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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

What happens in Vegas...

...has been really fun this time. More so than normal, I mean. It started out a bit rocky on Sunday night when the slot machines were ravenous and ate 1/2 my money in less than an hour.

We're staying at Mandalay Bay, and I haven't left the hotel since we got here Sunday afternoon. We ate steak and onion rings to die for Sunday night at a place called StripSteak.

This morning, Monday, I met my cousin Kenneth and Aunt Leota at the buffet here for breakfast. I can't believe we were all in Vegas together! The buffet was scrumptious and I ate like there was no tomorrow. It was so good, Lane and I ate supper there.

The gambling was awesome. I stretched my first hundred for several hours. I'd be way down and all of a sudden I'd win 35, 50, 60 dollars on a penny or nickel machine. I played several cat machines in honor of my bf Sheila, and they were very good to me. I also played a Green Stamps machine because I remember saving green stamps with my mom. It had some pretty good bonus features. At my last machine, I kept getting bonus spin after bonus spin and then special bonus spins until I'd racked up $282. Not bad from a $0.40 bet!

After that, Lane took me to a blackjack table. I'd been practicing online but was still too bashful to go play. We were betting $25 a hand, and I held my own for quite a while before ultimately loosing most of my chips. I had a blast.

We fly home tomorrow, and I'm ready to go home. Wednesday is critique night, and I'm ready to see my buds. Oh, btw, I also got about 2 hours worth of work done on the plane out here. Hope to do similar on the way back. I'm ready to get the current WIP done and get on with the next one.

To finish out the good news, my friend in the hospital has been taken off the ventilator - yay! She should get to go home soon, I hope. The sad thing is that it doesn't look good for her to get a lung transplant. It's doubtful she could survive the surgery. That really limits her days and In can easily imagine what that must feel like. I intend to support her with prayer for as long as she has.

Hope you're having a great day as you read this!
~pinkie

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Taking the Good with the Bad

April is a reall iffy month for me. The first notice I receive that it's arrived is that very exciting talk begins of my granddaughter' s May birthday. She will be 5 this year. Another little granddaughter turned 5 today but I don't get to celebrate with her. For reasons I can't honestly savvy, I' m not all sure of why she's been denied me. Or why I've been denied her. So as with all other things I cannot understand or really effect, I've turned this heartache over to the Lord.

Then April comes around, and all my good intentions fly out the window. Despite my strict diet, I ate pizza today and cheese sticks and a chocolate cupcake and chocolate donuts. I cried when I learned a friend is in ICU in life-threatening situation. Day before yesterday a lady who works for my husband landed in ICU with a brain aneurism.

Then the rest of the grandkids show up, and I have a respite from the world headed-for-hell-in-a-handbasket. Now alone at the end of the evening, my emotions feel more confused than anything. Kind of twisted together and wrung out with an iron fist. But soon, maybe tomorrow or next week, the world will begin to knit itself together again, and I'll feel fine again until the next trigger.

Sorry to be so melancholy today, but a spider's got to do what a spyder's got to do...

Love you all,
~pinkie

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

My Friend is a Hit!!

My friend, Gena Showalter, has been bouncing around for a while on the New York Times bestseller list, she's been interviewed on local television, and now she's made her national television debut on Nightline. Follow the link below to see Nightline's piece on romance novels (very interesting how romance sales increase during stressful times like now) including Gena's interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoyFC8u4TKo

What am I up to? Well, first of all, I'm terribly excited about Laura coming to town in mid-May. We're going to Dallas for a day to see my niece's baby (Laura's seeing him for the first time). She also has a new nephew here, who arrived in April. My mom and dad will be in Dallas as well - yay!

Secondly, I'm also terribly excited because at the end of May, I make my sort-of-quarterly sojourn to west Texas to see Mom and Dad again. We always have a great time and I generally get a lot done on whatever crafting project I have going on. This time I'll work on the scrap-recipe-books again.

Today I'm going to do some writing, yard work (yay!), and various and sundry chores. Yes, I really love yard work. I have several flower beds to level and a paver path to create, and I'm very excited about both projects. Lowe's delivered my retainer wall bricks and pavers a couple of weeks ago, but the weather and my obligations have not cooperated until now.

BTW, I'll also be participating in a Write-a-thon this weekend to benefit Susan G. Komen For the Cure this weekend. If you'd like to donate a penny a word (will end up costing you anywhere from $25 to $63 depending on how many words I write) or a flat amount of at least $5, you can email me or comment on this post. I'll be starting a new book with the Write-a-thon - yay!!

I'm also making my bf, Sheila, a surprise but I won't say what it is on here because she reads this blog. I'm only mentioning it to make her crazy - hehehe! love you, girl!

