Wicked Wednesday #villains #lust #murder

WICKED WEDNESDAY

An unsolved murder and the disappearance of her love decades ago are back to haunt Magpie MacKenzie. 

How about a villain who holds a grudge for twenty-eight years and takes his/her revenge against two generations of MacKenzies? In my newest novel, jealousy and lust are the driving force behind the hate that festers for nearly three decades. I can't say if it's a he or she. No spoilers here. But this villain is pathetic, and you'll love to hate him, er her, or whoever.

For about another week, Secrets of The Ravine is available for pre-order at a reduced price. This is the first book of a three-book saga, The MacKenzie Chronicles, following the lives of the three MacKenzie siblings in the purportedly haunted town of Joshua, Arizona. Hanging on the side of Spirit Mountain, this 1800s mining town, turned hippie haven of the 1960s, and now a ghostly tourist stop has a history and more than a few secrets. You won't want to miss the first book which takes you back to the 60s and brings the past into the present.

When a ringer for her long-dead love walks into her life the same day skeletal remains are found at the edge of town, Magpie MacKenzie can’t ignore what the universe is telling her…solve the mystery, or become the next victim. 

Lawyer Zack Peartree’s life is orderly and entanglement-free until he visits purportedly haunted Joshua, Arizona, and meets free-wheeling shopkeeper Magpie. Despite experiencing troubling visions and odd moments of déjà vu, Zack’s instantly drawn to Magpie and to the unsolved murder which troubles her so. 

Using clues from her father’s past and Zack’s déjà vu moments, Magpie and Zack race to solve the mystery, avoid a murderous fate, and to discover their future…together.

Reserve your copy today:

PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON US

PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON UK

You Kept It Because...?

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.

Finally, we're at the packing stage. Because we're storing all but what we need at the RV Ranch, we're taking the time to sort through boxes, drawers, and closets. I've had moves, many moves, before where we just pack it all and worry about it at the other end. Those were moves in the 9 to 5 working days when there was very little time to pack. Since Frank is retired and I can call my own hours, we don't have to cram boxes in the evenings or in one weekend.

It's pretty funny...some of the stuff we've carried around for years

Never throw away a cord

such as a big ben of wires and

We kept these because...?

cords. And there have been plenty of drawers or cupboards with things we don't even know what their use.

The last inspection netted us some work. The inspector said we needed to level the yard so it didn't slope toward the house. The yard is the same as when we bought it, except we planted grass. Four years ago, the inspector was fine with the slope. We spent the morning hauling in dirt to fill areas all around the house. Fingers crossed he approves,

otherwise it will take a landscaper to tear up the whole yard.

In the middle of all of this, Frank had cataract surgery. Yeah, that got him out of a few days of work. Did I mention I finished book four in the series and got it off to my editor?

The appraisal is tomorrow. Then the real packing begins. Yep, we are storing it and heading to the Ranch until we decide on another place...or not.

P.S. We still need a home for our workhorse tractor!

Battling pests in 2013

Picking blackberries 2013

TACO NIGHT

Tortuga Thursday

In 2012, on the plains of Northern Arizona, two families joined forces and began the trials and tribulations of building a small family farm with nothing in the bank but love.

Flour Tortilla Tacos

No matter what problems have plagued us on Tortuga Flats Farm, there are two words that brighten up everyone - Taco Night! Even on the great days, which are far more plentiful than the plagued days, those two words are welcomed.

We do Taco Night once a week. If Lance had his way, it would be every other night. Here's our recipe for a great family night dinner:






2-2/3 pounds organic ground beef (we buy this from Costco, comes in 3 packages of 1 1/3 pounds per pkg)
corn tortillas
fajita sized flour tortillas
ground cumin
chili powder
pink salt
grated cheddar cheese
tomatoes, chopped
various lettuce greens, shredded or torn small
avocado, slightly mashed
sour cream
El Pato tomato sauce

This will make at least twenty tacos. Truthfully, it varies depending on how much meat you like in your tacos. We love leftovers. Yes, we even eat them cold the next day. We make half the batch with corn and half with flour to accommodate all of our tastes. I like corn, Lance likes flour and Frank and Christie like both.

