News From Janet
Happy Easter, Traveling and Chewbaca
This cow was in the middle of the lobby of the Sheraton in New Orleans. It fascinated me and I had to have a picture of it - in fact - several pictures of it.
My trip was so much fun and I will tell about it another time.
Of course, Chewbaca was not the least bit happy about my going away. We didn't let him see Linda this time. He was locked in the back yard so Tom could help me get the suitcase, the walker, and my laptop care out to the car. The first night I was gone, Chewbaca laid staring at the front door waiting for me to come home from work. The second night, he sat with his head in Tom's lap wondering why I wasn't coming home. He was so excited when I finally did come home. We locked him out again to bring everything in and then I sat on the couch before we let him back in. I didn't want to be knocked over. He wasn't really sure he wanted me to go to work. He was waiting at the door for me every night for the next week.
One day last week, the neighbor turned his car around and flashed his lights in our front windows. Chewbaca thought it was me and went to the door. When I didn't come in, he started clawing at the door. He is still not trusting me no to run away. He has a year before I leave again.
Of course, while I was away, I used my credit cards. I mean, being on vacation and all, I didn't want to carry just cash. I didn't think anything about it until I got home. There was a message from the fraud department from one of the credit card companies. I planned on calling them back, but I was tired and didn't really care when I got home. Then I got a replacement card in the mail because the other one was expiring. I called the number and they said it was activated and I could use it. Rob and I went to the drug store to buy a new walker. (The seat cracked in half and they didn't have replacement parts.) The credit card was denied. I was not happy.
I went home and called. I hadn't called the fraud department, so activating the new card did nothing. There was a hold on my card. I had to verify every charge I had made. There were a lot of little ones for junk for the kids.
Then another credit card, the one I paid the hotel bill with, called to make sure that I had actually used it. A few days later I got a call from a credit card I didn't take on vacation with me. It is the one my cell phone is automatically charged to. They wanted to make sure I had authorized the charge. I mean, it is always charged to that credit card.
The message I got was that if you are going on vacation, you are supposed to call your credit card company and let them know you are going. Otherwise, you are going to use your card and they are going to think it has been stolen and cut you off. That could be embarrassing. Next year I will certainly let them know I am leaving town.
I went to the drug store yesterday to return something. I decided to buy some Easter candy. Rob had bought candy at Target because he gets a discount, but he bought 80 percent Cadbury cream eggs which my sister and I don't like. I bought a couple of things and then four egg cartons of marshmallow eggs. They are really cheap, but take up some room. The lady behind me said, "You must have a lot of grandchildren." I went, "No. No grandchildren." My children, adults though they may be, want Easter candy. Besides, the eggs were for me.
Everyone have a great Easter and don't eat too much candy.
Going to EPICon
Tuesday I am leaving for New Orleans and EPICon. I have been waiting for two years to go to New Orleans. My friend and I are giving a workshop Friday. We are talking about Writing and Researching Historical Novels. I am putting the finishing touches on my part right after I finish this.
I am excited about going on vacation. There is so much to see in New Orleans and we will only get to see a bit, but I will have pictures to post. I will also have adventures to relate.
Life has just been work lately, so I really haven't had much to share. Chewbaca tried to break my foot Friday night, so now I have to wear my old shoes in New Orleans. The others are too tight and the strap goes right across the bruise and the scratches.
When I get back, I hope to actually do some writing. After I recover.
A Voice From the Past
This is Jackie, Lori and Pat from my plot group Christmas party. We drove out to Rebecca's house and had a potluck. As always, we had way too much food and it was all so good. Everyone brought presents to exchange. Someone remembered we used to give a few pieces of candy at Christmas. Now we get a bit carried away. We brought home as much as we took, but we had a great time.
My cousin Michael Quinn called me this week. Being a close-knit family, I haven't seen or talked to him in 50 years, so it was a big surprise. He found my phone number and my sister's in his mother's address book, but could only get hold of me because her area code had changed. It was nice to talk to him. He and his wife come to Southern California sometimes, so I told him to call and we could get together. It still doesn't seem real.
I went back to work this week. The first day was difficult. I didn't want to go, but as the week went on, I was more into it. A lot of work to do. Seeing as we didn't have regular classes, it seems not so much should have piled up, but it did.
I had fun at the OCC meeting yesterday. I met an editor and got my rose for selling Freedom's Treasure. I assured Jan, our president, that I could get up on the podium even though I am still using the walker. I never pass up a chance to get the microphone. Amber Quill was well recognized. Three of us had had sales to Amber Quill.
Both Chewbaca and Teddi were most upset about the fact I was gone all day Saturday. They got used to my being home during my vacation and I guess they decided that six days in a row was too much for mom to leave. (I had to go to the dentist on Friday.) They gave Tom a terrible time while I was gone and attacked as soon as I walked in the door. They let me know just how displeased they were.
I am starting a new contest, so make sure to enter.
Happy 2010
Happy New Year to all.
This season was busy and I didn't get everything done that I wanted to. The top priority was finishing Sam, also known as Freedom's Treasure. I got it finished and sold to Amber Quill on December 31. It was a great way to end the year.
I had a couple of parties to go to over the holidays. Then I had to clean up because my daughter-in-law Jessi wanted to bring her mother for Christmas. I did some cleaning out and we had the backyard cleaned up. Now we have a pile of garbage since we changed over to the new garbage cans. I am not allowed to clean out anything until we get rid of what I already cleaned up.
Chewbaca got very excited about Christmas. I have to say this was the first year I could put the presents under the tree without worrying about one of the animals opening them. He only like ball shaped packages and Teddi could care less about presents. Christmas Eve I wrapped Chewbaca's balls while Michael was vacuuming. Chewbaca tries to destroy the vacuum. I put them on top of the refrigerator where he couldn't reach the packages. I came out of the back part of the house and he was standing between the living room and the family room. As soon as I got close to him, he walked over to the refrigerator and sat and stared at the top. He was determined that he was going to get one of his new balls right then. He'd completely destroyed the last one a week before.
He had to wait until Christmas afternoon, but he got a present first and was happy to play with his new toy while the rest of us opened presents. The next day was his birthday. He's five now. It is hard to believe he has been with us that long.
I tried not to work as hard the week after Christmas. I had two weeks vacation from both my jobs, which was nice. I have to go back to work tomorrow. I could use another week off to finish everything I wanted to get done, but that is not going to happen.
I am looking forward to a great 2010. I hope to write more than one book and not get stuck like I did with Sam. I am so happy to have him done.
Happy Thanksgiving
These are the prizes for the Member's Only Contest. If you are a Member, go the the Member's Page and enter the contest. If you are not a Member, join today. Contest runs until Saturday, 12/5/09.
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We went to my son Michael's house. Jessi's turkey was perfect and almost on time. There were a lot of people there, so there were no leftovers. I missed having a turkey sandwich the next. However, I didn't having a turkey sandwich enough to cook the turkey I had in the freezer.
I have been working on Freedom's Treasure, a historical romance. I polished Sam all the way through Chapter 21 and gave the chapters to my sister. I now have to finish the last two chapters and mail them to her. I am bound and determined to finish the book this year.
I have done a large amount of my Christmas shopping. Still have to do cards, wrap and decorate. I have slowly been cleaning so I can decorate.
It was nice to have a five day weekend to get things done. I did accomplish a lot this weekend and still had time to enjoy Thanksgiving.
I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving.
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