The Viewing

First things first, I did NOT break down in the funeral home. There were moments, times during it all while hearing people talk about memories of my papaw that I wanted too. I swallowed the tears, put a smile on my face, and foraged through. There were so many people I never knew. Many I knew the names from conversation grandma, grandpa and Duane had around me. Now to see the faces after so many years. People my mom and uncles knew.

I kept the smile on my face despite I didn't want too. My cousin was there with her little one, my uncles, my brother and his woman was there, so wasn't my little brother James.

Yeah I was a little bit of a wallflower, plastering myself at the wall. Papaw looked like papaw though thinner and paler. They had put an afghan that grandma had crocheted with him which I thought appropriate. His medals was by his head. I finally got to see them.

He always wanted to show me those medals, but they were buried beneath so much stuff that he could never find them. Then mom found a picture of him and grandma, about months before grandma died. The picture had to be roughly over ten to even eleven years old. That was in the casket with him.

Since when grandma died (my oldest was just a baby), mom had put a picture of him in the casket with her because she was so excited about being a great grandmother. Well I wanted a picture of my three boys to go with him, he always got them neat things for Christmas. He never really got to know Gabriel but by then he was already diagnosised with Alzheimers.

He thought the world of my oldest. They always called him either Half Pint or Hard Luck because when he came back from the hospital, our area got hit with a massive tornado and for the first three weeks of his life out of the hospital was without electric. Half Pint because he was soooo tiny.

I couldn't help but think of my fond memories of him. Grandma and Grandpa practically raised me when I was a baby while mom and dad worked. I remember how I always loved going and staying the night there.Then how I always wanted to go grocery shopping with him as a child. We'd be in line, and he'd tell me to pick out a candy bar. How when my dad was a prick, refused to pick me up from work, I could always rely on him to do so. He was my staunch defender, he and grandma.

What was neat, I got to meet the woman who introduced my grandma and grandpa. * watery chuckle* I loved hearing her say "Alice was a shy country bumpkin. The two was so very shy."

It just makes me miss my grandma all over again. I know that his physical body is gone,, and that his spirit is with grandma over looking me and the boys, it's just the holidays and life in general won't be the same without him just there.

Since grandma's death, family just seemed to ravel, like the glue had gone out, Grandpa was that thread that kept things from drifting too apart. Now that he's gone, it makes me wonder how far it'll deteriate.

Immortal: The Crossing - Joy Nash

Finally, awesomely, won Nash's latest Immortal book. You'd swear when I seen the package with Joy's name on it, that it was Christmas or something. I was that excited!

What's even more funny, that I won another of her contests for the books. Since all I really need is one signed copy, not that I love Joy any less, but I really wanted someone else who loves her books and this series to win a copy, so I asked if she didn't mind drawing another name.

She told me in a chat (after complimenting my screen name visionary_druid Squee!) that the girl who won it appreciated what I did. Hopefully that'll add to the good karma. I know it made me feel immensely good.

Alright, I'm "suppose" to do a review on the book. I "suck" badly at reviews; I generally give spoilers in it. So, take this little area right here as a warning that there might be spoilers, read the rest at your own risk if you haven't read the book yet:

Manannan mac Lir, the son of a Sidhe mother and god father Lir, and the world's top musician. Then you have Artemis Black - a witch that has both death and light magic and an interesting blood lines in her ancestry.

She's really not the type of girl that he generally falls for; however, he finds that he simply can not resist her natural temptation and loses all control. Mac senses no evil in her, just this desperation that she won't gallingly confide in him.

He risks so much to help her achieve whatever it is that's compelling her... even willingly follow her into one place his life-magic is reputed to have no real effect, a place that before he'd never dream of venturing, to a place that he'd have a huge handicapp... To Hell

My belated b-day gift from an art friend!

My friend Silent Torture on Y! Gallery and Deviantart did this picture for me as a belated b-day gift! She asked me what I'd like drawn, and well, my mongrel elf (he has drow, shape-shifter, human - that's just from his mother, and demon from his daddy) Ancallin Grave

Here's the caption that went along with it:What time was it? Morning, maybe? Hells, what day was it?

And more importantly, what the nine hells was the green liquid in the glass vial?

