Wishing all a very happy New Year! Christmas was pretty awesome. We had a quiet time and then were invited to our neighbors for their Christmas dinner. Almeda is from the Philippines and served a traditional dinner of her country. Very tasty and she worked very hard on the preparation. We brought chocolate chip cookies and all I can say, cookies cross all international lines. They were gone immediately!

Now, we are awaiting the arrival of my sister-in-law and her husband. They will only be here for four days, so we want to make sure all the days are accounted for. It's been over a year since we've seen them.

I thought we had it bad when our ice storm hit a couple of weeks ago, but my sister in Toronto has had it worse. They had no power for a week. They live in an older area of Toronto and have huge old trees. The ice did major damage to power lines as well as their trees. They have been staying at my nephew's apartment while he is on vacation in California. The hard part is the pets. nTombe is a 15 year old Blue Kerry Terrier who suffers memory loss and Emily Jane is a kitten. Without their usual surrounding, there has been lots of 'accident's in the apartment.

My book. Flag on the Play, due out 1/31 is hitting close to home. It's very eerie that what I wrote about last year, is actually happening....

First off, I want to thank the angel who found my lost cell phone and turned it into the Lost and Found at our local mall. They could've kept it because it is a newer iPhone and tried to sell it. Even though we think only evil exists, it is not true. There are good people out there which we need to hear more about. We only get the negative press.

I also want to thank this person because losing my cell phone, got my mojo working again. I couldn't sleep a wink and the new book I've been working on, I've had a writer's block. That sleepless night, my characters came to life. I wrote everything down in an outline and am ready to rock and roll.

Of course, I spent most of yesterday hugging my phone after I picked it up. I think I must have checked it at least thirty times just to reassure myself that it really came back to me. Today, I am more sensible and business like and will resume normal human relations.

This time of year, I try to exercise caution because everyone around me is in a hurry and not thinking. On Friday morning, I went jogging with my daughter because the weather was balmy and I've grown tired of my treadmill. People were speeding down the road and a couple of times, I feared for my life as these big ole pick up trucks came barreling down the city streets. I was kind of afraid that one of them would jump the curb and hit me.

On our way back, there was a five car accident at the intersection by our subdivision. You wonder why, because the roads were dry but it was due to speed and texting. An SUV sped thru the intersection and was t-boned, throwing the SUV head on into cars waiting in the turn lane, bounced back into a local business parking lot. In the meantime, two other cars crashed into each other trying to avoid this SUV. It was like watching a horror movie in slow motion.

I want to tell everyone to slow down and enjoy each minute as it is. It's really worth it!

Holiday Madness

I try to be a very organized person. I have 'to do' lists every day that I follow religiously. I map out my day almost to the minute such as; from 7 - 9, I work out. Shower, read, do laundry, work, write and then run errands. Why do things go wrong???

When I go to the grocery store, I have another list of items that I need to get. Sometimes, even though I've written it down, I will forget to pick up something but I attribute it to forgetfulness and sticking to my alleged time table.

My pet peeve when I go shopping is the lackadaisical people who just lounge through the store, yakking on their cell phones right in front of the item(s) that I need. Then they get to the check out line only to rearrange their items on the belt while the cashier is ringing it up. Really? As a cashier, they know their stuff. A lot of times, they arrange things because of bagging. You know, trying to get all the cereal  boxes lined up; getting produce in the same bag; chips, bread, eggs... So, I've had my items on the belt; this lady in front of me has rearranged everything and oh? She forgot to inform the cashier that she's an employee and needs her employee discount. The cashier asks for her card? Oh? Do I need a card? I do know my employee number, won't that help? The cashier doesn't know how to do this without the card...let's call a supervisor. Oh? The supervisor is on break? I lost my patience. I suggest to the two of them for this 'employee' to go to the Customer Service desk to get her discount. No, that's not the way things are done. Forty five minutes later, I finally leave the store.

Let's also mention that I really couldn't finish my shopping because of the ice storm, the store's shelves are empty. Now, I have to go to another store that I know is pretty well stocked but the prices are little bit higher. Not so fast...there is an accident closing both sides of the road due to icy roads (yes, 7 days after the storm). How do I get there? All back roads and another thirty minutes longer.

I come home, eat my lunch and now have to go to the post office. I've mailed out all of my Christmas cards and now, on the 11th, I will mail my packages to ensure that they will arrive in time. Two hundred other people have decided to do the same thing. Another forty minutes later, it is now three in the afternoon. But to me, it was five o'clock somewhere, right? That drink went down smoothly!

Happy 3rd Birthday to LazyDay Publishing!

Happy 3rd Birthday to LazyDay Publishing!!!

Deep Freeze

When we moved to Texas four years ago, I was really excited. You see, I had had it with cold weather and snow. I looked forward to sunshine, hot summers and mild winters. Imagine my disappointment when the first year we lived here, we had thirteen inches of snow in one day. Granted it melted the next day, but I know for a fact, that I was the only one who didn't have a snowman in my yard. (We still have our snow shovels and I used them to clear out the driveway.)

You see, Dallas doesn't have snowplows. They don't use salt, they use sand trucks. Needless to say, those trucks don't even come close to the town I live in.

I forgot to mention the first Christmas here, we had a small ice storm. Our neighbor tried to thaw out his frozen pipes and ended up setting his house on fire. It took four neighboring communities fire department to reach us because the roads were a solid sheet of ice and the trucks could not negotiate the roads. The house burned down to the ground.

Then let's not forget the fiasco of the Super Bowl held in Dallas. The weather was snow and ice, crippling the roads for days. After that, the city of Dallas did purchase some snow plows.

Question is. where are they now? We have been stranded now for four days in a deep freeze. Those brave enough to venture out have found that the food stores are empty. Roads are impassable. I can hardly walk outside without falling down.

The good news is that I was able to turn in my edits earlier than normal for Flag on the Play due out 1/31/14. I figured I'd better get them done while I still had power.

I guess these experiences have made me a stronger person. But I can't complain. Welcome to Texas!

Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a very good Thanksgiving! We did. This year, it was only the three of us which was fine.

After a scary morning with me getting dizzy, I slowly bounced back and was able to help put up the Christmas decorations. I am not a sickly person at all, so for this to happen to me was really frightening. My blood sugar had dropped to 71 and I don't know why. My husband is a borderline diabetic and he has the sugar test device which enabled me to take my blood sugar count. I have a call to the doctor on my to do list for Monday.

