It's Friday already?

Finally it's Friday and the heat wave has broken! It was a delicious 75 degrees today.

What a boost of energy you get when you can breathe and move without sweating 1/4 of your body weight in water when you sneeze.

I took the kids to a museum, the dentist, lunch and a park. What a busy day! And it was a delight to be outside. Left the house at 10 and got back at 5.

I also had some great ideas for my story and was all set to write when the phone rings. My lil'

sis. How can I NOT talk to her when I haven't spoken to her in two months? Sure, I've emailed her plenty but she never has time to be online these days.

So, we talked and talked and she always has me laughing. She's always a delight because she has such a dry and sassy sense of humor.

I love my sister.

And we found a new connection!

LOL

Can you guess?

Christine Feehan and the Drake Sister's series.

Oh I am rollin'.

I love vampires, she hates them.

I love werewoves, she hates them.

I can read a love story without a bed scene, she won't.

I can read a book with murder and mayhem with a gross factor akin to Anita Blake killing a vampire totally dead and she won't .If there's a woo-woo factor, she will turn her nose up at it. Me... gimme gimme.

So for her to have gotten hooked on the Drake Sisters just thrills me. Sure there's a little woo-woo, but it must be juuust right to get by her "paranormal radar buster".

I can't believe we have another author in common!

It used to be Linda Howard.

She got me hooked on that author.

We both like Mr. Perfect. And Open Season.

She hasn't read Kiss Me While I Sleep yet...so I gave that a recommend tonight. It's a great book...very touching and the title relates to a very poignant part in the book. *sigh*

I"m hoping to get her hooked on Sue Brockmann. I've gotta find another Prince Joe and send it to her. BWAHAHAAHA!!!

**rubs hands in glee*

Nothing like encouraging another book-a-holic. *grin*

Did I ever get back to writing? Nope. 10:15 is a tad to late to start anything. The story of my story. *sigh*

Oh! Last week? I was driving home and I got a chance to stop in the middle of a road, put the car in park, step out and snap this picture. Only in back country roads is traffic so thin and sporadic can you do things like this. There was actually a double rainbow but with all the trees it was virtually impossible to get that shot. You'll just have to take my word for it.

The weather was super crazy that day ... rain, sun, rain and sun all day.

Frankly, I'm surprised I didn't see more rainbows! But I'll take seeing one ... good luck and all that. I need all I can get. *grin*

Anyway, I hope your weekend is full of good luck and happy sightings.

And a good read thrown in for good measure.

*wink*

No Warning the same as a Warning

The title sounds sort of cryptic, doesn't it?

Well, it's ... VENTING time again.

Actually, it could have serious repercussions to not only my family but any family in my local community.

We rely on information to keep us safe, to educate us so that we can make informed decisions and we assume that warnings will come in time.

Not so.

We were under the threat of possible severe weather yesterday; "Eye to the Sky" and all that.
The storms came as predicted late in the afternoon and with my slow dial-up, I diligently kept refreshing the map showing a line of storms heading our way.

The problem is that storms can form and move faster than my computer. That I expected.

What I didn't expect was the ten minute delay from my local news channel. On the map on my computer I could see a splotch of red suddenly appear near us. It happened within a five minute interval. The lightening was dropping fast and furious, the rain gushed from a sky as dark as pitch while the house reverberated with booms of thunder.

After ten minutes of this natural bombardment, the news station started flashing the Severe Thunderstorm Warning AFTER we'd already been under the gun for more than ten minutes. The community targets listed were after us.

You see, no warning WAS the same as a warning because it came too late! What good would it have done us if the activity was tornadic in nature?

By that time, it would have been over and done with none of us having taken precautions. We'd never have known what hit us. Well, I guess we would as our world got torn apart.

I admit that the realization that we were and are quite alone and out of the timely warning loop daunts me, scares me.

What can a regular, non-meteorologically savvy person do to better the odds??

Because I sure as heck didn't enjoy the epiphany I had. That we are vulnerable by the very complacency we enjoy because we think we have all the info we need at our fingertips.

Sometimes, it's just not enough.

Mind Buzzzzin' Over

Bees.
Not the birds.
Bees.
Did you know?

