Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...finally!

Shocking development. It is cold. Finally.

Also, Veronica and Cash's Halloween costumes have arrived. Normally I make them, but this year Veronica had other plans. I won't tell you who they are going to be, but it involves some very famous characters using clues, groovy outfits, and special snacks.

Would I give you a red herring?


Hey, how do you spell herring? Not a word I use much.

Sunday Dinner, Oct. 21

Just a little update. When we had our Sunday dinner, Drew shared that he did get to fly to KC Downtown airport and to KCI. It went well, but he said it was really, really windy. He explained a bunch of stuff about knots or something like that, but I don't know what he was saying.


This is not what we had for dinner!

Pictures of the Buddies and "Fall"

The kids just chillin' and the desserts that Veronica made for our weinie roast.

Also the signs of fall. At least the signs of this fall. The day's tomato crop and blooming flowers. It is still tank top weather.

Some Pictures of our little Man.

As you can see Cash is already a real man. Just laying around in his underwear, eating some food, and sleeping hard!

A trip, a critique, and surgery

Pictures from my writer's retreat. The Cottage House, the writing group, and lobby.

Been awhile since the last update and that is because I have been really busy. Even for me.

Bob and I did go to Kansas for my writer's retreat. He had a cold and I didn't feel well either, but we had a great time. Council Grove is a beautiful old town with many preserved business buildings and fabulous old homes. We ate at the Hays House and it was really good old-fashioned food. However, it was still in Kansas and that state sucks. I would have been one of those dead pioneers along the trail, because the sheer boredom of flat land would have killed me. Then we went to the Renaissance Festival on the way back. It was very crowded, but I got to eat my Pirate's Favorite crepe with ham, swiss, almonds, and mushrooms. It was worth the wait.

I have been writing on my book but I have been depressed, because I couldn't figure out how to fit my style into the format suggested. We did some critiquing and real authors enjoyed my selection. Since it is supposed to be funny, I was relieved that they were laughing out loud and repeatedly. One of the ladies explained that because I use first person narration and that is really difficult to do, that my writing doesn't fit traditional format. Apparently I do it well. Who knew?

Then Sunday night Rachel, the kids, and Drew and Bob and I had a backyard weinie roast. The weather was perfect and a good time was had by all. Bob got packed for his two week stay for work in Monterey, Mexico.

Monday, the 15th, Bob left and got to Mexico. He is working at the Mexico plant. He has gotten to meet some of the people he works with on the phone.

I went to work and that evening Drew took Rachel to the emergency room while I kept the kids. She got to have her appendix out first thing Tuesday morning. It hadn't burst, and it was quick and easy, and she got to come home with me that evening. But it is taking a little longer to recuperate. She is sore. We have been trying to minimize her caring for Cash. At 17 lbs. he is a little hard to move around. I also got to wait around with Dan and his parents in the waiting room. As always, Don gave me some ideas for a future book. I am not certain he realizes this. It was good of them to be there, because they did the surgery so early I was still getting the kids to school and babysitter.

Veronica is fine. She is playing soccer and reading everything in sight. She is a nice little girl. She loves finding "clues" and wants to be Velma off of Scooby Doo for Halloween. At the weinie roast, Rachel had made up a scavenger hunt and Veronica was thrilled.


Drewsie was going to fly into the downtown airport and land a KCI. He was nervous and I haven't heard how it went. He was a big help getting Rachel to the hospital. One day he went with Rachel to Walmart to help her get some supplies. Then they managed to drive through a tornado, but didn't blow away.

Speaking of the tornado, that was an interesting school day. First they turned the heat on and the fire alarm went off. I was on my plan and upon my return to the building, I stepped in front of one our special needs students who had gotten away from his individual teacher. He ran right into me. His face is chest high and he proceeded to clamp down with his teeth right in the center my bra. I quickly disengaged him, but that was a first and hopefully a last.

Then we had tornado warnings after school and everyone had to "assume the tornado" position and wait out the storms. That's what you want, to be in a room with numerous middle schoolers who act like middle schoolers. Everyone survived.

