This Is All Camy’s Fault
August 23, 2007
Camy Tang tagged me with the middle name meme. You can see her meme by clicking on her name.
Here goes mine.
The Rules: (you knew there had to be some)
1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
3. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts.
4. At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
My middle name is Sharmaine — which I happen to like, thank you very much. No “Don’t squeeze the Charmain,” jokes. I’ve heard them all.
S — Serious. Really. I could stand to loosen up around the house and am trying to do that more with my kids and hubby.
H — Hopeful. I’ve learned over the last couple years to trust God’s plan and timing for my life. So there’s a lot of hope that comes with that.
A –Anti-liberal. Which means I’m conservative.
R –Red-headed. Strawberry blonde, actually, but I already filled out the S.
M –Memory (Yes, I stole Camy’s here. Her word, not her memory.) I seem to remember tons of pointless things. I forget to do things I’m supposed to do, but after they happen, they’re in the old gray matter for good. I have learned, though, that when we’re watching reruns to stop saying a line of dialogue before the character on TV says it. My hubby isn’t fond of that.
A –A sports fan. I know I’m stretching there, but really, my name is long and you all do it and see how easy it is!!! I love, love, love sports. I’m very competitive. My hubby and I can’t play each other in games because it doesn’t end pretty. Although we do have a family trophy for whoever picks the most games right in the Final Four brackets. (I won this year!)
I –Introvert, although most people are very surprised to hear that about me. I’m mostly recovered. But every now and then, that tongue-tied girl in me makes an unwanted appearance.
N — Nice. Yes, even if I am a Chicagoan and a Northerner. I try to be nice to people and make eye contact with people I’m passing. Just smiling goes a long way.
E — Eloquent. Not! (Man, this meme is hard.) I am so verbally challenged. I can’t say things clearly or concisely. But give me a month or so, and I’ll come back with the most eloquent written zinger one could ever hope for.
Now I’m supposed to pick one person for each letter in my name. Nine???? I don’t think so. I’ll use my I’m-moving-in-four-days-and-don’t-have-time-to-brush-my-teeth excuse again.
I’ll go brush my teeth now.
Allison Bottke of God Allows U-Turns
August 22, 2007
Way back when my life was sane and normal, I scheduled an interview for today with Allison Bottke of God Allows U-Turns fame. She’s written a new novel, and I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peak at it.
Since that time, life has become crazy busy for both me and Allison — we’re both moving! She’s frantically packing for a move on Sunday, and I’m frantically packing for movers coming on Saturday. So between the two of us, we decided to postpone our little chat to sometime in September when we’re not staring so many boxes in the face.
In the meantime, if you’d like to hear about Allison’s latest book, One Little Secret, check out her website.
The Last . . .
August 20, 2007
Every day from now on is the last of that day we’ll have here in Chicago. Our last Monday, my last ortho appointment. We’re packing in time with friends and family, and I think every night this week we’ll be busy doing something. Tonight I’m hoping to go out with a friend. Over the summer we’ve started going out together about once a month and just chatting. It’s been a lot of fun, and I’ll miss that.
I actually started making a list of things I’ll miss about Chicago but decided not to post it. It was interesting that for every item I listed, I knew there would be a replacement for it in Kansas City. Well, except for maybe Lou Malnati’s pepperoni and garlic deep dish pizza and Zippy’s cheesy beef on garlic. At least our breath will be better in KC! We’ll still get to see our White Sox when they come to town, and we’ll still be going back home once a year to see family. So it’s not goodbye for ever, just for several months.
But there are a number of Chicago things I am so ready to say goodbye to. Since we got back from our last trip to Kansas, we’ve had horrible traffic. There’s been a lot of construction in almost every direction I drive, and we’ve gotten stuck in traffic backups a few times. Makes you want to pull your hair out. Where we’re going in KC, there really won’t be traffic problems like this.
And Chicago cold. See ya! We had a handful of cold days last winter where you walked outside and the inside of your nose just froze right away. Hate that. The winters in KC won’t be as long or as cold as what’s typical here.
Housing prices–hah! I know that there are a few places in America that make Chicago housing look affordable, but our new town is soooo much cheaper than here. I love it. We’ve been crammed into an 860 square foot condo (I finally measured it) for seven years, and with two active kids running around, it’s been too small for about five of those years. Why God had us live there so long I can’t say I understand, but He did. And we found ways to make it work — most of the time.
But now we’ve found a beautiful and affordable new home that’s three times the size of our condo — plus we’ll have a small backyard. Space to stretch out! I’m really looking forward to that.
So I’m not going to think any more about the things I’ll miss here. I’m only going to think about the positives. I’m glad I’ve had so much time here in Chicago — I really have loved it (despite traffic). We’ve made friends here that I do hope will last a lifetime (and you all come visit now, okay???), but it’s time to move on, and we’re excited about where we’re headed. We can’t wait to see what God has in store.
So happy last Monday in Chicago. The rain has stopped, a few birds are chirping, and I get a night out with a friend.
It’s going to be a great day.
Clean On!
August 17, 2007
I’ve just spent a full week of packing and cleaning and staging. I’m pooped. But I’ve found my two new favorite cleaning items to share with you.