I did get my second round of edits on the 25th and they are due back on 12/9. I have already gone through them the first time, mulling things over. I took Thursday and Friday off but worked on them again. I really appreciate everything the editor is saying and the suggestions she has are great. I need to work on my too many dialogue tags which does take some thought. I want the conversation to run smoothly so the reader doesn't get confused. When I write, I really get into the story and my fingers fly over the keyboard. It does help when another set of eyes looks at what I've done.

Weather finally warmed up but will get cold again this coming Friday. Last year, we wore shorts putting up the outside decorations. This year, we had to wear jeans and a light jacket. I think we are in for a cooler than normal winter. Bummer! After living up north for so many years, I really liked the mild winters here. Oh well. Live and learn.

I am so excited! Got the Cover Art for my next book, Flag on the Play! I can't wait to share it with you!

It is cold here in Texas. We have an ice storm on its way which means, everything will be closed tomorrow!

As much as I love Texas, I have to admit, we have the worst drivers ever. Using a turn signal around here is a sign of weakness. Cut in front of you is the only way they drive. Yikes! I thought people in New York, MA and Jersey were bad, but no! Try driving around here!!!

I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Hoildays!

Crazy weather! Went from our first freeze on Tuesday to a balmy weekend with summer like temps. What does that mean? It meant yard work. One last mow; pulling the dead annual plants and cleaning the gardens for winter. I can barely move today. Ugh. And to think I work out too! I shouldn't be this sore. I used muscles that I never knew I had!

Also, this week, I mailed out my Christmas cards. I am known for being the first Christmas card that is received. It has become a tradition. I used to mail them the Wednesday before Thanksgiving while I lived in PA. Now in Dallas, the card to PA takes at least three days, so I try to plan it that way.

Why did I mail them out so early this year? I am not sure when my next set of edits are coming for Flag on the Play, which is why. I did my mail merge (the best thing since sliced bread!), printed out all of my labels and put them on the cards. I still write in all of my cards and sign them. I planned on doing maybe ten a day which turned into thirty and before I knew it, I was done. I went to the post office and bought the stamps and while watching the news, I stamped them all. The pile (160) sat on the counter and I said what the heck? I might as well mail them. I think maybe I'm OCD?

I think I'm back into my routine! Not only did I have to adjust to the time change, I had to adjust from vacation mode to work mode.

I got my edits in on time! I celebrated! Just waiting for the next round to come. I certainly have to thank both Staci and Liz for the things I'm learning from them!

Now, it's back to the book I'm currently writing....where was I with it?

Relaxation!

It has been a fabulous week! As I stated in my last blog, I had received the first set of edits of my third book, Flag on the Play. They are due back on 11/7. I worked on them all weekend because, for my significant birthday, my husband bought me a week's vacation to Maui! I didn't want to take the edits with me on vacation because I thought, I'm on vacation! I want to enjoy! I will have 2 days to work on them when I get back.

But me, being me, did bring them with me and surprisingly, I'm glad I did! After two days of relaxation, I took a whole morning and worked on them with a fresh outlook. I finished them and sent them home. Now, I will have time to take a second look at them before I submit them back to the editor.

Maui is awesome! This is the second time I've been here and it's just as beautiful. We've gone on a Sunset Cruise and attended a Luau. Met some really nice people and some not so nice people. But with the not so nice people, we know we'll never see them again. The others have all exchanged email addresses.

Rode along with my husband while he played golf and I got some awesome photos. It did rain, but at least it's a warm rain.

Also, there was a shark attack on a surfer the other day, so they closed the beaches for that morning. I will walk along the beach, maybe stick my toes in, but the pool does look inviting!

There is a huge Mardi Gras festival here on Halloween night. It's located on Front Street and over 35,000 people attend. We went the day before and people were already decked out in their costumes. We ate at the Hard Rock Café and our waiter Solo, dressed and looked like Johnny Depp. He was a trip! I don't do crowds well since I'm so short, so we skipped the festival and had a lovely dinner on the beach up north. Nut crusted, fresh Mahi-Mahi served with caramel sauce. To die for!

Now it's pool time to work off everything I've eaten!

First Round of Edits!

My first round of edits arrived this Thursday for Flag on the Play. I have a lot of work to do on the sentence structure. Augh!

So this week brings Halloween, my birthday and a surprise present from my husband. I wonder what it is? It is one of my significant birthdays, so knowing him, it will be spectacular.

Also, we learned of good news! We are having company over the holidays! I love to entertain and be with people, so I'm looking forward to it.

I think I'm getting more impatient as I get older. I wonder why that is? This past week, my car had problems and on the same day, I found out one of the pumps went out in the pool. For those of you are ever thinking of getting a pool, don't. When we moved down here, that was a requirement for our house even though the realtor warned us against it. I should've listened to her. But the reason, I'm telling you this, is because of the difference companies choose to treat their customers.

Pool company. I pay them to do weekly cleaning in the summer and then during off season just a twice a month cleaning. That is just the 'cleaning crew'.However, their "technicians" love to sock it to the customer. So far, this year alone, I've needed a new board; a new pump for the Polaris, clean the filter and the salt cell. When I went to 'pool school', I was taught when you clean the filters, that includes cleaning the salt cell. Well, not this company. They charge you extra to come out to clean it. Then I had an honest tech come out to say that a pump didn't need to be replaced, it had a loose bolt. It saved me three hundred dollars.

So, when I called about the waterfall not working; the guy comes out while I'm not home and then leaves me a voice mail telling me the entire thing has to be replaced to the tune of six hundred dollars. What?

Car. I no longer deal with the dealership done here. They rip you off big time. I have found an honest repair shop, who doesn't push unnecessary items on you and treats you with a smile. My anti brake system wasn't working and the light on the dashboard kept going on like the car was in skid mode. The young mechanic figured out that a new switch, $140 would do the trick. The worst case scenario would be to go to the dealer and get the module ($1800) to fix the problem. He installed the switch but it still didn't work. Before ordering the module, he had an idea to unplug the battery and then plug it back in to see if that would offset the switch. It worked and saved me tons of money. Why can't the pool company be like that?

I have learned here in Texas that businesses can get away with that. Ma'am? That will be one thousand dollars. I am supposed to say, okay and pay it. Not if I can help it!!!!

Technology

I recently had to get a new laptop. It was in May or around then. I debated about getting a tablet but then again, I need my laptop for my writing. I have a smart phone which is way smarter than me that I use. At that time, they only were selling laptops with Windows 8 loaded as the Operating System. I felt that I could handle that because I did work Help Desk and am attuned to new technology. Well, let me tell you, it has been a ride that at this time in my life, I wasn't prepared for.

Thank goodness one of my neighbors, a teacher, had received a copy Windows 8 for Dummies which she gladly loaned to me. Now I feel comfortable with it, but I don't know it as well as I did XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. I'm getting by.

