I'm Stuck in Hitchcock's The Birds!!!

Cocoa has volunteered to date the bird!!  Or maybe eat him. 

A lady reserves the right to change her mind!!

I'm basically a nature-loving girl, but if the bird pecking our living room window doesn't knock it off, he may find himself knocked out!!!!  I'm guessing he's trying to "date" our deck door.  His song is lovely, but then he scrapes his beak against the glass, sending the dogs into a yipping, yapping frenzy!!!  This has been going on for three days.  I've shut the blinds, but every time the bird pecks, the dogs yap.  Combine this with my already bluh mood and I've written one, whole paragraph of my new synopsis!!  Maybe I should take my laptop out to the car?

In other news, Hannah is now a nanny!!  Her charge is a four-year-old Turkish boy whom she describes as being adorably spoiled.  Yesterday, he dribbled cereal and milk on the iPad he was playing with that was housed in a Louis Vuitton cover.  Wonder if this family would adopt me?  I'm a very neat cereal eater.  Just sayin'.

Mayhem or Magic . . . You be the Judge

At the start of yesterday, it seemed magic was afoot in Casa Altom.  By the end of the day, I was just plain ol' ready for bed.

By 6:30AM, I was already hard at work.  Had a synopsis to write, farm to harvest and a frontier needing to be tamed.  I needed a cookie for sustenance, but alas, there were none.  In the midst of all of this heavy labor, Mother Nature was putting on quite a show.  Thunder and lightning and rain pounding the skylights so hard I couldn't hear my sheep baa!! 

Last Saturday, we had a neighborhood yard sale, during which, I went haywire, snatching up as much junk as I could from every corner of the house.  (Stay with me, this is all going to tie together soon!!  LOL!!)  Eyeing the scum-filled tank of death--otherwise known as the $1000 fish tank all kiddos promised to help clean--I knew this was my time.  Most of the fish had long since been cannibalized or sucked up the seafood-loving filter.  Three, hearty souls remained.  To them, I promised a new, scum free world. To my eldest bundle of joy, I said, "Get that thing and all the crap that goes with it out here to the garage STAT!!!  I want it out of my house!!!"  He complied.  Although, wondered what to do with the surviving fish.  I told him--or maybe screeched, it was 42 and blustery in May--to just stick the fish in a bucket.  I'd deal with them later.  As an aside, the fish tank still sits in the garage.  As of yesterday, the three fish still sat in a pitcher on the bar.

Back to the thunderstorm . . . Our ancient mutt, Sweet Pea, was shivering from the thunder and a lightning flash revealed the last surviving fish.  Holy Crap!!!  In my joy over never having to see that filthy tank again--unless, in the unlikely event I looked in the garage--I'd forgotten those few remaining souls. 

Rain hammering our home, I jumped from my big, green chair and set out on a mission to save the fish.  I found I'd already had one more casualty, but two more remained!!  They must be saved!!  In particular, the neon pink tetra who somehow escaped the cannibalism and outlasted his brethren for at least two years.  Can I get an Amen?!  Since we still had the old itty bitty tank, I washed it out--lightning cracking so hard I wondered if I'd get struck as punishment for all the fish death.

After a successful transfer of the last black molly, I went for the sainted tetra.  He wasn't having it.  This little guy is like the Navy SEAL of fish.  Finally, I resorted to dumping out all but a mud puddle of water at the bottom of the pitcher.  My plan was to then scoop him up.  Um, that's when something went horribly wrong. He leaped from my hands and jumped right down the GARBAGE DISPOSAL!!!!!  Pretty sure I actually screamed!!!  Lightning still flashing, I went into Wonder Woman mode, sticking my arm down that disposal, pulling out pasta and potato chunks and some mystery stuff that scared me plenty bad.  Finally, I found the fish, tossed him in the tank and can you believe it, he lived!!!!!

The clouds parted, the sun came out and angels sang--then it rained again, but anyway a happy ending!!!  It is now my mission to keep this little guy happy and out of the disposal for many years to come!!

