Adventure

Recently I went on an adventure with my father. We went where the sky is blue, the sea bluer and the food, music and people simply incredible.

That's right, we went to Puerto Rico.

Did I say we had a blast?

One of the highlights of the father/daughter jaunt was our visit to El Morro, the five-hundred-year-old fort still standing guard over the beautiful harbor. Thought you might enjoy seeing some of El Morro. It took us the better part of a day to explore every nook and cranny.

If you're looking for warmth, sunshine and friendly people, head to the island. My only regret is that it took me so long to finally get there! But you can bet I'm already planning my next trip to soak up the sun, eat plantains and dance to the pulse that makes the place almost intoxicating.

Anywhere that's captivated your heart?

Yes, it's me. I am...

...the old dog. I'm not ashamed to say it. Every day we're older than  yesterday, and tomorrow will be older still. The dog thing?

Ah, dog, schmog!

So, what are the new tricks I've been learning?

A bunch...but only a few I'll admit to here.

1. The gnarly lumps on the plum trees? Totally not normal. Not good. Not ignorable. (Ignorable? Is that even a word?) They're called 'Black Knot' and need to be addressed. I've been addressing them, all right...and it hasn't been politely, either.

So, the trick? How to climb a plum tree and divest it of its black knots.

2. Second old dog trick? No matter how many times the first three chapters of a new book are scanned, read, re-read, absorbed, re-absorbed--there will be at least one (or three, but who's counting?) obvious errors.

The trick? After reading the partial a bazillion times, hand the sucker off to a fresh reader who will pick out the one (three) oddities in a heartbeat. The trick is not to get too crazy about the process before tossing the file along.

3. The third trick also has to do with not getting too insane over a silly thing. For instance...if a nice man walks across your freshly mopped floors--just take a deep breath and smile. That's a hard trick to master, especially if you're clean-floor possessed, but it's worth learning. After all, what's a grassy floor between friends?

There you have it. The new tricks I've learned this week. What about you? Any old dog tricks you'd care to cop to? C'mon, you know you want to, so spill it. You're among friends!

Lesson Learned

We have all heard the adage, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."

I disagree.

Warm weather brings all sorts of things. Around here something that coincides with the grass growth spurt is an increased zeal for reading. Honestly, I'm plowing through my TBR pile like an escapee from a fat farm might dive into an empty candy store. I just inhale books...maybe it's something in the spring air but I can't seem to get enough! So the question for this rainy Wednesday morning is:What are you reading? Any suggestions for this spring reading frenzy?

Turned my back for a minute and...

...blogger changed! Sitting here shaking my head because it took a few minutes to figure out how to write this post. I guess that shows me, doesn't it? Leave and the world moves along without you!

So, last we spoke I was bumping along, wasn't I? Happy to report that shortly after my last post, the bumping subsided. Life settled into a smooth-but-busy routine. Family. Friends. Farm work.

And writing. Yes, the writing. It's been going really, really well. I feel like my old self, writing up a storm and editing mercilessly. It's all good. The laundry is piled high. Dust bunnies scurry beneath furniture. I'm living on Fruit Loops. Yes, I'm enjoying a smooth writing ride again. Yay!!

So, what's new with you? Anyone catch the solar eclipse last night? Didn't see it here in New York, but I love it that the morning news is on top of the event with loads of coverage. Gorgeous!

Today? Writing. Mowing the lawn. Planting onions.

What about you? What's on your agenda for this beautiful Monday morning?

Bumpy

We've all had them, the weekend that's more bumpy than relaxing. It happens. Sometimes things don't go the way we hope they will, do they?

Me? Bumpy weekend? Check.

But it's Monday, a new week filled with possibilities. Anything can happen, right?

Plan to concentrate on writing. That always takes my mind off everything else, so it serves more than one purpose. And it's cheaper than retail therapy!

Hope you have a peaceful day.

When in Rome

Buon giorno! Good Sunday morning. Here we are, at Palm Sunday already. I can't believe it's the first of April; honestly, I'm not sure where March went!

Yes, I know. I've been a baaaad blogger.

No looking back, at least not to the failures. If I'm going to look back, it's going to be to the fun stuff.

Here's some fun. A while ago I went to Rome. It was amazing and I loved every minute of it. I feel in love with the Eternal City and could easily--easily!!--live there one day.

Thought I'd share with you two of my favorite images of Vatican City.

Love it that they had a stepping stone in the piazza just waiting for me!

St. Peter's Basilica is even more beautiful in person than I ever imagined. Even on a stormy Sunday morning it is quite a sight.

Hope your day is a peaceful one! See you tomorrow...really, I will. Have faith, friends!

Growling

Doesn't he look ferocious? I've been looking kind of the same all week, busy working on the new book. Eating Fruit Loops, staying up late, annoying my characters and devising ways to further complicate their lives.

Gotta admit, I'm ready to growl.

Hope your weekend is relaxing. Me? Going to ignore the voices in my head for a day or so and just chill. That's the plan, anyhow!

What are you up to this weekend?

Sunset

Ever notice that sometimes endings are really beginnings in disguise?

Here's to new beginnings...

Italian Slang

Every language has its own slang and so many expressions are really funny when you think about them. One of my favorite Italian semi-swear slangs is porca miseria, which translates literally to pig misery. It is applicable in almost any situation, and heard often in this house, mostly because I just love the way it sounds.

Doesn't this guy totally make porca miseria come to life?

Hope you have a great day--with no pig misery in sight!

Me? Back to the book. Porca mi...

Feet Forward

You never really can tell where life will take you. Sometimes you end up in places you didn't think you'd ever be.

My feet take me to some unexpected spots.

Here.
And here.

And even here.

What about you? Have you and your feet gone anywhere interesting lately? Anyplace that makes you and your feet stand up and take notice?

Hope your day is excellent!

Le Scarpe

I think I was born with a shoe addiction. They're all just so interesting and pretty... and make me think of dancing, laughing and just owning the night.

Funny story from when I was a child. My mother insisted on purchasing a "sensible" pair of black shoes one year for school. Me? Wanted red, shiny, insensible. The black shoes languished in the closet all year, my stubborn determination not to wear them keeping my feet in the shoes that were supposed to be weeded out by super-sensible black oxfords.

Yeah, I admit it. A shoe diva from an early age here!

What about you? Any one piece of apparel that rocks your world? Hmm?

Would totally love to be shoe shopping rather than planted squarely in front of the computer working on my new book. Really would rather...