Cook hamburger and season while cooking with cumin, salt and chili powder. The cumin is like the secret ingredient that Christie introduced me to. I've made tacos for years but never used cumin. Love it now. Start with a couple of level teaspoons and season to taste. Sprinkle on chili powder and salt to taste. If you've never used pink salt, be careful. It's saltier tasting (but better for you!)

Heat cooking oil in a skillet. Dip the corn tortillas in hot oil on both sides to soften and set them aside on paper towels. No need to do this for the flour tortillas.

Now pile beef and cheese on the tortillas and fold in half. Fry to the desired crispness on both sides. This is the hazardous duty job. Better wear an apron and glasses. When the meat or cheese slips out of the tortilla the popping begins. As they are done, set them on paper towels to soak up the extra grease.

Once cooked, you can pile on the garnish - tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, sour cream and El Pato. We happen to think El Pato is the best sauce for tacos. If you like salsa or some other sauce, feel free to substitute. But I would give it a try if you've never had it; that is if you can find it in your state. In Arizona, every store has it. When I lived in Minnesota, I could find it at only one store.

Be warned - clean up is a chore. Even if you clean as you go, Taco Night is messy. But oh so worth it!

One More Dream Come True

2012 On the plains in Northern Arizona, two families joined forces and began the trials and tribulations of building a small family farm with nothing in the bank but love.

We bought an RV, a fifth wheel. After all kinds of should we, shouldn't we, what are we doing, how can we not - we decided if not, then when? If not now, then never.

The decision did not come easy but makes sense for so many reasons. First a little history. Many years ago, Frank and I decided we would retire doing the RV thing. We've been shopping RV's for over fifteen years. We wanted a fifth wheel. Then one year, after some financial mishaps, our plan changed a bit. Or at least Frank tried to talk me into changing it. If we were going to be RVers, we'd have to sell it all and actually live in the RV. My resolve faltered. I wanted a home base. We kept shopping, and he about had me convinced when the economy really took a nosedive. The RV dream died with like dreams of many people our age.

Peppers going in the ground

Bring us up to 2012, when our two families joined together to farm. The original idea had been for us to actually get an RV and only help on the farm if we felt so inclined. It seemed possible if we were sharing expenses. But that was easier said than accomplished without much in the bank (except love). So, we hunkered down under one big roof and carved Tortuga Flats Farm out of the dusty prairie. And it's been rewarding as well as an adventure.

Fast forward to 2013. The other family is growing - I might have mentioned once or twice I have a beautiful baby granddaughter. The crops are more organized and this experiment is a minor success. The idea of creating more space started as a dim flicker in my mind and I let it grow. We looked at adding on to the house or building a guest house. Neither turned out to be financially feasible - close but too scary to take on. Then the old RV idea surfaced. It certainly adds space to the living area and it just happens to be mobile. Frank and I are gypsies

Tomatoes going in the ground

at heart. We found what we wanted, they were having a sale, the payment was unbelievably low, we bit our nails, and bought it. Since we will be able to travel more, not be home quite as much, we're trading ends of the house with Lance and Christie. They will have the large end now. This seems fair since there are five of them (counting dogs) and three of us.

Only one minor glitch - we don't have a truck to pull it. We may have been able to maneuver buying a new fifth wheel, but we'll have to go used on the truck. We're shopping and have a car salesman friend on the look out. You might think we put the cart before the horse, but I'm okay with that. We'll get there. I'm just anxious to take our first voyage.

Sunrise over the greenhouse

Meanwhile, the potatoes are in the ground as are the peppers, tomatoes and onions. All seeds are planted for various other vegetables. I've seen a few buds on the blackberries. And Frank's declaration a few days ago that we will have no fruit on the trees this year may have been an early prediction. Apparently, a few apple blossoms are just now opening. No peaches, pears, plums or figs. Keeping our hopes up for a few apples. Looking forward to our first RV trip.

How Cool Are Hiccups!!

2012 On the plains in Northern Arizona, two families joined forces and began the trials and tribulations of building a small family farm with nothing in the bank but love.