If it's HOT out, and there is no access to water - bird baths or puddles - they will find that which humans don't think about.

Try a cushy rug on the deck near a pool.
If that water doesn't dry up and if it never dries up due to the nature of the rug and the in and out of the swimmers, guess what?

Bees will come.
In droves.
Looking for moisture in a most convenient location.
Convenient for them, not us humans.

Don't blame the bees.
Don't curse them and walk around in affronted belief that they're doing this to you on purpose.
They are trying to survive.

If you can't give them their own water space, be prepared to share.
If there is a beekeeper in the area, be undertanding.
Nature is Nature.
The beekeeper cannot control where the bees fly.

YOU can control your draw as the bees savior.

A light coating of vineger in the saturated fibers should disgust the bees enough for the returning scouters to do their "direction dance" and indicate that the Hot Happenin' Place is now a No Go.

Poison is not necessary. Neither is profanity. (except when you get stung)

Bee a good neighbor to the Bee, natures pollinator and provider of sweet stuff.

Inspirational Erotica

Sounds impossible doesn't it?

I think this Ebook qualifies. I call it an Erotic Inspirational Vampire Romance.

It's called Can I Keep You by Candy Nicks. (link)

It gets a recommendation from me.

It's labeled as Romance/Dark Fantasy but I think it's so much more.

This is the copy/paste from Fictionwise:

Love Romance's Reviewer's Choice Golden Rose Award Winner eBook

Description:
When Kane picks up a runaway on the streets of Victorian England his only thought is to have a few days of amusement and a decent meal. He is a vampire, after all--it's what he does. But Laura has to be the most unconvincing whore he's ever met. She soon finds out that there are ways other than brute force and strength to bring a vampire to his knees. As they fall in love, she becomes the catalyst for his astonishing journey of redemption, bringing back all-too-painful memories of Harry, the gentle man he once was. It's not an easy road. Along the way they encounter forces of evil that have other plans for Laura and Kane. And the question neither of them really wants to answer hovers in the background. Does he turn her into a vampire like himself and risk losing her? Or will a human lifetime together be enough?
eBook Publisher: Alinar Publishing, Published: 2006,
2006 Fictionwise Release Date: November 2006

TTFN

Title of Nothing

Oh sure, no one liked my Llama song. I wonder why? LOL
Oh wait! I just got an email - no wait - 2!!! Addendum time...Mailyn weighed in on the Llama Song. So too did BRANDY!!
*waves madly* HI Mailyn!! HI Brandy!!!!
Thanks for the comment and listening to the link!!!!!!

Back to my regularly banal blog:

I have to say, nothing.
I honestly have nothing to say.
Yet I can write words about nothing so that's something which makes nothing something so it's not nothing but something afterall.

Did I hear "'Ouch?"
*grin*

I posted my LKH post on a romance board and I had so much fun hearing about the love/hate relationship that readers have with the Anita Blake books. The consensus was heartening however. Seems a lot of long time readers are liking The Harlequin a lot more than the last three books LKH has written. What a refreshing turnaround!
It was fun sharing spoilers with other Anita Blake fans. That's what is best about blogging; the sharing of ideas and enthusiasms or critiques.

I'm reading three books at the same time right now but I don't have the names or authors of them all.
I have the latest from Stephenie Meyer, I have Sight Unseen by Samantha Graves and the latest from Susan Squires. Of all of them, Sight Unseen is the one that I"ve been trying to get for quite some time. Mission #1 is accomplished - obtainment. Now I'm on Mission #2 - reading it.
Anyone read these books yet? What did you think? No spoilers please. Ok..well, maybe one or two. *grin*

Hmmm, what else can I blab about. Oh! I know. More Nothing!

A FARM WAS SOLD to some city folks. The old farmer next door was out one day and saw the new neighbor planting in his garden. The farmer watched as the man would dig a hole, set a tomato plant and pour in a shot of whiskey. The farmer couldn’t help but ask what he was planting. “Stewed tomatoes,” was the reply.

OR

TOM WAS DRIVING down the freeway when Lena called him on his cell phone to warn him about what she heard on the radio: someone was driving down the wrong way on I95.
“It’s not just one of them,” said Tom, “it’s all of them.”

