No Wednesday Reads, the New House is Ours, and No A/C

Our trip to Cleveland/Put-In-Bay during Memorial Day weekend was really nice. It had been years since I’ve been to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, so it felt all new to me (in a way). I’ve never been to Put-In-Bay and had no idea what to expect there. Most of the mode of transportation on that island is by golf carts. And a funny thing there, too. They have a 9-hole golf course. It’s the ONLY place the golf cart isn’t allowed!

Oh, you can take your car to the island, but good luck in finding a place to park (and they can’t guarantee you can take it off the same day). Best way is to leave it behind, take the ferry, and rent a cart (or take the bus into town, where you can walk to almost anyplace).

Hubby and I felt like we were on one of our cruising excursions! Everyone seemed to have fun, too. Yay!

Since the weekend was so busy, I didn’t write anything and read very little (I was usually too tired to do anything when I got back to the room). I do have a proof-reading job (via Hubby’s business), so I read something this past week, just nothing I can post here…yet (although I will later, once the book is released or shows up in Goodreads). So…no Wednesday Reads today.

Tuesday we closed on the new house! It’s all ours! Just wish the closing went more smoothly. Our 10am appointment got moved to 11am and then when we were on our way, moved again to noon. What a pain! But it’s over and done with and we have the keys. Yay!

Let the moving begin…

And none too soon. Our A/C in the old house is on the fritz. Doesn’t that just figure when the temps are approaching 90 outside? The unit wasn’t cooling very well and started making strange banging noises outside, that we finally just shut it down. Thank goodness this house has fans.

Last year the unit wasn’t cooling, but the technician couldn’t find the leak so he put in die and said to call when it stops working (which I did last week). I sure hope it’s fixable. I can’t imagine how much one would cost… like we need that kind of expense right now.

And when it rains… I think I reached the tipping point this week with my computer software. I thought I could get used to LibreOffice, but I’m starting to see that I cannot (too many key strokes to do what I can do in Excel in ONE), so I might have to actually use Excel 2010 (or 2007—whatever one we have in the house). Which means I’ll have to change Word, too. UGH!! I am not a happy camper about that, but it’s starting to distract me way too much from my writing and I can’t have that.

Of course, I’ll just complain about the newer version of Excel (and Word), too. I wish they’d just leave the software ALONE! If I had wanted a newer version earlier, I would have gotten it.

Sort of like how Goodreads is trying to get the Mobile and Desktop to be the same. WHY??? If I want the mobile version, I’d get it on my phone. But the mobile version SUCKS, so I use the desktop. Now they’re making the desktop suck, too. How is that any better? Software developers drive me NUTS!

Oh, and if I don’t have enough stuff going on this week, I think my washer is leaking. Or, maybe just the hose. I hope it’s just the hose. All I know is that I keep finding water inside the machine (not all the time, just every now and then, which is weird!), so it’s got to be coming from somewhere (because it drains everything after the load). Maybe if we buy new hoses for the new house it’ll fix the problem. **fingers crossed**

I have a feeling I won’t be getting much written this week (or next). Busy, busy, busy!

So… What’s making you want to rant this week? Hopefully, nothing (and I’ll envy you, too!).

Happy Reading!

Stacy

House Pictures!

I’m headed to Cleveland for a fun-filled weekend. Yeah, Cleveland. Don’t laugh.

Wednesday’s tour of the house went well. Sort of. They put the phone jack in the wrong place, but now we found out that we can’t transfer our phone number, the phone number we’ve had for 25 years, so I’m kind of pissed twice-over. Still don’t know what we’re going to do now. I don’t want to give up that number!

Anyway, here are the pictures I took on Wednesday.

Our shower. Got a seat and a window! Oh, and two shower heads.

The sun room. I'll be doing a lot of writing in this room.

Kitchen.

Island in the kitchen.

We apparently got an upgrade in our stove. I'm not complaining!

Great room.

Stairs to the bonus bedroom

Bonus bedroom. That little door is the access to the furnace.

Our study. With French doors, even.

The front bedroom (which will be the TV room)

Front bedroom comes with a large walk-in closet!

Fan in the great room. I love how the switch on the wall

controls the fan speed!

Windows above the kitchen cabinets.

I really love the flooring!

Cathedral ceiling in the sun room.

Windows in the master bedroom.

Picture of our bathroom. Love the light coming in!

Nice ceiling in the foyer.

A killdeer has a nest in our backyard (she was very noisy!). 

Hope the chicks hatch before they grade the yard!

Some good luck with the fun car. The oil filter hadn’t been installed correctly, thus causing the oil to leak out of the car. Nice to know it wasn’t anything major (and we hadn’t driven it without oil to cause any damage). Still have this big stain on our driveway, though.