This has been the week of seeds.

The most important little seed growing in my daughter in laws womb is nearly full term. Not exactly farm talk, but I'm so excited that this soon to be event merits mentioning. Until this week, I haven't been able to catch Sadi Belle in movement. Every time I put my hand on Christie's belly, Sadi stills. I'm taking this as a good sign. Gramma could be the calming touch or the charming touch for our newest edition to the clan. Time will tell. But when Sadi had the hiccups this week, I finally felt the life. Pretty exciting. Then yesterday, I went to Christie's doctor appointment as a stand-in for Lance. When the doctor set his stethoscope on Christie, Sadi's heartbeat thumped loud and clear at 160. Beautiful. 

We also got out first batch of seeds for this year's garden. A new local supplier offers seeds by the bucket, and they're actually local heirloom seeds. I hadn't thought about where seeds come from could make a difference. It makes sense that seeds from a particular area are going to be more acclimated for that area. This bucket of seeds was reasonably priced, and even though we won't use some of them, the cost was still attractive. I'm sure we'll plant the broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cucumber, green beans, lettuce, onion, peas, peppers, spinach, tomatoes, squash and a multitude of herbs. There are several varieties on some of these seeds. There are four or five others we will most likely take a pass on. They also included marigold seeds for free which are natural pest control plants. Winter isn't nearly over, but I'm already anticipating watching our new crop spring from the warm earth.

What a rich spring and summer this will be with Sadi and the crop both blooming with growth.

One Amazing Hole

Get your motor runnin'

Part of this new meagerly funded lifestyle is finding entertainment without spending too much. Motorcycling is part of our fun. Trouble is, motorcycles require upkeep like all other vehicles. We've been grounded for a couple of months because we needed a tire. I finally got the dollars, we got the tire and headed out yesterday to the Grand Canyon for lunch. Looked up the restaurant inside the south rim entrance and saw too many dollar signs so we decided we'd eat in the little village outside the entrance.

Before getting to pine country

Looking over Frank's shoulder

The drive up was gorgeous. The low 60's are cold for me to be on a bike, but with leathers and a turtle neck it was comfortable - except for my face. I forgot a scarf and wore my half helmet. The sky was full of popcorn clouds and as long they didn't pop over the sun, I was warm enough. Beautiful day. We headed north and turned east at Ashfork and north again at Williams. There are red, purple and yellow wildflowers blooming amongst the evergreens. Beautiful.

Still outside the park

Our choices for lunch were pizza, Mexican food and steak. Steak for lunch is a bit much. We'd had Mexican food ala Christie the night before. We ended up at Canyon Pizza because they had a patio. And because pizza can be cheap. We ordered a margarita pizza and sat in the sun on the patio. The bar next door had Radio Margaritaville playing. What a perfect lunchtime setting. And the pizza was phenomenal.

We walked across the street to get our pass into the park. We scored another great deal. With Frank's age status (and it is status now adays!) we paid $10 for a lifetime pass. Not only does it get us into the Grand Canyon forever but into all Federal and national parks and sites. So cool!!

Frank the photographer

Leathers kept me warm

The short drive into the park was even more beautiful. We saw a female elk and a swooping brown hawk. We stopped at the first lookout which is also the visitor center. We didn't bother with the center this time. Our purpose was to eat lunch and get a glimpse of the canyon. Although there were lots of tourists there, it was relatively slow for the canyon. We met a couple from Brazil who rented a Harley in Chicago and were on a twenty-three day ride to San Bernadino. Oughda! They invited us to come to Brazilia in July to attend a huge motorcycle rally and party. If only...

This displays the native tribes of the area

A pretty awesome hole in the ground

The ride back was warmer so my face didn't freeze. And we got home in time for another great Christie creation. All and all, a great day on a dime.

No Bugs Under the Blankets! #29

See the pears?

