Motivation Shmotivation

MOTIVATION MONDAYS

It isn't easy to stay motivated 24/7/365.  Sometimes even a well-placed swift kick won't do the trick.  I was all geared up to blog about how I've been motivated to get some much needed exercise.  The weather had warmed up, and I like to walk.  I just don't like to walk when it's raining or cold or very hot.  I'm obviously not a dedicated walker.  Then my youngest daughter suggested that we get a couple of bicycles, so just over a week ago, we did just that.  After all, more calories are burned riding a bicycle than walking.  What more could I ask for?

My oldest daughter decided biking was the perfect addition to her exercise routine and got herself a new bike, so the three of us, plus youngest granddaughter did some riding this weekend.  Then yesterday that same granddaughter called to ask if I was interested in riding again.  I gave in.  All in all, over the past eight days, I've ridden just over twelve miles.  The secret?  Motivation.  Mine and others.  Did I mention that I don't care to remember how many years have gone by since I've last ridden a bike?  Yeah.  My body is still adjusting.  Oh, is it adjusting!

As long as one of us is motivated to ride, I'm sure we'll continue.  It's too hard to say no.  In fact, yesterday I should have said no, because I was smack in the middle of the WIP, with a deadline that is looming closer and closer, while I'm not making my page count the way I should.

Let's face it.  It isn't easy to stay motivated all the time for one thing, much less three or four or more.  Sadly, that deadline is not motivating me to write, and the bike riding is beginning to become an excuse to keep me away from writing.  Add two young grandkids here during weekdays, and writing time is often impossible to find.  I'm still behind on my writing schedule, in spite of all my good intentions of getting caught up and back on track.

Houston, we have a problem.  There aren't enough hours in the day to do everything and sleep, so something needs to be done...SOON!

Penny Rader, a longtime friend, passed a link along on Twitter, so of course I had to check it out.  The source blog---Left-Brained Business for Write-Brained People---also looks amazing and merits repeat visits, but it was the blog title that caught my attention. Why Don't You Have Time to Write?  Check it out.  It's definitely worth sharing, saving, printing, and re-reading.  A great reminder to all of us and especially me!

He who hesitates is lost. ~ Proverb

Traditions

(from dictionary.com)

tra·di·tion

   [truh-dish-uhn] 

noun

1.  the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs,information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice: a story that has come down to us by popular tradition.
2.  something that is handed down: the traditions of the Eskimos.
3.  a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting: The rebellious students wanted to break with tradition.
4.  a continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.
5.  a customary or characteristic method or manner: The winner took a victory lap in the usual track tradition.

There are probably as many traditions as there are people.  They come in all sizes, shapes, colors, reasons, times, seasons, and anything else you can think of.  We like traditions because the make us feel safe.  Once made, we know what needs doing, making decisions much easier.

We're most familiar with traditions around the holidays.  Christmas, Hanukkah and other religious/faith-based holidays at the end of the year often have the most traditions attached to them.  But we all manage to create more of our own, just for us.

Sometimes we have to adjust traditions to fit something new in our lives.  A marriage can dictate the melding of traditions.  A new baby may mean a change in timing.  As a family continues to grow, new traditions--Santa Claus, the Christmas story from the Bible--are introduced for the children.

And sometimes we make new traditions.  Children grow into adults who have their own children.  Jobs can often mean a distant move.  Divorce or the passing of a loved one are two of the saddest of reasons for the need to create new traditions.  But somehow, within all the changes, we adjust and find solace and peace in traditions, whether old or new.

If you have a favorite tradition, I'd love it if you'd share it, either here on the blog, through Twitter (@roxdelaney), on Facebook or my author Facebook Page.  Who knows?  We may find something that will make the perfect new tradition.

To many people holidays are not voyages of discovery, but a ritual of reassurance.  - Philip Andrew Adams 

Writing Through the Holidays

Yes, you can find a way to write through the holidays!  The question is do you need to or even want to?  If the answer is yes, then it probably will take some pre-planning and the patience of a saint.

'Tis the Season!  But then it quite often is, because holidays come throughout the year.  Not only holidays but things like the beginning of school, summer vacation, bad weather, you name it. This season, from just after Halloween until after the first of the year, is still usually the busiest and manages to claim the most time.

