April 8th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Good morning. It’s a rainy Tuesday here in central Jersey, but at least it isn’t too cold. As a matter of fact, we’re supposed to get up into the sixties by noon, and the sun should be poking through around the same time. Tomorrow is only supposed to get up to fifty-eight, but the rest of the week it’s going to be in the sixties. Hallelujah, Spring has finally decided to stick around.

So yesterday didn’t work out exactly as planned; I got to RV’s and she was surprised to see me. Her first words after hello were “Didn’t you get my message?” Yup, still not smart enough for my smart phone. She had called to let me know she had forgotten about a lunch date she had planned, and said I should just come on Tuesday.

Well, since I was there already, and we had an hour before her friend came, and I had brought some of the left over roast beef from Sunday, I got her dinner prepped for her, but then I left. I was home by quarter after twelve, but did I do something productive like write or finish straightening up after Sunday’s party? Nope. I took a nap.

I had stayed up chatting with my son and his girlfriend until almost midnight Sunday. Then, by the time I got to bed, it was almost one, and you know how early I get up in the mornings. I was actually a little worried I would be able to get all that running around done yesterday on less than four hours of sleep. So I guess I was lucky I didn’t have to find out.

I am going to get very little writing done today. I wrote one chapter (it was a dream sequence chapter, so it was short), and now this blog, but I doubt there will be much more. In a few minutes I have to stop and make lunches, and get Dani out the door. Then I’ll have forty five minutes to write before I have to hop in the shower and get ready for work.

So far, I have been able to keep up with the daily quotas for Camp NaNoWriMo, but I’m a little concerned, with working and all, if I will be able to stay on track. Yesterday I hit over 15K, which means I only have 35K to go and three weeks to do it. That translates to around 1,500 words a day. I’m not wigging out just yet, but since this is the third time you’ll be going through this with me, I think you know the freak out will inevitably surface.

Okay, I’m going to boogie. I hope y’all have a fabulous day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

You’re voicing your frustrations while you’re driving, and your GPS starts to answer you back.

“Argh! Where did you get your license, a box of Cracker Jacks? Traffic is backed up for over a mile. Where do you think you’re going to go? You’re just going to cause another accident, then we’ll all be screwed because you’re an IDIOT!”

Turn right in four tenths of a mile.

“You’ve said that already Sally. Soon as I can get ‘four tenths of a mile’ I’ll be sure to turn.”

I didn’t mean to offend you Donald, but you don’t yell at me the way you yell at the other drivers, and you were getting very upset, so I thought it would be a good time to speak.

“Who said that?”

Me, Sally. Well, actually my name is Susan, but I don’t mind you calling me ‘Sally’, Donald.

“Sally? Yeah right.” Since traffic was at a dead stop, Donald looked around his car frantically. He checked under the visors, in the glove box, in the back seat. “Am I being punked?”

‘Punk’d’ a television show which ran from 2003 until 2012 on MTV, created by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg. Practical jokes were played on unsuspecting celebrities. No Donald, you are not being ‘Punk’d’. It’s just me, Susan.

“What? How? What?”

Caution Donald, I detect your blood pressure rising. You need to calm down.

Okay, that was fun. I could have kept going with that one. It makes up a little for yesterday’s terrible challenge.

Your Next Challenge is:

The Easter Bunny can’t get motivated this year…

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

February 12th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Batten down the hatches, we’re about to get blasted again! Depending on which radar model you look at, we are in for somewhere between 8” – 20” of snow for tomorrow. Oh joy. Is this winter ever going to end? Still no invites from my southern relatives to come for a visit. L

Let me tell you, yesterday kicked my butt. Basically I stood for six hours cleaning roses, around 200 roses, with no break. I received a grumble when I pulled out a stool and sat for a few minutes, but then I explained I had a really bad back, and it wasn’t an option. It’s not like I stopped working, and I was only cleaning flowers, not making an arrangement – which you should really stand to do so it comes out symmetrical. After about five minutes, I pushed the stool back under the counter and stood again, but I felt guilty each time I took my five minute sits.

That aside, I did enjoy working again. Today I will probably be answering the phones and waiting on customers. The owner is really nice and so are the two ladies who work with him. I wouldn’t mind continuing on in the shop after Valentine’s Day, but I doubt that will happen. Oh well, hopefully they will just call me to help again next year.

I don’t think my hubby liked me working again, because when I got home, I crashed and burned. My back hurt, my legs hurt, and I was wiped out. I went to lie down for a little bit, woke up four hours later, managed to get dinner on the table, then went right back to bed. It may take me a while to get back in the swing of things, but as soon as I do, the job will be over. Whatchya gunna do?

