Mom, Can I Sleep With You?

I have a rule that I never break. I mean, I never ever break this rule! The rule is, when Steve is home, no one is allowed to sleep in our room (with the exception of our 7 year old when she has a bad dream). Well, Steve is on his way to Rhode Island for work, and as I am starting to get rather stupid with tiredness, my oldest asks if she can sleep on my floor.

Now let me explain; she is a very very private person. So, I had to wonder why she wants to sleep in my room tonight. Her response?... "Because my sisters will both end up in there." *smirk* Not exactly the answer I was looking for, but she does have a point, although, being almost 14, I have to wonder about her sometimes.

Now I am wondering if she is just joshing me because I spent a good, solid nine (9) hours writing today, and she knows that my brain is mush.

Off to catch some zzz's so tomorrow, I can go pick up my car from the dealer, then to visit my *eek* mother! (I really shouldn't be like that, but she is soo.....high maintanance) *grin*

Nite all! :o)

Why I Need To Stay Away From "To-Do" Lists

Since the beginning of Summer break, I have built a fairly hefty 'to-do' list and have gotten NO WHERE! I have wanted to weed the flower beds, have the revisions on the book done, as well as nailed down a pretty sweet Querry letter. Not to mention the painting, garage cleaning, vacation planning, friend time, kids time, hubby time...and hopefully squeezing in a little me time. Not gonna happen!

Why?

Six words -I'M-ALLERGIC-TO-TO-DO-LISTS!

Seriously.

Every single time I give myself a 'to-do' list, and a time frame, I fall way behind then if I was to just do what needed done. Not that to-do lists are bad all around. But they are evil in my world *smirk*

Normally, I wouldn't mind too much. But, alas...Life needs to be lived, and I gotta get stuff done before the kids turn rabid, and Steve gets his blood pressure rising because of my slacking!

At least I am on page 124 now. Working out the revisions has been a bit challenging, and chapter four has proven to be the most stubborn of all! The word count for that particullar chapter does not want to go up...no matter what I do! *manical look while pulling hair out*
Don't get me wrong. The chapter is good. In fact, it is one of my most favorite chapters in the whole book. And what is in that chapter was sooo easy to write. But what *needs* to be in that chapter is proving to be rather bothersome. I may just have to scratch that chapter all together and re-work it entirely.
But as for right now, I refuse to touch it! I have to get my word count up more before I start hacking away at chapters and totally re-building them.

For now, I will be happy if I can get all the revisions done for *this* draft done by my birthday...which is the end of next month. *points to self with an over the hill sign*

All in all, I have gotten NOTHING on my 'to-do' list actually done. I think I might just have to make a list of 'things that need done' and do them one at a time instead of trying to do everything on the list at once. I also need to remember that old saying, 'Rome wasn't built in a day'. *smile*

So for now, I will work on the revisions, and try to get my bedroom cleaned (again). Why is my bedroom the 'catch-all' for the whole house? If I could figure that one out, I might just be able to get something to stay clean!

I'll Name This Blog Later

Life gets in the way of many things, right? What with a 3 year old neice that was here for days (boy have I forgotten how toddelers can be!), my grandmother that has dimentia, and the normal hub-bub of having three daughters a husband and 2 very needy dogs, I am surprised I have remembered to go to sleep!

Steve has been trying to get on with a new company, so he has been fairly busy getting all the paperwork together for that...or should I say that *I* have been getting the paperwork together and faxed for him. Gotta love a man that threatens bodily injury to a fax machine! *smirk* Anyhow, he had to take a test for his 'haz-mat' endorsement (a legal endorsement on your liscense to legally haul hazardous material), which is a requirement for this new company that he is trying to get signed on with. Needless to say, they basically sprung it on him yesterday that they needed his endorsement by today. Nervous as he was because of only studying for a few short hours, he came home with his brand-new haz-mat endorsement! I knew he was going to pass! ....After all, he is one of the smartest men I know! (he did marry me ;o) lol)


So now that life has calmed down a little, I am able to continue the revisions! With a little less than half way done, I am pleased with the advancement of the story...although, the wordcount is leaving me a tad nervous! Just about 25,000 words to go for it to be considered a 'Novel'. I have fallen into this world of make believe that I have constructed and find that I am thinking about it almost constantly.

