Friday, June 26, 2015

Gone Again


We're leaving again, blogster buds. 

We're heading for Minnesota where the in-laws are holding a reception for the baby girl and new hubby. We'll be back in about a week, so store up everything exciting that's going on while we're gone and tell me all about it when we get back. Hugs.

 ~*~

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Mockingjay Trailer, Lost Tortoise and BandAids

For the Hunger Games fans. For those of you aren't, please bear with us.






~*~
This is not the turtle in the article. Picture from en.wikipedia.org.

Yikes. Folks clean out their house and find the tortoise they lost thirty years ago.

Thanks, Rye.

~*~
Best Band Aids  Ever
These were in our wedding gift bag.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

To Rent:

Nice little property in quiet neighborhood, near restaurant and grocery store. Will soon be vacant. Pictures below.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Released This Month: Forward Pass



Please welcome best selling author, Desiree Holt. 
Forward Pass (Book One: Game On)
It’s never too early or late to play the game.

Shay Beckham grew up idolizing her brother’s best friend, star quarterback Joe Reilly. There was no one in their Texas town who had the moves to match Joe on or off the field. Years later, he’s still a player who has what it takes to drive any hot-blooded woman wild. But Shay isn’t a kid with a bad case of hero-worship anymore. She’s grown-up and independent, with her feet on the ground and a serious head on her shoulders. If she could just say the same for Joe.
It’s been fifteen years, but Joe Reilly hasn’t forgotten the skinny little kid who used to follow him around like a shadow. What he can’t get over is that the skinny shadow has grown into one hell of an incredible woman. One any man in his right mind would kill to get his hands on. And one who seems to be completely immune to him. He knows he and Shay could have something special together. If he could only convince her he’s about more than just the game.

Excerpt:
The taxi moved forward with a jerk and Shay’s eyes popped open. She leaned forward and tapped the driver on the shoulder.
“Did they clear away the wreck? We’re finally moving, right?”
“Yes, miss.” He shrugged. “But slowly.”
She rotated her neck, trying to work out some of the kinks. She’d been sitting in uncomfortable seats since she got in the shuttle to the airport and every muscle in her body ached. The hot shower was looking better and better. Or maybe she’d fire up the hot tub Hank had installed on the rear deck.
Hopefully, with all this delay caused by the wreck, by the time she got to the house Laura would be packed and gone. They pulled off the interstate and she mentally crossed her fingers and silently chanted, Let her be gone. But bad luck was still with her. When they turned onto her street and she spotted the car parked in the driveway, she swore under her breath. Laura Whoever was still here. Well, she’d better be getting ready to leave. Shay was in no mood to put up with bullshit. Sighing, she hauled her suitcase into the house, closed the door, and headed through the living room to her bedroom.
And stopped.
A hissing sound came from the shower in the bathroom connected to her bedroom and the guest room. Damn it! The least Hank could do was tell his little friends to use the master bath and leave hers alone. He had, after all, promised her that she’d have complete privacy.
“I travel a lot,” he’d told her. Then grinned. “And I’ll keep the sleepovers to those times you’re in New York.”
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So how come this female hadn’t gotten the message she was supposed to be gone?
Crap! The door wasn’t even closed. Clouds of steam billowed in the bathroom and obscured the figure in the frosted-glass shower enclosure. Okay, enough was enough.
Shay stepped into the bathroom and banged her hand on the glass.
“This is my bathroom,” she ground out. “I’ve had a tough day and you don’t want to mess with me. Next time use Hank’s bathroom. This one is off-limits. Get your ass out of here in five seconds, or I won’t be responsible for my actions.”
She turned away, not the least bit interested in a glimpse of Laura Whoever’s nudity. She just wanted her out of the house.
The water stopped and the door slid open.
“Okay. I don’t want to cause you any more stress. But Hank said I should use this one.”
The deep voice shocked her and she turned around before she even thought about it. And nearly swallowed her tongue. A very wet, very naked Joe Reilly stood in her shower stall, grinning at her.
Just when she’d finally made up her mind to stop thinking about him and obsessing over him.
At that exact moment her cell phone chimed. A message from Hank.
“BTW, Joe’s in town, Take good care of him.”


About Desiree:
Desiree has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The London Daily Mail and numerous other national and international publications.

“Get out the ice water and fan…Desiree Holt delivers smoking hot alpha heroes and red hot romances.” Lea Franczak, USA Today Happy Ever After blog

Learn more about her and read her novels here:
www.facebook.com/desireeholt
Twitter @desireeholt
Pinterest: desiree02holt
Google: www.desiree02holt
LinkedIn: www.LinkedIn.com/desiree01holt

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Oops

So the NRA checked  the wrong box for 'direct or indirect political activities' to the tune of 33.5 million dollars on their tax returns for six years. Yeesss,I could see how that could happen. Grin, grin. Wink, wink.
https://www.yahoo.com/politics/d-c-watchdog-group-calls-for-feds-to-probe-121214993266.html


Tuesday, June 16, 2015

The BAT

There were some questions last week as to the size of the BAT (My brother's Big Ass Truck).
This:
Not This:
Or This:
Is the BAT


Friday, June 12, 2015

Weekend

Have a blessed, peaceful weekend.
*Blessed--Among other descriptions, but mine to you--to bestow benefit on and protect.

