One of Those Nights

Lori, over at This Just In, has a posting up about those days when it's really, really good to be you, in that moment. Her post got me thinking about several of those times and how wonderful they were. Then an amazing thing happened...

I had another one.

Last night, Lithus and Mechie were craving steak so they decided (*cough*rationalized*cough*) that it really would be cheaper in the long run if the company bought them a small hibachi rather than steak at a restaurant every time they wanted their red meat fix. Lithus called home to see if steaks sounded good to me. As I was alive, conscious and, well, me, it did only I informed him that our hotel wouldn't allow us to have a grill in the parking lot.

Had I called? Nope. Were there rules posted? Nope. But I know this kind of hotel and they aren't the kind who are going to allow the residents, er, guests, have grills in the parking lot. Or chairs. Or door decorations. Because it's that kind of a hotel and once those things start, it stops looking like a hotel and starts looking like the flophouse it kinda, sorta is ~ at least down here on our end.

We were at an impasse. Until the phone rang and it was Lithus, informing me that he had spoken with the front desk and I was correct. No grills allowed on property. But if I wanted to pour myself a libation and wander down the parking lot, past the hotel's property, we were tailgating at the other end. I opened the hotel room door and, sure enough, there they were, at the other end of the parking lot, off the hotel's property, hibachi on the back of the company truck.




What's a girl to do? I poured myself a libation, wandered down and joined them for steaks, corn on the cob and potatoes. The sun set and we were under the full moon and the stars, listening to U2 and the Dropkick Murphys, because my baby loves me.

It was one of those moments and one of those nights. So I'm going to steal from Lori: tell me. Tell me about one of your those nights. You know you've got 'em...

Those are Pobble Thoughts, with some help from Lori and you. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Whoop ~ There It Is

March 2010 ~ which is a damn site closer than it should be. Some interesting things are happening in the publishing industry so we are holding our breath that there will be a third book in this series with the same publishing house. The problem is, generally, you have to be a much bigger name than I to successfully move a series from one house to another so...no contract with my current house for another in this series, no more series. Fingers crossed. And you know ~ know ~ I will keep you posted!

Meanwhile, I'm basking in this just a little before the business end kicks back in again and wanted to share.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

There's Been A Wedding

Somewhere in the middle of all the craziness, my step-daughter got married. She asked us to be a part of the event so Lithus is now (courtesy of the internet) an ordained officiant in the Church of Secular Humanism (which always makes me giggle just a little) and performed a beautiful ceremony (if I do say so, myself) written by, ta-dah, me. I hope it added a touch of East Coast sophistication to the event. I was honored to be asked.

Lithus prepping the day of...


The words he spoke...

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

How can we not rejoice and be glad today? Today is the day we stand with Bride and Groom as they proclaim their love for one another and commitment to be joined together in marriage. Who brings this woman to be married? (The Other Father of the Bride Responds) And Bride and Groom stand before us, their friends and family; before God, whom they both love; and most importantly, before each other.

So first, I ask you, the family and friends of Bride and Groom, the people who love them and whom they love, will you support Bride and Groom as they form this new union, help them grow and become everything they can be, both separately and together? (The Congregation responds “we will.”) Thank you.

Luckily, we do not have to ask the same questions of God. Bride, Groom, God’s blessing on your marriage is obvious. Whenever two people come together in love and respect, as you do, we witness God’s intention and blessing. For, according to the Bible, God created man, but he was alone and he was lonely. And God looked at His glorious creation and knew something was missing. So God created woman. When man and woman came together, God looked upon them and knew: this was good.

Yet simply being man and woman together isn’t enough, and that’s why you come here today. To not only be together but to join together, to bind yourselves as husband and wife. This choice has a deeper meaning and a greater implication. As God says to you in John 14:35, “You must now love each other as I have loved you.”

That’s not an easy commandment. For God’s love is all-encompassing. God’s love is unconditional. God’s love is the love from 1 Corinthians 13 which is “patient and kind; not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

No, not an easy commandment at all. To succeed in fulfilling such a commandment, you each must come here today in love, friendship, acceptance and respect. Groom, Bride wrote about your “forever eyes” and how they assure her you are with her forever; how you are the missing piece to her puzzle; and how, no matter how hard times get, you always meet her in the middle and are willing to work to resolve your differences. And Bride, Groom speaks of your intelligence, common sense and good judgment. He also knows you are dazzling and spectacular, while loving the fact that you aren’t always the most graceful of women. Perhaps the most striking thing, however, is how often the two of you said the same thing about the other. You both refer to the other as your best friend. You both praise the other’s parenting skills. You value how much in common you share. And you both confide in and lean on the other. This recognition of each other’s strengths ~ and the acknowledgement of the other’s imperfections ~ brings you here today, eyes open and hearts entwined. In other words, in love, friendship, acceptance and respect. All of us who know you and know your love for each other believe in this union and your ability to fulfill God’s commandment, even when it is not easy.

However, Bride and Groom, what we, your friends and family, believe is only so important. What is most important are the two of you and your promises to each other. Do you have the rings? Then let these rings be a symbol of your commitment to each other and a reminder of the love you wish to offer each other.

So Bride, will you take the ring and put it on Groom’s finger, repeating after me:

I, Bride, promise to love you, Groom, as God has loved you. I promise to give honor to this marriage and remain faithful to you. I will wear my loyalty to you like a necklace and write it deep in my heart. And I will love you and demonstrate that love.

And Groom, will you take the ring and put it on Bride’s finger, repeating after me:

I, Groom, promise to love you, Bride, as God has loved you. I promise to give honor to this marriage and remain faithful to you. I will wear my loyalty to you like a necklace and write it deep in my heart. And I will love you with the same love Christ showed the church.

By the speaking of these vows now and the living of them in the years to come, God’s plan is complete. This is indeed the day the Lord has made. We rejoice and are glad in it, as I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.


And the celebration...


Those are Pobble Thoughts ~ white, weddingy Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Lithus is Loving It

My cold turned to laryngitis. My laryngitis has turned into no voice. Nothing. I open my mouth and...silence.

Yeah. He's enjoying it. Perhaps a little too much.