Ancallin turned the small, nondescript piece of glass between his forefinger and thumb, watching the liquid slosh against the edges. He was pretty sure whatever it was in there wasn’t harmful. It didn’t bubble and when he uncorked the top, no rank smell emitted from it. Some leftover juice from a spell or incantation or charm…

Or stomach medicine, hells, he had no idea. There was no marking, etching, nothing to give a clue as to the content’s purpose. Anca would have, at this point of sleep-drunkness, downed the liquid in one gulp, just to see what it would do, but some fear that it was a leftover transmutation potion gave him pause. The green color made him think of frogs, and he really didn’t want to be a frog and catch flies with his frog tongue and hop around on his frog legs.

Hm. Frog legs.

Gods, he was hungry. When had he last eaten?

‘Maybe I’ll mix it with something,’ his head suggested. ‘See if it explodes. Hm. That’d be an awful mess. I’d have to clean it up. Hm.’

This, he was sure, was why the gods invented labeling.

~*~Happy Birthday to ! Belated... anyway... >> This is her character Ancallin. She wanted a picture of him "cutely disheveled" as he gets while working in his magic room.The blurb is my doing... I have no idea if that's how Anca thinks while sleep drunk... That's how I think while sleep drunk.

'Nother done

So another year has passed for me. I have to say on-line and off-line friends had made it one of the best I've had in a long while, especially the week leading up to Sunday. I had some of the very best presents...

Hubs took me to Borders to pick out a book for my b-day present. I managed to weasel two which he said one was from him, the other was from the boys. I got Roxanne St. Claire's latest Now You Die and Shayla Black's latest book (I couldn't resist!)

My friend Keeshe wrote me a fun fanfic between myself and my favorite character in the Dark-Hunter series (Dev Peltier). It's posted on here. While reading it, I had a HUGE smile on my face and giggled at some parts.

The next day or perhaps the day after I was surprised with yet another fanfic written for my birthday between myself and Dev. This one from my dark-hunter chat cronie and friend Stormee. Pfft, DO NOT LET HER LIE AND SAY SHE'S NOT A GOOD WRITER!! Again, I had this large smile on my face and giggled at parts.

I had LOTS of b-day wishes. Just wanted to say to those who gave me wishes a big and heartfelt THANK YOU! Each and every one of them brought smiles to my face.

The night before "the day" I was in the dark-hunter chat with Alex and the rest of the crew. Alex let chat stay open for a half hour more in honor of my b-day! When it struck midnight she was the very first to wish me a happy birthday. Now that just rocked!

I got woken by a call by my mother to wish me a happy birthday. This year she didn't send me a card and money because times are rough for her. She's only working three days a week at her job while the rest of the time she's taking care of my grandfather who is temporary staying with her.

To those who don't know, my grandfather has Alzheimers and he's a handful. I really don't know how she and my step father handles it. He's very needy and can't do anything himself. So you can imagine the stress and rough time she's having. But I was glad she gave me a call. Then she grilled me about the move.

Then Joann called me, from work, to sing me happy birthday. Of course there had to be something to dampen the day. The soon to be ex-landlord hunted down the husband at his parents. He and his step dad were building something for me to give to my friend for her b-day/christmas gift.

Literally the ass started harrassing him when the hubs and his father put the jerk into his place. So we're renting a Uhaul truck to get the rest out of the place, putting in Mike's garage until our new place is ready for us. I want to completely wash my hands of the ass. I do hope karma turns around and bites him hard on the ass. He deserves it.

And no, I really did not hear any well wishes from my in laws. I was at the mother in laws briefly, but that's okay. You know I'm use to it. They'll make a big production of the hubs on the 16th and go "Oh I didn't know it was her b-day the seventh" or "I completely forgot it was her b-day the seventh" when they remember their daughter's husband's b-day the fourth. *shrugs*

The hubs took me to Applebees for my b-day dinner. The man was smart and DID NOT TELL THE WAITRESS IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY! I went to the bathroom, came back to clapping. I was like "Oh he better not". The look I gave him if he did seared. But he didn't (thank the goddess), it was for an eighteen year old's b-day.

My cake was one of those strawberry cheesecake in a shooter glass.

Today I had an art friend asked if I wanted a b-day drawing. Aww wasn't that sweet.

Birthday surprise

I just have to say that I have some of the awesome-ist, cool, thoughtful friends in the world. So my birthday is literally right around the corner, on Sunday. I've had about three b-day wishes on myspace alone, two being authors.

Then Keeshe has been wishing me a happy b-day everyday until it actually is. She started a change reaction in chat when she wished me one. Then everyone's like "Happy B-day Rao"

Even my friend J-chan wished me an early b-day (her's being today which I gave her an early happy bday wishes and left er a message about wishing her birthday wishes.)

Keeshe wrote me a birthday gift. I so lubs it. Dev Peltier belongs to Sherrilyn Kenyon..but I thought to share it with everyone!

