Redirect.

Saralyn got bitten on the face by another two-year old today. Again. Same attacker.  This has really gotten to me. She’s fine – and I don’t think it will leave a mark, but looking at my little girl with a giant set of teeth marks on her face today was really un-nerving.

SO! Let’s not think about that.  Let’s think about this: CHATTACON!

Getting ready for Chattacon

Going to Chattacon in Chattanooga, Tennessee? What a small world, so am I. So I guess I will see you there in just under two weeks. Here’s what I know about the Steampunk panels at Chattacon:

There will be a Literature Panel, a Fashion Show, a Maker’s panel and one called The Great Debate: Tesla Vs. Watt.

There could be more, but this is what I know of today.

I look forward to seeing you!

Kris Kringle Barfed in my Sunroom

It was a Cheer-splosion!  There were great gobs of paper and sticky food and amazing friends and family.  Man alive, what a mess.

I blather on about the noise and mess like some old Grinch, but Christmas was a fine time this year.  The day started off  pretty slow just a baby girl and one brother-in-law for coffee and casseroles, and as the house slowly woke up and drifted in, things picked up speed.

As far as presents went, less really was more.  My parents didn’t bring any at all (as we are going up to their house today) and we did fewer things for the girls and each other. In fact, we only had ONE gift from Santa (thanks Bambi!) for the girls – but it was a doozie: a 7 pack of Barbie sized Disney Princesses in a BIG long box.  The girls played with those princesses for HOURS in front of the tree. (I will say this collection of heirs to the thrones have USELESS shoes that fly off at the drop of a crown, and let me tell you those crowns do fall, too. Princess shrapnel I tell you! Everywhere. )

The girls got some clothes and socks, some nice book / toy combos, workbooks for spelling and counting, and a set of bath accessories – you guessed it – all covered with princesses. When Auntie Sam brought out the magic tea set (cold water makes the cup turn colors), two little girls, 7 princesses, a granny and Sam hunkered down in the glow of the Christmas tree and had a ruckus. It was just about perfect.  Of course – after tea – the girls wanted to try out their new bath toys freshen up, so they piled into the tub (and called for me to fill it! Which I did). The best part of the bath lately is Elly and Sara singing Jingle Bells together. CHARMING.

Eleanor was an angel all day – perfect behavior or as close to it as anyone can get when one is 4 and it’s as wild a day as Christmas. (Her only major fail was her daddy got her a little portable CD player that she broke the first time she touched it. Broke clean off the little door where the disc goes. We tried to fix it – Eleanor offered to get the channel locks to help – but the tiny plastic hinge was done for.  Tony and I agreed that perhaps she is too young yet. We’ll just enjoy the Disney CD’s in the car.)  Saralyn melted down twice and had to go to bed to collect herself. She took a three-hour nap in the middle of the day – and that just about fixed her. Poor thing was stressed to the max with all this excitement.

NOW! About the food.  I loved cooking all day, and there were a number of kitchen fairies who came along behind me and made the sink sparkle – which is a Christmas Miracle! We had vegetarian sausage strata, vegan white chocolate cranberry nut strata, sweet rolls, fresh squeezed orange and grapefruit juices (Lynn’s juicer was our X-mas Eve entertainment), fruit salad, ham, biscuits and this Nordic delicacy called potato sausage (my sister’s boyfriend Matt brought it – along with special mustard that will part your hair – from the inside).  After a time I made linguine pesto. YUM. We ate ALL DAY.

Today – what I want out of life is a Green Salad. With some apples and cranberries…

What did I get for Christmas? Well thanks for asking. Tony got me a James Avery Swivel Heart Locket, which I love, and a new CD. I got a Mexican Train Dominoe set and a Kindle! MY VERY OWN KINDLE!!! (It was hard for me to not run into the bedroom right then and lock the door.  I was a good girl and waited HOURS before I locked myself into the bedroom and started fiddling and downloading!) I love my cow calendar.

Today will be Christmas Part Two up at the lake with my parents. I hear that Eleanor will be getting to put together her new BIKE with her grandpa. Perhaps I will need to pack the channel locks after all.

I love you all – friends and family far away and near – and wish you joyous good times this holiday and in the coming year.

Merry Christmas

Hello All,

I’m about to get out of bed on Christmas Morning.  I have a cuddly baby next to me, so the day already has a highlight to it. Saralyn is just the sweetest.  Uggg! But does she have some POINTY elbows….

