Unexpected generosity

Last night we had dinner out celebrating middle’s 7th birthday. We had a blast at the local teppanyaki place as she had requested Japanese food where they cook in front of you. We met some very nice people on vacation and enjoyed lively conversation about kids, family etc. At the end they surprised us by picking up the check for our entire family of six.

Unbelievable.

When they first mentioned picking up the tab, I was sure my ears were mistaken because who does that? But when they actually asked the waitress to include our check with theirs I was floored. DH, brother & I all told them no that wasn’t necessary but they said they enjoyed meeting our little family and they loved little kids and wanted to do something special for middle’s birthday.

Did I mention it was a tab for $250? For complete strangers. Wowza.

Hopefully one day I can do the same for someone else and leave a smile on their faces for days.

So thanks to our new friends Renae & Ron. We hope you have a wonderful week at Disney with your grandkids. Your unexpected generosity has left our family feeling truly blessed and taught our kids generosity can come from unexpected places.

Procrastination

I always have the best of intentions. Must finish writing chapter 5, must edit chapter 1-3, must read manuscript makeover book, must read self- editing book, must exercise, must clean kitchen(or not), must finish my master's degree, etc. Yes, the things to do list is long and each time I cross something off, other things make it onto the lists.

I was so proud of myself last month. I had a spreadsheet with daily words recorded. I was really on a roll. Then I got the self editing books I'd ordered in the mail and HAD to read those. Didn't want to finish the manuscript making ms killing mistakes. Then I got sidetracked with highlighting the different kinds of mistakes in various color highlighters.

Big mistake. Now my manuscript looks like it fell into a vat of starburst colors and I've made no more word count progress.

So now, I'm revising the first 3 chapters to send off along with my synopsis to HP because I need to have something out there.

I don't think my write and revise as I go is working. I NEED to see progress.

That's why I spent half the morning trying to figure out how to add the word meter to my side bar. After pulling out a few fistful of hair while trying to get Saturday chores done, and put the baby down for a late nap, it's done.

Hallelujah.

Up next I'm going to do the speed round and finish the ms WITHOUT going back until the end. I need to see the finish line. Then I'll come back and spend way too much time editing. Crossing my fingers that this method will work better.

Men with accents

I've read so many romance series through the years yet Harlequin Presents remains my all time favorite. It's the combination of alpha men with their take charge attitude which in real life wouldn't fly with me, the fantasy of being fabulously wealth which is so far out there in the realm of my real world that it's a lovely escape, and above all international men. There are loads of them.

I'm an American with a fondness for accents so where else can you meet sexy men with delicious accents - Italian men, Australian men, English men, Greek men, Spanish men, etc.

I joke all the time that I could listen to Gerald Butler read the phone book all day - that sexy , deep, rumbling voice with that yummy accent. Ahhhh - bliss. Before that it was Antonio Banderas. Yummy. Hugh Jackman. Holler!

One time I got busted by my five year old. Hugh was on the cover of some magazine looking absolutely delicious and I murmured to my husband, "Hugh Jackman is H-O-T! (Spelling this out since baby was with me and she couldn't spell yet or so I thought) She turned to me in her loud kindergartner voice and said "Hot?!! You think Hugh Jackman is hot?" Lots of people turned to look at us and my face was red, red, red. My husband just laughed. Busted by a 5 yr old.

I have such a weakness for men with accents. It's a good thing I married a man with one.

Wii fit age

After a couple of years of begging and pleading from hubby and kiddies, a Nintendo Wii finally made it to our home this Christmas. Wii Sport, Games & Fitness plus to be exact. The frenzy to open and set the device up was a joy to behold. Full grown men(DH & brother) and children were giddy with anticipation.

Who knew we could ski down the slippery slopes without once maneuvering the ski lifts, ski jump even though fear of heights would normally be an issue, try snowboarding without the snow and painful wipeouts, bowl without wearing nasty shoes a million other people have worn, hang with the skateboarding dudes down the half pipes, box a few rounds with the hubby without hurting anyone except your arms and a bunch of other activities I've never tried in my life. Lots of fun was had by all, from the youngest (2) to the oldest (68). Even this anti-video game mama got into the thick of things - I currently rule the Super Hula Hoop scores.

I had so much fun hooting, hollering and general trash talking that I can barely move. Yes, folks, my Wii fit age is an embarrassing $^%! I am so unbelievably sore. Christmas night, DH & I could barely shuffle along to our cozy bed. In fact I couldn't type on my WIP the day after Christmas I was so sore.

Yep, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. I hope every one had a wonderful day with their loved ones.

Merry Christmas!

Greetings from Florida where we wish it were cold.

Confessions of a Romance Nerd

I don't remember a time when I haven't loved books.

That's not to say there were some books I didn't prefer to read. But on the whole, I loved books, from fairytales that didn't involve Disney, to the Laura Ingalls Wilder books I devoured one summer, to Sweet Valley High that got me started on romances on to Danielle Steel's melodrama, then Harlequin's happily ever after.

It was the happily ever after bit that hooked me onto big girl romances from that point on.

The public library was THE place for me as a child. It was the place I got my first kiss, the place I snuck to when I was grounded(still can't believe my dad never noticed my bike parked in front of the library doors - almost gave me a heart attack at 13yrs. old) and the place I learned to park & drive the family station wagon.

I don't remember if my first Harlequin Presents was Janet Dailey or Anne Mather. All I know was that I was hooked. Hooked on love, passion, alpha men, faraway places and happily ever after.

After a health scare I vowed to tackle my dream of writing romance. I cleared out a corner of my bedroom and got to it.

I've never looked back. Sometimes I want to bang my head on my desk, talk to myself waaay too much about goals, motivations & conflicts and lose too much sleep, but I love it.

My husband & kids have supported Mommy's dream and have cheered me on through encouraging rejection letters to losses in contests, believing that one day I'll get the call.

And I hope that one day, I will.