FINISHED!!!!!!

Well, at the first draft is.

At a local writer's retreat yesterday, I had multiple, uninterrupted (read: "no dogs to let outside, no children to feed, no husband to ask if he could get me anything") hours to write. And write I did.

Ghost Mountain is now finished. Done. Complete. Well, the first draft is. Now for edits and the new task of finding either a publisher or agent.

I'm so excited I could spit!

It snowed. Yes. Yes it did.

The kid's Halloween costume. Made by me. (I swear it has to weigh 20 pounds, there's SO MUCH fabric!)

I remember when Beaches came out and I saw Bette Midler do this song on Johnny Carson. It's made me laugh ever since!

My lastest completed project -- socks for me!

I'm not so sure this fits....

Which NCIS Character Are You?

Created by BuddyTV

This quilt is to be raffled off during my year as Queen of Nile. The emblems are all Masonic in nature and the flowers are all significant to the various Masonic bodies: lilies and red roses for Eastern Star; lily of the valley for Job's Daughters; red rose for Rainbow; red and white roses for DeMolay; white rose for Daughters of the Nile; forget-me-nots for Masons. All the money for the quilt will go to Shrine Hospitals and I really want to earn $1500.

Wish me luck!

OK, I seriously hate photos of me. Unfortunately, they are occasionally a necessary evil. I have to have business cards for Nile made, and they need my picture. YUCK!

So Hubby took these of me this morning. Which is better? Anyone?

Your result for The Harry Potter Husband Test...

Mrs. Lupin

You like a nice, kind guy with a bit of a fierce streak and you don't mind if he comes damaged. Sure, he may take some convincing since his self-esteem's so low, but once you win him over, you know he's yours for life. Unless of course he has an attack of "I'm not good enough" and runs away, but luckily he's also good at making friends who will push him back into line if necessary.

(Art by Gold-Seven http://gold-seven.deviantart.com/ Used with permission.)

Take The Harry Potter Husband Test at HelloQuizzy

Just a quick update on my iLasik surgery. It went VERY well! My prescription before surgery was about 20/400 (or a -5 in each eye, or "can't see the big E on the chart!"). I had the surgery about 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 19. At my follow-up appointment at 8 a.m. Wednesday (which I drove myself to, by the way!), they checked my prescription and it was 20/20 in each eye! I even managed to get one letter on the 20/15 line.

Talk about massive improvements! I totally recommend having this surgery! If you're thinking about it, do it! And the folks at the Black Hills Regional Eye Institute are fantastic!!!

Here are the washcloths I'm doing. If you look at the tan one, you can see the star. I have 16 done. 4 to go!

My kid sister has a unique sense of humor. At least I hope she's trying to be funny with my latest birthday present.

Actually, my sis is a very talented seamstress and she made this hat. Yep, it's sewn and lined and I think it's kinda like the sorting hat from harry Potter. Or Professor McGonnegal (which I probably spelled wrong, of course!)

What else did I get yesterday? CHOCOLATE! The kid went to the local candy store (where they actually make it!) and got me a box of truffles. And some chocolate covered oreos that said "Happy Birthday" on them.

I also got Chinese take out for dinner (no cooking!). I figured if I told hubby I really wanted egg drop soup for dinner, he'd have to make a run for it. Yeah, I'm sneaky! But he did dishes, too, so ya gotta love that!

To me!

Next week will be a busy one. No doubt about it.

First, the Central States Fair is in town and the kid has (once again) convinced us to let her get a "Big D" pass. So, she gets to ride the rides all week (Monday through Friday at 9 p.m.) for "one low price. She'll have fun anyway.

On Monday, I turn 30-something. No, I'm not trying to hide my age. I'm just too tired and haven't had enough coffee to do the math. Ages/dates/numbers were never my thing. Lets see, it's 2008. I was born in 1971. That's what? 37? Ok, so that's how old I'll be. (Yes, M, S & H, I know you're all younger than me. So what? I'm cuter and smarter.)

Tuesday night I get my eye surgery. I'm really starting to get excited. But also nervous. Because of that, no makeup all week. That will be OK. Makes getting ready in the a.m. a little quicker I suppose.

Wednesday I just may get my nose pierced. Yep. You read right. I found out that hubby thinks its "sexy" as long as it's "tasteful" (read: small and conservative) and I do have a bit of a wild streak in me. Yeah, I know that comes as a shock to those who know me IRL. Oh well. On a side note, is it an oxymoron to use "conservative" to describe a nose piercing? Something to think about.

Thursday, I'm supposed to go to a birthday/going away party for a friend. The problem is that it's a "dress up in your favorite costume" thing, and I have no idea what to wear. So, I haven't RSVPed either way. Hmmm...

Friday is my (and hubby's) anniversary. Nope, can't tell you off the top of my head how long. Let's see, the kid was 4. Now she's 15. 11 years, I suppose. Or 111 some days. No, no idea what we'll do. We did already exchange gifts.