My point is the upgrade that is now available, Windows 8.1. First off, I wanted to back up my work but learned that's not available in my version. Alrighty, then. I proceed with the download and install. I wait for about twenty minutes, the screen has a green line indicating the percentage of the download. One percent in twenty minutes. Huh? I check again in twenty more minutes. I'm now at four percent. At this point, I've resigned myself that this is going to take a while.

I go downstairs to start dinner and get it in the oven. Maybe a half hour tops? I come back upstairs and my page is at the beginning of the Microsoft Website, the one that says "Download now.' What happened to my current download? I check Task Manager and it shows that there isn't any download in progress. Really? At this point, I'm clicking all over the place trying to find out what happened. I came out empty handed.

My laptop is behaving as normal and you know what? Do I really need this update? Nope. Not at this time.

Flag on the Play

Congrats to my friend Barbara on her blog post milestone!  Way to go!

I am excited! Work has begun on my next book, Flag on the Play, due out 1/31/2014. It is a Romantic Comedy about the NFL, so it's release it right before Superbowl 2/2/2014!

I had to complete the housekeeping items for a book being published; Bio, dedication, blurb and cover art questions. I have been so pleased with the artwork on my previous works, that I just can't say enough about the artists. Tremendous! Also to the editors for their patience with me. Thank you so much!

I also went to the Texas State Fair and had a fantastic time. Granted, it turned out to be a long day but it was worth it.

Tuesday, I attended the October meeting of the Women of Flower Mound where Michaels' staff taught us how make a wreath out of burlap and paper. I am not at all crafty even though that's my husband's line of business. When I make something, it looks like a two year old made it.

I think the weather here has decided to cool down. We are only at 74 degrees but that muggy factor from the Gulf is still hanging around. One of these days, it might feel like autumn

Wishing all of you a great day!

Sunny Sunday!

It finally feels like autumn in Dallas! We had a cold front move through the area yesterday where the temps dropped from 76 to 52. Actually had to use the heat last night and this morning. I guess it's time to get those pumpkins! Somehow pumpkins and 90 degree temps don't jive with me!

Going to the State Fair this week. I am not a fried food eater, so when I moved down here and all the buzz in the papers and news, were the fried concoctions of the State Fair; I tell you, I had my doubts. I got brave and tried some and they were actually really good. I figure one day is not going to kill me and if it does, at least I will die happy. In preparation, I have been eating lots of fish and vegetables all week so I won't feel guilty.

I share all kinds of books with my family and friends. I love all genres and read quite a bit. My brother in law is a huge political mystery/thriller fan and has sent me Vince Flynn (rip), Brad Thor and Tom Clancy. I am all caught up to date with the exception of Tom Clancy. I have yet to read his last four. With his passing, I will begin to read them this week.

I actually met Tom Clancy at an author signing at the Berkshire Mall in Wyomissing, PA. He along with General Fred Franks Jr. signed two copies of Into the Storm for me. The General was really funny and listened to me talk about my dad's career in the Navy. Good times. So sad to have great story tellers silenced.

Big news for me is that I got a new smart phone. It's not the latest but when it comes to smart phones, the easier it is for me, the better. I think I've been to the phone store twice now in the two days that I've had it to figure out how to do something! Now I know to not only check my aol account but to also check my gmail account. Duh!

I wrote a lot this week which is a good thing, since I didn't get a chance to write all weekend. We had out of town company and had a blast!

Now is the hard part of getting the house back together, washing sheets and towels and vacuuming. How could 4 people make such a mess? If my mother in law came for a visit, I would fail her white glove test, that's for sure!  What I'd really like to do is to crawl into bed and not wake up until tomorrow. Don't see that happening. Darn!

One last comment...why do all my favorite NFL teams lose? Argh!!! I swear the games are fixed!

Fall

I can't believe it's fall already! Where has the time gone? I've been busy doing a lot of writing along with working and running errands. Dallas FINALLY had rain on Thursday night into Friday. It was the good kind; gentle and soaking for our lawns and lakes. It's even cool outside, in the low 60's and only climbing to the mid 80's. The only thing I will miss is my swimming. I try to go at least once a day, to clear my head. I tried Thursday before the rain started and let me tell you, I was out of the pool so fast, I saw stars. Maybe I'll invest in a wet suit.

I am getting a new smart phone, but not by choice. I love the phone I've had since 2011. It's like a comfortable old shoe. We get along and we speak the same language. Until recently. I only use my phone to text, check my emails and Facebook. The other day, I turned on my phone only to get the error message that I have to resign in to access my emails. I do only to get the message that my login failed. Okay....I grab my car keys and drive to the Verizon store. I am there for an hour with three employees who can't fix the problem. They apologize and give me the tech support number they use when they can't solve a problem.

I wait until Friday to call because of my schedule. I am on the phone with tech support for forty-five minutes until they realize that Verizon no longer supports the software of my email programs on my phone. Since I am a loyal Verizon customer I am eligible for an upgrade. I picked the iPhone 4s for FREE! because the iPhone 5 is here. Also, it's the same one my husband has and we can share accessories. I think my next blog might be about frustrations with a learning curve of a new phone. Or maybe not. It could be something more interesting....Have a great day!

Accepted!

It's official! My next book, Flag on the Play, has been accepted by Lazy Day Publishing! It's release date is 1/31/2014, just in time for the Superbowl!

For an author, I've had quite a social week. Usually, I write for most of the day, when I'm not working, working out or running errands. But we had friends over last Sunday for the start of the NFL season.

On Tuesday, I went to the first annual Women of Flower Mound meeting. The guest speaker was absolutely stunning. Look up Libby Spears, her book is What is Your Plan B?.

Thursday, we went to Grapevine, TX for their annual Grapefest. They close Main Street and have booths upon booths of local vendors selling their products. They have local wine and food as well as live music on many stages. We went to see our favorite Celtic band, The Killdares, perform.

Today, we are on our way to watch the NFL games with our friends at a sports bar. Yup! Every Sunday will be football until the season ends. My sister in Toronto is a die hard Steelers fans and after the games, we will talk on the phone for hours. Did I mention it's also the start of the NBA and NHL??? It's a good time of  year for a sports fan!

Fall is in the air!

I'm in seventh heaven with the start of the NFL! Of course this means I have no Sundays to myself but that's okay. Or Monday nights either. We live in the Dallas area but are Chicago Bears fans. It's hard to stay home and watch the games because they are rarely televised on the local Dallas channels. When we moved down here from the Pennsylvania area, we did our research for a local watering hole that displaced Bears fans like us can visit. We've met some really nice people and made good friends. So, lo and behold, the first game of the season was on local television. We invited a group of the fans to our house and had a wonderful time.