In other news, I dragged my big butt out of my big green chair to go to the gym.  My reward??  Oilers player, Derek Eastman, a regular visitor in front of my glass side seats, happened to be lifting weights.  Whew.  And I thought he looked good in his hockey suit.  Ducking behind our resident Ice Girl, Hannah, I whisper-squealed, "OHMYGOSHISTHATDEREKEASTMAN?" She rolled her eyes and confirmed my suspicions.  Alas, the couple times I've talked to handsome, talented Derek, he wasn't especially loving the fan attention.  And contrary to what you probably believe, I've never ambushed him, but only approached him at bona fide fan functions where he was being paid to be nice to me!!!  Whatever.  As you can tell by the two hunks in my profile pic, I've moved on!!  LOL!!!

Next on my agenda, helped our oldest kiddo, Russell, move into an apartment at TU and I'm actually a tad jealous.  It smells heavenly with not a trace of cat or dog and drum roll, please . . .  Directly across from his place some seriously yummy, giant football players were moving in.  If only I were back in school at my fun & flirty weight!!!

In today's news, Happy 23rd Anniversary Sweet Hubby!!! Out of all of my boyfriends, I love YOU best!!!!!

 

      

    

Ouch!!

My head used to be so happy back before the great thaw!!!


Dear Spring, PUH-LEEEEEZE stop hurting my head!!!  Thanks--Laura Marie :-)

Now that that's out of the way, my head REALLY hurts!!  Everyone here in Tulsa is complaining that this is the worst allergy season we've ever had.  I concur.  If it's not crazy pressure, it's dripping and coughing and sneezing.  Almost makes me ready for winter!!

It's been a busy day.  Had some fun news that I can't share just yet, but hopefully, will be able to soon.  Got a little more updating done on my website.  Picked my May book winner--yay, Ruth Vick!!!  Worked on a synopsis for the proposals I'm feverishly trying to get out.  Ran out to get printer paper only to arrive home to discover we're out of ink!!  Even managed to get to the gym.  I also managed to cram five cookies into my mouth for lunch. 

Lots of kid drama.  Bickering amongst the kids.  Me, yelling at the kids, etc.  Can't believe I'm saying this only a few days into summer, but now that they're in college is it too late for sleepaway camp?  LOL!!  I love my children, I love my children.  If I chant it enough, maybe everything will calm down and we'll once again have clean towels??!!  Seriously, my kids mean the world to me, but it's frustrating to buy a case of Sprite intended to last me a week only to have it vanish in a couple hours!!  Oh--we also lost five frozen pizzas in the same periodl!!  

Can I get an Amen for tomorrow being Friday?



   

Enough already!!!

Goose babies at the park near our house! Crazy cute!!

All right, Blog Nags (You know who you are!!), I'm back and you'll probably end up being sorry!! LOL!!

Just finished edits on Book #4 of my Buckhorn Ranch series!! YAY!!!! Not sure why, but at one point, I was pretty sure this book might be the death of me. (I know, I say that about every book!!) But this one was seriously hard. Making matters worse was a harsh review on my last book that broke my heart. The grown-up in me knows to take reviews with a grain of salt and move on, but honestly, I think this was the kick in the britches I needed to get back in the habit of sending advance copies to lots of reviewers--at least then I'll have a fifty/fifty shot of finding love!! LOL!!

For once, I'm thrilled with who won Survivor!! Rob has never been a fave of mine, but this season, he showed a lot more heart. I felt for him in having tried to achieve a goal for so long and always just missing. (Case in point, my RITA scores!!) For me, there's always next year to try, but for Rob, I'm guessing this was a last shot situation.

Today, I'm alternately working on updating my website and getting new proposals to my Harlequin American editor. I've gotten a general "go ahead" on a new series idea, and am now in the uncomfortable position of writing up three storylines. LOVE brainstorming. Loathe cramming ideas into a neat and tidy salable package.

With the annual RWA conference looming, I'm worrying about weight, but so far that's the extent of my efforts. :-(

Lots more rambling to come, but for today, I'm back to wrestling with html!!!!

Hubby & Son in Mexico last summer!

Happy Time Change!! Ugh. LOL!! The clock might say it's noon, but I feel more like six AM!!

My friends all tease me that my life is never boring, and the past few days have certainly proven their point!! On Friday, Hubby was supposed to leave for South Africa. We've been shopping for adapters and luggage locks and specialty batteries for some oddball work thingee of his and making sure all of his medications are filled. We finally got everything ready when an hour before he was due at the airport, the phone rang. It was his doctor, telling him he had diabetes. Upon dropping him at the airport, he was still shaken. I assured him that I'll do everything I can to help him change his diet for the better--lord knows I could drop a few LBs myself!!

