My Friday ARGH

I never should have gotten up this morning.  Always be careful of where you send your email notes.
It may not go where you think and your words will come back and bite you on the ass.  I know I need to lose weight but getting my ass chewed is not the way to do it.  I've sent an apology out but have no idea if it will be received well or not.  I hate this. And LAST Friday was Friday the 13th, so what is today's excuse?

In a lighter note, I saw a little dog about eight feet from my car on Wednesday night. I thought it was a dog. It acted like a dog.
A car was heading towards me on the street, the canine stepped to my side of the road and waited for the car to pass. I inched along not knowing what it would do.  I stopped my car completely and when it turned to look at me, I realized it was a fox, not a dog. HOW COOL!  And it slowly loped across the road after it looked both ways and realized I wasn't moving.  Smart little fox!  I was tickled pink to see that.  He/she was so CUTE!

My pole beans are too high, they are taunting me. I look up and there they are dangling there, teasing me and I can't get them.  I will plan MUCH better next year.

My kids found some baby snakes. Played with them a bit.  They are cute when they are no bigger than a pencil.

LOTS of woolly bear caterpillars lately.  And they are so furry!  Does that mean we are going to have a very snowy and cold winter?   That's OK because by the end of next week, we will have a NEW WOOD STOVE! I'm thrilled! Excited! Happy! - we've saved and planned a whole year for this.  We have someone that it going to fix the chimney and another company that will deliver the stove.  It's finally all coming together.  And the new stoves have a place to COOK on!  I can't wait to try it... then again, I will wait.  Why rush winter?

I'm reading a really good book called His Captive by Diana Cosby.  Great Scottish historical romance. Usually I can finish a book in short order but life has been getting in the way and I've not been reading  like I usually do.  But so far, it rocks. She's a new to me author too.  I love discovering new authors.

Next week will be the week before school and school has already reared it's demanding head.  I have orientations, uniform fittings, meetings with nurses, MD appointments and band camp to deal with.  ARGH!

The ONLY movie I was able to bring my kids to see was the new Cats and Dogs: Revenge of Kitty Galore and it rocked!   When asked what their favorite part was, they thought about it....and said THE WHOLE THING!  That was a first.  There wasn't one part they could pick over another.  I guess if I had to pick a summer movie to see, I chose well. :-)

So, that's my  update.   Life is a roller coaster and sometimes ...well... I'm in the dip. Can't wait until it travels back up so I can see where the heck I am.
Have a great weekend!

Random Pictures

Just Mooing Around...

What kind of flower IS this?

Another View of the Mountain

Been a long day.  This is about as ambitious as I feel like getting.
And tomorrow is Monday.
Blech!

Looking Back Before Looking Forward

 On top of Mt. Killington, VT

I was looking at my 2007 posts and I can't believe how busy I was!
I did quizzes, notified readers of contests, discovered a book review site, told jokes and plastered a lot of pictures everywhere.
What happened?
Oh yeah, I was no longer a stay-at-home-mom.  Huge difference.  I went back to work in the fall of that same year and everything went downhill from there.

And it languished. But I can still share pictures!

A quiet moment to reflect

Peeking through Killington's woods

I've been a little more active here than I've been in a year so that's good. I'm trying to make time and it's not easy.  I don't think I showed you some of the pictures we got when we went. It was so nice because at the time we took these pictures, it was like we were the only people on the mountain.  We got there before the crowds -- they were arriving as we were leaving.  So the serenity was undisturbed for us while we were there.  Don't you wish you could take the time to smell the pine? And I'm telling you true. Walking through those woods was like walking through a Forest sachet where the scent of pine was as fresh and sharp as a freshly cut Christmas tree, without the snow and cold. *VBG*

May you find your serenity today.

A Baby Bunny Visits

Our litte furry visitor

Imagine our surprise when we opened the door to find this little guy only four feet away.  He stayed and calmly nibbled on the greenery.  It wasn't until my eldest had to knock the mud from his sneakers that it hopped away.  As it was, it had three humans oohing and ahhing almost from touching distance and it didn't seem to faze it at all.  Obviously a VERY young bunny.

This sure beats getting up close and personal with a snake.
**VBG**

Things Change

Yes indeed... I'm in the process of fixing that which I thought was unfixable.
I think I may be able to separate my identities afterall
::fingers crossed::
but Now I may have to find a new fairy.
LOL

Where's the Fairy?

Yep, you are probably wondering what happened. Or maybe you're not but I'll tell you about it anyway.

