Can You Believe it's been a Week?

"A week of what?" you ask.
Tomorrow will be a week since the LASR website went online and the owners have saved the best for last.

What could inspire a Major Squeee! moment?

An interview with the amazing and prolific Lori Foster!!

I'm a major fan of Lori's - her stories of the Winston Brothers are what hooked me. The series that has Say No to Joe and Jamie amongst other titles has kept me. What does Lori have coming up? I have no idea but I hope she's going to share something good and I can't wait to read the interview.
Stop on by!

And, if you have a hankering to read something but are short on time, there's a sweet story for you to read for FREE.

And remember, there's the contest to enter for free books and stuff.

What are you waiting for? I've invited you. :-)

The Elusive Clyde

Here he is, One Eyed Clyde ... he reminds me of a squinting Clint Eastwood. On the last morning of kitty sitting, he came running with a purr and a meow for the food I was holding. Seems food is the magic key to getting a reluctant kitty to stay around long enough to snap a pic.


I'm wondering...does anyone know what it means to have a kitty's tail standing straight up like this pic? I'd like to think he was comfortable at that moment and happy to be fed. But, in kitty-speak, what does it mean?

Clyde does have interesting markings, doesn't he?

In sharing news: Today is the first day of school! Yeah!

We saw the kiddos off...they were up at...get this... 5:30AM. They NEVER are up at that time. Then again, neither am I. LOL

Seems the kids ate all the goodies I had stashed for snacks for the first day. Mom's getting slow on the uptake I think. Anyway, I was up at 4AM... another unheard of thing, and was out the door at 5:12 to go shopping at the local grocery store since it's open 24 hours.

HA! No one told me that they'd CHANGED their hours. They didn't have them posted on the front doors anymore. What gives? When did that happen? Of course all those questions were irrelevent. What to do?

Got back home at 5:36AM and started to mash bananas for banana bread. Yep, I had to bake. By 7AM, when the kids USUALLY would be getting up, they were eating banana bread still steamy from the oven, and I was cutting slabs to pack for their school snack. I made TWO loaves, one with nuts and one without. And, I will tell you true, both loaves will be eaten by 8PM tonight. Guaranteed.

So that's the scoop. I finally got to share a pic of Clyde the survivalist Stray and my early bakings endeavors.

Sooo, what's in YOUR oven?

**giggle**

Big Announcement

* Today is the day!*

** The day you've been waiting for! **

Well, I've been waiting for it for a month now. LOL. Today is the Kick-off to the review site I'm a part of .

LASR - Long and Short Reviews - has their own website and it becomes active today! Right now!

Remember my sticky post? The winner is already posted. Check it out HERE

The winning is not over yet. There are more contests everyday this week.

In fact, there are TWO contests you could enter today. One through LASR and the other is on the author's blog who is spotlighted on the LASR Home Page.

Go on over and say HI! Allie would love to hear from you.

Allie Boniface!

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In more mundane news. I'm still kitty sitting even though I thought the owners would be coming back last night. They didn't. Sooo, we went around 6PM to get them back into the house and feed them. As of 8:42AM today, they're still not home. I could have sworn they'd be home last night.

So, the kitties are safe and sound, but now I'm worried about their family.

I'll let you know what happens.

At least I got a pic of the elusive Clyde and even got to pet him last night! Guess it takes a looong time for a recovered stray to warm up to anyone.

I felt so honored when he purred for me.

:-)

***************Update:

What a little PMS queen! I thought Gypsy was outside so I went to scoop out her poop. Unbeknownst to me, my little guy had let her back in. That cat zoomed out of nowhere and CLAWED me as I scooped her poop! Ungrateful wretch.

Then, she has the audacity to scratch my little guy with both paws when he tried to pet her outside! The scratches now look like puffed up mosquito bites. I've put antibacterial on it and gave him Benydryl since he said it was itchy.

Always an adventure kitty sitting. Never a dull moment.

OH, and the Queen? Ha! She stuck around the cellar, which has a convenient door to the outside. I picked her up and put her outside where she belonged. She hissed during every one of my four steps. When I closed the door, I looked back at her through the window and boy, was her expression miffed and insulted! BWAHAHAHA!!!!!

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The good thing? I was able to get a few more pics of Clyde. I'll share them tomorrow.

Purr and Fur

Yeah! Kitty Patrol activated.

The queen kitty, Gypsy, remembered us and was perfectly comfortable following us into the house and wrapping around our legs as we headed for the food cabinet.

I was worried when I didn't see Clyde at the same door. What would I do if my first time on kitty duty and one didn't show up?

Whew! Didn't have to worry. Seems Gypsy uses the front door, and poor Clyde is relegated to the back door. Gypsy is definitely the alpha kitty of the house.

