Sick kitty

One of my cats is sick. The poor thing kept me up all night, meowing and purring and just telling me she's feeling yukky. One of those misery loves company times, I guess. I am calling the vet this morning to see if I can get my little dolly in to see him. Just have to make sure she's all right, you know how it is. Don't we just love our pets? I know I do.

Now, to make coffee so that when the doctor's office opens I'll at least make some semblance of sense. :)

What sign is he?

You Should Be With an Air Sign!

Your best match is a Gemini, Libra, or Aquarius Why? You crave excitement and playful banter Only an Air Sign can match your wit - and keep you on your toes As for fun, an Air Sign guy will show you plenty? with tons of surprises Just be sure to introduce him to some new playful experiences as well!

What Sign Guy Should You Date?

Baking? Nuh uh!

Baking lessons? Today, when it's a gazillion degrees in the shade, even in cooler-than-most-other-spots Maine? Nuh uh, not me! Sorry! If you're here looking for a scrumptious recipe then I'm going to disappoint you. Again, sorry! But really, I just couldn't face the hot bakery ovens today. I just couldn't!!

Instead, I hit the beach. Now, that's more my style for a sweltering Friday afternoon. Lying in my beach chair, a copy of a new romance open in my hand and a tall glass of--well, you'll just have to fill that in yourself. Hey, some info is private! ;)

Hope you're having a wonderful Friday!

~Rusty

Monday Fun

Ah, I love a man in a kilt...

In Scotland, the most important time for a young lad is when he "comes of age" and is allowed to purchase and wear his first kilt.

A young lad went to a tailor shop and found the material he wanted for his first kilt. He took the material to the tailor and said, "I'd like ye to make me a kilt with this material here and, if ye don't mind, I'd like ye to make me a pair of matching underwear for it. I hear it gets a might drafty up dem tings!"

So the tailor took the material and promised to call the young lad when the order was completed.

A few days later, the tailor called the lad back to the shop. "Here's ye kilt, and here's ye matching underwear, and here's five yards of the material left over. Ye might want to take it home and keep it in case you want anything else made of it."

The lad rushed home with his order, threw the material in his room and donned his kilt. So pleased, he decided to run to his girlfriend's house to show off his new purchases. In his excitement, he forgot to don his underwear.

When his girlfriend answered the door, he pointed to his kilt. "Well, what do ye think?"

"Ah, but dat's a fine looking kilt," she exclaimed.

"Aye, and if ye like it, ye'll really like what's underneath," he boasted, lifting the edge of his kilt.e

"Oh, but dat's a dandy!"

Still not realizing he didn't have his underwear on he nodded. "Aye, and if ye like it, I've got five more yards of it at home!"

Just too funny

What do you think? A town in Vermont is considering banning public nudity. Read the full article here.

Me?

I'll be keeping my pants on.

Fruit Loops

Sometimes I think readers get the idea writers lead exciting, action-packed lives. While I suppose some of us do, most writers lead fairly ordinary existences. They do all the regular things readers do, except they manage to squash in time for writing, too. And editing. And all the other less-than-glamorous stuff that goes with it, like agonizing over covers and dedications. Okay, you get the idea.

Just a while ago something happened here that made me smile. And I thought I'd share it with you, just so you can see for yourself how truly glamorous this writer's life is.

Of course, yesterday was July 4th. We all celebrate in our own way, and here at my house we had a large family-and-friends barbeque. And last night after the fireworks and presumably after I'd had one glass of merlot too many, I volunteered to keep my cousin's darling daughter here for the night. After all, she was already asleep on the sofa, her blond curls spread out around her sweet face halo style. How hard could it be to have one small houseguest? Besides, my cousin Jenny and her husband rarely get any time without Bonnie. Really, it seemed like a good idea-for everyone-at the time.

Now I know why Jenny ran out faster than a virgin at an orgy.

Have you ever tried to satisfy a three-year-old's breakfast cravings?

"Hey Bonnie, are you hungry?"

"Yup. But first I gotta pee."

"Of course. Uh, do you need help in the bathroom?"

One eyebrow shot up and she glared at me. "Do I look like a baby to you? No, I don't need help. I can do it myself."

The slam of the door was the perfect backdrop for the slap of the cupboard as I reached for the coffee. Heaping an extra spoonful of Folger's into the machine, I kept one ear zeroed in on the closed door. Finally, I heard the sound I'd been hoping not to hear.

"I need help..."

Ugh. Before coffee?

Bathroom duty done, and hands scrubbed, we return to the kitchen. Bonnie climbs onto a stool beside the counter and begins to kick her toes on the cabinet front at her feet. Ignoring it, I head for the fridge.

"What do you feel like having this morning, Bons?"

"Fruit Loops."

Yeah, right. Fruit Loops?

"Pancakes? How about some pancakes? With little faces on them? I think I've got some raisins around here somewhere..."

"No. Fruit Loops."

Uh oh.

"Oh, look! Croissants! Uncle Bill brought them yesterday afternoon! I've got some of that expensive blueberry jam from that shop on Main Street. I was saving it for--well, I can always get another jar. Really, it's only twelve bucks a jar...but hey, it's blue! Isn't blue your favorite color, Bons?"

"Not cwosants! Fruit Loops. I want Fruit Loops."

Forty minutes later Bonnie polished off the last of her chocolate chip, blueberry waffles drenched in pure maple syrup and accompanied by a huge glass of chocolate milk. I was, thankfully, drinking my second cup of coffee--just to fortify myself for the task of cleaning up the enormous kitchen mess. I turned to the little darling, now covered from eyebrows to knees in syrup, and asked, "Now, weren't those waffles good?"

Nodding, Bonnie said, "They were okay. But not as good as Fruit Loops."

Yeah, it's real glamorous here.

Hot here

We wait for summer in Maine. I mean, we really, really wait for it. Don't get me wrong, I love winter but I adore summer. When I saw the weather for today a few minutes ago, I jumped. Up and down. Really, like a little kid. Honestly, I nearly kissed the tv screen. But the weather guy, he was kind of...well, let's just say he wasn't my type.

So what does a romance writer do on a hot, sunny day in May? HA! I'll bet you're thinking I've got something slinky to put on, someone hot and hunky to do something wonderfully exciting with, don't you? I do, but probably not in the way you're thinking. Today I'm going to pull on an old bathing suit, grab some frayed shorts and a holey tshirt and take my slobbery little dogfriends and go walk on the beach. During the winter all kinds of crap gets tossed up on the beach and early spring is a good time to go pick some of it up and throw it away. Because really, we only have so much beachfront in the world. Why not do my part to keep the planet clean? Are you doing your part? Hmm?

All right, so that's what I'm doing today. What about you? What are you doing on this hot, sultry day?

Whatever it is you've got planned, I hope you have fun. And if you see rubbish on the ground, pick it up and put it in the trash. Please?