Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Who is on your Keeper Shelves?

Is there enough web space for this topic? LOL

These are the authors on my keeper shelves. How many do we share?

LaVyrle Spencer
Lisa Gregory/Candace Camp/Kristin James
Theresa Weir/Anne Frasier
Janet Evanovich
Kristin Hannah
Jude Devereaux
Megan Chance
Catherine Anderson
Laura Kinsale
Linda Howard
Pam Crooks
Susan Fox
Holly Jakobs
Pamela Morsi
Maureen McKade
Jill Marie Landis
Maggie Osborne
Alexis Harrington
Sharon Sala
Laura Lee Ghurke
Eloisa James
Penelope Williamson
Linda Castle
Paula Detmer Riggs
Emile Richards
Cheryl Reavis
Curtis Ann Matlock
Robyn Carr
Jane Goodger
Rachel Nelson
Stephen King
Dean Koontz
Erin St.Claire (old Sandra Brown)
Suzanna Davis

series I collect on shelves:
Montana Mavericks (I have them ALL!)
Logan's Legacy
Ann of Greene Gables
Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich)
Sons & Daughters
Delta Jutice
Born in the USA

and there's a Paula Detmer Riggs series I'm going to be looking for--
Maternity Row?

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Broken Trail

Broken Trail - The Official Website
http://brokentrail.amctv.com/

There's quite a buzz about the new AMC movie, a western which I MISSED! The encore presentation is July 6th, so I won't miss it then. I've already downloaded my gorgeous wallpaper.

Wallpaper



This is my current wallpaper. I can just sit and gaze at this house with the fence and cozy-looking porch. Isn't it welcoming?

Monday, June 26, 2006

What does your TBR pile look like?

I just read a couple of books. I read Blackberry Winter, a Next by Cheryl Reavis and Blind Curve by Annie Solomon. It's a joke to read only one or two books when I assess the pile beside my bed and another on a shelf in my office--all to be read. Like a drop in the proverbial bucket. Only my bucket is more like an ocean. I have the best intentions. I used to have an entire tall video cabinet full of TBR books as well as boxes stashed in a closet. I have improved greatly over that situation. I always think I'll have more time to read--when summer gets here, when this book is finished....

When I am old, I will read all those books, but I won't wear purple.

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Oh, Johnny, oh!


Is anyone besides me counting the days until this one is out??

German Reprint


Here's the German edition of Million-Dollar Makeover. I love foreign sales. My books are printed and released all over the world without any extra work on my part--how cool is that? Sometimes I question the covers. Stock photos? The heroine in this story has a pair of Golden Retrievers. Maybe if you squint and hold the book at a certain angle....

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

me and my darlin's


taken the day of my dad's birthday party

Tuesday




I haven't posted for a few days. My dad passed away last Wednesday, so things have been a little busy around here. We just celebrated his 84th birthday a week ago, and a few days later he was gone. The hospice caregivers said that often happens after a birthday or Christmas when the person has seen all their family. It's like that releases them to go.



Here's a picture of him as a young man many many years ago, and a picture taken on his birthday. With him is one grandchild and the rest are great-grandchildren. We made a DVD slide show for the funeral service and the music was Glen Miller's In The Mood. Dad played drums in supper club orchestras for years in his younger days.

Friday, June 16, 2006

Winner of ARE YOU AFRAID?

It's Friday! The name drawn from the fishbowl is JENNIFER Y.

Congratulations, Jennifer! Please send me your address at SaintJohn@aol.com and I'll mail the book out to you.

Have a great weekend.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

another Carol -- welcome!

Carol T visited for the first time. She asked what my family thinks about my collecting. Well, Carol....

My husband has developed an appreciation for some of the things I collect and has a few quirks of his own. He loves old things in the garden; he has an old push mower and a rusty tricycle, birdhouses and wagons, etc..

My children are used to me. They rarely ADD to my collections. A couple of them appreciate heirlooms, and I have pointed all of those out as well as which items are valuable. I have most heirlooms marked with the source, so they will know what came from whom. Also things that were gifts, I've dated and marked where possible.

Daughters #1 and #2 are minimalists. Their homes are decorated beautifully, but with no extras. When they're finished with a look or a color, out go those accessories and they change decor. My son has a few collections, like presidential campaign buttons and coins. He's into aquariums -- has at least have a dozen that are really huge and beautiful. My daughter-in-law likes things plain and simple. Last time I moved, it was in the middle of a deadline, and I didn't have time to paint much or unpack things, and I was getting depressed without color or my things around me. She liked the look--thought it was calming.

Our youngest daughter used to collect quite a bit herself. When she was small she always latched onto everything the older girls were getting rid of. During her last move she thinned out her books and her bunnies and got rid of her wolves.

One of my grandsons, Adam is a postcard collector in a BIG way. It started as a school project in first grade. Just this past school year a friend of mine (writer Barb Andrews/Jennifer Drew) who collects postcards and writes an article for the Antique Trader put a picture of my two grandsons in the magazine along with their school address. The boys got boxes and envelopes of postcards, some vintage and very collectible from collectors all over! It was amazing. Some people are still sending them postcards. Adam keeps his first ones in an album, but actually likes to have the rest all loose in shoeboxes so he can look through and sort. He spends hours pouring over them. He especially likes bridges. I have a picture somewhere.

Our kids really don't like it when we move, so we try not to do that often. LOL We have some good friends who helped us move last time, and not long after, we were having a discussion about our funerals. You know how you get on a weird subject? We are all on the same worship team and flow well together. I told them I wanted a praise service with singing and dancing. My friend Carla said she'd play the keyboard for the service, but she wouldn't help my kids move my stuff again!! Too funny.

