Summer Heat

The temperatures lately are in the mid-90's and already I'm scrambling to put on my window air conditioner units. I try to procrastinate as long as I can, but the humidity in the air is somewhat unbearable. My house is not geared to open up the windows if a breeze happens to flow. Plus I have animals that either want to escape out (the dogs) or want to escape in (the older cats). The cats had recent litters each (YIKES!) and when they got old enough, we managed to get rid of most but three. Well, actually we told Kayla she could keep one of the male kittens if she opted to get the older females fixed, plus the kitten. I had given two to the woman across the street, but she promptly let them outside again. So twice, they found their way back into my yard.I couldn't bare if they got accidently runned over by a car or chased by stray dogs, so they wound up in my home again. Then I find myself falling in-love with another kitten, because it is extremely furry and just lays anywhere to sleep- alot! I don't know if my hubby will be too keen in letting me keep it though. I've been trying to find them homes, but no luck so far. So they might end up going to the no-kill shelter soon. I've been procrastinating, but every morning, as they meow in unison for food, I know this must be done. I can't keep all of these animals. It's too much work and they need their own homes.

Adding insult to injury, last month's rain produced fleas in my back yard. I've treated it about four times already, with different chemicals and still they exist. It doesn't help how my neighbors on all three sides of me appear to have two to three dogs and don't treat their yards. I've not witnessed them outside spraying their perimeters with Spectracide. My poor small dogs endure baths twice a day it seem. Well pretty often, just to ensure they don't bring the little varmits in and I'm only letting them out long enough to do their business. They aren't staying out any longer than ten to fifteen minutes. Sigh. I think I'm fighting a losing battle.

We did fumigate my house mid-week when hubby and I stayed elsewhere for our anniversary and that helped out a lot. But I've got to win this battle. Hubby swears there is a powerful chemical to put on the grass that he can pick up at the local feedstore. And I'm all for that, but my question is when will he go do it? He's not the one bathing these dogs. I am!

Procrastination is a bad thing in a marriage. There comes a time for a woman when one must bite their tongue and when to cut it loose. However, if done continuously and too soon, the woman is percieved to be the big "B" word or a real nag.... and I hate when it's aimed at me. So right now, I'm binding my time and biting my toungue, waiting for my hubby to get off his touche and make that errand run to the feed store.. and to do all the countless other mini-projects so needing his attention. I do my share of the bill paying, grocery planning/shopping, errand running every single day without being told what must be done. Why can't he?? I think men have it somewhere stamped on their genes to be lazy, don't they??

So between the heat, the dog bathing, and procrastination, I'm going a little bonkers. And I've got a grad party to accomplish on Friday. I was hoping my hubby would put up the pool so the kids could swim. Well, I've volunteered to work tomorrow and he's got the day off for Memorial Day. Maybe while I'm gone, inspiration will hit, ya think???? I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

On the bright side, I had a recent visitor in my home this weekend. For about two years, Dee and I have been conversing on line in our little writing group on Cafemom, the Written Voice. We even co-authored the book produced for a charity, Our Written Voices. She didn't have major plans for the holiday and decided to take a road trip to meet me in person. Just me. WOW! I felt so honored and excited. I so hoped my hospitality made her feel comfortable as I introduced her to most of my family. I think the only one she missed meeting was my son, Keifer, who had to work and was off helping out one of his friends this weekend.



On Saturday nite, I took Dee out to the VFW to enjoy steak and karoake. My daughter, Tracy, and her family, joined us. We even got up to sing, which probably entertained Dee to no end. LOL. Karoake/steak/ and margaritas/and one tequila shot made for a fun evening. We had conversed about our families, our interest in writing, and about ideas for our online group. I found we had many things in common and we shared many hopes, ideals, and dreams. So much shared between us which just sealed our friendship further in friendship glue. I found her to be a delight, very smart, and a woman who has firm common sense about a lot of things, which was equally an eye-opener for me and very refreshing. I can't wait for us to get together again, for she is indeed a wise, wise woman and a remarkable individual. I need people like her around me for sure, to make me think, grow, and aspire to become. Yes, she is an awesome friend. :)


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After breakfast this morning, she returned home. And I felt sad. Wished so much we lived closer, because I don't really have alot of good friends like her close by. I know acquaintances, but the connection Dee and I made on line is so strong, that I deem her to be a sister in my life. How better can feelings be for one person?

Not to leave anyone out, but I do feel this way for a few other individuals in our online group too; something strong which has built up over the last couple of years. It's my dream that one day I will get to meet them in person too. Or that we will all get together at a common local. Perhaps one day it will happen if I keep my fingers crossed on this too. :)

Of course, I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and has taken time to honor those who served our country. I believe most of the country had good weather. We finally got a break from the heat with an afternoon shower, which cooled things off for a bit; something refreshing and a needed break from early summer heat for sure.

Editing and being clearly understood

Have something to say, and say it as clearly as you can. That is the only secret.
Matthew Arnold

I've taken a break from my co-admin duties on Cafemom's The Written Voice, in order to have some time to read and edit. The 3rd part of my Cross Passage Series, Hearts Restless Winds, had sat dormant on my computer for quite awhile. Although I had one printed copy of the manuscript to peruse, once I got to reading it and furiously scratching out parts, I realized the manuscript needed a huge make over.