Those are Pobble Thoughts ~ and the only way I can really communicate right now. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee ~ or theraflu.

A Difference in Perspective

Yesterday, Lithus was on the phone with a friend and former colleague when I heard him say "Actually, we're homeless right now..." and it drew me up short. Over the last two weeks, he had made some comments about the economy and what it is doing to the private aviation industry. While I had heard him, they hadn't really registered. When he finished the conversation, I asked him about it.

Sure enough, he sees us as homeless. He sees this as something that has been more or less forced on us by the demise of Old Company. It's a very interesting perspective. And very different from mine.

What's been forced? Does he have a job that could pay for a home for us? Yep. Am I slowly beginning to build a name for myself that will start paying off in another year or so? Yep. Did we sit down and decide to live this way? Yep, sure did. After all, why pay rent on an apartment that we rarely occupy? All of which, in my world, makes us not homeless but living on the road. At least in my mind.

It's different for him, apparently. Apparently, for him, since we wouldn't have chosen this had O.C. not gone under then it is forced. And that part I do understand. But we could've chosen to stay in our apartment and be apart more often than not (neither one of us *would* have chosen this, but we *could* have chosen this). We could've decided to get a smaller, less expensive place as a homebase of sorts (which we are looking at more seriously, as we are learning Lithus misses having a homebase). However, we looked at those options and decided against them. We chose.

So, I remind myself his feelings are his feelings, even if I don't understand them or understand how he arrived at them. As a sociological observation, though, I'm intrigued. Two people. The same situation. The same discussions. Such very different perspectives.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

An Aside

Even with all the traveling and all the bouncing around, I still have a job. And I'm particularly pleased about this guest post so wanted to share. Check it out as soon as you can because I'm probably going to be deleting this post, as I don't want the Pobble to be connected to Pauline, via a search of some kind. But I had to share with y'all. :)

Those are Pobble Thoughts, in spite of the name. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

And So It Begins

Kermit: Movin' right along in search of good times and good news,

With good friends, you can't lose,

Fozzie: This could become a habit.

Kermit: Opportunity just knocked, let's reach out and grab it,

Together we'll nab it.

Fozzie:Ya! We'll hitch-hike, bus, or yellow cab it.
Kermit (spoken): Cab it?

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along

Kermit: Foot-loose and fancy free.

Gettin' there is half the fun; come share it with me.

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along!

Kermit: Doog-a-doon, doog-a-doon

We'll learn to share the load.

Fozzie: We don't need a map to keep this show on the road.

(Dialogue)Kermit: (looking at the map) Hey, Fozzie, I want you to turn left when you get to a fork in the road.

Fozzie: Yessir: turn left at the fork in the road.(A giant fork appears in a fork in the road)

Fozzie: KERMIT!

Kermit: I don't believe that.

Kermit: Movin' right along we found a life on the highway,

Fozzie: And your way is my way--

Kermit: So trust my navigation.

Fozzie: California here we come, come pie-in-the-sky land.

Kermit: Palm trees and warm sand--

Fozzie: Though sadly we just left Rhode Island.
Kermit: (spoken) We did what?

Fozzie: (spoken) Just forget it.

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along

Kermit: Hey, L.A., where have you gone?

Fozzie: Send someone to fetch us, we're in Saskatchewan.
Kermit & Fozzie:Movin' right along

Kermit: Doog-a-doon, doog-a-doon) You take it, you know best.

Fozzie: Hey, I've never seen the sun come up in the West.
Fozzie: (spoken) A bear in his natural habitat! A studabaker!

(Dialogue)Kermit: Hey, Fozzie, look up ahead.

(A tall creature is walking on the other side of the quiet empty highway)

Fozzie: What is that?

Kermit: Maybe we should give him a ride.

Fozzie: I dunno. He's pretty big. (The studabaker pulls alongside the creature)

Fozzie: Hey, there. Wanna lift?

Big Bird: Oh, no, thanks. I'm on my way to New York City to try to break into public television!

Fozzie: Ah...hmmm, good luck.

(The studabaker keeps on moving the other direction)

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along

Fozzie:We're truly birds of a feather,

We're in this together--

Kermit: And we know where we're goin'.

Fozzie: Movie stars with flashy cars and life with the top down.

Kermit: We're stormin' the big town.

Fozzie: Yeah! Storm is right, should it be snowin'?
Kermit: (spoken) No, I don't think so.

Kermit & Fozzie:Movin' right along

Fozzie: Do I see signs of men?

Kermit: Yeah, "welcome" on the same post that says "come back again."

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along

Kermit: Foot-loose and fancy free.

Fozzie: You're ready for the big time--

Kermit: Is it ready for me?

Kermit & Fozzie: Movin' right along!

~ The Muppet Movie
c. Kenny Ascher and Paul Williams

No bets on which one of us is Kermit and which is Fozzie.





Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

You Mean You Don't Know?

Lots of questions about where I'm moving. After all these years of reading and writing Pobble Thoughts you can't read my mind yet? Come on, people! I thought we had a bond here. *rolls eyes at self*

Since realizing I haven't spelled it out here, I figure it's time: We're moving...nowhere. And everywhere. We've decided to pack up, throw out, donate, minimize, clear out and store all our stuff and live on the road. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D Last night, our soon to be son-in-law came over and loaded up a truck AND trailer of furniture and household goods (remember the days when anything from Target could be considered "really, really nice" furniture?). We'll take them the beds this weekend. Yep ~ everything.

Lithus works for a new company now (his former employer finally laid him ~ and almost everyone else ~ off) but New Company is a smallish company, unlike Old Company used to be, so he works for contract rather than on a salary. If he's not working, he's not getting paid. I did the sit-at-home-and-wait thing for too long with the SGM. Even this last year with Lithus at O.C., I stayed home because Lionel couldn't travel well. Now? Now, my work can be done anywhere and Damned if I'm missing out on the adventure any longer. But if Lithus is going to be working that much and I'm going to be along, there's just no reason to keep an apartment and pay rent and utilities on a place we aren't. The N.C. pays for hotel and Lithus's expenses so all we have to pay for is my transportation and food.

