The one where I try to explain things to Mike...

So it's a rare occasion that Mike and I get to spend time together in the summer. His job is super busy and he usually leaves the house before I get up (don't get all judge-y, 8 am is not that late to sleep) and he returns after dark, showers and generally falls asleep long before me. So if I can sneak a little bit of couple time in there, I take advantage. Last week advantage took the form of dragging him to town for an appointment we had to keep. But we did lunch first.

We went to a local pizza parlor for their buffet lunch. It was packed and there was this guy with, I kid you not, a Mohawk mullet. For real. Mohawk in the front, mullet in the back. Two hairstyles that never looked good to begin with combined to make something frightful. I wanted to tap him on the shoulder and be all "Dude. The 80's called...they want their hairstyles back." but he was a lot bigger than me so I didn't. If a mullet said, business in the front and party in the back, what did his haircut say? My mom cuts my hair?? Oh, and did I mention that she still wears that snakeskin mini skirt and listens to old Whitesnake tapes?

Aside from the awesome scenery, we discussed other things; the kids and if they were ever going to move out, his work, our upcoming appointment, his work, plans for the 4th, our trip to the ER the night before, his work and oh yeah, my work.

Me: I'm so busy, I feel like I'm never going to get everything done. And now this arm thing. How am I supposed to paint?

Mike: So when are you going to be rich and famous?

Me: I'm already famous. Duh.

Mike: Really...?

Me: Yeah. You have no idea. I got asked to do two guest blog posts this week.

Mike: What does that mean?

Me: It means I write something for someone else's blog.

Mike: Why? So your followers will go to their blogs?

Me: Well, kind of. But also their followers will get to know me. It's mutually beneficial and very nice of them. I'm flattered. Also, I got quoted.

Mike: Quoted?

Me: Yes, we had a discussion on Masters of Horror about this old horror movie The Changeling. And then the guy who started the discussion did a review of it on his blog and he quoted me. Because I'm an expert on horror movies and stuff.

Mike: Really? Like he said "Stacey Turner says..."

Me: No. He said, "My new friend Stacey Turner says..." (Read the review here)

Mike: Well that's kind of cool.

Me: Don't look so surprised. I got fans, yo!

Mike: *nearly chokes laughing at me*

Me: It's not like I have my own Wikipedia page like The Bloggess or anything. But someday..."

Mike: So about the rich part...

Me: I'm working on it baby. Don't worry. I got this...

As soon as I know what day I'm doing my guest posting, I'll be sure to share. And it would be very awesome if some of you would stop by those blogs and have a look-see. Some of you (those squeamish types) are totally excused. A friend of mine told me last week that she can't read my work. She tried to read "The Lamp" but had to stop. I scared someone. Those of you who've been here from the beginning know that my main goal was to scare at least one person. Looks like it's goal accomplished! Whew! That's a load off.

Also, I have a poem being considered for an upcoming poetry magazine issue. Its about as far from my usual writing as you can get. I'll let you know if it pans out.

Happy Friday y'all,
♥Spot

PS for those of you not squeamish...please check out today's Flash Friday post at The Author Spot.

The one where I catch you guys up...

Catch you up on what's been going on around here lately. Its not really much but of course there are a few ridiculous conversations to throw out there. We've had a lot going on in the last couple of weeks- CJ's graduation (which was awesome). I cried when they showed the slide show. I can't believe they grow up so fast. Of course my Mom and Lu were crying in the row behind me as well. We took CJ out to eat after. We also had him home this week for a while and got to do some swimming and other things he loves.

My Graduate

We also had the first of Lu's baby showers. This one was a Sleepover/Shower for the younger crowd. Luke's mom brought his sister from Iowa so she stayed too (and us old ladies slept in beds not on the living room floor!). It was a huge success. She got some nice things, we had too much food and everyone made her a customized onesie using fabric paints. There were some talented artists among this group!

Lu and her future in-laws

Plus I'm trying to squeeze work in there! This week we have Lu's dr. appt, a bachlorette party, rehearsal dinner & wedding of friends. There are still two more baby showers for Lu and the rest of the house to paint. I think things might settle down come September. At least I'm hoping!

Now for ridiculousness~

Me: I'm submitting a couple of poems to this press. Want to hear my favorite"

Sean: *huge sigh* I suppose...

Me: *reading the poem to him*

Sean: Wait just a minute! That poem doesn't rhyme!

Me: Real poetry doesn't have to rhyme Sean. I taught you that in English.

Sean: I don't like poems that don't rhyme. Look at "One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish". That's a classic! Know why? Because it rhymes!

Me: Um. Again. Poems don't have to rhyme.

Sean: That's where you're wrong. Its a state law in Illinois that poems have to rhyme. Violation of that law is a federal offense.

Me: If its a state law, how can it be a federal offense?!

Sean: It just is! And the punishment is beheading. *whips out his sword he bought on Ebay and begins chasing me through the house* (no worries, the blade is not sharp)

Me: *running* That's it!! No more "Law & Order" marathons for you! Or "Tudors"! No one gets beheaded anymore!

I haven't heard back about the poems. I hope they didn't want them to rhyme...

Have a great weekend,
♥Spot

The one where I take a new job...

Mike and I had this conversation the other night~

Me: Do you think I'm crazy?

Him: We've been together 23 years. I know you're crazy.

Me: Yeah. But that's not what I meant. I meant for taking on more work when there's so much going on in our lives. There's Lu's baby, you're getting ready to be busier than a cranberry merchant at bogging time and I'm trying to get the house fixed up.

Him: Crazy? No. I just wonder why you want to start fixing other people's books. Won't that cut down on your time to write?

Me: It could I guess. If I let it. But I usually divide my day into pieces. I'm most productive at my own writing in the late afternoon/ early evening. I do most of my other stuff in the morning. Or late at night. Writing my own stuff is still the goal. But I really really enjoy editing and proofreading. And I'm really good at it. And it's just for me. Does that make sense? For the first time in a long time, my self worth is less connected to you and the children and more focused on my own abilities.

Him: You know I back you in whatever you want to do. If it makes you happy then you should do it.

And so I did. I took a job as Editor at Angelic Knight Press. I'm very excited to join their staff. And they did a lovely announcement. If you get the chance, please read it. I'm really looking forward to the challenge.

And guess what? CJ graduates today. I can't believe he turns 21 this year. So much is happening so fast. So many good things have happened this week that I find myself waiting with breath held for the ominous portents to start showing up. Crazy, huh?

Happy TGIF people,
♥Spot

The one where we discuss my work and other things...

I know my children are nearly adults. They know they are nearly adults. Somehow they just forget to act like it sometimes. And they still don't seem to realize that "working from home" includes the key phrase "working". Because I'm home most days, it still seems to fall to me to cook, clean & run our lives. You know; schedule doctors appts, grocery shop, deal with insurance, balance checkbooks, make travel arrangements, keep the calendar updated so people know when they're coming and going and who else is where. Oh and keep bored people entertained. And this is why my Facebook statuses so often proclaim that I'm incredibly happy to be home alone. Those are the days when I get things done. Those are the days when I spend from the time I get up until the time I go to bed working. And even after I go to bed if I'm reading an upcoming review book on my Kindle. Here are a few conversations we've had about my work lately:

Lu: (after coming home from work around 10 pm) Did you even call the insurance lady today?

Me: Of course I called her. Why would you think that I wouldn't?

Lu: Because you were working when I mentioned it before I left and when you work you're in your own little world so I wasn't sure you even heard me.

Me: It's called time management. I come up for air around 11:30 and take a shower, eat lunch and do any pressing household business before going back to work. But your utter lack of confidence in my abilities is heartwarming. Thanks.

After Sean got home from Scouts:

Sean: So all the guys were complaining about their mornings today and I told them how hard mine was. How I had to roll out of bed at 8:30 and then I had to eat Pop-tarts even though I hate them because you wouldn't make me breakfast.

Me: I was working. And you're a big boy.

Sean: Then they all wanted to know why you were still home at that time so I had to explain that you work at home and how you're a writer and all. They were hugely impressed.

Me: Aw. Thanks.

Sean: Well they were impressed until I told them about how you never used to burn supper and now you do it all the time because you're so caught up in work.

Me: Thanks. Thanks for that.

And this convo:

*Lu's friend at work recently had a boy baby and now the two of them are always joking about who will have a girl first.*

Lu: I told S about how you said I should probably get married before I had any more babies and we were laughing. She said you and Luke were probably in cahoots and you probably had my wedding dress stashed in your closet somewhere.

Me: I would never buy your wedding dress without you. But I might refuse to buy it at all if you continue having babies and don't marry the poor guy. Besides, there's no room in my closet.

Lu: I told her yeah, you'd tell me to put it on some day and say we were going out to eat and the next thing I'd know I'd be standing in front of the courthouse with a ring on my finger and a marriage certificate.

Me: Who wears a wedding dress out to eat??

Sean was just laughing through this conversation.

Me: I'm so glad I can provide both of you with fodder for entertaining your friends.

Sean: Don't even be like that. You know you're going to blog this conversation.

Well said Sean, well said. And now I have.

Happy middle of the week,
♥Spot

PS- Got a few extra minutes? Check out the short story I put up at The Author Spot. And if you leave a comment, I'll be extra happy.

The one where we talk about Morels...

Do you like wild mushrooms? I don't remember ever eating them until I met Mike. My mother's family always lived here in Illinois and they hunted and such so I'd eaten a wide variety of critters since childhood but Mike introduced me to deer (which I can handle), duck (gag) and turtle (never again). He also introduced me to Morels. I love the taste of them. I even like hunting for them when I get the chance. But I really hate frying them. It takes too long, it makes a mess and I'm over it. Unfortunately, I live with the "mushroom whisperer".