After a long day which fell into an evening of chatter with her friends and rp mates, Rao felt exhausted but pleased. Another day of her kids in bed actually sleeping and another day she was not harassed by her husband. It was a miracle really. Now if only that could continue for the rest of eternity, everything will be great. Oh and a million dollars will come in the mail without any strings attached.

But no one was truly that lucky. She'll just take what she can get.

A good night sleep for one. Which she hopes is exactly what she'll get tonight. Opening the door to her bedroom, she noticed the lights were off and it was definitely dark. The light from the outside filtered in from behind her, casting a long shadow to the bed. There was a bare leg on the bed. She could see a color of tawny flesh above the sheets. That.. is not her husband's leg. She blinked and rubbed her eyes under her glasses. Did she walk into the wrong room? She looked over her shoulder then back into the room. No, Rao was in the right room.

Her gaze followed the leg up into the shadows, while her eyes adjusted she saw more form. More male form. That was definitely not her husband! There was someone naked or perhaps semi naked in her room. The first thing she imagined was to call the cops to protect the boys.. But what if the person was dead? Damn it, the sheets be ruined!

A low moan came from the bed. A male moan.

Yeah, that isn't her husband. He doesn't sound half as good as that. It drew a shiver down her spine and that sensation is rare.

Alright.. There is someone on her bed, naked or semi naked, alive. Now what? Her gut said to call the cops. But this was Newport, Cops coming on time from a call would be like the second coming.. Nothing. If only she had a bat. With the kids to bed, she could take care of this. She could. She hoped. "You better not attack.. I'm five feet of wild cat." She muttered as her hand reached for the light switch. Be prepared...Be prepared.

The lights flared on and she squinted to avoid the sting of bright white until normalcy returned. Her eyes went back to the bed and her jaw dropped to the floor. "Nooo..." She gave in shocked awe. This was not possible. There was a naked god on her bed.

Naked and.. Were those handcuffs? Oh but he was naked. Perfect body, from gold mane down to large but handsome bare feet. Even his toes were nice! Her gaze moved around and up and down, losing track of them even, because there was so..much of him! He was big but in a good sexual deviant lusty way. A man like this does not exist here in Newport! Did she fall asleep at the computer? If she did, she sure as hell is a sauna, wasn't going to wake up!

"Oh goddess." Breathing was becoming difficult.

A flash of dark ink snagged her attention, it came from his arm as it seems he was slowly becoming conscious. One step closer, she recognized the tattoo. Double bow mark. Only one person, blond, gorgeous, and with that mark. Devereaux Peltier. Or as everyone calls him Dev.

But that is not possible. Far far from possible. Impossible. But thoroughly naked and handcuffed to her bed. Her brows went up as she stared, alarmingly. How could this happen? She must be dreaming. She pinched herself quickly, this time to be sure. Nope, just a bit of sting but the vision did not leave her bed. She had a naked man on her bed who does not truely exist. But it didn't stop her from looking her fill.

Another step in, Dev's leg moved, pushing at something white and folded. A letter. Ah-ha! An explanation! She dove in and snatched it up even though her fingers were wanting to brush over those beautiful legs instead. That will have to wait for now. She opened it with a simple yet familiar handwriting.

Dear Rachie,
Don't ask how. Just enjoy. OH, and your hubby will be gone for the rest of your life as.. Missing. So sorry. But here is a nice Dev to cheer you up. He's all yours.

Love, Your ever evil diabolical sister
Keeshe

P.S: The key to the cuffs are on the desk. Do everything I know you would do and then some. <3>

Her eyes peered over the paper when she heard more movement from the bed. Seems Dev was becoming fully awake. His eyes seemed drowsy but that was sure to fade as they stared. Turning slightly, he settled onto his back, drawing one legs up to gain her full scrutiny. "So." He deep voice causing flutters into her belly. "Five foot of wild cat..? I'd like to see that."

Smiling, Rachie tossed the paper away as she thought to her next new move. "You will."

A full smile came to his handsome lips. "I also hear its your birthday."

"It sure is." Then she pounced.

Dev belongs and copywritten by Sherrilyn kenyon. Keeshe just knows he's my favorite of her series!

'Nother one!

I was telling an art friend about Sherrilyn Kenyon's books. Finally she decides to give her a try. This is the response I get from her which had me laughing: YOU!I bought Night Pleasures and sat down to start reading it yesterday afternoon... and finished the book at about three this morning... Damn you and your addictive books!