At this point (because I have learned this is Totally subject to change at an hour or two notice), we are expecting to be either on the southern coast of Oregon fighting fires there, or back down in Vegas on a couple construction contracts. N.C. expects to have work for him through the summer at least. After that, he's got a lead on a job that starts late September in (drum roll please) Malaysia. Meanwhile, N.C. has also put bids on jobs in Australia and Africa; a friend of Lithus's has a lead on jobs in Chile and Portugal and they need another pilot (meaning Lithus); and N.C. is also working on more contracts in Mexico. AND Lithus has his c.v. out on job sites and has started getting requests for more information (one from Milan. Yes, MILAN, ITALY. Why would this suck?)

It's a totally new thing for both of us, living contract to contract and just having faith that the next gig will show up before we're out of cash from the last one. We have both always wanted to live this way and have never been with the person who would do it with us ~ until now. This is literally the culmination of a life-long dream for me. I remember being 11 when I saw my first road show (The Wiz) and realizing that OMG Not Everyone Lives In A House. That was it. I was done and this has been my goal since then. I'm thrilled beyond words and scared out of my mind. And happier than I have ever been in my life. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D

I also have faith that one of these days, our travels are going to take us near you, wherever you are.

For now, though, I have empty boxes taunting me so must get back to sorting and packing...

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

East Coast v. West Coast, In A Nutshell

When I have moved up, down and finally away from the east coast, my friends understood the time crunch that comes with moving. If the only way we got to see each other before I left was for them to come over and talk to me while watching me pack boxes, guess what? They came over and talked to me while watching me pack boxes. Usually they brought coffee because they are my friends and I am me. Helping wasn't the point, wasn't requested, wasn't expected (was sometimes given, though, but sometimes not). The point was having some last moments together to talk and laugh and experience one more story together.

When my friends moved, across town or across the country, I went and talked while watching them pack. Sometimes I helped; sometimes I didn't. That wasn't the point.

The few people who call us their friends out here have been told we want to see them, we want some time with them before we leave, we just have one week to get everything packed. We have invited them over, not to help, but to have some more time together before we leave the area.

Every Single One Of Them has said thanks but no thanks. One woman even said "Yeah, right, sure. I'm really gonna do that. But you call if you've got a free night to come over to our house."

Which is, in a nutshell, why I don't mind leaving the Pacific Northwest. At all.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and buck fifty will get you coffee.

What Happens in Vegas...

...is actually pretty boring, really. After being told we would be in the Reno area through the weekend, Lithus came home Monday evening and said we were heading to Vegas for the week. A one day consrtuction job on Wednesday followed by a day or two on the same construction site Sunday or Monday (those that are coming up). So, he flew; I rented a car. He came straight to Henderson, NV. I got to spend the night in Beatty, The Gateway to Death Valley next to Nevada's Largest Nut and Candy Shop! Because really, who wants to miss that?

Now I can say that I've wandered the Strip, seen the fountain show at the Bellagio and eaten at the Harley Davidson Cafe. We went through the Freemont Experience and had wicked strong drinks in Hugo's Cellar. Tonight, we are hoping to catch a drag show.

But the truth is, I'm underwhelmed. Maybe it's because I don't gamble. Maybe it's because I don't like tourist traps. But should you find yourself out here, I would really seriously suggest you opt out of the Strip and head to Henderson. Remedy's is open 24 hours a day. The movie theatre is quite nice. And the Omelet House is worth the drive from Reno, let alone from Vegas.

But my favorite part of Vegas or Henderson? This very misplaced Bostonian is less than two miles away from a Dunkin Donuts. For this week at least. :)

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you a (Dunkin Donuts iced) coffee.

Back in the US

We are now back in the States (as of about 48 hours) and I finally have internet access. Last Thursday (or Friday? the days blur) we got the call that the contracts had indeed fallen apart and Lithus needed to return the helicopter back to the US. So we pushed hard and got her back here this weekend. Mind you, "here" is Sparks, NV which is quite a change from where I've been recently. LOL

There is so much to say and I can't put any of it into words. We have done so much ~ and really not all that much beyond flying in a helicopter. But Lithus and I have:
flown over the jungles of Mexico
flown over the oceans of Mexico
landed in major airports and tiny airstrips
lived in fleabags and 5-star hotels
learned to communicate enough in Spanish to get through a security check
had our sex toys found by VERY EMBARRASSED customs agents
sat on the beaches of Playa del Carmen and Acapulco and Cancun and Tulum
confirmed I don't like tourist areas but love local spots
slogged my luggage through 105+ degree weather
and so much more... and am LOVING every minute of it.

It feels so much like everything I've ever wanted. Everything makes me happy. And not just the beaches or fine meals. Delays are a good time. Customs searches are fascinating. Walking the 5 miles/day through and around the airfields to get all the paperwork handled in temperatures ranging from 95 to 110 is an adventure. Neither one of us can imagine ever going back to lives we were living before ~ and we were living more interesting lives than many people.

So, we're here in Sparks this week. Lithus will make a one-day jump down to Sacramento or somewhere to get the helicopter certified to fight fires here in the US and then we'll go...somewhere else. Probably CA or OR for the fires there. Meanwhile, his company is still trying to work out contracts with other companies in Mexico so we're hoping to get back there. Plus, he is continuing to apply for jobs overseas (the Caribbean, the Middle East, Malaysia, Hawaii [not overseas, I understand, but a very different culture than from the mainland]) and lots of contract work so we can either be based in somewhere interesting or keep living like carnies and travel. Even Sparks, NV is fun and an adventure when it's one stop on a long list of stops.

