This summer whizzed by faster than I could ever imagine. It seems that I haven’t accomplished anything. Yet I entertained many guests.













Young guests like my precious grandchildren, adorable kids way too active and noisy, had me collapse on my bed by nine o’clock, delighted and exhausted after a day at the beach and the pool.



















Older guests wanted to hit the stores and take advantage of special sales. With them I discovered interesting places and new bargains. Believe me, shopping with a nineteen-year-old teenager was a tiring but lovely experience. She reminded me of my daughter. Memories of  the long hours spent in fitting rooms with my daughter when she prepared for college brought smiles and tears to my eyes.


So that was my summer: two weeks with one set of grandchildren, two weeks with my cousin and family, two weeks with the other set of grandchildren, and two weeks helping my daughter moved back.

Side effect: I am very nicely tanned.
But I didn’t write a single line.

However I participated in two multi-authors boxes.

WEDDINGS ON MAIN STREET

TEN BRIDES FOR TEN HEROES

So how was your summer?

From chemistry in the lab to chemistry between people. 

Mona Risk left a scientific career to share with readers the many stories brewing in her head. Her books won Best Romance Novel of the Year at Preditors & Editors; Best Contemporary Romances at Readers Favorite; EPPICON Award Finalists; and many stellar reviews, and are Amazon Bestsellers. She received the 2013 OUTSTANDING ACHIEVER Award at Affaire de Coeur Magazine for her "Wonderfully written books about true love." ~ Happyly Ever After Reviews

Got that tune running through my head and can't get it out! Does that ever happen to you? I might not know the name of the tune, but the words dance through my thoughts taunting me to remember. I think it's the temperature outside and the warm logs burning inside that keep those words dancing in my thoughts. Oh, wait! I Googled it and that is the title. Google it, you'll remember it!

So, with the chill factor, it was 6 degrees this morning here in Georgia. The buses ran, the students were delivered to school. The bells rang and school carried on. Why? Well, because here in Georgia, we'll call off school if one snowflake falls, but if the skies are clear, we're open for business. I can't figure that one out. Snow happens at 32 degrees, frost bite in a matter of minutes is likely at 6 degrees. We allow our kids outside to play in the snow, they slide down snow covered hill on cardboard. Yet, we close the schools. Then when the low temperature really makes it dangerous to be outside, we have them waiting on the bus in 6 degree temperatures.


Oh well, the day is over and I'm home warm with the cat snuggling on my shoulder and my bare feet held out to the warmth of the fire logs. So all is good. The kiddies made it through the cold. They made it through the day and everything went well.

Now I'm thinking of warmer climes. So here are a few more vacation pictures to warm your night!

Did you know that they carve elaborate sculptures of food for the extravganza night on MSC cruises?

I can't imagine how long they worked on these elaborate carvings. Done  in butter, ice, and fruit. Absolutely amazing!

How about this sunny spot in the Mediterranean? Would love to be here now, wouldn't you?

Or here hiking up the volcanic mountain side of Santorini while our cruise ship awaits our return from a day of siteseeing!

We could visit the ruins of the temple of Athena near the site of the first Olympic  Games, I know for a fact that it gets warm here!

This amazing stadium is in Athens and was constructed for the last Olympic Games held there.  It gets really warm here too!

Now, are you feeling warmer? No, then how about a book that is really hot?

http://amzn.com/B00FDWOL3C

http://youtu.be/dM5jJO9KZCY

I just got back from visiting my cousin in New York. She owns a small house in Port Washington, on Long Island, that was passed down to her by her mom. Her mom also passed down to her a wonderful, deep, laugh, that comes from way inside her and is a real belly laugh.
I love to make her laugh.
She had a wonderfully bed, I fell asleep the minute I lay in it. We went to sleep when we felt like it, and we got up late a lot.

I went to Chinatown for the very first time ever. It was very cool. Every other store was a restaurant. The Chinese herbal stores were so unique. The gift shops full of useless junk and lots of it too!
But it was fun and I love the dim sum!



In the evening we watched her 51 inch HD plasma TV. She had all kinds of movies. And cable TV too. Yikes, TV heaven. In the morning we would drink PGtips tea and talk about family memories, good and bad. We went out to eat a lot at dinner. Her generous boyfriend treated us many times. He's in love with her. She is confused and a free spirit. Hang in there Winston, you never know what life will bring.
She has the cutest pets, two small poodle mixes and two ragdoll cats.


This is one of her doggies, so cute.
Did I mention I didn't have to cook? Or that I didn't have to do dishes, or wait on anyone. It was heavenly!
I brought warm weather with me. It never got below 42 degrees, I used a heavy sweater and there was not need for a heavy coat or gloves.
She has a hot tub too.
The best part is that we have lots of fun together. She laughs when I do, and she makes me laugh.

One was just huge like this kitty is!

Of course the cats owned the place. I never saw a ragdoll cat before, they are so floppy and so cool! Both were sweet and lovable.
Did I mention that I didn't vacuum or do dishes for a week?

Did I mention the drunkin' squirrel.

