 Exactly thirteen years ago today I lost my dad. There still isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about him. He liked to enjoy a scotch at the end of the day so this time every year I pour myself a glass. This year I think I am finally grown up enough to actually enjoy it. I used to have to choke it down. This year, I'm even looking forward to having another one tonight. Today is also my Mommy's 65th birthday. Happy Birthday Mom. She's throwing herself a big party this weekend to celebrate. I do wish I could've made it home, but I'm saving up for a Christmas visit in a few years. The kids are going to love having Christmas in the snow! I talked to her on the phone this morning and something she said got me to thinking. She said that it wasn't all that long ago, she thought 65 was old. I'm sure that when I was in my twenties...yes I admit I'm older than that, I must have thought someone in their sixties was getting up there, but I don't remember thinking they were old. So how old is old? I can't put my finger on a specific age. Some eighty year old's act as though they are still in their thirties and definitely know people in their thirties and forties behaving as though they're knocking on Death's door. I do know sickness puts a different spin on things, but I'm talking about healthy individuals. I suppose I'm blessed with having the people around me that I do. A lot of my friends are older than me, one of my best friends is closer to my mother's age than mine, but I don't consider her old. I think we are as old as we want to be. Ok, I admit that sounds corny and full of 'new-age beliefs', but hear me out. Although the number of years you've been alive dictates how old you are, it doesn't mean you have to behave like society deem that age should act. We are as old as we want to be. Someday's I'm eighteen and someday's I'm eighty. It all depends on my mood...and usually what I've been eating. Bread and grains usually make me feel rundown and tired, but that's another story.  My mom came all the way down to New Zealand last year for the book launch of my very first book, Debutantes Don't Date. I still don't think she knows how much this really meant to me. I have told her, of course, but somethings just can't be conveyed into words. It was so wonderful to have her here while I was celebrating something I never expected to happen. And, I so enjoyed her being here when I didn't have a newborn, which has been her usual reason to come all this way. We were able to 'hang out' and talk and celebrate without me having to stop to breastfeed or change shitty nappies. :) So Mom, today I want to say Thank You for being my Mom. You're the very best one I could ever ask for. And although I can't be there for your birthday, know I'm standing next to you in spirit anyway.  My Aunt Jill, me and my beautiful Mom - Three peas in a pod. If you're interested in seeing what I write, head on over to my BOOKS page. Please feel free to drop me a line - I always love to hear from fans!
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It's that time again. GST. I hate GST. If I was one of those organised persons (you know the kind), I would start each month by updating my accounting software with all the purchases and sales of the previous month. But I'm not. I'm not one of those organised persons. I wait until the last possible day and then madly try to get it all done at once. And every two months of the year while I'm madly entering numbers into the spreadsheet, I think, yes, next month I will do this as soon as the bank statement comes in. Ha! Even I know I'm kidding myself. I have no intention doing this hated job any sooner than absolutely necessary. But I know what you must be thinking...and I can assure you that I don't make enough from my books (yet!) to warent doing GST. But I do have to do it for our farm. And really, as much as I hate actually doing it, I do like to know where our money is coming from and where it goes to. And I'm sure my dear husband like that I don't see money in the bank account and then immediately go shopping for a new pair of shoes (although it has been known to happen...I just can't help myself when they are calling my name).  Sitting here writing about doing GST is, unfortunately not actually accomplishing the GST. See, I can even procrastinate when I'm not writing a novel. Multi-talented, that's what I am!
As I'm doing the farm books, why not check out my books? Head on over to my BOOKS page to find out what I write about. Until next time, xox Winter has started to close in on us living here in New Zealand. The South Island received a good dump of snow this week and there was even flurries at our house. They were gone within the hour and we enjoyed sunshine for the rest of the day, but still, there was snow in May. The last two or so years we didn't really get a winter. It didn't get cold, not really, and it wasn't very wet and we had no snow. We tend to have a better spring, grass wise, if we have a good cold, wet winter. I'm looking forward to a proper winter with snow. It must be my Canadian coming out but I miss seasons that you can differentiate from the last. Here, for the most part winter slips into spring which slips into summer. Autumn is the only season I can say, 'Yes, the season has changed.' I miss tobogganing down the hills and the crisp air burning my lungs. I imagine the Canadians I left behind think I'm crazy. They've just come out of winter and are heading for summer. The last thing I'm sure they want to think about is a deep cold. Don't get me wrong, I don't miss the 30 below weather or the six foot drifts or driving in a blizzard. I suppose what I really miss is where I grew up and the people I left behind. The snow this week just made me homesick and must be why I love watching it fall out of the sky in big white flakes.  If you've been following me on social media, you would have noticed a flurry of activity yesterday. Probably mostly because there is rarely a flurry of social activity (digital or otherwise) when one is speaking about me. But I had to share what I saw up on Amazon. It was the cover for the second book in my Copeland Ranch Trilogy. Because of You now has a cover! And it's gorgeous...if I don't say so myself. So, without further ado, here is the cover for Because of You. It's the perfect introduction to Beth and Mark. Pre-order links will be up soon.  |
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