Two weeks ago

I was out of town in Jefferson City Mo. I stayed in the Plaza, only a block from the capitol building. It wasn't a bad place. I hated the fact that they didnt offer free WiFi to their guests but..well some places are just far behind in their times.

Anyway. I'm a chronic insomniac so when I finally fall asleep it's a pretty safe bet to leave me sleeping. My mother is an early bird. On Wednesday we were supposed to check out of the hotel to move on north to St. Charles. Mom decided that for the good of our relationship I be allowed to sleep in and then be responsible for checking out of the hotel. She would come pick me up when her meetings were through.

I woke up breifly on Wednesday morning around 7:30 or 8 to visit the restroom and secure all the locks on the door. I went back to sleep.

Suddenly I hear a man say "Boo."

Not creepy, frightful elongated BOOOOO, Just matter of factly Boo. This is somethign my husband has a habit of doing so my knee jerk responnse was very funny. Until a split second later I remembered I wasnt home and Dh wasn't with me. I sat up to find a man standing beside the bed watching me.

With my one hand I groped for the phone to call for help while staring in wide eyed fear.

I couldn't find the phone with my blind groping!

My gaze darted to the door. Hadn't I se4cure the locks?

I had! How did he get in?

My eyes diverted back to the place where the man had stood--only to discover he was gone! Terror flooded my heart.

Where had he gone? How had he gotten in?

Certainly I was dreaming. I had to have been! Wasn't I?

This wasn't my first encounter with the unexplained. Over the course of my (middle aged) long life, I've had many strange and odd experiences.

The house my parents currently live in has a ghost. George. I dont know how long he's been there. Couldn't tell you why he hangs around but he does.

When I was a kid my dad got this really awesome pool table. I LOVE to play pool (always slop)--I suck at it, but I love it. Anyway, in the half finished basement stood this pool table dominating the room and against hte back wall was an antique table...I'm not sure what it's actually called but it was small like a mini end table.

Above this hung an old portrait of some ancient ancestor--her pic scared the bajeebers out of me! Those eyes ALWAYS seemed to be moving!

After homework I would go downstair, put my transister radio on the little table and crank out rock (KSHE 95, the ORIGINAL rock station! WOOHOO)

So one evening mom calls me up for dinner. I turn off the radio, put it back on the table, lay my pool stick on the table and head upstairs. I eat, do my chores and head back to the basement...halfway down the steps I realize I hear music...the radio is on? I turend it off. i'm sure I did.

I reach the basement floor and there is the radio, sitting near the steps, the radio is on, (some oldies station!). I completely freaked out, ran up stairs and it took me a long LOONG time to get the courage to go back down.

Over the years I've heard George walking through the house, he turns on lights, plays music. Is basuically harmless he just wants us to know he's still around.

My son, daughter in law and little Alyx live there with my folks. There are times when suddenly alyx will stand up and start talking to no one, laughign, giggling, singing and dancing around with no one--I think she and George are having a wonderful time together.

Have a great rest of the week!

HUGZ
JJ

Lady with a 'tude

The Infamous New Arrival

This is Snuggles. I'm soooo not a cat person. Anyone who knows me can attest to this, heck I've said it enough on this blog.

During the past week Snuggles and I have come to an uneasy truce. Actually, today, she lay down, stretched out and wanted me to pet her. I obliged. I figured if we're going to be living under the same roof for the next couple of years, we may as well try to get along.

The past couple of days I've noticed a change in her. Thursday night was the last time she growled, hissed and sounded as if she'd love to fillet my skin. Today, as I moved around the house trying to get my things ready for a series of trips, she was attempting to be friendly, rubbing against my leg, rubbing into my outstretched hand.

This is definitely progress.

Unfortuntately it has wreacked havoc on my immune system. My hands, legs, any exposed skin she touches, burns and itches like wildfire within minutes. My nose is consistantly set on run, my eyes on water and my throat feels as if I've swallowed a series of cacti. we should own an option in Benedryl because I've been taking more than a normal share since Snuggles arrived.