Moving fast

Today is a super busy day – what with all the Christmas pageant stuff this Saturday morning, and then the Christmas service less than a week after that. And then the house load of folks coming to visit and the presents and the food and the partridge in the friggin’ pear tree is all “You never feed me,” and I’m all “You are so lucky I’m a Vegetarian, you squackin’ bag o’feathers.”

Oh, yes. The holidays are upon us. I’ve lost every bit of my New York Cool. I’m a mess.

I really have no clue what I need to do next. Totally overwhelmed.

So.

Um.

Yeah.

Have a good day, OK?

A BOOK REVIEW!

My first review – from writer Kathryn Hinds.  Nice!

“This is the story of Chenda, a pampered young woman suddenly left alone in the world, who embarks on a journey of adventure and self-discovery. First she makes a new friend, a brilliant professor of geology who is able to arrange for the two of them to get passage aboard an airship bound across the sea. On the voyage Chenda acquires two more companions, and begins to find new capabilities within herself. She has been told she has a destiny to fulfill, but as its nature gradually reveals itself, she is more surprised than anyone.

I had high hopes for CHENDA AND THE AIRSHIP BROFMAN when I first heard of it, and I was not disappointed. This was a fast-paced read that I found hard to put down, always eager to find out what would happen to Chenda and her friends next–how they would meet their latest challenge or deal with their newest revelation. In all, I would characterize this as a very satisfying adventure story, mostly a light read but with occasional moments of startling depth and insight. Moreover, it was such a pleasure to spend time with these characters that I was sorry to say good-bye to them when the book ended–hopefully they’ll be off on another adventure in the not-too-distant future!”

I think I did it!

I just uploaded Chenda and the Airship Brofman to Kindle! It should be available in 48-72 hours! Whoopie!!!

Two hours – 60 Bucks and the road to Wellville.

It took more than two hours, to tell the truth.

The short story is antibiotics for me and the littlest Bush. We both have infections in the head – an ear for her and an ear and sinus thing for me. I get the bonus of an extra round of steroids for that.

After almost 24 hours on the antibiotics, I think I am feeling better.  Can’t be sure. Also, I can’t taste anything.

Speaking of  – I so wanted comfort food yesterday. Settled for my world-famous – OK not yet – vegan Buttermilk Pancakes – and later in the day – Vegan cheddar cheesy rice.  That got me comforted.

Forgive me now; I need to get back to burping up nasty pill flavors and blowing my nose.

OOgy.

Sick.

Ugg. Nasyt

And the dripping – ick.

Me go bed now. Hate everyone and everything. Smelly, too.

Bah. Humbug.

—-

On a lighter note: I’m gearing up for another trip to the post office with more autographed books.  Want one for yourself?  Send me a message with your address – and any name you want in the dedication –  and I will mail you an extra special copy. Shipping is on me in the continental US.

Also – here’s an idea: Your office gift exchange – what little gift can you put in the pass around? Hmm. How about and autographed BOOK! A first edition even! Autographed.  Let me know your book needs and I will fill them lickety-split.

Going back to the Kleenex Cave now.

Knickers in a twist

Eleanor dressed herself today.  She did an AWESOME job. I got out of the shower with her and sent her to her room while I dressed the baby. After several rounds of yelling “Did you put your panties on???” She walks into the nursery- fully dressed – in her pastel stripe tights – a pink polka dot scooter skirt, black MaryJane shoes and a white tee-shirt with butterflies that match the skirt.

I was astonished.

It was the Mona Lisa of Toddler self-dressing.

She was adorable and I was thrilled.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed a tiny flaw in her logic, just a wee err: She had put the tights OVER the shorts of her scooter skirt. But, as we were running late, I shrugged my shoulder and said “Eh?” and pulled her out the door.

She spends the whole day this way – and every now and again she stops mid-whatever to pull out the wedgie. She naps this way. Tony chases her around the park this way. We go to dinner this way. Not until we get home – and I am helping her into her jammies – do I notice she’s got her panties on sideways.  That’s right. The Princesses – who usually are polar North – were heading East.  Evidently she put both legs in through the left leg hole, and then one foot out the waist band and the other out the last leg hole.

Talk about a youth crack problem.

Even now, I am laughing so hard I can barely see. Anyway, I look at her and say, “Hey, what’s with the panties?”

She looks down, checks to see if there’s a tag, and says “Heh, Heh. Oops.”

YOU try going through your whole day with your Skivvies Askew.  She may be all pastel stripes and polka dots, but she’s made of some pretty tough stuff.