He was interesting for sure.

Did I mention that New York and Long Island have great bakeries? We only ate a couple of cannolis and they were outta this world!
Mostly we just sat around and talked and laughed. We hadn't seen each other for a couple of
years. Cool chair huh?

So I read, I watched movies, it was great. We both have the same sense of humor and we get along great! We like the same foods, except for the sushi stuff. I could just see worms growing in my body from it. Ack!
It snowed the day after I left and the temperature went down into the teens. Got out just in time!
The best part of it was spending time with a special person I miss. Love you cuz!
The only bad part is now I have to do dishes, cook, and clean again. I think I need another vacation?


Well I'm home in sunny Florida now. It appears to be that I brought some cool weather back with me.
Oh well--There's always that sigh when the fun is over, but my dog missed me and I am not sure what Chris ate. The food is still in the refrigerator! But I know he missed me because he's been so nice.
Scary huh?

This has nothing to do with anything other than that it's cool.


Back to the old grind. Until next time.
Happy blogging! May you all get that vacation too!

Well, it’s finally arrived! Summer's here and not a day too soon for all the teachers at my school. Where does the time go? It seems like barely a couple months ago we were starting a new school year and now, it’s finished, over, done!

Now, to the question that is of greatest importance: what to do with the free time afforded me by the end of the school year. I plan to do several things this summer. Three are really big ones, but the most import is to complete my current wip. For those who don’t know that's writer lingo for work in progress.

I’m setting goals, making plans and lists and hoping for the best. My goal is to have my current wip completed before RWA’s National Conference in July. My plan to accomplish this includes meeting regularly with my critique partner, going to Starbuck’s several times during the week to write, but most of all, applying butt to chair and working. My list looks something like this:
Fly to Spain, cruise the Mediterranean (for real, I leave early today. If I’m absent from the fuzzies for a few days, you’ll know why!)
Return home, upload pictures of trip to the Pink Fuzzy Slipper Writers blog.
Apply butt to chair and write.
Go to Starbucks and write (It helps to stir my creativity to get away from the usual all by myself where I can wear my “writer’s persona” --family just doesn’t get this one.)
Set schedule to meet with Critique Partner. (I’m one of the luckiest people in the world when it comes to my partner. ( MM is the greatest.)
Apply butt to chair and write.
Attend National with completed manuscript to pitch.
Apply butt to chair and write.
Clean the deck and sit outside to write.
That's about it, I’ll hope for the best outcome. What about you? How do you plan to attack the lazy hazy crazy days of summer?

Santorini! Greek Island in the sun. Beautiful, scenic, romantic and dangerous if you ride the donkeys!

View from the top of the Donkey Stairs on Santorini.

Donkey and rider climbing the steps of Santorini.

You can see the zig-zag steps going up the cliff where the donkey's carry tourist up to the village. Alittle over half way up the donkey threw my daughter! She walked the remainder of the way both up and down! They stampede the donkeys back down from the top. When they came down her donkey spooked and threw her!

MSC Musica leaves Santorini! In the distance you can see the rounded shape of the caldera which filled with water when the volcano erupted and destroy part of the island of Thera.

This was the most scenic port we visited! Breathtaking! Romantic and exciting, the perfect local for a Romance Novel! Mykonos!

Mykonos, Greece the party capital of the Mediterranean!

The streets were full and all the restaurants were busy as everyone partied into the night!

Athens, Greece where we visited the antiquities!

Greek Statue from the museum in Athens, Greece.

The Parthenon atop the Acropolis

View from the top of the Acropolis, Athens, Greece.

The port at Corfu, Greece.

More interesting scenery!

Shopping in Corfu! We bought lovely handmade linens!

Our last port Dubrovnik was beautiful and crowded.

Small harbor Dubrovnik.

We toured the fortress and all the shops. Shopping in Dubrovnik was great!

Interesting statue! Is that Pan?

Our last port of call was Dubrovnik, Crotia. Amazing to visit what was once a part of the Soviet Union!

We were up early, enjoyed coffee and continental breakfast on our balcony as the ship entered the port of Katakolon where we went on a tour of the site of ancient Olympia, home of the original Olympic games.

Official entryway to the Olympic field through which all contestants would have passed. Amazing to think we were walking in the footsteps of the ancient Olympians. From this site the torch for the modern Olympic games is fired using a mirror to set the flame.

Field for Olympic games. I was amazed how small it was!

The Temple of Hera, Olympia.

Ruins of the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

Scarlet takes the carriage back to the top of the hill after touring Olympia!

Back to a family-run authentic Greek restaurant for traditional specialty foods before returning to the ship. No! that's not water, it Ouzo! Definitely an acquired taste! Daughter could not believe I ate octopus!

Traditional Greek Dancing! What a blast. We enjoyed every minute of the impromptu show.

Cooling our feet after a day at Olympia. MSC Musica in the background as we dip our feet into the water of the Ionian Sea!

Back on board we enjoy a drink on our private balcony with the lights of Greece twinkling in the dark Mediterranean night.