Last Week of Summer

This week flew by. First off, I submitted my fifth book to my publisher. I had been working on it since May and it was way past time to finish it. After two days rest, I started my sixth one. Really, it's my eighth one. I have two books which I wrote back in the early 2002.They are romantic suspense mysteries. The thing is, they are so poorly written and technology has changed so drastically, they are very outdated. Maybe one of these days, I will dust them off and revisit them. We shall see.

It seems I'm always running errands. I know my family takes advantage of me since I work from home. My husband is preparing for a guy's golf week which I have to laugh! He's going to have to do his own laundry! Yikes! Four guys in a two bedroom condo. Glad I won't be there!

My daughter has fallen on a rough patch in her life and I'm trying to help her. She does have a positive attitude which is great. I just wish there were nicer people out there.

The thing is, here in Dallas, neighborhoods are not really friendly. I just don't get it. Yes, you have neighbors you don't like and don't bother with them, but I've never lived in an area where you barely know your neighbor's name. They are too busy with their kids and church/mosques to bother. I always tried to be the ambassador of our neighborhood by bringing cookies and introducing myself to new neighbors. Won't do that again. They haven't spoken to me since. Well, the ones who haven't have already moved.

I have many good friends in the area and they feel the same way about their neighbors too. I guess it must be a Dallas thing. More involved in your religion than your neighbors. Oh well. It gives me time to write.

It was the first week of school here! The library was blissfully quiet! Also, there was ample parking in front of our local Barnes and Noble and other shopping malls. It's the little things in life which make me happy!

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge!

I have to laugh at my husband, Jim, who is really against social media. To this day, he refuses to join Facebook or Twitter and relies solely on emails or texts. So when my friend, Kathy called out to me to accept the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, funny how he was all over it.

As the instructions stated, I had twenty-four hours to accept this challenge. Jim must have called me at least three times from work asking if I had done it yet because he wanted me to send him the video. Let's not forget I'm working! At three in the afternoon, when it was at least one hundred degrees in Dallas, I took the challenge. Of course, the first run through (without using the bucket), I ended up doubled over in giggles. Really? At my age?? Once I sobered up, I did get through it successfully. I sent the picture and my list of challenges which included Jim to Facebook then went back to work.

Jim couldn't get home fast enough to do his video. However, he had to include his favorite football team, the Bears, and ended his video by jumping into the pool fully clothed. For the rest of the night, he occupied my phone reading the 'likes' and 'comments' on Facebook. Will he now get his own account? Ha!

Back to work. I finished my next book, another romantic sports themed comedy. I plan to send it to my publisher but I need to review it one more time before I turn it over to my mentors to read for their comments and suggestions. I started last week and have reworked parts where I repeat myself or where I don't like where my characters led me that day when I sat down to write.

Also, I heard from my new editor on my current book in production and am waiting for those edits.

What is my next book going to be about? Sports? Series? What do you suggest?

Best Comedian Ever? Can you decide?

Still reeling over Robin Williams' suicide. Wow! However, we have a big disagreement going around our house. I did post it on Facebook and the answers have varied so much, showing the diversity and tastes of my friends and colleagues.

Who is the best comedian of all times? It has narrowed down to two choices; Robin Williams or George Carlin?

The discussion started over dinner at Olive Garden last night and continued into the wee hours of the morning. We have been to tons of comedy shows in Chicago and Vegas, so it's really hard to pinpoint. I look back over the years, starting with Henny Youngman, Jack Benny, Red Skelton, Carol Burnett, Tim Conway and the list goes on and on.

Who would you choose, or can you?

Perspective

I am a very optimistic person. You can knock me down, but I will get right back up. However, I think this week really took some punches to me and until last night, I felt really down in the dumps.

 - My daughter was let go from her job all because of politics. Its a lesson learned. It wasn't a very good  job but at least it was something in today's economy. She was an assistant teacher at a Montessori school. She was on camera constantly because parents could watch the teachers' interactions with the students. Parents would sit and watch for hours. (which I couldn't understand. Wouldn't you want to interact with your child yourself?) However, the director would make all the decisions and the teachers would have to abide by them whether they agreed or not. This summer my daughter worked full time as a floater. Who ever needed the help, she had to go. Why they let her go? Because of her not being in a classroom full time, she was deemed inconsistent. She showed up for work early everyday and stayed late. Didn't matter. Boss wanted to save her own job and my daughter happened to be the scapegoat.

 - After living fifteen years in a neighborhood with nice neighbors, we have moved into a not so friendly one. I get it. Everyone has their own agenda and because it's so big, a lot of people don't want to be bothered. We have a few good eggs that wave when they drive by but that's all it is. A wave.
Now we have a new neighbor who is very inconsiderate of anyone but themselves. They have the biggest house in the subdivision and think they own the street. Unfortunately, they give the true meaning to the term, "The Ugly Texas American". Garish, over the top and loud.

 - Lack of communication. I feel frustrated when I send an email when something has been promised to me  and has not been; the email is ignored. I find it very unprofessional.

So, I was down. Saturday night, my husband took me along with his business partners, for dinner. In his office, there is a young lady in her thirties. Two years ago, they think she had a stroke. She was pregnant with her second child and her blood pressure shot up really high. This poor woman has been through hell and back trying to find out what is really wrong with her. It's like her sensory system is out of whack. She has been in constant therapy for two years; testing constantly for a cure. She has two young children under the age of five and is trying to work at least thirty hours a week. Her attitude is amazing! She is upbeat and positive and refuses to let this condition get her down.
Being with her, was my lesson learned. I can do it! I will take the high road!

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Always Something

I am writing this from my husband's man cave. We have Verizon Fios for our internet provider and for some reason, I have a very low signal from my office upstairs. Gosh, he's got a lot of clutter in here but I can't say anything because its his space, not mine!

It was an expensive week. My husband was in Chicago for the first part of the week. He just had to send pictures of my favorite Chicago restaurants where he ate. Portillos Hot Dogs (they have onion rings do die for) and Aurelios pizza. Really? My mouth watered with jealously!

I get up on Wednesday morning only to find the extension arm of our garage door opener ripped out of the garage door itself, narrowly missing my car and my daughter's car. Also, because of it, I couldn't manually open the garage door to get out. I am only five feet tall and barely weigh one hundred pounds.

I called for the repairman and he came around noon. My daughter had to call her boss to come get her for work, which she did. That meant I had to pick her up and spoiled her after work plans. Sorry! The repairman installed a metal plate in the garage door so the arm will not rip out again. He also pointed out that our rollers on the door, which are plastic, are cracking and needed to be replaced. $$$$

Then our pool guy came, only to point out that the axle and wheels had fallen off our Polaris and needed to be repaired. I swear animals party in our pool at night. This is the second time this year it's happened!!! Oh, by the way? More $$$$$!!

All of this happens when my husband is not home. I'm getting good at this repair stuff!

I worked really hard on my golf romance manuscript this week and am close to finishing it. Of course it's not ready to be sent to my new publisher, Blushing Books. Yes. Lazy Day Publishing has been acquired by Blushing Books. It's all seamless and Bethany, the owner, is very nice and I look forward to working with her and her staff!

They still have my fourth book, Not Just an Act and am awaiting a release date for it. I have outlined a next book, but put it to the side to finish the golf romance.

Today was yard work, where I mowed and my husband followed me with the trimmer and the hedger. I know my neighbors were probably not pleased because I started it around eight this morning. I know, but when the temps are 94F at nine in the morning and rising, I like to get it done while the temps are somewhat tolerable.

Hope to relax....yeah. I don't think the word relax is in my dictionary!