About the gifts. My old embroidery machine kinda died (long story) and hubby bought me a new one. As far as I'm concerned that counts for birthday AND anniversary. But he also bought me a Sturgis shot glass when he went up for the rally (birthday) and a new motorcycle helmet (anniversary). His wallet was literally falling apart , so that's what I had gotten him for the anniversary and I couldn't stand his whining about it anymore. I finally gave it to him. Complete with a dollar that he promptly gave me! What a guy!

So that will be my week. I have some new yarn that I got on e-bay. (It's SOOOO pretty and will make some beautiful socks!!!) I'll try to get a picture later. Same with the motorcycle helmet.

Oh, I have to finish a dress for Daughters of the Nile. I got it cut out last night and that's the part I despise. I need to run to the fabric store for thread, a 7 inch zipper, 5 buttons (which I won't use, I'll use snaps -- I hate button holes!), and some interfacing. I'm hoping to have that dress done by the September 13 meeting. I finally did all those embroidered bookmarks (128 of them total) that I wanted by the time my term as Queen starts and will get a picture of those, too. I'm even working on corsages for my installation in March. I need to work on the lap quilt I'll be raffling, though. I need that finished by my installation, as well. I have 4 blocks embroidered and the design for one more ready. I need to decide what other color fabric I'm going to use, though, and purchase the designs I want to use that I don't already have.

And I'm knitting 20 washcloths with stars in them for Eastern Star in November. I have 15 of those done. Also got a perm this week, since the step-kid is attending beauty college and needed a "head model." So a new picture of me is probably necessary, too. (Hubby is getting his hair cut today by her for a school assignment.) Although, step-kid says she is learning color next week, so I might get the gray hidden before I get a new picture. As hubby would say, "NCT" (Never Can Tell).

Oh! On the writing front, I have an idea for book two. Well, I have TWO ideas for book two. If you're interested, I'd love some input on them. (Either here, or at my writing blog: http://www.nicholerbennett.com) Anyway, the first idea is the murder has to do with sacred Native American land, a casino/resort/campground, and a rancher loosing grazing land. Idea number two has the murder being more of a revenge killing between an outlaw motorcycle gang and a "cop gang" with maybe a campground, and definitely some Sturgis Rally flavor. Oh, either way, the murder will happen at a sacred Lakota site in the Black Hills. That's a given. I don't want to go into too many details in case someone just don't care, but if anyone wants more info, let me know at either site. I want to really work on book two during NaNoWriMo in November. And for those wondering, no book one isn't finished yet, but is about half to two-thirds of the way.

Well, I guess that's enough for now. I hope to get those pictures up and be more faithful in writing here.

Finished these socks for the kid. I'm not sure I like them. They were knitted on straight needles (not circulars) and then sewn up the top. Plus, I need to get another pompom maker, I think. I couldn't remember how full the first one was and I think the second isn't *as* full a pompom. The kid is visiting her grandparents, so these will be ready for her when she comes home.

I entered a writing contest.

Well, not really. I entered a contest and I had to do some writing as a part of it. Not exactly the same, but what the heck.

The Black Hills Regional Eye Institute sponsored a contest for military family members (known as "dependents", though I really hate that!) to win a free iLasik surgery. It had something to do with NASA approving the surgery for astronauts. Anyway, people had to write an essay (250 words or less, thank you very much!) about why they were the best candidate.

I did and I guess I am! I won the surgery! I will be getting my eyes "fixed" on August 19 (the day after my birthday, how cool is that?) at 5:45 p.m. and people can watch. OK, so that part is a little odd, but I'll live with it! Honestly, I'm so excited! I found out Friday and couldn't say anything until today, so it's been a long couple of days...

So I guess, I entered a writing contest -- and won!

Before I begin, I will admit I'm a bit of a dork and it doesn't take much to get me all excited.

Anyway, I was in my daughter's room talking with her last night as she was waiting for her boyfriend to call. (Ah, to be 15 again!) The phone rings and she gets a confused look on her face. "Private number," she says. So she answers in a mildly professional, somewhat annoyed "I-hope-you-aren't-a-telemarketer" voice. Says, "No, she's right here, may I ask who's calling?" and hands me the phone mouthing "Chris someone from (Eastern) Star."

In the split second it takes for me to say hello, I've run through every "Chris Someone" I can think of. We have none in our chapter.

It was our Worthy Grand Matron! NEVER expected a call from her!!!! But she asked me to be an emblem bearer at Grand Chapter in October. Of course I said yes! Now, I've only been to one Grand Chapter and I was a little bummed that now I was in the line I wasn't asked to be a page (or a page to the page, even!), so I must have been walking on clouds last night when I was asked to do this!!

The dresses are only $40 and we get to wear shoes the color of our star point. I will be wearing green ones, so now I need to find pretty green shoes. Good thing the kid is going to visit Grandparents next week. I'll have better luck finding something in the big city...

I knit these socks for an auction. They earned money for HIKE (the Hearing Impaired Kids Endowment Fund). This is the official charity for Job's Daughters.

Ain't she purty?

Sorry, I couldn't resist! I heard this on the Lime and Violet podcast (yeah, I'm always behind listening to podcasts) and laughed so hard. Enjoy!