Learning to manage holidays and our writing isn't easy.  Add NaNoWriMo into the equation, and I'm amazed that writers come of out this with their minds still intact.  I applaud those who are involved this year and any year.  It takes a lot of fortitude and old-fashioned stubbornness, coupled with a strong desire and the best of intentions to attempt it.  Anyone who gets involved is a winner!  But writing during the busiest of times really can be done.

While it might be a little late for Thanksgiving planning for those doing NaNo, the next 1+ month promises to be as hectic as always.  It's time to put our heads together and look for solutions and shortcuts that will net us even a few extra minutes.  Here's my list of suggestions.  Feel free to add your own!

• Set aside a specific time to write and just do it.  While it might be hard to wrap your mind around your plot and your characters, after rushing around to buy last minute food or gifts, it can be a relief to simply sit down, take a deep breath, and let your creative mind take over.
• Get family and friends to help by requesting that you not be disturbed during that specified time.  I'll always remember being told early on in my writing "career" that telling your children not to bother you at all, unless there's blood, smoke, or flames, is acceptable.  Bribing always works well, too.
• If you're NaNo-ing and find your time being usurped by traditions that can't be escaped, check out the NaNoWriMo forum.  You probably aren't alone, and others will be happy to share their secrets and encouragement.
• Keep in mind at all times, that we all deserve "Me Time," especially during the holidays.  If your family isn't yet trained to this, it's past time to do it.  If it means a trip to the library for peace and quiet (and some undisturbed writing time) or a visit to Starbucks with whatever-mocho in hand, then go for it.  Just remember that you really do have to go home again, sooner or later.
• If you haven't already cut down on those things that aren't top priority, then stop and take a look at your list of things to do.  Try to trim it to 3/4, then 1/2.  Don't scratch off anything that is an absolute must, but do pare down whatever you can.  Doing so will not only give you more time, but definitely can be a big stressbuster.
• When it comes to food and the Big Meal, Family Style, share the joy by having others bring their favorite dishes, already prepared, if possible.  Many families enjoying getting together to make the meal.  If that's your family tradition, enjoy it!
• If you'll be away from home, take your laptop or a pad of paper.  While the men are snoozing in front of the parade of football games, and the ladies have collapsed in the kitchen, find a quiet spot where you can do ten or fifteen minutes of writing.  More if possible!  But don't let it keep you away from family, and put it aside when your time is up.

Happy Holiday Writing!

A good holiday is one spent among people whose notions of time are vaguer than yours.
John B. Priestly 

Just Another Manic Monday

It wasn't my intention to let a week go by without sharing even a quick hello, but life sometimes gets in the way of the best intentions.

Let's face it, it was a busy week, and it didn't let up over the weekend.  Now that Monday is here again, the feeling of a hamster on a wheel is beginning to set in.  Yes, definitely a little on the manic side already.

That doesn't mean there weren't enjoyable moments to the mania.  Saturday evenings are often spent at my oldest daughter's.  This time of year it's the watching of favorite football teams, followed by Saturday Night Live.  I've been watching SNL since the very beginning and have to say that, overall and so far this season, it's had more good than bad.

Yesterday was my local writers' group meeting, which is always fun and informative.  It's sometimes my only in-person touch with others besides family...except for those occasional visits to the store for groceries or needed items.  I always enjoy spending time with the ladies at WARA.  You can visit the WARA blog, Bits & Bytes: Romance the Writers Way to see why.

But it's Monday again, so back to work.  This week I hope to devote a large block of time to sorting through my office.  I might even have time to move the furniture to make sure to take advantage of warmer spots during winter.  That all remains to be seen, if I don't finish this up and get busy. ☺

So here's the YouTube of the inspiration for today's blog title.  Although I was married with kids when the Bangles were in their prime, I still enjoyed their music.  Hope you do, too!

If you have other things in your life -- family, friends, good productive day work -- these can interact with your writing and the sum will be all the richer.

- David Brin

Not a Week to Repeat

I didn't intend to be MIA this week, but last weekend was busy with no time to write a blog in advance.  Monday morning I woke up with what quickly proved to be a full blown, down and dirty cold.  I have a routine for that kind of thing that includes particular cold medicines for day and night, and my ever faithful echinacea to help my immune system to fight off the nasties.  Still, I don't remember feeling quite so tired, just because of a cold, so time was spent sleeping whenever possible, if even for an hour at a stretch.