Farming is not for the faint of heart or weak of limb. Although, Lance is the lead in the vegetable garden and does ninety percent of the work, the other ten percent leaves me exhausted at times. My main pursuit is to eliminate the weeds. If you are at all familiar with fertile prairie, you're laughing at me. The big problem is we let them get ahead of us. But then I think they multiply while we sleep. We're going organic so manual labor is the about the only way to take care of the monsters. And if I don't get out of the vegetable garden soon and into the blackberry garden, we won't be able to see the blackberries to pick them! This is the weak of limb part.

Blankets protect our babies

Pepper plants in the foreground

The weeds came back with the blackberries

Weeding the blackberries in March

The faint of heart part comes in when our little babies die or get eaten alive by bugs. Like I mentioned in prior blogs, the weather took out tomato plants and rendered our peach and apricots fruitless, the bugs destroyed some leafy greens. We got a scare with the potatoes - again the weather. The night that happened, we realized that whatever the reported low will be for Paulden will actually be about seven degrees colder here. The tops of the potatoes were black. I took little manicure scissors and cut off all the black areas. We then mulched and covered all the plants with the blankets. They seem to be responding.

Frank has worked hard on the lawn

The blankets are the best thing ever! If only we'd known about them earlier. Lance visited a large successful farm in Chino Valley. His friend is the owner's daughter and she encouraged him to 'just go talk to my dad'. He didn't want to intrude but the man was extremely gracious and helpful. So now we cover our babies in blankets which keep out the nasty bugs that devastated our leafy greens. They also help to keep the moisture in and keep down the weeds. We were able to actually save some broccoli and chard that we thought the bugs had destroyed.

Last night we had asparagus, and in our salad we had radishes. Next week we won't need to buy any salad greens or spinach. Our garden is beginning to feed us! Now, if we could only eat the weeds.

I'm a Control Freak! #16

If you haven't been following my prairie posts from the beginning, you might not know why we embarked on this new lifestyle. The economic downturn hit us hard, Frank didn't think he'd ever retire and our son suggested we join forces and live off the land. We went on a hunt for a suitable house that offered enough space for two couples to live together but have their own areas and on enough land that we could raise our own fruits and veggies. And we could all afford. Here we are in Paulden, Arizona on a beautiful (but oh so dusty) prairie. And so like I said in the first post, we're doing this with nothing in the bank but love.

Putting five very different people together, happily, is not an easy task. The fifth one is a temporary house guest. Add to that two rambunctious puppies and a middle aged, spoiled only dog. Quite a combination. But we're finding our way.

Christie (my son's lady) wakes up giggling. I swear she does. Nothing gets to her - and more importantly - none of us get to her. So her number one strong suit is her upbeat personality. I'm jealous of her ability to sleep until 8:00. She's the last one out of bed in the morning. Maybe that's why she wakes up giggling. And she cooks - really, really good food. Since I hate to cook, she's special in my book! She brings to the household sunshine and cooking.

Frank (my husband) wakes up before Christie but after me. He's not as cheerful as Christie but not grouchy either. He's a jokester. Even when you'd like to get serious sometimes! Hint of annoyance from his wife. He's our inside project guy. He fixed all the windows, maintains the irrigation system and whatever else might come up. He doesn't "play in the dirt" but neither does Christie. And that's okay. He's also our senior member if that means anything. He brings to the table the willingness to research ideas and be a jack of all trades.

Brenda (hey that's me) is usually the first one up. And I'm rather driven at 5:30 am. I get the coffee on and fire up my laptop. I'm a control freak. Living with another couple is teaching me to let it go. No one keeps things as clean as I do. No one is as organized as I am. No one is as thrifty as I am. And the list goes on. I'm learning to deal with it - I hope. Otherwise, I'll go nuts and will never get my book written. I am the main housekeeper. I hate cleaning more than cooking, but it has fallen to me. Not that others wouldn't do it - but I can't wait that long! Mostly I'm easy to get along with. I bring to the table a willingness to work in the dirt both inside and out and handle the household budget and bills.

Have we had rough spots? A few. I imagine we'll have a few more. None of us are shrinking violets and we're all pretty mouthy. But we all share the desire to keep this little experiment going and to share a rich, full life with nothing in the bank (to start with) but love.

