So, is this better?  I’m not done because I still have the credenza to do (can someone say flat-bed scanner?  I know it’s over there somewhere).  And I probably have about 1 hours work left on the actual desk (polishing, setting up the out basket, finding a place for my dayplanner), but it’s looking better.  (For those of you who missed yesterdays blog – you won’t appreciate this until you go back and look).  Everything but the laundry and dishes got done, so I have to do them today also.  BUT I missed yesterdays nap and I am one cranky person – so there will be nap time too.

That's a dust cloth on the keyboard, and in those photos on the right?  Look very close at the picture in the middle.  That's the closest Glenice will let me post her picture.

Draw:  It happened again – two pieces of paper stuck together so there are two winners.  Olga and Butterfly.  Olga, narrow down your choice and Butterfly email me your snail mail address.

Don’t forget there’s a contest still going on – I’m not re-posting all of the details, just archive back to last Wednesday.

Brandy – I know, I’m supposed to post a cat picture today, but with the picture of the desk going up I didn’t want to take up too much space.  So cat picture tomorrow.

Okay – once I get this mess of a room back in order I’ll feel better about writing.  I just couldn’t sit here and look at all of this stuff and write.  Yes, a lap-top would come in handy …

I think that’s it – I’m off to blog-land, then to work.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

One for sleeping  - one for this:

Okay, three - one for sleeping, one for cleaning and one for writing.

So what?  You didn’t believe me when I said I had to clean the desk before I could get any writing done, did you?  Hah!  Shows what you know.  You thought I could just push it aside and work – there is no aside.  So today I got up with all intentions of getting this done.  In fact, I had a whole “to do” list. 

1. Clean 2 litter boxes
2. 1 load of laundry
3. Do dishes
4. Clean desk

Hmmm, 1:00 p.m.  let’s see:

1. 1 litter box cleaned
2. Dishes soaking

Houston, I think we have a problem.

I have an eight hour shift today.  I have an eight hour shift every Saturday, so what’s the big deal?  Sleep.  I actually fell asleep before midnight – 6 hours of sleep would be great – right?  Yeah, if I had gotten 6 hours of sleep.  A little before 2:00 this morning I was woken up by a large clap of thunder.  We do things big in Texas, so this was a LARGE clap of thunder.  It’s been a while since we’ve had rain, so it could have also been the unaccustomed noise that disturbed my sleep, who knows?  Anyway, I lay there thinking I could just roll over and go back to sleep.  But then the voices started talking to me (not them – that would be productive voices).  You know the ones: “Your computer is on.”  “Are you sure the surge protectors are going to work?”  I have little faith in surge protectors.  The last time I got up and closed down the computer because of a storm, the damn thing only lasted for about 10 minutes!  So do I get up out of this cozy bed for a mere 10 minute storm?  Yes.  To check the weatherbug radar.  Blasted thing wouldn’t load the animated thingy (it’s morning, why should I have to remember technical terms?) so I couldn’t tell in what direction the storm was going.  So I turned it off, went to visit the potty and then crawled back in bed.  The storm stopped.  *&*^%   About 4:00 it started up again with a vengeance.  But this time I just curled up and went back to sleep.  But my 6 hours of sleep was interrupted - twice.  I’m toast.  How’s your day been?

Don’t forget it’s book draw – check yesterday’s entry for backstock.

Also, the contest is still going on until the 3^rd.  Check Wednesday’s post for details.

Gotta get ready for work.

Oh, and I’m still itching.

I have an itch.  It’s taken over my entire body, disturbing my sleep, making me antsy and out of sorts.  I keep telling myself if I don’t scratch it will go away.  It always does.  But this one is pretty insistent.  I have things that I have to do and this itching keeps getting in the way.  And to top it all off, I’m being yelled at.  I’ve tried ignoring it too, but it keeps getting louder and more rambunctious.  Makes me just want to get out the ol’ fly swatter and squish them.  Flat, like a pancake.  It’s irritating to be yelled at constantly, you know?  Between the itching and the yelling I’m about to go nuts (watch it!).  So I’ve decided there’s only one thing to do.  I’m going to clean my desk, balance the checkbooks and then I’m going to scratch this itch until it bleeds.  In other words, I’m going to write this weekend.  And maybe then Skye, Jordan, Jude and the group will quiet down too and the itching will abate long enough to get other things done.  Or not …

Book Draw:  You remember how this goes.  Tell me if you want one and names will be drawn and announced on Monday.  Also, I’ve been known to toss one your way for no particular reason than IT’S MY BLOG AND I CAN IF I WANT TO!

