Welcome to my daily blog. If this is your first time, I'm a romance writer and a misplaced city girl currently living in the wild Sierras. I tend to have a lot of I-Love-Lucy moments that I share here but sometimes we talk about books, TV, and our favorite cookies. Okay, my favorite cookies. In any case, please feel free to comment by clicking on the Comments at the bottom of any entry. If you're too shy, that's okay, just know I love having you.

Hump Day

May 16, 2012 | Filed under: Stuff

Guess which of the following happened to me. I’ll draw names from the correct guesses for a book from my backlist, print or Kindle.

1. Frat Boy got into the neighbor’s kiddie pool and refused to get out.
2. I found my missing glasses … in the goodie drawer.
3. I called a visiting boy by the dog’s name.
4. Alpha Man accidentally locked me out on the deck.
5. Frat Boy pooped out part of my missing scarf.

Only Me

May 15, 2012 | Filed under: Stuff

So I went to take out some trash and came across a very unusual site. I know, only me, right?

I mean what do you do in this sort of circumstance? What’s protocol? Scream? Toe him to make sure it’s not a dead body? Or worse, half a dead body? Luckily while I was trying to decide, the body moved, pushed himself up to his knees and told me I had gas.

And he was right. I have gas. Gas to the house, that is …

Wash And Repeat

May 14, 2012 | Filed under: Stuff

So Alpha Man had this brilliant idea. “Let’s take the dogs paddle boarding,” he says. “It’ll be fun.”

Hmm. I can barely stay on my paddle board all on my own, so you can imagine why I was a little skeptical. But we packed up the dogs and went to the lake. We decided that given my, um, state of absolutely NO grace, that I should take Ashes on my board. The old lady is quiet, calm and tough as hell. She’s also my self appointed guardian.

So Alpha Man helped me load Ashes on the paddle board with me, and off we went.

Alpha Man loaded himself and Frat Boy on his board. And here’s where it went all bad. Frat Boy didn’t want to be with his daddy. He wanted his mama, NOW. He took one look at me and Ashes about twenty yards down the lagoon and took a flying leap off Alpha Man’s board and started swimming for me.

Have you ever seen a gawky eight month old black lab swim? They do it with their entire heart and soul. Eyes wide, ears flopping, tongue lolling, they slap their HUGE front paws down into the water with each stroke like they’re making for China.

I saw Frat Boy coming at me and Ashes, and I started yelling. “No! Frat Boy, no! Go back!”

Because I knew what was going to happen. Ashes and me, we’re of like minds. We like to stay dry. We like to stay upright. We like to gently float.

And a hundred pound Frat Boy was heading straight for us, with one thing on his mind. FUN! And sure enough, there was no stopping him. Soon as he got close, he made a flying leap out of the water and onto my board, knocking poor Ashes off and me to my knees. So now I’m clinging to the board, precariously perched and desperately trying to stay out of the water because God forbid THE HAIR, THE HAIR CAN’T GET WET OR IT WILL FRIZZ!

Meanwhile, Ashes is in the water, her hair is frizzing all over the place, and she is pissed.

Oh, and Alpha Man? On his board, laughing his ass off so hard he nearly fell in all on his own.

Much later, he kept saying to me, all gleeful and laughing again at the memory, “you scream really loud.” Yes. Yes, thank you, I sure do.

When I recovered, I tried again. With Frat Boy firmly on the shore, hoping he wasn’t missing a party or anything.

It didn’t work, no matter what we did, Frat Boy had to be with me on my board. And I couldn’t get my balance with a wriggly, overgrown puppy on it with me. So we gave up. This was no problem for Alpha Man, who’d much rather be doing something MUCH faster anyway. Like being dragged behind a boat at top speeds.

Boys. They never grow up …

May 11, 2012 | Filed under: Stuff

I spent way too much time yesterday washing disgustingly filthy 75 pound 2 year old black lab pup Frat Boy, who once again rolled in bear poop. First of all, WHY DOES MY DOG ROLL ECSTATICALLY IN BEAR POOP? To torture me? If so, consider it a job well done.

Frat Boy now smells fabulous. I, however, am drenched, and can STILL SMELL BEAR POOP. I once heard that if you can smell something, this means you have particles of that something in your nostrils. Consider me FREAKED OUT NOW.

I Love Lucy

May 10, 2012 | Filed under: Stuff

At least once a week I drive by a truck that I think is Alpha Man’s and I wave. When he doesn’t wave back, I realize.

Wrong truck.

So the next time I see it, I’m hesitant to wave, but then I’m sure it’s him and I do anyway, and . . .

It’s not him.

This has been going on for several years now. I’m sure some guy in a truck similar to Alpha Man’s is wondering who the hell the strange lady in town is, the one that always waves to him.

Cut to the grocery store the other night. Alpha Man and I are in the ice-cream aisle arguing over dessert. He wants Rocky Road and I want Strawberry. This guy walks by and Alpha Man starts talking to him. Clearly they know each other. Alpha Man turns to introduce us and the guy grins familiarly.

Crap. I hate it when I know someone and I’ve forgotten who they are. “I’m sorry,” I start, already embarrassed I can’t remember him. “Do I know you?”

“Well, you think you do anyway. You’ve been waving to me for three years now.”

Today’s Office View

May 9, 2012 | Filed under: Stuff

Also, do you have an ereader? Simply Irresistible, my very first Lucky Harbor book, is on sale wherever ebooks are sold for $1.99!! A steal… Click Amazon or BN if you’re so inclined …

But real quick, before you go, what are you reading??