Bullets in the Laundry

Just when I think my life is normal and dull, something strange happens to shake that notion. Like this morning when I was pulling clothes out of the washing machine and something gold caught my eye against the silver tub. Yes - it really was a bullet. Amazingly, this was not the first time. Bullets of varying calibres have made their way into the washer and even into the dryer many times. I have visions of one exploding as the dryer tumbles it on high heat. But DH assures me that can't happen.
Such is life when you're married to a law enforcement officer. Thankfully I was alone when I found the ammunition.
The pest control man gave me the strangest look when he saw a pair of handcuffs on my kitchen counter. His eyebrow lifted and his lips curled in a knowing grin. And what was I supposed to say? "It's not what you think."
I must admit, I am often turned on by the tools of his trade. There's something about a man in uniform that does it for me. Don't male strippers often dress in police garb? Can't be just me.
What about you? Do you go for the macho hero in a uniform or the sexy suit clad one?

Friends - A Battery Charger

I don't know about you, but spending quality time with a group of friends is such a boost for me. Several times a year, we gather with a group of four to six families, depending on who is available, and we meet at someone's house. Everyone brings part of the meal so the host family isn't too burdened. Last night, we attended one such event and it was so fun, I left feeling terrific. And no - it wasn't the wine - I only had two glasses over the course of the evening.
Catching up with friends - discussing everything from politics, to how we're dealing with elderly parents to issues with our kids to our careers - is always so uplifting that I find myself refreshed and full of new ideas for books.
I can't put my finger on exactly what sparks my creativity from these parties, but it happens every time, so there's something going on. I am a very social person and I definitely get a charge out of social events, but there's such great chemistry at these things. I guess it's just a fellowship sort of feeling, but when there's a positive group dynamic, it heightens the experience.
What about you? What is it in your life that makes you feel great and sparks your creativity?

Happily Ever After

I was talking to another school mom the other day about one of my books and she asked me the question I've heard dozens of times: "Does it have a happy ending?" All my books do, but I got to thinking about what I like in a book. Do I limit myself to books I know have a HEA ending? Not only was the answer to that yes, but I realized in recent years, I try to limit my movie experiences to those with HEAs.
I guess I feel like there's enough bad stuff going on the world that I want books and movies to be my escape from reality. If I want sad stuff, all I have to do is read the newspaper. My mother says I'm living with my head in the sand. She reads depressing books and watches gut-wrenching movies. I've let her drag me to some, like The Hours. I was depressed for a week after. Now, I just say no.
So what about you? Is a HEA a requirement for the books you read and the movies you watch?

My Grandmother's Chandelier

Today we had an electrician install a new light fixture in my dining room. No, not new, actually. It's very old. My grandmother's chandelier hung in my parents' dining room since she passed away thirty years ago - until my folks sold their house a few months ago. The new owner said she was modernizing and asked if they wanted it. They posed that question to me. It didn't seem all that important at the time except the one I had in my dining room was modern and had shades - UGH! Totally not my style. So I agreed. They had it shipped a thousand miles and it arrived without even a broken bulb.
Now that it's up, I'm so glad I got it. I have tons of things from my grandmother - she and I were very close. But there's something about this chandelier that touches me where most of the other pieces don't.
The electrician complained. The wires were old and had no ground. (We'll have to get it rewired). The bulbs were so old we'd never be able to find exact replacements. The gold was dirty and showed years of neglect. I shined it up and dusted off his comments. I love it. Every time I turn it on I can almost hear my grandmother's voice, feel her arms around me. I suddenly remembered things, like the birthmark on her hand, the smell of the Channel Christalle perfume she loved, the way she'd watch the dance moves and songs I'd made up and tell me how wonderful they were.
I'm so happy to have her light shining.

Check This Out!

I'm so excited! Tomorrow, the fabulous Debra Dixon will guest blog at Romance Rules. If you're not familiar with Deb's work, she literally wrote the book on Goals, Motivation and Conflict. She keeps a movie journal where she keeps track of the structure of the movies she watches. There is much to be learned from this exercise. She'll be using the movie "The Holiday" as her example. So, if you haven't seen it, watch it tonight. It's a good movie starring Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Jack Black. Please stop over the Romance Rules and say hey to Deb. She's very sweet and a fabulous teacher.

I love my DH. I really do. Last week he threw me for a loop, though. He shaved his head - completely bald. Now I have nothing against the bald headed look - it looks great on some men, just not him. With his glasses, he sort of resembles a tall, muscular turtle.
Why did he do this? His reasons were very honorable. His boss has breast cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. When she started losing her hair, all the guys who work directly under her, shaved in support. A very sweet gesture, to say the least.
Here's my problem: I can hardly look at him without wincing. I know, I know, I need to get past this - grow up. It'll grow back. And I'm trying, believe me.
Here are some strange facts regarding baldness:
It used to be a commonly held notion that baldness was a given if a man's maternal grandfather was bald. Not true. It's actually much more difficult to predict than that and just because a guy's grandfather is bald, doesn't mean it's a sure thing he will be.
My SpellCheck makes bald head into one word - baldhead. How weird is that?
The technical name for hair loss is alopecia and it is considered more preventable these days than ever before. Isn't that cool?
My dad is bald - has been since he was in his twenties. I always thought my son would be too, because of this. But in my research, I've found he may actually keep his hair.
And what about those notorious comb-overs - blah!
So what about you - do you like the bald look? There certainly are some very sexy men out there with no hair. Is it better to shave it all rather than have a ring of hair around the edges?

Reflections on the Summer

Monday begins the mad rush back to school here. As much as I love the sleeping late, not having to drive carpool or bug my kids to finish homework, I am about ready for the routine of the school year. It's been a fun summer, but it couldn't last forever.

Here are a few highlights from my summer:
THE BEACH - We got to stay at my friend's gulf side mansion of a condo twice - a total of about 9 days. We spent most of the time in the water, helping our blood pressure and stress level drop.
CHERRIES AND BLUEBERRIES - I think my insides are red and blue by now.
LESS TRAFFIC - With school out, I've noticed the roads aren't as clogged as usual in the morning and mid-afternoon.
LOOSE SCHEDULE - Along with the glory of sleeping in, there are fewer places to be, fewer appointments to show up for, less structure.
THE POOL - Swimming with my honey is always so much fun. It takes me forever to get in the pool (I like it warm as bathwater). But he wraps around me, keeps me warm and even hangs on after I've acclimated. How great is that?

What about you? What will you miss about the summer?