We know now how to take team loyalty in stride. On the East Coast, you have the NY Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington Redskins.

In Dallas, you have the Cowboys, New Orleans Saints and the Houston Texans. I have to say though, the Dallas Morning News does have excellent coverage of their games. They really know their football down here. I think they must teach it to everyone in elementary school, you think?

The funny thing about having lived in various parts of the states, is how attached to the local foods you become. Living in Chicago, it's the pizza and the Chicago style dog. In Pennsylvania, it's the Philly Cheese Steak and the pretzels. Now in Dallas, it's going to the State Fair and sampling all of the fried food specials. I normally don't eat fried food, but for one day, why not?

Experiencing new things is what life is about!

I submitted my third book to my editor this Monday. I hope they like it! I've been working on it for a couple of months when it suddenly all came together. I had been reworking on one of the first books I wrote but it came to a standstill and this third book popped right out of my head and took over.

We have been living in Texas a little over four years now and I'm pretty comfortable here, even with the heat. The thought of moving again is a little too soon for me. So yesterday, my husband decided that we should downsize to a smaller home. I told him I'm not ready to just yet. Maybe in about five years but not now. He insists we are getting too old. I told him I don't feel old and he insists we are.

So, I looked at our house. When we sold our house in Pennsylvania, we were able to get a good price and when we looked at houses here in Texas, we got a lot of house for the money. We have been able to fill every room with furniture but I do admit, the two rooms we rarely use are the dining room and the living room. We have two spare bedrooms for company which comes in handy. I use one bedroom as a study for my writing and my husband has his man cave. I have a lot of treasures from my parents lovingly displayed through out the house. What would I get rid of? What would I keep?

So in the Parade magazine of the Sunday paper, there is an article about this very subject.  This couple has decided to downsize. The husband has a doctor's scale from his father who was a doctor and the wife has boxes and boxes of cards and artworks from her children. They decided they just can't give it up.

My parents had a house filled with over three thousand clocks and junk like you wouldn't believe. It was a nightmare trying to clean out the house when they died. We all swore that we would never subject our children to that. But my house doesn't have that kind of stuff. So, in answer to my husband; no honey. Not yet.

I have been quiet all week because I'm trying to get my current book ready to submit to my editor. I want to make sure the manuscript is almost perfect! That means an active voice and no head hopping. Also, no typos either!!!

I want a dog so badly, it hurts! My husband refuses to have another one after going through the experience of putting our beloved Indiana Jones down after thirteen and half years of joy. All he remembers is the tears we cried as we said goodbye. We had let him live too long; he was crippled with arthritis and had lost most of his hair. He was a stoic dog; his hearing and vision was intact and he hadn't lost control of his bladder. But that day, our wedding anniversary mind you, he howled non stop and we knew he was in pain. He had led a good life.

It's been four years. The house is too quiet with everyone going their separate ways. I miss going for a walk with a dog. When I would walk Indy, I met some really nice people and he loved everyone of them. I knew my neighborhood and the gossip. I still walk the neighborhood but people don't talk to you if you are by yourself. They wave, but that's about it.

I think I'll take the advice of my one neighbor....just go get one!

My first big girl job after graduating from college, I worked for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois. I started out on the phones answering questions about Medicare. Then I transferred to the Health Claims department where I enrolled in the management trainee program to become a Claims Supervisor. I worked there for close to nine years. I then went to work for ASA, who designed software for Health Insurance companies such as Cigna, and other state Blue Cross/Blue Shields. Ergo, I know health insurance. I have become the family 'go to' person if there is a problem with a doctor's bill, hospital bill or insurance problem.

I also was the Power of Attorney for five years over my parents' estate. I handled all of their medical and hospital claims until their death. My father had dementia and my mother suffered severe depression. Their medical bills were astronomical and I certainly learned a lot.

My frustration lies with the FSA, or Flexible Spending account that we currently have via my husband's company. Our claims are mostly for prescription drugs; my husband has a check up twice a year and mine is only once a year. I submitted a claim for his five prescription drugs and my two. I filled out the claim form, signed it and submitted it for processing. When they mailed us the check, they covered my husband's but not mine, saying that there wasn't enough information. What? Granted they had a copy of the bill since I had faxed it; the receipt had my name, date of birth, the name of the doctor, the name of the medication and the cost.  Really? Reading the documentation, I had to appeal this decision in writing. So I did, but this time I sent it via snail mail and sent the original receipts from CVS.

Friday, I got another denial, saying the information on my drugs was incomplete and it was a duplicate. I am SO irritated I could scream. At least they indicated I could call them which I will do once I calm down. I know for a fact that the processors are only paid minimum wage, so that may explain a lot of this confusion.....

Productive and Crazy!

It has been a productive week! I finished the first copy of my new book. Now comes the cleaning up part; making sure I'm consistent, check my head hopping, active voice and cohesiveness. I like this part as well as writing it. Yahoo!

Then, I had a scary thing happen to me this week. People are crazy! I went to my local grocery store and there is a clerk who is over fifty and very flirty. He is also very annoying. He always teases me and my daughter by calling us 'sisters' because we look so much alike. We try to avoid him at all costs but I don't think he's the sharpest tool in the shed, if you get my drift.

I was by myself and I had a splitting headache. He followed me out to my car in the excuse to get carts back into the store. He is yakking up a blue streak and I quickly ducked into my car just to get rid of him. I started to pull out slowly and I saw a black car behind me. It looked like it had stopped and I had enough room to finish pulling out. I did and the next thing I know, they are laying on the horn. I've been in enough accidents to know when I've hit something and I know I didn't hit them. I shrugged my shoulders and took off. The next thing I knew, they started to chase me down the busy highway and pulled up next to me saying, "You hit my car!" I pulled over to the nearest parking lot with them right behind me. It was an elderly Asian couple with their grandchildren. I explained that I didn't hit them. He looked at his car (brand new Lexus) and there was nothing there. I looked at my car (2002) and there was nada! We then went our separate ways but by now I was shaking. I hate parking lots!  My husband said I just should've driven to the police department with them chasing me, Duh, I didn't think of it at the time. Now I know!

It's funny how my patience gets thinner as I get older. I think I'm having a bad day and then I read some of the blogs from my friends and fellow authors and it really puts things in perspective.

