Fun days ahead

The next week will have it all. Fireworks, strawberry cake, water parks, a space shuttle launch (*knocks on wood*), St. Augustine site seeing, a birthday party, cook out, and a house full of family to share it with. Not sure how much updating I'll have time to do here once sis and her six kids roll in during the whee hours between Friday night and Saturday morning, but now you'll know what I'm doing!

I started the preperation today by beginning the shopping. Friday, I'll begin the cooking - and probably won't stop until the 5th, when they leave and I demand my husband buy pizza and other take-out for a week while I recover. But for now, I've got cooking on the brain. First up - German Potato Salad.

This recipe isn't exactly like Grandma Montgomery used to make, but it's pretty close. I like to add a bit more vinegar, until it's tart enough to make your eyes water. Goes great with a cold beer ;)
German Potato Salad

1 1/2 lbs. potatoes
8 slices bacon, fried until crispy
1 whole onion, sliced to please
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
3 stalks celery, sliced to bite size
1/4 c. boiling water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 c. cider vinegar

Boil potatoes until tender (not mushy). Slice into a deep bowl (peel if you like, but I like the skins and leave them in).

Fry bacon until crispy. Remove to drain, and saute onion and celery until slightly soft. Add salt, pepper and sugar to the bacon pan (keep the grease - I didn't promise this was going to be healthy). Add water and vinegar, simmer until it thickens. Pour over potatos and toss lightly. Serve warm.
Makes 6 servings.

I can taste it already. And it goes great with brats and burgers!

Is today the day?

Samantha spent yesterday afternoon with her "nanny" (grandmother), going shopping, to the beach, running up and down the stairs in their three story house. She was still wired with excitement when she got home, so it was close to 10 before she finally gave in to the forces of exhaustion.

She woke me up at 7 with her usual pitiful call of "Mommy...." This is usually followed by "I'm wet. It's time to take a bath." Today, all she said was "Is today the day my cousins come?"

"No honey. 6 more days." I'd already taken down her child gate, expecting she'd be ready to get up.

"Ok. I'm not ready to get up." And she rolled over and pulled the covers up.

Huh? Ok...

I crept off to my own bed, sure she would change her mind before my head hit the pillow.

90 blissfully quiet minutes later:

"Mommy? Is today the day my cousins come?"

She's just a little bit excited!

Six more days, and my big sis, her hubby, and their six kids will be here for a few days of sun, sand, cookouts, birthday / 4th of July parties, and probably a few late nights that will make me feel old again. I'm not sure who gets more worn out, the kids or the parents. I'm not sure why the parents aren't smart enough to put themselves to bed before they get totally worn out. But all the three (almost four) year old wants to know is.... are they coming today!!!???

Today will be more house cleaning, and a birthday party for one of Samantha's classmates. "Nanny" is taking Montgomery to see a movie this afternoon, and maybe keeping him overnight as well. And now I know how my morning will start everyday this week.

"Mommy? Is today the day my cousins come?"

Then ('86) and now ('06)

Then ('86) and now ('06)
Originally uploaded by ksteele2.

Last weekend was my husband's 20th high school reunion. At pretty much the last minute, we decided to go to two of the three events. Since both of them were parties less than a mile from our house, and a good friend of his (good in the "I haven't seen you since high school" sort of way) was coming all the way from Oregon, he felt a bit lame in staying home. So off we went.

Friday night was a check in / registration / say hi kinda thing, at the hotel. We walked into the hotel and checked all the conference rooms for a formal sign in, then saw a big posterboard written in marker, "EHS Sign in - room 505". We looked at each other, laughed, and headed for the elevator.

Room 505 had close to 40 people crammed into a 2 room hotel space. I spent about an hour staring at faces, trying to recognize someone, before it hit me - I'm NOT going to know anyone! Have another beer Karen.

We had fun playing 'then and now', and stories were told of skipping chapel for breakfast (that's what they called it anyway); being drug before the honor council, graduadion; parties where friends broke things or lost things or parents had to come pick up people that shouldn't have been driving. Groups broke off to go get dinner, and around 11pm I realized that hours had passed and we were still having fun. Whee ~

Saturday afternoon was the "official" event at the school, but we skipped out on that - Sean had a golf tournament. That night was a cookout at the house of an alumni - that was the big fun. Bar BQ on the beach, "awards" ceremonies for people who had traveled far or saved a life, and watermelon suffused with vodka. Ahhh, high school, you seem so close at times...

If the party had ended there, we would have probably just had fond memories of people then and now. But oh no, as midnight approached, the night seemed too young to let slip away. So we brought a few people back to the house (ack - a house that I had not! cleaned! I hate having people's first impression be of a messy house), sat out by the hot tub and had a few more drinks, and kept the neighbors awake laughing and talking for a few more hours.

And had the hang overs to tell us we weren't 17 (or 18) the next morning.

Maybe in 20 more years, we'll be smart enough not to think we have to relive high school by trying to prove we can drink as much as we want to and stay up until the sun is rising.