Joy Nash's contest

http://allisonsatticblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/contest-with-50-days-50-books-giveaway.html

Yeah... been trying and trying to win this book. I'm currently reading the fifth book. So I'm feeling desperate and a bit discouraged because things are not exactly going good.

Dark Hunter Chat

Stormee: "today off the coast of Louisiana, Hurricane Rao finally made landfall.No damage to report but some guy named Dev was running out of town like his very soul depended on it while some woman named Roxanne stood in the middle of Bourbon Street glaring and screaming,"hands Off The Bear!"

Last month's good deeds

Got a wonderful surprise in my mail box today! I was hoping that my Eve Silver book I won would come in today... what I found was a bill and an envelope addressed to me. I stared a while at the returning address until it hit me who it came from.

In January, I did a good deed for an on-line friend. Her daughter really was into something. I made her a copy of mine and sent it. It saved her mother some money. Both the mother and the daughter thanked me for it.

I also told them not to worry about the shipping in handling or the supplies used.

Well I got this nice thank you card in the mail. The front looks like it was handmade. When I opened it up, it had a twenty-five dollar gift card to Barnes & Noble. Talked about being shocked speechless. I had to email her to thank her for it. Yes I even went to order my book.

What did I order? Jennifer Ashley's latest Immortal book (the fifth one) and Tongue in Chic by Christina Dodd!

Also today. I hurt my toesies. I was playing with my children, squirting them with a water bottle. My oldest was hiding beneath a table. I got him and he shoved the bench seat out. It tipped over and landed bam on my two small toes. Yes talk about sore and they are black and blue.

Acheron

While blog-hopping, I seen two people who did a review on the latest dark-hunter book Acheron. I believe myself to be a lousy reviewer, but I though "What the hell", all who read my blogs are friends anyway. Why not give it a shot, right...

ACHERON - The most anticipated book in the series. Yeah, Ash has always been an enigma. Each book leading up to Acheron, Sherri has teased us with little nugget tid-bits about his past and about his person.

I'll try not to give out any spoilers, but in advance, if I accidentally do, please forgive me. The first half of the book is all about Ash's past. Sherri changed her writing style a little with this, and the story unfolds as told by another person. Think of a journal entry kinda way.

Warning! This part of the book will make you want to cry! You think Zarek's book was rough and sad to get through. You have NOT seen nothing yet. It envoked sadness and the need to violence. A lot of the teasers we've been given make sense as we gain the larger picture.

The second part - Lots of humor, it is the complete opposite of the first half. Where the first was sad, the last part is more humorous. I'm extremely happy with who Ash's heroine is. Not gonna say just yet because a lot of people have not read the book yet.

It was great to be reacquainted with some of the old characters: Kat, Sin, Sunshine, Talon, Zarek, Nick, just to mention a few. You will NOT be disappointed with this book

Sometimes things have to go wrong in order to go right.

So hope there is some truthism to that quote. For those not familiar where this quote came from, it is one of Acheron's quotes. Now if you don't know who Acheron is, then I suggest you go to your nearest book store and order all the dark-hunter books by Sherrilyn Kenyon you can afford!

Apologies

Sorry everyone for not being my usual, ornery, laughing self this night. After ignoring my worries, stresses, and problems for most of Tuesday during the signing (though I did worry about Samhain down in Florida, hoping things were alright for her and her cats), it was rather hard to ignore them today...

They all came back with a vengenance, submerging me where I barely able to breathe. I've been battling the need to cry all day, and my youngest helped in that manner. He was a sick little guy earlier.

I knew sooner or later something was gonna trigger it. I really have not let myself cry. Yes, I moped around about it, withdrawing a little into myself, yet I never let myself full-blown cry about it.

All this stress has gave me a headache. Just that annoying "Yes I'm here" throbbing. I took IBproufin, and when that didn't seem to help, I took a little more. Still isn't working on this damn headache. That just made me extremely tired.

Then in chat I simply lost my composure.

After this episode, not entirely sure if I'll be on-line tomorrow. I need to get myself together, to re-settle myself

Yesterday I got to attend my first signing. Yay! The trip to Cincinnati was pretty uneventful, just four hours of endless driving for the hubs. Hey! At least we did not get lost on this trip (to or fro) like we generally do on our road trips.

Heheh, when we stopped at one of the rest areas en route to Cincy, we passed a trio of people with a young woman in black tights with hearts, boots, short skirt, and some kind of top. I looked at my husband and said "Wonder if THEY are going to the signing." The outfit and look put me in mind what most people "perceive" Simi to wear and look.