But the one thing that I wonder, is if I should have written it in first person point of view. When I finish with the revisions, I may just decide to completely re-write in third person....that is, unless my proof readers outnumber me *grin*

Got My No, and Continuing To Work On It!

If you remember, I posted about me submitting my first query letter about a week or so ago. I got a reply! Of course it was a no thank you, but I am so excited that I even got a response that I just cannot tell you!!! I am looking at it as a positive sign.

Now, before you think that I have bumped my head, let me explain...

So I have read that a lot of times, writers don't even get a response. But I DID! So that's gotta' mean something. right?.... And that is one no closer to my 'yes' answer!

But for now, I had a brainstorm about another book I think needs to be written ;o) (we'll talk more about that later) It is a good idea I think! But first, I really want to get my revisions done on this book I am currently working on!

Ciao!

Carpet Scrubbed, The Dryer Broke, And That Is The Start of My Summer

I didn't get all of the carpets scrubbed like I wanted to. But I did get the living room carpet looking pretty spiffy if I do say so myself! My dining room and bed room are not as big as my living room is, so they shouldn't take as long (I hope). I started about eleven AM yesterday afternoon, after some much needed reading and a few stolen minutes of quiet, and I didn't get finished until probably close to 5:00 PM! Talk about arm falling off!!! And it doesn't help things when I already have arthritis in my shoulder from a bad car accident from back in '95'. Needless to say, I was babying my tender arm all day long. But, alas, I do need to finish the carpet scrubbing project that I made for myself! So, back to moving all the furniture, scrubbing, dusting, and moving everything back to it's place tomorrow!

Now that I have decided that I would take it easy today, Steve decides to for some reason or another, look behind the dryer (did he lose another sock?). Low and behold, the thing that vents the dryer outside has been knocked off. (I wonder how that happened? I think to myself sarcastically) Now, this normally wouldn't be a problem. Except for the fact that he reminds me of Tim 'the tool man' Taylor... *sigh* So, he sets of to 'fixing' it. :/ Did I also mention that if he is fixing something and it doesn't get fixed right away, he gets grumpy?...yeah! Well, needless to say, he was behind the dryer, while his *ever so patient wife* stood in front, and pulled the dryer forward, and backward....for TWO hours while he moaned and complained the whole time!
Of course the question of how it happened was asked. *ahem* Well....that is ANOTHER STORY! One that involves fits of rage! Teen girls frothing at the mouth!!! and *gasp* the pulling out of the infamous dryer!!! Why, you ask? ....Because it seems that our lovely middle child could not find a specific blue shirt that she just had to wear on the laast day of school :o/ Those of us fortunate enough to know this angelic little creature knws all too well how she gets when things do not go her way. (rabid dogs named Cujo cannot compare to her wrath!) *shudders at the memory*

So, now that the dryer is all fixed and Steve has said that he is not opening the pool for two hours because that is how long it took him to fix the dryer, and the girls all complained...quite loudly, I have decided that I will not be enjoying this summer if this is what I have to look forward to every day until the beginning of September! ;o)

Letting Go Of Stress, and Making Up a New Saying

If you read my last blog, you know that I am pretty well on my way to having a temper tantrum. That is not to say that I don't deserve to have one; I do. That is also not to say that I have not been through worse; I have.

But, as I get older *smirk at the thought*, I find myself realizing that I don't really like things to change. I know they sometimes have to....but I still don't have to like it. And Damn it all! I will fight kicking and screaming every inch of the way if it is not a change that I particularly like. That's what I do in times like these. I buck up, and either magically make the change to my liking or need, or I refuse for whatever it is to change. Somehow, it usually works. Other times, not so much. But, all in all, I am coming to realize that no matter what the change is, I can either look at it as a good thing to come, or, I can look at it as the worst thing to happen.

Now, losing money to tenants, or because a huge company is going under are things that I cannot change. It is way out of my hands. BUT, I can make sure that the change will be for the betterment of my family. After all, they are the ones who matter most to me.