Yeah, that's Mike. For real. I couldn't even make this up if I tried. The man can spot a mushroom growing under a tree from his truck window as he barrels past at 40 mph. We've all gotten used to him suddenly braking and yelling "Mushroom!" At which point someone has to get out of the truck and pick it, because heaven forbid, we leave one behind. When the kids were little and we took them out to the woods mushroom hunting, we'd be traipsing through the woods and as little kids will- they'd be bickering, singing, generally making noise. Mike would bellow "SHHHHHH!" To which I'd reply "Really?! What? Are we going to scare them away?"

I'm not sure how other mushroom hunters are doing this year, but Mike is having a good run. Too good, in my humble "I have to cook the damn things" opinion. We've eaten tons of them, we've given some away, we fed them to my parents on Easter, and still there are bowls of the damn things taking up room in my fridge and taunting me with their "you have to cook us soon" smiles.

He sent me a photo when I was in town the other day that had a mess of mushrooms he'd picked and a mountain dew bottle. Why the mountain dew bottle? For size reference. The mushrooms were fully as big as the bottle. I texted him back and asked if he'd picked some Gnome's home? Because those little buggers will come after you. Even mowing the grass the other day he braked suddenly, climbed off the mower and picked about 20 mushrooms in my front yard. I told you, he's the "mushroom whisperer". And I'm the fry cook. Fab. Is mushroom season over yet?

In other news, CJ's last prom is Friday and he's up for Prom King. Molly is escorting him and I will take tons of photos. We are going to stay in Springfield and visit because my sister's family and my uncle will all be there as well. My uncle lives in Phoenix and comes to visit once a year. He & my Dad will be here tomorrow to fish and barbecue and load up on the potato salad and lemon pies I make from their mom's recipes.

Lu had an accident last night on her way home from work. She hit a deer, which happens a lot around here. Luckily, the deer jumped at the last minute and landed on her hood instead of her impacting it with the front of her car. Someone was watching out for her. As there was no front impact, the air bag didn't deploy and the seat belt didn't jerk her. She and baby Dylan are fine. Waiting to hear what the insurance says about the car though.

And also, I started a new page...an author page. I've linked to it on my sidebar or you can find it at The Author Spot. I will be moving my author interviews over there as of next Monday as they fit in better there. I will be talking about my writing, writing in general and the trials and tribulations that go along with it. I'll also be posting some current works-in-progress. It would be lovely if you checked it out. I would, of course, appreciate a follow by those of you who are interested and you can even like my page on Facebook.

Happy Tuesday,
♥Spot

The one where I interview Claudia Lefeve, Author and Super Woman

Ok, so technically she's probably not the actual "Super Woman" but she advocates for victims rights and is even willing to put money towards the cause, so in my book she's a Super Woman. And you've just read it on the Internet, so it must be true, right? Well, now that we've got that settled, everyone should grab a beverage while we cozy up to Claudia and pick her brain.

First, please note that you can read my review of her novella, The Fury, over at See Spot Read. And now the interview:

1.) How long have you been writing?
Unlike a lot of authors out there, I didn't pen my first novel at five, but I've always loved telling stories. 

2.) What made you choose the horror genre? Have you always been a horror fan?
Horror is one of the few genres that allows the reader to carry over that element of fear, beyond the last turn of the page. Personally, I think a person is more likely to check under the bed or behind the closet door after a good scary story, than to expect true love to come knocking on your door right after reading a romance novel. Call me cheap...I want my money's worth.

3.) What is your writing routine like? Do you have another job?
I don't really have a routine, but I try to write every night after work. With working full-time for the police and my part-time job as a college adjunct, it's simply a matter of time management. When not doing any of the above, I can almost always be found on the couch with my laptop - like right now.

4.) I've recently discovered that garden gnomes creep me out. What scares you? Do you have any silly phobias?
Dolls, puppets, and clowns will kill you in the middle of the night. It's true. When I was in high school, I refused to crash in my friend's room one night because she had a ventriloquist dummy in her closet. It's a good thing I don't have kids or they'd be stuck with only Tonka trucks!

5.) Who would you say your biggest literary influences are?
Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, Stephen King, and my beloved William Faulkner. Their writing reflects a desire to entertain and engage readers on their own terms, not to please. There's a difference.

6.) The Fury deals with rape and I see that you are donating profits from the sale for a whole month to Pandora's Project. How did that come about?
While I get to advocate for the rights of victims in my full-time job, I rarely get the opportunity to support causes like Pandora's Project on a more personal level. The Fury is entirely fictional, but it stemmed from a case I worked on when I wanted to set the whole courtroom ablaze after an unfavorable verdict. The story just grew from there.

*From April 15th to May 15th, all proceeds from the sale of Claudia's novella, The Fury, will be donated to Pandora's Project in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Please visit her website to purchase the book*

7.) Do you ever scare yourself when you're writing?
Can't say that I scare myself as I'm writing, but I definitely have my moments while researching.

8.) I've noticed that you've done short stories and a novella. Is there a novel in the works?
When I finally built up enough confidence in my writing, I sent out a few short stories that were sold to a couple of anthologies. Last fall I started working on a novel, Heir. I had it pretty much wrapped-up, until I decided to do a 180 and changed it from fantasy to sci-fi/paranormal. I'm currently in the re-write process and I'm hopeful for a mid-late summer release.

9.) Do you belong to a writing group? Who reads your first drafts?
I'm not part of a writing group, but I'm a current sponsor and participant in A Round of Words in Eighty Days. It's a writing challenge offered quarterly, designed for writers who, well, have a life! Even though ROW80 is an individual challenge, it's amazing how much support you receive from the other writers involved. I even found one of my best beta readers being involved in this challenge.

10.) What advice would you give to newbie writers?
Write everyday! Over the last couple years, I've finally begun to believe in myself and my writing. Most of that is due to making writing a daily habit.


Claudia Lefeve lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and two pugs. For more information about the author, please visit her blog http://claudialefeve.blogspot.com or website at www.claudialefeve.com

Thanks for stopping by dear readers!  We're back to my regularly scheduled nonsense tomorrow!

Happy Monday,
♥Spot

The one where I ramble randomly...

Is there any other way to ramble? I mean, if you have a purpose its not really rambling is it? And these are the circles my brain is going in today. I blame the peach margaritas from last night. So here we go...

Odd facts about my blog:

According to the "stats" I'm hugely popular in Russia. Seriously, more people in Russia view my blog than people in the US. Then there is Hungary and The Czech Republic. I'm not sure why Eastern Europe is so fond of me, but apparently they find me entertaining. Someone told me I should go there on vacation and wear an "I am Spot" t-shirt.

Also according to the "stats" a lot of people found my blog by googling "acting + strangely". I suppose I should be slightly concerned by this, but I'm not. I mean, that kind of describes my blog (and my family) perfectly, doesn't it?

Recent conversations at my house:

Lu: What's a sickle?

Me: It's that thing you can cut grass with. If you're the Grim Reaper.

Sean: That's a scythe.

Me: I know. The sickle is like the junior version.

*****

Me: *reading from my phone* Hey! Guess what somebody just said about me on Twitter? "Do us all a fav. Follow @Spot_Speaks. I know freaking awesome and she's it!"

Lu: Hmmm. Is that so?

Me: Duh. If you read it online it must be true. Everyone knows that.

*****

Me: You guys make it really hard to work.

Sean: No we don't.

Me: Yes you do. I'm just getting into something and one of you will be all "you should make dinner".

Lu: Sean started it.

Sean: No, I asked you "what's for dinner". I can ask that and eat hours later. Lu was the one who was all "I'm starving. Feed the pregnant girl".

Me: and then you guys had to argue about what I should make for dinner. "I don't want burritos." "I don't like Hamburger Helper."

Sean: Whatever. You need me. I remind you to eat and pee. Seriously, if I wasn't here you'd sit there working for days.

Me: It's true. He does ask me if I've eaten and bring me food.

Sean: Yeah. And I hear you mutter "I have to pee". And then an hour later I'm like "didn't you have to pee" and you're all "I totally forgot." And get up and go. Without me, you'd need depends.

Me: He's got a point.

Hope Cinco de Mayo is treating you well,
♥Spot

The one where I interview Scott Nicholson, horror author and nice guy

Come on in everyone, find a seat, grab a cup of coffee, tea, vodka lemonade, whatever. I'm pretty excited to announce that today we have Scott Nicholson in for a chat. For those of you who don't know Scott, yeah I know there's a few of you non horror fans out there (don't worry...I'm not judging), take a look at his *Amazon.com author page, go on, I'll wait. *taps foot impatiently* Back? Good!

Scott probably doesn't remember this but we actually first met in 2003 on the HWA website. That was back when you didn't have to be a *paid* author to join and I happily paid my member fee and set out to hobnob with people who knew what they were doing. Scott happened to be one of the folks I met and we emailed a few times back and forth. It was just before his book Harvest, now renamed Forever Never Ends, was released. I gave up submitting and homeschooled my children and Scott went on to become a successful author. But what I remembered most about him was that he was a genuinely nice guy. I'm happy to say that he is still a genuinely nice guy whose always willing to help a newbie author out. He's generous with both his time and his advice. So when he contacted me about doing a review of his latest book, Liquid Fear, I was more than happy to help out. Okay, so he gave me a free copy of the book too, but I would have done it anyway! So the review of Liquid Fear is up on my brand new book review blog, See Spot Read. I would encourage all of you to pop over there when we're done here and look around a bit. There's cookies and juice and a review. Okay, there's no cookies and juice. But its the thought that counts, right?

