Quoteable

Boys have been taking state standardized tests this week, and PFB finished yesterday.  This was his first time using Scantron cards, and he was clearly intrigued.  This was a conversation between the boys this morning on the way to school…

PFB:  You know how there’s that grey number on your Scantron card?  When you get your Scantron, look and see what your number is so you can tell me.

GFB (belligerently):  Why?  So you can steal my identity???

I laughed out loud and reassured GFB that I doubted very much that that was PFB’s intention.  Then again, who knows?  That kid’s got all kinds of things up his sleeve…

In other news, I have a cold, with a bad sore throat.  I solicited advice on Facebook on how to get rid of it, and someone suggested cayenne tea.  A follow-up question confirmed she was suggesting I drink cayenne pepper mixed with hot water.  Yesterday I balked.  Today I just might try it…  I’m going to try Hot Tamales first though.

Posted in life on 04/28/2011 07:27 pm | 6 Comments

A Milestone

I finished the first draft of ‘book three’ today and am feeling pretty good about it.  (I basically finished this one in six months, which, given my track record, is mind-boggling.  I guess a little planning goes a long way…)  My agent has already seen the first 200 pages and loved them, so I have high hopes that the revision process won’t be too painful.  After that, it remains to be seen whether my editor likes it…

This all seems so very strange…and not quite real.  I sold last August; ‘book two’ is due October 1, at which time, AUSTEN-TATIOUS will still be four months from publication (January 31st release date for those of you keeping track…which I fervently hope is ALL of you!).  It’s hard to imagine starting work on a new book in just a few weeks, but that’s the way it’s going to have to be I guess.

I should be getting a glimpse of the cover for AUSTEN-TATIOUS in the next few weeks, so maybe it’ll help keep things in perspective a little bit.  Then again, maybe not.

[via]

Either way, I feel a little like a diva right now!

Posted in creative writing on 04/27/2011 01:43 am | 6 Comments

Awww, man!

Yesterday was the first time in my life (that I know of) that I missed out on an Easter dinner.  I had a sloppy joe and chips for lunch and takeout Chinese food for dinner.

We had big plans.  We were going up to my in-laws lakehouse for the long Easter weekend, Butters’ sister was coming into town, my brother and his wife and new baby were thinking of driving in from Austin, and my parents were going to drive up.  Family get-together on the holiday, as usual.  But then my brother decided he wasn’t going to come, and then my parents (for understandable reasons), so it was just going to be my in-laws and us.

My MIL likes to cook–no, LOVES to cook and actually prefers to handle most meals by herself.  (I do clean-up).  So, I asked her what I should bring, and she told me she thought I’d have my hands full bringing foods suitable for GFB, so nothing else was necessary.  Okay…

Well, the weekend went along merrily, and Sunday my family (minus the in-laws) went to church.  When we got back at about 10:30, no food preparation was going on, which, if you knew my MIL, you’d know was downright weird.  At 11:00 she said, “We need to decide what we’re going to do about lunch.”  My head snapped around in dismay.  Leftovers were mentioned.  LEFTOVERS??  This was Easter Sunday!  Where was the ham?  the potato salad?  the deviled eggs? the homemade rolls?  Where was ANYTHING but a leftover sloppy joe??

There wasn’t anything.  And I have to wonder why nothing was mentioned.  I would have planned an Easter dinner.  At the very least I would have planned an Easter dessert…  I just assumed.  And assuming doesn’t get you a deviled egg, apparently.  I’ve learned my lesson.

I don’t plan on missing out on an Easter dinner again anytime soon…  So there.

Posted in Easter weekend, life on 04/25/2011 03:13 pm | 2 Comments
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