Anyway, I have been chasing my tail since last night over the whole tenant thing, paired with the no work for Steve thing. Now that I am thoroughly dizzy (and exhausted) from the whole crazy situation, a thought occurred to me. See, that's what I *do* when things are eating away at my very core...I think. I think about EVERYTHING!

But this time, the thought was pretty profound *smiles* Eh...I am not saying that I am going to go down like Gandhi for my wit and intelligence, but, it works for me...it works for today. And really, that is all I have. Today.

My Super-fantastic thought for the day:
I realized today that my life is crumbling, and there are no support structures to help. Time to let the bricks fall, smile when the dust clears, and rebuild when its done

No Steel To Haul, A Broken Rim, Late Rent, and did I mention I have no nerves left?!!

Sitting here waiting for the 1/2 sleeping pill I took to kick in, I wait for Steve to call. Now this normally wouldn't be a bad thing, but I just want to get this week over with as soon as possible, and with as few bodies that need buried as possible!

Sheesh....I surely hope this pill kicks in soon! (simply sleep rocks!)

So, like I said in an earlier post I believe, Steve hasn't had an ounce of steel to haul all week. Not that I like him working all the time mind you...but he is a fidgety creature, and keeps me jumping when he is home...this girl needs some down time! *smirk* But still, and it's not from a lack on his dispatchers part. On the contrary in fact...D is a great woman! I just love her to pieces! One of a kind, and works hard to provide for all the drivers families. But, it is what it is. And since GM is going to be closing 16 plants, freight is really slim at the present.

D has been working on getting Steve a load since last Friday, and today...JACKPOT! Finally a load for him to haul. Now, don't get me wrong--it's not something to start professing how rich we are with money. As a matter of fact, it is not a very good load at all....

What was my point?....

Oh yeah, I remember now. So, Steve goes and gets the load and heads on down the road *hums the song 'Roll On' by Alabama* He calls to see if I faxed some paperwork for him today, and we are chatting when he tells me to hang on. I wait while another driver yells at him over the radio "Looks like you're gonna' lose a rim on your trailer man!" Next thing I hear is "Awe S*IT! I gotta' go"

OK then....So, as I wait for Steve to call back, D comes over to visit (did I mention that we are friends?). And we are talking about the steel industry, and work (her job to be exact). Poor thing...If any drivers ever come across this blog, please thank your dispatcher for putting up with your whiny butt all the time! So she stays for a bit while the kids and I eat dinner. She passes up on a plate. I think her nerves are shot from all the WONDERFUL STIMULUS CRAP that the great President Obama has handed out....but I'm getting off topic here.

Anyway, D leaves and I call Steve to see whats going on with his rim, and to make sure that he is okay. No answer. Greeeaaatttt. Now what in Gods green earth has happened?

He calls me right back though. Now I can't seem to remember why he didn't answer his phone. Ahh...no matter. He tells me that my tenants boyfriend, and I do mean BOYfriend, has called him. Mind you- I rented to the girl. I rented to her because I have known her since she was small. She used to babysit for me...we were really close at one point. This and that happened, and they ended up owing me money for some damage to my property, as well as the rent money due each month. So....the BOYfriend calls Steve and tells him that they don't have the money they owe me, but will in THREE weeks. (Tenant-that-is-about-to-get-an-eviction-notice say whaaa???)

So, I suppose that seeing as my wonderful husband whom lets me rent to people when I have a soft spot for them will get stuck with a repair bill, as well as cost for an eviction, you can probably see why I have no nerves left. But, as they say, when it rains, it pours! Let me just get through this to enjoy the rainbow when it peaks through!

Magick is in the Air and I gotta Scrub The Carpets Today!

I have to leave here in the next ten minutes or so to take Peanut to school (only two days left until summer break). Anyhow, I was in the kitchen, making her oatmeal, and I got a flash of when my grandma used to make me oatmeal for breakfast before I went to school.
I remembered the magick of being excited; mornings were just for me and grandma, playing with friends in the schoolyard, and the imagination that went hand in hand with being a child. It was truly a magickal time!
Now, it is my youngest....mornings are for just her and me...she waits for recess to play with all of her little friends out in the school yard. And, her favorite 'special' in school is gym (in retrospect, just an EXTRA recess time!). And with these days, I can relive the magick of my childhood. What a wonderful gift!
But, I quickly get pulled back into grown-up living because my carpets are going to be getting scrubbed today! If I have to super glue my hand to that damned contraption...it will get done today! *snickers*

More later on....now I have to brush Rapunzel's hair ;o)

Waiting for the dredded "NO!" With a Pencil in my Hair

Well, I did it. I sent my first query letter to a literary agent today...two minutes ago, actually.