Scott also consented to let me pick his brain so here goes...

1.) I know everyone asks authors where they get their ideas and most authors hate that question, but, at least for me, it’s a legitimate question. I love it when authors include that info in the back of the book. So I won't force you to reveal the inner workings of your mind, but if you'd care to elaborate...

Every book is different, but usually it’s either two ideas jamming together, a character demanding to be born, or a plot that bugs me so much I have to tackle it. In Liquid Fear, it was a combination of research into pharmaceuticals that literally “change your mind” combined with my ongoing interest in psychological research.

2.) You've been writing books for several years now, what do you feel has changed the most about either you're style of writing or the way you go about writing?

I write less to what my “brand” should be and more toward what interests me, because I don’t have to worry about somebody pitching something to somebody else based on one sentence of description instead of the entire story. So basically I am freer to take chances.

3.) I know you've recently quit your day job to become a full time novelist, how has that changed your routine, beyond the obvious, of course?

Well, I am also running a business, but I’ve been doing that from the start. The writing is the product development and manufacturing end, and then there’s the entire process, including getting paid. Not to make it as cold as a factory, but basically I have to do it all, which is fine, because I love it all.

4.) I also see that you have joined your voice to the chorus of authors who are backing away from traditional publishing and going it more on their own. It definitely appears to be working well for you. Do you feel less pressure to conform to industry standards and ideas that way? In that, you don't have to convince an editor to publish your work, you can publish and go right to the audience for approval?

The only pressure is to tell the story the best way I know how, and then get a few trusted opinions and always have a professional proofreader. The only “industry standard” is professionalism, and New York doesn’t have a monopoly on that.

5.) I know that some of your books are based on experiences you've had or places you've been (like the hotel/paranormal conference in Speed Dating with the Dead), does Liquid Fear have any personal connections?

I studied a little psychology and I like to read the casebooks, but Liquid Fear was kind of a hodgepodge of many things. I attended UNC near the Research Triangle Park where the book is mostly set, and I’ve visited every location in the book (Cincinnati, West Virginia, DC). Other than that, this book was just based on research and ideas.

6.) This is a question I want to ask all horror writers...if you see a movie preview or book trailer that is just an absolutely fantastic concept (I always think of 30 Days of Night, vampires, Alaska, 30 days of darkness, brilliant!), do you want to shake your head and go "why didn't I think of that??!" or does it inspire you?

Well, sometimes yes, sometimes no. Like, “Snakes on a Plane.” It’s like, “Cool!” but I would never waste my time watching it because the title does everything for me. Sort of like the previews for a big movie. You know you’ve seen the entire movie in 45 seconds, so why waste $10 and two hours? Other times, it can stay in the back of your mind and maybe influence a direction you want to go. If you’re calculating, you can cash in on a trend—like teen vampires in romantic angst, for example.

7.) Several of my blog readers are aspiring authors or beginning authors themselves. What is your best advice to them, especially horror writers?

Write what you love and turn off the censors. But when you’re done, remember that somebody somewhere has to read it. If you want to sicken your reader, it may not do much to build a fan base. But just be true to yourself and trust that the work will find the people who need it—whether the audience is a few million or a few dozen.

8.) Okay, I know it's cliché, but who are some of your favorite writers, horror or otherwise?

Stephen King is obviously a master, but I also like the older-school stuff like Ira Levin, William Goldman, Jim Thompson, James M. Cain, Shirley Jackson, James Lee Burke, Elmore Leonard, and Dean Koontz.

9.) Finally, what scares you? (Other than taxes and government?)

Anything happening to children. As a father, I invest a lot of the world’s worth in my wife and kids. Anything that threatens my family is something that’s going to die—probably quite slowly and painfully.

10) I know you told me the serious things that scare you, but what about the silly things? I'm irrationally afraid of scarecrows, you? And do you ever scare yourself when writing?

Well, I have some real phobias, like flying. Probably mice are my silliest fear--I just don't like all that scurrying. I have been a little freaked out when I write, but it's more like something is emotionally intense instead of genuinely spooky...but sometimes late at night, you go, "Hmm, what if all this stuff was real?"

2) What is your writing routine? Do you schedule certain hours to write? Do you use a favorite pen, etc?

I pretty much do everything all the time. I just do the next thing when it needs to be done. Now that I make my own schedule, I trust myself to write when I need to, as part of the day. I recently took an entire day off, my first in 15 months, I believe.

Thank you Scott, for the book, for the interview, for all of the help you've given me. I wish you loads more success and continued joy in your work.


Liquid Fear is available for Kindle readers from Amazon.com for 99 cents for a limited time. Get yours now! You can order a paperback copy of the book from Scott's website.


Scott lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, where he tends an organic garden, picks a little bit of guitar, and does some freelance editing when he's not writing. He's living the life of his dreams and is thankful for new friends and new fans. You can visit him at www.hauntedcomputer.com. He also has Twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for joining us for a bit everyone! For my regulars, it's back to our regularly scheduled nonsense tomorrow. For anyone new, please take some time to browse my blog and make yourself at home.

Happy reading,
♥Spot

The one where I lose a tooth in a pumpkin carving accident...

Relax folks, it wasn't my tooth, but more on that later. First, let me apologize for my absence. I owe a special apology to my Kindle readers (you're still there, right guys?) because they actually pay to read this blog. Sorry. I wish I could say I had good reason for being absent. But I didn't really. It was just some strange lassitude that seems to have crept into my soul with the turning of the leaves. I'm not sure where it's coming from, generally this is my favorite time of year. I love fall. I love the month of October when I can DVR enough scary movies to last me through the winter. But this year, I'm lacking that special "oomph" and I'm not sure where it's gone. So if someone finds it, please send it back, I mean, after all, it is MY "oomph" and No One Else's. And besides, I NEED it. Like desperately.

Things are going well in the household. My trip to Ohio with my folks was actually way more fun than I thought it would be. And I got a haunted house fix. I will blog about that later in the week. My knee is healing finally. I still have a lot of trouble with stairs (thank goodness Lu does the laundry for me). And I'm not sure when I'll be able to squat. Seriously, you don't realize how often you squat until you can't. I squatted down to get on eye level with my niece and you could barely here my whimpering over the grinding protest my knee made. Yeah, not doing that again for awhile. But I can walk almost normally. And I can gingerly get down on the floor and back up again on my own. So it's probably functioning at a 70% level. I can handle that for now.

Mike has been super busy the last several weekends. This weekend should be the last big camping event, but since they started putting a new roof on the dining hall he'll still be tied up for awhile. At least he's feeling well. His stamina and brute strength still aren't what they were but he's doing remarkably well, considering. And the shoulder is still a thorn in his side but we see the doctor soon.

The kids are good. All working full time now, which gives me an empty house for most of the day. (Score!) And when they are home it's bustling chaotic confusion, but mostly in a good way. The freelance writing is going well. As those of you who are with me on FaceBook know, my boss emailed me the other day to tell me that one of my articles got picked up and linked to by a popular Hungarian newsite. I went to check it out, but it was all in Hungarian. Lol. Anyway, I was happy. I am currently looking for more editing work, so if anyone has written something they need edited or proofread...give me a shout. And I have several pieces out on submission. But as anyone who writes knows...that's just a waiting game.

So, now that you're caught up...on to pumpkin carving...

Luke had gotten us pumpkins over the weekend and CJ was home for a visit, so Monday night we went on the deck to carve our pumpkins. I sat down to do CJ's for him. Lu was diligently (if a little scarily) working on cutting off the top of hers with a really really big knife. Luke was sorting through pumpkin guts for the seeds (so he could roast them) and I was scooping out the inside of mine. Sean had taken CJ for a golf cart ride. Time passed, it started to get dark, CJ was back and ready to go inside and freakin mosquitoes (yes, mosquitoes in October, how effed up is that?) were eating me alive, so I was trying to carve my face quickly. Recipe for disaster. I'd drawn a pretty standard Jack O'Lantern face; two triangle eyes, upside down triangle nose and grinning mouth with three teeth. I carved and carved and was busy pushing out the carved bits. I noticed it was taking some effort, this pumpkin was thick. When I got to pushing out the mouth bit, I was really struggling, my hand deep inside the pumpkin, pushing outward. Finally I felt it give way. The mouth popped out of that pumpkin with enough force to go sailing through the air and hit Luke upside the head (totally accidental I assure you or do I?)!

Said simultaneously:

Me: Oh! I lost a tooth!(putting my hand to my mouth, don't ask why)

Luke: Did you just throw pumpkin at me?!

Then:

Lulu: What? You lost a tooth?! Omigosh! Let me see!

Me: Not me silly. My pumpkin! It came out of there so fast, it ripped one of the teeth out.

Luke: So you didn't throw it at me on purpose.

Me: No, I have no desire to start an all out pumpkin war because I know who would end up cleaning that up!!

Sean: So you almost lost a tooth in a pumpkin carving accident?

Me: For real.

And so the pumpkins were carved. And they were cute. I really do love October.

Have a fabulous weekend,
♥Spot

The one where we learn the phrase "Apocalypse-worthy"

Just when you think things are beginning to percolate along in a much more manageable fashion, WHAM! you're blindsided with a summer cold. Yes, Universe, I hear your infinite wisdom loud and clear "Slow Down Spot!" Got it. And I did. I rested for two days. And really Universe, sorry, but that's the max allowance of time I can devote to me right now. I have readers to satisfy, you know??