This is far from the end of Pobble Thoughts. Yet I get the feeling that posts may be a little more sporadic and even more stream of consciousness than usual. I'm still around, though. It's just gotten interesting. Why would I leave now? ;) Pictures soon as we have a cord for the camera. Until then,

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

What I Learned On the Way to Merida

My husband is a stud (even more than I'd realized).
You can get sunburned in a helicopter.
Nothing is as cool as that first take-off.
Unless it's the first hard bank.
Listening to air traffic control is as cool as I'd always hoped it would be.
Listening to guapo es spouso be a part of air traffic control conversaton is even cooler than I thought it would be.
It is possible to take a nap with the window open, the headset on, getting a sunburn and going 120 knots half a mile above the earth's surface.
120 knots is 160 mph to you and me.
Men with big guns get their way, even if they only want it because they are bored.
Flight plans get filed in one office.
The Aeropuerto de Commandancia has to stamp the flight plan in another office.
They are next door to each other.
No, you can't cut through the door ajoining the offices.
Dozing with your head on your leather bag in the shade of a helicopter is cool as shit, even when it's hotter than hell.
Living the life of a gypsy or a carnie is even better than I had imagined at 11 years old.
Running away with the circus was a great idea when I was a kid.
Running away with el piloto y el capitan is even better as an adult.
My husband is a stud (even more than I'd realized).

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

What Happened Next

Thank you all for your support around Lionel's death. It was a hard week. Flora was great. Lithus was great. And the house was very empty. Life, however, goes on.



Thursday morning, Lithus called for my morning phone call (he always calls before he leaves the hotel for work) and said "Can you be on a plane tonight?" At which point I said "No way in hell." Then we argued a bit until he finally assured me that I didn't need to get everything done that he had asked me to do and I let go of needing to do everything he had asked me to do. Without those constraints, the answer was yes, actually, I could be on a plane that night. And so I was.



By Friday evening, I was in Mexico. He met me at the Cancun airport with his own suitcase. Since we hadn't had a honeymoon back in February, he decided the first two days of my time in Mexico would be honeymoon. We went to Cancun Desire. Oh my. It was everything you'd want a honeymoon to be. More.

Sunday, we were back in Cancun proper. We spent the afternoon tooling around the touristy areas but made it "home" ~ old town Cancun ~ in time for dinner with the crew. And here we are. Maybe until tomorrow. Maybe until next month. Who knows.

Holding the monkey made me miss Lionel's soft furriness. Seeing the man walk his dog made me tear up. And life goes on. In unusual and wonderful ways.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you una cafe.

Lionel

Whenever possible, I celebrate the finishing of a book with time at a spa. Today was the Bobby's Book Spa Day. I was gone for about 5 hours. When I came home, I could hear Lionel barking from the street.

Upstairs, the place was covered in vomit and poop. He was on the kitchen floor, unable to get up. I cannot think what his day was like. I made it home in time and that is what matters. I picked him up and he collapsed his head on my shoulder. He never does that.

Without even putting him down, I called the vet.

It was fast and appeared painless.

There may be more later. There may not be.

That's all I got tonight.

Addendum ~ The hardest part is when I realize he isn't coming back. He's not at a play date. He's not hiding or asleep under his blankets. The vet won't be calling to say I can come pick him up. Lionel just...isn't coming back. As Lithus pointed out, it happened suddenly. It was expected but he was fine this morning. This morning. And now he isn't coming back. That's when I start to cry again.

Credit

First, THANK YOU to everyone who commented on the previous post. It's lovely. And still a little weird to realize I have written three novels now.

Second, I gotta give credit where credit is due. Yes, I wrote the damn thing. No, I'm not minimizing that. But seriously...


Apprus, who is the Southern Gentleman that I turned for when I needed Southern Gentlemanliness. He was able to answer questions from emotions to sex to movies. If my hero is accurate in any way, Appsrus is why.





And my critique group, who became my critique group without any of us even realizing it, I think:

Crow, who continues to be indispensable. Period.










The Divine M, who's emails ran from plaintive to motivating to flat out demanding as she asked "Where are my pages?" Nothing keeps one quite as motivated to write as knowing the Divine M is waiting for her pages.





Dennis R. How I ever wrote a story or novel or a sentence without knowing him is beyond me.



And always, the FE, for being there during the icky times

Yes, I wrote it. Would I, could I, have written it without them? Yep. But it wouldn't have been as easy, as fun, as good, or as timely without them.

I'd say more but it'd get embarrassing.

Those are Pobble Thoughts and Pobble Thanks. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee ~ or whatever the five of them would like.

(ed. note ~ All these images are copyrighted by someone who's not me. Thank you to them, as well, for their use here. And in case you were wondering, those aren't the real people they are meant to represent. Appsrus is far more handsome and Dennis R may be a POC, but his C isn't green. Nor is he an amphibian ~ not that there's anything wrong with being an amphibian...some of my best friends are amphibians...)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just sent the next book to the publisher!!!!!!!!!!!!

And wanted y'all to know first.



Those are Pobble Thoughts and me doing the Pobble Hop! That and a buck fifty will get you champagne at my place tonight.

I Admit, It's Tempting

Rarely am I the least bit intrigued by the spam that comes into my spam box. With subject lines like "HII" and "Viagra For Free" they just aren't usually that interesting. However, if I was going to open one, it would be the one I received today:

"Use mind to improve your fang"

Come on, you gotta admit ~ it's tempting.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

My Toast

Whenever I am with my friends or Lithus or anywhere else for that matter and someone raises a glass for a toast, I make the toast and then quietly, subtly lift my glass skyward. Just a little. It's easy to miss if you don't know I do it or aren't looking for it. But I do it. Every. Single. Time.

There was a time when I insisted on the first toast of every evening include my toast. I've loosened up on that requirement as it got time consuming to explain, remind, butt in. Still, the first toast of the evening, I raise my own glass and think "to Gino and Cleve and Gary and Greg."

Eleven years ago today, I nearly died. I don't mean that in an oooh that was close kind of way. I'm not being melodramatic or overreactive. Memorial Day of 1998, I went into anaphylactic shock at the Marriott at DisneyWorld. The SGM and I closed ourselves away from My then 5 year old Heart so he wouldn't be scared of me I was so swollen and unrecognizable. While I could still talk, I was wandering around saying "I am not an animal." Then it stopped being funny. I don't remember much of it. The last thing I remember clearly is looking at the SGM and saying "don't let me go."

