon with a manufacturers coupon. The register returns, up rewards, etc., are also considered manufacturers coupons, so I have to make sure I buy enough stuff that I can use them -- usually if you aren't getting everything free, they don't care.

And Angelina said: Can you be my personal shopper? I'm really bad at finding deals, and I never remember to bring coupons.

I actually use a couple of couponing sites (via Facebook) who help "match up" coupons with deals, and I clip nearly every coupon out of my flyers weekly. Even if I don't think I'd use it (like the one I have ... and forgot to use... for Blink eye drops), I clip it. I do draw the line at things like Fixodent, but for the most part I pull every coupon because if I can get it free, even if it's not something *I* would use, I probably know someone I can give it to.

Also, I never go anywhere without my box o'coupons in the car -- which is why I'm doubly annoyed at missing that Blink coupon. :::slaps self on hand:::

It's fun and I also have my DD helping -- she clips coupons for me every week for a small fee :-)

In other news, we've decided NOT to do the craft show this coming weekend for a number of reasons. Partly because I'm SO not prepared, partly because we'd be out in the roasting sun with no protection for six hours (and it's HOT here lately, people... it was 90 yesterday with a "real feel" of 98), partly because I can't get in touch with the organizer for ANY details, partly because my husband is going boating on Saturday and DD has already missed two other trips for stuff (like agility last weekend) and partly because I've just had a really bad feeling about it for the past couple weeks. That's a little "woo woo" I know, but I really believe in intuition (don't you think your brain picks up on things subconsciously that you don't realize consciously?), so I'm kissing the reservation fee goodbye and giving it a pass.

That does mean, however, that all the stuff DD has been cranking out has to get up on DistinctivelyDD (she's done maybe 50+ earrings, several necklaces and some bracelets and hair pins). It also means I'm going to have a contest for her very, very soon.

This morning, after several insanely hot, VERY dry days (my POOR garden ... I'm watering, but it's still struggling), we're having a thunderstorm. The rumbles have just started, but I'm just so grateful for the rain. I hope it pours... It should also clear out the 90+ degree heat and 9 billion percent humidity. Those of you down south are probably laughing up your sleeve at me, but just remember -- I don't have A/C here.

I've also been insanely busy. I can't remember the last time life has been this nuts. I won't go into it all, but suffice it to say I seldom get a moment to just slow down ... it's go-go-go all day long. I've tried to visit your blogs, but I'm a day behind again. I MISS you guys when I don't visit (though I am on Facebook a lot, so at least can see your posts there, in passing... I really do love Facebook).

I'd like to say that things will settle soon, but I don't see that happening any time in the near future. It's a good thing, really, but exhausting! LOL...

How's life in your neck of the woods?

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You Are a Lion

You are just in all your actions. You want to be seen as both honest and fair. You are wise and discerning. You focus on what really matters in life. You have ideals, but you try not to let those ideals get in the way of living your life. You are conscientious. You are diligent and reliable, even when it isn't easy to be.

What's Your Inner Big Cat?

Mostly right :-)

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Craft Show!

My husband gave me a necklace. It's fake. I requested fake. Maybe I'm paranoid, but in this day and age, I don't want something around my neck that's worth more than my head. ~Rita Rudner

I officially signed DD up for a small craft show a local church is sponsoring. It's on June 11th and I'm in a bit of a panic -- I've never done a craft show before, and never really paid attention to what people (the crafters) DO for a show. Thankfully, one of the ladies I work with at LASR/WC does several shows a year and sent me a list of things I need.

I have none of them and three weeks to figure it out.

*sigh*

I spent some time haunting eBay and found a couple of reasonably priced earring displays. I need a tablecloth (I might either buy a few yards of material or a discount sheet -- is that too cheap? will it reflect on us?). I don't have a sign with her name or logo ... since it looks hand drawn anyway, I might go with poster board and ... draw it. Or ... I'll hit up Vista Print.

I need hanging earring cards, a cash box, a way to track sales (because I'm determined we'll have TONS). DD has been making jewelry like a crazy person, because the 100 items she has in her store aren't enough.

As a side note, if there is anything in her store you were looking at and contemplating buying, now is the time. I'm going to put her store on vacation for the show, and with any luck sell much of what we have.

We're also bringing her supplies, and she'll be able to make earrings to order while you wait. Necklaces and bracelets take too long to do, but earrings are *fairly* quick, except wire-wrapped ones.

I'm nervous as heck. I don't want to mess anything up.