Lastly:

AFTER Bill's barn burned down, his wife, Polly, called the insurance company. “We had that barn insured for $100,000, and I want my money,” Polly told her agent.
“Hold on just a minute,” the agent replied. “Insurance doesn’t work quite like that. We’ll ascertain the value of what was damaged and provide you with a sum equal to that.”
There was a long pause before Polly answered, “If that’s the case, then I’d like to cancel the policy on my husband.”

NOW do you say "OUCH"???
LOL
Have a great day!

Llama Love

Any one watch Jimmy Neutron?
If so, you must remember his side kick, Carl.
Carl LOVES llamas.
They even have a Llama Channel.
It cracks me up and we use it as a family joke. Every time we go by the llama farm in the town next door we quote:

"When Good Llamas Go Bad".

And we giggle.

I was visiting my LJ friends and I found the cutest link.

Carl watches the Llama channel and now, via this link, you can see a bit of it's charm.
If you dare.

LLAMA SONG

Hey, I didn't say it was rocket science~!
LOL

Blame it on The Harlequin

A first.

I received my copy of Laurell K. Hamilton's The Harlequin from Amazon yesterday. I've been waiting for this book with heightened anticipation for months. My excitement knew no bounds as I ripped open the box, shredded the plastic and breathed in the smell of a new book.

At about 10PM I started to read thinking it would be easy to put it down at a decent hour to go to bed.

Guess what?

Here comes a first ever for me.

Do you know what stopped me from reading the book to the end?

BIRD SONG

I. kid. you . not.

I was up reading The Harlequin until flippin'

4:30 in the morning!!

I tried sneaking into bed, but DH woke up and he was NOT happy with me on my behalf.

I admit, it was kind of stupid to stay up almost 24 hours straight, but I had NO idea that it was that late ... or early the next day.

I heard the birds and couldn't believe what that sound meant.

My first thought was, "Holy Shit! I didn't ! I couldn't have!"

Oh yea, I did. I got about two hours sleep before I had to get up, do the "work from home thing" before heading off to help my mom pick strawberries this morning because she can no longer kneel or bend her toes to push off due to her medical condition. She was counting on me.

I"m back now. All went well. We picked about 30 pounds of strawberries and she was SO happy. I got bit in the face by some kind of bug that left a huge hole and an even bigger welt.

I guess the question is: Was staying up so late to read The Harlequin worth it?

Yes.

Yes it was.

There wasn't as much sex.

There was more action, more thought, more sturdy character development and some wonderful insights into some new and old friends alike.

Richard is still a jerk.

Dolph is running second place for the Jerk award.

Olaf really squicks me out - what a great character!

More deaths in this one, some deserved and some ... not.

And my favorite cutie, Nathaniel, has some important plays in this episode. *sigh*

As always, the fallout from Anita and Jean Claude's decisions will have long reaching affects.

I can't wait to find out how it's going to play out.

Anita Blake: it's either love her or hate her.

I'm in the 'love her' camp and am not afraid to state it.

Waitin's a bitch and then you become one

Me?
A bitch?
You bet.
Today at least.

It started off well enough despite it being the last day of school and kids only having a half day.
I celebrated by taking them out to lunch. They always seem to enjoy someone else's cooking.

Then, we were off to Walmart to do some stocking up for the week; cool munchies, new shirts, a book or two *grin*, etc.

Shopping itself was an air-conditioned breeze until it came to check out time.
THAT is where my transformation began.

Seems they were short handed today. Out of 18 stations, only three were manned, one of which was a 12 items and under line which didn't do me a whit of good since I had triple that in my cart.

I groaned internally when I spied the two carted pair in front of me - grandmother, mother and little one year old. The child was the cutest and most well mannered of the three.

As I'm waiting ... and waiting ... and waiting.... flippin' 15 minutes goes by and I'm stuck. Everytime I turned around to see if I could back out, there was a line behind ME, trapping me in my misery. My anger and disgruntlement stemmed from the fact that I chose to thrill my kids by buying various ice creams and frozen pizzas. My timing couldn't have been worse.