So since the last blog was all about how bad things were going, this is going to be about how good things are now going. Mike is still healing well and chafing at the bit to get back to work. Some things will still take a while though. As our friend B so eloquently put it the other day "you get up like an old man". Ha! He does still move slower and rather guardedly. And he doesn't have a quarter of the strength he used to have. We went grocery shopping yesterday and I seriously missed Sean, my usual grocery helper. I mean, it was kind of great that Mike didn't throw things at me in the aisle or push me into displays, but Sean lifts all the heavy stuff (cat litter, cat food, dog food, soda cubes). Mike and I took turns struggling with the heavy stuff. And it took way longer to unload. He has his next appointment next week and I think they may let him go back to work.

Lu is doing good. Her side effects cleared up and she's back down in camp. I saw her briefly yesterday and she looked good. Her appointment is Thursday, so I guess we'll see what her counts are then. Hopefully they will be high.

My cold is clearing up. Mike and I are still getting to spend alot of time together and we haven't killed each other yet. He is getting kind of smart-assed, but then I'm used to that. Yesterday we had this conversation~

Me: So I submitted my favorite story I've written to my publisher friend. But now I'm super nervous. What if she hates it?? What if she hates it so much she doesn't even want to see my novel anymore??

Mike: Then you'll know you're a loser and you'd better learn to flip burgers for a living.

Me: You're such a flippin jackhole! (Jackhole is my new word. It's a combination of Jack-ass and Asshole, without actually cussing so you can use it anywhere, even church. Yes, you can use my word.)

Of course he didn't mean it. He just thought he was being funny. And I did laugh when the shock wore off. But the good news is I'm still submitting. The growing pile of rejection notices is not swallowing my ego. Yet.

And, remember how I said I got a new-to-me SUV? Well I love that car. Seriously. Love driving it. And I just got a new freelance gig that completely makes the car payment each month. How sweet is that? I'm writing articles for a new website. As soon as it's up and running I will post a link on my sidebar. I'd still like a job doing book reviews though, so if you hear of any, you know who to email, right?!

And then, there's my upcoming interview! Yes, apparently one of you thought I was interesting enough to nominate at Say Anything. I've been interviewed by Dee and the interview will be up on July 22nd! Most of you already know me plenty well enough, but maybe we'll be joined by a few new readers. Anyway, to whoever nominated me...thank you, smooches and hugs.

Now...to the best part of this post...As you know, Sean decided to work Cub Resident Camp this year. He was a counselor up at the other Camp during the Cub Scout camp outs and I think he divided his time between helping at the pool and teaching a Scout Craft class (you know, knot-tying, wood working, that kind of thing). Well, one night in between sessions, this conversation ensued~

Luke: So what happened with Twister Girl?

Me: Who's Twister Girl??

Sean: She's this girl on staff that kept trying to get me and K to play Twister with her and her friend. And I told her I only play naked Twister. The next week she brought her Twister game.

Luke: Alright! So what happened?

Me: Hussy! Those are the girls your mother warned you about Sean!

Sean: You didn't warn me about any girls.

Me: Crap. Parenting Fail.

Sean: Anyway, nothing happened. I could lose my job for that. I could lose my job if she even set foot in my tent.

Lu: And that stopped you?

Sean: Well, she really wasn't Apocalypse worthy anyway.

Me: Apocalypse worthy?

Sean: Yeah. I've decided to start making decisions based on how it will affect me in the Zombie Apocalypse. K and I figured it out. She seemed like the kind of girl who would only be a hindrance in the event of Apocalypse.

Me: meaning?

Sean: I think she'd just stand around screaming. An apocalypse worthy girl has to be able to run fast, shoot a gun, and come up with good plans. She needs to smart and kick-ass.

Lu: Am I apocalypse worthy?

Sean: Of course. You've even already got zombie ass kicking boots.

Lu: It's true. I do.

Me: I can shoot a gun in real life, it's just your games that freak me out.

Luke: How about me?

Lu: Sorry hun. You don't know how to shoot. And mom, you don't run very fast.

Me: So basically, this is what you're going to need in a girl you date?

Sean: Yep.

Me: You realize you've just really narrowed the playing field, right?

Sean: Gotta do what you gotta do.


Are you apocalypse worthy?
♥Spot

The one where I play a game...

So I'm sitting here this morning in a very bad mood. It's not important why, it's just the normal usual crap around my house that irritates and annoys. And then I log in and see that I lost a follower?! The hell?! Who are you and where did you go? Better yet, why did you go? Am I losing my edge? Did your ridiculous conversation meter fill up? WWWWHHHHYYYY?! It's ridiculous how badly my ego is tied to this blog. I take your defection personally, you know. But fine, whatever, I don't need you. Yes, yes I do. Please come back. Or someone new, please take that empty chair!

Anywho, on a calmer note, being in a bad mood is not helping me write a blog. I don't want to write a bitchy ass blog because well, that's not what I do and it's not what you come hear to read. Besides, by tomorrow (okay, probably by the time I shower) I will be over it and then I would feel badly if I had written it down, especially in a public forum. Just suffice it to say my husband's job takes up way too much of his time. Do you hear that Boy Scout peeps who read this blog??! No one should have to work 24/7 (and ignore his wife) on the piddly ass salary he does. If you're going to require complete devotion, back breaking physical labor, and the 110% that he gives you, you should probably pay more so that he can assuage my anger with money. It wouldn't help on the him having no time part, but it would help because I would travel more so I wouldn't be home to care.

So I decided to do this fun little game that Kenzie over at The Unabridged Girl tagged me for. It's about your handwriting. Everyone seems to hate their handwriting. I don't. I like mine. I had this 5th grade teacher who actually made us practice penmanship. We had to fill whole pages with these writing exercises. I hated it! But now I can thank her, because hey, you can read my writing! I'm not sure what the purpose of this game is exactly, but it was cute and fun. Of course, if any handwriting experts read it, I may be in trouble. I'm sure my handwriting screams "psycho". Lol.

So the rules were:

Write down the following, snap a picture (or scan the document), post it, and tag others.

1. Name/Blog Name.
2. Right handed, left handed or both?
3. Favorite letters to write?
4. Least favorite letters to write?
5. Write: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
6. Write in caps:
CRAB
HUMOR
KALEIDOSCOPE
PAJAMAS
GAZILLION
7. Favorite song lyrics?
8. Tag some lovely bloggers.
9. Any special note or drawing?




TGIF,
♥Spot

The one where the conference ends and we remember the brave...

The conference is over. I'm so sad. It's like that feeling you get when summer camp ends. Or, for those of you who've done theatre, the feeling when the run of the show is over. It's such a letdown. But it was so worth it. I would seriously encourage any of you who are writing fiction to consider attending a conference, regardless of your genre. This one was a speculative fiction conference but included topics that would be helpful to any writer. Things like manuscript submission, query & synopsis structure, writing and submitting short works. There was even a poetry session. Apart from all the invaluable advice, it was awesome to meet and have a chance to chat with so many published authors. There were even pitch sessions with editors, to give you a chance to sell your work, or at least get it looked at.

I know I came out of the month with some serious growth. I learned a lot of things that have improved my writing, cleaned up my submission techniques and truly encouraged me. I was amazed that some published horror writers like Gary Braunbeck and his wife Lucy Snyder, and Scott Nicholson were so friendly and down to earth. I've met a few authors on facebook that are not. And I loved that Scott reminded us all to be humble. No matter how many books you have published, it can all fall apart. So the goal is to be a better person not a famous person. There were many other very talented writers at the conference. I mention these three because they all write horror.

The other benefit I found to the conference was being able to read other author's blogs and daily progress reports. It gave me a feeling of such "belonging". We truly are all in the same boat. So many of the same hopes, fears, idiosyncrasies and doubts. I've read Joe Hill's tweets and know that he's a procrastinator. I've read Joely Sue Burkhart's blog and know that she is a majorly organized plot planner. It's been an amazing month. And I've come away from it renewed in purpose, much more confident in my writing and determined to achieve my goals. And really, I'm so close to needing an "author" photo for my author page. Which means I totally need to focus on that "lose 25lbs" goal!!

The downside of the conference? Life still happens. I missed several sessions I wanted to attend because of a mad dash to the hospital, CJ's prom, Bobby's graduation or because I felt guilty for neglecting my family. Luckily, they put up transcripts. It isn't quite the same but it helps. My family was pretty great about my locking myself in the family room during panels. They tried hard not to bug me. And for the most part it went well. They are all a little happy that it's over though. Which brings me to my funny story for today~

This weekend was "pride weekend" at camp. Everyone comes up and works on projects to help get camp ready for summer. There's a lot of mowing, ect that goes on. Some of the guys came up Friday night. Hubby and some volunteers poured three pads of concrete that night. He didn't get in til oh, 11 or so. About ten o'clock as I'm settling in for a panel in the conference, Sean comes into the family room~

Sean: Hey Homie G

Me: What's up?

Sean: MB is here. I'm going to take off with him for awhile.

Me: Okay. You coming home or sleeping in camp?

Sean: Probably home.

Me: Okay. Don't do anything I wouldn't do.

Sean: Well that leaves it wide open.

Me: Yeah, try to be careful.