Click on the button below to take a look at her store if you want to shop before it's gone:



BTW, yes -- it's still raining here.

I'm going to have a crazy weekend, though. Tomorrow, my friend Michele is going to be up from Massachusetts and we'll get to hang out most of the day. Then, on Sunday we have an agility competition. DD will be running three dogs: Dakota, the instructor's dog, Missy (a Papillion), and Kenzie (a French bulldog / terrier mix). I'll be videoing the whole thing and will put it up on our agility class's YouTube channel. I expect to be exhausted on Sunday night...

Any big plans for you this weekend?

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You Should Visit Big Ben

You are orderly and focused. You get things done quickly and efficiently. Whenever possible, you like to be in control. You are good at running things. You like to be in command. You find the leader role to be very comfortable. You are a hyperactive and impatient person. Once you get the gist of something, you're ready to move on.

What Landmark Should You Visit?

Um ... yeah -- that's about right. LOL...

Monday, Monday

Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into. ~Henry Beecher, Life Thoughts, 1858

It was a beautiful weekend, weatherwise, here. Lots of sun and pretty warm (in the 60s during the day). Plants are popping up everywhere. The front of my house is happy (though this picture doesn't do it justice):



I broke down and bought some veggies. I got 24 tomato plants (I might get a few more) and I bought seeds for pickling cucumbers, foot long pole beans and butternut squash which I will plant tomorrow after the new moon (plant above ground plants when the moon is waxing, plant below ground/root crops when the moon is waning). If I soak them overnight, they should sprout in a week or less. I expect to be able to plant my entire garden in the next week or two -- no frost in the forecast!

And I bought a six pack of salad greens for fun:



I'm glad it was sunny and nice, because my attitude was not (which is why I didn't do a lot of visiting over the weekend with anyone on their blogs). It was one of those times when I was fed up with everything. Luckily, DH and DD were gone all Saturday and didn't have to put up with me :-)

Sadly, my biz partner, Judy, did. She's a good egg and I'm lucky to have her around.

Hopefully, this week will mark a better attitude for me. Things should be back to normal pretty much (routinewise), the weather is supposed to be *pretty* good and I have my fingers crossed that nothing out of the ordinary happens (unless I win the lottery ... that would be an okay, out of the ordinary thing. ::wink::).

My daughter donated a few pieces of jewelry to the Brenda Novak auction again this year (which started yesterday). They are here:

Set of 3 Earrings--Cats Eye & molded Glass on Silver Wires from Distinctively DD

Yellow Glass Bead and Silver Jump Ring Necklace from Distinctively DD

Red and Silver Glass Bead Bracelet and Earring Set from Distinctively DD

Even if you don't bid, there is a Facebook "like" link under each auction header that will share the auctions on your FB page -- I'd love if you shared it with your friends (and any other auction links that tickle your fancy). It's a great cause.

And now, I will leave you with a few other spring flower pictures from around my place, because no bad mood can stand up to the cheerful face of a daffodil (or a goofy dog):







===============

You See the Outside World as Fascinating

You are simply brilliant. You are bright, intelligent, and creative. You can't describe your feelings easily - even to yourself. Your emotions are a mystery. You are a truth seeker. You are willing to accept the real truth, no matter how difficult it is. You are not prone to compromise. You're set in your ways and proudly so.

How Do You View the Outside World?

That's pretty close to right ... which always unnerves me a bit.

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(Over)thinking Things Through

A word is not the same with one writer as with another. One tears it from his guts. The other pulls it out of his overcoat pocket. ~Charles Peguy

It's amazing how one comment can derail your writing. I've had it happen dozens of times, with dozens of stories, and it's occasionally a small thing that I then fixate on and can't get past.

I used to belong to a crit group where I was the only romance author -- the rest were either literary authors or mystery authors (without romantic elements). Two of the group were men.

While I credit a great deal of my growth as an author to them, and truly miss being part of the group, it also messed with my mind on a regular basis. Genre fiction is completely different than literary fiction, so frequently the crits, at least when they pertained to plot, weren't really applicable. Still, I'd grab hold of something they said and gnaw on it like a starving dog with a bone.

Overthink much?

It's happening again with a couple of my stories that have gone out for crits. And, while thinking through things isn't a bad thing necessarily, it can be if it keeps you from moving forward.

So, after gnawing on a couple of things lately, I think I'm going to have to go with my gut. Move forward and hope that my gut is right. But it's going to be something I worry about from here on out ... and heaven help me if (assuming it's published) a reviewer nit-picks any of those things I've spent the last few days agonizing about and second-guessing.