The hotel sent two men from their Loss Prevention department. Gino and Cleve. Eugenio Francisco and Cleveland...Lyndon? Little (although I think that's probably running together with Clevon Little in my head). L-something though. (Addendum ~ Lyndsey. His name is Cleveland Lyndsey) They held my hand. They talked to me. They got the EMTs there. Gary and Greg. Orlando sent two response teams and these guys were the leaders of each. They could barely get a pulse. They couldn't get a response. They couldn't get a blood pressure. I was dying.

All the while, my family is out in the other room of the suite, praying. The SGM is with me, talking to me, not letting me go. And Gino and Cleve and Gary and Greg are doing ~ whatever they were doing that was keeping me alive.

Then the epinephrine kicked in. It didn't send me into cardiac arrest as I was told later they were concerned it might. I started being able to breathe on my own. This is when I start having vague images and memories again.

There was one more moment in the ambulance. Gary explained he was going to give me a shot of benedryl and to let him know if I had an adverse reaction. I assured him I could handle benedryl. I turned and said "See, I'm feeling just..." and I gasped for air. You know in movies when a character suddenly arches her back and gasps, eyes wide, completely out of control of her body and breathing? I know how that feels for real. He cranked the oxygen up and pounded on the ambulance saying "don't dawdle." The lights and sirens went on.

I don't know why it was important to me to know their names. I know it was. I asked all four of them, over and over again until I remembered them. Gino and Cleve and Gary and Greg.

For years after, I sent flowers to the hotel for Gino and Cleve on Memorial Day. Then one year, they weren't working there any longer. But I still remember. And every single night a toast is made, I lift my glass to the four of them.

If anyone happens to know these guys, Gino and Cleve who were on duty with Loss Prevention at the Marriott or Gary and Greg, who led two of Orlando's EMT response teams, on Memorial Day 1998, tell 'em I still remember. And thanks.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee ~ and eleven more years to toast the men who saved your life.

I Want...

A blogger I read, Rose, over at Lessons Learned, had up a very simple post the other day. It wasn't a meme or a tag. Just a post. It listed a handful of things she wants. It got me thinking...

I want adventure.
I want to find adventure where others miss it.
I want to travel to mundane places and extraordinary ones.
I want the mundane places and the extraordinary ones to be the same places.
I want to wake up next to my dear Lithus more often than I don't.
I want all my family together in one place occasionally.
I want the kids in my life to be happy and healthy.
I want enough money to not worry where the next payment comes from.
I want to get back into my size 12s ~ with the occasional foray into a 10.
I want to see Appsrus again.
I want continued happiness.
I want to laugh.
I want to live life rather than to just mark time.
I want, at the end of it all, to see my father and grandfather.

It's a good list, I think. What do you want?

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Needs Glasses

As I mentioned in my last post, I need glasses. They are really just for reading, driving and computer work but...umm...yeah. This is me, after all. So, apparently, I won't be in my glasses when I'm bathing and asleep. Got it.

However, it is me we're talking about. So I got these:




Otherwise, really, what's the point?

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Doctor, Doctor, Gimme the News...

Sadly, this does not continue with an upbeat love (sex) song. With a stretch of time in Mexico ahead of me, I decided to go get everything medical that might need poking, prodding, looking at, gone over or otherwise examined poked, prodded, looked at, gone over and otherwise examined. Physical? Check. Blood work? Excellent. Girl parts? Healthy. First ever mammogram? Not bad at all (although I get why it could be an unhappy experience for women not of a certain size). Eyes? In need of glasses, but we knew that. Teeth?

Damn.

I've had a hollow feeling in a lower left molar for a while now. Turns out the silver filling I got back when I was ten or something is beginning to crack. Apparently, they have a shelf life and I've reached it. This has nothing to do with my oral hygiene, I am assured. Still...dude...

So give a call this afternoon if you want a laugh because they're numbing me up. Should make for interesting conversation. At least they sent me home to have lunch before.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Standing Up

For those of you unaware, there has been a veritable brouhaha in cyberspace for the past several weeks (bordering on months) that has been aptly named RaceFail09. From what I understand ~ because I don't hang out in forums or chat rooms to have witnessed it in real time ~ it started innocently enough when a discussion arose about white Sci Fi-Fantasy authors writing nonwhite characters. Could it be done? Should it be done? Must it be done? What was the author's responsibility to the POCs' communities to get it right? And then, as so often happens, instead of continued conversation and discussion about race, it devolved. This is the point, for the record, that I became aware of RaceFail09 and started following it myself.

The name calling started. The defensive moves came out of the playbook. The deflection began. Reasonable concerns and responses to the issue were shot down as overreaction, "simple" misunderstanding and (my favorite) ungratefulness. (is that a word? it is now.) I was amazed with the pain and anger that was totally disregarded by authors, that was considered acceptable collateral damage while defending their own right to write shallow, token characters.

Finally, there was the statement that POC hadn't been fans of speculative fiction prior to the internet and insinuation that (in one's best condescending tone) oh it's just so wonderful that they can even be a part of the debate. Which was followed closely by a not-terribly-veiled attempt to take credit for creating fen of color. Which is where Fen Of Color_United was born.

Today, POC who grew up fans of sci-fi, fantasy, speculative fiction, choose your descriptor, long before the internet made it available to them are standing up today to be counted. To say check your priviledge ~ I've been here as long as you have.

Now, before anybody goes and gets really stupid...I'm white. I know I'm white. You know I'm white. I'm also a sci fi reader from way back, raised by a sci fi reader who was raised by a sci fi reader. I once ended up with a boyfriend because I was able to recognize a completely out of context and very obscure sci fi quote. And I'm a writer who takes her craft seriously. Who understands that the whole world and my whole readership doesn't share my skin color or ethnicity. Who understands that I must research and understand POC characters and who gets that I will still sometimes get it wrong. When I do, it's not my place to be offended when my inaccuracies are pointed out to me but to learn and write a better character next time.

And I stand in support.

So here I am. FOC_U.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Lionel Update

Well...

His liver is going bad. His kidneys are going bad. His heart murmur is getting worse. There's something happening with his back legs. The seizure was a grand mal. His cholesterol is sky high (which, in case you don't know, in dogs means there is a major underlying condition).