So… Got any plans for this weekend? We’ll be going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and maybe head on over to Put ’N Bay (provided the weather cooperates). Just looking to do some fun stuff with the family. In Cleveland. And no, I don’t plan on seeing the basketball game (as if there would be any tickets anyway). But we’ll be home in time to see Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Go Vegas!!!

Happy Friday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and I Hate Windows 10

Windows 10 did an update on my computer Monday night. Tuesday morning, my Excel no longer worked. I am not a happy camper.

I knew this day would eventually come, because software programs never last forever, do they. I have Excel 2003 and LOVE 2003 because it’s simple and I know where everything is (mostly). I downloaded LibreOffice, but not sure I like it. Might have to give it time. But if I want to keep updating my writing spreadsheet, I guess I better figure it out soon.

I hate WINDOWS 10! Why can’t they just leave the stupid program ALONE????

And no, I won’t switch to a Mac. I hate their keyboards. And I won’t go to a newer version of Excel. Too much on the screen. It would drive me bonkers.

To top it all off, our A/C is on the fritz (no wonder I’ve been so hot!), and the oil decided to leak out of the fun car yesterday and all over the garage and driveway. Can this week get any worse? Wait, don’t answer that.

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #19

Dates read: May 7-22
Title: The Red Lily
Year of publication: 2017
Author: Juliette Cross
Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: Vampire Blood #2
# of Pages: 248
Paper or plastic: Nook e-book
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Goodreads: The Black Lily resistance needs a larger army if they are to defeat the vampire monarchy. In order to do so, former lieutenant and traitor to the vampire Crown, Nikolai must seek help from the red-hooded temptress he needs to avoid at all costs. The secret he carries could prove dangerous for her if she gets too close...even though keeping her close—very close—is the only thing on his mind.
    Sienna will do anything for the Black Lily, and when Nikolai asks for her assistance to gain the trust of the commonwealth, it's the last thing she wants to do. The thought of leaving her woods and her wolves behind is terrifying...not to mention the danger being with Nikolai poses.

My thoughts: Despite taking so long to read, I did enjoy this story. Too much going on in my life, I guess. I look forward to reading the next book in the series. If you prefer a historical feel to your paranormal romance, give this book a try, because this is certainly not a contemporary series.

So… How’s your week going? I’m hoping today’s tour of our new house will lift my spirits. They could certainly use some lifting.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Hot Flashes are the PITS

Every night at 10pm, I take Arimidex, a tiny pill that’s supposed to block estrogen so my breast cancer won’t come back. And every night around 10:30pm, I sweat like a cold glass of water in a warm room.

Hot flashes are the pits!

It’s gotten so that I have the a/c programmed to drop at 10:30 in the hopes our room is nice and cool by bedtime.

I mean, would you want to go to bed if you’re hot and sweaty?

I’m starting to think I should take that pill an hour earlier (and drop the temp earlier, too). And maybe I will. Staying up past 11pm is okay sometimes, but not all the time.

I’m thankful that’s about the only side affect I have with this pill. Well… that I know about so far (it’s possible I’m sleeping through the other affects!). But who knows what will happen as I continue to take it. And I’m supposed to take it for 5 years.

FIVE. YEARS. Ugh. I sure hope the estrogen is out of my system soon and the hot flashes go away. They really are annoying.

On Wednesday Hubby and I will get our tour of the new home. I can’t wait!! Hope to have lots of pictures to share on Friday.

So… How do you remember to take medication? I set the alarm on my iPhone. If not for that, I probably would forget most of the time. Or end up taking it just before bed and that wouldn’t work out so well. Sweating in bed is worse!

Happy Monday!

Stacy

Pictures From My Trip

Weather turned out pretty nice during our last days in Santa Barbara. Still in the 60s, but the sun was out so it felt warmer. And I had gotten most of the work I had planned to do at my mom’s, so after Hubby finished with his work (he was working remote so he could go on this trip with me), we took a hike through the Goleta Butterfly Grove. Well…sort of. The trails through the grove itself are closed due to the deterioration of the eucalyptus trees (drought has been making them unstable), so we didn’t get to see any butterflies. But the trails to the beach were still open, so those are the ones we took.

I had never been there before. Heck, I didn’t even know the butterflies migrate to that grove every stinkin’ year! Maybe the next time I visit the area the trails will be open and we’ll be able to see more. Anyway, here are some of the pictures I took on our walk to the beach. It was quite a walk and I got my 10K steps in!

This is a map of the trail we took. Yellow from the parking lot, orange on the walk back. 

An example of what is happening with the trees in the grove.

This is the eucalyptus grove and where we walked from. 

This is where we were walking to. You can see the Channel Islands!

Yes, there are snakes in California. This was the second one we

encountered. It was twice as long as the first!