Bad Boys to Go by Lori Foster, Janelle Denison and Nancy Warren

The Last Bride by Sandra Landry (Time Travel)

Double Play by Penelope Neri (romantic suspense)

Heart Choice by Robin D. Owens (paranormal)

Blame it on Chocolate by Jennifer Greene

Heartbeats by Susan Rae (romantic suspense)

Sexy, Single and Searching and Eager, Eligible and Alaskan (Duets) by Lori Wilde (more of the Bachelors of Bear Creek)

Unleash the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon (a Dark Hunter Novel)

For the Love of Nick by Jill Shalvis (Temptation)

The Star Witch by Linda Winstead Jones

Nothing to Fear by Karen Rose (Romantic Suspense)

Good Girls Don’t by Kelley St. John

The Model Man by Genie Davis

Half Past Dead by Meryl Sawyer (Romantic Suspense)

My Favorite Witch by Annette Blair

Don’t forget – there’s a contest going on – look at Wednesday’s post.  Deadline March 3^rd.

Oh , and Christa's son and his team came in second out of five teams in a landscaping contest.  Way to go!!

Couple of announcements today:

First –

Happy Birthday Glenice!

When I began blogging I thought maybe I might find a couple of people to help ease the loneliness.  I never thought that I would find a true friend.  I’m delighted beyond words that you have come into my life.  Have a great day hon – you deserve it!

AND

Congratulations Cece!

Cece – aka Celia Stuart - has been nominated for two Cupid and Psyche Awards.  These are awards given by The Romance Studio for excellence in romantic and erotic fiction.  She was nominated for New Author – erotic, and her book “Once in a Blue Moon” was nominated for Erotic Contemporary Romance.  Congratulations Cece!!!!  Proud of you sweetie!

Also, Ruby has asked that we say a few prayers for her sister-in-laws parents who are quite ill.  My thoughts are with them Ruby!

There’s a contest folks!  Look at yesterday’s blog.  The contest ends on March 3^rd.

Don’t forget that tomorrow is book draw day!!!!!!!

Sleepy this morning as I was up until 2:00 a.m. finishing Alison Kent’s “Goes Down Easy” – good book!  Anyway, yes folks you read it correctly.  I need a man.  Not just any man, but a hero – a potential love interest in a future book.  Why am I asking now and what does this have to do with the current WIP?  Because he’s Skye’s brother Scott and I need to have his “character likeness” picked out because he is in this book.  Criteria:  Not brunette.  Brothers Ethan, Jordan and Ross are brunettes.   And around Hugh Jackman’s age – that’s it, easy right?.  If you need a refresher on Skye, archive back to January 2 of this year – there’s a picture of her there.  While I don’t think they have to look a lot alike, it would be nice if there were similarities – she’s blond and blue-eyed.  Just give me names and I’ll google them.  What do you get in return?  A brand-spanking new copy of Jill Shalvis’ “Room Service” that’s what.  And if you have it already, or (gasp) you have no intentions of reading it – give me a suggestion anyway and I’ll give the book to the next best entry.  On second thought – if you have no intentions of reading it … what are you doing here? LOL

Speaking of books – don’t forget that this Friday is book draw day.

Wednesday joke:

A couple had been debating the purchase of a new auto for weeks. He wanted a new truck. She wanted a fast little sports-like car so she could zip through traffic around town. He would probably have settled on any beat up old truck, but everything she seemed to like was way out of their price range.

"Look!" she said. "I want something that goes from 0 to 200 in 4 seconds or less. And my birthday is coming up. You could surprise me."

So, for her birthday, he bought her a brand new bathroom scale.

Services will be at Downing Funeral Home on Monday the 12th. Due to the condition of the body, this will be a closed casket service. Please send your donations to the "Think Before You Say Things To Your Wife Foundation," Dallas, Texas.

Happy Birthday

Jana

When I tell people that I’ve had a friend for (nearly) 31 years, it just blows their minds.  I’m lucky, I guess, that two shy 14 year olds decided to get together – do you remember that first 1 hour phone call? (This folks, back in the days before call waiting, etc.)  We’ve laughed together, cried together, held on to each other for support, but most of all – we’ve loved each other all these years.  Friends are there to get you through the hard times, true friends help you hide the bodies.  I know that you’ll always help me hide those bodies.  My life would be empty without you in it.  Happy Birthday, dear, dear friend.

