My adoption

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Yesterday.....

NaNoWri kicked off Tuesday. This is my fourth year participating. I started doing it because I had been saying for years I would. Then I heard about the challenge and decided if I was ever going to do, I needed to do it then. And I did. I had little time for preperation, yet I managed to finish and be a winner. The story is a good one, but it needs tons of work. It's a romantic suspense story that is told with a lot of flashbacks. The second year I was eagerly anticipating November. I did a lot of research and had a great deal of fun with it. It was about a young teenaged girl who spends the summer with her widowed grandmothers and learns a lot about life - including cooking. She keeps a diary and writes in it each night before bed. She also learns to cook from a great aunt who helps out the grandmothers. So, I started each chapter with a recipe. The trouble was, I was getting into October (in the book) and no ending was in sight. Since "summer" was in the title, I would either have to change the title or go back and change a lot of the book and be sure I had an ending with the start of school. Last year was a coming of age in the 60's. It was my best one yet, I think. This year is an inspirational, sweet romance. I've never written anything like it, so hopefully I won't have too many difficulties. The story I have been wanting to tell for about 18 years is still on the back burner. I want to have some good experience under my belt before attempting that one. *grin* It's another romantic suspense one. But time will tell with it.

Having to recover stuff is difficult. And so much has been corrupted. I'm sick about it all. I had photos and graphics that can never be replaced. I have really learned a lesson from all of this to be sure to backup what's important. Bob is getting his own new hard drive ready to go and will then be putting his old one in my puter so I can use it as a backup. It is giving him fits, too.

Today Bob goes to the VA to see his doc about his PTSD. I'm so glad he is finally getting help for it. Already I see such a difference with him from the meds he's taking and his sessions with the doc. Soon he'll be doing some group sessions, too.

Spirit is becoming more and more at home with us. Tino accepts him, but grudingly. Buddy is ok with him, but loves to agitate him when he's tied and can't get to him. When Bob is playing with Spirit, Buddy's right there to make sure he isn't hurting Daddy. I do believe he'd try to tear into him if he believe Spirit had hurt Bob.

My coaching sessions are moving right along, too. I can hardly believe I'm into the third week already. I'm really enjoying working with my coach. I'm learning a great deal from her and about myself. I look forward to taking classes to be able to work with others. It's a lot like what I have been doing with my journaling classes. Each coach is unique and it helps to have a fresh approach so I won't get stale myself.

Well, I better get back to the writing.

So long, farewell to you and you and you..........

My birthday week

My birthday was the high light of a bad, bad week. First there were the storms from Wilma. The high winds hung around and knocked out the power. When that happened, some files got corrupted on my hard drive including windows. Soooo Cruzer had to redo windows and all my email and addresses were lost. I'm having quite the time rebuilding. He's been trying to retrieve data from the hard drive for three days and it isn't even close to being completed. And of course I had nothing backed up. Oh, I did have an adress book that was over 6 years old. It helped a tiny bit, but not with all I need. You know, losing my docs, recipes, pictures and graphics, was like losing my kids. I actually grieved. Then I had the root canal. Thank goodness for laughing gas. I actually feel asleep during the procedure. Unfortunately, I also had swelling on one side of my face and a temperature, so I'm on antibiotics. Thankfully I might take a pain killer once a day now, but that's it. Friday my writing group met. It was suppose to be a nice dinner for my birthday - not! I had to get something that could be cut into tiny pieces and not difficult to chew. *sigh* Well, I did it and had an enjoyable time.

My birthday was a beautiful day. The sun was out, there was a nice breeze and it was right around 70 degrees. Cruzer surprised me with the complete second season of the Golden Girls, a new hat - purple of course, and roses from our boys (the dogs). He also let me pick out some scrapbook supplies. Then he really surprised me with a chocolate birthday cake! I tell you, the man knows how to get straight to my heart! To top off everything, my Gators beat Georgia, so I was really riding high by the time the day ended.

So many of you sent me such wonderful greetings and well- wishes. The day is always a difficult time and my daddy died on my 30th and I greatly appreciate your words more than I can ever express.

Soooooooooo, that's my story and I'm glad it is!! ;)