Tuesday I learned my aunt (my mother's brother's wife) had passed away.  We lost my uncle in May, and many of us hadn't yet completely come to terms with it.  It's tough to deal with new grief while still grappling with another, but it's something many people have to do.  I'll miss my aunt, just as I miss my uncle, even though I hadn't seen them often.  They were the last of my mother's family.  What's left now are cousins of all ages.  First cousins, second cousins, third cousins and others.  New, little cousins I hadn't seen until today at the funeral.  Life does go on, even as we have to say goodbye to another.

I'll be back to normal on Monday and plan to share some new thoughts on writing.  I'm happy to say that my cold is pretty much gone, and I'm feeling a little more normal every day.

Enjoy the weekend!

White Rabbit Syndrome

"Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late!"

I like to think my continued tardiness throughout life is because I was born late.  But because I'm adopted, I have no idea how close I was born to my "due date," so the excuse doesn't really work.  Nevertheless, that isn't going to stop me from using it, nor will I suddenly change to one of those people who would be on time, even if their house caught fire as they were leaving and their car broke down on the way.  (God forbid that would happen to anyone!)

It's not that I'm late for everything.  And I do have an excuse today for being late.  Or several excuses, if that works better.

1. I was up late last night trying to plot a new story that apparently doesn't want to be plotted.
2. My daughter decided to organize the hall closet that contains everything from shampoo and cotton swabs to furniture polish and hair color.  She did a great job, but after showing me how good it looked, she announced my office needed organizing.  Oh, no!!  I had to physically restrain her from opening the drawers in my desk, and then I physically restrained myself as she searched my bookcase for a book to read.  My parting goodnight included, "Just turn off the light when you leave the room."
3. I've already written one blog post today (topic: writing struggles) and was late with it, too.

I can plan and schedule all I want, but something will always come along and throw a monkey wrench into the works.  Just what is a monkey wrench, anyway? 
Case in point:  Saturday nights are usually spent at my oldest daughter's house, where we enjoy dinner cooked by said daughter and a lot of chit-chatting about everything from the weather to politics to soap operas.  (I quit watching soaps long, long ago.)  But this past Saturday, she and her daugher had a baby shower to attend, so I planned to finish that plotting I mentioned earlier. 

(Time out to show how crazy life is here at Rancho Delaney)
Mid-day and knowing we'd be spending the evening in, my youngest announced, "There's nothing on!" as she scrolled through the menu of cable offerings.  I revised her statement to, "There's nothing that I want to watch," and reminded her that in addition to the hundreds of cable channels, there's also On Demand, Netflix, and our 400 or so DVDs, including her entire collection of Harry Potter and Buffy.  Some people just can't be pleased.

(Back to the monkey wrench...)
About seven p.m., our usual time to go to oldest's for dinner, granddaughter called and said they were on their way home from the shower and we could come over.  I should've stayed and continued the plotting, but to tell the truth, my eyes were beginning to cross as I juggled scenes on my storyboard.  Besides, I always enjoy time with family.

In a nutshell, I was able to amend my usual schedule of Saturdays with family, and instead planned to work on current WIP.  Schedule fixed.  However, new plan was interrupted and changed again when granddaughter called to say, "Come on over!" 

To quote Rosanna Roseannadanna, "It's always something."

And that's what really causes White Rabbit Syndrome.  That and being born late. ;)

Taking the Heat

We're having a heat wave...  A tropical heat wave...  (Marilyn Monroe did it best!)

So what does a writer do when July hits with hot, hot, hot temps?  It's the perfect time to stay inside and make some progress.  Whether it's working on a current WIP or just making the writing life a little neater and easier, this is the perfect time to do it. 

Yesterday I worked on an old story that didn't fit the parameters of a specific line, so it's never seen "print."  It's always been one of my favorites, so I'm hoping I can do something with it.  There are others to follow, and I'm currently trying to work out a system of how best to keep track of what I want to do with them, how I'll do that, and then actually getting them ready to share.

