Yesterday, I took the day off. I turned off my computer. *gasp*

Yes, I was tired after finishing two sets of edits on Wednesday. The thing motivating me to move away from my desk was that my daughter, SIL, and granddaughter pitched in to help me get control of my overflowing office/craft room. Since they moved in, I gave up my office and crammed it into the back of my craft room. Then my mother’s art supplies were also dumped into my craft room for sorting later. I’ve been living like a hoarder (and I know I already was moving in that direction, but I do try to have an orderly hoard). I had to circumvent boxes of mysterious things (I call them undiscovered treasures while my dd refers to them as trash).

It took three hours. We went through an enormous amount of stuff—and surprise! Most of it was actually usable treasure rather than trash. For instance, my mom had a box of still packaged paint brushes, acrylic and oil paints, stamps, and stamp pads, and on and on. Sorting was a matter of putting her things with my things and figuring out what was dried up or just excess packaging. Now, I can walk into my office without breaking toes (I kept stubbing my toes on boxes—and yes, I’ve broken two). It was time.

I still have work to do. My “library” was reduced from three large bookshelves to just two against the back wall of the craft room, and I have to find room for all my collectibles along with the books. I’ mean, doesn’t everyone collect McDonald’s kids meal toys? I have all the dragons from How to Train Your Dragon, all the Hotel Transylvania figures, bobbleheads from Marvel and DC superheroes, a singing bust of King Henry VIII that sings “I’m Hen-er-ree the eighth I am!” All things necessary to keep me happy when I’m writing. Truly. Uh-huh. But I’ll tackle “the library” another day…

Oh, and if you didn’t see this picture before… This is the shelf above my monitor. Yes, it needs organizing, but everything crammed into it is treasure! After all that clearing out, we all jumped into the pool for a well-deserved break.

Ah, life during COVID-19!

Enter while you can!

1. Diana Cosby: Nature’s Beauty – In The Forest (Contest) — This contest ends soon! Win a signed book!
2. What would you like to see in the next Boys Behaving Badly Anthology? (Contest) — This contest ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Ava Cuvay: What’s in a World? (Contest & Excerpt) — 3 Winners! Win a FREE book!
4. Lizzie Ashworth: Captives of Desire (FREE on KU!) — Everybody, get a FREE book!

In between the rains, we did our own little fireworks thing last night. The little ones love the sparklers and poppers. Here’s the 6-year-old showing off her “technique”. See the streamers? Barely, I know.

We had a few of the bigger fireworks, but after the horses and dogs spooked and this kid declared she was scared by the loud noises, we decided we’d donate our leftovers to someone else. Next year, we’ll stick to the small stuff. We had to bring every dog we own into the house to hide in closets or under the beds. And the poor horses? They hid out in the barn. Not doing that to them, again. It was bad enough the neighbors up and down the road went at it until the wee hours of the morning. Life in the country!

These contests are still open! Enter while you can!

1. Come Play the Puzzle-Contest! — Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Rochelle Bradley: Summer Goals (Contest) — Too many prizes to list!

2020’s past the midway hump. Can you believe it? It feels like the first six months lasted a decade! Here’s hoping for a better rest of the year!

Weather permitting, we plan to light some fireworks in the front yard, and then sit outside to watch the neighbors’ fireworks from afar as well. With COVID spiking all over the country, please be safe. Please mask/socially distance/wash your hands, if you go out. We will get through this if we all work together to keep each other safe.

Swear to God. I honestly thought I’d never make it to 21. I was that kind of kid. So, every year past that has been a gift. I’ve lived my life to the fullest, traveled, loved. In my 40s, I was fine with aging, because again, I didn’t expect to make it that far. Now, I’m 62. Today. I have come to a reckoning with my age and my expectations. I still have many things I want to accomplish. Now’s the time.

To, again, live my life to the fullest.

To do those things I’ve been promising myself I’d do.

Like learn to paint. Part of me has always wanted to, but my mother was a real artist. Her friends, too. I crafted because I can work my way through a stepped process and produce pretty things. Still, I held back.

This year, I decided to go for it. Learn. Practice. I may never be great at it, but that’s okay with me. Another check on the bucket list.

So, I’ve been experimenting with mediums: watercolor, pastels, and now acrylics. This is my third effort with acrylics, and I know I don’t know a thing about composition, still can’t draw anything that doesn’t look like a stick figure, but I can make something that makes me smile.