You see, I have this other persona that has become a big part of my life and as that person, I have been itching to comment back but I can't as me,myself.  Stupid BLOGGER will not let me separate identities and for some reason I can't have a separate profile.  For those of you who have been with me almost since 2005, you'll know me as me.  I usually write you off grid anyway in one form or another so this change should not be a big deal.  So, M's isn't going to make much sense with new viewers because the name now starts with an X.

As with my new moniker, its actual representation is that flower.  It's what I am. Well, no not really, not unless I was an alien. *gg*

So, that's that.
In other news, I was Mz. Suzy Homemaker this weekend.  Saturday I made buttermilk blueberry pancakes for breakfast.  Sunday I made French Toast for breakfast.  Later on, I premade for future use a HUGE batch of lasagna and put it in the freezer.  Then I made New England clam chowder - yes from scratch and corn bread, not from scratch.  I love those little Jiffy boxes.  It's another reason why I need September to arrive fast.

Why? Zumba.  After eating all the rich food and having an unnaturally sedentary  lifestyle, I need that commitment to movement. I need to Zumba but working nights prevents my attending.  I work during when the classes are held.  I miss it because I've noticed a massive difference in how I feel about myself and my energy levels.  Although this month, I'd not be going anyway.  Our instructor and owner of the studio has had major surgery.  She'll be back in September.  Guess we'll all be starting fresh.

Oh, I picked my first ripened on the vine tomato and it's exciting. My squash plants are languishng, poor things.  I have ONE cucumber however and my pole beans are doing great.  Speaking of Pole Beans...what possessed me to use poles 12 feet high?   I never gave it a thought that I'd have to GET the beans waaay up there!!   Must have been a blonde moment.

Have a great week and I hope you don't have any blonde moments of your own. ;-)

LIfe is flat

Well, it can be.

This morning I woke up chipper and alert. I had my cup of coffee and then my granola cereal. I was putting the finishing touches to my hair and my DH says,

"I hope you're not planning on going anywhere this morning."

Well, yes, yes I was. "Why not?"

"You have a flat tire. A completely flat tire. "

"WHAT?!?" ::cue screech::

I rush out of the house and sure enough - completely without air is my poor, flat as a pancake, tire. The rim is practically touching the dirt it's so flat. ::heaves sigh::

Thank goodness for AAA and their handy dandy tire changing service. SO, instead of taking my kids to see a movie, they get to go to a testosterone laden place to have my tire fixed where grease and oil is the scent du jour.

I suppose it could be worse. It could have been more than one tire, right? ::knocks on wood:: deep breath ::knocks on wood again::
I don't want to jinx myself, you know?

Gee, hope your day is rolling along just fine. Mine will be - and why are those little donut tires so cute?

Highland Games 4th year

Why did it have to be the HOTTEST day ever for the Highland games?

We made it to the opening ceremonies and I tell you, Mr. Zahn gives me goosebumps when he sings our National Anthem. The man can Sing!

Then we have the clan presentations. And no, I don't have a speck of Scot in me that I know of, darn it. Anyway...it was adorable that this little tyke with his dad tried to keep up with the rest of the drummers. He had his own little drum and he had his own beat. Such a cutie.

Oh yeah, this guy with the rather rough attire. Get this, and I think it's going to crush the fantasies of every romance reader who imagines brawny Scotsmen in kilts and sporrans.

What this guy is wearing is ACTUAL high linen fashion from the Highlanders. A Plaid is actually - and there is a Gaelic word for it that I obviously can't possibly know - a BLANKET - Plaid does NOT refer to a pattern of a clan. Neither is a Kilt, those cute little manly skirts. He told me kilt means "pleated" so a Plaid Kilt or Kilted Plaid is basically a Pleated Blanket! No romance in that! And while discussing weapons of the period, only the broadsword and what he's holding, a battle hammer/axe is authentic. There is this one that would be used for the foot soldiers and a shorter one for those on horseback.

And while discussing weaponry, a Scott in full regalia - modern version, tee hee, stepped up and they started tearing apart the movie, Braveheart. ROTGL- ground laughing since I was outside. lol - anyway, another guy showed up with baseball cap and shades so I was surrounded by all these guys in different dress debating history versus Hollywood. Braveheart was 10% history and 90% Hollywood fiction. Even the face paint that Mel Gibson used hadn't been used in hundreds of years- going back to the Picts. The only things that were consistent with history were the fight scenes and the depiction of the king. Wow. It was a lot of fun being in the middle of that. I learned so much more but how long do you want this post to be? ::snicker::

Anyway, the last picture here is the caber toss... did I at least spell that right this year? I couldn't get close pictures like usual because silly and scatterbrained me forgot my camera!! I forgot to unpack it from vacation so I had to rush to CVS to get a one time use camera. At least I got some but sheesh! I was so disappointed in myself. So, that's my current fun. Hope you are having fun this summer too!