It occurred to me about 5 minutes after he left that most 16 year old boys do not call their mothers "Homie G". It also occurred to me that most Mothers are not going to be cool with their 16 year old boys leaving at 10 at night with a "I'll probably be home". I guess our relationship is out of the ordinary. Go figure. But in truth, he was just leaving to go play in his 740 acre front yard. And it's Sean, whom I trust. Know why? Because the kid does not lie. EVER. He never has. He's honest to a fault, sometimes brutally honest. And he's pretty strait-laced. He doesn't want anything to potentially ruin his military career. And he doesn't like not being in control. So if he goes to a party, he's usually the guy taking care of everyone, making sure things don't get out of hand. It doesn't mean he's never pushed the boundaries or broken the rules. It's just that he fesses up, sometimes before I even ask. Lu was definitely my problem child in this regard. I'm often surprised that she made it to 18 and young adulthood without my killing her.

So as a last thing, please remember today to thank a soldier, either active duty, retired, reserve, whatever. Be thankful for the men who put their lives on the line for us. All those who now serve and those who've gone before. Say a prayer for those who are in the midst of combat now and those who never made it home. And for those who are still missing. Never forget.

Thank you Dad.

♥Spot

The one where I'm not on the verge of fortune and fame and I have Rickets

Guess what day it is? That's right, Saturday!! My favorite day of the week. Well, right now. During the summer that will change as Saturday becomes the day of the week that everyone is home. Right now it's the day of the week where I'm the only one home. So it's my writing day. That glorious day where nobody bothers me and I can stick to my own schedule. Which, of course, is actually no schedule at all. I write, I research, I read, and every few hours I get up to potty and grab a new drink or some food. It's like heaven. Well, heaven for writers anyway.

And while we're on the subject of writers, let me clear up some confusion. I do have a publisher wanting to take a look at my novel when it's finished. This is in NO WAY a guarantee of publication. I mean, she could decide it's the worst novel in the history of novels. (No wait, I'm pretty sure I read that one posted on the Internet somewhere) Anyway, it could conceivably suck. Or it could be good, but not fit her tastes. I mean, there are a million little "ifs" in there. And should the Universe favor me on that day and she does accept it? I'm still not going to be rich or famous. It's a small publishing company that does a lot of E-publishing. Which means that you would be able to purchase the book as a download or for E-readers. I think they do some print publishing based on popularity so there is a chance that it would make it to paperback. But it won't be a hardcover bestseller is my point. Not that first one anyway. Don't worry, I still plan to take the world by storm, I'm just sneaking in the back way. I'm totally cool with this, because personally I think that E-books are the wave of the future. You are immediately accessible to a global market. They are convenient, cheaper (both for the publisher and the reader), and more manageable. And it's not about the money (of course I wouldn't turn down the money), it's about making people leave the light on when they get done reading my book.

And speaking of leaving the light on...Lu and I tried Tina's nightmare inducing suggestion of cheese before bed last night. Nope. Another fail. Apparently I am nightmare resistant. Lu and I talked it over and neither of us has ever woken up screaming. I have woken up momentarily terrified. But never full on screaming. And I've read scary books my entire life. I've watched scary movies my entire life. I've had trouble going to sleep, had to turn a light on when I got up to go to the bathroom (hubby really gets cranky about this), jumped on to the bed from three feet away (you know, so nothing under the bed can grab me), and hidden my eyes as I drive past scarecrows. But I don't believe I've ever had a full on nightmare. I feel so gypped.

In other news, I have Rickets. Okay, maybe not Rickets per se, but a serious vitamin D deficiency. It's all the buzz on the health boards right now. That vitamin D deficiency is cropping up and causing all sorts of problems. Crunchy joints, anyone? So when I went to see the orthopedic doctor for my follow up knee appointment, I mentioned it to her.

Me: So I was told that I should get my vitamin D level checked.

DR: I was just reading an article on that last night! And my daughter, who's your age (gee, thanks for throwing my age in) had hers checked and she was significantly low. If it's low you have to take 50,000 mg a week for eight weeks and then 1000 mg a week after that, plus 1000mg of calcium.

Me: For real? Dude, that sounds like a lot. Can't I just drink milk or something?

DR: No, because the problem is that your body probably isn't absorbing it the way it should either.

Me: So I have Rickets?

DR: They did use Rickets as the example in the article, in the slide illustration.

Me: My mom used to tell me when I was little that I had to go play outside in the sun or I'd get Rickets.

DR: She was right.

Me: Um. No. I think she just wanted to get rid of me and my creepy imaginary friend for awhile.

DR:*crickets chirping*

Me: And now I have Rickets anyway so fat lot of good that did. At least the imaginary friend is gone right? I hope he didn't get Rickets.

DR: Okay, so I think we're done here.


Earlier this week the nurse from the Doctor's office called to report that I was indeed vitamin D deficient. They gave me samples of the Vitamin D and I have to take 10,000 mg a day Monday through Friday to make 50,000 mg per week for 8 weeks. Then it lowers to 1000 a day. Of course, I looked the whole thing up online, because enquiring minds want to know. This is the best article I found on the subject. I guess what floored me the most was learning that the sunscreen I use is totally blocking my Vitamin D absorption. So even though I spent hours outside by the ocean or lake or mowing the lawn, I'm getting zero benefit in the vitamin D department. The hell?! Now I can't even yell at my mom for not putting sunscreen on me when I was four and letting me get that horrible sunburn on my shoulders. Turns out she was doing me a favor.

It also amazes me that Vitamin D deficiency is directly linked to Fibromyalgia, a disease that I've been diagnosed with. So I'm pretty excited about what kind of effect increasing my Vitamin D may have on my physical well-being. I'm not convinced it's a miracle cure or anything, but even feeling a bit better helps. So I would urge all of you to think about asking for this test at your next check-up. I know I will be urging my family to get it done.

And that's it from me. I have scaring to do and the last weekend of a conference to attend. Hope y'all have a great weekend!
♥Spot

The one where I apologize & then make you laugh & remind you about the giveaway...

I'm truly sorry. I have probably been the worst bloggy friend in blogland lately. Remember those sayings your mother/grandmother used to use? You know the ones..."bitten off more than you can chew"..."burning your candle at both ends". Those ones? Right. I'm pretty sure I finally know exactly what they mean. And what they mean to me is that I'm having an incredibly hard time keeping up with everything. Of course, it could just be that I suck hardcore at time management, but I'm not going to just admit that, right? It could also be that I made a promise before I had my kids that they would always be the most important thing in my life and that no matter what I was doing, when they wanted to talk/hang out/chatter incessantly be with me, I would drop it all to spend time with them. And regardless of the fact that they are now mostly mini-adults, I still feel compelled (guilt-driven) to keep that promise. I do now often have to add "just give me a few minutes to finish this up, okay?". And sometimes my few minutes turns into half an hour, but I still hunt them down and keep my promise.

My house is a mess. I desperately need to get my butt to the grocery store. And I've forgotten what my husband looks like. Mostly because this is his super busy time of year as well and we keep missing each other. If I didn't know he was that snoring lump next to me in bed, I might think he'd been abducted by aliens. Luckily, we've managed to pencil each other in for October sometime. And even more luckily, we've been together long enough to know that this too shall pass and we will have plenty of time to get on each other's nerves later.

"What is taking up all your time Spot? What is more important than us?" I hear you asking. Really, nothing is more important than you (except my kids), but the squeaky wheel gets the grease, you know? And I seem to have a lot of squeaky wheels nowadays. First, they put me on physical therapy for the knee. Three freakin times a week. That may not sound bad, until you factor in a half hour drive to and from. Grr. Then I had CJ home for a visit last week. Which was awesome, we had a great time, but he's not real keen on me being on the computer and ignoring him, so I didn't. Then I had a kidney infection and spent 7 hours in the hospital. Which trust me, is another post.

I'm attending an online convention all month called Coyote Con which is absolutely amazing and it's only the second day!! I've already learned so much and met so many awesome people. Tina from The Clean White Page is attending also and we are having a (virtual) blast! We've also both been asked to submit to Drollerie Press, the wonderful people who are putting on the whole thing. Thank you Deena!! But that does mean that I have to find a hopefully finished story that suits their publishing needs and get it ready for submission. And since writing fiction is my ultimate goal, I'm not going to let that opportunity slip by! Also Tina and I have formed a little writing partnership (since we both right horror) so we edit each other's stories before they get sent anywhere.

And (ready for more? I know that plate's looking pretty full, but you're a big eater, right?) I started working as a freelance writer for a large marketing company. I administrate some social media sites, write newsletters and articles for newsletters and do some email contacting of potential clients. Which is fabulous. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time (thank you Kathryn!) and the stars aligned and presto! I have an interesting job doing what I've always wanted with a more or less stable income. Which in the world of freelancing is almost unheard of, so Kathryn tells me. And it's a great gig. I mostly work when I want, from my own home, and often in my jammies or sweats. Woot to the woot. Except on video conference days. Yeah, my client (boss) is so great he even bought me a webcam so I can be part of the video conferences. How cool is that?

And I still have four busy teenagers to deal with. Yes, I said four...Lu's Dexter is moving in for the month of May. You should see the calendar with every one's schedules on it! Thank goodness we all have our own cars, although the insurance bill is the same as my food bill every month. So basically, I know that I am extremely blessed! I have a family who loves and supports me. I have teenagers who actually want to hang out with their mom and tell her every little detail of their lives, I have an understanding husband who's got his dream job. I have my dream job (freelance writer), I have a shot at publication, I have wonderful encouraging friends, I have my shiny new fancy phone (thank you Radio Shack! More on that later...), and while my health could be better I'm certainly not dying. All in all, I have it very good. I'm just super busy and feeling guilty about not blogging (because I love blogging) and not getting a chance to catch up on all of your blogs!! But hang with me and I promise I will find a balance soon. Now for funny...