Thursday, June 11, 2015

The Wedding

Here's a few pics prior to the wedding. Everything was beautiful: the setting, the weather, the vows, the church....the bride.
The bride, groom and flower girl

The happy couple
The bride, groom and flower girl


From the left: Brother of Bride, Groom, Bride, Mom and Dad


 A huge thanks to friends and relatives who traveled from great distances to attend the wedding, especially Ms. Amanda who came all the way from Wales. And to those whose tireless efforts made it the memorable occasion it was. Thank you. And last but not least, much joy to my baby girl and her wonderful husband.


Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Tree Drama

So its a couple of hours before the ceremony. My side of the family is standing under this big leafy tree watching the wedding party get photographed. All of a sudden, I hear a crashing in the branches, look up and there's this thick black thing coming straight at me. I thought for sure it was a black snake. I jumped back quicker than a (excuse the expression) poked toad. In fact I moved so fast and far, I nearly ended up in traffic. Turned out to be a big ole tree branch. If I hadn't moved when I did I would have probably been cold cocked. It's just as well I thought it was a snake, I doubt if my body would have jet propelled itself in reverse for a mere tree branch.
Tomorrow: The Wedding

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Dress Drama

Every family has its own brand of luck. Ours runs to the macabre especially my daughter's. It's either very good or very bad but always surreal.
She was trying to hold down cost for the wedding and rented her dress, which is the new big thing in her area, MONTHS ago. A week and a half before her wedding, the rental shop called and told her they no longer had that dress and had nothing else she could rent because it was prom weekend and everything they had was spoken for. Sounds like a very customer service oriented business doesn't it. (Heavy on the sarcasm here.)
So she found something online and ordered it. She forgot to have it overnighted so there was a real fear it wouldn't arrive in time for the wedding. Luckily, it arrived in time. Unfortunately it was three sizes too big for her. You can tell by the pics my daughter is very slender.
The clock is ticking. We are down to days before the wedding and the girl still doesn't have a dress. She orders another one. It arrives and it comes close to fitting. It can use some alterations but there's no time.
Approximately two days, give or take, before the wedding she finds THE dress. 
The morning before the wedding, she gives me, her mom-in-law-to-be and her auntie-in-law-to-be a preview. She's kept the dress that needs alterations as an option, but it was the last dress, hands down, that was the pick of the litter.
Here's the pictures from the viewing. 
Bride and Bridesmaid

Wedding Day Makeup and Hair Ritual
Flower Girl. Isn't she a cutie?

Tomorrow: Tree Drama

Monday, June 8, 2015

I'm Back.....

The wedding's over and we're all winding down. There was plenty of excitement and drama to go around. Two days before the wedding the hubby was still having issues from the appendectomy. It was a toss up whether he would be going to the wedding or the hospital. In a panic, I called my brother to ask if I could beg a ride to the wedding if the hubby ended up in the hospital. Luckily, the hubby's doctor finally let him go but sent his medical records with him in case he had to be hospitalized out of state. My brother concerned about the hubby being on meds and driving asked: "Do you remember the old joke about I'd rather die like Grandpa peacefully in my sleep than like the passengers in his car screaming in terror? Why don't you ride with us?"

On the way up, in the DC area, we took a wrong turn and thought we were approaching a  toll booth.  We were trying to pay when we noticed 'the attendant'  was wearing Kevlar and packing heat. Somehow, we'd taken the exit to the NSA Headquarters. After a quick U-ie we were back en route.
We finally arrived in Philly.  Have you ever driven in Philly? It has narrow streets and parking is at a premium. We pulled into the lot by the hotel where cars were three deep. A man whose primary language wasn't English and who wasn't wearing a uniform asked for the keys.My sis-in-law opted for a parking garage.

My other brother came up in a BAT (big ass truck). He was okay for the wedding since the church had its own parking lot but he had no luck when he tried to find a place to park for the reception. He finally found one lot that had a space he'd fit in but they wouldn't let him park because he'd only be parking for four hours. So he and his wife weren't able to attend the reception.

We stayed at a nice hotel whose rooms were more like what you would find in a B and B. See pic. We were only given one key so I spent a good bit of time tracking down someone to let me in the room whenever I left it. We got overcharged but luckily got that straightened out.

Tomorrow: Getting ready for the wedding or...dress drama.




Friday, June 5, 2015

Friday

I will be back Monday and tell you all about our adventures. In the meantime have a great weekend, blogster buds.