Honestly, I almost psyched myself out to not push the dredded SEND button. But I did it! The word No has never killed anyone, right? .... O_o

I keep telling myself that even if I can't get published, I love to write, and didn't start the book with that intention. But, the idea....ahhh the idea is what pushes me to want to submit it! I mean, how cool would that be?!?!???!!!!!

Besides, getting a "no" answer means I am one more closer to getting a "yes" answer, right? ;o) Kinda' like the old saying, "it is always in the last place you look." *tilts head* I have always wondered why one would keep looking after they found what it was they were looking for. I mean, once you find it, wouldn't it be silly to keep looking?

That reminds me of myself when I lose my pencil. I always shove my pencil in my hair when not in use so I don't 'lose' it. But somehow, I always end up looking for it. Not until the kids start pointing and laughing at me, does my hand fly up to the top of my head where my pencil has been safely placed. :o/

I don't think that anyone would point and laugh at me for getting a 'no' answer....but, I do wonder how many times I will lose my pencil whil I wait for that "no".

It's MADDENING I TELL YOU!!!!

muahahahahahahahaaaaaa
(I think I have managed to give myself a permanent twitch! lol)

Boiling Chicken, Cold Feet and GM Filing Bankrupcy

I did say I wanted to scrub the carpets today, but somehow, I got wrapped up in an all day conversation with one of my best friends, A. Now, before someone points their finger and starts yelling "SLACKER!!!" I did say that I wanted to get the carpets scrubbed before the week was up.

What does that have to do with boiling chicken, cold feet, or GM filing bankrupcy? Gimme a second...I'm getting to that! *grin*

Since I was talking through instant message with A for the better part of the day, time got away from me (which I totally don't mind!). And by the time I realize what time it is, Steve is yelling through the house that it is 6:00 and wondered if I was cooking today. *smiles* He is such a love! At any rate, as he's asking about dinner, I simotaniously look at the clock on my computer and gasp. I tell A that I have to go fix dinner and we'll talk later on *smirk*. No problem for her since her children and mine are the same ages and she is probably needing to feed her family as well. (but we oh so love talking to each other when we do...so it is usually non-stop on both of our sides...ok ok...more MY side than hers *wink*) So, that is when I pry myself off of the couch and go take a looksee to see what is on hand. Ahh...the chicken I was *going* to make yesterday, but was lazy and decided that hot dogs were a much better choice!

.....Now that leaves me to fix a 'good' meal today, in which I cannot be lazy :o/ Go figure!

So, I am waiting for my chicken to boil, and thinking about the news that I watched this afternoon with Steve. (No loads for him as of yet this week). GM, One of the biggest car manufacturers has filed bankrupcy. *rolls eyes* What dos that have to do with me? EVERYTHING.
GM is in the midst of filing bankrupcy, also closing 16, YES folks you heard me right, SIXTEEN of their plants. And what does this hae to do with the chicken that is boiling on my stove right at this minute, or my cold feet? Well, I am looking at 12 chicken legs that I can either fry, or bake with BBQ sauce. And GM is closing...how much longer does my family have before I have to start rashening out the food at dinner because of this? In my mind, I can hear "No, I am sorry sweetie..you cannot have 2 pieces of chicken tonight because we need to save a piece for lunch tomorrow."
What a wonderful economy we live in, America!

Now of course, this snowballed into other economic things as well. What if my book isn't as good as my loved ones think it is? I highly doubt that they are wrong, however...the thought does occur here and there. Now....I can do either 1 of 2 things here at this juncture. I can a.) throw in the towel before I even try..... OR b.) keep on keeping on. Work my manuscript until it resembles something that has been spit-shined and send it on into my list of Agents that I have sitting here and try to make a little money for something that I love doing.

mmmm....I think I will go with the latter! Because as far as I can tell, the chicken aint' gonna fry itself, and GM is still gonna be broke!

