Thursday, August 29, 2013

YEAH! Number Two Draft Done!

I have been writing a lot the past few days.  I finished the second book of the Four Season Series.  Well, the draft is finished!  So now Summer and Fall are well on their way to being done. 

Pat and I are going on a trip this to Yellowstone National Park this fall.  We have decided to stop in Montana on our way to Yellowstone.  When Joanna and Caroline were five and three we went to visit my best friend, Janet and her husband and son.  We loved that trip and would like to see the Crazy Mountains again.  Janet and Rod took us to the Crazy Woman Mountain (There is a legend a white woman went crazy on that mountain) and we saw the most beautiful waterfall.  I would like to see that again.

I am going to try to find facts and legends to put in the books of this Four Season Series.  It will be fun. 

I love to write.  I ask God to give me words to write my books.  Some of the time the words just fly out of my fingers onto the keyboard!  The characters seem to form their own personalities.  It is a joy to get to know them.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Bountiful Harvest

What a good friend! Clarence bought over rhubarb, garlic, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and even grapes from his garden. Everything looks delicious.

I broiled tomato slices on garlic rolls with Longhorn cheese for lunch. Mmmm....

Thank you, Clarence!

Fun in the Sun










We had such a good time with the Martinez family at Wilson State Park.  Javier, Ayva and Romeo were such good campers.  Jesse even tolerated sleeping in a tent!  Caroline seemed to rejuvenate - relaxing as the weekend progressed.

We had fun at Pat's union picnic held across the street at the fairgrounds.  They have jumping, climbing, games, clowns, balloons, go cart rides, putt putt golf and even chances to win prizes.  Javier and Ayva were a little disappointed they didn't win a bike, but Nana won the spouse drawing!  I know it is a Meijer gift card, but for some reason they have to buy it and send it to me so I don't know how much!

There were two families there that had 175 and over 200 combined years of service in Local 85!  That was amazing.



Wednesday, August 21, 2013

 
 
 
 

A Michigan Sampler

To Benefit to East Side Soup Kitchen

Monday, October 21, 2013 - Apple Mountain Resort

 
 
 

Click on the flyer to enlarge. East Side Soup Kitchen is having a fund raising even - if you could support them in any way it would be appreciated.  They do so much good.  I have included the organization in several of my books.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Good Job, Chris!

When stars decide to be inspirational

there is no limit to what impact

they may have on their fans!

 
 
 
 
 

FOUND IT!

This is the picture of Bob dressed up like a ghoul.  His head is actually about chest high on the ghoul - the shoulders and head are above him.  He stood for long periods of time as still as a statue and then all of a sudden he would scare someone by moving!  Our friends Kevin and Laurie had Halloween parties that were so much fun.  We would all dress up and give out candy or stand in the yard all dressed up.  Over 900 kids came to the door for candy in their neighborhood!

So......  This is the ghoul that is at the Looby/Foley/Novak home in the Four Season Series second book, Fall.

P.S. Fran, good thing I'm the storyteller! 

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Papa and Robbie

 
Figuring out the starter isn't turning over.  Done for the day. 
Have to buy a new starter.
This is such fun having Robbie here to work on the car.
I made them Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter, Oatmeal Cookies!
 

Update to the Scam Alert Update

Pat just came in the room and exclaimed, "Mary Ellen, we just won $25,000!"

I guess they wanted all the Midland people to get the best cars before the Saginaw people all rushed in to hear the sales pitch!

Sunday, August 11, 2013

What Fun!

We are in Grand Rapids waiting for the Noble Clan to get home. We stopped at the Winchester to watch the end of the Tigers game (boohoo).

We saw Red 2 this afternoon. It was great. We laughed all the way through it.  Ex-CIA assassin Bruce Willis is trying to lead the quiet life with his love Mary-Louise Parker. His old buddy John Malkovich shows up to lure him out of retirement.  Helen Mirren, Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones are in it too.

I would see it again. Some of the lines are lost on the younger crowd - at times Pat and I were the only ones laughing.


Cutest Picture Ever

Caroline took this picture of Sheala and Ayva at the splashpark in Midland.  Cutest Picture ever!

Nice Day!

First we went to Marcia and Wayne's 50th Anniversary party.  It was so nice to see them.  They even had Marcia's wedding dress and photo album on display.  Fr. Yule married them at the Cathedral. 

We saw so many St. Mary's friends.  We enjoyed that a lot.  Everyone asked when we are coming back.  But right now we don't feel like we should.  We have made commitments to St. Pete's that we want to continue.  So for right now we are staying there.

Then we had dinner with the clan.  We celebrated Joanna's birthday at Famous Dave's.  We had lots of fun.  Robbie brought Alecia.  Jesse was working and Javier was at his Grandma's.  So we weren't all together.  Alecia's birthday is next - we told her we would go out for hers, too.

All in all - a very nice day!

Friday, August 9, 2013

Scam Alert Update

Recap: My father-in-law was convinced he won big money from Burt Watson in Freeland. Even though I called Burt Watson and knew it sounded like a scam!

It sounded like everyone had matching symbols on the mailer. Then they had to go to Burt Watson to check the numbers there.
He called back and told Pat he wanted to go check. So Pat met him in Freeland at Burt Watson. When they got there they had to listen to the sales pitch. Then they checked the list.

Guess what? He won! Two gold pieces each worth $1.00.

Shame on them for that mailer!

Co-op Nursery School Friends

Thank you Jan for getting us all together! We had a great time reminiscing about the fun times we had as mom's of preschoolers.

It is amazing how much we have to say to each other. Although miles separate some of us we decided there is no excuse for the ones in Michigan to stay apart for so long.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Margot Ruth

Also Known As - MAGGIE!

Such a doll baby - we so enjoyed our visit with her.  She is a darling.  Joe and Liz and Nana already love her to pieces - and so do AME and Uncle Pat!

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Scam Alert

My father-in-law called to say he scratched off the spots on a Burt Watson advertising mailer and they matched. He thought he might have won $25,000!

Pat was on the phone with him and was relaying the information to me. I told him to ask exactly what the wording was on the mailer - did it say "could win?"

Well yes, but he matched! I told him I would call Burt Watson. I was so angry I could have spit nails. This was exactly what happened to Aunt Bernice that last year she was alive. She had the dining room table filled with snacks because she was sure Publishers Clearing House was coming that night to give her a $1,000,000 check because the letter said two people in Saginaw "may have won!"

I called Burt Watson and surprise, surprise I was transferred to a salesman. I said, "My 92 year old father-in-law thinks he won $25,000 - I suppose he has to come in to see a salesperson?" He just said, "Yes."

Of course - many people, if not all, match. What a terrible way to try to get people to come in for a sales pitch.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

 
Webber House is now available on Smashwords (Click the picture).  You can download any format to read it.  I would like some feedback from people with Nooks - how does it look?  Thanks!