In case you haven’t heard yet about Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, they’re here and they work! My mother-in-law came over for a few hours and helped me clean, and despite being the queen of clean, she hadn’t heard of these wonderful white sponges that take scuff marks off anything, clean textured surfaces (like refrigerators), and clean stains off counters. Mr. Clean Magic Erasers–don’t clean home without them.
My second favorite cleaning item is a professional degreaser. I’ve bought the stuff in the cleanser aisle that’s supposed to do the trick for spills under your stovetop and in the cracks and crevices that you just don’t get to that often, but they never worked. Someone I know who sells professional cleaning supplies actually gave me a bottle of degreaser that the pros used (It was a thank-you for babysitting their child. I didn’t know whether I should be taking a hint or not.) But I love the stuff now. Get one of those scrubbing sponges that has a gentle side and a rougher side, and surfaces are clean in seconds. So amazing!
Where do you get the professional cleaners? Well, I saw some a couple days ago at Walmart, in the hardware side of the store. So look there.
Time to get back to scrubbing spots on walls, straightening couch pillows and chairs, and wiping down the bathroom sink.
Someone buy this home, quick!
My Kind of Town
August 13, 2007
If you’ve read my bio at all, you know that Chicago is my kind of town.
Well, we’re leaving it.
We’re moving to a small town outside of the Kansas City suburbs, and believe it or not, after spending a grand total of about a week there, we really do like it.
Fancy that!
My husband is taking the head pastorate at a church in town, a town that’s growing and attracting young families. We’re excited to be going there and to be working with the people in the church, but of course there’s sadness in our hearts too as we must say goodbye to friends, family, and yes, Chicago.
We’re in a bit of a time crunch. Got a house to get ready to sell by Tuesday night, things to pack, and a ridiculous number of odds and ends to take care of. And here I am blogging. (Don’t tell my husband!) But I wanted to let you all know why I’ve been so sporadic lately. We’re moving in two weeks so once we get into our new home and get settled, I’ll try to get back to being the faithful blogger I was.
A Quote to Live By?
August 7, 2007
“Exercise is a dirty word. Every time I hear it, I wash out my mouth with chocolate.” — Charles M. Schultz
What Was I Thinking
August 6, 2007
I had a funny/odd thought recently while I was doing laundry. I was emptying the dryer, and it was one of those loads that was all shirts and didn’t seem to have an end. Around the four hundredth shirt, I got annoyed and thought, “What we need is someone to invent a hanging-up machine.”
A picture flashed in my mind of a woman scrubbing her clothes over those scrubbing boards (was there a technical term for them?) and saying, “What we need is someone to invent a machine to wash clothes for us.”
And then I pictured a woman sitting beside a running river, her hands in fists as her bearskin floated away with the current, and she said, “What we need is someone to invent a container for water so our bearskins quit floating away.”
Okay, don’t know if that last lady ever existed or not, but needless to say, I felt pretty silly for complaining about having to hang up my machine-washed and -dried laundry. Maybe someday there’ll be a machine to hang up clothes (someone please get to work on that!), but for now I’m thankful for my washer and dryer.
Long may they live.
Return to Me by Robin Lee Hatcher
August 2, 2007
Robin is the author of over fifty novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by Library Journal.Winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, two RITA Awards for Best Inspirational Romance, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award.Robin, who is also one of our CFBA members, lives in Boise, Idaho.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Discouraged and destitute, her dreams shattered, Roxy Burke is going home. But what lies beyond the front door?
Rejection…or a bright future?
A lot has changed since Roxy Burke escaped small town life to become a Nashville star. Her former boyfriend Wyatt has found Christ and plans to become a minister. Her sister Elena, who comforted Wyatt when Roxy ran away, is now his fiancee. Her father Jonathan, a successful businessman, is heartbroken over the estrangement of Roxy from the family.
Now Roxy…her inheritance from her grandmother squandered, her hopes of stardom dashed…finds her way home…not by choice but because it’s her only option. Her father’s love and forgiveness surprise her, but her very presence throws the contented Burke family into turmoil, filling Roxy with guilt and shame.
Elena is shocked to discover doubt and resentment in her heart after her father’s easy acceptance of Roxy into the family circle. Wyatt wrestles with doubts about marrying Elena. And Roxy struggles to accept forgiveness. Isn’t she more deserving of rejection? As the story of the prodigal plays out, each member of the Burke family must search for and accept God’s grace.
An Award!
August 1, 2007
Erica Vetsch at On the Write Path gave me the Rockin’ Girl Blogger award. No, it’s not for my musical accomplishments (which are none). It’s for my blog.
Thanks, Erica!
I get to pass the award on to other blogs I think are worthy, and to be honest, this is hard. The ones I read daily have just been given the award as well, but oh well. Right back at ya’, guys!
Kaye Dacus at Write Time, Write Place (she gets deep down into fiction-writing techniques)
Georgiana at Georgiana D (just fun stuff from a fellow writer)
Erica Vetsch at On the Write Path (another fellow writer with fun stuff)
Camy Tang at Camy’s Loft (a just pubbed writer who talks a little bit about everything)
Novel Journey (I LOVE this blog — great author interviews and behind-the-scenes publishing industry news for book lovers and writers alike)