Thanksgiving Day

Over here in the States we are celebrating Thanksgiving Day today. A day full of food, family and fiends. A day to take the time - make the time - to reflect on what we are thankful for. Our lives are so very busy that we often forget the simple act of "Thanks." Too often we open our mouths in a negative fashion instead of the much needed positive.

There is much for me to be thankful for: my life, my husband and kids, my extended family and all my friends... And I try to make it a point every day to let them know because who knows what tomorrow may bring... 

I chose this picture for today because it also reminded me, as I mentioned in the beginning, that today is more that what we are thankful for, as in "things," it's also for turning to the person next to us and saying "thanks for being a part of my life." In light of this thought, I turn to you, dear reader, and offer my thanks to you, for taking time out of your day to see what's up on my blog.

Thank you. And have a very blessed day, whether you're eating turkey or not.

~Ayla~

The Autumn Experience

Deep breath in. Hold. Release.

Ahh. Doesn't that feel good? I just stepped in the house after spending a few glorious minutes outside. I enjoy being outside, this time of year especially. I don't necessarily do anything; I haven't quite let myself get into specific yard work as I'm more the inside work person, but to be outside in fall/autumn is amazing.

The leaves of the trees are all turned and the air is cooler. Some days colder than others, but no more blistering heat waves. I can pull on my favorite sweater or jacket and curl up in a seat outside. The wind blows more, it seems, this time of year, and every little gust pulls loosened leaves from the trees to rain down in a cascade of color. The ground is a blanket of yellow, gold, red and orange. The trees who are practically bare still stand proud, ready for their winter slumber, yet still a tenacious leaf or two clings, determined to hang on despite the inevitable change. These too shall fall one of these days.

With the kids, I'll take them out and have contests of who can catch the most fallen leaves. I pulled out a rake yesterday (ooh my arms) and turned our yard into a huge maze of pathways that is practically covered over this morning, but allowed for much play and romp. Taking this same rake, haha, the kids and I pull the leaves into huge piles so they can live every child's dream of jumping into leaf piles. 

On a more grown-up note, I've always enjoyed love in the autumn. Yes, springtime is popular with new growth and fresh starts. But personally, spring leads directly into summer - one of my least favorite seasons. Okay, summer does bring out a certain sultriness, but it comes with sweaty, sticky, humid ickyness - and I'm not talking about the good kind, either.

But autumn, with its cooler weather, paints the perfect picture of hand holding and snuggling into each other. If I had to put an age to the seasons, Spring time would be the first blushes of new love. Summer time is the hot and passionate no-holds barred almost anyone is good lust. Winter is the contentment of everlasting love, and autumn...Autumn is for the deep, knowledgeable love. People who have been there, done that and know what they want from life and from their lover. Or is willing to accept what their lover wants or needs. Desires to be together stem from practicality, too. To remain curled up together because the floorboards are too cool to step upon, snuggling up tight to your lover at bedtime because of the nighttime chill. Secret whispers to each other seem to mean more.

Enjoy this season while you can, because it never seems to last long enough.

Erogenous Zones

When we write romance, of any kind, we put down on the pages a man (or men) we can be proud of, we can love, who can in turn love us completely. Men who can eventually understand us, and if not understand, at least accept us. This is why I find it interesting to browse around at some of the men's point of view sites, to see how the male species see us as women. Are they on the mark or still struggling?


I stumbled upon this particular article that seems to hit the right spots - pun intended. Even though, in my opinion, it does miss one important one: our minds. Still, wouldn't it be nice if more men read and actually practiced the blatant advice given?


http://www.askmen.com/dating/love_tip/32_love_tip.html

Positive or Negative?

Can you guess what is in this picture? I'm sure most of you can. It's a pregnancy test strip.

When was the last time you saw one of these? When was the last time you had to use one, and were you panicked or thrilled knowing you were testing yourself?

This past weekend I had my own reacquaintance with the ol' test strip. I've felt under the weather this past week, nothing serious, just...off kilter. I really worried when we went to a small festival in town that featured a few little kid rides. I took my youngest on one that simply turned in a big circle. No big deal, right?  

Well, I usually have an iron stomach when it comes to rides, but yesterday, whew, I didn't think I'd make it. I stared at the lettering on my son's shirt and prayed hard for the ride to be over. I never did get sick, but it felt too damn close for my liking.