Things in general

Views from Quichee Gorge,VT

Not sure what kind of bird that was but it was the only wild life brave enough to hang around despite the many people on the other side of the rock outcroppings. Perhaps it had to do with the teeming fish life in the shallows?
Picturesque, isn't it?

I love the look of filtered sunlight through trees - I couldn't go much farther on the trail - poison ivy was rampant.

In general:

Things in general are alright. The summer schedule means I work nights so no more Zumba during the summer. I miss it terribly. By the time I get out of work and make it back home, Zumba class is over or almost over. For this reason, I'm looking forward to September.

Summer is nice, but what do YOU look forward to at the start of autumn?

Coffee - a morning ritual

So, here I am. In a motel. Drinking substandard coffee. Even two sugars didn't make it palatable. But when you are desperate and it's all you have, then the taste is Nirvana. Is there some unspoken motel law that states that pipes are loud. That people get up at 5AM and shower and we hear EVERYTHING? That all the coffee, filters and fixings come in cellophane wrapping that sounds louder than a bugle and ricochets off the walls until we ALL are up? And that there is nothing on T.V. that is appropriate for kids to watch and we end up watching a John Wayne movie, The Horse Riders, which made absolutely NO sense to me? I still don't understand the POINT of the movie. Some one want to clue me in?? And was 'some one' supposed to be one word? And electrical sockets! How come they are all on the opposite side of the room from a table so I can't even use my computer in comfort? NooOOOoo, I'm on a bed, trying to balance things while trying to ignore Jimmy Neutron and now Fairly Odd Parents. I swear, vacations can make your brain de-evolve. Maybe that is why it's relaxing?? ::SNORT:: I simply MUST visit a book store at some point to reassert my sanity. In the meantime, Happy 4th of July all. Hope your plans provide entertainment while being safe at the same time. And may you still get quality SLEEP. Since I didn't get much last night, it's high on my To-Do list. ;-)

That's just GROSS

I'm here to tell you another difference between males and females. The males in my household were loading the dishwasher. A rather rambunctious and stupid fly zoomed into the dishwasher just as the door was being closed. The guys saw it. Closed the door anyway, and kept it closed. Started the dishwasher. Part way through, they opened the door, peered in and saw the fly floating in the sudsy water. What did they do? Left it. Left it and closed the door and let the dishwasher finish its cycle. With a DEAD FLY INSIDE. They didn't think anything about it. It will go down the drain port. It will be hot enough to sterilize anything in there, no worries. No problems. It's all clean. THEY. LEFT. A . DEAD. FLY. IN. MY. DISHWASHER. AND. WASHED. MY. DISHES, AND FRIGGEN NEVER TOLD ME UNTIL THEY WERE ALL UNLOADED AND IN USE!!!! If it were me, the lone female in the household, I would have done one of two things. Let the fly back out. OR Scooped out the dead insect and let the hot water and soap sterilize and clean my dishes as it should. But, I would NEVER ever wash dishes with a dead bug! And they STILL don't see anything wrong with what they did. What would YOU have done?

Time - it's a kid thing

What do I mean?
If you are a parent, then you know.
Time is measured by how much your kids change year to year. They are the visual marker of time's passage.
Until they stop growing out of shoes and clothes, they keep you hopping, wondering and running.

On Sunday, my nephew graduated from High School. I remember when he was 2 years old (I have the cutest picture of him back then )and now he's 18. He's changed and grown and matured to become a very level-headed, handsome and funny young man. And he can do a stare contest like no tomorrow. lol.

It made me proud to be his aunt, and it astounded me that I'm so ....well...old. But that's what life's journey is all about. We don't stay static and kids insure that.

Hope your day is full of wonderful revelations too!

The Sentinal Ant protects his Aphids

What a busy place it is on the tip of a tree branch.

The Storm blew this way and that

ALL TOO EASILY, THAT TREE COULD HAVE DECIDED TO LET GO ON OUR DRIVEWAY.