The women are chatting to the clerk, discussing WIC options and figuring out who is going to pay how and what portion of WIC to be separated from the rest of the purchases.

Meanwhile, my hard ice cream is threatening to change to soft serve.
My eggs are thinking of hatching.
My chicken legs are stirring to do the salmonella can-can.
And starting to wave goodbye is my patience, good temper swiftly mutating to bad and I began to channel my inner viper.

My kids picked up on it and my eldest, after 20 minutes says to the old hag, "

"You know, you're taking a looong time!"

The wrinkled kumquat had the nerve to look into my son's eyes and said,

"Well, you can go wait in another line."

Takes a bitch to know a bitch ... and I sure as heck turned into one at that point. So I should know.

However, I am the adult. The parent. The one who sets the example by showing, not telling.
{Amazing how that sounds like writing a book, eh?}

I grit my teeth and called my kids over into a football style huddle.

"OK, guys, it's like this. We calm down. We don't say what we're thinking aloud, even IF we are right and we know we are right." I gazed into my eldest's eyes, "And you are right, it is taking too long, but we have no control over it. Watch and see, OK?"

My kids nodded. Did they know what I meant? Probably not. It's my job to "show".

Speaking of which, the younger woman did a "Show" of her own. You'll never guess what she did to waste MORE time?!!!

She LIFTED UP HER SHIRT TO SHOW HER SIZEABLE BELLY WITH ITS BRAND SPANKIN' NEW GALL BLADDER SURGERY SCAR COMPLETE WITH PARTIAL BANDAGE!!! In Walmart!! Then the clerk and her HUG!! Did you read that? HUGGED!!!! ARGH!!!!

Finally - when I finally got my chance ... I scooted past my cart and kids to state firmly yet dramatically,

"Excuse me. I realize that they were a large order however, I have a lot of ice cream and frozen goods that unless I get ice to pack them in, I refuse to buy. I've been waiting way too long and when I add in the travel time to get back home to _____ in this heat they won't be what I bought. I refuse to spend my money on melted and defrosted food."

She says ...(her eyes are starting to get reddish) "There's ice down that way."

Like I'm going to leave my kids at the register? Like I'm going drag them all the way to the other end of the store just to get ice? (it's a super store) It's not MY fault that the floor manager never opened up another register until twenty five friggin minutes had passed and it was too late for me. They were going to appease ME or I was leaving all the refrigerated/frozen items right where they were on the conveyer.

See? Doesn't that sound bitchy to you?

The manager was called over. She asked what the problem was. The clerk mumbled about my threat to leave the food. The manager asked what I wanted.
I. Want. Ice.
After explaining , again, the why of my stance she leaves and comes back with two huge bags of ice and proceeds to help the clerk double bag and place all the items inside.
I was NOT charged for the ice. As far as I'm concerned, it went as it should.
I was appeased.
But Man O Man ... I usually do NOT make people cry. It's always the other way around.
I am usually very sensitive about things like that and nonconfrontational to the extreme.

It's the principal of the thing. Suffice to say, one of the frozen items couldn't be saved as I'd bought it but everything else survived the transport.
I did explain to the clerk that I didn't blame her.
It wasn't her fault but it was the principle of the thing. I wasn't going to pay for food that wasn't capable of being in the same condition as I bought it.

Unless you make your stance firmly, they will shrug and take the path of the least resistance.
I've had that happen before, in many places and from all working ages.
Customer service isn't what is used to be.
Now you have to demand what used to be given.

And when you demand, you get labeled.
So today, I was a bitch.
Wow.

Thinking

Dangerous thing ... thinking.

I finally read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.

NOW I understand what the hub-bub has been all about.

I heartily recommend it too.

Engrossing read.

Already ordered the sequel.

As I was reading, it hit me.

I've been reading supernatural romances - vampires, werewolves, fae, even aliens for about three years now.

In all that time, I never put two and two together.

I guess I was pretty oblivious.

Here's my thought:

Ever notice the correlation between the three days of conversion to a vampire that many re-tellings of the vampire myth tell us and the resurrection of Christ?