Last year, I needed a new printer. My first book was in the process of being published and I wanted it to be perfect. Every stage of the editing, I would print it out to makes sure that I could see it. I painstakingly numbered everything and made sure I didn't miss a thing. My six year old printer protested and died just when my editor sent me the final copy for review. Augh! I rushed out and got an HP Officejet Pro 8600. Absolutely loved it. Since I've always had such good luck with HP, I didn't feel that I needed a warranty. This was in May of 2012.

Hence, my next book was getting ready to go through the entire editing process, due out in February of this year. This printer died right before Christmas. What? All I did was change the black ink cartridge and it made some really weird sounds. Then it flashed the error message: Print Read Error. Contact HP. So I did. They told me it was the Print Head cartridge and they would send me a new one that I could install myself. Well, I don't know about you, but I've had plenty of experience working with fixing printers from my old job working Help Desk. You don't want to mess with it. So, I packed it up carefully and took it back to Office Max. Since I'm there at least once a week, they know me. They very graciously swapped it for a new one and this time I did purchase a warranty for an additional thirty dollars.

Three weeks ago, I went to copy something and I got the error message that the paper was not the correct size. Oh, I forgot to mention that I let my daughter print out one hundred pictures of a concert she had gone to, on my printer. She exhausted my ink supply and I had to go back to Office Max and buy close to eighty dollars of ink. (She did pay for it.) So, I asked myself this question; did printing the photo paper cause the printer not to read the right size paper? Hmm...

I printed out the book I'm working on and everything worked fine. So, I decided to scan what I wanted to copy and then print it out. By this time, every time I would print something, the printer started making some really weird noises. I started to get an error message; Please choose to print in black because Cyan needs to be replaced. Really? Didn't I just replace it? So, from the old days at Help Desk, I unplugged the printer, took out and reinserted the brand new cartridges and booted her up again. Lo and behold. Print Read Error, Please contact HP.

After cursing like a sailor, I went up into the attic which is over one hundred degrees in the Dallas summer heat, to retrieve the original box. I packed it carefully again and debated. Do I really want another one of these HP printers? I mulled my options; I have over eighty dollars worth of ink that is sitting in a broken printer and it seems like I'll be getting a new printer every six months. Okay, I'll get the same one.

When I walked into Office Max with the printer, the clerk (he's the one who sold it to me) just shook his head. Without saying a word, he went to the back and got me a brand new one right of the truck. We both agreed that maybe the third time is a charm? We shall see.

Technology, don't you just love it?

It was a glorious week...filled with rain and cool temps for the month of July. I see a lower electric bill and also my beautiful summertime plants are very happy. Also, the weather forced me to concentrate on my writing which I did plenty.

Also, I read about three books and I am now very good about doing reviews. I try to find the good in things. I might not like a book, but that doesn't make the author bad. So, one of the books I read this week, I thought was really good. Romance, lots of angst between the hero and heroine, so I went to Amazon to write my review, I checked the other reviews only to see that they had only given this author one star...really? Did we read the same book? I thought it was really good.

Then I thought about movie reviews and such. One of the movies I want to see was rated as a D minus. Is that going to change my mind about going to see it? I'd like to make my own decision, thank you.

Then, I read the review about Beyoncé's Dallas concert where the reviewer just totally trashed her. Did he have to?

Then, I admit, I am addicted to TMZ as being my one hour of down time. This Friday's episode dealt with people's reaction to Harvey and Charles. I can't believe the hateful things people wrote about to them about them.

I guess I belong to a lost generation who tries to find the good in life. I think it's called, Pollyana.

It's raining! Yahoo! I can't tell you when the last time we had rain. The good thing is, this system will hang around for a couple of days. We are down over five inches for the year.

The news this morning has been relentless; Zimmerman acquitted, riots going on all over, Glee star found dead in Vancouver. I think I might go back to bed!

I am still dog sitting for my neighbor. Cute dog, but as usual, the dog isn't eating very well. Out of the three days I've been seeing her, she has had one bowl of dog food and maybe three carrot sticks? I know my dog didn't eat well when he was in the kennel, so I think it's their way of grieving of being left home alone. She hides in her kennel even though I've turned on the television to watch a show hoping she would come out. She will come out to look at me and then runs back to her kennel and looks so sad. I'm a sucker when it comes to animals.

I am getting close to finishing the draft of my book in progress. I am so excited! I actually got the idea of how to end it in the middle of the night. Two am, to be precise! I ran upstairs to my office and wrote for a good two hours until I started getting sleepy, but that's probably the best time to write. Of course my family thinks I've gone off the deep end. You know? They could be right!

Sunday, July 7

As I blogged last week, my office was in the process of being painted. It is finally done. Painted that is. My husband took a morning of golf today and it was well deserved. When he gets back, he will hang pictures, put my bookcases back and then I finally will have an office in working form. What has been most detrimental is I haven't been able to write since this started. While unpacking my bookcases, I stumbled upon an unused diary for writers that my sister in law had given me back in 2002 when I wrote my first book. Using that, I have been able to jot down ideas and thoughts that I would normally type on my laptop.

You ask, why can't you hang the pictures yourself? Well, you haven't met my husband. I have not mastered his skill of measuring the wall with a ruler and marking the center of the wall with a pencil mark. The pictures themselves are then measured and then marked exactly where they are to put on the wall. After the pictures have been hung, a level is used to make sure the pictures are hung correctly. God forbid the wall is crooked which we have found a lot of times is the case!

Well anyway, I'm back in business!

I have been working really hard on my next book, Flag on the Play. I have struggled to come up with the ending. I think I have it and then when I read it the next day, I don't like it. Since it is about the NFL, which I love, I really don't know as much as I think I do. I've bounced around ideas with my husband who I thought is a walking sports encyclopedia and he looks at me like I've lost my mind when I ask him some questions. His response after the first couple of questions is to look it up online. Thanks a lot!

The thing is, I'm close to finishing it. Then comes the rewriting making sure that it comes across the way I wanted it to. After that, my daughter armed with her infamous red pen, will read it. We have learned not to be mad at each other after this step. The first book, we didn't talk for days. The second book, we got to only being mad at each other for a day.

Then, I'll let my friends look at and see what they have to say. After that, I will submit it! I hope my editor will like it!

But it's an upcoming holiday and I'll be busy trying to find time to write. The reason why? My husband took Wednesday off and we're going to repaint my Woman Cave. It's the smallest room in the house but it still means that I have to move all my treasured books, four bookcases of them, my desk, printer, chairs and various plants out, so that we can paint.

