Thursday Thirteen - What I Love About Springtime

1.      Frogs singing

2.      Fragile blooms demanding to be seen

3.      Bright green leaves

4.      Dew on soft grass

5.      Pastel colors everywhere

6.      Wearing white shoes

7.      Switching the knit cap for a sun visor

8.      Flip flops

9.      A cup of hot tea on a crisp morning

10.  Dirt under my fingernails

11.  Soft rain

12.  Baby bunnies

13.  The promise of long, hot days to come.

Thursday Thirteen - The Best Valentine's Gifts Ever

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here's my list of what I consider the best possible Valentine's Day gifts.

1. A handmade card from your child.

2. A single flower - preferably picked from the yard - weather permitting.

3.Take-out from your favorite restaurant so you don't have to battle the crowds.

4.Curling up on the sofa with your sweetie, popcorn, and a chick-flick.

5.A walk with your sweetie.

6.Breakfast in bed - no food required.

7.A handwritten message left in an unexpected place (your desk, lunch box,  refrigerator, seat of your car)

8.A copy of your favorite book.

9.Tickets for the concert you've been dying to see.

10.Planning a trip together.

11.A box of your favorite chocolates.

12.A pint of your favorite ice cream.

13.The words I love you from someone you love.

What's the best or worst Valentine's Day gift you've ever received?

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Thirteen Road Signs You Don't Want To See

I'm on a cross-country road trip this week, so here's my list of thirteen road signs you don't want to see.

1.      No services next 145 miles.

2.      Prison ahead. Do not pick up hitchhikers.

3.      Runaway truck ramp ½ mile ahead.

4.      Rest area closed.

5.      Ice on bridge

6.      Watch for falling rocks.

7.      Detour ahead.

8.      Lane closed ahead.

9.      Road closed.

10.  Next exit – 52 miles.

11.  Check brakes.

12.  Dead End.

13.  Wrong Way.

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13 Reasons to Take a Cruise

I'm off cruising the Caribbean with the Florida Romance Writers today. Here's my list of reasons to take a cruise.

1. Tons of food.
2. No television.
3. No one can find you.
4. Isolation forces you to be creative.
5. Did I mention lots of food?
6. Shuffleboard
7. Free shows
8. Booze
9. Life boat drills. Where else can you have that kind of fun?
10. You go to interesting places you otherwise would never go to.
11. You get to eat meals at a table with people you don't know.
12. It's okay to drink 24/7
13. No one gives a crap what you do while you're onboard.

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Thirteen Signs that I'm Losing My Mind

There's a lot going on in my life these days and I think the stress maybe getting to me. Here are thirteen examples to substantiate the claim.

1.      I don’t know what day of the week it is.

2.      I just typed si for is.

3.      I booked the return flight from our cruise a day before the ship docks.

4.      I made a list of things to do today and don’t know where I put it.

5.      I packed something I need in a moving box and can’t remember which one it is.

6.      I didn’t label some of the moving boxes with their important contents.

7.      I told my husband something important – in my mind – not actually out loud. Naturally, he didn’t hear it.

8.      I left my cell phone in the car.

9.      It took me an hour to notice my cell phone was missing.

10.  It took me another hour to figure out where I left my missing cell phone.

11.  I went to the store to buy milk. I bought lots of stuff, however, none of it was milk.

12.  I discussed plot points for my latest novel with my dog.

13.  I thought the dog had some good points regarding the plot.

Thursday Thirteen - Counting my Blessings

This past year has passed in a whirlwind. Lots of wonderful blessings have come my way, including the addition of a son-in-law to our family just two short days from now. As you read this, I'm probably on the road to the wedding. So, join me as I count my blessings for 2012 and wish you a safe and wonderful New Year.

1.      I got another year older. This, of course, is better than the alternative.

2.      One of our daughters graduated from the police academy and now drives a patrol car and carries a gun. This, too, is better than the alternative.

3.      Our other daughter got engaged.

4.      We’re getting a new son-in-law two days from now.

5.      All my books are selling on a daily basis.

6.      We learned our bi-coastal existence will come to an end in about a month!

7.      My cupboards hold more food than we can eat.

8.      Good health has favored us.

9.      Stories and words continue to swarm in my head and out onto paper.

10.  I’ve met some absolutely wonderful people I'm grateful to call friend.

11.  I’ve been places and seen new things.

12.  Steady paychecks have continued to come.

13.  You are reading this. I’m blessed that you took the time to stop by today. May your blessing be plentiful in the New Year.

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Thursday Thirteen - My Favorite Christmas Songs - Not

Here are a few Christmas songs you might not have had the chance to enjoy yet.

Warning!!! - If you are easily offended - better leave now!

1.      Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer

2.      Merry Christmas from the Family

3.      Who Put the Dick on the Snowman

4.      Credit Card Christmas

5.      Police Stop My Car

6.     White Trash Christmas   

7.     12 Redneck Days of Christmas 

8.     Twisted Christmas Carols

9.     Road Kill Christmas

10.   Dirty Sleigh Bells

11.   Jingle Farts

12.   Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire

13.   The 12 Pains of Christmas

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Merry Christmas to all!!

