M.J. Fredrick's Blog, page 63

Wish List

Now that we have a new roof, I'm looking at other home improvements. We definitely need the house painted because of all the new wood, and I would like a new door, one with the Texas star in the center, one the cats can't scratch up like they did this one.

After that, a new mattress. Ours isn't that old, but it has a dip in it. I didn't realize how bad it was until we spent four nights in a hotel.

Then…I want new couches. Mine aren't THAT old, maybe 7 years, but they're yellow chenille. WHAT WAS I THINKING? No matter what I do, they're never clean. They're just…ugh. I would love blue ones, but none of the stores near me have blue. My mom has nice leather ones, but I have cats. That just seems like an invitation to disaster. Also, I'd like a sectional, but not sure the dh will go along with that.

Then…I'd like a new TV and a Blue-Ray player. This TV isn't that old, either, about the same age as the couches, but we can only watch it through the Tivo. And we watch a lot of TV and movies, so it feels like it would be a reasonable expense.

After that, I'd love an iPad. I have no earthly need for an iPad, but I want one. Bad, huh?

What's on your wish list?

The Smells of Summer

We just returned from California on Saturday. One thing I wish I could have brought back with me is the smell of my grandmother's house. What's weird is that it smells just the same as it did when I was a girl. I'm not even sure exactly what the smell  is, but the minute I walked in, I remembered. Apparently I spent a lot more time there than I thought, because it brought back tons of memories.

When I first started using the Cherry Blossom scent from Bath and Body, it reminded me of getting out of the bath at her house, but that wasn't the scent at all when I was there in the house. I don't know why that scent triggered memories.

When we were in CA, we drove to the coast, up by San Simeon, then down to Morro Bay. The ocean in CA smells different than the ocean in Texas. The ocean in Texas has a warm, salty scent that carries on the strong southern winds. When the dh and I went down a couple of weeks ago, the minute I saw the water, I opened the roof to let the smell in.

Another smell I associate with summer is chlorine. When I was growing up, we'd go to the city pool in Seguin just about every day, then we'd stop at the grocery store, oftentimes still in our suits. I remember FREEZING in my bathing suit and wet hair as we hurried up and down the aisles. I also remember Double Stuff Oreos came out one of those summers. To this day, the smell of chlorine makes me hungry for Oreos.

Of course, there's the coconut scent of sunscreen, which takes me back to the summers when we'd take my son and little brother (they're 2 years apart) to Sea World. We had season passes and would maybe go to one show, then head to the water park.

One of my mom's favorite summer time scents is the sycamore tree. She remembers going down to the swimming hole in Del Rio and playing in the water under the big leafy trees.

What are your favorite summertime scents?

Out Today–The Book That I LOVE

Today is the day–and it's come so quickly! This is my California coast set, Virgin River meets Gilmore Girls, first contemporary romance, written during the height of my Jeffrey Dean Morgan crush. I love everything about this book, but I'm biased.

Taking chances is never easy–especially when the whole town is watching.

Ellie Morgan is trying to stay below the radar in a small town. Her break-up with her football coach boyfriend and growing interest in her best friend's

widower are grist to the local gossip mill. Her friendship with the local psychic and the return of her prodigal mother are the cherries on the cake.

Add a meddling preacher, a water-loving dog and a man trying to shake off his past, and Ellie's got more than enough on her plate in her quest for

love.

It's available for 30% off at Lyrical Press, but also available at Barnes and Noble, Sony and Amazon.

 

Goals the Week SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT Releases

So we went to California last week to visit my grandmother. I thought I'd have a lot more down time, but turns out, no. I am behind in every single thing. AND I'm leaving for Minnesota this week. So I'm doing laundry and repacking.