Wish me luck!

Scrubbing Carpets,The Last Week Of School and Addictions

So, I just realized that this is the last week of school for the kiddies, and I still haven't finished my much needed spring cleaning. So, since the first draft is done, I think I will treat this old house to some nice clean carpets, scrubbed window blinds, and maybe eve some re-arranging. I might even clean my closet this week! Who knows?

(**side note** my oldest Daughter, F's friends usually call me mom. These kids I will refer to as my 'stray kids' ;o) lol)

My stray, N is always yelling at me about my room being cluttered with laundry. Now, it's not that I don't do the laundry...it just rarely gets put away. Which in turn, is a result of my poor closet being horribly atrocious! How she will smile when she realizes that my clothes are FINALLY put away! lmao--little does she know that when I start to paint my bedroom, I am putting her to work! Gotta earn your keep, kid ;o) Ahh...I can hear her now "MOMMMM!!!" shes a nut...but a good one to keep around :oD

Oh...this blogging thing is kind of addicting! I never realized that! lol So, as I sit here and type, I am thinking about Lilly (my main charachter in my book), and what she would blog about. And I honestly don't see her as the blogging type. She is a typical teen girl. I see her more of a MySpace kid....with her funky layouts and crazy music-always and forever complaining about her little sister Eliza (which I think I will change her name, becasue she reminds me a LOT of my 11 year old daughter!)
But Lilly...no. I think she would be totally addicted to MySpace. Hmm....maybe a little side story for the next book? ;o) I'm thinkin, maybe! lol

So I Finished My First Novel

Well, not really...I did finish the first draft though! And I am very proud! Now, some might say "Big deal?" or they might even say something like "it's not published yet, so?" Well, let me tell you! Between three VERY needy kids, 3 VERY needy pets, and a husband who, for all intense purposes is like having six kids hyped up on sugar...all of whom are constantly needing something from this mom...well, things that I want to do usually get pushed back. And I aint' talking days, or weeks here! lol It's more like years...
I admit, I do not delegate my time wisely, or properly. Life is hectic to say the least!!! BUT, it keeps things interesting for us ;o) Never a dull moment it seems in this girls house!

So, onto the 'fun' part of this blog ;o) (since it is brand new, and I do need to break it in!)

My first novel is a YA sci-fi thriller...One of my favorite genres! Two of my closest friends, and an Aunt whom has read thousands (literally) of books have, and are in the middle of proof reading for me. They have so willingly taken on the hard task of making sure that not only the story itself flows well, but proper punctuation, and other things like that.

Not too hard, eh? ...I thought so too....until I started to go through the manuscript last night :o/ Heh...I *somehow* had ended up with TWO chapter 2's. Now as funny and silly as that sounds, it really aggravated me because I have not 1...not 2..but 3 proof readers! lol

Don't get me wrong...I love all of them to the moon and back! I really do!!! (Love you A.C, A, and S ;o) ) But if none of them caught it after months, than how would it look if I had not caught it and sent it off to an Agent? oi vey!!! They would think I'm a whack-job! lol

So it seems as though my writing has come full circle in a sort of way...remember when I said that all the chaos makes for an interesting house? lol Well....I'm thinkin not so much for prospective agents who may think that I can't count past 2!

My Introduction To You!

Hi there! Congratulations for finding my little neck of the woods! And if you are here, than I suppose you want to know a little about me :o) That is just dandy!! So, here goes a very generic description of me, and why I have decided to start blogging!

I am a 30-something year old mother to my 3 daughters, and a wife to my wonderful and sexy truck driving husband. We have 3 fur babies that we spoil rotten!
I have been writing since I was in grade school, but have decided to take it to the next level.
Writing has been a creative outlet to help me let go of many things, as well as to nurture things that need nurturing. At the completion of my first ever written Novel, What Bad Dreams Are Made of, I decided that blogging my progress with writing, Mother-hood and the steel industry's direct effect on my family, would be a good idea. To learn more about me, or my novels in progress, feel free to drop me a line :)

More soon to come!

Happy reading! and talk to you soon! :)