Thursday Thirteen - The Christmas 'Don't I Wish' List

Last week I posted a list of things I didn’t want to find under my Christmas tree, so this week I set out to create my money’s no object list Christmas list. I found it surprisingly difficult to come up with thirteen things I consider over the top luxury items. A couple of them are things I could buy for myself if I really, really wanted to. The rest, not so much. But it’s nice to dream!

1.      Vintage Starlet Robe

2.      Season Tickets to the New York Yankees

3.      Alaskan Cruise – I’m not picky. Choose one.

4.      Candy Apple Red Camaro

5.      A nice, 4 Bdr. Victorian  - this one will do nicely.

6.      Silk (real silk) Pajamas

7.      My own tour bus

8.      Maid/cook/personal assistant. I couldn’t find one of these online. What a shame. I really could use one.

9.      Gazebo

10.  Decadent new bathroom.

11.  Decadent new kitchen

12.  A rose garden to go with my gazebo.

13.  Peace.

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Thursday Thirteen - Things I Don't Want for Christmas

Self-explanatory list.

1.      Santa’s Farting Butt Pillow

2.      Mop Slippers

3.      Furby

4.      Cow for All Seasons

5.      Flavors of America Salt Collection

6.      Shark Socks

7.      Chicken coop – no matter how elaborate it is.

8.      Screaming Slingshot Monkey

9.      Pink Crystal Tweezer Set

10.  Head Massager

11.  Wine Rack Cooler Bra

12.  Canned air

13.  Dog Lamp

Thursday Thirteen - Things that make me jolly.

'Tis the season to be jolly - or so they say. Here are some things that make me jolly this season. What would you add to the list?

1. Sleigh Ride - the song.
2. Holiday decorations on light poles.
3. Hard candy shaped liked ribbons.
4.Snow.
5. Shiny glass ornaments.
6. A child sitting on Santa's knee.
7. Fudge
8. Pajamas with feet.
9. Sugar cookies coated in frosting
10. Tinsel
11. Neighborhoods bright with lights
12. Cheerful cards in the mail.
13. Gaily wrapped boxes.

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Thursday Thirteen - What I'm thankful for.

Here are a few things I'm thankful for on this day.

1.      My wonderful family.

2.      Friends.

3.      My health.

4.      Roses in the fall. Ah, heck. Roses all the time.

5.      Books.

6.      The teachers who taught me to read books.

7.      Chocolate. Yeah, had to get that one in there. #3 would not be possible without it.

8.      Reality TV. I always feel so much better about myself after I watch one of those shows. Pick one. It doesn’t matter.

9.      Freedom

10.  The people who made and continue to make #9 possible.

11.  Sunsets

12.  Sunrises

13.  Tomorrow

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Thursday Thirteen - What I learned at Readers and 'ritas

I spent last weekend in Texas with a couple hundred of my closest friends. Here is what I learned from the experience - in no particular order.

1.      Don’t sweat in the airport or you’re likely to be surrounded by TSA agents and thoroughly searched. I include this as a word of warning to menopausal travelers – especially if you must run to catch your plane. And no, this did not happen to me personally, but to a friend. True story. Pinky swear.

2.      What happens at conference doesn't necessarily stay at conference. Just ask Jade Lee.

3.      There are other people out there besides me who can read a book in a day – and do…often.

4.      Everything tastes good with nacho cheese sauce ladled over it.

5.      Black cherry flavored Mike’s Hard Lemonade is the BEST.

6.      Romance readers are my people.

7.      Miss Scarlet did it in the ballroom with a candlestick.

8.      It’s impossible to turn down a free book.

9.      If every ticket in the drawing had my name on it, somehow, I still wouldn't win the prize. *sigh*

10.  Don’t put away your costume until after Readers and ‘ritas in November

11.  Elvis is alive and well.

12.  The only inoperable ice machine in the hotel is on your floor. Always.

13.  You can eat dessert twice – or more – in one day.

Thursday Thirteen

Welcome to my very first Thursday Thirteen! Since we recently changed our clocks back to Standard Time, here are my 13 thoughts on 'Falling Back'.

1. Why did I not notice half the light bulbs in my house were out until it was dark at five p.m.?

2. I'm going to have to get some thicker curtains for my bedroom. Either that or nail a sheet of plywood over the windows until Spring.

3. I wish I could reset my dog's internal clock. 

4. I wish I could reset the clock in my car.

5. How many effing clocks are there in this house?

6. I want lunch, and they're still serving breakfast. The sun has been up for twelve hours already! Move on!

7. There's an advantage to eating dinner at five o'clock. Those early bird specials are fabulous!

8. Getting home before dark is no longer an option so quit driving as if the vampires are going to get you if you don't.

9. The vampires must love this! I wonder if they like the early bird specials too?

10. People pushing shopping carts in dark parking lots are dangerous.

11. Why aren't parking lot lights activated by darkness like street lights?

12. Why do I feel like I'm shopping in a 24 hour WalMart?

13. If I sleep until noon, I'll miss 3/4 of the day. Oh yeah - see #2. Not going to happen.

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