Today I'm purging my office of paper to be taken to the recycle center tomorrow, along with getting ready to shred old bills and other things I'd rather do myself, and just doing an overall getting-it-together sorting and shifting.  It's an ongoing battle.  Paper seems to breed around here, no matter how much I recycle, shred, or simply throw away.  Just looking at the boxes of paper to recycle makes me cringe.  There's no denying that I've killed a lot of trees in my lifetime.  I try not to.  I've been teaching myself to edit on screen.  It's getting better, but I still need a hardcopy on paper for a lot of things.  Having a Kindle for book reading at least makes me feel a little better.  None of those books will end up in a landfill somewhere.

Because summer Fridays are library days with the grandkids, I'll take three of them to return last week's books and get new.  I'm a sucker for books, so I'll check out one for myself, too.  I'm hoping Inkheart will have been returned (it's due back today).  If so, I'll check it out and set aside some time to read.

Even though tomorrow begins a three-day weekend, it's still working time for me.  Because I'm between contracts, I need to take a look at what I want and need to do to make the best use of this time.  Thanks to experience, I'm learning that I need to keep writing.  Now to decide what to write! ☺

It may be hot out there and forecasted to stay this way far into next week, but life and writing goes on.

Have a fantabulous Independence Day weekend!

Ah, Saturdays

It's a cold rainy day, with the temp hovering right at freezing. I'm glad to be inside and know that by tomorrow, it'll be back up to near spring weather...hopefully without the rain. Okay, we need the rain. It's been a dry winter, except for those crazy snowstorms that dumped on us and shut down school for more days than I can remember.

I love Saturdays, rain or shine. There are no screams of small children trying to murder each other, no lemon juice poured in my cable box (as happened this week), and I can usually do pretty much whatever I want to do. My oldest granddaughter is here on weekends, while her mom is at work and has two weekdays off. It's like the Rolling Stones said in their song. You can't always get what you want. But this particular g-kid is the more quiet one. Being an only child as I was, she manages to keep herself busy watching TV, playing with the cats--or trying to--or getting on the computer to play games. It's not a problem.

So what do I have on my to-do list today? Tons of things, but only a few will get my attention. There's a website client who needs some updates done, a book proposal that needs more work, dishes to wash, house to clean, and other jobs clamoring for attention. A typical Saturday. Hope you enjoy yours!

Snow and Ice and Blizzards, Oh My!

If you live in the 2/3 of the U.S. that isn't experiencing the enormous winter storm that's creating havoc in the other 1/3, count yourself lucky. After reading comments on Facebook by those getting hit the hardest, I've decided not to whine.

It's strange that less than 10 days ago, my daughters and I were talking about the time we and several of our neighbors were caught in a blizzard 2 miles from home. Home at that time was a farm, where the nearest neighbor was 1/4 mile away.

The snow had begun while I was still at work, and for once the company owner gave permission for those of us worried about getting home safely the choice to leave. I left, drove the 10 miles to pick up my three girls--ranging in age from 3 to 7--from the baby-sitter, then started for home. We were halfway there when the station wagon I was driving decided to do a complete 360 in the middle of the road. Shaken, I made it slowly to a small gas 'n go, where we met up with my husband. We followed him the 2 miles north to our road, then turned west, but hadn't gone half a mile when we learned that the snowplow was stuck on the road...and blocking it. We and 6 of our neighbors who used that road to get home were stranded. The closest house was over half a mile away, and it was blizzarding. Not ideal conditions for small children who weren't dressed for walking around in that kind of weather. But then neither were most of the adults!

A neighbor who lived farther away heard about the trouble and drove his 4-wheel drive tractor to our line of stranded cars. A few at a time, he took us to the nearest house, where those neighbors had made coffee, hot cocoa, and sandwiches. By now we'd been stranded for over 4 hours. My brother-in-law showed up sometime later in a second 4wd tractor and took us home. Believe me, 2 adults and 3 kids in a tractor cab is a crunch! He drove across snow-buried wheat fields that were like washboards, causing us to hit our heads on the top of the cab several times during the 2 mile journey. Finally coming to a stop across the road from our house, he let us out. We tromped through a deep ditch full of snow that wasn't recognizable as ditch, crossed the road, then another ditch, and were finally home. By the time we were inside the house, it was after 10 p.m. Our 6+ hour adventure was finally over!