And yet his spirit is as strong as ever. His eyes are as bright. He loves his cheese, his sunny spot and demanding to be put on the futon. He's as likely to get away from me in the yard as he is to head right up the step and announce he is ready to go back inside.

At this point, the vet doesn't suggest in any way that it is time to put him down. In two weeks...who knows. For now, though, we're hanging out, having lots of mommy and baby snuggle time and making sure life is full of cheese, sunny spots and naps on the futon.




Those are slightly less sad Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Lionel

He isn't doing well. Today was his 6 month check up ~ and he had a seizure. Lithus saw him have a stroke one day ~ but then he was fine. There've been a couple times when I thought "that's not right" but, within 24 hours, he was always fine again, so I thought I was seeing things or overreacting. I guess not.

We're running blood tests. Depending on what they find, we'll do some imagining. But he's sixteen and a half. He's had a great few years with me. I just want him to have a great few more, is all.

We're supposed to go to Mexico to be with Lithus. He's supposed to bask in the warmth of the Mexican sun. I'm supposed to get him doggles for when we are exploring, him in my lap, wind blowing his ears. And I really want him to see Lithus again because he loves his Mr. Lithus. I'm not ready for anything else.

I just bought puppy pads to see us through the end of the month. And a new flat of food. And Lithus has found a store that sells his dog food and checked to make sure the airline will take him in the cabin with me.

I feel very alone right now.

4:13 A.M.

I just emailed my finished manuscript to myself.

It's done.

Yes, there are final edits to be written. Yes, there are sex scenes to be written. Yes, there is punctuation to be double-checked.

Bottom line is, I have written, edited, and rewritten 250 pages in 70 days.

It's done. As of 4:13 A.M. Life's good.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

R.I.P ... and thanks

When Bea Arthur died last week, I thought about posting. She was brilliant and beautiful and an irreplaceable talent. I also knew that the world would grieve her and posts upon posts would be written. Deservedly so. And so they were.

Today, the world has lost another brilliant and beautiful and irreplaceable talent only I doubt posts upon posts upon posts will be written, even though they are deserved as well.

Rest well, Ernie Barnes. The world just became less colorful, less interesting and less vibrant. Thank goodness your work still survives. Thank you for it.




Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee ~ and an amazing legacy.

Questions You Don't Think To Ask

I pride myself on being prepared. My family and I have always been able to discuss what happens in case of serious illness and death. The SGM and I discussed not only what would happen were he to be killed in action but what would happen were he to be captured. I knew my father had a DNR long before the stroke that took his life. The people who need to know, know my wishes regarding medical decisions.

Every now and then, though, one slips by. I remember when my mother brought her now-husband, then not-yet-husband, to meet the family in Colorado. One day, we went to the museum. He said he was going to check out an exhibit on another floor; we agreed to meet up later at another exhibit all of us wanted to see. He left. About five minutes later, the fire alarm went off. We looked at each other and actually laughed. As we evacuated the building, we decided that he was an adult and would find us on the grounds. Sure enough, he did. But when you're all adults, you figure out that yes, you will all meet up in 30 minutes in the Egypt room. You don't think to ask "Where do you want to meet if there's a fire alarm?"

Another time, the SGM was heading out on a deployment and I was to join him in Newport for the last three days before he left. We discussed the things I needed to bring him. I doubled checked that I had my i.d. All was good. Until the attacks on the World Trade Center occured and they closed the bridge to the island and locked down all military bases. You don't think to ask "What's Plan B should there be an attack on US soil?"

Want to know what else you don't think to ask? You don't think to ask "What happens if you're in the country that is Ground Zero of the swine flu that threatens to become a global pandemic?" Nope. That one didn't even make the top 10 list of questions Lithus and I thought to ask each other.

Luckily, he is in a very small town and it is isolated enough that all should be well. He and his co-workers did not get on a crowded bus this morning and travel 3 hours to see the cool city that one of the Mexican pilots wanted to show the others. So they are being smart and responsive with being reactive, let alone overreactive.

Still, you have to laugh. At least I do. Because who expects a global pandemic of swine flu during the only six weeks he's away? Welcome to our world. This is what happens when you combine my life with the life of the one other person whose stories I envy. You get a weird, synergystic swine flu pandemic. Or something like that. But it makes a great story.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Stuff

* Trying to decide if I cut my hair, so it's easier to handle and cooler













or if I leave it long, so it's heavier and thicker but can go into a ponytail and still protect my neck.














* Today, Lithus is in Mexico, swimming in a river, under a waterfall. Poor baby. Go ahead, feel free to pity him.

* This blog is far more interesting and fun to maintain than my professional one. But God, don't tell, please. Because of course Pauline's blog is the best, more fascinating, creatively written work on the internet. *sigh*

* Lionel has started sleeping in a new position. I call him Mobius Strip Dog.


* This morning I had a load of laundry in and had the kitchen cleaned before my first cup of coffee was even ready. I am as shocked as you are.

* High school friendship politics and pettiness is really old after, say, about, high school.

* Fresh fruit is back. Especially strawberries.

* Morning walks are making all the difference in how I view the world, how I sleep, how I feel. Next time I feel like skipping more than one day for less than a valid reason, I need to remember this feeling.

* I don't really like Facebook, although I do understand how it is helping professionally.

* The fact that my favorite local grocery store is open 24 hours really makes me happy. I'm not sure I've shopped during daylight in a couple months.

* Yes, life is this basic right now. But the book's getting written. :)

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Professional Packaging

With apologies to my readers who might see this elsewhere...

I try very hard to present a professional face whenever I'm being Pauline. Casual, relaxed, one-of-the-girls AND professional, at the same time.

A couple weeks ago, I ran a contest on my blog. Due to communication difficulties, the winner's prize just went in the mail today. My post office clerk knows me pretty well and is used to me coming in to mail all kinds of interesting things. Because I am in there so often, he is great about doing what he can to cut my mailing expenses. Today, I had picked up a box that would cost more to send the goodies to my winner than necessary. He dug around back and found another box that, while larger, would still be less expensive. Great! Sure, the box had been used before so it was a little banged up but I decided for almost five bucks and the karma involved in recycling, I could live with a little banged up.

