The Scent of Jade - Now Available on Amazon.com!

KISS and ROLL...

My favorite writing exercise:

After I KISS* it always helps me to ROLL*.

(*Keep It Simple, Stupid)
(*Read Out Loud, Lazy)

Leo, The Listener

Baking, Writing, Eating and Reading

I like to bake. Right now, I’m in my bundt cake phase. I love mixing
and measuring; swirls of chocolate blending into a sweet smelling batter of bliss.  Oh, the endless possibilities of decorating! Greasing the pan, not as much fun. Clean-up? Eh.

I like to write. Right now, I’m in my bundt cake phase of writing. I love mixing and measuring; introducing new characters, spicing things up with unexpected ingredients. Oh, the endless possibilities! Editing and re-writes, not as much fun. Clean-up? Eh.

I like to eat cake. I usually eat the cake part first, before I allow myself to savor the frosting. Mmm. I like to share my cake, and if someone asks me for the recipe? Heaven.

I like to read. I like to write things that I would like to read--and read things that I wished I could have written! The deliciousness of Marian Keyes! Susan Isaacs! Jennifer Weiner! Cecelia Ahearn! and Marina Fiorato!--I inhaled The Botticelli Secret....to the dark chocolate of Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Ken Follett, with a sprinkling of Lee Child and Michael Connelly.

I love discovering new ingredients that I can’t wait to try myself! Tasting other masterpieces helps me become a better baker.

Eating cake while reading? I kiss my fingertips!

Swallowing Halloween

Ask me what I'm going to be for Halloween...GLAD when it's over!! I hate Halloween. I don't dress up, reluctantly decorate, and piss and moan about how expensive costumes are for my kids. Did I mention I have no self control?




I try very hard to wait until the last minute to buy candy, but dang it, I'm a Virgo! I may be prepared, even though I may not be trusted. Every year, it's the same ghoulish story: someone makes a little, teeny, tiny mouse hole in the bag...and that's all she wrote:( Where did all the baby Snickers go?

Eighteen Acres

I just kindled Eighteen Acres by former Washington Communcations Director, Nicolle Wallace...She was on Rachel Maddow last night and anyone who was kicked to the curb by Sarah Palin HAS to have a good story to tell!

All Grown Up!

For daughters out there near and far who try everything not to end up like their own mothers: give up and give in to the inevitable. I have been mocked for years about the way I clean, how I always have a certain little ritual that I don't even think about anymore. Well, my day of reckoning has arrived, in that I reckon I'm OK. My adorable daughter, who never met a dish she didn't dirty, who couldn't remember if there was carpeting in her bedroom (because it was always covered by clothes) and who simply moved on to the next bathroom if one was becoming unpleasant, asked me for her first, very own pair of rubber gloves. I weep. 

Good News/Bad News...

The good news is, I still have a crush on my husband. The bad news is, I can't help but like that little flirt of thrill I get when I see another cute guy. My husband has absolutely nothing to worry about. This morning, as I was passing a hunky trainer at the gym, my mouth started to form the word "Hello!" but he beat me to the punch and said "'Morning!" which led me to respond with "Ham." I'm sure he didn't notice.

EUWWWWW

So, I was taking out the trash, rocked the wheels back and forth on the blue recycle bin, and as I pulled it away from the fence, I saw THREE COILED UP RATTLESNAKES!! My hands have just now stopped shaking enough to permit me to type. I called animal control emergency, and was cheerily greeted by a taped message that "all representatives are assisting other callers and my call would be answered in the order it was received." Oh REALLY? Who else has THREE RATTLESNAKES underfoot?! I finally gave up, and prefaced my call to 911 that I wasn't sure if this was a classic emergency but I didn't know who else to call. (Come on, it's not like I was complaining that my chicken McNuggets were cold...) The operator was most gracious, took my info and patched me right through to the fire department--Oh, Phew! Thank Goodness! I even spared a thought about running inside to brush my hair--but, alas. It was not to be. Firemen don't do snake removal. WHO ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH DOES? I have two kids, a little dog, a cat, and a husband--who doesn't take out the trash. Fortunately, my cries for help were heard, apparently far and wide! My heroes include a landscape guy, two dads, a real estate agent who happened to be in the neighborhood, and a young man walking his dogs. These superheroes were valiant in their efforts, brave beyond belief, fearless--albeit foolhardy. And they also looked like they were having a TON of fun. What the? Armed with nothing more than shovels and TesTosTerone, they kept trying to show me the fruits of their labor...the dripping, bloody, headless, squirming fruits. To their credit, they even offered me a RATTLE. I declined, thanking them ever so much!!