Piper Stewart's Blog, page 3

Scolded…

I’ve been scolded. Truly, honestly SCOLDED. Those reading my book are missing gym appointments, kids birthday parties, doctors appointments… unable to put it down. I’ve had to laugh, as it has CONSUMED me for the better part of a decade… SO, my advice is get yourself the book, your favorite beverage, and CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE, so that I do not get into trouble for stealing your day.

Enjoy the ride people. Enjoy it….

Bloody Mary TEASER….

CHAPTER ONE – DEFLATED

My earliest memories were of standing on a sidewalk in the bright afternoon sun, watching the bank of windows above me. I anxiously searched for her face anticipating a chance to wave to my mother. This would be one of many times my father would drop me off on the East sidewalk, nearest the psych ward, as children under twelve were not permitted inside.

If I were lucky, she would be feeling well enough to come with him to the window to blow me a kiss. However, if she had just had shock treatments, or was having a particularly bad day, the windows would remain empty, my father would return with the car, sigh deeply as he opened my door and we would ride home together shedding silent tears.

I was far too young to understand why she was not with us, or why she was different from all the moms in our neighborhood. The ones who would make spaghettios for dinner and buy ding dongs and go to PTA meetings.

We lived in the heart of suburbia, and my father seemed as normal as the next guy, getting up and leaving for work each day, tucking me in each night. Yet at the time I didn’t realize exactly how unusual it was to have a bathtub full of blood and an ambulance in my driveway on any given night.

 

Zen

A quick short I wrote once upon a time. I always liked this one:

ZEN

“Reach up overhead and inhale….”

Get gas, get gas. I have got to remember to get gas on the way home. I can’t forget. And while I’m at it…

“exhale…”

I might as well go to the grocery store. Maybe I could just wrap it into one trip. If I do it right after this, I might be able to fit it in before picking up the kids from school.

“into downward facing dog.”

Oh, I need to get some dog food. Can’t forget that. They have been eating bread and peanut butter for two days. Ouch, I don’t know that I am supposed to bend like this. I really should do this more often so that I’m more flexible. It would be so good for me. I should get in really good shape. Then I could get a new dress for Danielle’s wedding. Which reminds me…

“And lower into plank pose…”

What the heck is plank pose? Anyway, I need to send a check for my nephew’s birthday. And I can’t forget to drop off a check to the kids school for their lunches. This pose is really hard, but I can feel muscles I didn’t know I had. Interesting.

“inhale and slide back into child’s pose.”

Childs pose. I like child’s pose. Not a lot of work.

“From here I want you to take a few cleansing breaths. Clear your mind.”

Clear my mind? Is she out of her mind? I have entirely too much to remember to be able to clear my mind. For instance, I need to gather all the information to submit the taxes to the accountant. I also need to make a dermatologist appointment for Shelly. I didn’t like the way her mole has changed colors. She really should stay out of the sun. If she only knew how important it is to take care of her body. Like with this yoga. I’m so proud of myself for carving out the time-

“Inhale. Deep cleansing breath.”

-to come and do something good for my body.

“and exhale out through the mouth”

This really does feel good. I should make the commitment to myself to-

“Clear the mind.”

-make it here several times a week. And water. I should start drinking a lot more water.

“Inhale. Fill your body with oxygen.”

Maybe I should take naps. Certainly vitamins. That would be so good for me.

“Exhale all your stresses away. Feel your body relax.”

I wish I could relax. It would be so nice to be able to let go and…

“be in the moment.”

Yes, that would be nice to…

“just…be.”

-Piper Stewart 2011

 

Dolls and stories…

There is so much swirling around inside my head that I don’t know what to latch on to. My dolls are screaming to be made… (and all I want to make are the Halloween ones…)

I had started re-vamping a story I had stashed away, but the minute I sit here at the computer, all I seem to do is hear Katrina (from Bloody Mary).

I have had a lot of positive feedback from the people who have read my book, or even excerpts from it. In fact, I think from here on out, I will post the pages that don’t make the books on this blog.  Like a little teaser. I have one I’m dying to put on here already, but it would be a bit of a spoiler….

What a day….

An excellent morning of water aerobics, and breakfast out with my favorites. Then…. this….

Boo….

 

Dreaming of Europe

Just found out for sure that Europe is happening. AGAIN! So excited, so nervous, so dreading the length of the flights…. Ah well…

This time we will see Paris, then spend some time in Nice. Ahh Provence.

The Mediterranean. My very favorite place in the world. We will stay in the walled village of St. Paul de Vence, as we have in the past.