My husband is a very careful painter. What would normally take a painter one day to finish, my husband can take up to four days to paint. Of course, I've been fired as his helper. I do not have his patience and paint on the wall looks good to me. Not so! First day, is taping. Second day, is doing the trim work and then the first coat on the walls. Third day is taking a naked light bulb and looking for streaks and the second coat of paint. Nope! One coat of paint is not good enough! Fourth day, I can move everything back in. This takes us to Saturday where we've been invited to a pool party at our friend's house. Hopefully, we will be talking to each other by the time we arrive. Sunday will definitely be a day of rest. Oh no, wait. It will be time to mow the lawn again. Silly me!

It's funny how the little things can cause arguments. This week's argument in our marriage has been lawn mowing

When we were first married and bought our first house, my in laws surprised us with a push lawn mower. I have to tell you back then, I only weighed ninety six pounds. This mower weighed more than that, so mowing the lawn became my husband's job.

You have to understand that he is obsessed with the lawn. It has to be perfect. His grandmother and mother would actually cut the lawn with scissors between mows. Yup. They would get on their hands and knees to get those little stinkers of grass blades that seemed to pop up over night and make the lawn appear unruly.

When we moved to PA, we had an acre of land on a mountain. That mower didn't cut it. What happened is that my husband's new job took him all over the country and the chore became up to me. I really did try with that cumbersome mower but I almost landed up in the ER. Thank goodness, we lived next door to a retired doctor who treated me on the scene and saved me a ton of money.

With that scare, we did go out and buy a riding mower. I LOVED it! I still am a tomboy at heart. We actually had fights about who was going to mow.

With the move to Dallas, we sold the tractor before we moved because according to my husband, we would not find a yard as big as we had in the places he had been looking at. Wrong! We bought one half acre. We have no storage shed, so my husband bought a self propelled push mower. I don't know about your house, but in ours, once you do something, it's your responsibility.

I hate mowing in this heat. I have to be careful not to dehydrate and faint. It's summer in Texas and hot! When we got home from our five day trip, my husband decided the lawn looked like a jungle. I was supposed to mow first thing Monday, but it rained. Then the heat index shot up to 100 degrees. No way.  Come Tuesday, it rained again all day. So Wednesday was the day. Armed with my sweatband, camel pack for water, frog towel, I started to mow with the intent of doing it twice. First round at a high setting and the second round at a lower setting. I barely made it through the first round. Second round wasn't happening. I thought I was going to die.

I jumped into our pool to cool off, only to find a dead snake in our pool. I don't do snakes...dead or alive. I jumped out of there so fast, I think I set a record.

My husband tried to understand but as each day passed and the lawn didn't get it's second mow. He finally broke down today and is mowing. He's not real pleased with me but I'll reassure him that I did save us money for me not landing up in the ER due to a heat stroke!

What a whirlwind! Just got back from a five day trip to our old stomping ground of Reading, PA. Run into a lot of old friends and neighbors. Had a wonderful time but as usual, didn't get to see everyone we wanted to.

Hopefully, I sold more of my books.  I ran into people who hadn't realized I had two books out there, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Did a lot of clothes shopping while out there. There's no sales tax on clothes, food or medicine. Here in the Dallas area we pay 9.25%. We bought a suitcase out there, so I was able to fill the empty one up with lots of goodies!

So now it's back to reality and dealing with life. But the most important thing is to get back to my writing. People laugh at me when I am out and about because I always jot down ideas with pen and paper. You never know, right?

My pet peeve is people giving you advice with out asking. I'm the type of person who tries not to judge people too quickly because I don't know all of their circumstances.

My husband loves to play golf. I know that and I have accepted it. While he golfs, I'm either reading or writing. I don't have to be with him every minute for me to be happy. I can't tell you how many women have commented on it. I should in turn go out on a spending spree, etc. Really?

There are only three of us in our family aside from cousins, aunts and uncles and sisters. They are all over, mostly in Illinois, Arizona and Canada. Not Dallas. We three are close and usually do things together. Our daughter moved down here to be with us in Dallas when she graduated from college with a masters degree in Communications. She just now found a job and is trying to save money to move to her own apartment. She lives with us while trying to achieve this goal. I can't tell you how many people have commented on the fact that she still lives with us. Big deal. She's a good person who is trying to get her life started in today's tough economy. So what if she's not married? She is in no hurry.

So the people giving me the advice on my life are either divorced or single. The people giving me advice on my daughter have adult children who are not role models; divorced, spent time in jail or their adult children have totally messed up their lives. I don't think I'm going to take the advice. I know what makes my world happy and I'm sticking to my guns!

I know I've been quiet for a while, but there's been a lot going on in my life lately. So, I'll start from the beginning. We are refinancing our mortgage, so there's that drama of papers being signed; credit reports, pay stubs, etc.

Then this past weekend, we drove down to San Antonio for a wedding of the daughter of good friends of ours who live in Houston. Only problem? San Antonio had twelve inches of rain. By the time we reached Austin, the traffic was next to impossible. We decided to use the toll road from Georgetown, TX directly into San Antonio. We watched helplessly as people drove too fast and spun out of control, so there were accidents all over the place. By the time we reached the hotel, we had an our to prepare for the wedding.

While getting dressed, my husband handed me his prescription pills he needed to take after dinner. I just put them in the pill packet I had brought for my non prescription pills and thought nothing of it.
After dinner, I handed the packet to my husband and told him to take out his and what's left is mine. About a half hour later, I got sicker than a dog and had to go back upstairs to the room. In the morning, I discovered that he had taken my calcium supplement and Beeno. I had taken his high blood pressure and diabetes medicine which I have neither ailment. I'm lucky that I didn't have to go to the ER!!

So, the next day we drive to the Riverwalk to stay at a hotel there. The Garmin keeps telling us to go one way but guess what? That highway was under twelve feet of water! Using a map, we were able to get around the flooded highway to make it to our hotel. We then had a good time.

We got home Monday afternoon and when we walked in the door, I looked at my kitchen sink. It was filled with debris. My sink had backed up. I know better than to call a plumber on a holiday, so I had to wait until Tuesday to call. Turned out to be a really nice guy and didn't charge me an arm or a leg.

Tuesday, we went to see a lawyer about setting up a will. It's expensive but it's something we need to do.

Thursday, after my shower, my hair dryer caught fire. Why me?

I hope I have a quiet weekend!  I deserve it!!

I am totally stressed out! I mentioned that I have been taking care of my friend's two cats. She has been gone now for close to 11 days. This means getting up early because the cats have to be fed by seven at the latest and then back again at four. They are cute and fun but I feel so guilty when I'm leaving. Two sets of big green eyes staring at me soulfully while I lock up the door. I just don't have that much time to give to them.