Tulsa traffic was insane!! Gridlock and construction and rain in all directions!! It took over an hour to make the normally fifteen minute trek. Hannah and I had just gotten home, lit a fire and settled in for a lazy Friday night when the phone rang. Bad weather in Atlanta caused Hubby's flight to be canceled. Back out into the cold rain we went to pick him up.

With Hubby home, we scrambled to find him something safe to eat. His doctor advised cutting all sugar and white flour products. I had no idea how tough that is!! I made a spinach salad with black beans and grilled chicken, but when it came time to pour on the dressing, even the low-calorie versions are loaded with sugar. I finally resorted to sending the kids out for sugar-free dressing.

I've always been a firm believer in everything happening for a reason and this time is no exception. Friday, my sweet, funny Hubby was pretty shaken up about his diagnosis. Since then, we've done lots of online research and discovered that this isn't a death sentence, but lifestyle change. I'm doing it with him, and it's hard, but we'll make it through. Had he kept to his original schedule, I think his trip would've been ruined by worry. Now, this little extra time to form a nutrition plan has made all the difference.

As a reward, fate gifted him a much simpler direct from Atlanta to Johannesburg flight, as well as a three-day weekend to spend exploring while he's there.

Last night, I fooled around in the kitchen and came up with a chicken, shrimp and brown rice gumbo that was delicious. Hubby made us a spinach omelet for breakfast. Yes, we'll miss Domino's and I-Hop, but after having been married for twenty-one years, we figure we might as well try for thirty or forty more!!

It's almost Christmas and so far the Grinch has sent $800 worth of heating repairs, $900 worth of auto repairs, one car sent to the junk yard (we had about $5000 in that), $300 for a new garbage disposal, $600 for Hollyball dress, ties, hair, corsages, and just this morning in the midst of printing my edits that are due the 17th, the laser printer decided it needed a new $100 ink cartidge. Oh--and did I mention we finally got the Christmas tree up and gorgeous only to have it topple over, breaking ornaments we've had for decades? (This month's pic is of Abbey, Russell and Hannah all dolled up for the big dance. Terry was off picking up his date!)

Okay, so while none of that has been fun, I was snuggling with Hubby on the sofa last night in front of the fire with a wonderfully sappy Lifetime Christmas movie playing when it struck me how incredibly blessed we are. When we were first married, that much calamity striking at once would've meant a dreaded call to the folks to beg for money. Now, it just means covering the big, honking holes in the sofa with blankets for a little while longer! Ornaments break, but the memories attached to them will be with me forever.

I'm grateful for family and friends and my goofy, infuriating pets. While I need to lose a few pounds, I'm grateful for the bounty of food always in our cabinets and fridge. The older I get, the more it seems like my favorite parts of Christmas have less to do with gifts and more with the true gifts of family traditions. Playing epic games of boys versus girls Trivial Pursuit on Christmas Eve while watching The Grinch and Christmas Vacation. I love seeing friends and baking and the special hush of Christmas morning when it feels as if the whole world's taking a much-needed breather.

Happy, happy holidays to all!! What are some of your favorite family traditions?

Library Update . . .

I just spoke with my dear friend and fellow writer, Margaret Daley, who was kind enough to point out that our speaking gig is not tomorrow, but Thursday, November 12th. Thanks to Margaret and all of my other friends who keep the dates straight in my head!! Perhaps I should spend less time in my imaginary world, and more time with my planning book?? Groan . . .

Anyway, Thursday, Hardesty Library in Tulsa, 10:30 till 2:00. Be there or be square!! ;-)

Romance in the Stacks!

Love reading romance? Join me tomorrow at Hardesty Library in Tulsa (8316 E. 93rd) for the first annual Romance in the Stacks!

From 10:30 until 2:00, attend a booksigning, meet & eat lunch with Oklahoma Romance Authors, watch a public program for the Tulsa community, compete for door prizes!

Want more info? Check out:

http://www.odl.state.ok.us/ocb/romance.htm

Hope to see you there!!

I'm Tired!!!

Having not slept a full night in about three weeks, I see the reason for all of the prescription drug ads for "sleeping aids"! Not sleeping is no fun!! If there's a silver lining to the situation, it's that I'm not teaching anymore. Can't imagine keeping up with my Energizer Bunny middle school kids while feeling like a zombie!!