It is breathtaking, and never the same twice. Finally we will take in the beauty of Venice on a river cruise, to relax, drink wine and see the beauty of the city.

Now I just have to pick up some travel tips, language cd’s, hints from friends……

Ciao!

Piper’s Bloody Mary Mix

*Samantha’s Favorite*

-1 Bottle (46 oz) tomato/veggie juice cocktail (pick your favorite!)

-Juice of 1 lemon

-1 teaspoon brown sugar

-1 Tablespoon steak sauce

-1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

-1 Tablespoon prepared horseradish

(use a teaspoonful if you don’t like it spicy.)

-1 Tablespoon hot pepper sauce

(again, start slow if you’re shy, you can always kick-her-up later…)

-1 dash of garlic oil (you can fresh press a clove for the oil, or use the whole clove. I don’t care. I like what it adds to the flavor!

Mix the tomato juice and lemon juice in a large pitcher. Add brown sugar, steak sauce and Worcestershire. Add your other seasonings a little at a time, tasting as you go. When it tastes amazing at this stage, cover and refrigerate if you can manage not to drink it all.

The flavors will meld and become even more tasty! Add a good healthy shot of your favorite Vodka, or even leave it out for the kiddos (two out of three of mine loved this mix. The third doesn’t like anything anyway, so was I surprised? No.)

Garnish with some fresh celery and maybe even some spanish olives if you like. It’s your drink, do what ever you want.

I highly suggest serving this with a side of your hubbys spicy hot chicken wings with bleu cheese dipping sauce…..

Mmmmmmmmm…nom. Oh, what a good day…..

 

Bloody Mary

“Trust had never been such a lethal game…”

On Friday my book is being featured on Kindle Scout. I am so excited to finally be working toward a dream! It’s a non-traditional route I’m taking, but I hope it will give me more free time to actually work on my stories, rather than figure out what to do with them. Besides, who can’t use all the open doors they can get, right?

I have been working on this story forever, and have finally decided to let it be seen, be read, blossom into what it will, all while crossing my fingers until they are blue.

If you have a kindle, and are interested in what goes on in my head….. Here she is…

 

*By the way, the cover photo is by the very talented (and very kind) David Olkarny.

Mon petit chateau

I ADORE being under construction. It’s a sickness I’m pretty sure. And since we’ve remodeled everything in the house (twice) it was time to overhaul the deck.

My vision was simple, I wanted a more permanent solution to the home depot canopies that the wind would rip apart every two years. Not to mention it would eliminate the need to take it down and store it with the patio furniture each year.

Behold! Mon petit chateau! After many months of hard work, little compromise, and much begging, she is finally built. A place where my kids and I can spend loads of time outside without the sun damage. In fact, in November, during a torrential rainstorm, the kids and I grabbed our books, a blanket and read all snuggled up together. Dry as could be, and warm as toast. It was amazing.

In our usual fashion, my hubby and I had to tailor it to suit our needs, and then kick it up a notch. On the pergola side, we ran cables and made sunbrella shades that can be pulled shut for playing in the hot tub during the day. Retractable for night gazing at the stars, and completely removable for winter.

Once we decided to build a kitchenette, the pavilion side took on a life of its own. We realized that we ABSOLUTELY needed a mini fridge, and OF COURSE we need the projector and movie screen. Once we dragged the fire table up, and hubby wired surround sound, there was no question where we would spend every night from spring to fall.

Would I say it has been worth the cost and effort involved?

Every time we are all snuggled in under the same roof, indoors or out, there is no question about it!

Stretch’s 14th birthday

My not-so-small son outgrew me this year. Actually, he blew by me. One day he was looking up to me flashing those melt-my-heart dimples, the next we were eye to eye, but on tiptoe he was “juuuust a little taller mom.” Today my head fits on HIS shoulder.  Makes me proud and want to cry at the same time. Growing so fast… This year he told me he didn’t want a big party. Nothing fancy. Just wanted to hang out with us, and didn’t want me to go to a lot of trouble. Hubby and I decided to take him for a week early b-day dinner to The Cheesecake Factory. We all had a good time, great food, and Stretch was relieved that the beautiful blonde waitress delivered his bday sundae without an accompanying song. With still several weeks to celebrate his greatness, we snagged him and the twins for some glow-golf (which is SUPER fun) and pizza, and a quiet little sUrpRiSe party a few days later with cake and gifts. Family party is still to come, but there’s nothing quite like being celebrated for the better part of a month….