Even alpha's have less than regal moments and I caught a good one! See?

LOL!!

I don't have any pictures of Clyde because he is very shy of us. Guess it comes from being a survivalist stray.

It was tricky to get out of the house without letting Gypsy escape. They have to stay inside at night but she was determined to try to slip out.

But, I know this Kitty. She's a food fiend. When Clyde left his bowl, she glided in and scarfed the rest.

I used that against her. When it was time to leave, I shook the food container and both cats came arunnin'.

While they were busy chowing down on the unexpected extras, me and my kids dashed out the door.

Initial mission accomplished!

LOL

I just hope I don't have to clean up any hairballs. *eww*

Slice of life

In Chat mode tonight.

We are Kitty Sitting this weekend for our neighbors! We haven't done that since the new stray, One-Eyed Clyde joined their family. He had a tendency to pee where ever he wanted to when he first got into their house.
When kitty sitting, we only go morning and night so if he'd peed during the day... his present would have fermented and you can imagine how pleasant THAT would have been.
Not wanting to take that chance, they didn't call us until he was house trained.

So, now we are all excited! We went and got our instructions and keys today. Also, I received permission to take more Kitty Pictures! Woot!

I have a favorite from last time. I hope to obtain another one this session and of course I'll share it with you.

Our lovely 65 degree F. temperatures are leaving us today. First we felt the humidity, then came the creeping up of the temperature. Tomorrow promises to be close to 90. That is a thirty degree difference!

I've been reading a new author, Lora Leigh. Her books have two series going. One I'm familiar with from Ellora's Cave and the new one that deals with Navy SEALS is also good.
Someone had mentioned her on one of the romance communities I belong to and I decided to go to my friendly library website and look up all things Lora Leigh.

I will say with regards to her Navy SEALS titles that she doesn't need that many sex scenes in the books. The story line, plot and character development are more than adequate to carry the story. They are strong intense reads with some amazing descriptive passages that border on poetry.

The one I just read has the cutest scene about cucumbers in the produce section. There was so many scenes that really roped the reader into caring for the hero and heroine. The sex was good and the descriptives were hot, but after awhile, all I wanted to know was what would happen next in the plot. It kept me turning the pages and as far as I'm concerned, that's a mark of a succesful read.
I realize I'm being vague and not giving you any details. I wasn't intending on doing an official review and besides, there is more than one book.

Dangerous Games
Harmony's Way
Hidden Agendas
Megan's Mark

Have you noticed the propensity and abundance of Navy SEAL stories in Romance Books?
I think it's because, at this point in our country, we need heros and these guys are Home Grown and are the Best of the Best. The romance genre has built these men up to Superman status and they are written as many a woman's wet dream.

I wonder what an Actual Navy SEAL thinks about these developments?
Do they even know just how influential and inspiring their occupation is to romance writers?
Do you ever wonder if all these books are creating even more groupies that oogle or aspire to be in the presence of a REAL Navy SEAL?
Does it perplex them?
Amaze them?
Annoy or embarass them?
Or do they soak it in as something life affirming and sometimes humorous?

I doubt I'll find answers to these ponderings, but it's fun to wonder.

Have you wondered about anything today?

The Past Comes to Visit

I'm at work right now.

I simply have to write this down.

A guy came in to do some paperwork that required my signature as witness.

Oh My gosh! It's the guy that used to teach me in CCD when I was in my 11th year in High School.
The same one whom my Mom's best friend, when I graduated said,
I SHOULD MARRY HIM!!

When I was leaving the room, Way too mortified, embarassed and/or shocked to say anything, I saw him do a double take when I smiled as I left.

Did he have a Deja Vu? Did he recognize me?

The world will never know. "I" will never know. Too darned chicken. *gg*

BUT, after seeing him and looking back at my DH of over 20 years ... I'm pretty satisfied and content with my life mate.

But , SHEESH, people! It's a SMALL world!!!!!

**Win!** LASR CONTEST **Enter** **Win!**

**Contest Sticky***Contest Notice***Win Contest!***Contest Sticky***Contest Enter***Win*

Gee, Could there be a contest going on? *grin*
Yes, the fun and wonderful review site that I'm a part of, Long And Short Reviews, is having a kickoff Contest to celebrate their new website.

"Tiny Blurb: ♥ Our reviewers (That's ME!) have posted sticky notes about the contest. (That's THIS) Just leave a comment on the sticky post on one (or more) of their blogs. ( That's YOU!) Please comment only once on any particular blog. Multiple entries on one blog will be deleted. "

What can you win? Check the links, check us out!
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Pssst! Make sure you leave your contact info just in case the winner is YOU! :-)

Beach Awareness

How are things with you?

Did the week treat you nicely?

