Hello, lovelies. Guess where I'm going?? Yep, I'm off to summer camp for grown women, AKA the RWA Conference, in Dallas. Just to make things logistically interesting, I'm staying in TWO hotels, (long story), and I should give seminars on how to pack everything required for self-maintenance into a quart-sized plastic bag, because I did it, and it's breathtaking. :) And maintaining my hair alone is like maintaining a collie, or something, practically, and I need several bottles of things to subdue it. I am the QUEEN of carry-on luggage. I just hope no one gets tired of seeing my brown shoes. They'll be seeing them and seeing them. :) My schedule is pretty fast and full, but I should return with at least a few embarrassing and/or incriminating photos, which I'll share at my discretion.
Hope you're doing great! Oy, life has been nutty, but (famous last words) should calm down some time in mid-July. Tell me how you are!! I'm hoping my laptop will function properly and won't freak out in the hotel room so I can get online at least once or twice.
Julie, have fun in Dallas. I can't wait to hear stories and see pictures, embarrassing or not.
My summer has been good so far. I've just been relaxing and hanging out with friends. I'm currently experiencing some back and right-side-of-the-body pains/problems/aches, so if anyone has any advice, please share. I've been using a homeopathic gel, and the pain has lessened since I first noticed it. I also bought some Tiger Balm yesterday. If the pain doesn't go away soon, I'll probably see my doctor. It's been a week and a half, although the pain has lessened significantly since I first noticed it.
Posted by: Diana | July 10, 2007 at 02:13 AM
Hi Julie, hope you have a wonderful time in Dallas... and two hotels sounds like one too many. *grin*
Okay, summer... well, I've got my *new* second-hand car now... a 2000 Dodge / Chrysler Neon.. and it's NICE to have such a relatively new car. My other cars have been a 1968 Ford Meteor (bought in '82) and a 1983 Ford LTD station wagon (bought around '97). So yeah, I'm pretty pleased with my new baby on four wheels.. so are my kids... even though they kinda grew up with the other car, no one seems to miss it.
I'm still babysitting on and off during the summer; I took last week off, not that we did anything as Joe was doing stuff around the house ~ still related to our 2000 major addition & renovations. But it was very nice not to have to get up early and get ready for the kids to come over.
I'm also going to be taking off the week of July 23, probably 'til the end of the month, because my daughter Meagan will be going in for surgery.
And then my second brother is getting married again, but this time out here in Western Canada instead of all the way down east in the Maritimes... much easier for the rest of us... Chris, his fiancée and his 6 year old daughter are the only ones that have to travel as her family's out here as well.
So, lots of family time and relaxing ~ works for me!!
Take care and wishing you, once again, a GREAT time in Dallas.
Posted by: Kathy K | July 10, 2007 at 05:13 PM
Boohoo! I lost my comment because I forgot to save it before I tried to get back my "images", in this case the verification line. Talk about a fried brain. Since it was pretty long, I just don't feel up to redoing it all right now.
I was thinking of the "family" things around this time:
1. cousin Grant was 49 on 07/07/07
2. my "little" sister Marlis was 52 on 08/07/07
3. cousin Kirsten is 50 today
4. my younger brother and his wife are celebrating their 31st wedding anniversary today
5. my parents would have had their 65th anniversary tomorrow but they only made it to their 40th at which time we had an open house party for them. My father died the next Easter Monday, 1983 and my mother outlived him for more than 20 years and was 83 when she passed away. Some other time I may say something about their wartime wedding(s) but it's too long and complicated to write again just now.
With Humidex our highest temperature has been 107F but that was a couple of weeks ago.
My Hydro cheque finally came through and I will use it to get an a/c asap, as well as another computer, preferably laptop. The sound of the traffic along with the heat has been driving me crazy today. Earplugs just don't help enough. I'll have to see if there is a better method of filtering out noise. Have to see the doc on Thursday. Maybe he can give me some advice. The worst is the motorcycles gunning their way past here. Ick.
Posted by: Ranurgis | July 10, 2007 at 07:28 PM
It was so good to see you-- however briefly!
Posted by: Megan | July 16, 2007 at 12:14 PM
Well, kittens, I'm home. I got home Saturday afternoon, actually, so you'd think jet lag would be a thing of the past (or at least a thing of Saturday), but I woke up at 6:30 a.m. today only to discover that someone had replaced my brain with cotton balls. Everything is taking twice as long to do today, for somer eason. For instance, brushing my teeth, typing, etc. So what did I learn in during my trip in Dallas? Well, let's see...from Janet Mullany I learned that owning more than five vibrators is apparently illegal in Texas. LOL. The topic somehow sprung to life on the bus on the way back from the Avon party. What else? I met Haven, which was a delight -- she's a cutie -- and I got to meet quite a few lovely MySpace friends and some longtime penpals like Courtney Milian, who is a sweetheart and can talk about my books so much better than I can. LOL. And I'll think of more stuff later when I can retrieve it from my mushy brain. I'll have to develop some photos to see if they turned out. (Yes, I brought an old portable camera).