Or maybe we'll do it all again, just to show we're not that old - yet.

Signs of life

I've had an absolute absence of energy this week. To the point that some mornings, getting out of bed sounded like more than I could handle. Ugh. Not sure why I've been so tired; probably a combination of kids wearing me out and not enough sleep. But anyway.

I moped around the house yesterday, and when I finally let the family know it was a choice of hotdogs or hamburger helper for dinner Sean took pity on me. Took the kids to football practice with him, and then stopped and got pizza after. Wow, did that three hours alone improve my energy and mood.

It also wiped Samantha out, and she slept in until 8am this morning. Which means *I* got to sleep in until 8am!!!

So today I've so far:
done 4 loads of laundry, cleaned 2 bathrooms, cleaned the kitchen, caught up the paperwork that was waiting on my desk for 4 days, organized the July book updates for the Passionate Ink website (I'm now officially co-webmistress there, whee~!~), packed Sean's bags, completed three logos, updated the spreadsheet tracking all the books and promo items that came in this week that came in for Atlanta (I voluntered to drive the items if anyone that's flying wanted to ship their promo stuff to me). Checked in on a few writing sites that I've neglected this week. Made notes on the chapter I should have been working on this week - those 5000 words a week don't seem to be writing themselves, so I guess I'm going to have to break down and do it >G<.

And it's not even lunchtime!

Hope your Friday is as productive (or not) as you want it to be. And that you get a chance to experience the joy of a good nights sleep, and the energy that comes with it :)

Errand day

After a crazy week (I may find a chance to write about it later), I have no time to do more than cut and paste today.
So I bring you :

Star Wars Horoscope for Sagittarius

You are superbly wise and have been known to spread your wisdom widely. You are impatient and pushy when people take your teachings too lightly. And your philosophical side always peeks through. Star wars character you are most like: Yoda

What is Your Star Wars Horoscope?

I think they had me pegged at "impatient".
Errand time. Happy Friday!

Sunshine and Blue skies - after the storm

Sunshine and Blue skies - after the storm
Originally uploaded by ksteele2.

And.... we're off! The 2006 hurricane season is out of the gate.
Alberto blew through here last night and today.
3 inches of rain, one large limb down (in the yard, not on the house), and some gusty winds.

Submitted

Sent off "Hunting the Huntress" at 8:40.  Had five minutes of fantasy, involving an editor on the other end immediately opening my email, diving into the story, and firing me back a gushing "I love your story" email by the end of the day.

This was quickly killed when I got the auto responder email.  "Our initial response time is one to two months. For submissions that pass
initial review and are placed in queue for an acquiring editor, response time is
two to twelve months. We do want to give every submission fair and unrushed
consideration."

Welcome to the real world ...

High school reunions

This year is one of the Big Ones for reunions. Hubby and I are both "celebrating" 20 years since graduation. Two decades since we fled the stench of mandatory gym class and other assorted hells that filled our high school years. (Seperate high schools, in two different southern states - Florida for him, Alabama for me.)

I've never seen a high school that wasn't totally divided down the clique lines. Maybe they exist, but not that I found. For hubby, he was a cross country runner - so he was a nerdy jock (come on, if it's not football, basketball, or baseball in the south, it's not a true Jock Sport). A nerdy jock that liked to party - most of his stories from high school involve which parents were out of town, and who was to drunk to drive home. He at least had a regular crowd of casual friends that stuck together, mostly to get away from the fact they weren't in the "it" crowd, the true jock crowd, the smart crowd, or any other of The Crowds. I was just a nerdy geek. A nerdy geek that also had a 20-30 hour a week job, so there was pretty much no hanging out at school even if I'd wanted to. Which I certainly didn't!

So neither of us were scarred by our education years. We just ... survived them. And left without a look behind.

Neither of us carried highschool friendships with us into adulthood. He had one (1) friend that actually stayed a friend long enough to be best man in our wedding, but that ended on a bad note not to long later. I haven't talked to anyone from my graduation class since shortly after graduation.

So why would we even think about our 20th reunions with any desire to attend? When the invitations first showed up, we tossed them without even a comment. Then we actually talked about one, and we had a good laugh about it. When the sixteenth (maybe it was the nineteenth... I started loosing track, but these people do NOT let up) came, we actually discussed it. We agreed that we had no desire to inflict that sort of pain on each other. I'd rather repaint the house in the midday heat of July. He'd rather sit through a ballet. In other words, it wasn't going to happen.

And then last week his mother found out. And in short order, she convinced him that he needed to go to Network With The Alumni.

So, because I'm such a supportive, understanding, got-your-back kind of wife, I am now commited to actually attending a 20th high school reunion. I can only be grateful he wants to network with his ex-classmates, and not mine.

I spent part of today staring into my closet. And realized I have nothing at all to wear to a cocktail reception on Friday night. I am going to be forced to buy a gown to wear (ahem. Golden Heart / Rita Award night, I got ya covered!). And because I have absolutely nothing to wear to a beachside evening cookout, I guess I'm going to have to break down and buy something for that too.