Since I’ll probably work until four or five today, I have to go and pack a lunch for me too and not just for my husband. (Dani’s home sick again today, so no lunch is needed for her.) I thought I was only working for a few hours yesterday, so I didn’t pack anything. By the time 2:00 rolled around I was starving. The owner was so sweet. He sent one of the ladies out on a delivery and had her bring a pizza back with her for us to share. He also treated for coffee in the morning; both really nice and unexpected surprises.

Well, I should get going. I was a couple of minutes late yesterday because there was an accident which had the road closed and I had to detour. I don’t want to be late again today. In my book, getting to work exactly on time means I’m late.

I hope you have a marvelous day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

Shhhh…it’s a secret…

Guess whose hubby is turning 50 this year? That’s right, mine; and I’m hoping to pull off a surprise party for him. His birthday is April 27^th and I will just have a little dinner with the immediate family. Then, a couple of weeks later … when he will no longer be expecting anything … BAM. My girlfriend Sharon said we could have it up at her house, and I know if we tell my husband it’s a surprise party for Nan (Sharon’s mom), he’ll fall for it, hook, line and sinker.

Nan’s birthday isn’t until July, but my husband is clueless when it comes to birthdays. The only thing saving him when it comes to family is many of our birthdays fall on holidays – mine’s April Fools, his mom is St. Patrick’s Day, our son is the 4^th of July – you get my meaning.

By saying it’s Nan’s birthday, it would be completely feasible for me to be cooking, and we won’t need to explain all the cars in the driveway; so I think it would be the perfect ruse. Also by waiting until May, my daughter will be home from college.

Okay folks, this is truly a secret, so if you do happen to know my husband (and quite a few of you do), please don’t say anything to him. My one saving grace is he does not have a Facebook account and he doesn’t read my blog, so I was able to share this with you. J

Your Next Challenge is:

Write a story containing the following: Peanut Butter, Kitchen & Diaper

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

February 11th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

I’m going to say something I haven’t said for almost two years… I have to get ready to go to work today. Today through Friday, I’m going to be helping a local flower shoppe get ready for Valentine’s Day. I haven’t worked in a flower shop for thirty years! I’m actually really looking forward to it, although I know I’m going to be pooped when I get home. Provided not much has change in thirty year, a flower shop is a ZOO in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day. I’ll be hopping, bopping and running around like a nut for the next four days. I really think this is just the thing I need to get me out of my winter funk!

So, the family birthday party for Dani went well. All the snow made parking at my house a bit of a challenge, but we figured it out. Luckily the only wipe-out was a twelve year old boy, and since bumbles bounce, there was no real harm done. My “big brother” surprised us by plowing our driveway on Friday and then my hubby salted AND sanded what was left, so although still snow covered, it wasn’t too terrible.

It was very strange not having Lys here for the family party. She called Saturday – from the middle of a frozen Lake Champlain – but I couldn’t really talk to her too long because I was prepping for the party. From the time we did get to talk, I could tell she was a little sad about not being home for the party. Her birthday is this Saturday, and I think she’s going to be a little bummed because she’s not home. Hopefully her friends at school will keep her occupied and make her day special.

I haven’t been a complete sloth these past few days. I am participating in another marketing event, one which involves forms of social media other than just Facebook. My Amazon author’s page and my Twitter account have shown significant increases, my blog has received new followers (yeah, perhaps this group of folks will take up some writing challenges), and I even have more followers on Tumblr! Pair that with a recent string of five start reviews and my best sales month ever, and, so far, 2014 has been pretty good. Sending up a little prayer it continues throughout the year.

Okay, I have clothes that just finished drying, so I need to fold them. I have to make my hubby lunch (Dani’s home sick today, so no need to make her a lunch). I want to clean up the kitchen – yeah, that New Year’s resolution was an epic fail – and then I need to get ready for work, so I should go. I hope you have a fabulous day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

The over use of adjective and adverbs is frowned upon when writing a novel, but not here. Pick one of your five senses – just ONE – and describe something you like (it could be bread, the beach, sunshine, horseback riding, a book – whatever). Oh, did I mention, don’t say what the “thing” is, let us guess.

Feeling a little nervous, I hope I can relax enough to enjoy this gift. The silk sheet slides over my skin as I attempt to get comfortable. The dribble of the warm liquid on my back releases an involuntary shiver. Deft hands begin to spread the oil over my tense muscles, progressively increasing their pressure as they go; kneading, working in small circles, then in long fluid lines, to release months, if not years, of stress. Slowly I feel the knots loosening and I begin to relax. A soft moan escapes my lips as my back becomes as pliant as melting butter. I begin to drift, floating on a pain free cloud.

Yikes – that was really hard. I don’t know how many sentences I had to start over because I couldn’t use sight, or sound, or smell. Thankfully, when writing, we can use all five senses to describe a setting. I’d be in big trouble if I couldn’t!

Your Next Challenge is:

Shhhh…it’s a secret….

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.