Sean and I were driving on Wednesday and Sean reads a billboard~

Sean: "Follow the crowd. 68% of Adams County teens don't drink." Well, I would but my Mom taught me not to be a conformist!! I'm not a follower!

Me: Way to go Sean. Thanks for throwing a life lesson back in my face.

Sean: Hey, at least I listened, right?

And a convo between Lu and Sean after hopping in her car. Her name tag from work hangs from her mirror. It says the store name (DEB) and she has a Fashionista badge.

Sean: I need a name tag for my National Scout Jamboree uniform. I think I'll take your pretty pink one. I want to be a Fashionista. O-M-G! I can't believe you're wearing those flip flops with that shirt!

Lu: You don't even know what DEB stands for.

Sean: *thinks hard* You're right. I can't think of anything dirty for the "E".

Lu: Eww. You're so gross. It's an abbreviation of debutante. You know like in the old days when rich girls had their "coming out" parties.

Sean: In the old days rich people through parties for their lesbian daughters??! What?!

Lu: NO! Not that kind of "coming out"! Like coming into society.

Sean: I'm so lost. So they were sex parties?

Lu: OMG! NO! They were just introducing them to society.

Sean: So, they like hid them in the attic before that. "Look I have a daughter!"

Lu: You're so not getting this. Anyway, now it stands for "doing everything better".

Sean: *Sean convulses with laughter* Really? That might be false advertising.

Lu: Shut up Sean.


***Giveaway Reminder***
For those of you who are new...I'm doing a GIVEAWAY! Yay! All you have to do is visit any of CSNstores (there are over 200) and leave me a comment telling me something you liked and that you'd like to win! Simple as that. Leave a comment on every blog until Wednesday May 7th and I'll give you one entry per comment. On the 7th, Sean will draw a name from a hat and I'll announce the winner. The winner gets a promo code for $60 dollars off their purchase, not including shipping. Easy as that! And welcome all newcomers!!


Well, kids, I have to get to the conference. If anyone is interested it's Coyote Con and it's all online and all free. It's not too late to register. So far, the panelists have been amazing and everyone is super friendly! If you have any interest in writing speculative fiction (horror, sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy, mythic, paranormal romance) you should join up. Like I said, there's much to be learned.

Happy Sunday!
♥Spot

Lumps, swollen knees, and breakdowns...

So...if you're looking for a happy funny post, I'd consider going elsewhere today. Like the Bloggess or other funny people. Because today I'm going to vent. Why? Because yesterday was pretty much the worst day in the history of my days. I mean, so far, because I'm pretty sure it might get worse as the week rolls on...

After I wrote my blog post yesterday, my Dad called. Apparently he'd received a call from my Mom saying that Grandma's condition had deteriorated rapidly and she didn't know who anyone was, they'd upped her morphine and she was probably at death's door. I was stunned, because seriously, she wasn't that bad off the day before. He was having a dilemma about weather to call Hildi and tell her to get here quick. So I told him I'd go to the nursing home, assess the sitch and call him back. Well, after that I didn't have the heart to keep reading blogs and commenting. (sorry peeps I missed getting around to.)

About this time, CJ's program coordinator called and I explained that we were facing an imminent death in the family and I wouldn't be able to get CJ as planned for the weekend. Then I burst into tears on the phone because it will be the first Easter EVER that he hasn't been with the family. But I absolutely cannot bring him into this situation or give him only half of my attention. Then I went to get in the shower and realized a cat had peed on the bathroom floor. As I'm cleaning this up (and cursing the cats), my hubby calls per my texted request. The noise in the background is so loud, I almost can't hear him. I have to shout "Grandma's worse and maybe dying today and I have to go to town and I had to cancel bringing CJ home and where the bloody h*ll are you??!" He tells me he's at the quarrry picking up a load of gravel. Seriously, I didn't even know he'd left the property. He can't take 5 seconds to text me and let me know these things?? Anyway, he's no help. So I shower and Sean and I head out. About 5 minutes into the drive, we realize my AC in my car is broken. It was supposed to have been fixed. NO. So now we have to roll down the windows and open the sunroof. Yay! I love the fine layer of gravel dust that coats absolutely everything after driving down the gravel road with the windows open, don't you?? NO. Not too mention, that when I get hot, I get way stabby. I shoot off a massively pissed off text to hubby and oldest adopted son who had supposedly fixed the AC (to the tune of $250 dollars).

We get to the nursing home to realize my mother is half delirious from lack of sleep, my grandmother is asleep finally (thank you mr. morphine), and the opinions of how rapid her decline is vary widely. So I drive my mom to my uncles in her car (to save the lives of all other drivers she may have come in contact with) and Sean follows in my POS, I mean, car. Along the way, my mother tells me that she's very proud that I'm now a paid writer and that I'm truly going after my dreams. I know now that she is beyond delirious. We get her deposited with strong admonitions to GET SOME SLEEP. Then I say screw it and take Sean to a favorite pizza place for lunch. Over extra large Cokes (thank you caffeine, thank you), salads and personal pizzas, I inform him that this moment may indeed be the highlight of my day. He asks what my mom and I were talking about in the car and I tell him. He looks thoughtful for a moment and then~

Sean: I think me and Lu and Dad have held you back quite a bit.

Me: Well, I suppose. But it was my choice to put raising a family and taking care of my home before my professional aspirations. Now, that you guys are older, I can pursue those goals. I don't regret that decision. Ever. Even if I wrote a bestseller and it was made into a blockbuster movie, no five star review will ever compare to the sense of pride I get when someone tells me how great my kids are.

Sean: Do you really feel that way?

Me: Of course. I mean good books are awesome. Good movies are awesome. But good people? They change the world.

Sadly? Lunch really was the highlight of my day. Bless you fountain Coke, bless you. I called my Dad and told him that it was hard to assess the sitch with Grandma asleep so I'd go back later and try to figure it out. But my spidey sense says that she's not going to pass away in the next 48 hours so Hildi could go with her original plan to be here on Saturday. But she might want to pack extra clothes and funeral clothes just in case. Then Sean and I ran a bazillion errands and grocery shopped. Somewhere along the way I began to have difficulty walking. My knee had been bugging me for a few days, but now it had swelled to twice it's normal size and was aching horribly. Thank goodness for carts. They offer support. Sean tried to get me to sit in one of those motorized scooters at the store. No thanks! We got everything done, I dropped him off to meet his ride to Civil Air Patrol and headed home.

Hubby and Lu carried in groceries and we put them away. The house looked great. But I realized the rug in front of the sink was soaked. I smelled it. Nope. Not cat pee (whew!). The sink is still leaking!! Hubby checks it. He's going to have to rip the entire cupboard out to fix it. Sh*t. Lu and I hurry around and head back out, so we can go back to the nursing home. By now it's 7 o'clock. I can barely walk and Lu is complaining that she's starving because she forgot to eat today. (Seriously? How come I never forget to eat??) We head to the nursing home. Two uncles, an aunt, a cousin, and an uncle's wife (she will never be considered an aunt) are there. No sign of my Mom. I call her. No answer. My uncle says she's still at his house sleeping. He and his wife get ready to leave. I ask them to please wake up Mom when they get home. Agreed. My uncle's ex-wife (my aunt) comes by. Grandma is sleeping through most of this, but finally my cousin gets her to eat three bites of strawberry shortcake and I get her to drink some water. She knows who Lu and I are, although she doesn't recognize my aunt. We leave there because it's now 9 and Lu is still whining she's starving. We go to Jimmy John's. They are out of bread and say come back in a half hour. True story. The sub shop ran out of bread.

We run to WalMart, where only 5 lanes are open and we stand in line to pay for our 5 items for 20 minutes. Lu is in a pissy mood and won't talk to me, so I forget the cardinal rule and make eye contact with the person in front of me. Now he's talking to me and he won't stop. Lu is giving me the evil eye. I'm pretty sure the guy is also staring at my cleavage. Creeper. Then he starts talking about hugs. Not happening mister, move along. Finally, we get to check out. Then we hurry back to JJ's with 5 minutes til closing. We grab sandwiches, chips and drinks for us and Sean and hurry to pick him up since we're already late. Oh! And then we almost get hit by two cars on our way out of town. The ride home is filled with giggles so that's good. We get home, congregate in the kitchen, finally eat supper (at 10:45 pm). We are all amazed at how swollen my knee is and how dumb I look limping around. And my nose piercing? Well it's been looking a little funny. So I take it out (which actually hurts worse than the piercing itself) and discover a horrid red lump. I think it looks kind of blisterish, so I sterilize a needle and poke it. It bleeds copiously. That was NOT a good idea.

Hubby: What are you 5??! What's that? I don't know. Let's poke it with a stick.

Hmmm...that was kind of the logic I used. I run in Lu's room to show her and she's completely grossed out. I went to bed. I looked it up on the Internet this morning and apparently it's a keloid, or build up of scar tissue. I'll have to see a doctor about it. But for now, I have a hideously ugly red lump on my nose. Ugh.

I did call my Dad and Hildi and tell her to stick to her original plan. I think my Gran will hold on at least for the weekend. I finally talked to my Mom and she was headed to the nursing home to stay the night. I'm headed back in later today.

I am an eternal optimist, but yesterday? Well, it tested even my powers of finding a silver lining. But it's got to get better, right??

♥Spot

Good News/ Bad News...