Reached the end of the trail to the shore. We were up pretty high.

A couple of flocks of pelicans flew by. I'm surprised I even got this shot.

UCSB is off to the left (we weren't far from the campus).

These wild flowers were growing everywhere. I thought they were pretty.

We had walked on the top part of the cliff coming to this spot.

I have to say, I got spoiled during my trip. Maybe it wasn’t warm-warm, but the cooler nights were sure comfortable sleeping in (and the sunny days were absolutely beautiful). When we came home, our house was warm and stuffy. I was a sweaty wreck trying to sleep. What happened to spring around here? I can’t even open the windows at night. It’s already getting humid. Ugh.

So…I was going to write more on this post, but Hubby and I are trying to get the DVR % down (cause we still have things to record), so I spent the evening watching TV. But I was also rooting for Tampa Bay to win last night, and they did! Yay! Tonight I’ll be rooting for Vegas. I’m hoping for a Vegas/Tampa Bay Stanley Cup final. Who are you hoping will win? Or are you completely out of it (or were never in it)?

Happy Friday!

Stacy

More House Pics and Shouldn’t it be Warm in California?

Got some more house pictures on Friday. I then asked for one of our bathroom and got it! Yay! I also asked about our laundry room door (hoping I will be able to get the second fridge in there), but told them I couldn’t see anything from the outside window because it was covered in drywall. Yep, they forgot to cut a hole around the window. The foreman said that would be taken care of right away, but had to laugh because that rarely happens. Gee, I’m glad I said something now instead of waiting until our walk-through on the 23rd!

Here are the pics:

Siding is up in the front. Even have the shutters over the garage!

Counter tops are in, as is the microwave. 

This is the master bath. I know, not much to see, but it's better than nothing.

I’ve been spending most of my days at Mom’s indoors because I’m going through my dad’s office and bedroom. Still, even if I had wanted to go out and walk or something, it’s been kind of cold and dreary. So…no pictures. Not yet, anyway. I’m hoping to get out to the beach before we leave Wednesday morning. But first I have to finish going through stuff. Or should I say, throwing out stuff? Hmmm… Makes me think I really need to clean up when we move.

Oh, and go through my pictures and finally stick them in an album. You know, those pictures that were printed from film? I’ve got a box full of them, waiting for me to put them in albums. And I have the albums. There’s really no excuse.

My writing is still going decent, but my streak kind of died. I only managed to get 47 words on the day we flew out here. A valid excuse, but I had hoped I could write on the plane. I couldn’t.

But I am getting up early each day (guess I’m still sort of on Eastern time) and getting my writing done before everyone gets up. I’m so happy that’s working out.

So… Do you still have pictures from the film days laying around, waiting to be sorted and put in albums? I’m so glad they’re now digital. Sure makes sorting them so much easier! Of course, it’s not as fun to share them on the computer as it is going through albums. Or maybe that’s just me.

Happy Monday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and Feeling Bummed

By the time this posts, I’ll be sitting on a plane. California, here I come! Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #18

Dates read: April 26 – May 6
Title: Claimed in Shadows
Year of publication: 2018
Author: Lara Adrian
Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: Midnight Breed #15
# of Pages: 272
Paper or plastic: Trade paperback
How obtained: Purchased
Blurb from Book: As the son of a formidable Breed warrior, Aric Chase has been devoted to the Order all his life. With his training completed, all he needs is one successful mission before he can join the fight to destroy the Order’s chief nemesis, Opus Norstrum. His rare ability to daywalk lands Aric an assignment in Montreal, where he learns he’s to be teamed with another new recruit, a beautiful, but tough-as-nails Breedmate named Kaya Laurent.
    Independent and driven Kaya wants nothing more than to become a full-fledged member of the Order. Having grown up in squalor and neglect on the streets of Montreal, she longs for the close-knit family she’s found during her training to be a warrior. Eager to prove herself, she is thrilled to be given the chance at a key operation—even if she must share the mission with an arrogant, far-too-seductive Breed male who’s practically Order royalty.
    Their unwanted partnership soon erupts into a desire neither of them can resist. But when Kaya’s past reaches out from the shadows to call her back, she must decide between protecting a dark alliance that could shatter her dreams of joining the team and a truth that could not only forfeit Aric’s faith in her, but bring the enemy right to the Order’s door.

My thoughts: I’m still enjoying this series, although this one was a little slower than usual. I think there are getting to be quite a few characters to remember and they all seemed to pop up in this book, too. But it took some interesting twists (one surprised me, the other did not) and I look forward to reading the next book.