No, no no, - I'm not getting deep into religion here. I am just saying that I noticed a simularity.

Three days to Rise again.

It's not the only literary work that embraces a timetable based on the Bible.

H.G. Wells did it too in The War of The Worlds.

"Six days. Six days, she said."

"The same amount of time it took to create the world."

Remember that scene in the movie? *ahem* The ORIGINAL movie.

I think numbers play a role in many things beyond what we are conscious of. I think that's cool.

The history of which we drawn upon even in current times is amazing. Half the time I don't believe we are aware or even recognize it yet we do it all the same.

See?

I told you.

It's dangerous for me to think.

It either shows how stupid I am, uninformed or how truly inspired I can be.

All of which are scary.

Boo!

Addendum:

I was reading Brandy's blog and a thought occurred to me.

I wrote it there, but I am so PROUD of my thought process, I'm going to share it here.

FARTS -

FARTS keep the Kid in us Alive.

Now, WHY would I say that?

As adults, we don't let ourselves go into giggle fits anymore. Not like when we were kids.

Those kinds of belly laughs are the BEST kind - and farts, in the right time and place - or is that the WRONG time and place *grin*, get us everytime.

Heck, we don't get them enough.

The laughs, not the gas.

*snort*

When's the last time you used a Whoopie Cushion on anyone, including yourself?

Naughty and Nice

It's Saturday so I decided to be ... fluffy



First, Let's do the Naughty!!! Click here - LOL!!!



And ... the Nice
:-)




HOW CAN YOU TELL WHEN THE BIG MAC HAS HIT THE AFRICAN TUNDRA???

*
*
*
*
*
*
**
*
*
*












Have a Wonderful Weekend, everyone!!

View from the Daze

I can't believe I totally forgot to share this almost embarassing happening.

This past weekend I took a trip to a male haven. An entertainment center chock full of
Go-Karts, batting cages, basketball, hockey and miniature golf.

I was doing the adult thing by monitoring two of the minors in tow as they went and did their thing. In going back into the ticket building to get more tokens for another Go-Kart ride and since the attendant wasn't onsite, the two thirsty enthusiasts headed for the water fountain down the hall.

Innocuous, yes?

Five feet before the fountain was a door wide open to the room inside. I didn't get a good glimpse of the room because a buff 20 something year old walked in front of me and strolled inside. No big deal, my attention was focused on the two water hoggers, worried that they might commence a water spitting contest or something.

So there I was, leaning against the wall, viewing the rascals from a short distance, watching yet kind of zoning out to my surroundings at the same time.
A blink and a gasp, I quickly stood up ram rod straight, eyes bouncing wide in shock before aiming away at mach one speed.

Seems I was watching the back of the brawny young guy guy without it registering on my fogged brain that I was watching him USE A URINAL!!!

Oh NO! Good Grief!
*blush!*

Why O Why did they leave the door to the mens room wide open? Why didn't anyone care? Why did the guy not close it? I mean, the urinal was right there in line with my point of view .. no fancy head craning necessary.

I am NOT a voyeur.
I never meant to see that ... pose, stance, whatever.
But I also can't believe how LONG it took for me to realize what I was watching!
I was in a daze.
And I got more of a view from that than had I plotted such a thing.

Thank goodness I escaped notice.
Thank goodness he never turned around.
Then I think ... did he know?
If he did,
naughty, naughty boy.

And since when did I make the shift of calling 20+ men , boys?

Dang.

A Sugar of a Book

You know, I've read Lisa Kleypas' historicals. She's the one who got me hooked on giving the genre a try.

*

Another first is reading one of her contemporaries. I didn't even know she wrote them.

*

This book didn't read quite like any I've read in the past. I'm still not sure if I liked the set up.

*

It reads as first person POV, and it follows the life of Liberty Jones. She's a girl from a small town in Texas who grows up having to be the caregiver to her baby sister after her Mom dies.

*

It's a little hokum kind of small town where opportunities are few and far between. Yet she perserveres.

*

The reader is treated to what is to me , a very slow and plodding decription of every day minutae. Yet, even after stating that, it seems more like a tool. That IS how small town life is like. You DO want to escape it and you want Liberty to take you with her. Evenutually, it picks up when her life leads her away from Welcome. Kind of like the pace of life when you start new and exciting things ...