Logically, I would guess not being able to sleep means you have a lot on your mind, but I'm so tired, my brain isn't even active enough to worry!! Bluh.

Anyway . . . On to happier news, the kids had their last, big Halloween party Saturday night. I'm guessing between 30 and 40 showed up. (This pic is of me in my costume!! I wish!! LOL!!Britney Spears in her costume while we were at her Dallas concert.) We had many looks represented from a nun, vampire, Phantom of the Opera diva, doctor, two lumberjacks, Popeye, Strawberry Shortcake, an Underworld Fairy and my darling kiddos who dressed as Hooter's Girls. Hannah looked pretty. (Her shorts and shirt were MUCH less provocative than the real deal.) Terry, hairy legs and all, might've gotten fired!! Surely Hooter's has a leg shaving policy?! Russell was the smart one by getting scheduled to work that night!! Big Terry hid in my office!!

QT Coffee Should Come With a Warning Label!!

Having literally been up ALL night, I'm more than a little out of it. Around 8:30 last night, Hubby announced he was making a Diet Pepsi and ice run and asked if I wanted to ride along. Seeing how I had nothing better to do than the edits I seriously needed to be working on, I was all about procrastination!! At QT (Quik Trip, Oklahoma's version of 7-11), we were bombarded by a junk food cornucopia that I fought valiantly to resist!! The coffee smelled wonderful, so I went for that, figuring that something warm and rich would get my mind off of the donuts, chili-cheese Frito's and hot dogs!! (This pic is of son, Terry, looking as sleepy as I feel!)

I'm wired very strangely in that caffeine has always had a backwards effect on me. I loaded my steaming Styrofoam cup with cream and Splenda and happily trailed hubby to the counter, proud of myself for having resisted the plethora of temptation!!

I drank the whole 20oz by 9:30 and was working up a storm. By 3:30AM, I'd done 15 new pages!! I tried going to bed at least four times, but each time I touched my head to my fave pillow, my eyes popped open. Seeing how Cocoa and Daisy sleep with me, and Cocoa needs lifting, getting in and out of bed is a lengthy process. Finally, I just gave up. The poor dogs were exhausted, eyeing me with accusatory doggy stares for messing up their full night's rest!

So here I sit, needing to write more, pay the electric and gas bills, do laundry, cram something into my growling stomach and yet I'm so tired all I can think is that I need to never, ever again drink QT coffee!!! Happy Friday . . . Me and the dogs are headed back to bed!!

Daughters are Dangerous!

Monday was Senior Skip Day here in our fair town. I'm not sure if this was a school-sanctioned thing--I'm guessing not--but when crisp sunny weather and the Tulsa State Fair come to town, come on, who can stand being indoors?

Long story short, Daughter and her best friend set off for the magical land of fried Snickers and pickles and I and my dog posse settled in for a nice, quiet day of writing. Then I got an e-mail. Not just any e-mail, but one containing nothing but a giant picture. Think pink satin and sparkles and crystals as big as my thumb! Next, comes the phone call . . .

"Mommy?"

"Yes?"

"Did you get my e-mail?"

"Yes . . ."

"Aren't they gorgeous? Like the most awesome shoes EVER!!!!!!!"

"Um, they are very pretty, sweetie, but exactly how pretty in monetary form?"

"Compared to last year's Holly Ball shoes, they're CHEAP!!! Like you won't believe how cheap. Please, Mommy? Please put money in my account? I love you . . ."

I look at the picture, envision my precious cupcake of a child on a day when she does the dishes AND cleans the cat box without whining, and you guessed it. My resolve to ween her from all things sparkly crumpled like the old McDonald's bag I'd found under her bed that morning.

"Please, Mommy! I promise I'll even mow the lawn when I get home."

Uh huh. Just like I promise not to eat cookies or ice cream for the next month! Yes, she got the shoes and they are scrumptious, and next time I will be strong and just say no--to the shoes and the cookies! Lucky for me, I'll have a whole year to practice before the fair comes around again! As for the lawn, what girl in her right mind would mow in hot-pink satin, diamond-encrusted shoes?!?!

My Pageant Debut!

I'm baaaack--again! And this time, to stay. The past few years have been quite a departure from my usual life. Great fun, but teaching middle school doesn't leave a lot of free time for blogging!