Well, daylight's burning, as they say, and I need to get busy. Hope to see you all soon!
~pinkie

Monday, April 06, 2009

Dreamin' in Dallas

My buddies and I went to the DARA conference in Dallas this past weekend, and it was better than ever, I thought. They've always put on a great show, but this year seemed extra good. It was really hard deciding between the workshops.

Roxanne St. Clair was the kick-off speaker, and she did a great job. I wish they'd recorded the speeches and the workshops, but alas... This was the first time I'd met 'Rockie' as she's called and I'm totally in love with her! I have a couple of her novels in my TBR pile, and they're moving to the head of the line. Also got a free one at the conference (signed, of course!).

Vicky Lewis Thompson did the luncheon speech and was great, of course. We made sure we each got a different book of hers so we can trade and read all three. :-)

Bob Mayer did a couple of workshops I attended, and oh my gosh were they awesome. I learned several key things that will really help me. I can't wait to share them with my OKRWA friends.

I met Tessa Woodward of Avon, and though she didn't request my ms (they're not doing straight contemps right now), she did give me an excellent idea to strengthen the beginning. Plus she's a really nice gal.

I'm feeling really good this week. I slept much too late this morning, but when I do that, I feel so good all day. Truly rested. I wish I could sleep less and still feel that good, but it's not in the cards. Yesterday we were all really worn out because we drove to Dallas Friday night and came back late Saturday night. I didn't sleep much on Friday night, but I caught up yesterday and today. Now I'm feeling great which is important because I'm working out with my husband this evening. I asked him if I could so I can judge how much the workouts I'm doing on my own are helping me. I figure if I can hang with him, I'm doing super!

Getting down and dirty about the diet this week. I'm doing the low-carb kick off week of a diet I found in first magazine. 20 grams of carbs or less per day which means meat and salad all week. Then I start a regimen of high carb, low carb, and medium days (it's a lot easier than it sounds) to keep burning fat. I hate deciding what to wear every day because I've gained so much. It's time to get busy! Yeah! (oh crap!) hehehe!

I'm headed to Dallas again in mid-May for a pleasure trip. My daughter will be down from IN and we're going to spend the day with my mom, dad, sister, BIL, niece, nephew-in-law(?), and their beautiful new son. Cannot wait. Then on Memorial Day, I head down to west Texas to spend a few days with my mom and dad at their house. Love that time. We don't do a darn thing except work on our latest craft projects and watch movies. Ahhhhhh. Love it.

Love you all,
~pinkie

Important Prayer Request

This arrived from a friend in my email this morning, and I think it's a great idea.

Chron. 7:14

AFTER A DAY OF CONTEMPLATION AND SOUL SEARCHING, I HAVE DECIDED TO REACH OUT TO MY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES AND ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS BEEN TROUBLING ME FOR A LONG TIME.OUR NATION IS/HAS BEEN ON THE SLIPPERY SLOPE TO HELL FOR A LONG TIME. IF YOU LOOK AROUND YOU WILL FIND CORRUPTION, GREED, MORAL DECAY AND A STEADY MOVE AWAY FROM THE THINGS THAT MADE US GREAT. THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THIS NATION WAS FOUNDED ARE NO LONGER OUR BACKBONE.

HOWEVER, WE CAN REVERSE THIS TREND.IN GOD'S WORD HE STATES,"IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES, AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE, AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, THEN I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN, AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN AND HEAL THEIR LAND."

I AM CONVINCED THAT WE MUST PRAY FOR OUR NATION AND ITS LEADERS AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS. SO I ASK YOU TO JOIN ME IN THIS PLEA TO OUR LORD.WOULD YOU PLEASE SEND THIS TO AT LEAST 25 PEOPLE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK, (SEND IT TO ALL OF THEM). ASK THEM TO PRAY EVERY DAY. 25 TO THE 5TH POWER IS 9,765,625 PEOPLE. IMAGINE IF EACH PERSON REACHES TEN OTHERS.IF YOU DO AND THEY COMPLY, WE WILL LIFT UP MILLIONS OF PRAYERS A DAY TO OUR CREATOR. HE WILL HEAR US AND IN FAITH WILL ANSWER.

One person added the following: Let me just add a quote from Ronald Reagan - "If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." I truly believe this is why the United States of America is in the shape we are in today. Most people have forgotten that we are ONE NATION UNDER GOD! Let us as Christians stand up and remind people of this. ~ Have a Blessed Day!

Echoing the prayer for all to have a blessed day - love you all and don't forget to pray for our country and leaders every day for the next 30 days.

~pinkie