Misreads and one that wasn't

I misread things all the time. All the freaking time. So when I was on my way home from the car dealership the other day, and I saw a sign in front of a small deli that said "Human Hair On Sale Now!" I was positive I'd misread the sign.

Nope...not this time. There really was human hair on sale at the deli. Ewwwwww.

But it made me think of some of my favorite misreads. There was the time I was looking up the number for the "Grand Rapids Dominicans" - only I read, the "Grand Rapids Dominatrixes."

Another was a sign in front of a church. It said, "Polar Expedition Vacation Bible School." I read "Bipolar Exhibitionism Vacation Bible School." I actually has to slow down and drive around the block so I could reread the sign. I was a little disappointed when I did.

Sometimes I'll even combine two lines of text. For instance, there were these two headlines. "Blast Kills Six in Sri Lanka" and "How to Pick the Perfect Christmas Tree." However, I read
"The Perfect Christmas Tree Kills Six in Sri Lanka." I had this horrible mental image of a perfectly decorated tree - you know, something out of a Marshal Field's display, walking down the street and strangling people with strands of lights and garland.

So, do you guys ever misread things? I know Brynn, Margaret and Jen do. Got any gems you want to share? What about the rest of you?

Here's something that's not a misread. Today, is the last day of the Eternally Yours Contest.

Eternally Yours Contest

What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.

The prizes –

1st prize--5 books
2nd prize--3 books
3rd prize--2 books

Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.

Sandra Cox Silverhills
Mona Risk To Love a Hero
Brynn Paulin Tribute For the Goddess
Bronwyn Green Mystic Circle
Cindy Spencer Pape Stone and Earth
N.J. Walters Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke
Elyssa Edwards Mating Stone
Amarinda Jones Shades of Gray
Kelly Kirch Time for Love
Anny Cook Honeysuckle

Second to the last day....

The contest is almost over. Have you been collecting your answers? Just to make it easy for you, here's today's answer.

My darling, I could spend an enternity falling asleep in your arms and waking up there every morning.

And just in case you've missed the rules, I'll repost them.

Eternally Yours Contest

What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.

The prizes –

1st prize--5 books

2nd prize--3 books

3rd prize--2 books

Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.

Sandra Cox Silverhills

Mona Risk To Love a Hero

Brynn Paulin Tribute For the Goddess

Bronwyn Green Mystic Circle

Cindy Spencer Pape Stone and Earth

N.J. Walters Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke

Elyssa Edwards Mating Stone

Amarinda Jones Shades of Gray

Kelly Kirch Time for Love

Anny Cook Honeysuckle

ARGHHHHH!!!!

So not only am I done with winter, but apparently so is my car. Squishy (my cute little car) decided that it was really too much of an effort to start this morning. I had to drag a space heater out to the garage and aim it at the car to get it started and drive to to the car dealership and sit there for hours while they fixed the same thing they fixed less than two years ago.

Controlled Obsolescence pisses me off. A lot.

It pisses me off that I have to spend a lot of money on something that should last longer than two years. It pisses me off that things are only built to last a short while and then get thrown away. Yes, it gives companies much their desired money, but as my hippie mama used to say, "there's no such place as away." I sincerely doubt anyone is recycling this stuff. Grrrr Argh

On to things that don't take up space, need no recycling and are free - contest books!

Eternally Yours Contest

What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.

The prizes –
1st prize--5 books
2nd prize--3 books
3rd prize--2 books

Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.

Sandra Cox Silverhills
Mona Risk To Love a Hero
Brynn Paulin Tribute For the Goddess
Bronwyn Green Mystic Circle
Cindy Spencer Pape Stone and Earth
N.J. Walters Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke
Elyssa Edwards Mating Stone
Amarinda Jones Shades of Gray
Kelly Kirch Time for Love
Anny Cook Honeysuckle

Hey look, it's another snow day.

I think my kids' school has had a snow day every week since they went back to school in January. I'm not complaining - hell, I didn't want to go out in this crap particularly since their school doesn't have bus service. Besides, in these sub-zero temps, my car doesn't like to start anyway. Squishy, (my car) is getting a bit cantankerous. She has a temperature sensor that malfunctions in really cold weather. I think I have the same malfunction. I don't want to get out of bed in weather like this. I'm considering hibernating until spring.

Before I do, I'll post the contest info.

Eternally Yours Contest

What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.

The prizes –

1st prize--5 books
2nd prize--3 books
3rd prize--2 books

Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.

Sandra Cox Silverhills
Mona Risk To Love a Hero
Brynn Paulin Tribute For the Goddess
Bronwyn Green Mystic Circle
Cindy Spencer Pape Stone and Earth
N.J. Walters Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke
Elyssa Edwards Mating Stone
Amarinda Jones Shades of Gray
Kelly Kirch Time for Love
Anny Cook Honeysuckle

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

I'm finally back to real life - the land of sub-zero temps (yes, I know it's just the windchill, but if it feels that cold, it might as well be that cold.) It's also the land of children who haven't done their homework, taken showers or done their chores while I was gone all weekend. I'm beginning to realize why I don't go away all that often.