Literally, the first day of school in August, I recieved a call from my agent who asked if I would be able to handle a speedy book contract. In short, seeing how I had bulletin boards to assemble, shelves to dust and a supply closet threatening to swallow small sixth graders--no. I'd been having a tough enough time keeping up with current writing obligations, let alone taking on new ones. After a lot of soul searching and long talks with Hubby, we made a family decision for me to return to full-time writing.



While I've wholeheartedly enjoyed working for Tulsa Public Schools, I also seriously love working in my PJs again!! Both of my parents were teachers, and also my grandparents. It's a profession I've always wanted to try, and will always look back upon fondly.


One lesson learned, is that teaching is hard. VERY hard. I went into it starry-eyed and excited to meet my eager students who wanted nothing more than to learn. Ha! Yes, there are a few of those kids out there, but the reality is that there are an awful lot of kids in need. They sometimes arrive at school not having eaten, slept, or even bathed. They worry about not just grades, but bullying and gang issues. There is cyber-stalking and text-hating and even "sexting". Though many public schools in my area have instituted a uniform policy, there are still all too many ways to show status--or a lack thereof--through the latest Nikes or Ed Hardy's.


Though I'm no longer on the front line of education, directly serving children, I'm still keenly aware that there's a serious need for change in this nation. As a former teacher and parent, it is my opinion that never in America's history have strong families been needed more. During our first days of teacher inservice, my building's principal told us that when it comes to student behavior, we should remember, "Fear equals anger."


It was my goal for this school year to model this quote in my every student interaction. There are a lot of angry, frightened, lonely kids out there and while this blog has now taken on the tone of a pageant contestant wishing for world peace, my original intent was to praise teachers and parents and encourage them to keep fighting the fight of raising responsible citizens. Our kids are worth it. When you see a child acting out, sure, he or she might just be pulling a typical teen tantrum. On the other hand, they might have larger issues dragging them down. Don't be afraid to help either through volunteering at a local school, talking to the kids on your street, or being the household where your child's friends feel comfortable hanging out.


Okay, whew, stepping off of my soap box, major smooches to all of you readers who have been with me from the start!! Sorry for my disappearing act!! From here on out, my blog will most likely consist of everything from wacky Granny Sylv stories to conference play-by-plays and of course, the latest gossip on my Hubby and kiddos!!

Until then, there are lots of book excerpts on my web page and if you're in the mood to chat, sign-up to be my Myspace friend!

I'm baaaack!!

It has come to my attention by a few whiny individuals (you know who you are!!) that I'm a little behind on posts. A little?! Seriously, sorry for the delay!! It's been quite a year! (This pic is of me and Hubby on Mother's Day at the Muskogee Renassaince Faire. These little guys were soooo cute!)

To recap: I started teaching full-time, and writing full-time, and mothering three teens and all that that implies!! I just landed a FABULOUS new teaching position at a school near my house. I'll be teaching Art, and couldn't be more thrilled!!

In family news, Hubby's great and still loving his new job. He's hoping a new contract comes through for work in Japan. Join me in crossing my fingers for that!! Not only would it be fun for him, but with him out of the house, me and the kids play lots more!! LOL!! Both sons celebrated their one-year anniversary at the grocery store where they work. We were proud of them for that. Both are at the moment, single, so ladies, come and get 'em!! Daughter made Varsity Cheer, and now is tumbling!! She's not single. So far, we like the new boyfriend, but he gets grounded a lot, so she rarely gets to see him. Not sure what's up with that. I'll keep you posted. All three kids will be Juniors next year!! Hard to believe!!

On the writing front, I just got a new four book deal!! One, is about a Marine who, after a one-night stand, ends up with twins!! The next three are a series revolving around three women who meet at Lamaze class.

Today, I'm headed to Arkansas to see my folks!! Since the boys are all working, it'll be me and Daughter. She's excited, because she gets to drive!! Pray for me!! LOL!!

Hubby's 300 Debut!!

Hubby has brought it to my attention that it's been a while since I've posted, and yikes--he's right!! And you know how much I hate it when he's right!! LOL!!

The past month's been a blur of end-of-school meetings and helping the kids study for finals. Son #1 has been sick, but thankfully, he's feeling better now. Hard to believe the kids will be sophomores in a little over a week.

We had a yard sale last weekend that was EXHAUSTING!!! We spent the proceeds at the Muskogee Renaissance Faire, and had a ball!!