*sigh*

In any case, I'm waiting on one more set of crits for "Now and Forever" so I can finish up my edits and move one step closer to submission. After that will come the Dreaded Synopsis.

Oy.

In other news, I think I'm planting my chard and spinach seeds this weekend... spinach in the pots and chard in my front flower garden. I think I have most of my perennials popped up enough that I know where things are now, so it should be safe.

Yay spring!

And, check out a few of the earrings I'll be putting up on DistinctivelyDD today -- DD's into dangles lately:





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You Are Dramatic

Witty and talkative, you entertain with your stories and gossip. You know how to delight a crowd. No matter what, you're the life of the party or conversation. And you like to be talked about. You enjoy the honeymoon phase of friendships and relationships, but after that it's hard for you to stick around. Life is too short to be bored! When you get in a rut, you immediately shake things up.

The Little Cake Test

Uh.. no. That's so not me. I just like chocolate...

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My Weekend

Adolescence is perhaps nature's way of preparing parents to welcome the empty nest. ~Karen Savage and Patricia Adams, The Good Stepmother

Loooong weekend this weekend. DD and I had a bit of a struggle last week about her schooling and I put my foot down about some things. She's facing loss of privileges due to her lack of desire to actually do the work required of her, so this weekend was full of more conflict as I required her to do some studying and work to prepare her for tests she has today. There was much drama. She's a sensitive, emotional girl and I can tell the teen years are going to be ... interesting.

The weather wasn't exactly the best, either -- it LOOKED beautiful: sunny and clear. But it was cold (in the low thirties) and VERY windy, making it unbearable to be out in it for very long. I'm getting so itchy for spring, for going outside and puttering, for walking the dog and such that it was sheer agony to be indoors. But every time I ventured out, I froze my can.

There was humor and fun, too. I got another of DD's notes one afternoon (I'd run out for a quick errand and returned to this):


She was a bit fascinated by a spider we have living in our front door area (there are a few little "cracks" in the jamb around the storm door and he's hanging out there -- but ventured into public to soak up some sun).



She also made a little jewelry and I uploaded it to her store. I especially like the turquoise-like stones (it's howlite, a substitute for turquoise) she used for these:



And even better? I managed to get a little writing done -- a couple thousand words in total. I have to finish the scene I'm one (it's nearly done) and then write the final scene (it's started) and my first draft is complete. Then I need to do a quick edit and send it to one or two people for an eyeball to see if it works.

It'll be good to submit something again.

How was your weekend? Anything exciting? I know Melissa McClone got a RITA nomination for her book, "Christmas Magic on the Mountain". Who else has something to share?

=======================

You Are Carefree Like Summer

You are open to the world and whatever it has to offer. You are comfortable with and really appreciate freedom. You try to keep things flexible because you're always picking a new path. You have changeable moods. You don't like to stick to a routine, and you prefer a lifestyle where the rules are flexible. You have a sharp and lively intelligence. Your mind is active and often restless.

What Does Your Favorite Season Say About You?

About 60% correct.

=======================

This and That

Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. - Philip K. Dick

So, Dakota went to the doggy doc yesterday and definitely has kennel cough. It's a mild case (her tonsils are inflames and her lymph nodes are swollen, but it's not in her chest and lungs), but she still has to be kept away from other dogs for ten days. I don't know who's going to be more upset by this, her or me. I really depend on her playtime with other dogs to get her wiggles out. Walks with me are fun, but not exactly as stimulating as playtime. Oh well, it is what it is.

We had ice yesterday morning and then rain the rest of the day. We did lose power for a millisecond -- just long enough to make me have to reset all the clocks in the house and to freak DD out. She was watching her school DVD and had just hit the pause button on the remote when the power shut off. She thought SHE had done something! LOL...

Speaking of DD, she's been experimenting with wire-wrapping on her jewelry. Her first tries weren't very good, but I think she's getting much better. Check it out:


Those earrings are actually listed on her site (you can click on the photo to see more pictures). This necklace isn't yet -- I just took the pix yesterday, but I thought she did a great job (she even wire-wrapped the "eye" loop):



She's also starting to experiment with creating her own "findings" -- the earring wires, head pins, eye pins, etc. We need to invest in some more tools, but we're waiting until her business picks up again. She's donating three sets to the Brenda Novak auction, and I'm trying to think of ways to get the DistinctivelyDD name out there. All suggestions welcome :-)

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You Are Chocolate Syrup

You are both powerful and vulnerable. People are drawn to your delicious contradictions. You are patient and loyal, but you can also be determined and sensuous. You get yourself into sticky situations at times, but you have the grace to recover beautifully. You can be passionate to the point of being possessive. You come on strong.