Mine was frenetic to say the least.

It culminated in the one and only trip to the beach for the summer.

Found out the experts are right, you CAN get a burn on a cloudy day. Even with a sometimes cool breeze barrelling onshore and cold water, you get sunkissed. Mr. Sun got my face most of all, and I can't be too upset about it. After all, my natural color is ghost.

Um, so now I look like a blushing ghost. *grin*

No pictures unfortunately. I went with my family and they got me into the water, glasses and all. I also forgot how much I like to people watch.

Do you ever sit there watching and hoping for a bronzed buff and beefy hunk to strut on by?

I'll tell you what, no matter what you see on TV, they are a rare animal.

All those flat-tummied babes with the lithe and long legs?

Try belly ringed little and not so little pooches on bikini clad women of all ages with legs thin and not, hugged with cellulite laden skin, some tight, some not.

Or the two older Sugar Daddies with the two seriously hot tomales that came in on their jet skiies; did they strut their stuff or what?

Saw a man in casual business attire with a back pack and a woman in a skirt accompany him to the shore for a little toe tipping in the waves. How incongruous was that?

One buff guy had an in-process tattoo over most of his back of a pheonix. Beautiful art work, but will the Pheonix soar proud on the back of a seventy year old man? Only time will tell.

Speaking of old men... there was this one guy that when viewed, caused some internal giggles. Remember my post about graying pubic hair? Well, I got a glimpse of the future in a older man with white chest hair. The giggles hit me because his tufts of curly white looked like ... well, a demi-bra, cupping his man boobs. Never mind the arrow of hair leading to the potentially snowy South Pole. *giggle*

Definitely, I forgot how much fun it is to people watch. And remember, the majority of humanity is nothing like the magazines or TV depictions. We may see our body types as flawed but because of those perceived flaws, we are perfection itself.

We are real.

We are approachable.

WE are everywhere.

But a hunky beefcake every now again sure livens up the view. *wink*

Botannical Light Fare

The Priest and the Hair Dryer

A distinguished young woman on a flight from Switzerland asked the Priest beside her,

"Father, may I ask a favor?"

"Of course. What may I do for you?"

"Well, I bought an expensive woman's electronic hair dryer for my mother's birthday that is unopened and well over the Customs limits, and I'm afraid they'll confiscate it. Is there any way you could carry it through Customs for me? Under your robes perhaps?"

"I would love to help you, dear, but I must warn you: I will not lie."

"With your honest face, Father, no one will question you."

When they got to Customs, she let the priest go ahead of her. The official asked,

"Father, do you have anything to declare?"

"From the top of my head down to my waist, I have nothing to declare."

The official thought this answer strange, so asked,

"And what do you have to declare from your waist to the floor?"

"I have a marvelous instrument designed to be used on a woman, but which is, to date, unused."

Roaring with laughter, the official said,

"Go ahead, Father

Maine-ly Perfect

I'm BAaaaack!

Coast line somewhere, anywhere, but it IS in Maine, about 30 minutes from where we were staying.

Off of Mackworth Island

Maine is huge, green and beautiful!

We discovered Mackworth Island.

The newest tourist stop, the Maine Botanical Gardens.

A Book Store with great choices.A restaraunt that serves REAL potatoes AND eggs!

Not once did we have seafood, can you believe it?

It was hot, sunny and we couldn't have asked for more wonderful weather.

However, it didn't start off too promising. I mean, 7:30 AM on the day I was to leave, I had to rush myself to the urgent care center of my MD's office whereas I found myself with a strange bacterial infection which later was diagnosed as coming from stress!

There was a side effect that went untreated for FIVE days, today included. We got home late last night and as soon as I was able, I was on that phone asking to speak to a nurse, an MD, ANYONE who could help with this hellish side symptom. NO one called back until 5:11PM this AFTERNOON!

ARGH!!!

So, now I'm on TWO medications and unfortunately, no relief is expected for 48 hours.

Six days of pure agony.

It was easier giving birth. At least THAT was only 3 hours!

But I survived and did manage to enjoy myself. I took absolutely stunning pictures to use as wallpaper for my desktop. Wanna see some?

Botanical Garden Sample

Fairy Village sample

So, I"m back, all is well or becoming well and I Will do that Tag sometime this week.

Toodles All!

Haitus time again

Yep, only a short one though.

I have a tag to do, but I'll do it when I get back. Things are WAY crazy right now.

I'll leave you with visual joy. Be good, happy and healthy whilst I'm off to ... eat in restarants where I wonder about the food. And yes, I brought the 'pink' stuff for that just in case episode.

So, No computer games for me. Using a Strange bathroom is in my future.

And I know I'll miss my Cyber-buddies.

Awwwwww.

TTFN, everyone!