First...I've been so busy lately, I meet myself coming and going. This week is out of control. As a result, I'm behind on reading and commenting on other's blogs. I will catch up! Hopefully tomorrow before I head to Springfield to pick up CJ. We got some news on my grandmother yesterday and they've moved her condition to "comfort care". Which means they are only making her comfortable in these last few weeks. And we really are only looking at weeks. I'm spending a lot of time at the nursing home. I'm holding up well with regards to grandma. She's 87 and she's had a long life. At this point, she's not lucid much of the time, and I think she's ready to go. Spending that much time in the vicinity of my family however, is very trying. I may begin drinking heavily. I mean vodka in a Nalgene bottle could pass for water, right? I'm kidding. And then again. I'm not.



My Grandma and I

I wanted to participate in Little Miss Blogger's Rant and Rave Wednesdays, but I'm a day late and a dollar short (story of my life). So today is "Good news/Bad news" Thursday. Enjoy...


The Good News is I've started to find work on the Guru website. The bad news is some of the companies are less than professional.

The Good News is my family will all be here for Easter. Consequently, the bad new is that my family will all be here for Easter.

The Good News is one of my friends got an agent to ask for her novel manuscript, and I am sooo incredibly thrilled for her! Seriously, this is the best news ever. The bad news is I haven't even finished my novel.

The Good News is that puddle I stepped in on the floor of the kitchen and then tracked all over wasn't cat pee. The bad news is it was water from the sink which was leaking profusely. (now fixed)

The Good News is that Lu took me to see the new Nicholas Sparks movie "The Last Song" last night and it was amazing. The bad news is that I bawled my eyes out and have a lingering headache this morning. Not to mention how awful I looked when I walked out of that theatre!

The Good News is Sean had a telephone job interview and they really wanted to hire him. The bad news is they couldn't because of his summer jobs and trip so they told him to call back in the fall. Which means I continue to pay for his gas & insurance...and truck repairs.

The Good News is I started working out on my Wii Fit again with the kids and we are having a load of fun. The bad news is apparently I gained 5 lbs since January and if that thing yells out "obese" one more time I swear to Bob it's getting tossed out the window.

The Good News is I started submitting again. The bad news is I can't quite seem to find the time to write fiction. Darned kids thinking I should spend "family time" with them and all. Aren't they supposed to not like spending time with me by this age??!

The Good News is the weather got sunny and warm. The bad news is we hit a record high of 81 degrees yesterday. For real weather? The hell?! I do not want to go from heat to AC in the same week.

The Good News is Lu is cleaning my house today. The bad news is that I have to go to town to do the grocery shopping, pick up meds, and flea stuff for the cats. (Hello warm weather, please keep your pests outside).

That's pretty much my week in a nutshell! Feel free to play along.

Happy Thursday,
♥Spot

I cannot tell a lie...

So I'm pretty much an idiot I've decided. Now, that may come as a big surprise to some of you, but not so much to others. "Why?" you ask. "What is this idiotic thing you've done Spot?". I've forgotten some things. This really isn't all that unusual of an occurrence for me. I forget things alot. Whether it's because of my age, my fibromyalgia, or my general spaciness I couldn't say. But it is the reason I make notes for myself and write a hundred sticky notes a day so I remember things. But the sad fact is that sometimes I still forget.

So this was going to be a post where I gathered up all the sweet stuff people have awarded me in the last couple of months and do the requirements and pass them out. But...I saved the award pictures, but wasn't smart enough to write down where they came from. Brilliant, huh? So I'm looking at the cute award pics going...??? So I will be doing some hunting and figuring that out and doing that post later this week. But I did receive one over the weekend and since I do remember from whence it came, I'll do it today!

I was quite lucky to have Jimmy over at Just My Opinion, decide that I am honest. Thank you very much Jimmy!! Now, those of you who have been reading this blog for some time, know that my biggest pet peeve is honesty and sincerity, or the lack thereof. I believe honesty is always the best policy. It doesn't have to be brutal, but it does have to be honest. And I pull no punches with this blog. I'm honest with you all, but most of all, I'm honest with myself. So without further ado...



The Rules Are:

1. Thank the person giving you the award.
2. Post a link to their blog.
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Post 7 tidbits you're readers don't know.
5. Hand it out to ten other bloggers.
6. Post links to their blogs.
7. Post a link letting those bloggers know.

Hmmm...7 tidbits you don't know about me yet? That's a toughie...

1. I've recently started doing freelance writing. I'm not going to get rich anytime soon, but apparently 40 is not too old to start a new career. Especially if it's the one you've always wanted. I have Kathryn to thank for that. She has been a mentor, passing on info, pushing me to get my work out there, and answering zillions of dumb questions about finance stuff, contracts and deadlines. She's an amazing woman who not only believes in "paying it forward", she always does it and encourages others to do the same.

2. I've recently started submitting works of fiction again. Okay, this is the honesty award...I submitted one story to one magazine. I got a lovely rejection email (aren't computers great? You can now be rejected ten times faster!). It made my stomach hurt to submit it (seriously, as soon as I pressed "send", I almost vomited). I haven't submitted since. But I will.

3. I've recently come to the conclusion that I suck at writing movie reviews. Thus the failure of What Spot Saw. They are much harder to write than I thought they'd be. I'm going to delete the blog and just pass along movie info here. I really want to do another blog with some fiction on it.

4. I hate waiting. It makes me horribly insecure. Waiting for a potential employer to get back to me, waiting on a rejection/acceptance letter, waiting on a phone call. Really, I start second guessing, and doubting my abilities until I'm convinced that I'm a failure. I know right? So at odds with my personality.

5. I have 3 tattoos. A really awful one on my back right shoulder of a unicorn on a cliff at sunset. Note to self: NEVER let a man who learned how to tattoo in prison give you a tattoo at your kitchen table. Thankfully, I didn't get hepatitis, but I do have a 'not well done' permanent piece of artwork there. I have a beautiful set of three stars (one for each biological child) on my foot. And the word "mother" in Gaelic~ "mathair" on the inside of my right wrist. They were done at an actual tattoo shop by a wonderful artist. I want at least two more. Seriously, they're addicting.

6. I absolutely adore the ocean even though I live no where near it. I try to visit it at least once a year. I love to swim, but even when I can't, just being near the ocean makes me happy. My dream is to live somewhere on the coast eventually. I'm thinking Maine, because I also love mountains and snow.

7. When I'm really really stressed, I get optic migraines. That means I lose vision in one eye and sometimes it doesn't hurt, but other times it's accompanied by sharp shooting pains in the eye. They are relatively rare, happening only about two to three times a year. I've noticed that only two people stress me out enough to actually cause them...Lu and my mother. Go figure.

Whew! That's done. Can I just tell you how hard that was?? Having done these award things before, I feel like there's not much new to tell. Lu called while I was doing this and I told her I was having trouble and she replied "that's because you tell people everything all the time." She's probably right. I feel like readers who've always read this blog already know everything there is to tell. So I hope I didn't repeat myself or bore you! Now to pass on the fun...

1. Dreamfarm Girl~ her blogs are not only honest, they're inspirational. Her writing, much like her quilting, is spectacular. And the way she can liken life to quilt making is truly exceptional.

2. Unabridged Girl~ Mckenzie is nothing if not honest. She's also a brilliantly talented young writer. I never read her blog, that I'm not amazed by the insight she has for someone under 30. This is one writer that I can't wait to see published. (Note to Mckenzie...I'm totally expecting an autographed copy of your first book...)

3. The Dork Side~ this is a young girl who also tells it like it is. I feel like I've come to know her through reading her posts. I know about her ballroom dancing, her creative crafty side, and her writing inspirations. Plus, she's got an adorable blog design. Get to know her!

4. Buggin Word~ Elly is honest. She's also hilarious. If you think I'm funny, you haven't read Elly. But be warned...there are no taboos on Elly's blog so if you are offended don't come running back, pointing fingers. But if you aren't prudish and like to laugh so hard you nearly pee...go, read Elly.

5. Out Numbered Two to One~ she tells it like it is raising four kids from toddler to teen. Another blog I never fail to giggle at.

6. The Grasshopper Tales~ formerly known as Triplets Plus Two Mommy, is sometimes funny, sometimes poignant. She doesn't hold back and that's why I love her blog.

7. The Nerdy Nomad~ C is always honest in her blogs. Sometimes they are about her life, family or friends. Other times they are beautiful photos with vivid descriptions about her travels. Her blog is never boring!! I didn't even know I how beautiful some of those countries were until I visited them via her blog.

8. The Screenplay~ I'm giving this award to Mark, even though he hasn't been able to blog much lately. Because, he's never held back. He's always given us honest emotion. Many times I've read his posts and cried my eyes out. Both in sympathy for him and his family, but also because he reminds me how blessed I am.

9. Platitude Paradise~ Danica never pulls any punches. She gives it to you straight. I know she's been having a rough time lately and not getting to post much. But when she does, she's honest about what she's going through.

10. Murrmurrs~ I'm new to this lady's blog but from what I've seen, she's as honest as they come. And funny too. I've only been reading her blog a short time, but she's down to earth and makes me giggle.

That was soooo hard! There are many more blogs I could pass this too, but most of them already have it and I think that giving it to people who don't gets them some attention they deserve. I also didn't give it to people who don't play. It seems silly to pass it on if the other person won't do the same. I hope nobody got their feelings hurt, because if I read your blog and comment, than you should know that I think you're honest. Simple as that.

Happy Tuesday!
♥Spot

Somedays...

So once again in keeping with my bloggy theme, (I know, me with a theme three days in a row, it's like hell froze over or something) I wanted to share a couple of conversations I've had lately. The first is with my husband the other day after he came back from town and a meeting at the Scout office.