Then my notebook died. Granted it was old and a gift from my sister, but still. I hate when things break down. I had been writing for close to two hours and saved the document every now and then when all of a sudden, my screen went black. I think I hyperventilated at that point. Taking deep breaths to calm myself down, I tried to reboot it and nothing happened, I let it sit for a while and I glared at it (like that would help, right?) and then went to use my daughter's laptop also a present from my sister.  Two hours later, I tried again and the message read that windows is not able to start and then I got a blue screen and then black. We really didn't want to buy a new notebook because we have had a lot of unexpected car bills but it's been three years since I've had a new computer.

My husband graciously took me to Best Buy on Saturday and I picked out one of the least expensive models but they only sell Windows 8. I haven't been paying much attention to the new technology like I normally would since I no longer work as a Help Desk Analyst. BIG mistake! I am so lost and all I did was panic. It took me three hours to install Office. I'm thinking how long will it take to install everything else? So this is my Sunday duties so that I can be up and running by Monday.  By the way, I lost five pages of writing. :(

It's Mother's Day and I'm ready to go back to bed to start over! I am 'cat' watching my friend's two cats while she is on a much needed vacation. The one cat, is a senior female and it very 'cat' like; aloof. The other cat is a young male who is very outgoing and friendly. He eats everything and I mean everything. Problem is, you have to watch what he eats because he has food allergies.

I started watching them on Saturday night and the senior cat ate a little and then ran upstairs and hid. I waited for her to maybe come back down but she never did. I put her food away.

This morning, I tried to feed her and she sniffed the food and ran back upstairs and wouldn't come down. I waited patiently but nothing. Now I'm worried. I'm used to watching dogs who eat all the time. I love animals and I don't want anything to happen to her on my watch! For the record, the other cat is fine!

I came home, stubbed my toe and it hurts! I went to print an article and my NEW printer isn't working. I went to go back to bed and it's one of the few times my husband has made our bed. He did it for me because it's Mother's Day. I guess getting more sleep is not on the agenda for today!

Friday night, my family went to the neighboring town to watch the Drum and Bugle Corp perform which was very touching. A lot of the musicians/fireman came from the town of West, where there had been that deadly explosion. Barely a dry eye in the crowd.  While I sat there, a lady came up to me and asked, "Aren't you Lois Kasznia? I just loved your book, Play for Me."  I nearly fell off of my chair. I thanked her again and again.

To all the mom's out there...Happy Mother's Day!

What a crazy week! It started out slow on Monday, then our company came. They left on Wednesday and I started to write. Well, that didn't last long! In the mail on Wednesday, we received a letter from our bank about a great refinance opportunity and after many calls back and forth with the banker, we said yes. I had to pull all sorts of documentation to present to the banker on Friday to get the ball rolling. Our meeting lasted an hour...I thought I talked fast, but this banker put me to shame. Really nice, bright guy. After our meeting, I did some quick grocery shopping, came back, mowed the lawn (great ab exercise) and then made dinner.

On Saturday, I promised my daughter that I would take her to the Shops at Legacy in Plano to look for a dress for an upcoming wedding. The thing is, where we live? There are shops galore but she wanted something "different". Beautiful mall but very pricey. By the time we got home, we both were exhausted and empty handed.

The weather was nice yesterday afternoon and all of our neighbors were out. We rarely see them because of conflicting schedules. We got on the subject of sprinklers and one of them pointed out to us, that one of our sprinklers was not working properly. So before I know it, I'm on a trip to Lowes and our next project is to tackle the sprinklers. Of course, that was after the Derby but by the time we were done, it was nine.

So, I'm sitting at my laptop with a great cup of green tea, relaxing...for the moment.

Company is coming today! Our aunt and uncle from Phoenix are stopping by for a couple of days to visit. They are in San Antonio for their grandson, Danny's graduation at the AFB which is a really good thing. I am glad he is finding his path in life. He's had a rough life so this is a good thing.

But you know, I sacrificed a "writing" day to clean the house for company and it never ceases to amaze me how my hard work can be destroyed in less than two days. Dirty dishes left in rooms that shouldn't be used for dining,  newspapers strewn all around, partially worn clothes draped over chairs...really? Needless to say, my family is not talking to "the evil woman" that woke up this morning and have been told that I better change my attitude when the company arrives. Which ticked me off even further!

I finally met our new neighbors: they are from Flower Mound and the wife is a teacher at one of our local elementary schools. What a great person and I'm kind of in awe of her. They have three young daughters and two dogs who are adorable. I am pleased.

Also, my publisher, Lazy Day Publishing, released a lot of awesome books these last couple of weeks. I really like the cover art on all of them as well as the authors themselves. Great works!

Happy Spring :)

This has been some week! Between Boston, West, TX and the flooding in the midwest, it certainly has tried our nation's souls. I think Friday was the most tense day, following the search for suspect number 2. I found myself riveted to the television watching the play by play. Granted, I should have been working but the phone kept ringing asking me for updates from friends who did not have access to the television.

Here is Dallas, I watch a local news station because I really like all of their anchors. I also follow them on Facebook.They recently hired a new part time weather forecaster who is a young, energetic and a bright person. The first week she was here, she was criticized for being a little overweight which I thought was terrible. She is only in her upper twenties and was very hurt by that person's remarks. I friended her on Facebook to tell her not to let those kind of remarks get to her because people can say such nasty things. You know, author? Book reveiws?

She usually works the weekend shift and on Saturdays, they have a segment on animals for adoption. She loves animals and is usually very good with them. This Saturday, there was a Siamese cat who didn't want anything to do with anybody. You know how cats can get if they don't want to be held. This one didn't want any part of her and clawed at her getting his claws caught onto her necklace. She tried to untangle his claw and he ended up biting her. She smiled through the whole ordeal and you could see she was holding back her tears. Granted this is live TV! You wouldn't believe the number of comments on her Facebook page criticizing her on how she handled the situation. Why can't people abide by the old motto, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it?

I have been actively writing and enjoying it. However, now that I'm on a roll, things are happening as if to prevent me from writing. There have been changes in everyone's work schedules, cars breaking down, treadmills acting up, heart pills being misplaced, unexpected appointments in the middle of the day. Everything has ended well (except the car which has yet to be worked out, for my friend Barbara who would definitely understand!), but I tell you. Just when you think life is going on smoothly, well. Don't take that for granted!

I am excited because my neighbor who just got the cutest husky, Milo has asked me to watch him next weekend. I have been jonesing for a husky for close to four years now, so this is like a dream come true. He is not a puppy; he is four years old but has the sweetest personality. My husband wants to warn them that when they come back, Milo might be living at my house....