The things we do for love...

More Googley Goodness

Google Spreadsheets.




So much in love with shiney new toys, it's unnatural. (Hey, that should be a slogan for something.)

Which is better

Which is better... turning up in a google search for karen steele is dead or pictures womans sexy usa?

I think I'll take the sexy womans over the dead.

Bedtime. Not enough caffine in the world to keep me up tonight. Dream well!

Two eyes is too much beatifulissness

Monday goals

Goals for the week -
Clean the office. I've been writing in the library all weekend, and a three year old with markers, stickers, and scissors had an art-catastrophe on and around my desk. Yikes.

Finish Warrior's Mate. I was near 9,000 words (and they are mostly edited words - I can't write very well, but I'm learning to edit with the munchkin on my lap) when I shut down to go to bed last night. 2-3,000 more.

Finish spreadsheet for Krissy's Story; I want to finish the first draft by RWA in July. And it may be a Golden Heart submission.
***

Slept in this morning. Had a wacky schedule all weekend, with getting up at 4:30, naps, then up late because of the naps. Got quite a bit done, but woke up this morning asking myself "Is it really Monday already?"

Sean starts his new "schedule" this week. Mostly it's being down at Inside Golf by 10am every day, and staying until 7ish (one or two days he'll head out at 3). It works out great for him - with the laptop, he can take care of all his other work for the golf tournaments and football team. Just means we won't see much of him during the week - Monday he'll go straight from Inside Golf to the radio show, Tuesday and Thursday straight to trivia shows. Wednesday is the one day he'll be out early and come home - guess they'll be my favorite day of the week for a while!

Samantha starts her new "schedule" this week too. Tuesdays and Thursdays at a summer program in the mornings. Her cousin goes to this school, and they'll be in the same class, so she's been counting down the days since March.

Have you slid into your summer schedule yet?

Inside Golf in the news

From today's Florida Times-Union :

The inside scoop on a cool round

New business brings golf to downtown area with simulators and air-conditioned comfort.

By GARRY SMITS, The Times-Union

Mary O'Donnell doesn't play golf, but she does know how
popular the sport is on the First Coast. She also was of the opinion
that activities in downtown Jacksonville were at a minimum, especially
during weekdays.

"Really, all there is to do is eat and drink,"
said the California native and former employee of the city planning
department. "The new library is certainly nice, but in most big cities,
there are a lot more things to do."

O'Donnell and Sean Steele, director of the American
Golf Tour of Jacksonville, have just added something to the downtown
mix. Last week, they launched Inside Golf, an indoor facility featuring
two computer simulators, two other netted hitting areas, an artificial
putting green and lounge area.

Inside Golf is located on the second floor of an office building at 140 W. Monroe St., near Hemming Plaza.

O'Donnell, the president of Inside Golf, and
Steele, the marketing director, are banking on the fact that more than
a few of the thousands of people who work downtown and play golf will
want to practice or play simulated games during their lunch hours or
just after getting off work. There will be beer, wine and soft drinks
available.

Future plans include merchandise such as golf
apparel and equipment and transportation offered to and from downtown
hotels and the convention center. It's possible to get in nine holes on
simulators within 30 minutes, and 18 holes within an hour. For now,
here's the price structure: $25 for a half-hour and $45 for an hour,
with membership packages available.

Inside Golf is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and by appointment on the weekend.

"We want people to think of this as a virtual
country club," O'Donnell said. "From the golf to the lounge, we offer
many of the same things. The big difference is that they can play golf
in the air conditioning instead of the 90-degree heat."

Inside Golf has been more than nine months in the
planning, since O'Donnell got the idea. Steele came on board earlier
this year with the expertise of running his amateur tour.

"I think I've got a pretty good handle on what
golfers in this area like," Steele said. "We're just trying to give
them what they like an in indoor setting, close to where they work."

The two simulators are likely to be the biggest
draw for the facility. They're among the most realistic currently
available, with one featuring a series of fictional, animated courses
in mountains, seashores and even Scottish layouts. The other simulator
has animated versions of actual courses, such as Pebble Beach.

Using clubs provided by Inside Golf (more equipment
is coming from Lauden Golf) players hit balls off mats, with the swing
path and ball flight measured by sensors in the floor. The balls are
then projected onto the screen, and go flying down plush fairways, or,
in the case of mishits, into rough, water, sand and high grass - just
as in real golf.

After the ball comes to rest following each hit,
players receive information on the screen about how far their carry and
total distance, their clubhead and ball speed, and yardage remaining to
the hole. The simulators also provide ambient sound such as birds
chirping, wind blowing and the sound of balls hitting the water.

The most difficult aspect of playing in the simulators is the short game.

"It can be a little frustrating at first, but it
doesn't take long to get the hang of it," said Terry Wilkins, who tried
his hand last week. "But this is very realistic."

Of course, players have other options. They can hit
balls into a net or putt. The lounge, with easy chairs and a TV, offers
a break.

And the entire facility offers something more to do downtown than wining and dining - such as driving and putting.