Hubs: So, when people ask me what you're doing now can I tell them about your blog?

Me: Um. Yeah. Why wouldn't you?

Hubs: Well, I don't know.

Me: Unless you're ashamed of it or something? It's not like you're telling people I sell crack cocaine to elementary school children or something. I mean, I can understand keeping something like that a secret.

Hubs: It's just that if I tell them, they might want to read it.

Me: So? That's kind of the point. I blog. Read me.

Hubs: Well, it's just that people will know who you are. You won't be anonymous.

Me: Well since any fifth grader with basic computer skills can figure out my real name I'm really not that concerned. Wait a minute! (the light finally dawns) This isn't about me! This is about you! You don't want your friends to know the shit you pull. Hahaha.

Hubs: Um. No. It's actually about not getting fired because you've trashed my boss.

Me: (slightly subdued) Well, I didn't say his name so he can't sue me for slander. And I didn't sign any contracts with morality clauses or 'don't talk about me on your blog' clauses. So? Ha! But do what you want honey. You can just tell them I'm a writer. Or you can just tell them I'm doing that 50's housewife thing. It's whatev.

Then I had this conversation with Lu~

Me: (very pleased) so one of my followers gave me an award today (It was KT) and she called me a "brave and admirable woman".

Lu: (wrinkling her nose in confusion) why would she say that?

Me: For real? Did you just ask why someone would compliment me??

Lu: No! I mean, I guess I did. But that's not how I meant it. I mean, I think you're brave and admirable, I just don't see how anyone would get that from reading you're blog.

Me: I don't know. I guess mostly people think homeschooling is brave. Although I never thought of it that way. And they think I'm admirable because I haven't killed any of you yet.

And Sean~

Me: I had so many page views yesterday! And I have two new followers.

Sean: Yeah, it's like why people read true crime or watch 48 hours or Snapped! People kind of get addicted to crazy.

Me: Gee Sean, thanks.

I sometimes wonder how I manage to keep my self confidence level so high in such a doubting atmosphere. And then I remember it's because of all the therapy. And vodka lemonade.

♥Spot

Why did they have to make 7 am so flippin early?

So here I am up at the ungodly hour of 7 A.M. Why? Why you ask. Why would you drag your oh so tired butt out of bed at that hour of the morning? The answer my friends is simple. I do it for you. I have a wedding to attend this afternoon and you know what that means? Oh yeah, a wedding reception tonight. And we all know how that goes around here. And if you're new to my blog and missed the last wedding I attended, you can read about it here. I don't know if this wedding will top that one, but I'm sure it's going to try. And I wanted to get my posting done before my day really started.

Which is why I am up at 7 am. This is the time my hubby gets up on weekends. So I shut off the alarm, grumble something about coffee and head for the bathroom. Finished there, I shuffle to the kitchen where coffee is brewing, but not done. And my hubby has just finished feeding the cats. The following conversation (if you can call it that) ensues...

Hubby: So someone missed a feeding and we're back to opening a can of cat food at night.

Me: hmphy;ljysdjf?

Hubby: I just want to remind you that Special Kitty cans don't go in the recycling. They get thrown away.

Me: the only can I put in recycling lately was a Friskies.

Hubby: You mean 9 Lives?

Me: No. Friskies.

Hubby: well it's Special Kitty that's in the cabinet now.

Me: *huffily opening the cabinet and pulling out a Friskies can* Friskies!!

Hubby: Well the one I pulled out today was Special Kitty.

Me: Yes, because I bought those in the 4-pack but they don't like the same food all the time so I intermixed some Friskies cans and are we done here?! *imagine my voice rising to a whine at the end*

Hubby: Just don't put the wrong cans in the recycling. (So apparently 9 Lives and Special Kitty cans are not made of aluminium but some kind of radioactive teflon coated kryptonite or something because this is the only reason I can come up with for him yelling at me about something so ridiculous this early in the morning)*

Me: I'm going to go write now before the voices force me to hurt you. *shuffles off to cave*

*In my hubby's defense, he probably wasn't yelling, but did I mention it was 7 freakin A.M. and that I am not a morning person? And he tried to make it up to me by bringing me coffee when it was done??

The Stephen King book is phenomenal. I stayed up way too late last night reading. I don't know how he creates so many well fleshed out characters. This must be where the index cards and post-its come in handy because half the time I have to page back through the novel I'm writing to remember what I named a character. Next time I write a novel, I think I might have to make a better system first. I'm up to over 14,000 words. Not where I need to be but I'll catch up. Lulu read it when she came home the other day and when she got done she was all "OMG. That's just creepy! Do you know what's going to happen? Because there seems to be a lot of foreshadowing." Of course I know what's going to happen. Kind of. I have a general idea when I sit down and then it just comes out. Like my brain thinks about it on autopilot all the time and I don't even realize it. And you have to foreshadow. It's my favorite writer tool thing. Anyway, I just wanted her to make sure it flows and apparently it does. Yay!

But back to Stephen King...I'm on page 185 and the death toll is rising. Muahahaha. It's a pretty interesting concept he's using. And I just wonder how he came up with it. I wonder if he ever wonders how other people come up with things? Like when 30 Days of Night came out. Was he all Vampires. In Alaska. Where it stays dark for 30 whole days. Genius!!! Because that's how I was.

Went to dinner with a group of friends and family last night. Then we went to see 2012. It was nonstop edge of your seat the entire time! And the special effects were ah-mazing! I really liked the movie. My friend Brandi said she hated it because she was so nervous through the whole thing. My friend Roxy had an even worse reaction. She really doesn't handle disaster movies well apparently. But my family loved it!

Okay, gotta go...but in the interest of foreshadowing...the wedding tonight? Let's just say that one of the women who will be there tried to get her hands on my man a couple of years ago. If she so much as looks in his direction...there may be trouble. And you'll get to hear all about it tomorrow. Who's got bail money?? Just kidding...I like my revenge way more subtle...

♥Spot

How I convinced the hospital lady she didn't know what day it was

This whole being a full time writer thing has turned my brain to mush. Really. I mean I might not have been the most "with it" gal to begin with but it's gotten so much worse. I'm so wrapped up in thinking, plotting, what if-ing, writing that I lose all sense of time, place and sanity. Yes, everyone does still have clean underwear and socks and I do manage to emerge from my world and get supper on the table but that's about it. Here's the conversation I had with the hospital when they called to remind me of Lulu's appointment~

Hospital lady: Hi is this Molly?

Me: No. This is her mom.

HL: Oh. Okay. This is Blessing Hospital calling to remind you about her heart echo tomorrow at 1pm.

Me: Her appointments supposed to be on Friday.

HL: That's right. Tomorrow is Friday.

Me: No it's not. Today is only Wednesday. Isn't it?

HL: Um. I don't think so. Hold on, I'll check. (I'm so adamant, she's doubting herself)

Me: Oh. Crap. You're right. It is Thursday. So her appointment is tomorrow.

HL: Whew! Please don't make me work an extra day. Haha.

Me: (completely embarrassed) I'm sorry. We'll be there.

The really bad part? She called while I was in the middle of writing my "spread the word" Thursday post. So on some level...I had to have known it was Thursday. Sad and scary I tell you. I feel like the absentminded professor. Only not so smart. And more absent minded.

The Stephen King book. Rules. I'm only allowing myself 80 pages a day so I don't just drop the novel writing and devour his book instead. He's just so good. I find myself noticing descriptive turns of phrase and thinking "why don't I think of these?" Because I'm not him. That's why. Speaking of him, here's a convo Sean and I had the other day while waiting in line at the grocery store~

Me: (reading tabloid headlines out loud) OMG. Seriously, if you were married to her, would you cheat with her?

Sean: Not a chance.

Me: Me neither! Man, I bet they get so tired of having their lives plastered all over the magazines and tabloids. Maybe I don't want to be famous. Then again, Stephen King's famous and you never see him in the tabloids.

Sean: (looking at me incredulously) Of course he's not in the tabloids! He's Stephen freakin King. Can you imagine writing something bad about him? I mean he'd show up on your doorstep and be all Really? Really? You're going to mess with me? and you'd crap your pants. Because you'd know that the Boogeyman was gonna get your butt.

Me: True. So the trick is to be famous, but really scary. So that nobody wants to mess with you.

And then on the way home. I was driving along on the highway and all of a sudden a hawk flies near the car. And seriously, I thought it was going to hit the windshield. So I ducked. Sean looks at me and~

Sean: Did you just duck?

Me: Yeah. So?

Sean: You know that doesn't help right? I mean you're in.a.car.

Me: Um. I know that. It's just instinctive reaction.

Sean: But it doesn't help. Look, there's something here (he taps on the windshield in front of me) and here (he taps on the sun roof) and omigod here (he taps on his side window) what is it? We're trapped!! Oh no! It's the witches! Witches have trapped us, what will we do?! How will we escape? (He sticks one hand out the open sunroof) Help help! Someone save me!

Me: (speeding down the highway laughing my ass off) you're ridiculous.

Sean: Riiiggghhht. I'm the ridiculous one. Which one of us got lost and wandered around aimlessly in Hobby Lobby today until I rescued them. Oh yeah. You.

I don't know if I mentioned this before or not...but Sean is somewhat of a sarcastic bastard. He comes from a long line of them. And I really did get lost in the store. I couldn't find the clearance items. Until he pointed to the clearance sign. Five rows in front of me. Sheesh.

Happy Friday (it is Friday, right?),
♥Spot