I Don't Want to Watch Me Take a Bath! Post #7

Rusty was very happy to see Frank

Over a week but I'm connected again. Frank is already complaining about the slowness of our "high speed" connection. I'm just happy it's as fast as it is out here in the boonies. Sorry, Pauldenites, but that's what it feels like. And I'm okay with that - in fact, I'm more than okay with the boonies. I started to say I'm lovin' it but I'm really sick of that McD commercial.

Rusty jumped higher than I did when we saw the U-haul chugging up our dirt road trailing a wagging tail of dust behind it. Bruce, in the little Chevy, followed in its wake making his own dust trail. Both guys looked a bit haggard.

Rusty finds unpacking very boring

But not too haggard to get cleaned up and find a bar with the Super Bowl on the TV. We headed toward Chino Valley. The first bar sits all alone with a sign out front that never comes down - "live music tonight" and a smaller sign that says "bikers welcome". We passed it by thinking maybe no game would be on and we'd save it for a stop when we were on the cycle. I'd seen the sign announcing the Super Bowl and drink specials at a bar called The Log Cabin in Chino proper. I'm not much of a football fan but I tagged along thinking it would be good to sit in a bar full of fans, have a beer and check out the locals.

I wish I could post some pictures. I forgot my camera but took some pics on my phone. Trouble is we traded in our Sprint phones for Verizon before I took the pictures off.  I'll try to paint the picture:
Cute bar that has seen its better days. On the mirror behind the bar, a couple of house drink specials were listed - one of which was

"F--- you juice $4.50". 

That should help with the feel of the place! Fifty something bar maid, dressed like a teenager, long black hair and friendly as hell with a voice that reflected too many cigarettes and too much whiskey. A grey-mustached, ball cap wearing guy with thin legs and a round belly who hung on the edge of the bar, behind it so that you might think he owned the place but couldn't tell for sure. A really old, fat, half-lit codger sitting at the bar who used the F word as an adjective in every sentence. A nondescript couple who came in late. A young, skinny guy who sat at the first stool as you walked in the door. A stool away from him, a man in his thirties who either stared in his beer or at the TV screen. Not much of a crowd. So much for mingling with the locals. The waitress brought us popcorn and the drinks were cheap. Retired people like cheap. She also promised chili dogs when the chili was hot. Frank had one, Bruce and I passed. Frank said the only good thing about them - they were free.

Frank hasn't found his 'Cheers' yet. Not sure where the Super Bowl crowd hung out but we didn't find that either.

A Mexican man carrying tamales came in with a big smile on his face and very little English in his vocab. Maybe-an-owner-guy took several bags and told us these were the best tamales anywhere. I bought a bag. They were still hot and steaming. $13 a dozen. We had some of them a day later and oh my! He wasn't kidding.

Kitchen

Lance and crew arrived the next day only a half hour later than expected - the expected arrival time was an hour later than he told us. He brought a big burly guy that made him look small (and he's not) and a wiry little guy that could lift a lot. Frank said it would take four hours to unload and it took two. Good thing because Lance was ill but wouldn't stop. We filled the entire house with boxes, including Lance and Christie's half of the house. Lance's comment - Mom! I thought you said you downsized.

A few parting comments for today:

One week off the Internet equals 93 emails on my personal address and 247 on my business address.
Unpacking a thousand boxes takes twice as long now as it did fifteen years ago.
Will I ever have nails again?
Mirrors should not surround your tub if you're over forty.

That's What On My Carpet? Post #4

Rusty and I left my sister's before the sun showed any inclination to rise. Rusty tried to rebel. Apparently he does not share the same enthusiasm for the drive that I do. He hunkered down and refused to jump into the back of the Explorer until I became cross and woke up half of Sun City.

The sunrise was gorgeous but I had no time to stop and take pictures. I had to meet the carpet cleaner at 8:30 and after a stop to get coffee and another stop to buy Rusty a water dish (I'd forgotten to bring his from my sister's), I had no time left over. I called the guy to let him know I would be there and his response rattled me. "I'm not scheduled for today - that's tomorrow."