Here's Hubby striking a 300 pose!!

Daughter has always wanted a corset, so we broke down and bought her one. Isn't she cute??!!

Son #2 had never ridden a camel, so we forced him to climb aboard!!!












The neighborhood pool opens in a couple weeks, so Hubby and I have been trying to get in shape. Ugh. We've been walking a nearby park trail that's 3 miles around. Yesterday morning, I did my 3 miles, then, since I can't seem to get one of my kids to do it, I mowed the lawn. OUCH!!! I never realized that we live on a mountain!! The front yard wasn't so bad, but the back is awful. Lots of rocky spots, and it's marshy by the pond. At one point, I fell--double ouch!!

On the writing front, I finished up the last of my Harlequin contracts (an anthology project out of the NYC office that'll be released in January), and my fingers are crossed to hear great news soon about the latest batch of proposals I sent to Harlequin American in Canada.

Hope everyone has a great start to their summer!!

Stickers!!!!

I have a dirty secret to confess . . . I'm addicted to stickers!!!!! Any of you who know me (or have been checking in to my blog with any frequency), accept the fact that I'm horribly date challenged. I'm flawlessly punctual--assuming I know the date I'm supposed to do something. But more often than not, I need reminding.

Enter stickers. I've been breakfasting with my writer gals Karen Crane who writes as Karen Toller Whittenburg and Amy Lillard who's a soon to be writing star!! Anyway, Amy's incredibly organized, and has a darling planning book that she decorates with stickers. It's gorgeous!! I was so jealous!!! Anyway, long story short, I now have my own sticker book--ahm planner --and no longer need reminder calls about every little thing!!!

What got me on the topic this morning, is that Daughter and I went out last night for *bling* to decorate her new dresser with--long story--and wound up at the dollar store (don't you just love those?? ) I found Barbie stickers, My Little Pony, and even fabulous iridescent fairy stickers!! I've already been playing with them, even though Hubby shot me a dirty look for purchasing a cute binder to store them all in.

In other news, my anthology that's due May 1st is coming along nicely. Daughter's shoulder's healing well, but she found out she needs glasses. I didn't figure she'd even wear them, but we bought her a pair of Coach glasses (with the matching Coach case, of course), and now she wears them all the time! Yay!! She just got her grade check for cheer tryouts, and she's doing MUCH better in class, so they must be working!!

There's not much news with any of the boys. Hubby's been behaving (aside from his sticker grumbling! ), Son #1 is so smitten with his new girlfriend that he's always in a great mood, and Son #2 has been helping me redecorate the downstairs. We had to plaster the walls in the bathroom, which turned out to be tougher than I thought, but seriously cute!! I've got to get one of the kids to take pics. Why can't I do it, you ask? Hey--I finally learned how to write down a date, but no way have I figured out how to work the digital camera!!! LOL!! (This pic is of Son #1 and his girlfriend. Aren't they cute??!!)

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!!

We're having low key celebration this year. Son #2 has to work an eight-hour shift sacking groceries, and Mom and Dad said they're tired after their return trip from the Bahamas and didn't feel like making the two-hour drive to Tulsa. Hubby and I are still cooking up a storm, though. Plenty of ham, baked beans and cheezzzy potatoes!! We made Granny Sylv an Easter basket, and will go see her soon.

Monday night, Daughter was running from being tickled when she ran right into a wall!! She complained about it hurting pretty bad, so we took her to the emergency room and after x-rays discovered she has an AC separation on her left shoulder, which is a fancy term for she tore the ligament from her bone. I spent a huge majority of the week taking her around to various doctors. Poor thing is in a shoulder-harness-immobilizer-thingee, and is still in a lot of pain. Her pain medicine made her throw-up, so she's just having to suck it up pain-wise.

Compounding the problem, is the fact that cheerleading tryouts for the coming year are next week!! Her orthopedic specialist said he wasn't prepared to make a prediction on whether or not she'd be able to even move her arm--let alone tumble--until this week. I'll keep you posted on how this turns out.

Like we hadn't already had enough fun earlier in the week, Hubby was grabbing something out of the car Thursday night, when he hollered for all us to come. Why? Because we had a tarantula on the driveway!!! AGGHH!!!

On the writing front, I just finished a flurry of mini-revisions and the last round of page proof edits for my September book, Dancing With Dalton. My latest project is due May 1st, so this week--barring unforeseen kid trauma--I'm hoping to lock myself in my office and write, write, write!!!