Here’s my challenge to you.
Go for it! Whatever it is.

UPDATE: The winners are…Colleen, Jennifer, bn100, ButtonsMom2003 & Debra Guyette!
*~*~*

It’s another rainy day here in Arkansas. I swear, this has to be one of the wettest years ever. Because of all the rain, pool time didn’t begin until mid-May (usually, we dare dipping our toes mid-April!). With quarantine ongoing here on the farm (that’s an exaggeration, we have 10 acres), we really love it when the kids can be outside. Instead, we have to be very creative to keep them from getting stir-crazy.

This is the last day of the current storm system, so we’re hoping the pool will warm right back up and we’ll be out there enjoying the sunshine, but in the meantime, the dogs, the cats, the kids, are all underfoot constantly. Gah. It wreaks havoc on my work schedule, but what can you do?

Any suggestions? Comment for a chance to win a copy of one of my short stories! I’ll choose 3 winners! 

Enter these contests while you still can!

1. Reina Torres: I Confess! I love Reality Shows! (Contest) — Win a first in a series book!!
2. Fun things to do in COVID-Times…? (Contest) — Win a download of your choice!
3. Wishing happy thoughts for dads — and a Puzzle-Contest! — Win an Amazon gift card!

There are also several open contests, running right now, over at the Collections website! Be sure to check those out, too!

Meanwhile, down on the farm…

My dd was in the midst of cleaning out the goat pen and got a little unwanted help from Lil…

Tending the goats is one of the highlights of our days because they are as playful as puppies. Just had to share her picture. We have two goats, two horses, ten dogs (I think, last count anyway), four cats. A menagerie. The 6-year-old wants a bunny, but we all get a glazed look on our faces and quickly change the subject. We’d like to get a cow or steer to raise for the freezer, but that’s maybe next year. Next year will also be the garden we’ll plant. So many things to do! Who has time to be bored in COVID-time?!

Now, onto some good news…

See the little orange flag on the picture above?

Thank you to everyone who’s ordered their copy! It releases on June 30th and is chock full of fun stories. Something for everyone’s tastes, so long as you like a sexy story…

Pre-order your copy here:
Kindle | Nook | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

Enter these Collections Contests while you can…

Over at the anthology website, we have contests still open! Prizes include books, and more books, Amazon gift cards! Be sure to head over there to enter!

1. Megan Ryder: Claiming Lyla (Contest–4 Winners!) — Last day to enter! (Okay, so this one’s right here! Still counts!) Win books or a gift card!
2. January George: Blackout (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Tray Ellis: Falling Off the Single Track (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Melanie Jayne: Drive (Contest) — Win the ENTIRE NOVUS SERIES!
5. Megan Ryder: Claiming Lyla (Contest — 4 Winners) — Win an anthology or an Amazon gift card!
6. Reina Torres: Far From Over (Contest — 2 Winners!) — Win an anthology!

“I have three phobias which, could I mute them, would make my life as slick as a sonnet but as dull as ditchwater: I hate to go to bed, I hate to get up, and I hate to be alone…” ~Tallulah Bankhead

Last night, my daughter and I heard a very loud whomp while we were sitting outside in the dark gossiping about our day. Spooked, my dd told me to go upstairs and tell her big, brave hubby to take his high-powered flashlight and see what it was. I did. I found him already asleep, so I turned on my phone battery and wandered out into the front yard, checking the gate, fences. No bear (we have neighbors with pics of bears going through the trash). No intruders (we’re on hyper-alert due to warnings to LEO families of random attacks). So no, I’m not afraid of things that go bump in the night like she is.

Three things I am afraid of…?

I’m afraid of being normal. (I know it sounds silly, but it’s been my thing my entire life. I never wanted “ordinary”.)
I’m afraid of losing a child or grandchild.
I’m afraid of heights.

Now, how about you? What three things are you afraid of?

Enter while you can!

1. Ava Cuvay: The Tentacle Dilemma (Contest — 4 Winners!) — This ends soon! Win an anthology or a cool T-shirt!
2. Megan Ryder: Claiming Lyla (Contest–4 Winners!) — Win books or a gift card!
3. Okay, I’m officially tired of… (Plus, a Puzzle-Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. January George: Blackout (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!