Tuesday, June 22, 2010

zOMG Look What I Found!!!!

Yesterday, I was having a conversation with Brynn and she pointed out that I need to remember to do nice things for myself. Well, on the way home from paying our property taxes and being a little cranky about it, I saw a sign for an estate sale. I swear Squishy (my car) had a mind of her own. She followed the signs to this turn of the century brick house I've been lusting after for quite some time.

I was thrilled because I was finally going to get a chance to see the inside of this place, so of course I went in. Besides, I love estate sales. While I was checking out the house, I saw it. The chair. The chair of my dreams. It was like a light shone down from the heavens bathing the chair in a ethereal golden glow. Of course, that could have been because it was a sunny day and the chair was in front of the window, but I digress.

I'm pretty sure the little old lady running the sale knew she had me as soon as I walked into the room. She was totally right, of course, because look what I have in my living room!!!! (I also managed to talk her down quite a bit, too!!!!) It's so comfortable, really sturdy and in fabulous shape.

Herne approves of the new chair. This isn't the original upholstery which is good, since judging from the age of the chair, I'm guessing it would have been covered in mohair. Having spent much of my childhood in a house with mohair furniture, I'm thrilled that this is a cotton based fabric. As a bonus, it's in colors I like and that look perfect in my living room!

The carving on the back sold me. She reminds me of a cross between a Waterhouse model, a Rackham model and a Banshee. The boys have already started calling it the Banshee chair.

This is a closer view of her. I absolutely love old furniture. We have a lot of pieces that we've inherited or picked up at estate sales or rescued from houses that were about to be destroyed. Now we've gotten rid of the living room chair that was falling apart and I did something nice for myself. Thanks, Brynn. ;)

Friday, June 18, 2010

In Honor of Father's Day

My Dad and I haven't always gotten along. We've butted heads a lot over the years. He hasn't been a perfect father, but we're well matched - I haven't always been the perfect kid, either. But I've come to realize that he's always done the best he could and he's always tried. In some ways, I think that's more important than perfection. Last year, I wrote a tribute piece for my Dad in honor of his retirement party. Since Father's Day is coming up, I thought I'd re-post it.


Over the years I’ve learned a lot of things from my dad – for instance, if you want to get a malfunctioning boat motor to work better, you swear at it. A lot. For the record, this also works for computers and sewing machines. I can’t tell you how often I’ve cursed out a piece of machinery while fondly remembering childhood fishing trips.

In addition to a really colorful vocabulary, I’ve learned some others things from him along the way. Like most important things in life, those bits of wisdom didn’t come with flashing neon arrows pointing to them and signs that said, “Hey dumbass, this is important. Pay attention.” These bits of wisdom arrived in everyday conversion, and in true to cliché fashion, I didn’t realize I was learning anything until much later.

Every summer, Dad would take me, Tim and Grandma on a week-long fishing trip to Boot Lake in the UP. Inevitably, Tim would cast his line over Grandma’s, trying to fish where she was because she was catching them and he wasn’t. Dad always said the same thing. “Fish can swim.”

At the time, I remember thinking, “Well yeah...they’re fish. That’s kinda what they do,” and completely missing the point. Fishing requires work and patience. A lot of patience, but the end result is usually worth it – much like anything else worth doing. If you give up before you’re finished with something, you never know the satisfaction of having completed it. If you take too many shortcuts, you’re likely to miss out on something important. So yeah – fish can swim – be patient and enjoy the journey while you’re waiting for them to bite. Your time will come.

I was once asked about the most memorable piece of advice I’d ever gotten from my Dad. I didn’t have to think hard or long – it just popped into my head. “You can always use a good piece of rope.” The person looked at me like I was insane – in fact, she said, “What the hell kind of advice is that.”

I can’t tell you how often I heard that phrase growing up – probably because there was always something that needed tying down or fixing. I’m positive that there were plenty of times he would have liked to tie down us kids.

This past winter the lock on my trunk froze and I couldn’t close the stupid thing. I couldn’t drive with it unlatched, because it kept flying up and obscuring my vision. I wished I’d had a good piece of rope. Instead, the only thing I could find was a lousy piece of lavender embroidery floss and let me tell you, even quadrupled, it doesn’t come close to a good piece of rope.

As I stood there in the freezing sleet, I realized several things. A.) Dad was right – you really always can use a good piece of rope. B.) The good piece of rope is just about the perfect metaphor – with the right tools for the job, you can pretty much accomplish anything.

My dad has almost always had the right tools for the job and if he didn’t, he knew who he could barrow them from. Most importantly he always got the job done. Now Dad, it’s your job is to relax and let the fish swim. However, it’s probably a good idea to keep a good piece of rope handy.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Riding in Cars with Boys - Part Six

Well the school year is over - thankfully! I thought I'd only have one more Riding in Cars With Boys posts, but I actually have two! YAY!

A few weeks before Prom, we passed a burgundy minivan covered with white paint. It said, Will you go to Prom with me? Answer on my car."

Justin: Well that's just stupid.

Me: I dunno. It's kinda sweet.

Justin: No it's not, and here's why. What if she doesn't know who asked her?

Killian: Or doesn't know which car is his?

Not-Kevin: Or doesn't have paint to write her answer?

Justin: Meh. She could always scratch in her answer with her key.

Killian: That would suck if she got the wrong car.

