Life's Adventures: A Birthday Celebration

My sister and I have an adventure twice a year when we enjoy a chocolate martini, once in the spring for her birthday and again in the fall for my birthday at the Hassayampa Inn in Prescott, Arizona in the saloon called the Peacock Room. This tradition is what led to the cozy mystery series I’m writing with co-author Joyce Proell. 

You might not consider sharing chocolate martinis to celebrate a birthday as an adventure, but we've met so many fun people and discovered some interesting tidbits about the town, the saloon, and our imagination. We never know what adventure awaits us...but can always count on the great martinis that Huck creates.

Our fictional Chocolate Martini Sisters are Emma (Em) Banefield and Nicole (Nic) Earp. Nic's second ex-husband, Rodney Earp, is a distant cousin to the famous Earp brothers. The sisters find a lot more murder and mayhem at the Dulce Inn in our fictional town of Wyatt, Arizona than my sister and I find in the Peacock Room!

Nic is the younger sister and prone to jumping to conclusions when she and Em are following the clues to catch the murderer. Em is an analytical sleuth, more cautious than Nic. Both sisters are keen observers and love to people-watch. Nic is a freelance travel writer and ex-teacher, carefree and arty in her style. She loves hats. Em’s style is classic. As of soon-to-be published book 4, Nic has gone into business...a yoga studio. Em is now a published author. But chasing killers and solving the crime still takes up much of their time.

In the next couple of months, we'll be rolling out book 4, Birds, Puppies, and Murder. In the meantime, if you haven't read books 1-3...well...why not? 

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Life's Adventures

Blogging about life's adventures and books...

Adventures past, present, or future. And my books--then and now. 

Although summer doesn't officially start for another three weeks, here in Tonto Basin, Arizona, it's started for me. True, we haven't hit triple digits yet, but it's only days away. I've opened the calendar, and I'm making plans to be away from here as much as possible.

I should get FDW to take me to the lake this week before it's too awfully hot. I prefer Apache Lake, and I don't really care about fishing anymore. A couple of hours sightseeing and eating a packed lunch will do me just fine. Should we take Amigo? That's an adventure I can do without. The dog refuses to stay on the boat and whines incessantly if he can't be in the water.

The first week of June, we'll be dog sitting for the kids which means Phoenix. No cooler, but their place is bigger with a super AC so we can spread

out and chill. Plus, I won't be tempted to clean or do any of those other things that drag my efforts away from writing. Book four in the Chocolate Martini Sisters Mysteries is begging to be written. I've got a book of Christmas short stories on the burner too.

The third week of June we'll head to cooler Prescott and stay in "the cabin" at my sister's. Her hubs did a fantastic job of building a little getaway on their property, and sis put her usual artsy touches to it. This will be the first of many stays this summer. It's bare bones but we have full run

of the main house too. It's our anniversary so we'll be taking in a concert and dinner in quaint Prescott.

July is still sketchy. I have book events, doc appointments, and trips penciled in, but I'll wait to see what adventures we can ink.

August is birthday month...I will soon be making plenty of plans to get out of the heat and celebrate me!

What are your summer adventure plans? Or do you live in one of those places where summer at home is an adventure?

The AZ They Didn't Expect

TRIPPIN' THURSDAY

In everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose...in our latest season, with only a vague plan and a touch of creativity, we're off on another adventure. Half of this twosome is retired; my half will probably never know what that means. I promise to share.


And what a trip it's been these last two weeks.

Indian ruins ahead, Roosevelt in the background

The first week we entertained and were entertained with out of town company. Our friends arrived from Minnesota expecting warm Arizona weather. We accommodated them the first two days. After that, it was warmer in Minneapolis than in Northern Arizona. No matter. We couldn't have had a better time.

There is something sweet and sad about physically connecting with old friends. We hadn't visited with them in over three years. We played cards like the old days, only

Overlook at Roosevelt Lake

learned new games. We ate pistachios while we played only we tried a new flavor. The warmth that radiates, the joy experienced from hours spent with friends of many years is so sweet. The parting is sad. And I think I realize just how special sharing friendship is the older I get.

Jerome Ghost Town on the side of the mt.

So...money saving tip for this week is spend some time with friends you love. You don't have to do anything except enjoy the company.

Although we did quite a bit more. They hadn't been to Arizona before. It was difficult to pick what to show them and we put 1400

Elk along the way

miles on the rental car, but they learned Arizona was not what they expected. We showed them Tonto National Monument, Roosevelt Dam, Salt River, Prescott, Williams, Mogollon Rim, Jerome, and the Grand Canyon.

Me with mine on the top of the rim

After they left, we headed to the farm to begin preparing it to sell. Yep, Tortuga Flats Farm will be on the market by the end of the month (we hope). The farmer and his family have moved to Colorado to start a new adventure. I'll be sure to update the progress on the sell. This could mean another adventure, just trippin', for us, too!

At the Grand Canyon