We had a lot of fun in California, though. We flew into San Jose Tuesday, drove down the 101 to Paso Robles, stopping at In and Out Burger, which was PACKED. We got to Paso around 4, visited with my grandmother and aunt, went to McClintock's for dinner, then headed to the hotel. Wednesday we drove out Highway 1 to see the elephant seals. It was very foggy but so gorgeous. We couldn't see Hearst Castle from the road, sadly, but I've been before. Then we drove through Cambria and drove down to Morro Bay for fish and chips. Thursday we drove around downtown Paso, which is nothing like it was when I was a kid. I took my grandmother to get a manicure. Then we drove out to Atascadero, where my aunt and uncle live, for dinner. My cousin came down on her way to Santa Barbara and it was a really lovely evening.

Friday we drove out on the other side of the river to see how far the city has expanded, then my aunt and uncle brought dinner. The high school was graduating down the street and we had fun watching people parking and walking. Some were dressed up, some not so much.

Saturday we drove back to San Jose, stopping at In and Out again (still packed) then flew home. Got home at 11 last night! Time to get my body back on the Central Time Zone!

So, this week is another crazy one!

1)      Something to Talk About, the book that I LOVE, comes out tomorrow and I haven't done ANYTHING for it. This summer has been CRAZY.

2)      Father's Day dinner with my stepdad

3)      Birthday celebration for my husband

4)      Add 15K to my Bluestone book.

5)      Maggie entries—5 of them!

6)      Finish reading The Merzetti Effect by Norah Wilson, review, then read Dangerous Kisses by Trish Milburn and review.

7)      A guest blog and a blog for SPN Sisters

8)      Laundry/pack to leave on a 6 AM flight to Minneapolis

9)      Visit Mom/breakfast

10)   library

11)   Hang at the lake, do research

12)   Keep up house.

Whew!

Goals for the Week of the DH's Vacation

Eventually it will feel like summer. I was sick on Sunday, finally went to the doctor on Tuesday. Wednesday night I spilled half the bottle of cough medicine. :::sob:::

Wednesday was also the day the roofers came. They finished Saturday. It was more than was quoted but they essentially had to rebuild the roof. The previous roofers only laid down 3/8 inch plywood, and a lot of it was sagging and rotting though it was only 10 years old. They spent a day scraping the gravel off, then two days rebuilding, then laying down the mulehide and putting the new skylights in. But already I can feel the difference in the temperature of the house, and it's quieter (important since we live near the airport.)

Now we have to get it painted. Because I WANT more workmen around this summer. I'm never going to get to hang out in my pool.

This week:

1)      Add 14000 words to Bluestone

2)      Pick out new paint

3)      Spend time with my grandma

4)      Blog at SPN Sisters

5)      Do 2 interviews to promote Midnight Sun

6)      Grocery/library

7)      Keep up the house (3 days of not being able to leave the house makes for a CLEAN house)

8)      Hope I can start exercising without hacking up a lung.

9)      Read my friend Norah's book The Merzetti Effect and Trish's new book Dangerous Kisses. STILL want to read Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey.

10)   MAYBE find time to go to a movie. I want to see Thor, Pirates, X-Men and Super 8.

So I Did Something Really Scary

All this talk of self-publishing has had me intrigued, but I don't have any "under the bed" books that are in any kind of shape to go out in public.

So when my Samhain rejected my Antarctica book for the second time, I debated about sending it elsewhere, or trying it on my own. With the help of the Wet Noodle Posse, I decided to try it on my own. I had it formatted, ordered a cover, and uploaded it to Smashwords and Amazon.

Voila!

So I'm really nervous about this, hoping I made the right choice. At the same time, I'm really excited and hopeful about the possibilities! I'll keep you apprised of how it goes.

So Many Books…

So, I'm on summer vacation. I'm not feeling so hot, so I'm curled up in my chair writing and reading.

Here's what's on my list. I'm reading this now. It's a very sweet reunion romance.

 

 

 

 

I'm also reading this Raylan Givens novel. To me, he doesn't seem the same as the show's Raylan, but it's still a good book.

Next up, my friend Theresa's book:

Then my friend Colleen's book:

And I am dying to read Shannon Stacey's newest:

And this book, just because I love the title:

What are you reading?