Naturally, I thought I was pregnant. So did my husband. Now you should know, he doesn't want us to have any more children (but he did admit, if I am, then we'll love this one, too). I'm content as we are, but wouldn't be adverse to another. So on our way home from the festival yesterday, I bought a test kit. This is the first one I've had in a few years and let me tell you, the things that went through my head were phenomenal! I was happy with the thought of being pregnant, yet so much boggled my mind. Again, if you've ever had to use one of these tests, you know what I'm talking about.

This was me last night: I'm already making plans and lists of things we need, how we would get them, looking on the calendar to see how far along I probably am, when I'd need to see my doctor, what kind of lifestyle changes we'd have to make with another little one to come. When would he or she come, a name for the little he or she...a major stressor!

All my worry last night and lists I'd made were put to the test this morning. I went to the bathroom, used the test strip, and the result...a resounding negative. I was left with a nothing-to-do Sunday as all my plans (planning for baby number four) fizzled out in less than three minutes.

Am I happy? or Whew? I'm kinda both. The more I think about it though, "whew," fits the bill. I have enough stress in my life as it is. haha

So you tell me, what would run through your head if you found yourself needing to use a pregnancy test kit? Now take it one step farther; wouldn't it be great to put something like this into a story? Potential for so much emotion... 

I'm sorry officer; it really wasn't my fault

I wish I could have said that. I also wish I could have pulled off the ditz angle like in the pic. Unfortunately, my kids were with me, and I cannot do the dumb routine in front of them.

As if my jumble of a life couldn't stand one more hit, I got pulled over a couple of days ago...for speeding. I was only going 41, jeesh, and on a five lane road at that. But the kicker, it was in a school zone during school end time. Man, the $$$ fine!

I had just picked up my own kids at a nature class they take every couple of weeks and it honestly didn't register to me that other kids were getting out of their regular school at this same time. We go down this particular road quite a bit (not anymore), and the officer pointed out the blinking lights - overhead. I look for school zone blinking lights along the roadside, not overhead. I still was written up.

This beyond stinks! He could have let me go with a warning, ya know. I have an impeccable driving record and our car is a little blue thing, not some kind of sporty number. I definately would have learned my lesson with a warning. The ticket was quite a bit overdone, in my opinion.


Hope your week's gone better...

What I love about Writing

Despite the edits, the endless wait for a response, the rejections, I still love to write. In good days and bad, I know I can always take pen and paper or fingertips and keyboard and immerse myself into another place and time. I can do this with a good book as well, and trust me, I sometimes spend waaaay too much time engrossed in someone else's story. At the end of the day though, my own ideas always fulfill me the most.

I can't stop the ideas. I can be in the shower, sitting outside, heck, even watching a cartoon with my kids and slam! an idea or a character will drop into my head and stick. This is excitement and anticipation, like meeting a prospective lover for the first time. What do I do? Quite simply, I play. What do the characters look like, what are their names, what is going on in their lives? What is the problem and why? What is the solution? Why would that person/problem need a particular solution anyway?

The list of questions can go on and on and most often these questions never get answered directly in the story, but the Q&A works to develop the individuals and the plot.

Earlier tonight (rather, late last night), I met with my good buddy Marie Harte and among many other discussions, we chatted about a story I'm working on. The heroine played basketball at one time and guess what? My knowledge of basketball stems from tidbits I remember from middle school. (I'll be honest, I am not nor have I ever been into sports as a personal goal or enjoyment. I actually found a way to exempt my PE requirements in college!) Well tonight, I felt like a complete ditz asking Marie to explain, exactly, what constitutes a free throw, what exactly is a rebound, asking her if she knew of a "Dummies" book for basketball.... Let's just say we had several good laughs - all at my expense. In all sincerity by the way, thanks Marie!

My point, when the story is all said and done, will it have tons of detail about basketball? No. But in order for me to depict realistic characters, I have to know about them. And, as this one person is a basketball gun-ho type of chick, I need to be up this knowledge or she'll flop.

Even though I am not a sports person, I am enjoying learning about this sport now. Am I going to go out and play it? Ha! Not likely. Will I ever use this information again? Perhaps, depends on future characters and storylines. Am I having fun learning and writing about this basketball chick? Yes. Will I enjoy putting this new found knowledge into legible and understandable script? Most definitely!

Luckily, I haven't lost this love of writing. I'm saying this because I've heard stories of people in creative professions who become wrapped up in the ins-and-outs of the technical or even the economic aspect of their career that their creative edge becomes a chore. I am also writing this to remind myself that should that day come for me, I'll need to look back and remember why I write in the first place. It's a love. A pure love.

Sit back and enjoy the pics...

So sorry to disappoint, but this post is down now. Please enjoy any of my current Saturday posts, which is now the picture day. :)