In the mean time, however, I'm off to make potato salad! YUM!!

Mixed reviews . . .

Saturday morning, Hubby and I took Granny Sylv to the nursing home. She's been there before on short stays, and all the workers fuss over her, so she was happy.

From there, we took Daughter to her first beauty pageant. She looked gorgeous, had a ball, won Prettiest Smile and a sparkly crown she rarely removes!! Daughter's happy.

Sunday, we rearranged furniture and deep-cleaned Granny Sylv's room, as Daughter's moving in there. The eeeuuw-factor was off the charts. We found lots of very odd things I won't get into, and while I painted, poor Hubby scrubbed.

Okay, so Monday morning comes, and after doing carpool, I arrive back home where I should've gotten a ton of writing done. I should've been happy. I had no breakfast to prepare, no bath to run, etc., yet I felt frozen. After staring at the computer, waiting for the words to come, I finally gave up and cleaned the kitchen. Hubby and I did lunch, but ended up bickering.

We went to the nursing home around six to drop off papers and have a quick visit, and we found Granny Sylv glowing with happiness. She kept saying over and over how this was the best place she'd ever been in her whole life. Patsy--her main caregiver--is a sweetie, and dotes on all of the folks in her charge.

I thought I'd wake this morning feeling great and ready to write, but I have to drive Son #2's Christmas kitten about thirty minutes North to get spayed and declawed. We adopted her from a shelter up there, so the vet services were included in the adoption fee. How cute is this pic of Foxy napping on my desk?!

I'm hoping at some point during the drive, I'll figure out what's bugging me!! If there are any armchair psychiatrists out there--or real ones--who have ideas as to what's wrong, please feel free to chime in!!

Spring Break in Altomville

It's spring break here in Altomville, and seeing how we're not going anywhere fabulous, that means a messy house and whiny teens!! LOL!! Seriously, the house is a disaster, but I'm trying to keep boredom at bay by providing plenty of activities. Sunday, we did the zoo (this pic is of me & Hubby on a popcorn break), yesterday we did errands and the orthodontist, and today, we're lunching with Margaret at Olive Garden. I think we're going to a movie, too, but will have to check with Margaret's schedule. Being a teacher, she's on spring break, too, but she has an action-packed schedule even on vacations!!

Tomorrow, we're headed to a miniatures museum, and then on to the Philbrook, which is a fancy schmancy art museum here in Tulsa. The kids will probably slip into a coma midway through our tour, but all three of them could use a massive dose of culture!! Hubby thinks I'm nuts for this, and in fact has said he's thrilled to not be on vacation so I won't be torturing him with force-fed culture!!! Nice, huh?? LOL!!!

Ignoring hubby, Thursday, we're trekking to Bartlesville (about an hour north of here) to learn about Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Phillips. We were recently at the airport, picking up Hubby, when the kids were checking out a Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit and asked who he was. Having majored in Interior Design in college, during which, I spent a year studying Architecture, I freaked!! By the end of Thursday, at least two of my apple dumplings will know about Mr. Wright!! Son #1 is narrowly avoiding our family study day by going to a friend's lakehouse!! Hubby finds this most amusing!!

Happy news for Granny Sylv . . . She'll be staying in a private home that houses six other elderly men and women. They have round-the-clock nursing, eat in a family setting, etc. She's stayed there before on a temporary basis and the caregivers are great!!! We're relieved to have found her such a perfect home, and will move her in Saturday morning.

Sad Granny Sylv News

Boy, have I done great on my wish to become a regular blogger again, or what?? In the words of Borat--NOT!! LOL!! In my defense, things have been a tad crazed around here. But then that's the usual, so I should be getting used to it!!

One sad thing that's happened is that Hubby and I have made the tough call to put Granny Sylv in a nursing home. She's as sweet as ever to me and spooky mean to him. She's constantly taking things from the kids and staring at them in the middle of the night. She's spitting, etc., etc.. It's too much. With Hubby traveling a lot with his new job, I can't care for her on my own and still stay sane--like I ever was!! And the kids are all pretty freaked out. My job for the next few days is to scope out some homes that have Alzheimer units. In talking with her lawyer, he said that he has a client who runs a nursing home, and that 95% of her workman comp claims come from the Alzheimer unit. He went on to tell us that she's seen Alzheimer patients become Jekyll/Hyde and snap someone's arm in half!!! Anyway, two years after bringing Granny Sylv to live with us, we're thinking it's not only best for us that she go, but her.