Times like these don't happen very often in our part of the state, so we're usually caught off guard when they do. I won't lie and say we had a fun time during that long ago blizzard, but we certainly did have an adventure we'd always remember.

Ghosties and Ghoulies

A week ago, my youngest daughter and I went on a ghost tour in an area of the city that has a reputation dating back to over 100 years ago. Delano was a rootin' tootin' prairie town on the west side of the Arkansas river, across from the larger town of Wichita on the east, where cowboys who'd traveled the Chisholm trail could relax and enjoy the gambling, drinking, and ladies of the evening. Later, Delano became a part of Wichita, but the area has lately become well-known for the tales of ghosts haunting some of the businesses in the area.

We began our tour at Lawrence-Dumont baseball stadium, where ghostly sounds and visions have been the norm for years. I've been to L-D several times in my life, but I never knew about the hauntings. It's probably a good thing. I grew up half a mile from the baseball stadium AND Delano. After hearing the tales of the stadium, we traveled on to visit four buildings open especially for the evening, where owners and employees told stories of strange happenings. Most of the buildings had been built before 1890 and had housed regular businesses on the ground floor, but also included brothels on the upper floor. In fact, according to a brochure provided for the event, the "900 block seems to be the most haunted block in Delano, with reports from residents as well as business owners. Half of the buildings on this block are from 1890 or before."

The next day, I returned to one of the stores with my next oldest daughter Chelsea, who needed to purchase something. I mentioned to the owner that I'd been on the ghost tour the night before, and she asked if I'd visited a specific building. I hadn't, and she insisted that we visit it that day, so we did. We were a little nervous about asking for the story of the happenings during business hours, but the young woman took us to the back where she was helping customers and told us the tale of "Red" Beard, the ghost who haunts the building. Verrrrrrry interesting! And "Red" doesn't keep to that one building. He's been seen in many of the buildings in the area.

If you're interested in the ghosts or history of Delano, be sure to visit the Historic Delano website for more. And for more paranormal information, visit Wichita Paranormal Research Society, a part of TAPS.

Have a Happily Haunted Halloween!

Summer Days

Over the past week or so, the g-kids and I have been trying to make a trip to the nearby playground a daily ritual. Even with no sidewalks for three blocks and the fact that we have to watch out for crazy drivers, we enjoy the four block trip. In fact, when I offer to drive, they all loudly refuse. They like to walk.

(Gavin swinging)

On our first trip, the kids were enjoying the equipment (2 sets of swings, a lopsided merry-go-round, 3 types of bars, and a slide), when I looked at the sky and saw that dark clouds had formed in the southwest, a sure sign of rain coming. We quickly gathered our things and started for home. We were half a block from my house when huge drops of rain started falling from the sky, accompanied by tiny pieces of hail. Jaxon and I walked faster, while Scarlett, Ally, and Gavin ran on to the house. Just as we stepped up on the porch, the sky opened up, then a loud crash of thunder made us all jump when we ducked inside.

(Scarlett with Jaxon on the basketball court)

I thought they might not be as eager to go the next day, so I didn't mention it. They did! Our second trip was even more enjoyable without the rain. And they'd still rather walk.

(Payton swinging)

The Five Days of June

Each year during the week after Father's Day, my daughter Lyndsay and her hubby go on a canoe trip in Oklahoma with his family and a few family friends. They leave on Wednesday and return on Sunday. Sabrina and her hubby, Chelsea and her guy have all joined them at one time or another. I'm the designated baby-sitter, with Mallory's help. I call this time of year The Five Days of June.

I've never gone on the canoe trip. I don't plan to. From personal experience, a camping trip means at least one very stormy night. At my age, rain, wind, lightning and hail are better experienced in a sturdy building, not in a tent.

Today is Sunday, the last day. Gavin, Jaxon, and Payton will soon be going home with what I expect will be exhausted parents. I'm eager to hear what Ally, who went on the trip this year, thinks of the trip. I suspect it might not have been as great as she'd hoped, but I could be wrong. Will know more in a few hours.