AS IT IS, IT WENT OVER ONTO OUR NEIGHBOR'S. I MADE SUPPER WHILE THE REST OF THE FAMILY HELPED THE LONE WOMAN AND HER TRUSTY CHAIN SAW GET THE JOB DONE. IT WAS GOOD TO SHOW MY KIDLETS WHAT BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR IS ALL ABOUT. THESE PICS ARE BUT A MEMORY NOW - THE ONLY STUFF LEFT ARE LEAVES, TWIGS AND DEBRIS. BET MOST AREAS COMMUNITIES WISH IT WERE SO EASY TO CLEAN UP THEIR MESSES. MANY AREAS HAD TO CLOSE ALL SCHOOLS DUE TO TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN. I THINK WE WERE VERY VERY LUCK....

WHAT BUG DO THESE EGGS BELONG TO????

A London Werewolf in America - I read it

I recently read a book whose very title had me interested in reading it.

I saw the movie, American Werewolf in London years ago. So what kind of story could the reverse be about? A fine romance, if I may say so. I liked it enough to write a review.

What do you think??

Title: A London Werewolf in America
Author: Pat Cunningham
Publisher: Siren Bookstrand
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length - #pages : 227


Review: The answer to what does a werewolf and a witch have in common is nothing and everything. Finding out what they do have in common and how they get to that point is a great read.

Darinda is the heroine. And she does earn the title of heroine because of all the things she has to do to keep herself alive as well as the hero. She doesn’t do martial arts, she doesn’t use a gun nor does she have to act like she’s got something to prove. She’s an ordinary woman living in a supernatural world and she just happens to have a bit of magic about her. Her familiar is deceptive and affective – just wait until the plot gets really hot – her friends are varied, funny or helpful, and she has a way with cards. She also has bucketfuls of integrity and loyalty which serve to not only garner respect from this reader as well as the hero, but serve to ratchet up the sensual tease and heat during the courtship. Not that she sees it as that, nor was it meant to be a mating intent. Just by the way she acts, the decisions she makes and the friends she’s made, she put herself in a position to be accepted by the very people who shun humans as being less than them. Darinda perseveres because she’s got guts, class and doesn’t run from the truth of her feelings. I enjoyed her character.

Roderick is a werewolf. In this world that Ms. Cunningham has created, humans are considered inferior but no less important as diversions, technological and societal movers and shakers which allow the supernatural communities to blend in and benefit from -- much to the detriment of some of the characters in this story. As for Roderick, he’s a misplaced alpha being forced to do as his mom says. His mother makes Mommy Dearest look like Mrs. Brady from the Brady Bunch. How he managed to stay sane and not become a bully is a testimony to his character and the strength of his inner alpha. I absolutely enjoyed the slow, gradual buildup of his character’s falling in love with Darinda. Being a guy, Were or not, he messes up and thinks with his partner ‘down South’, which presented this reader with some wonderful insight into both Roderick and Darinda.

The conflict is internal – want vs. oath, and external – who is trying to kill everybody? The mystery dogs their footsteps and Darinda ends up doing a lot of the sleuthing. It was refreshing to see a woman in a strong role without losing her femininity or brains. The villains are well couched in distraction and misleading clues, yet the author drops little hints along the way. Not that I figured it out until Ms. Cunningham wanted me to. It was a fascinating reveal. And something happened that totally caught me and one of the characters completely by surprise. I enjoy being astounded.

I thought the writing was tight, the dialogue flowed smooth and true to character, and the sensual dance between Roderick and Darinda as they fell in love was page flipping – will she or won’t she? I thought the secondary characters were well placed and described, and each contributed to the plot and story overall. I giggled when it was revealed just who Darinda was named after. In fact, her pixie buddy and her cat were oftentimes amusing and great fun in the scenes they appeared. I smiled many times throughout this story.

If this were to appear on a review site: I'd rate it a 4 1/2 on whatever scale they use if it's 1 out of 5. So, I'd say I was pretty happy with it. And when I'm happy with/about a book, I share. It's one of My Favorite things.

:-)

Tim Hawkins- Old Rock Star Songs

TELL ME YOU DIDN'T SNORT AND GUFFAW AFTER HEARING SOME OF THIS. COME ON, THIS IS GENIUS!!

Last time I zipped

This time I'll stroll

First, what is it with all the scam comments my blog is getting? How annoying.
Second, What is it with winter? Give it up already! Let the seventy degree temps reign.

I re-read Raising Havoc by Lori Foster. It's as great the second time as the first.
I just bought, Coyote's Mate AND Lion's Heat by Lora Leigh. AND Sandra Hill has FINALLY come out with a new Viking one, Viking in Love. Woot! I love her sense of humor. That new line about Pink Ice was ..eh.. ok..but her Vikings have always entertained me. My only groaner is that I cannot read these yet. I have to save them for when I go on vacation. Do you have ANY idea how hard that is to do?