On a lighter note, I'm lunching today with Heidi the cheer coach, so in between looking at nursing homes, that'll be fun!! She's such a hoot, and always full of good stories!!

Hubby and the boys are doing great, but Daughter's been grounded for grades. To be ungrounded, she had to get three raised, and so far, she's fixed two of the three. Next week is spring break, so I'm really hoping she pulls it together by Friday!! I remember my parents feeding me the old "this hurts us more than you line" as a kid, and rolling my eyes, but it's sooo true!! She's one of my favorite "toys"!! When she's not allowed to play, seeing how she's usually my playmate, that means I'm crazy-bored, too!! LOL!!

Oh--before I forget, if anyone's out there . . . Drum roll, please, I redesigned my website!!! It's not fancy, but totally updated, and since I'm now handling it myself, I'm hoping to get updates done more often. Also, I added a mailing list, so get signed up!! (lauramariealtom.com)

All right, I'm off to yell as three out of three kids ignored my first "get up!" rant!! Time to get ugly!! LOL!!! ;-)

Hello? Anyone Out There?

Okay, so I was at Ladies' Night last night, when my gal, Sandy, comes up and says that she enjoyed my blog, but what happened? So I was like, what? Could you possibly be referring to the fact that I vanished?? LOL!!

Truth of the matter, I had a *baby*, and he's taking some getting used to. Remember Son #2? Well, he's now legally ours, and something about having an added son, on top of caring for Granny Sylv, has emotionally taken a lot out of me. Don't get me wrong, I'm over-the-moon happy with the new member of our family, but I wasn't prepared for the amount of worry that came along with him--both emotionally and logistically. He was sort of a blank slate in terms of dentistry, health care, government documentation, etc., so it's been an adventure getting him on the *grid*.

Yesterday, he got his learner's permit for driving, and both boys have gotten jobs at our local grocery store, so there's been banking to do in setting them both up with new accounts. The job is more work for me than them, in that I'm now driving to and from work in addition to cheer and track and tennis!! They make $6.00 an hour, but hit me and Hubby up for snack money during their breaks. So far, between gas, snacks, and buying their uniforms, it would've been cheaper for them to stay home loafing!!!!

Daughter's great! We just got back from a trip to Orlando with her cheer squad. They competed in the UCA National Cheerleading Championships, and while they performed their hearts out, the other teams were SPECTACULAR, so they didn't make it to the semi-finals. Coach Heidi explained that many of the teams have had programs in place for twenty-plus years, whereas our school has only been competitive for the past two. I was still impressed with how our girls performed!!! But you know me, I was REALLY impressed by Disneyworld caramel corn!!! LOL!!!

As for my diet . . . Sigh. I'd lost seventeen pounds before Christmas, only to gain it back during the holiday rush. It's finally gotten pretty again outside, so I've started walking again in the park. Hopefully, that'll help offset my love of McChickens!!!

Hubby's great--currently in Minnesota. He took a new job that he's happy with. It's a much smaller, specialized consulting firm VERY close to home, plus, he's great friends with the guy in his office, so now that we're past the hump of switching insurance, etc., I'm thinking it's going to be a great fit.

As for the writing front, I just finished a flurry of new Harlequin American proposals that I'm excited about! (Let's hope Johanna and Kathleen are, too!!) Speaking of my poor, new editor, Johanna, she shattered her ankle weeks ago, and as far as I know is still out of the office. I just finished edits on my September book, Dancing With Dalton--yay!!! LOL!! Johanna made some great suggestions, and I was pleased with how it turned out. I'm now fine-tuning a detailed synopsis/outline for a project I've been contracted for out of the NYC Harlequin office.

This was MAJOR excitement for me, hearing I'd been invited to participate in a winter-themed anthology headed by my first editor, Tina Colombo. It's been fun catching up with her again, and crazy-flattering that they thought to include me in the project!! Lindsay McKenna and Cara Summers are the other two authors!! Cool, huh??!!!

Now that life has settled into somewhat of a regular routine, I'm hoping to get back into my regular routine--meaning blogging and an updated website and answering e-mails!!! In the mean time, time to wake the kiddos!!!