The bright spot in all this is that it'll be another year before we do this again. I'll have my bed back, instead of sharing it with Jaxon's feet in my back. I'll sleep the night through, not being awakened once by Payton's crying from the playpen next to my bed. And Gavin, well, thank goodness he sleeps like a log on the sofa. But we had some good times, and those are what we'll remember...until next year's Five Days of June rolls around again. :)

Olympics: Freestyle Ice Skating

Okay, it was only our family, and only part of the family, at that.



The photos in the post below were taken by my oldest daughter, Sabrina, who invited us to go ice skating during the Christmas holiday break. Her 8-year-old daughter Scarlett (below and in blue in the slideshow) is taking skating lessons at the local ice center and appeared in the ice show a few weeks earlier.



Mallory, my youngest, and I were accompanied by Allie, 7 and in pink, and Gavin, 5, who both belong to my second oldest daughter. Neither of them has skated, but they did a good job!

Update on Payton

Life has been busy and a bit topsy-turvy lately, so news on Payton hasn't been updated recently.

She's home! Even after a second trip to Children's Mercy for nearly a week, because of feeding problems. But the feeding tube she came home with to supplement her bottles has been removed. She's eating, keeping it down most of the time, and gaining weight. In 12 days, she'll be 3 months old. It's been a fast 3 months at times, while at others, it's dragged. We're all so glad to have everyone home and getting back into a routine.

Her first Halloween will not be spent trick or treating. Being out in public and especially on cold nights, is out of the question. With viruses of all kinds around these days, precautions are being taken with her. We want to keep her heatlhy and happy!

Thanks to everyone for the prayers and wonderful notes of encouragement!

Latest Payton Update

(Reposted here from Facebook because I'm lazy.)

We've had what we consider good news. The doctors decided the heart cath was a success as far as telling them what they needed to know. They've decided to let nature take its course at this point and let the holes close on their own. At least I think that's what Lyndsay said. (Something about many babies having a small hole that closes on it's own within a short amount of time.) If it's found that there isn't enough blood flow, they'll put in a shunt. If the blood flow is good and they don't need the shunt, she'll be home as soon as she can "eat" on her own. (Gavin was 5 weeks premature and would NOT take a bottle or anything. We should've known he'd continue to be a stubborn little guy. )

The ventilator will be removed tomorrow, along with the feeding tube at her belly button. They'll start feeding by bottle after that and see how it goes. If all goes well, she could be home as soon as next weekend. Surgery will be scheduled in 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on how she does. Gaining weight and maturity is the goal. I'm assuming she'll be seeing a cardiologist here during that time. They expect about a 2 week stay in Children's Mercy again for and after surgery.

Lyndsay and Adam will be home tomorrow evening to spend time with the other three kids, then return to KC after the weekend. They want to be here for Ally and Gavin's first day of school on Monday. Plans right now are tentative, so we're waiting to see how everything goes.

More updates when there's news. :)

Baby Day...and more

(Photos will be available when Blogger lets me upload them!!)


Payton McKenzy must have been in a rush to be a part of our family. She was a month early. At 5 lbs. 10 oz, she's the smallest of my daugher Lyndsay and her husband Adam's now 4 children. Although we thought everything was fine, except the need for a little help breathing, we learned less than 8 hours after she arrived that she has a heart defect. It was a miracle it was detected so early. Most babies with TGV (Transposition of the Great Vessel) are a few weeks old before anyone suspects and investigates. We all thank the NICU staff at HCA Wesley in Wichita for being alert.



What's TGV? According to Wikipedia (the simplest to use at this point, Transposition of the great vessels (TGV) is a group of congenital heart defects (CHDs) involving an abnormal spatial arrangement of any of the primary blood vessels: superior and/or inferior vena cavae (SVC, IVC), pulmonary artery, pulmonary veins, and aorta. In simpler terms, the veins and arteries are reversed. (more from Wiki) In a normal heart, oxygen-depleted blood is pumped from the right side of the heart, through the pulmonary artery, to the lungs where it is oxygenated. The oxygen-rich red blood then returns to the left heart, via the pulmonary veins, and is pumped through the aorta to the rest of the body, including the heart muscle itself. TGV means this doesn't happen correctly.