I've been reading the Cat Star Chronicles by Cheryl Brooks and I cannot get enough of them. They rock my world. Then again, Terry Spear is nothing to sneeze at. She has wolf stories that make me care about the characters. Enjoyment abounds.

I have been going to ZUMBA for over two months now and I LOVE TO ZUMBA!!!
I lost 8 pounds from doing it but it's the contagious and outrageous fun and excitement generated by the owner of the studio that really inspires me to try harder and Woot and Holler and Yahoo louder. She's an amazing lady.
She just got certified in Zumba Toning and after my first class my butt screamed for three days! Yeouch! but of course I went back for more.
I just got word that she's planning a surprise ladies night with food and everything. She's just not saying what the highlight will be. No, not anything with men dancing, darn it. It's going to be a saucy but nice surprise. I'm just thrilled to do things that are geared towards women. It's great being a mom and all that but I like to do fun things for me. If I feel fun, I AM fun.

Oh, yes. The Neti Pot. Don't anyone scoff at its use. It works. Sounds weird and gross but dang if it doesn't work wonders.

I'm on Facebook. I think you know that. And I'm a Bejeweled addicted nut. I don't play the apps like I used to but that Bejeweled Blitz is only a minute. Who doesn't have a minute or two or TWENTY to play? LOL - yeah, time creeps away from you when you play that game.

Oh, I had another short 1200 word story Epubbed. And I have a great WIP that I'm working on. Maybe I should say it's Good ... it'll be GREAT when I finish it. LOL

Well, that's all the conversation I have to impart today. Except for wishing that SPAM comments would just stay the heck away from my blog. Sure I don't post as often as I used to but it is STILL my blog and I don't like trash being posted in my comments. I don't think ANYONE does...why can't they leave us alone?
Pesky rodent spammers.
Bronx cheer to them all.

zipping through

Yep, just zipping through to say

OH my Gosh, they are making the A-TEAM into a movie? And they sort of found actors
that have hints of the originals?
And oh my gosh, who IS that ripped guy they showed in the trialer?
OOOH WOW!
I HAVE to go see that movie!

and that new Jackie Chan movie looks funny. Reminds me of the Pacifier a bit, but that's OK, I liked that movie too.

Happy New Year.

Hope you are staying warm. It's been cold and windy and not conducive to snowman making, or snow balls.

I'm currently reading the latest Kim Harrison book. It's taking me awhile because I'm fitting it in amongst other things going on.

I'm joining Zumba soon - I go for my weigh-in this Saturday. It's a six week course and I hope it makes a difference for me.

Some totally stupid jokes to share::

***What do you call a fish with no eyes?
A fsh

***Two snowmen are standing in a field. One says to the other : "Funny, I smell carrots too".


I love Redneck jokes:

***You think taking a bubble bath starts with eating beans for dinner.

My Favorite Cat Quotes:

Anything not nailed down is a cat toy

Cat - a small furry organism with a tropism for where it's not wanted

Cats are smarter then dogs. You can't teach eight cats to pull a sled.

Cats are intended to teach us that not everything has a function

Cats are Zen made Fur -- Jo Godwin

Cat Creed: Everything here is mine

Dogs come when called. Cats take a message and get back to you

**********

I fell on the ice last week. My Chiro said I 'bounced'. That means I gave myself whiplash. Have to go back next week after swelling goes down. I can't wait until winter is over. Ick.

I sewed a button yesterday. OK..so what you say. BIG so what, sew what? LOL
I'd been buttonless for over 2 months. It took me that long to sit in one place long enough to have the patience to sew a button. And hem the coat and restitch the cowl flappy big part on the coat. I love my coat though. It's big, long, black and wool.
It looks like I should walk around with a latern and respond to being called
John Coachman.
LOL

And , a question. Do Moose Tracks go in single file like a cat's???

OK..zipping back out. Hope all is well with you!

A Man who can COOK

I can just swoon.

I love him on romance book covers.

But what he does to food? Oh my Gosh. The part when he makes a fennel salad was too fast. I wanted to SEE how to prepare that. I've never had fennel. Seeds, sure, but as a veggie?
Wow, never crossed my mind.

And his smile? **le swoon**
And his wife? Can we say TALENT? How she decorates is totally awesome.
I have woods behind my house and I've NEVER thought to USE them in decorating.

It's got me thinking.

Watch his episodes.
I envy his pots and pans. I want them. Now those are tools to cook with!