Found out later I was right! Woot for me! So we make it to Barnes & Noble, went inside to inquire what we must do for the signing. The employees were very nice and helpful, gotta give kudos to them for being that cool.



They gave us a signing card number (I was sixty-two), told us where it was going to be held, and so forth. We had three hours to kill (arrived at 2:30 after leaving here at ten/eleven) so we went walking around. All you could see was FOOD! Well there was a Rave movie thing. Hubs was wanting WHITE CASTLE.

I decided to go back to B&N to sit and wait with the other Minions. There was only perhaps a couple people there, most in the front row and half the second. I snagged the first seat in the second row - hey! I wanted to make sure I got to see Sherri up close and personal!

Hubs was in and out. He really didn't want to be there but they didn't have any other stores he could hang at. He went to sleep in the car but it obviously got to hot. The District Manager of the store (or whatever she's called) made jokes while they were preparing for her.

Chatted up with some of the other fans around. What a cool bunch of people. One lady I sat close to knew where my area of Ohio was, even familiar with my mom's part. Another we chatted up and I gave her my myspace page because I planned to have the pictures I took up.

As the crowd began to come, I got the bright idea to start taking pictures. I said "My proof to the gals on dark hunter chat that I came!" The ladies in the front couple rows started laughing their asses off.

Then Dianna Love came out! OMFG she was hilarious! So cool and awesome to listen to. All night she was cracking jokes, picking on Sherri, the two women made the night wonderous for me, despite knowing there is chaos and stress in my life. They allowed me to forget that.

All I can say is... that I am most definitely going to be picking up HER books in the future. Not sure when but I most definitely am!. They handed out nifty big orange buttons with the Ash's symbol on them. Hubs put his in my purse for Joann. Then they handed out raffle tickets.

I won that card with Ash's quotes and button. I already had one of those buttons courtesy of the fan club so that went into my purse for Joann. HUBS won the last prize... gold daimon with victim pen. Hehe, you know darn well I snatched that up!

I swear I can't say how hard I laughed during Sherri's Q&A. She picked on her family, her brother, and all. Then they brought out the coat! OMG! I so wanted! They even got a male employee at B&N to try it on (Kyle I believe his name is) and I got pictures.

Talk about sooo nervous going up there to get my books and Joann's signed! Told her how I pratically live on chat which earned me a hug! Though the "All my fault" came up because I couldn't remember how my friend spelled her name, so I asked the hubs. So she said "We'll blame it on him." Which prompted me telling her how on chat I take the blame. She said "No we'll blame it on Carl I love picking on him."

It was so great, and yes, I plan on going again!

My First Signing!!

Tuesday, August 19th was my first author signing. Which author did I attend? Sherrilyn Kenyon, that's who. When you hear other Minions relate on how cool she is to meet, they are NOT LYING!

Sherrilyn was just awesome. That's all I can say about meeting her. Awesome! Wonderful! Hell yes, I'm willing to go to another of her signings. She even impressed the husband. Heck, even he said he wouldn't mind taking me to another signing because Sherri was so down-to-earth he said.

I'll blog more tomorrow when I'm not exhausted... and post pics. For right now its up myspace.

The hunt continues....

While I folded and put away clothes, I had the hubs calling places. Currently we are waiting on three places to call back.

I want to apologize to those that I am worrying about my sudden silences and need to depart from IMs, conferences, or chats. I've been trying desperately to keep my mind distracted but sometimes the worry about the unknown future hits me incredibly hard, I just feel the need to cry.

Yes, I wanted this move for a very long time, but the not having a place lined up is getting to me. All this is finally hitting me hard; I'm having a hard time sleeping, and when I do, it's deep but unfulfilling, lack of appetite, sick to my stomach, shakes.

Just want to tell my Dark-Hunter clan that Tuesday I most definitely will NOT be in chat. The hubs and I will be leaving around ten in the morning to get to Cincinnati relatively early. It takes about four hours to drive there, hubs wants to get there early so I can buy Joann's copy of Acheron and wait around.

Also this allows for the possibility we'll get lost. The signing is not until six, but I bet there will be a crowd.

First Post Alert

Greetings! I thought it would be neat to have my very own blog site. Not entirely certain "what" will be placed on here, but I'm certain I'll figure something out as I go along.

Since it does look like me and my family will mmost definitely be moving in the near future, perhaps I could use my blog to keep in touch with certain friends, talk about certain books I've read, post my book reads, etc. I'm not a very good book reviewer, and people will not have to worry about me posting my stories on here.