Debbie Macomber's Blog, page 46

Happy Birthday to Jaz!

It’s my oldest granddaughter’s birthday today.  Jazmine Lynn is 17.  Okay, stop just a minute.  That’s impossible.  I was in the room when she was born, and no way . . . no way was that seventeen years ago!  Two, three years maybe, but nowhere close to seventeen.  I remember the time I took her to the circus and she saw her first elephant.  The moment she laid eyes on it, she started giggling and clapping.  At two I took her to McDonald’s and studied the menu board trying to figure out what was best for a two-year-old to eat.  Standing on her tippy toes, Jazmine placed her tiny fingers on the counter and shouted, “Chicken nuggets, ranch dressing.”



Okay, I’m willing to admit a few years might have slipped past unnoticed.  Last summer Jazmine took me to the office every morning so she could practice driving.  On the way we’d stop off at a latte stand, and to this day I still remember her order:  “Chai tea latte with a shot of espresso and caramel, no whipped topping.”  I had a skinny vanilla latte.  Yup, my little girl is growing up.  This morning when I called to wish her a happy birthday, we talked about college.  College?  Oh my, all this is happening way too fast. 

My Path to Writing . . .

Monday morning and I’m eager to get to my desk, but first I have to make a pathway through a sea of dog toys.  And since Bogie loves to chase and ‘kill’ his toy bunny, squirrel and lamb, there’s usually a pile of stuffing mixed in with everything else . . . a graveyard of injured toys. Naturally, once he’s designed this obstacle course for me, he leaps onto the sofa and promptly falls asleep.  Isn't that just like a male?



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Eating well and losing weight.

I haven’t been able to blog much this week, as I’ve been away at a spa in Texas where they encourage minimal use of modern devices like cell phones and laptops.   I’m here with other women authors for health, spiritual enrichment, and weight loss.  I’ve been eating really well, but low fat and have actually lost weight.  I’ve fallen in love with vegetables all over again!  I’ve been setting goals, working on plot ideas, and reassessing things that I want to do for the year.  It’s been a fabulous week.  I’m missing my husband and little Bogie and am looking forward to seeing them again tomorrow!

Cold in the South

I know it’s hard to generate a lot of sympathy from those of you who are in our nation’s colder climes, but its very cold here in Florida.  We’ve had temperatures dip into the low 30s, and in the Orlando/Ocala area they’ve had a hard freeze.  Poor Bogie is so cold he’s sleeping on my lap instead of his usual position at my feet.  I’m bundling up and sipping hot chocolate and thinking of heading further south, but we can only go so far!  



It makes me worry about our local farmers and growers.  It’s orange country here, and farmers are covering trees and running sprinklers to minimize the effects of frost.

Lost and found department

Wayne, Bogie and I flew to our winter home and welcomed the New Year here in Florida.  I enjoyed the long flight as it gave me uninterrupted knitting time.  I worked on a pair of fingerless gloves for my daughter that were originally intended as a Christmas gift.  I finished one glove and showed it off to Wayne and the flight attendant and anyone else whose interest I could attract.  Unfortunately, I left the yarn on board the plane.  I was upset but got little sympathy from my husband who said, “Want to call 9-1-1?”  Well, it just so happened that my husband inadvertently left his cell phone on the same flight.  It’s brand new.  He’d only turned it on once. When he told me, I smiled sweetly and said, “Want to call 9-1-1?”

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

This afternoon I'm doing a dessert social at the Victorian Rose Tea Room here in Port Orchard.  I've done a number of events with this restaurant and gift shop.  My daughter, Jody Rose, is the manager there and it's always a special time.  This, however is the first time I've done a “Dessert with Debbie.”  The Breakfast with Debbie is always nice and the food is wonderful, and I've always enjoyed Tea with Debbie, too, but Dessert with Debbie?  Now that, my friends is a natural.  I don't know why no one has thought of this sooner.  Dessert with Debbie.  It even sounds lyrical, doesn’t it?  See how those desserts keep calling my name?

 

As this is my last blog before Christmas I want to take the opportunity to say Merry Christmas and have a wonderful, prosperous 2012.   The next time you hear from me will be in the new year when I'll be in Florida.

Five Days Before Christmas

Panic has started to set in.  Five days until Christmas and I'm still working on my cards, wrapping and mailing.  What's worse, remember all those fabulous goodies stacked up in our kitchen that Wayne still isn't eating?  Homemade cookies, candies, fruitcake.  Well, they keep calling my name!  While munching on bagels and cream cheese, I'm searching websites for diet plans.    Did you know Rachel Ray lost 40 pounds drinking berry juice?  I wonder if that would work with hot chocolate.

Christmas Diet

Wayne is on a low-fat diet.  He decided he needs to eat healthier--in the middle of December, when the kitchen is crammed full of goodies!  We have home-baked cookies and candies galore that my granddaughters and I made for my Christmas teas.  Plus chocolates.  Lots of chocolates.  I was bringing the goodies into the office until my staff told me STOP.  So who does that leave to enjoy all these delights?  Me!  And I can only swim so much to balance all this out.  I will support my husband's decision, but until the first of the year, Wayne is on his own on this diet!

100 and counting!

My Aunt Betty turned 101 yesterday.  I called to wish her a Happy Birthday and couldn't get through because she had so many other people calling to wish her happiness on her special day. Besides longevity, my aunt is an amazing woman in many other ways.  She was recently written up in the local Aberdeen, South Dakota, newspaper for a volunteer award.  All her life my Aunt Betty has given to others.  Her award, in part, was for helping the “old people” at BINGO.  Yup, I want to be just like her someday. 

Sweet Rewards

The Seahawks play tonight on Monday night football, and we’re going to be there.  Go Hawks!  Did you hear our running back, Marshawn Lynch , got an endorsement deal with Skittles candies plus something like a five-year supply?  Apparently, when he scores a touchdown, he rewards himself with a handful of Skittles.  It was a practice started back in this high school days with his mom.