I’m super bummed the Penguins lost in round 2. Which means I don’t have to worry about looking for a place to watch Game 7 tonight (not that I was worrying that much). At least I still have the Vegas Golden Knights to root for and when round 3 starts, you can bet I’ll find a place to watch the games. I’ll only be at Mom’s a week, though, so I’ll be able to watch most of those games at home, I’m sure.

Happy Reading!

Stacy

Updates on the House, Writing, and Hockey

We have an official walk-through date on the new house: May 23rd. I will be taking TONS of pictures then (I hope). But today I’m sharing two of the pictures the developer sent and others I was able to take yesterday. We’ve got siding! Okay, partly sided. Inside, it’s all painted and flooring goes down next. Here are the pictures:

All painted!

We have cabinets!

Shot taken from outside (glare from the sun).

This is our bedroom. Door to the left is the

bathroom. Straight ahead through the door

is the kitchen area.

Siding is still being added, but the stone is all there.

Siding being added to the back of the house. Can you tell it's green?

Wish they sent more inside pictures. I want to see the bathrooms! Is that strange or what?

We have a closing date of May 29th. Which means we’ll be moving in the following week (provided I find a mover that won’t charge a fortune). Seems unreal. But I can’t wait. I want it done with.

I finished the revisions to Alien Desires on Saturday. Now I will start the process of re-reading the whole thing and making sure I didn’t screw something up. But I’m so impressed with myself. I not only have been writing up a storm on In Love With a Vampire, but got these revisions done, too. It was a challenge I gave myself and I’m happy to report I succeeded!

Look at that… I am growing as a writer. J

And writing has been going super good, too, along with being FUN again. Right now I have no idea how my WIP will end, but it’ll come to me eventually. It always does!

Tonight is Game 6 of Round 2 between Pittsburgh and Washington. Between this series and the Vegas/San Jose games, I’ll be lucky if I have any nails left on my fingers. These games have been brutally stressful. But hey, at least Vegas won their series last night. No Game 7 for them. Whew!

Wednesday I leave to visit my Mom for a week. Game 7 for the Pens/Caps series just happens to be scheduled on that same day. And I truly have no doubt there will be a Game 7. I just hope I get to WATCH it. I don’t know if Mom has NBCSN. And seeing as I will be just arriving, don’t know how kosher it would be if I turned around and found a place that showed the game. Think that would be rude? Hmmm…

JeffO – Sorry about your team. Even though most Pens fans don’t care for Boston, I didn’t care one way or the other. But man, what was with all that licking?

So… What was the last thing you challenged yourself with? Did you succeed?

Happy Monday!

Stacy

Wednesday Reads and Another Sucky Game

I’m not getting a good feeling with the Penguins right now. I thought for sure they’d win at home, but nope. They’ve been known to come around before, sure hope they don’t wait too long to do it this time.

Here’s what I finished reading this week:

Book #17

Dates read: April 23-25
Title: The Thief
Year of publication: 2018
Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal romance
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #16
# of Pages: 454
Paper or plastic: Hardback
How obtained: Borrowed from daughter
Blurb from Book: Sola Morte, former cat burglar and safecracker, has given up her old life on the wrong side of the law. On the run from a drug lord’s family, she is lying low far from Caldwell, keeping her nose clean and her beloved grandmother safe. Her heart, though, is back up north, with the only man who has ever gotten through her defenses: Assail, son of Assail, who never meant to fall in love—and certainly not with a human woman. But they have no future, and not just because she doesn’t know he is a vampire, but because he is not about to stop dealing arms to the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Fate, however, has other plans for them. When Assail falls into a coma and lingers on the verge of death, his cousins seek out Sola and beg her to give him a reason to live. The last thing she wants is a return to her past, but how can she leave him to die?
    As a lethal new enemy of the vampires shows its face, and the Brotherhood needs Assail back on his feet, Sola finds herself not only a target, but a mission-critical force in a war she doesn’t understand. And when Assail’s truth comes out, will she run from the horror…or follow her heart into the arms of the male who loves her more than life itself?

My thoughts: When a book is good, I definitely have no problem reading it fast. And to think I read this AFTER I got my writing for the day finished. I do so love this series. I just wish she could write them faster (but I won’t fault her for that—I know too well how hard books are to write, especially long ones). While the book description is centered on Sola and Assail, it also returns to Jane and Vishous. Again. I hope this is the end of their problems. I really do. I want them to stay happy this time.

You know what I love the most about reading? Getting ideas. As I read The Thief, I realized I could introduce a character in my current WIP who will be in a future book of my vampire series. Now I just have to figure out how to make it pertinent. Haha!

So… Has summer reached your neck of the woods? I swear, it feels like we went straight from winter to summer (it was 80 yesterday). I’m not ready to turn on the a/c yet! But I should be able to go walking this morning. That’ll be nice.

Happy Reading!

Stacy