I think that catches us up. All in all, life is really good, but so busy.

Tonight I am doing a skit for the local Optimist club's Halloween Hayride. I'll probably be a witch. Next month I am being the emcee for the Heartland Romance Writers Literacy Luncheon. Now, if I only had time to write something.

It's October 1-7

Happy "Fall" to you all. Okay, when it is 91 degrees I am not certain it is fall, but I've got pumpkins in front of the house.

Bob returned from Council Bluffs, NB on Thursday.

I continue in my quest to teach a very challenging group. Normally, I have this particular unit done in two weeks. Now, as week five ends...we are almost done.

Veronica got her school picture. Our little girl is growing up. Our other baby Cash is growing up. Now that he has more personality it is hard not to spoil him. He sure loves to roll over now, front to back and back to front.

Ryan called the other night and he and Michael are doing well. He got the choir situation straightened out and in now actually in the singing one.

The boys' grandmother on their mother's side is getting ready to retire. I think she is happy.

Rachel works. Haven't talked to Drew. Cat is alive and so is the fish.

Next weekend Bob and I are going to KS for my writer's retreat. I am presenting speed critiquing. Kinda of like speed dating only with stories. We are then meeting Rachel and kids and Drew at the Renaissance Festival and then Bob and Drew are going to a gun show.

Busy times ahead. I need to go save Bob from the peeing baby.

Have a good week!

And so September ends...

September ended today and it was almost like it roared out like March's lion. Late in the day some thunder and sprinkles, but no real rain.

Our biggest news from this week is that we are now part of the Empire Carpets empire in the form of new flooring for our kitchen-dining room-front entry. It is a beautiful fake hardwood that matches our kitchen cabinets. Oh, if only the rest of our house looked at good. We even got a Empire Carpet guy bobblehead.

Bob has been home and working around here, but has now disappeared into the abyss that is Council Bluffs, Nebraska...the site that they make him go to, never have what they are supposed to, and never let him come home from. (All those ending preps are for literary style) Good luck, Bob. Keep making that overtime!

School trudges along. Student are over being nice for the first of the year and moved on into let's see how far we can go. Not far...

Rachel is still working a lot. She is thrilled with her newer vehicle.

Drew is still flying. (That's in an airplane folks.) He seems to enjoy this major and if he can force himself to get through Economics he'll be fine. He needs to go to work more often!

Haven't spoken with Ryan and Michael this week. Toni, Bob's mom is now home from the hospital.

Veronica is well. We went to a fitness fun night on Friday. Yeah, I was there. I even participated in a race involving corn cobs. Running not so much. She continues to have really funny phone manners. Today we answered separate phones at the same time. She talked away to Bob and then told him, "Please hold." I told her I was on the other phone and she could hang up now, but she told me, "That's okay Grandma, I want to hear what say to each other."

Cash is still big. He can get around in his walker now. He is also drooling and teething like a mad man. He really like tiny sugar free tootsie pops. His favorite word is, "Goo" and his favorite person is still...NOT me. One night this week he cried every time he looked at me. Of course when Bob walked in the room, Cash smiled.

Today, Veronica, Cash, and I went to see Aunt Bebby (my sister Bev), to Wal-Mart, and to the lake to feed the geese. It was fun. However, the air conditioner in the Minivan of Love is broken. I refused to get it fixed because it cost too much and I might just sell the thing in the spring. This is a really hot fall.

Later Rachel, the kids, and Drew all came for dinner. We try to do that every Sunday night. Sometimes I think it is the only time Drew eats. Veronica tries so hard to have dinner communication. V.- "So, Drew how is the flying?" When Drew was lamenting that a number of his friends graduated last year, she told him, "It's okay Drew, I'm your friend."

I must go now. Sometimes my hair needs a little chemical touch-up. If I don't go rinse I could end up with purple or pink hair. Oh wait, I've already done that!

If you see Rach, ask her what sign of her own aging she found recently.