What Ice Cream Topping Are You?

About 75% right...

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Contests and Pretties and Woodstoves (oh my)

Go and wake up your luck. - Persian Saying

First off, a couple of contests for you:

Via Judy, I discovered that A Novel Woman is giving away copies of "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon. If you're a fan of hers or have always wanted to read "Outlander", then you should head on over and enter.

Mary shared with me a link to a big giveaway from Gotham Writers (including prizes like an iPad, a Kindle and a $50 BN.com GC).

LASR/WC are giving away a $50 Amazon or BN GC -and- a box of books during their Jingle Bell Blog Fest.

Why not enter and give yourself a Merry Christmas?

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I added a bunch of new pieces on DD's website... I sure wish I could figure out how to showcase the pieces better because they are really stellar.

Here are a few:

I'm not usually into dangles, but I really LOVE these:


These are so incredibly pretty -- I couldn't figure out how to take a perfect picture of them to show what they really looked like:


I almost kept this for myself... I still might.


I have several more pieces to put up, but it's time consuming, so I only manage a few at a time ...

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We're buying a new woodstove. Happy Christmas to us! We should be getting it some time after Christmas. I'm looking forward to having something just a little bit bigger than what we have now (fitting wood into our current stove can be challenging) and one with an external ash pan.

Here's what we're getting.



In anticipation, DH cut down three more trees yesterday and happily cut the logs 16" long instead of 12", lol...

I'm tired of moving wood. But I know I'll be pleased next winter when I'm nice and toasty warm.

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You Are Playful and Adventurous

You're the type who can't sit still for too long. You get bored rather easily. You love to travel, and when you don't have the time or money, you at least explore your hometown. You tend to do things very differently during the holidays. You definitely have your own style. You'll incorporate traditions that make sense to you, but your holidays are by no means traditional!

The Gingerbread Cookie Test

About 50/50...

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Christmas Shopping Ideas!

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart. ~Washington Irving

First, let me tell you about DD because I'm so proud of her -- You see, DD had several custom orders for jewelry to complete this weekend. I've been frustrating her lately because I won't let her rush through something -- especially custom orders where someone is specific about what they want. I've had her take apart items more than once. For instance ...

This bracelet is absolutely GORGEOUS -- but it took her three tries to get it done because twice she didn't do what the customer wanted. Now, though? It's amazing.




Her new favorite thing to make are "illusion" necklaces. They're so pretty that my SIL (who is VERY picky and exacting about things) saw one on the table the other day and bought it. I know she truly likes it because I've seen her wearing it three different times now: twice to work, and once to church.

For another customer, DD made necklace and earring sets that are lovely (I don't have a picture of the green necklace -- bad me):





I've very proud of her ... it's truly incredibly how talented she is and how skilled her work is getting to be!

One of the downsides to spending time on Artfire for DD, though, is being tempted by all the goodies. If you're not into jewelry, there's plenty there for you to buy for Christmas. Instead of supporting HUGE places like WalMart with your dollar, why not support independent artisans?

Like Merrimack Valley Essentials, who offers all natural soaps, lotions and more -- and the shipping is SO reasonable (that's what pushed me right over the edge on this one). My fave product? The Pumpkin Spice Goats Milk soap. Ooooh....

Shopping for cute pet stuff? Get Nice/Naughty dog bones here.

Need something for young girls? How about Barbie Clothes?

Seriously, if you want it, they probably have it at Artfire. I'm so impressed with the pieces there, I could spend all day shopping.

I'm a big proponent of supporting independent stores, and I really feel like I can vote with my money this year at Christmas. I highly encourage you all to do the same!

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You Are Lemon Tea

The word that best describes you is "fresh" - both in outlook and in attitude. You are an outspoken and brave person. You definitely tell it like it is and shoot from the hip. You are cheeky and even a little outrageous. You've been known to do things simply for shock value. You have a lot of energy, but you always allocate it well. You're productive enough to avoid being overly hyper.

What Herbal Tea Are You?

The First Rule of Blogthings Is: You Don't Talk About Blogthings

Well.. ha. That's pretty close to right on! LOL...

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It's Monday ...