But another miracle is keeping Payton alive. VSD or Ventricular Septal Defect, which means she has a hole in her heart (2, actually) allowing oxygen to mix in the heart. VSD and other defects often accompany TGV.



She was airlifted via helicopter the next morning to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO. She's doing great! They're weaning her off the ventilator and hoping to be able to wait a week or two so she can gain a little more weight. As long as she continues to do well, they're able to do that. Success rate for the surgery is 95%-99%, we we're all being positive. We certainly won't refuse any prayers and positive thoughts for Payton while she's in the hospital!



More news on Payton as we get it.

A Very Weird Miracle?

Yesterday I blogged about the disappearance of our dog, Willow, on the 4th of July. Less than fifteen minutes later, the phone rang. I couldn't imagine what the City would be calling me about on a Saturday afternoon. It was the animal shelter! Someone had brought in Willow!!

Last weekend, a cute little lost Pomeranian showed up at my oldest daughter's house. Sabrina created, printed, and posted signs around the neighborhood about the dog, but in a week, she'd had no response. So when the animal shelter called to say Willow had just been found and dropped off there, we decided an exchange was in order. "Muffy" was returned first, then we were off to find our baby. We roamed the holding kennels until we finally found her. There was no doubt who the Bassett belonged to. She recognized us immediately. As we returned to the desk with the necessary paperwork to get Willow released, we could hear her howling. She was ready to go home!

I still find it very strange that it took three weeks for her to be discovered and taken to the shelter. The paperwork stated she was found about five miles away by someone who lived more than twenty miles in the opposite direction. At this point, it probably doesn't matter, but we've decided she can't be left outside when no one is around to make sure she isn't escaping (which I highly doubt happened) or being snatched from our yard.

She loved the backyard and spent both days and nights there, before she disappeared. Because we were still working on house training, when inside, she slept in her kennel or had free roam of the kitchen, which leads to my office. I can see her from my desk, so she isn't lonely...which doesn't mean she isn't going to howl for attention. :)

So to whomever found our Willow, thank you!

Shame on Me!

Almost an entire month has zoomed by, and I haven't stopped in to say hello. Shouldn't summer be lazy? Not here! And not for me!

It appears I haven't been blogging, but that isn't true. Besides here, I also blog at Bits & Bytes: Romance...the Writers Way, my writers group's blog. The 29th is my day to blog, but I'm constantly posting comments on everyone else's posts. It's very interactive, and we're having tons of fun talking romance writing. If you aren't a writer, that's okay! Readers are more than welcome to share their thoughts, and maybe learn something along the way.

Want to meet your favorite Harlequin American Romance authors? Check out our blog! News, recipes, writers' tips, cleaning tips, and all kinds of good stuff can be found there. My blogging date at HAR is the 19th, but I missed it this month. :( Must do better!

Last weekend, two of my daughters, my oldest granddaughter, and I went to see the new Harry Potter movie. I was sadly disappointed. I've only read the first book, so I'm not privy to all the ins and outs, but I have seen every one of the movies. I had a really hard time following what was going on in this one and even dozed off at one point, which resulted in a poke from my daughter. :) Mallory, my youngest, said it was because so much was left out, yet there were things in it that weren't in the book. (Mallory is an HP expert, having read each book multiple times. DO NOT play HP Trivial Pursuit with her unless you want to lose, big time.) Maybe I should start reading those books!

Sad things going on here. I posted earlier about our new puppy, Willow. On the 4th of July, someone stole her from our backyard. :(( She was playing out there in the early evening, while the neighborhood fireworks were going off. I could hear her howling at one point and went out to check who was making all the noise. (The fireworks, not the pup.) Discovered it was a neighbor, three houses to the south and muttered some unkind words under my breath, then went inside. Willow was fine. The next morning, she was nowhere to be found, her collar laying open just inside the fence. She's chipped, so if she'd run away and someone found her, a trip to the animal shelter would be all that was needed for her to be returned to us. No more pups for us. I'll stick to our two cats, Tosca and Mocha. They're tortoiseshell calicos that look like mother and daughter, but aren't related. One of these days, I'll post some pictures of them. Oh, and there are the four betta fish we have. Two belong to my daughter Chelsea, a male (the fish, not the daughter and whose name I forget) and Harley, the female. My two are both males, Shrimp and Spock. Watching them swim around can be soothing, and they notice when I'm paying attention. Maybe a bird someday? Who knows?