Eternally Yours Contest

What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.

The prizes –

1st prize--5 books

2nd prize--3 books

3rd prize--2 books

Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.

Sandra Cox Silverhills

Mona Risk To Love a Hero

Brynn Paulin Tribute For the Goddess

Bronwyn Green Mystic Circle

Cindy Spencer Pape Stone and Earth

N.J. Walters Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke

Elyssa Edwards Mating Stone

Amarinda Jones Shades of Gray

Kelly Kirch Time for Love

Anny Cook Honeysuckle

To answer Amarinda's question...

In addition to drinking copious amounts of alcohol, we sit around and write, brainstorm, work on picture pages and laugh until our stomachs hurt. Right now, four of our members are critiquing their current chapters with one another while the rest of us are typing away.

Also, we eat. A lot.

Jen was trying to light the fireplace just now, but it was looking like it was going to be Sylvia Plath charades so she stopped.

It's just so nice to get a break from our families and hang out with other people who understand about the voices in our heads and don't mind when we go under the dome for hours on end.

So...about those free books...

Eternally Yours Contest

What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.

The prizes –
1st prize--5 books
2nd prize--3 books
3rd prize--2 books

Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.

Sandra Cox Silverhills
Mona Risk To Love a Hero
Brynn Paulin Tribute For the Goddess
Bronwyn Green Mystic Circle
Cindy Spencer Pape Stone and Earth
N.J. Walters Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke
Elyssa Edwards Mating Stone
Amarinda Jones Shades of Gray
Kelly Kirch Time for Love
Anny Cook Honeysuckle

Where in the world is Bronwyn Green?

This is where I am tonight. Well, not just tonight, but for the rest of the weekend. It's the Gerber Guesthouse Bed and Breakfast in Fremont, MI (built in 1923) where Gerber Baby Food was invented.

Blogmates Jen Armintrout and Cheryl Sterling as well as nine other writers from our local RWA chapter are her for a weekend writing retreat. Unfortunately, our fearless leader, Brynn Paulin is home with her sick son and can't be here for the fun. We miss her. Lots.

The house is astounding. This is the exterior. The fountain is covered with several feet of snow and no one is interested in spending any time out there, but we've got the run of the inside. There are eleven guestrooms all with their own bathrooms, there's a ginormous kitchen, a formal dining room, living room, all season porch, informal dining room, and the piano room - that's where I am right now. In fact, I'm on the red velvet couch closet to the piano. It's gorgeous in here. Antiques everywhere. There's a china cabinent that wants to come home with me...think it'll fit in my purse?

This is my and Jen's room. I expect Jen to thoroughly bounce on the bed before we crash. There's already been booze (plonk for you Amarinda) a plenty. Jen and I hit the grocery store and stocked up. Already had something called Pomegrante Fusion...it was fabulous. I'm sure there will be more.

Okay...I play tour guide some more later, for now, on to the contest.

Eternally Yours Contest

What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.

The prizes –

1st prize--5 books

2nd prize--3 books

3rd prize--2 books

Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.

Sandra Cox Silverhills

Mona Risk To Love a Hero

Brynn Paulin Tribute For the Goddess

Bronwyn Green Mystic Circle

Cindy Spencer Pape Stone and Earth

N.J. Walters Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke

Elyssa Edwards Mating Stone

Amarinda Jones Shades of Gray

Kelly Kirch Time for Love

Anny Cook Honeysuckle

Best. Medication Name. Ever.

The ultrasound results are back and everything looks pretty spiffy with my kidneys despite the fact that they're still not behaving. After a lovely visit with the doctor this afternoon where we commiserated about drug and insurance companies and the fact that his office staff is incapable of using an apostrophe correctly, he decided to try me on something new.

It's called...

wait for it...

Urispaz

Yes, it's pronounced you're a spaz.

My first question was whether or not it was a placebo. He insists that it's not, but we giggled about the name for many long and awkward minutes. Good times...good times. Here's hoping it's useful as well as amusing.

Hey...wanna win some books?

Eternally Yours Contest

What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.

The prizes –
1st prize--5 books
2nd prize--3 books
3rd prize--2 books

Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.

Sandra Cox Silverhills
Mona Risk To Love a Hero
Brynn Paulin Tribute For the Goddess
Bronwyn Green Mystic Circle
Cindy Spencer Pape Stone and Earth
N.J. Walters Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke
Elyssa Edwards Mating Stone
Amarinda Jones Shades of Gray
Kelly Kirch Time for Love
Anny Cook Honeysuckle

Interview, Kidney and Contest

So today I had my kidney ultra sound. It took forever and the ultrasound techs were perky perky little beauty pagent refugees. Megan was all right, but Hilary needed to be smacked, but not as much as the mother of the Young Prince who said, "Gee, I hope you don't find out you have cancer or something."

Yeah, thanks. Me too.

In other news, I was interviewed by the amazing Brynn Paulin on her blog. Check it out - more of my public humiliation is up for pointing and laughing. You'd think I'd learn... :)

http://brynnpaulin.blogspot.com/

Also don't forget about the contest...

Eternally Yours Contest

What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.