*

Again, the style, method and voice is far different than I'm used to and now that all is said and done and after I've read this I can say ... I liked it.

Yes, there is an HEA.

I can reccommend this book.

Beware of preconceived notions, though. They'll bog you down.

*

The set up in the beginning leads you to expect one thing but you discover a better path. An unexpected joy. Granted there were a few areas where you kind of knew what was coming and at times a girl of 16 years of age speaks with the wisdom of a 20+ year old, but all in all, it works.

Another thing is Churchill. Lisa got me on this one. I thought for sure this was going to be a cliche. How sweet that it actually wasn't. *sigh*

*

I was entertained, I was rooting for Liberty, and I really took to Gage once he showed his "human" side. (initially I thought he was a jerk) But then there is Hardy. What's a girl to do?

*

It was a quick read ..It's only 10:30PM and I've already finished it.

*

If you are looking for a sweet, satisfying read, try Sugar Daddy by Lisa Klepas.

*

Also, I'm not going to copy the inside flap of the summarization of the story. I don't feel it does it justice.

*

Based on the flap, I wouldn't have picked up this book.

Based on the cover, I wouldn't have picked up this book - I am not into westerns.

BUT, based on the author - I picked up this book and am very glad I did.

*

It's amazing. You never know which marketing tool will catch a buyer's eye.

For this one, it was totally author recongnition.

*

They do whole blog posts just on that theory alone. What works? Purely subjective, I say.

*

TTFN

The Rules of Ascension

Rule #1
You have to love this book!

Rule #2
You have to do a "Fan Gush" to the author.

Rule #3
Read this book in an air conditioned room, or with access to ice cubes (if you're lucky, you might employ a buzz buddy or a handy DH or significant other for those sure-to-be tremors and aftershocks after reading such hot scenes.)

Need help with Rule #2? Here's a clue:
It's Lauren Dane!

It took me two days to read this. The first night I expected to stay up until midnight reading this, but even then I couldn't get through it all. Guess it was all those scenes that I had to re-read. *wink*

I just finished it and I recommend it to all readers who are fans of sensual, romantic and at times, halariously funny, werewolf or shifter stories. Ascension delivers some scorching scenes that touch base on many different levels of sensual pursuit. I believe there is something for everyone in this book and how Lauren manages to gather it all and weave it into this hot and romantic tale so seamlessly just blows me away.

This was one Ebook worth the purchase.

IMHO

Oh, and the cover?

Mmmm, Mmmm Good! Makes me want to HOWL! *grin*

Nut Wars

Sounds like a silly title, doesn't it?

Yet, I'm being serious. I'm going to share a personal scare with you. Some of my regular readers (thank you) know that I have a little one with a life threatening peanut allergy.

It's made life a challenge, because when you start looking for the ingredient, either in the food or contaminated by crossover exposure on manufacturing equipment, you realize the scope of the battle ahead.

Ignorance is a big obstacle. "But they're PLAIN M & M's. They're safe!"

No. They've come in contact with the peanut oils from the previous batch of Peanut M & M's.

I realize that I've shared that example before.

Here's a new exposure threat.

Yesterday was the last Paws for Reading program for my little one. He really enjoyed this semester and his reading has improved wonderfully.

As the last class drew to a close for the session prior to his, I stayed to observe the changing of the guard, so-to-speak. There were three dogs to choose from, or so I thought.
Turns out one was leaving and wasn't THAT a blessing.

Seems the handler, in celebration of the programs final session, presented homemade doggie treats to the other two handlers to share with their dogs.

Imagine my horror and trepidation when I hear, " Oh! Just smell how wonderful the PEANUT BUTTER makes these cookies smell! Here! Have some!"

There she is, breaking off bits and giving them to the other dog and then some to the handler. My son walks by the dog going goofy for peanut butter laced treats, and the handler looks down at him and says, "Do you want to go over and wait for Blossom?"

He said,"No, I want to read to that dog." pointing to the black and white one off to the side.