Goals for the FIRST WEEK OF SUMMER

Wouldn't you know, I am sick. I have a cough and a stuffy head. I don't feel awful but bad enough to slow me down.

1)      Finish revisions on my December book

2)      Enter EPIC. I have 4 eligible—not sure I should enter all!

3)      Work like hell on Bluestone 2. I'm so far behind where I wanted to be!

4)      Brother's birthday celebration today, and I haven't bought his present yet!

5)      Get new luggage for my summer travels. The one I bought last year's zipper broke on the way home from CA last September.

6)      Deal with roofers working on the roof (FINALLY!)

7)      Clean house.

8)      Cook every night.

9)      Go to UPS store.

10)   Hair cut and color

11)   Sew a skirt. I have one already cut out and fabric for another.

12)   Get inbox down to 100. I have read them all, but not answered a lot of them.

13)   Hang with Mom

14)   Read! I have 3 library books, and I want to read/review my friend Theresa Ragan's book, Abducted, and Shannon Stacey's new book.

15)   Watch True Blood season 3 on DVD.

16)   Maybe rent I Am Number Four from Amazon, since Netflix won't send it to me. Also maybe Last Night, Sam Worthington's newest.

That is a LONG list! Next week's will be better.

Goals for the LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL!!!

If you see Trish anywhere online today, make sure to wish her a happy birthday!!

1)      Work on Bluestone2

2)      Get the last of my stuff moved upstairs to the windowless music room

3)      Get the last of my paperwork done and be grateful I don't have to mess with it next year

4)      Get back in an exercise routine. I was so tired this week when I got home, I couldn't do it.

5)      Go through Guarded Hearts in a pre-edit for my editor

6)      Get house as clean as I can, so I can start vacation with a clean house.

Scores and Upheaval

So our TAKS scores came in on Monday and it was not good. We won't be a recognized campus this year. 8 of my students failed the reading test! One student is new, but the rest–oy. I found out yesterday two of them failed it by ONE question. The principal came around yesterday and asked if we would be retaining any more students, because that meant we were sending 28 students who'd failed the test on to fifth grade. Well, I can't retain 4 of the kids who failed because they've been retained before. Two are from other schools and showed a lot of growth this year. One of those I can send to summer school. And of the other 3, 2 failed by one question. I'm not going to retain them for that. The third one's grades aren't bad enough for me to hold her back. It would be a huge shock to the parents, I think. (Well, not that huge, because her teacher last year wanted to retain her, but I think it would be a blow to her self-esteem.) She's a hard worker, so I'm sending her on. She's fine in math and the other subjects, but inferencing is tough for her.

On the plus side, only 2 kids failed math (one was the new kid) and only one failed writing (because he NEVER did any in class. Yeesh.)

Because of this (and my scores were pretty good compared to others), there's a lot of teachers changing grade levels and classes. I'm moving upstairs to music, a 5th grade teacher is changing to 2nd grade and will come to my class. The 2nd grade teacher next to me is looping with her kids to 3rd, and a 3rd grade teacher is looping with hers to 4th to take my place. I think at least 2 other 1st grade teachers are moving, another 3rd grade, and two other 2nd grade teachers. Next week will be mad with moving carts because we have to be done by June 3 since summer school starts June 6.

Thankfully, the music teacher already retired, so I've moved most of my things to his old room (no window! SOB!). I just need to take home my rocking chair, my computer table and my teacher chair. I don't think they'll fit in the Mini, so I'll just take the Scion next week. Today will be our last "regular" day. No school Monday, then Tuesday we have a cook out at the park across the street, Wednesday will be board game day, and Thursday, movies and a party. I can't find the movie that I show every year, Tiny Toons How I Spent My Summer Vacation, so I reordered it and hope it gets here in time!

I keep thinking of all the garbage I don't have to worry about at the end of the year next year–no PRCs, no test scores, no parent conferences….

Meanwhile, I have  fridge full of Shiner and my paddling pool