Oh, and I’ve updated my webpage – not a lot of changes, just a few things deleted and added to my TBR pile and the previously entered new Book of the Month.

Bebo's mother came through the surgery just fine.  She has a completely new hip and when she's let out of the hospital she'll be going to a rehab center.  Thanks for all of the prayers and good thoughts!

Hi folks – kind of sluggish here this morning and last night was shot - I’ll explain more in a moment, but first:  Brandy wants more pictures of my cats, so on Mondays I’ll post a new one.  Here’s Seamas Declan – A.K.A. Bubba the Red-Necked Kitty.

Around 7:00 last night Bebo received a phone call – her mother had fallen on the ice and she was being transported to a hospital near here (she lives near Terrell for you Texans).  Bebo took off for the hospital of course and I started the waiting game.  Turns out her mother broke her femur just below the ball-joint in her left hip.  They called it a specific type of break, but Bebo can’t remember what they called it.  Anyway, she’ll be having surgery today – they will just do a hip replacement.  Because of the ice on the roads I waited up for her to come home – it was close to midnight before I crawled into bed, later before I fell asleep.  Combine that with the arthritis which is giving my fingers, knees and hips fits, its been a slow morning.  I haven’t even been to Jill’s blog yet!  I have a couple of chores to get to this morning, so I’ll be slow to get to everyone’s blogs – I know, you’ll miss my early morning wit – come on, admit it.

The ice wasn’t so bad – our highways are terrible of course, with all of the overpasses.  And we have some areas of what is called “black ice” because of the drizzle and fog which iced up on the surface.  Our ramp is inaccessible and the garage door has suddenly decided not to work right (I’m hoping it’s the weather), so if we have to go out the front, we are forced to climb down the two-tiered (brick) flower bed using the ramp railings for balance.  Should all clear up today as the temp just now got to 32 and will be in the lower 40s by this afternoon.  It was a good weekend to tuck in.

First – here’s a picture of Susie – I got her okay to post it!  This was taken at the beginning of the festivities Saturday night.  Oddly, she got a bit blurry by the end of the night?

Okay, Danica and Diane tagged me, so here goes.  I’m doing this at 10:09 p.m. Friday night, since we all know I have to work on Saturday.

Current clothing:  t-shirt, lounging pants, thick socks and fluffy slippers

Current hair: Hah!  Since it’s my day off I don’t remember if I even brushed it!  Straggly, over grown bangs, shoulder length, brown, with silver hi-lites.

Current mood:  I have to go to work tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!

Current refreshment:  Just finished a Pepsi

Current annoyance:  There are 9 cats in this house – need I say more?

Current avoidance: Paying a bill

Current smell: remnants of ham and beans from supper

Current thing you ought to be doing: cleaning

Current thing or things on your wall:  character bulletin board, College diploma, Dean’s List and President Scholar awards, regular bulletin board w/March 2005 calendar (so I’m a little behind).  And that’s just above my desk.

Current IM/person you are talking to:  Everyone has gone to bed – do the cats count?

Current jewelry:  none

Current book:  Goes Down Easy by Alison Kent

Current worry:  Too numerous to list

Current love: Well, since I can’t have Hugh Jackman it’ll have to be baby kitty Bailey.

Current longing: see above, and I don’t mean Bailey

Current disappointment:  see above

Current lyric in your head: um, nothing.  I don’t mean nothing in my head silly!

Current music: Meow

Current Favorite book:  Back in the Bedroom by “The Shalvis” (title changes, but never author)

Current undergarments:  Huh?  Like that’s any of your business?  Okay, off-white panties. 

Current desktop picture:  You mean on computer?  My brother David’s backyard Thanksgiving 2004 – such lovely snow; desk?  Glenice

Current plans for tonight/weekend:  Tonight? Sleep.  Work tomorrow, hunkering down on Sunday.

So what are you currently doing? Tagging …  Toni, Butterfly (she got me last time) and  … um, Scott. 

Congratulations

Kate Hardy

Kate’s medical romance “Where the Heart Is” has been nominated for the RNA Romance Prize for 2006!!!!!!  The awards will be announced at the RNA Dinner on April 20th.

I’m so proud of you Kate – way to go girl!

This is a really good book – a tearjerker (at least 1 and a half Kleenex boxes).  Here in the states we can only get it through eharlequin.com.  I highly recommend it.

And for those of us (because I didn’t know) who aren’t acquainted with this prize – its Great Britain’s equivalent of a RITA!