Rusty's new yard. "before picture"

I know without a doubt he was scheduled - I remembered the conversation - and after some debate, he decided he could get to me but would be a couple of hours late. That actually worked better for me since I could get the ceiling fans and window sills cleaned that were in the carpeted areas.

After Rusty ran around outside for a while, he plopped down in the middle of the living room and gave me the evil eye. He might be having a rough time figuring out where he should call home. He's a spooky dog anyway so all the back and forth has him rattled.

Our 'orchard'

I could have planted indoor gardens on the fan blades. Then I moved on to baseboards. All I can say is they're clean . And that will be the story for the walls too. I've told Lance and Christie that since they are missing out on all this heavy duty cleaning they will be doing a LOT of painting. I hate to paint. We had to paint every room in our last house so I'm not keen on it.

Laundry room looking into master bath.

At last the carpet guys showed up and started setting up. His first discovery - no water outside. What? How can that be? Luckily he could hook up in the laundry room. He then walked the house and informed me I had multiple doggie spots in several rooms. What? He was a bit perplexed because of the lack of odor. Believe me, if the house had smelled bad I would not have wanted it. I have had dogs and cats and cannot stand the smell of their messes. But I sure as heck don't let my animals use my carpet for their relief. So he pre-treated and made several passes over most of the carpet. I can only hope the spots don't come back but I have my doubts. I'm figuring I need to start a savings for new carpet in two years. What brilliant mind chose white carpet in dusty horse country anyway??! And then let their dogs use it??!

As the carpet guy left, Bob showed up at my back door. Bob is a neighbor. In his ball cap, jean jacket, boots and close-cropped, salt and pepper beard, slow-talking Bob fit my image of the horse owner neighbor. Nice guy too. He was just driving by and thought he'd let me know 'she' has my extra keys and I can get them from 'her'. He pointed to his house as he told me.

Christie and Lance

Back inside, Lance texted me to tell me he and Christie would be there in an hour or two. I jumped in the car and made a run into Chino Valley for a McD salad. I no sooner got in the house when 'she' knocked on my door. Turns out 'she' is his wife Jeannette. As quiet as Bob is, Jeannette is a talker. We walked around in the chilly wind, her dark hair dancing around her shoulders, while she explained the irrigation system of the well. I learned all about the well workings and enough about the neighbors behind me to know there's something unlikeable about them. I do have water outside. The carpet guy didn't give it enough time to start flowing.

I was famished by then, but Jeannette had so much to tell me. It looked like she was winding down when Lance and Christie pulled up. Christie had not seen our place yet so Lance walked her around the two and half acres while Jeannette waited to talk to Lance. Then we went through the well system again. As much as I enjoyed her, I had to finally beg off and go inside to eat before I fainted.

Down the hall is Lance & Christie's space.

Christie was so cute as she checked out the inside, thanking me profusely for doing the cleaning. She and Lance measured and planned how their half of the house would lay out. Then I found out it will be March before they can get out of their current lease in Flagstaff and move to Paulden. On one level, it'll be fun for Frank and I to have the time alone but on another level, I was hoping to begin the communal living adventure. I love Lance and Christie.

Lance, whose idea it was to live under one roof, is nervous. He said he hopes I don't end up hating him! Christie said, "Lance,there's no way your mom would hate you." His reply: "no, but she could hate you." LOL

By the way, my interview is up all week at TBR, and I'm giving away a night at the movies, 1945 style to a commenter. Please hop over there, too! Click here: To Be Read Blog

More on the Weekend - Post #3

Monday can wait. I didn't get to totally sum up the weekend's discoveries. Did I mention the gunk we cleaned up? Okay, yeah, but don't forget it. We worked hard and still didn't finish. If you were to spill something red and sticky in the pantry that splashed on the wall and dripped across the wire shelving, wouldn't you wipe it up before it dried? I'll move on.

Debra goofing around.

I slept very little Saturday night. Maybe it was the air mattress or the quiet that was so quiet it was loud. Or maybe Rusty, who had his eye on us half the night, snored part of the night and moved from bed to rug to bed the rest of the night had something to do with my restlessness. Or maybe the million thoughts zinging in my head. Anyway, I knew without a doubt I couldn't let Bob come get Debra and leave me alone Sunday night. So we got up at 6:30am and dug in so we would both go back to Phoenix Sunday afternoon. We got it clean enough to move into. The rest could be finished whenever.