Justin: If I were gonna ask a girl to Prom like that, I'd sit on the roof of my van and it would have a sail made out of a bed sheet and one of those poles, like a on a ship.

Killian: You mean a mast?

(I'm sure you can feel the sarcasm from there)

Justin: Yeah. A mast. And one of those wooden steering wheels.

Killian: Uh...a helm?

Justin: I don't know - is that what it's called?

Killian: Yeah.

Justin: How do you even know that stuff?

Killian: I'm not stupid. Besides...Pirates. It's important to know stuff about them.

Justin: Touche.

Mitchell: Seriously, dude. Even I know that.

Not-Kevin: You know, if we were pirates, we could sail to Girl Island.

Me: Girl Island?

Killian: It's a magical place.

Justin: A magical place full of hot girls who love nerds.

Not-Kevin: I want to sail there.

Me: I have news for you. Girl Island is called college.

Boys: Ohhhhhhhhhhh

After we dropped off Not-Kevin, the overly sweet scent of strawberries wafted through the car.

Justin: (sniffing frantically) What is that smell? I smell strawberries!

Killian: OhMyGod I want strawberries so bad. Can we get strawberries? Now?

Justin: Seriously! Where's it coming from?

Mitchell: (Sheepishly holding out a tube of lip balm) My lips are cracked.

Justin: (Looking from Mitchell to Killian and finally back to Mitchell with an expression of sheer incredulousness.) Dude...you're a chick!

Last week, they had final exams, and they all piled into the car bitching about how lame their exams were. Apparently long doesn't equal challenging. Except for Mitchell. He insisted that all of his were hard.

Not-Kevin: Wanna know what I hate?

Me: Absolutely.

Not-Kevin: Skanks.

Me: What's up with the skanks?

Not-Kevin: I hate the way that they think that because they're pretty that entitles them to cheat off my test. I don't exist for the entire year and because they smile at me and flash some cleavage I'm supposed to share my answers. I think not.

Killian: Lindsey? She drives me nuts. I can't stand the sound of her voice.

Justin: The one who whines all the time and talks through her nose?

Killian: Yeah. I wish she'd just shut up. And stop looking at my work.

Mitchell: She's orange.

Killian: Like a bleach blonde miniskirt wearing oompa loompa.

Justin: She gets excused absences to go tanning.

Not-Kevin: And some day her face will look like an old leather wallet.

Justin: I'm pretty sure that day is tomorrow.

You know what makes me happy about all this? They're completely aware of the fact that girls like Lindsey are looking to use them and they're not falling for it. Well done, guys. Well done.


Thursday, June 10, 2010

Talking about vernacular pet peeves

over at the Writer's Evolution blog. Please visit and add to the list! :)

And because no day is complete without a healthy dose of cute, I give you Willow sleeping on Morrighan's belly.

You're welcome.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Immortal Curse Trailer!

Add Image

Lookie what the awesome Kris Norris made for me! It's so pretty! :D There's a whole lot of pretty going on here this week!

Monday, June 7, 2010

My New Prettiful Cover


Lookie what I got this weekend! I'm super excited! Moonlit Menage will be part of TEB's Sultry Solstice collection along with Jessica Jarman, Charlotte Stein and Rachel Randall all coming out July 19th!!! It's just so prettiful!!!

Friday, June 4, 2010

Riding in Cars with Boys - Part Five

So, yesterday was my birthday and my 21st wedding anniversary. No, that's not a typo - I was a child bride. ;)

Anyway, last week Mitchell and Killian and I were discussing 80s music after we dropped off Justin. Mitchell was telling me that his mom likes to listen to the channel that plays all the 80s hair bands, because that's what she listened to in high school. I told him that I preferred the 80s New Wave scene and the following conversation ensued.

me: Oh, I bet your mom and I are right around the same age.

Mitchell: (shaking his head) I don't think so - she's really old.

me: How old is she?

Mitchell: Thirty-eight!

me: Uh, Mitchell? I'm going to be forty-three next week.

Mitchell: (sweet, adorable shock written all over his face) Nu-uh!

me: Way.

Mitchell: You are not!

Killian: (ever the helpful child) Yeah, she totally is.

Mitchell: Are you sure?

me: Um, I'm pretty sure I know when I was born.

Mitchell: Yeah, but you are really bad at math.

me: (trying really hard not to laugh in his face) It's true, but I'm positive about my age.

Mitchell: But you're way too cool to be that old.

me: Thanks. I think.

Sweet, sweet, silly Mitchell. I'm not gonna lie - it kinda made my day. I'm equally certain Killian doesn't think I'm cool at all.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

New Personal Best

Okay, so I've been working on a deadline that's been kicking my ass, but I'm happy to say that I win!

I mean...I'm done!

This weekend, I wrote my ass off (I wish) and superseded all previous personal records! Over the past three days, I wrote 10,054 words. Granted, I had to delete 573 of them because they were stupid, but screw that! I'm counting them anyway, because I wrote them! I know plenty of people who can write way faster than that in a shorter period of time, but for me, this is amazing!

All this was accomplished in addition to grocery shopping, cooking meals, watching a few "must-see" youtube videos with Corwin and playing several rounds of Ninja Pig with Killian.

Of course, my brain is now jello and my wrist is wrapped in an ace bandage because my carpal tunnel drama is trying to kill me, but the important thing here is that I'm done!!!!