"That dog" just happens to be Silly Gilly, the border collie that he knew from a few times in the past and the ONLY dog NOT eating the treat. Gilly's handler only gives her beef treats.
THANK GOD!

My son wasn't even aware of the peanut threat. He just knew he liked Silly Gilly and the dog liked him. That was good enough.

Can you imagine the potential for risk, harm and trauma?

Needless to say, I called the head librarian and organizer of the program aside and informed her of the averted potential disaster. Her eyes got real wide when she realized the ramifications of what I had told her. She said that she knew very well not to give candy and treats out to kids at library functions in general because food allergies are becoming more and more a prominent safety issue. However, it never dawned on her to question the food/treats the handlers gave the dogs.

This will be the second time I've been instrumental in making them aware of important and needed policy changes in their program.

After all, some one's life, a child's life, literally is on the line.

After all that, Guess what?

I AM ALLERGIC TO ALMONDS!

Yep, you got it. I have one blasted gourmet almond at work yesterday and my lips went numb and the back of my tongue swelled up within one minute. I can't believe how fast it hit!

I have a piece of advice. You know that warning that they put on the labels of Benydryl and other products with antihistimines?

Take. them. very. seriously.

I had slugged 2 1/2 tsp's of the liquid stuff to counteract the swelling. It worked, no ER for me.
BUT , I had a 45 minute drive home ahead of me.
Wasn't that a lot of fun.
Not.
If the label says "May cause drowsiness", there is no "May" about it. It does.
I got scared shitless a few times when I thought I was awake and yet became alert to realize I was drifting to the side of the road. Thank God, again, that he was my co-pilot because I always went to the right, towards the breakdown lane and not the oncoming traffic.

I made it home, obviously. And I'm telling you , I will NEVER do that shit again. I mean, I had no choice in that I had to get home to get the kids off of the bus, but what I would and will do differently is that I will find someone to drive me home. Somehow.

Do NOT drive with the shit in your system. It's NASTY.

So, there you have it: warnings, advice and education.

How's that for a heavy topic?

Am I a prude?

I cringe when I ask myself that question.

Why does it come up and why would I post it here?

It has everything to do with the genre I like to read: Romance.

Lately, there's been a noticeable increase in M/M romance stories and I'm trying to get over my trepidation and hesitancy in reading them.

I've read, M/F/M stories and if they're done right, are quite enjoyable. One author that comes to mind is Lauren Dane - Triad and Tri-Mates ... two stories in her two different series. Another is Emma Holly in Stange Attractions. Evenutually the M/F/M stories have elements of M/M, but they always have the female around in the background, keeping me feeling "safe" .

So, does the fact that I am having a hard time shelling out money to read an M/M make me a prude?

Lynn Cash writes fun and saucy romance but writes M/M as Cash Cole.

More and more authors are doing it and I'm not reading them, yet I adore a lot of the authors that are expanding in this arena.

I have to ask, "Why write them?"

I like romance. I enjoy the romantica genre although, not so much pure erotica - that bores me.

What does M/M have to offer female readers? What's the lure, the draw, the point?

Anyone want to weigh in with their thoughts?

You also might be wondering what prompted this post .

I was on Fictionwise and I read the excerpt on this story. It ... intrigued me. Fun concept.

True of Heart [Draegan Lords Series Book I] --E-Book by M. L. Rhodes

The story piqued my interest until I got to the point where I realized that it was M/M .. yet the excerpt is .... hot, titillating and it made me squirm a bit.

Do you read to squirm or sigh? Or is both the goal?

Heck, what am I even asking now? Beats me. I'm discombobulated after re-reading the excerpt.

I understand that this also is a matter of personal choice, but sheesh people! There is a ton of this being written and published lately. By women! When did the collective decision get made to do this in, what feels like, a flood? Is this a fad? Something whose time has come? Has the writing been on the wall for awhile and I missed it?

*shakes head*

I'll go back to listining to Save A Prayer For Me by Duran Duran - maybe it'll clear my head.

And I'll wait for someone to volunteer to give me their perspective on this.

Meanwhile, I'll share this cute little bit I found since it's Thursday and it's CSI night. *grin*

The time to share is when you want to

Yep, because if you wait until the "perfect" moment, it really never comes. You make it what it is.
I can't believe it is JUNE and what I have to share happened back in APRIL.