Hey Diana -- you should see a chiropractor, maybe!! Who knows? I'll all for holistic stuff, and truthfully -- and I speak only for myself -- the most immediately helpful health practioners for me have been chiropractors and acupuncturists.
Kathy -- yay on the new car!! It's ALWAYS fun to get a new car. :) How did you guys pick that one out? Was it easy, or was it eenie meenie minie moe? I always buy the first car I test drive. :) I make a beeline for one, and usually I'm pretty happy with it. I figure cars are primarily for getting from Point A to Point B. :) My best car was a Toyota Tercel, I think. Great car! And glad you're getting some time off. And we'll be thinking of Megan the week of the 23rd.
What a lot of birthdays and anniversaries, Ranurgis!! Did you have to buy a bunch of cards and presents, etc.? June used to be stacked up with events for me like that. And 107 is waaaaay too hot. :) It was hot in Texas. And cold and gloomy when I got home. LOL. I heard a rumor it had been sunny and clear in the MORNING even (when it's always foggy) but that turned out to be a cruel lie. :)
Megan, i totally want to visit you guys in LA. It was really fun to see you -- always is. But too short, as you say. :) So maybe some weekend coming up?? Let's email about it.
Hope y'all are doing OK this week. I should be more alert tomorrow. :)
Posted by: Julie Anne Long | July 16, 2007 at 05:01 PM
Hope you recover soon Julie! Too many late nights and celebrating? LOL
As for the car, my husband is the one that went out looking. He knew what I wanted and checked out a few places; he likes doing that kind of thing, and I was more than happy to let him oblige. The dealership where he found my car was the last place that he looked at and the first place that I went to with him. And yep, it was the first, and only, car that I test-drove... it was actually almost the same car as the rental I had for a time after the accident, so I knew that I'd like the handling. And then the car was such an interesting colour ~ definitely far more orange than red and that worked for me. So, I've got my new wheels and my daughter Meagan is no longer ashamed to be seen in the car ... Really! LOL With my beast when she would be having friends over, if it was outside she'd tell me to either move it in front of the neighbour's house or put it in the garage... she was a car snob! None of the other kids minded, just Meagan... what a goof.
Good to have you back Julie... and glad that you had such an interesting time in Dallas.. having more than five vibrators is illegal in Dallas... sounds like you guys must have been a heckuva lead-in conversation!
Posted by: Kathy K | July 17, 2007 at 08:11 AM
A car that's more orange than red?? Sounds like a cool color! I like both colors, frankly. I'm very into orange in particular these days. That cracked me up about Meagan -- a car elitist!! Man, I was never particular. Usually teenagers get saddled with embarrassing starter cars, though. :) Do you let the kids drive the car?
I got a few photos from the conference, and they're pretty cute, so I'll try to get 'em up here in the next day or so.
Posted by: Julie Anne Long | July 17, 2007 at 11:50 PM
Oh yeah.. Meagan really was, uh is, a car snob... so nice that my Neon passes muster!
As for kids driving my car; yep, if they've got their licence. Right now my oldest daughter Lisa, who's basically moved away from home by moving to another province ENTIRELY, is the only one with a licence. But my youngest has her learner's permit and I have to say that this new car is much easier for her to drive. Poor Teresa is THE shortest person in the family at 5' (she insists she's 5' 1", but my sisters are always adding inches to their meagre heights as well, so I know where she gets it from) and the next to her in height is Meagan at 5' 6"... so a Neon is a much better fit for her than my hulking '83 station wagon or, rather, my previous hulking '83 wagon... *sigh*
That leaves my 23 year old son Stephen and 20 year old Meagan still with little interest in getting their driver's licences.
Stephen's pretty much a transit person; although the last little while (now that *he's* moved out of home as well) I've noticed that he seems to MUCH prefer parent-driven transportation. *Maybe* he's getting closer to the 'having his own licence & vehicle??' stage of life. And Meagan keeps talking about getting her learner's ... but I don't see that happening anytime soon... she's another one for parent-driven transportation or her boyfriend and other friends.... Learn to drive?? Her?? She doesn't need to... yet.
Looking forward to any pictures.. I've loved seeing other attendees pictures too.. looks like a fun time was had by all!
Posted by: Kathy K | July 19, 2007 at 08:45 AM
I’ve been opened to listen and understand what the bible says..god
Posted by: Microsoft Office | January 18, 2012 at 05:41 PM