The prizes –1st prize--5 books
2nd prize--3 books
3rd prize--2 books

Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.

Sandra Cox Silverhills
Mona Risk To Love a Hero
Brynn Paulin Tribute For the Goddess
Bronwyn Green Mystic Circle
Cindy Spencer Pape Stone and Earth
N.J. Walters Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke
Elyssa Edwards Mating Stone
Amarinda Jones Shades of Gray
Kelly Kirch Time for Love
Anny Cook Honeysuckle

A Rant About the Young Prince (or you can skip right to the contest info)

In addition to writing, I have a day job - daycare to be exact. I take care of kids before and after school and all day long in the summer - I've done it for the last sixteen or seventeen years. Most days, I genuinely enjoy it. I love kids. I love how they think. I love their senses of humor and their creativity. I even love their stubborn determination.

Syd Vicious, my eldest daycare kiddo started when she was five weeks old and is now 16 and dating some boy and not coming to daycare anymore but still calling me several times a month for a ride to school when she misses the bus. She also bakes me cheesecakes and come to visit "just because."

Jess started when she was eighteen months old and is now is 13, boy crazy, is desperate to be Goth and insanely creative - I'm teaching her to sew and she's designing her own clothes.

Abby aka B (because love her though I do, she is a big one) is Jess' sister and started when she was two weeks old and is now 9. While she no longer plays pet proctologist, she's still nuts about animals and very sweet.

Then there's The Young Prince. Don't get me wrong, I care about him, I really do, but right now he's pissing me off beyond belief.

I have never met a person - child or adult with such an overdeveloped sense of entitlement. At 10, one would think that he'd realize that the world does not revolve around him. Alas, he does not. He doesn't seem to understand that homework isn't something that only happens to other kids. He demands to be waited on, spoon fed the answers to his assignments and allowed to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. This doesn't fly at my house. It never has, and it's not about to start.

I've had this particular child in my care for four years, and I'm sure it will surprise no one when I say his mother is exactly the same way. It's all about her, her her. His mother, despite having very little discernable income, buys him things constantly. Cell phones, video games, video game systems to keep him from pestering her and then wonders why A.) she has no money and B.) why he's so demanding. Gosh...let me think.

This morning I've been warned that he got up at 12:30 am and stayed up all night dinking around on the computer. Which means that by the time I get him in the afternoon, he'll be a bloody nightmare. Before you ask, I'm not making enough money writing yet to give up my day job. Some days I want to scream. I suspect this afternoon may be one of them.

BTW, about my (latest) spectacular fall. I'm okay - just sore and bruised and oh so clumsy.

Anny! I'm so glad you liked MC - made my day! :)

Now on to things that require no bitching...free books!

Eternally Yours Contest

What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.

The prizes –1st prize--5 books

2nd prize--3 books

3rd prize--2 books

Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.

Sandra Cox Silverhills

Mona Risk To Love a Hero

Brynn Paulin Tribute For the Goddess

Bronwyn Green Mystic Circle

Cindy Spencer Pape Stone and Earth

N.J. Walters Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke

Elyssa Edwards Mating Stone

Amarinda Jones Shades of Gray

Kelly Kirch Time for Love

Anny Cook Honeysuckle

Catching Up

Feels like forever since I blogged - oh wait, it has been.

Let's see...Friday we had another snow day so there were lots of preadolescents and adolescents in my house all day. Well, actually there were only five, but it sure seemed like more at the time.

Saturyday was my oldest's soccer game (indoor in a freezing cold ice rink) and they played a team of cyborgs - either that or David Beckham is running a training camp in rural Michigan. Yeah, I thought the cyborgs seemed more likely, too.

Sunday, my sister and her partner brought me daffodils because they know how much I hate February. They're so pretty - all yellow and sunny. They cheered me up even after I lost my battle with gravity and tumbled down the basement stairs while trying to lug up laundry.

Note to self: Next house must have a dishwasher and main floor laundry facilities. Sigh...I'm such a klutz.

I wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS to Dakota Rebel who's first book Sweet Dreams released today.

I also wanted to say THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU to the fabulous Kelly Kirch for her awesome book review of Mystic Circle.

And last but not least...the Eternally Yours Contest starts tomorrow!

Eternally Yours Contest

What could you spend an eternity doing? What is your passion? Your hunger? Your deepest desire? Each day beginning February 5 and running through February 14 one of the ten authors will complete the line, "My darling I could spend eternity…" on either their blog or website. Collect all ten answers and e-mail them to anny@annycook.com with Eternally Yours in the subject line to win some hot, romantic books. There will be three lucky Valentine winners.

The prizes –1st prize--5 books

2nd prize--3 books

3rd prize--2 books

Entries must be in by February 16 at midnight EST. All books and prize winners will be drawn randomly.

Sandra Cox Silverhills
Mona Risk To Love a Hero
Brynn Paulin Tribute For the Goddess
Bronwyn Green Mystic Circle
Cindy Spencer Pape Stone and Earth
N.J. Walters Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke
Elyssa Edwards Mating Stone
Amarinda Jones Shades of Gray
Kelly Kirch Time for Love
Anny Cook Honeysuckle