"Creativity, as has been said, consists largely of rearranging what we know in order to find out what we do not know. Hence, to think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted." — George Kneller

But not a usual one because ... yes... DH is still off! LOL!

The weekend wasn't too bad, and WOW was the weather beautiful. On Saturday we were in the low 60s and I had my house all opened up. Amazing.

Unfortunately, I got nearly NO writing done, and am now about 10,000 words behind on NaNoWriMo. I should have time to write this morning, though, after DH leaves to go hunting and before DD wakes up. I did manage to write about Geoff's unexpected mentor and father figure (he never really had one), so that was good, and I shifted POV in one scene I was struggling with from Emmy to Geoff, and that worked. Not a lot of words, but some, and at this point I'll take what I can get.

Honestly, I'm struggling with creating real chemistry between my H/H. I know it's there somewhere, I can totally picture them together, and the scene I wrote with the Traveling Shovel of Death was exactly right and showed it perfectly, so I just need to channel that into the rest of the story. I'm still working on writing random scenes for a few reasons: because sometimes it's just easier to write the fun stuff, and it helps me really get a feel for my characters (which I think I need -- I *thought* I knew them, but new stuff keeps popping up).

Onward and upward...

I also posted a few new items on DistinctivelyDD yesterday. I really LOVE the new camera -- it takes amazing close-up pictures. Check out this picture of the beads I took of one pair of earrings.

Here are the earrings, and this is the type of picture I had to use with my old camera:



And here is the close up I took with the new one so I could show the detail:



I did it with a few of the items and was so amazed!



LOVE, LOVE my camera!

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I am going to try to catch up on my blog-hopping again ... I hate getting behind because then it's just overwhelming, but I needed the break from everything this weekend. I'm very much a person who needs a routine, and this month I've had none. It's incredibly stressful for me, and is taking a toll on my health, mental and physical. I swear, next year I'm going on vacation in November. But then, I say that every year!

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You Are Lucy

You are smart as a whip... maybe a little too smart for your own good! Other people tend to annoy you. You tell it like it is, and you're not about to spare anyone's feelings. You're very blunt. You are assertive to the point of being aggressive. You know what you want, and you're going to make sure you get it. Deep down, you're trying to be helpful. You give good advice, even if people don't want to hear it. You always shoot from the hip.

What Peanuts Character Are You?

I had a feeling that was what I'd get! LOL....

Truths and Trees and Trinkets

Never do anything that you wouldn't want to explain to the paramedics. ~ Author Unknown

So ... we took down three more trees yesterday -- all oaks. Two were fairly small, but one was huge and it was oh-so much fun moving brush and piling logs. I just kept saying, "I'm going to be so glad in the winter when I'm toasty warm." over and over. I wasn't entirely convinced of that, though, when it started to rain on us while we worked. *sigh*

DD has decided she wants her own laptop. So, that's her next "I'm saving for" item. The computer she uses now is my old, old desktop (from six or seven years ago). It's functional but incredibly slow. I've told her that just because she *might* get a laptop, she doesn't get to have it in her room. We'll see. She keeps getting tempted by other things (most recently, she stumbled on last year's Holiday Barbie on sale for only $15 and bought it), so the laptop may not happen for awhile.

I did put up a pile of new jewelry on her ArtFire site last week. For some reason, I really like these earrings:



DD's favorites from what I uploaded were these:



She's busily at work making Christmas earrings. I bought her a bunch of red and green Swarovski Crystal beads as well as small white ones. They're SO pretty and sparkly... I can't wait to see what she does with them.

And now, without further ado I give you for your daily giggle ...

Truths:

1. A best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. Map Quest really needs to start directions on # 5. I'm pretty sure I
know how to get out of my neighborhood.

6. I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

7. Bad decisions make good stories.

8. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

9. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.

10. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

11. I wish Google Maps had an "Avoid Ghetto" routing option.

12. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.

13. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?

14. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!

15. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.

16. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch three consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

17. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys
in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey -but I'd bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away,in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time!

18. The first testicular guard, the "Cup," was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974. That means it only took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.

Have a great Monday!

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You Are the Left Side of the Brain

You are a logical and orderly person. You have a system for almost everything in your life. You like to stay busy, and it's important that you stay on task. You prefer to do one thing at a time. You are rational and detail oriented. You love to analyze, and you have a head for numbers. You are also good with words. You love to read, and you've been known to write well.

What Side of the Brain Are You?

Yep. That one is right on...

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