My exercise program is doing well. I walked ten miles yesterday which is an accomplishment for me. Took in a local craftshow at a church along the way and wondered why people were staring at me. Then it dawned on me; running shorts, tank t-shirt, no purse and church. Not too smart, Lois!

Don't forget to check out Play for Me!!!

I really like Goodreads. I have met or should I say 'friended' with some really awesome authors. My eyes have been opened to so many works that I have been reading heavily these past couple of weeks.

 Also, my writer's block is gone which is a good thing. I do have lots of stories in my head that I need to get out on paper, per se. Hopefully, you will read them?

Weatherwise, it hasn't been too nice out here in the Dallas area. We've had a lot of cool days and I hope it doesn't jump to 90 all of a sudden. I'm anxious to start my garden but already the weather forecast for this week is looking at some 40's as a low. Why is it that weeds never seem to mind the cold?

This week, my husband announced he is okay with getting another dog. I am THRILLED. I have been dogless since we put our beloved Siberian Husky, Indiana Jones, down close to four years ago. He was thirteen and a half and had muscular issues to the point where he couldn't walk anymore. This happened on our wedding anniversary, a Sunday. It was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life and my husband swore he would never do this again. No more pets. My daughter and I have been chipping away at him and when he saw our neighbor rescue a husky, well...Yahoo!!!

As a writer, I find the time to actually sit down to write  is decreasing as of late. I want to lock myself away in a room with no phones, no internet, no nothing but me and the laptop. On Good Friday, I had fifteen calls from telemarketers and then I had calls to make as well. The weekend was a holiday with no time for personal time. This morning while I was in the shower, I had three messages and this was before 9 am!

So, I packed up my laptop and headed to the library for some 'me' time. Problem is, the library is no longer the quiet sanctuary it used to be. I guess ours wants to be 'kid" friendly to encourage them to come here. Today, the librarian is teaching a senior citizen how to use a computer in a louder than normal voice because the lady is hard of hearing.

I know!  I will book a two week vacation to Hawaii to sit on the beach and write!  In my dreams, right? I think all I can afford is a really good pair of ear plugs!

I spent a week in sunny San Diego for the first time. It wasn't as warm as I'd liked it to be but at least it was sunny. Let me rephrase that: At least in the afternoon when the fog dissapted but the breeze was cold. Loved the zoo, wine tasting and the restaurants. People must live in their cars with the amount of traffic around there.

Did a lot of reading to boost my writer's block! Now that I am back to work, I need to put some effort into listening to my characters!

Thank goodness for smart phones! I run into people all the time who are avid Romance readers and when I found out, I direct them to my book and my publisher's (Lazy Day Publishing) web site!

You haven't heard from me in a couple of days because I am experiencing writer's block. I started gung ho on my next book and seemed to have stumbled into a brick wall.  When this happens, I take a deepo breath and put aside, Facebook and Twitter and do some heavy duty reading. I have so many authors who have inspired my, especially those at Lazy Day Publishing such as Liz Borino and Jade Carey as well as Barbara Huffert and Taylor Tryst! Thanks for your help!  It is greatly appreciated!

Still on a technology challanged roll here. We have Verizon Fios, like I've said before. We had issues with our Internet and received a new router. I haven't been able to install it yet because it is connected to my husband's pc and he hasn't done our taxes just yet and the list of excuses runs on. I have found out that if I bring my laptop downstairs next to the router, I can connect to the Internet and run back upstairs and I'm good. Hopefully, I've lost a couple of pounds with all of the running up and down the stairs?

So this week, I got an email from Verizon telling me that there will be a change to several of their HD programs and the box we have won't be able to access these programs. Hmmm. I am not the television watcher in the family. I'd rather read a book. So I forwarded the email to my husband and he freaked out because the programs are ESPN. Just for the record, my husband, whom I love to death, is a die hard sports fan. He watches ALL sports. He takes at least a half hour alone to get through the sports section of the daily newspaper. Needless to say, the new box arrived Friday.

We have four televisions in the house. Two are HD and the other two date back to the early 2000's. The one HD is in my exercise room and the other is in the family room. Logically, we are thinking it's the one in the family room and my husband makes us watch all of the shows we have dvr'd because by switching the box, you lose your shows. Okay, that took a while. Only to find out that the box is really for the TV in my exercise room. The television that is only on for an hour while I do my exercise routine. My husband turned to me and said," See? Now you can keep up with all the sports updates!" Really?

Watching your book being released is like giving birth. You have spent months nurturing your plot and characters and when it is released, you want it to grow and be loved. However, I am a helicopter mother in real life. It is hard to let go.

This has been a challenging couple of days....I will first start with our Internet issues. We have Verizon Fios for our landline, TV, cell phone and internet services. The router is about four years old, the same unit we've had since we've moved in. It's anchored to my husband's desktop. My office is upstairs and my little notebook has always worked. However, last week it didn't, so I called Verizon and a very nice lady walked me through how to reset the router. It worked! Sure enough, a couple of days later, it stopped. Once again I called Verizon and was on the phone with them for an hour when they determined I did need a new router.  You see, I worked help desk for three years so I'm pretty much tech savvy when it comes to things like this so if I say there is a problem, I get a little upset when people don't believe me. The new one came so I will hook it up soon. I found out that if I logon downstairs, I get the connection. I can quickly run upstairs and it will last for a while. When it goes out, I run downstairs to get reconnected. At least I'm getting my exercise.

Next! I will never own a house with a pool again. For the last four years, everyone who has come out to service the pool has told us we need a new control panel. Somehow, these people have jerryrigged it to work. Not so this year. The panel was not getting any electrical current. So we bit the bullet, breaking out budget and had the new one installed on Friday. The technician could not get the lights to work. He said the circuit is not on the home's breaker, it has another breaker. Where is it? I know I looked like a deer in the headlights but I have no clue! The previous owners are the ones who had the pool installed, not us. So, now he is coming back with his supervisor to see if they can correct the problem. $$$$$ Oh, by the way? While running the new board, we have found three more leaks in the o rings and the motor that runs bubbles in the spa? It's dead. $$$$$

Dallas is having a spell of cold weather so when I got up this morning, I noticed it was a little chilly. I didn't think anything of it because we are on a slab and it's usually chilly in the mornings. The longer I sat at the table reading the newspaper, it became colder. I looked at the thermostat...64? We have it set at 68. This is the new system we had installed in October when the hail storm ruined our a/c unit outside. My husband, God bless his soul, came  out of the shower and asked why it was so cold? Reset the breaker and the heat came back on. Maybe there is a gremlin in our breaker box?

This is where I get ideas for my books. From my life!