I know, I know, forgive me for I have sinned, it's been like 6 months since my last blogging. I can't even believe that - the time has really flown.
Don't know if I should do catch up or start fresh. Hmm. Okay, quick recap from July to now.
On July 11, 2009 I drove from my home to Boonesboro, Maryland with a friend to go to an author signing at Nora Roberts' bookstore. It was incredible! We drove 11 hours to get there, stayed the night, went to the signing and came back the next afternoon, driving another 11 hours. It's the most spontaneous and crazy thing I've done for myself but I blame it on the cancer. I decided after going through that that if I wanted to do something, I was going to go do it NOW. Tomorrow might be too late.
So I got the pinnacle of autographs - LINDA HOWARD. She NEVER signs anywhere besides RWA conventions, and the only reason she was signing at Nora's bookstore was due to the RWA being held the next weekend in Washington, D.C. They are old friends and I'm sure she invited her up for the time before the conference. Whatever the reason, I got the one autograph I would have killed for! I spoke with her for quite a time (I am her number one fan) and she was funny and nice. I was pretty funny, too, and I know I made an impression because she mentioned me to an author friend at the conference the next week. Here's the pic of us together at the signing:
Love that chemo-curly hair. I lived with that crap till about November, when my hairdresser cut the last of it out.
Also got a signature from Nora Roberts, of course, but I already had hers from 2005 when she came to Champaign, IL for a signing. I went to dinner with her and others from our online community and bought her a couple of giant margaritas. She is so funny and smart, she is a delight to hang out with. But this trip was all about capturing the elusive Howard. Here is the Nora pic:
And lastly, got Stephanie Laurens as well. I love her work with one exception - I hated the book that she wrote about the Cynster parents. If you are a Cynster addict, you'll know that the father of the Cynster clan had cheated at one point and produced a son with another woman. I found it incredibly hard to read this "prequel" after reading all the children's stories. To read that they were so happy and so forth, but to find out later that he cheated on her...well, not quite a romance, IMHO. I wrote Stephanie after reading it, telling her my problems with the story and asking for an explanation. She gave a somewhat lame one, saying that who knows what motivates the characters and she had no control over them. It was total crap. But her overall body of work is great, and I do love everything but that one, so I was happy to get her signature and this picture:
Inbetween arriving at the bookstore and the actual signing, we went to see the Antietam Battlefield. I love history and I couldn't pass up this chance. (I did pass up Fort Necessity the day before when we drove by it, and I still regret that.) The battleground is impressive and you can't help but feel sad and introspective when you think of all the dead.
At the end of July my daughter, my grandkids and I went up to see my second daughter in northern Illinois. They hadn't seen her new house and we spent the weekend. Went to Galena, Illinois for some shopping, hung out and had a weiny roast in their backyard. On Sunday we went to the local swimming pool and really had a great time. For a small pool they had an incredible slide:
So July came and went. August brought my daughter's birthday and the Decatur Celebration. The granddaughter got a hug from a wandering pig and was thrilled:
Doug Wilson from Trading Spaces was the Grand Marshall of the parade. When he went by I yelled out for him to come and re-do my living room - he said, "I'll be right there!"
My grandson started football for the first time and was actually pretty good. I had a good time watching his practices and games.
The granddaughter started soccer and was a star at the practices...the actual games, however, were not her thing. I had to bribe her with promises of lunch out or whatever came to mind to get her out on the field in the wet and cold. Probably not going to do that sport again.
Went to the State Fair, as usual. I wanted to check on personnel that I had assigned to work the 911 Booth in the Fire Marshall's tent but that isn't why we went. I have been going every year since I was very young. It was one of my father's favorite things and everytime I walk through the gate, I think of him. I took the grandkids along and we milked the cow in honor of my vet son.
Most important event of August - we acquired a new doggie, a Golden Retriever that we call Riley. He is a sweetie and fills a place in the house I didn't even know was empty.
September brought the Farm Progress Show. We had the Mobile Command Post there and I went out to check that everything was working, walking around the show with a mobile and checking reception. Here's my new ride:
My son was Grandpa Joe in the local community college production of Willy Wonka. He did a great job and it kept him occupied although he was hospitalized for a couple of weeks in the middle of rehearsals. Just routine lung function issues, but still worrisome. I like it when he's engaged and involved, so this was perfect for him. He had a great time, too.
With school back in session, we went to school carnivals and open houses - both grandkids are at the same school and doing well, for which I am thankful.
I attended my annual conference in Oakbrook, Illinois in September as well and had an incredible time. We went to the movies at Yorktown Premium - a theater with dinner and drinks available. LOVE IT! Saw The Informant!, the Matt Damon movie that was filmed in my town over the last summer. I spent the entire movie attempting to locate the local sights. I'll have to watch it again just for the content.
On the Tuesday night of the conference, we did our usual Karaoke thing - Sal's Pizza has a young and fun crowd and they love it when I do my Eminem and Kid Rock songs. Hard for them to believe that I listen to that and know the words.
Martin and I sang together on our usual - Man of Constant Sorrow - from O Brother Where Art Thou?
October brought more events including the Washington Wizards appearance at my daughter's high school. The grandkids had a great time watching and I watched them as the daughter worked. Kind of like the Harlem Globetrotters Lite.
Halloween came and went - granddaughter as Snow White, grandson as a SWAT team member. My son wore this to his engineering job:
On the first of November I received another job. In addition to my current job, I'm now the manager of the Emergency Communications Center. Due to city cutbacks and early outs, my friend took advantage of the opportunity and left. So now I get to do two things and get paid for one. How great is that?! Sigh. On the other hand, November brought my 55th birthday, so I can now retire at any time with a pretty good pension. I'd like to stay for another 4 years, but if I can't take it anymore, I can leave at any time. It's a great feeling.
November also brought the Beatles Rock Band. OMG. I am having so much fun with it!! My kids play the instruments and I get to sing all the songs of my youth. So funny to know all the words to songs that I haven't heard in forever. We are playing it quite a bit on the weekends when everyone is around. Even the grandkids are getting into it - they know some songs from recent movies (the Bee Movie used Here Comes the Sun at the end) and from listening to songs on my iPod.
As part of my new 2nd job, I've expanded community activities. The personnel participated in the police Thanksgiving Basket event - giving baskets of food to deserving families in the area. We had an excellent time.
The next week we participated in the Salvation Army Tree event. We went to breakfast, then to Walmart to shop for our angel tree recipients. Last, we helped with Shop with A Cop and had a really rewarding experience.
On the home front, I took the grandkids to the Children's Museum in December to have breakfast with Santa and to make gingerbread houses.
The next day we had lunch with Santa on the train, and then went to a reindeer ranch nearby. Later in the month I took the grandkids to the annual police bowling party.
Christmas came and went - harried, hurried but satisfying. We held our usual family New Year's Eve party and had great fun playing games and waiting till midnight.
Last event of 2009? Bought a new car on the 30th. The deal was just too good to pass up, although I loved my "old" car and would have been happy to keep it. Sigh.
So now you're more or less up to date. I'll try to post regularly so these long run-on posts won't happen again. I said I'll try. No promises!