Only by the time we had added the padding to the box, it was suddenly more expensive than the original box I'd picked up and he'd rejected. Never underestimate the power (cost) of .9 ounces! "Don't worry, Pauline," he assured me, "I'll manage it." Ah, the joys of being a regular. So, I paid him and walked away from the counter.

I still needed a couple of things so didn't leave the store immediately. Instead, I made the mistake of looking back over to see him "managing" it. He was mauling the inner flaps of the box, ripping them up, in order to lose the extra weight. Ummm.... Hm. By this time, I had paid and he had saved me money. "But it's unprofessional" just seemed, well, ungrateful. Still, it would be interesting to be a fly on the wall when my winner gets her goodies ~ in a banged up, reused and mauled USPS box.

Sometimes you just have to laugh.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Um....

So, yesterday there were huge numbers of protests around the country. People brought tea bags. Lots of history here, obviously, plus they were wise enough to incorporate a very modern acronym: T.E.A for Taxed Enough Already. Only...someone, somewhere dubbed it "teabagging." So all these protesters spent all day yesterday...teabagging their legislators.

Um....Are you gonna tell 'em? 'Cause I'm not gonna be the one to tell 'em.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Lip Sync For Your Life...

...and don't fuck it up.

As you may have gathered from the post immediately preceding this one, today was a rough day in my writing world. A frantic phone call to Crow Mother was followed by an equally panicked email to Dennis R. Over four hours and innumerable emails later, I was less frantic, less panicked, had things back in perspective, had a plan and a mental road map. I was also fried. Burnt out. Done.

This isn't the only stress in my world right now. It's just the most urgent stress. That doesn't mean the rest of it isn't stressful or always right there, simmering on the back burner. So yeah ~ I was done.

What I realized was I work very, very hard. Usually, I also play very, very hard. Recently, there's been no play. At least not very, very hard play. I needed a reset. I needed to blow out the stagnant air in my brain and start fresh. There's not a lot of money right now. It's not only Sunday but it's Easter Sunday (a Pagan and a Jew walk into a bar on Easter...) so options are limited.

We called Flora and went bowling. Yep. Bowling. With Flora. Sounds like a great game show, doesn't it?

We were loud. We were inappropriate. We both amused and slightly frightened the family in the next lane. We sang and danced and boogied and wiggled to the videos playing. And then, just as it was my turn, it came on the video screen.



I cannot tell you how many hours I have spent playing Magenta. At parties. In movie theatres. In theatre theatres. In front of my own and my friends' televisions. At overnights and slumber parties. To not perform the song would've been sacrilege. So I did. Standing at the top of our lane, dancing, performing, doing the Time Warp (again!).

My hair was flying; my choreography and lip sync were spot on. At one point, I heard Flora say "this is why I have such a hard time remembering she's shy." Lithus has informed me people gathered in the door of the room to watch and one guy even pulled up a chair. My focus was on Lithus and Flora. And resetting my brain.

It worked. I feel great. I feel creative. I know my characters and their stories and as soon as I hit "publish post" I will write them. Guess I didn't fuck it up.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Oh Dear.

I think the book may be boring. Well written with great, fully developed characters, mind you. Just...boring.

Hmmm...

Need to find a way around this and quickly.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

How It Works

A comment from Graziella and an event last night made me laugh this morning.

I used to live on the 3rd floor of a three-family in MA (for those of you who don't know that phrase, it's a three floor building with one apartment on each floor and shared front and back stairwells). After Graziella moved out of the second floor (which is how we met), two young men moved in. One was a conductor on the commuter train from Worcester to Boston and the first train left at 5:17 a.m. I was writing Falling In Love and Business Words at the time.

The Conductor would leave home about 4:30 to go to work. When he walked out his back door, he would sniff. If he smelled cigarette smoke, he would lean over his balcony and look up. If I heard him, I would lean over my balcony and look down. "Good night, Pobble" "Good morning, Conductor. Have a good day." "Have a good sleep." And he would start his day as I was finishing mine.

Lithus has been moving a bird from the west coast to the east coast. He needed to be up at 3:45 this morning. So, at 12:45 last night, I called him. "Good morning, Lithus. This is your wake up call." "Good night, Pobble. You get a good night's sleep. I'll see you in a couple hours."

Because that's how it works sometimes.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Writing on Writing

My next novel has a deadline of June 1. We're grateful for June 1 because it originally looked as if it might be April 15th. Now, I could've made April 15th ~ but tears would've been involved. There very well may still be tears with June 1. There definitely would've been tears with April 15th. See, the more I write on this story, the more of this story there is to write.

I haven't bothered to edit or re-read at all. That's Crow and the Divine M's job. I'm just writing. Get it written, get it finished, take the last couple weeks of May to edit and rework. That's the plan.

I have given up trying to stay in touch with my friends, keep a clean house, participate in life outside of being Pauline. Luckily, I have very understanding friends and a husband (*giggle* ~ I still like that word) who is willing to wash out my coffee mugs.

And I've learned some things. I really do need to compose initially in long-hand. Yes, it takes twice as long. Yes, it is a pain in the ass. Yes, I really need to do it. And I can't write in silence. But the background noise has to be very specific background noise. Music is great when I'm transcribing from my notebook to the computer. Preferably WBCN streaming in from Boston. For actual composition, though, I need what I call "slightly more intelligent than not television." Mostly, that means dramas. Mostly that means House. NCIS. Special Victims Unit. CSI. Hmm...that's it really. Anything else is distracting. Even other shows in that same general genre. I tried to say (very self-importantly) this is my writing time and this is my writing space and thus spake the author that she will not be disturbed. Yeah...not so much. Now, I turn on the television, find the reruns, curl up on the couch with my notebook, pen and coffee, and write.