Nothing earth shattering. Just observations of young'ns and the things they say.

Like:

You're playing miniature golf and your little one jumps up and down with hardly contained excitement and pride,

"I GOT A HOLE IN FIVE!!!"

Oh yes, a proud moment to remember.

In talking to the older one somehow we got on the subject of jellyfish sex.

Um, ... yeah, don't ask.

Anyway, immersed in the initial and tentative foray into talking about the birds and the bees, the question went, What do you think jelly fish do when they mate?

The answer:

"One bites the head off of the other?"

Somehow, I think the schools need to do a little more work differentiating between black widow spiders and jelly fish. Sheesh!

Or is that my job?
Can I delegate this one?
*sheepish grin*

The good thing is that both now know the answers to Who is buried in Grant's tomb and who is buried in King Tut's Tomb.

OH, did I tell you we saw Shrek 3 this past weekend?

You know, I thought it was good!
OK, so it wasn't as goofy funny as the others but I do believe it has a meatier story. One with a little more thought to it.
What's wrong with that?

I SO totally LOL'd at the part where the babies where all down for the night and Shrek and Fiona look quite suggestively at each other. What happens next had me almost falling off of my chair in appreciative laughter. A stroke of comedic genius!

I really got a kick out of Snow White's battle song. That was incredibly cool. And Merlin? That voice bothered me the entire time I was listening to him. I felt I SHOULD have been able to identify the voice but until the credits, didn't connect the vocal dots. Of course I did the ol' head smack when the credits came up. *chuckle*

And Arty? Too Michael J. Foxish for me ... not that that is a bad thing, I just miss him in his Alex P. Keaton role and when I see simularities, it brings back fond memories of watching that show.

Wow, that was off tangent, yes?

Sooo, what movie have you seen, BESIDES Pirates 3.???

I read a Master

Master of Dragons, that is, by Angela Knight. Just finished it.

By the By - the book cover I found here on the 'net' is NOT the same as what I bought. Same guy with the flowing hair, still hot, BUT the dragon is a shadow and the tattoo ends up in the middle of his chest. AND his belt isn't covered with the word MASTER AND there's a wall behind him, not the pretty clouds like on this one ... amazing how the little changes make a big difference.

Anyway:

I will go on record as saying that I LIKED Master of Dragons! This one was SO much better than the last one. She found her stride again. The last one was so full of sex, I couldn't find the story. This one enjoyed a wonderful balance. I enjoyed the plot and the fact that we finally get to hear Cachamwri speak and the relationship between Kel and Nineva was hot. It was kind of quick, but you know, time was of the essence. *grin*

Kel's HEA comes to us on a few different levels and after what he's been through the last 1500 years, I was so happy for him!

As far as secondary characters go, a few oldies but goodies showed up to help out, which was quite fun.

The wards are in dire jeopardy on both Avalon and Earth in this installment and it looks like the Dark Ones are going to win. In fact they .... ha! thought I'd spill the beans, didn't you?

Lots of nice characters bite the dust though. Sad at points because they would have been good characters, but then again, if they weren't, we wouldn't care if they bit the dust, right?

Did that make any sense?

Anyway - I like a man with long blue hair. And ***SPOILER***Angela even goes so far as to let us know he's a natural blue. *giggle* That was a stoke of genius!

Last is my question for you: WHAT TV THEME SONG DOES THIS SCENE INSPIRE??

Come on ... you know you know.

*grin*

This was the scene outside our motel window when we stayed in Fairhaven last weekend. Has it been a week since our trip already?

Sheesh!

Happy Saturday Everyone!

Brockmann Link Alert

OH WOW Oh Wow OH WOW!!!

You know that I've been rhapsodizing about Suzanne Brockmann's Navy SEALS books regarding Team 10 and Team 16??

Get a load of this.

She's guest blogging today and she is offering up a First Sneak Peak at her next book!!!!

Oh ,What an opportunity!!!

The Link is at :

Michelle B's Blog

Check it out if you are a fan!!!!

WOOT!!