We worked until past lunchtime, packed up our stuff and Rusty and headed out to find Mexican food before the drive back to Phoenix. Wow did we find it. Side note here, I don't think I've mentioned. Paulden is small. There is one bar, one gas station and a post office. That's it. So down the road, eight miles south, is Chino Valley. There is only one main street, but on that street you'll find McD's, Subway, Sonic, Dominos, Pizza Hut, CVS, Safeway, two steak houses, a few bars, a couple of gas stations, the great Chinese diner and a couple of Mexican food places. But we found THE Mexican food place. It's an order at the counter place and there's no margaritas, which could explain the big take out business they do. The young gal behind the counter loves her job, speaks fluent Spanish and is small-town friendly. I will be frequenting this place often! Alfonso's - open 8 to 9, seven days a week.

I called Frank about the window problem. Made his day. He said he'd contact the realtor. The water pressure is odd. In the bathtub it's strong, in the bathroom sinks it's a trickle. Have to figure that out. We have a well. Never had one before. Could there be something to do with that? It may sound crazy, but I love the idea of having my own well. The idea of it is much more romantic than it actually is. There's no round, rock structure with a bucket hanging under a wooden eave. But still, we have a well...

Built-in entertainment center.

Oh, and I haven't mentioned the built-in entertainment center. Back in Minnesota, there's a nine foot long, three-piece solid oak entertainment center Frank needed to move. What to do? Frank put it up for sale. The trade off is pathetic really. The built-in is not real hard wood. Phoney stuff. But it is built-in. Rip it out? Then how to deal with the carpet and wall? And the oak one is so heavy and big to get into the U-haul. Before I could change my mind and regret the loss, it sold. Just stuff - I have enough stuff.

Frank's computer is dying. Great timing. Retiring on social security in the middle of moving cross-country does not allow for new computers in the budget. Especially when I don't have a handle on the budget yet. No idea how much our new lifestyle will cost. I can guess - all electric, no water bill since we have a well, trash service. Then there is phone, television and Internet. Four adults in the house and splitting the bills. Nope, not a handle. Computer purchase will stall until after the moving bills have piled up.

The drive into the sunset back to Phoenix is becoming a familiar lovely site. If you've not been to Arizona, we have some of the most dramatic sunsets. Fell into bed at my sister's Sunday night with the alarm set for 5am. Monday - carpet cleaner, well water questions, meet the neighbors, Christie sees her house for the first time and Rusty meets the other two dogs. Details next time.

Blogs and Tweets

I'm having quite a time figuring out all this electronic communication stuff. I finally have a Twitter account but don't get tweets on my phone. Now I've joined a Tribe but can't find the smoke signals. LOL I'm a Facebook junkie but honestly I doubt I use it to its full potential.

And speaking of electronic, still waiting for the distributors to pick up my latest book in print format and my ebooks to show up on Amazon and elsewhere. Anyone wish for the good ol' days?

In the meantime, here are the buy links that I have so far!

Sleeping with the Lights On
Amazon , Barnes and Noble , The Wild Rose Press

Honey On White Bread
Melange Books , Amazon

Tattoos, Leather and Studs
Melange Books

August is a Blurrrrrr

What a month! I made it through a move that was difficult (an understatement). I joined a group blog, Roses of Prose, which I know will be fun once I'm settled and caught up. Poor Rusty tore his ACL and had to have surgery. He's doing better but still hobbling around on 3 legs. My editing jobs fell behind because of the move and now I'm buggy eyed from reading and trying to make deadlines.

But hey - good news heaped on me and took away some of the stress. I'll have four books in varying lengths released between November and January. I'm psyched! Excited! Thankful! Hop over to my web site for more information.

In the meantime, don't forget about my novel that is available right now, Sleeping with the Lights On. I'd love it if you'd order straight from the publisher Buy Link but it's available wherever fun and entertaining books are sold in both print and e-book formats.