I'm also having to find time to actually be Pauline. She guest blogs. She has book signings. She runs a facebook page and her own blog. She gets emails. She's even running her first contest over on her blog. (Check it out ~ you can find it by clicking on "Pauline's site" over in my Places You Should Go links. The drawing will be random but the goodies will be good.) It's surreal as hell. And takes up more time than I'd expected, quite honestly.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not (NOT) complaining. Mostly, I'm loving every minute of it. It's just new and different and taking some getting used to. And y'all are where I work through it all. So thanks. For keeping me sane. For knowing and loving me before I became Pauline. For hanging out and sticking with me through the ride ~ even though I won't be around as much (and will be very singleminded when I am around) between now and June 1.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

I'll Take It

Timber's been in a spot of trouble recently. Most of it, ordinary teenage stuff. Some of it, not bad right now but needs to be nipped in the bud before it does become more than ordinary teenage stuff, because it could go away ~ or it could become really anti-social. Lithus and Timber's mom have been trying to keep Timber completely in the loop, all three of them meeting together so everyone can hear what is being said. Until this spot of trouble. This spot of trouble heralded the beginning of the time that Lithus and Timber's mom needed to meet just the two of them.

Turns out she's not crazy. Turns out she's not abusive. Turns out Lithus isn't emotionally and verbally abusive. Turns out I'm not an overly strict evil stepmom who uses him as a slave. Turns out none of us are actually behaving the way it is being reported we are behaving. Turns out Timber reports hating Lithus and me as much as he reports hating her. Turns out he's painting us with the same brush he's been painting her.

Turns out, we're all turning into pretty good parents. Because if he hates us all, we're all doing something right. I'll take it. I bet Lithus and Timber's mom will, too.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

From the Lovely Cats

My deadline was extended to June 1 (and not even at my request!) but it's still keeping me wicked busy, which means I don't have much time to write anything new. Therefore...

Finish the sentence.

1. MY EX...is an immature person who doesn't get it

2. MAYBE I SHOULD..... stop procrastinating and write that article

3. I LOVE....my life

4. PEOPLE WOULD SAY THAT I AM... interesting

5. I DON’T UNDERSTAND...more than I could ever list here

6. WHEN I WAKE UP IN THE MORNING... I need coffee

7. I LOST...the last game of Quiddler I played

8. LIFE IS FULL OF... life

9. MY PAST TAUGHT ME... I can survive it (whatever it is)

10. I GET ANNOYED WHEN...people are stupid

11. PARTIES ARE... small, intimate events that I love

12. I WISH... I lived in Boston, still

13. DOGS ARE...cute enough

14. CATS ARE...fine

15. TOMORROW IS...Thursday

Those are Pobble Thoughts, with a little help from the Lovely Cats. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Why the Tie (Booksigning Post 2)

As I mentioned last week, Crow Mother and I had spent a good deal of last Tuesday planning what I would wear to the book signing, the night it was originally scheduled. We decided on a black, stretch pencil skirt, black sweater with a fake fur collar and my baby doll patent leather pumps. The look is smart and sophisticated, with a bit of a 50s pin up girl edge. Pauline is definitely smart and sophisticated with some kind of an edge.

Scroll down to the post below this. Go ahead. (doo bee doo bee doooooooo....Back? Excellent.) Bet that didn't look like a black sweater or kinda 50s pin-up girlish to you, did it? Yeah...

We had to leave the house at 5:05 p.m. At 5:05 p.m., I was climbing into the Pobble Mobile. Yay! When I felt a rip. Boo! I jumped out of the jeep, lifted my coat and demanded Lithus tell me what had just ripped. Sure enough ~ it was the seam of my skirt...all the way up.

So I go tearing into the house, stripping as I storm up to the bedroom. Now, since my outfit has, at this point, been planned for a week, everything else I might feel comfortable presenting Pauline wearing is either dirty or unironed. Plus, it's pouring rain. And the longer I stare at my closet, the later I am getting.

The second option Crow Mother and I had come up with was a pair of black pants and sharp white shirt. The pants in question are dirty BUT! My black pinstripe pants are clean and have spandex in them. I shook them out hard and called it ironed. Only to discover that all my white dress shirts are dirty.

You know one of the best things for women about being married? The second wardrobe.

I grabbed Lithus's white dress shirt out of his closet, rolled the sleeves and threw on an armfull of bangles to spiff it up a bit. As I'm leaving the bedroom, I say to him "I wish I had a skinny black tie." A flick of his wrist later and I have a skinny black tie. We even got it on me without too much drama (although the words "you're the man; you're supposed to know how to do this!" did come out of my mouth, much to my embarrassment. I've decided the Pobble is a loving and wonderful wife; Pauline is a real bitch. digressing...)

And we walked out of the house at 5:17. Twelve minutes total. To put together a look that got raves all night. *whew* When clusterfucky ends well. ;)

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Wow

wow wow wow wow wow wow wow wow

It was So Freaking COOL!

I've made Lithus tell people about it because I really don't remember much of it. Just that it was So Freaking COOL! Everyone was very nice. The woman in charge facilitated nicely and kept things moving. People were really interested in my story, the book's story, and my story about the book.

It was So Freaking COOL!


I'll try to compose a more coherent description but I make no promises. Mind you, I've got another one this Friday so maybe, the first one just needs to be So Freaking COOL and the next one can be coherent. ;)


Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Rescheduled to...TONIGHT!

My first booksigning is tonight. Tonight.


AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pobble Hop Pobble Hop Pobble Hop

My dear Lithus is home and will be there.
Mom my sent these:


And seriously, how gorgeous are they?

I have my pen.

I'm ready. Borders book readers, here I come. :)

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.

Procrastination

This is going around my writers' group because no one can procrastinate like writers.

The rules...

Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following questions. You cannot use any word twice and you can't use your name for the hero/heroine name question.

1. What is your name: Boston Pobble

2. An author's name: Elizabeth Peters
3. A hero's name: Phillip
4. A heroine's name: Patience

5. An occupation for a Hero: pediatrician
6. A Romantic Location: Paris

7. Something a hero gives a heroine: pearls
8. A romance novel title: Piece of her Heart
9. A Romantic Food: prosciutto

10. One word describing last romance you read/wrote: pat

Gotta love a good time suck.

Those are Pobble Thoughts. That and a buck fifty will get you coffee.