I've just finished writing the first draft of the third book in the Desperation, OK series. I hope readers love this one as much as they seem to love the first one, The Rodeo Rider, available in stores next month. Hearing from readers adds such a spot of joy to my day! Don't be shy to let me know what you think!

Last but not least, if you haven't met the Ditzy Chix, my very very bestest friends, stop in at our website. Or even better, come visit us on our Facebook page! We've just gone from 10 of us to 11, and will probably have another new chix or two in the future.

Yes, you can find me on Facebook! (How did this happen?) I love chatting with others there!

Until next time, have a lovely summer! Fall will be here soon--my favorite season--so what's left of the lazy (ha!) days of the last of summer should be savored. Make some memories!

The Ditzy Chix on Facebook

So Much To Do, So Little Time

I can't believe it's been over a month since I posted, but it has. I really have been busy since then and keep getting myself into new projects faster than I can say NO.

Since the last time, school has let out for the summer, meaning all 4 grandkids are here ALL DAY. That in itself takes up a lot of time, although they aren't always bad and the 2 youngest manage to take a nap at some point during the day, giving us all a little quiet time. But it seems it's never enough to get it all done.

My son-in-law is home from his 4-month long deployment in the Middle East. It's always good to have him back. Nice to have a man's POV on things. Okay, even when I don't agree. ;) I know he's glad to be home, too, and has already done some fishing, along with mowing the lawn. Not his favorite chore, by the way.

I'm finally almost back to normal after a three-week bout with asthma, but I'm not ready to run a marathon yet. Not that I ever planned to. A nice walk would be nice, but, again, when is there time? I do promise to never mow again! Not being able to breathe is NOT fun, and all for a yard where small children don't become lost.

So what else has been keeping me busy? I've added an excerpt from The Rodeo Rider to my website, along with the fantastic back cover blurb! It truly tells the essence of the story, and I love it! My author copies have arrived, so I'm trying to decide whether to throw a contest here on the website for some books and maybe some extras. That may depend on time, too.

If you've ever had the slightest desire to try your hand at writing, my local writers' group has a terrific blog dedicated to how to write a romance novel. Stop in and visit us at Bits & Bytes: Romance...the Writer's Way. We're all having a blast talking shop and love to share!

This past week I've been at eHarlequin.com, leading a discussion in the Conflict Crisis Center on the Write Stuff board on, you guessed it, Conflict. My week of kicking off the new board is officially over today, but don't be shy about stopping in to say hello! I plan to hang around for as long as I can, hoping to pick up ideas from other authors. We're all always learning.

I'm including a special invitation to visit my little spot on Facebook. I dragged my feet as long as I could about joiing and finally capitulated, adding my name and several friends, including writing friends, high school friends, newer friends, and even a few cousins! If only I had that little extra time to play with the applications and quizzes. Maybe later this summer? Who knows what I might discover!

And last, but not least, we have a puppy. Her name is Willow, and she is very sweet. A little too friendly for the grandkids yet, but she's calming down a little more every day and loves to spend all day outside. As long as she doesn't kick up my asthma, we'll keep her. ;) Isn't she a cutie?

So I hope to see you soon and "be your friend" on Facebook. I'll drop in here again as time allows...if it does. Until then, have a wonderful summer!

Holiday Birthdays

Thanks to my 16-month-old grandson, who hit the button to shut down my computer yesterday while I was posting the below, I'm finishing this on Tuesday.

Not only do we have the holidays to buy for and celebrate, but my oldest granddaughter's birthday, too. She'll be seven this year. She recently lost the second of her front teeth, so I downloaded the song "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth". She wasn't amused.

She was born three days before Christmas, and one would think that with so many things available at Christmas, finding a birthday present should be easy. It isn't. I've been having trouble finding something to get her, until I heard an ad on the radio for our local ice skating center's holiday ice show. With the possibility that she may take skating lessons in the spring, it's the perfect gift, and the whole family can enjoy it. Maybe next year, she'll be skating in it.

Was it luck or fate? It doesn't matter, because it was a blessing. Now, if the snow will just stay away...