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.