Most people who see our home are interested in looking at everything. The women always say, "I wouldn't want to dust it." LOL

Monday, June 12, 2006

Monday, Monday

Anyone remember the Mamas and the Papas? We have a radio station that plays all 50s, 60s and 70s music, and it's my channel of choice.

We had a birthday party for my 84 year-old dad yesterday. He is in a care facility which has a very nice community room we reserved for the day. There is a lovely large park area right out back, so there was plenty of room for the kids to play. My brother's 10 year-old daughter and 6 year-old grandson were there, too, so there were 11 kids. (I can't really count my oldest granddaughter as a "kid" anymore, because she's sixteen, but she's one of "my kids.") I will have pictures to post after I meet #2 daughter at the Kodak machine. She's the one with the great camera.

I cheat every other Sunday, so I ate chips and sandwiches and TWO PIECES of chocolate cake! I ordered the cake from Walmart because it was on the way and convenient to pick up on a Sunday: 1/2 white, 1/2 chocolate with buttercreme icing, and do they ever make a great cake! I usually order from Target or HyVee, but I think I have a new favorite bakery. I have a favorite HyVee where the decorators will put anything I want on a cake and are quite talented, so I've always used that one for showers and special events.

I know some of you don't shop at Walmart on principle, so please don't throw rocks. Cookies maybe?

I had the idea of popping off the worn-off keys from my keyboard and switching them out for the ones off another one, but they didn't snap on the same way. Darn. I switched out my keyboard to the last one I used before I got a new PC, because the letters were finally all gone, but this one doesn't have the light touch I like. My fingernails click on the keys too much. Are we spoiled and picky people, or what? LOL I guess I'm going to break down and go keyboard shopping. I'll ask for the 30,000 mile warranty on letters.

Sunday, June 11, 2006

some of my darlin's


For Mother's Day, the only thing my #2 daughter wanted was for her kids to put on the shirts she bought them and pose for pictures.

This is my favorite.

Friday, June 09, 2006

more of my collections


Hopefully, you'll be able to see some of my roosters and spice tins, etc.. This is one corner of my kitchen.

Free Stuff

http://walmart.triaddigital.com/Free-Samples.aspx

Since you guys like free stuff so much, here's the link to Walmart's samples. Order before they run out.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Visit the Hussies

http://historicalauthors.home.att.net

This is the hub site where you can find all the Harlequin Historical authors in one place. We call ourselves The Hussies. Some authors have posted pictures of their workspaces, and that's fun to see. There's also a recipe collection, called DEADLINE DELIGHTS, and you can try some of the quick and yummy dishes we cook up when we're in the middle of a plot breakthrough or experiencing deadline dimensia.

these are a few of my favorite things....

Order a free bracelet - $1 will be donated to cancer research

http://www.maketheconnection.org/
https://www.maketheconnection.org/order_beadkit/default.asp

Order a free bracelet kit and $1 is donated to cancer research.
It's easy. Just fill in the form, and they send you your bead kit.

Visit this website for a free bracelet kit - $1 donated to research

http://www.maketheconnection.org/
https://www.maketheconnection.org/order_beadkit/default.asp

Order a free bracelet kit and $1 is donated to cancer research.
It's easy. Just fill out the form, and they mail the bracelet kit to you.

NEW CONTEST! Are You Afraid?


Thought it was time to liven up things with a new contest.
Each comment here between now and next Friday is one entry.
The winner drawn from the fish bowl receives an autographed copy of Carla Cassidy's book: ARE YOU AFRAID?

Cool huh?

Monday, June 05, 2006

more stuff



These are shelves my hubby made me over the stairs headng from my kitchen down to the family room. This was before I added more stuff, but you get the idea.

Here's the postcard Mel sent me from Florida


Thanks, Mel!

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Guess who's a whole size smaller? Yep!

After an exhausting day of yard work on Saturday, I decided to take a Sunday afternoon trip to the mall. I spent a couple of hours just going through the stores trying on clothes in a smaller size! That made the past few weeks all worthwhile. And then I realized that one size just wasn't good enough -- I chose not to buy anything until I drop one more size. Then I'll knock myself out! So I bought a purse, a charm, a pair of pale yellow and lavender jammies and some fuzzy soft slipper socks to match. I had a J.C. Penny $10 off coupon and some 20% off Younkers coupons. Those get me every time. I always find the best purses at Penny's. Did I mention I live right by a gigantic mall AND a new shopping center?

So anyhoo, the front is finished except for the stairs. (that one itty bitty thing) I transplanted and planted and mulched and mulched and mulched some more. Then it rained last night, so the timing was perfect. Today I fertilized my roses.

My hubby built an arbor/trellis for the cucumbers to grow up and over. It's really cool. We keep saying that we'll be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labors soon. Maybe we keep saying it because we're not convinced. LOL

Friday, June 02, 2006

Summer Freedom

I'm enjoying the freedom from the regular TV shows. What does that tell me? I deliberately didn't choose any summer shows to get involved in, and don't care what they're showing. Lately I've even been missing the news because we're not letting any daylight hours go to waste.

Some friends stopped by last night so the guy could help my hubby figure out supplies he needs to build the front stairs, and she told me my front yard could be a magazine picture! Whoo hoo! We're getting there!

Next year will be even better after all the new perennials are established. I made it a point to plant no annuals except seeds I collected last year. I did a lot of flowering bushes and am doing climbers now. We're going for a cottage garden look with fences and arbors and vignettes. (Some of those fences still need to be built.)

One gardening book I was reading the other day said not to get overwhelmed trying to do everything in one season, because it's impossible, and that is so true. Truly established and beautiful gardens take years to establish. I'm just such an impatient person.