Yet the fall, my original conception for publishing it, came and went because I got involved in another book project. Hence, my online group produced Our Written Voices, (poems and short stories), which I'm very proud to be a co-author.

But the New Year came around and then Valentine's and I realized I wasn't getting anywhere closer to getting the manuscript in order, so I told my group leader and dear friend, Susan, how much I needed a couple of months to concentrate on it and my family as well. Begrudgingly, she granted me the time and wished me luck.

And luck is what I need indeed. As I peruse each paragraph with a keen eye, I realize all the blunders within: the misuse of grammar; the occasional typo; the long winded-sentences; the lack of laying out the character's feelings or history. I suppose in hindsight being part of The Written Voice, where I enjoyed countless of poetry and short story submissions to read over, helped me with my editing process. I look at my writing a bit critical than before. Can't I take this eight sentence paragraph and punch it up with more active verbs? Can't I reduce it so it's not so long winded? Can't I take out repetitive phrases and make it more concise?

It is a grueling process.




I wish I had this critical eye a bit more available and knowledgeable when I produced my first book, Hostage to Her Heart. There are many pages flawed with a redundant usage of the word "that", where I could have easily substituted another more meaningful word, but I didn't know it then. I do now and this is where I have grown ever since.








My second book, Falling for Her Heart, reads a lot better. And thanks to my participation within The Written Voice, I find it has also shaped me into a better writer.






Do I still make an occasional mistake? Of course I do, but every good writer researches ways to make their craft better. The bottom line is to produce a book easily read and understood. We want a good story to tell and we want our characters to spring to life. When we accomplish this well, our readers convey to everyone what a wonderful story they've read. There's no better sense of pride when someone comes up to you and say, "Wow! I loved your book!"

It's what I'm trying to accomplish with Hearts Restless Winds. With luck, I may have it ready for a second proofread by mid-May and then final publication by June. One can crossfingers, light several candles to send up prayers, and then email me words of encouragement until I've done it.

Family Picnic and Senior Prom

These past couple of weeks have been busy (as usual) and exciting. There was a family picnic, where the last six siblings born to my natural mother, Guadalupe, got together with our families on a picnic. It was amazing and fun.

We all gathered here in Temple at Miller's Park. It was a bit windy, but with a full sunny day, the temperatures were in the high 70's. Perfect weather for fun, pictures, and family getting reacquainted. We never got around to doing our genealogy charts as I had hoped, simply because there was so much going on.



My hubby Bruce was busy grilling hot dogs, sausage, and hamburgers, while me and my brother Tomas got it all assembled. My sisters, Mary, Delia, and Virginia were all having fun with their grand babies, as well as Richard and his wife Sarah.





There were about 15 youngsters running around, playing on the playground, to feeding ducks and geese by the pond; to busting open a pinata. They had even more fun when little prizes were given away, consisting of kites, coloring books, and - gasp!- water guns/toys. Even the grownups played. And, oh yeah.. they got some of us good! LOL. My granddaughter Mariah and my daughter Kayla snuck up on me once! Can you say Gotcha!!







At the end of the picnic, which seemed like 4 hours was not enough time, we vowed to do this again. Some of us shared face book connection to keep in touch. And we shared some pics.



The next celebration was for Kayla, my high school senior. The prom preparations were fun, from getting a perfect mask for the masquerade theme ball, to finding that perfect dress to match. We've always had luck getting something from Killeen Mall and the dress we chose was not only on sale, we got an additional 10% off for giving them an email for future advertisements. Debs is definitely the place we will always go to for special occasion dresses. Kayla already had high heel shoes from last year's prom and a wrap coat. She had already decided to wear her hair down (straightened with the hot iron) and so all was left to do was get her nails done.




It's kind of fun to sit and watch the process. She just chilled talking with mariah next to her, getting her toenails painted and her fingernails tipped and painted. I sat and watched their tv on the wall, just relaxing.

When prom night came, Kayla didn't have a date this year, so drove the car to pick up one of her girlfriends. It felt a bit odd, as all of her previous dances were escorted by her ex-beau, Chris, but this year, he was still at Army Reserves AIT training and her current beau was unable to go. I peaked in on her in the morning, as she slept, getting the camera from her purse to download pics. Surprisingly, she didn't take a whole lot of pictures at the occasion. I whispered, "Did you have fun?" and she nodded, with a small smile on her face. I think of all the dances, her senior year one should be memorable somehow and I suppose being stag, with all of her friends in attendance, will be something wonderful to recall after all.






So now we must think ahead to her graduation party (first weekend of June).I've plenty to do, from ordering invitations, getting food, to preparing a guest list. We've got a month to do it, but I fear it will go fast. For all the years my kids were in school, it's bittersweet for my last child to finished this saga of her life. But she's a bright kid with goals for her future, so I think soon enough, she will be a freshman year at college and going beyond. It's just part of watching your child grow up, but it's tough on a mom's heart to let go.