As soon as we can get her evened out--accustomed to the household, she's being taken for a grooming with some anti-allergen shampoo. Supposedly that should help my reaction to her. I'm not holding my wheezing breath...LOL

At least we have an uneasy truce. Thank the Lord she isnt like every other cat I've met--wants to snuggle on my chest, lap, shoulder, etc. I dont know I could take that.

And another bonus--I dont have to vaccumm any more--DD wanted the hair ball she has to clean up after it, which includes vacuuming the hair left by a wandering feline.

Well, I'm off. I have packing to do, laundry to finish and food to make. I'm leaving for a three week (working) vacation. I'm hoping that three weeks of nothing but Netbook--no internet, tv, phone etc, to interrupt, I'll be able to get some writing done.

See y'all when I return!

hugz
JJ

UGH

Still miserable sick, as well as in a panic over what the future may hold for our lives and Saturday our DD brought home a new family member.

I HATE IT!

I've yet to see it full on but I've seen glimpses of it. Is it a lovely little snake? Nope. A cute little mouse? An adorable rat? A spider? An iguana? A ferrett, (I WISH)? Nope.

A cat. A useless ball of fur. I am NOT a cat person. I HATE cats. Aside from their annoying happy of climbing onto my chest, headbutting my chin, demanding attention and then biting me, they make my nose itch, my eyes swell and water, my chest tighten--hello ALLERGIES!

So when my DD came home with this thing, I was not happy. When I learned that her daddy had said she could keep it I was even more unhappy.

Now, whenever I set foot into DD's room I hear growling and hissing like a mountain lion is going to come a rip my face off. At least I know it hates me as mucha s I do it...

The thing that gets me the most--this breed of cat is supposedly extremely docile, friendly and loves people. Apparently I am NOT a people. I know it needs time to get used to the house. It's undergone a HUGE change and it's frightened. The people who owned her and loved her since she was just born are suddenly gone and she's in a new environment, it's going to take time to warm up. She's got three weeks. No more, no less. In three weeks she's either sweetened up enough to let DD cuddle her or she gets shipped off to another home/the shelter.

While I have yet to see this animal full on, I've seen glimpses and I've searched for images on the Internet that show me what she looks like. I've found some similar animals thanks to DD's help.

The creature is a Ragdoll Cat. Basically it looks like a Siamese that got into hair growth tonic. Brown points and big blue eyes.

Here are some pictures that resemble our newest inavader:

This one is the closest to Snuggles:

Sure, for a useless, nasty creature it's kind of pretty...as long as it stays AWAY from me. I guess from now on DD will have to do her own laundry and such as I can't even step into the room without being greeted with a growling hiss. Maybe for the first time I've come across a cat that despises me as much as I do it!

Most times it's like cats know I can't stand them. I sit down and before you can blink they are climbing on my chest, rubbing against my chin, purring on my lap. My son's cat is notorious for climbing up and getting right into my face. They told me if I pet him he would go away...they LIED! It only purrs harder and arches into my hand.

My best friend's cat loves it when I crash over. I awake in the night to him kneeding my breasts and trying to make himself comfortable on my chest. He keeps it up until waking me up, I pet him then shove him away and he nips my hand.

At least this one seems to avoid me like the plague--thank goodness!

IF it ever comes out of hiding I'll share some pictures of it. Of course, if it doesnt...

I know it was raised with dogs so my little Cairn isn't terrorizing her. Of course just to be nice I've kept him out of the bedroom so she doesn't have any additional stressors. We keep her room closed off by either door or a gate so there is relative quiet and much less chaos while she settles in. Nasty creature.

Now...If I was only certain where I would be next week....(lol)
Have a great day!
Hugz,
JJ

Miss the Good Ole Days

A friend of mine is writing a hostorical novel. It's AWESOME but she had some questions and that got me thinking. The questions involved law and order. Basically what happened to criminals.

Now back then they did the RIGHT THING. There was none of this crap of the common man paying to keep these slime bags alive. You're a killer? Hang 'em high. You're a rapist? Hang 'em High. You're a child molester? Hang 'em.

Over crowding wasn't a real problem in those days.

Since we became so "civilized" crime is out of control, prisons are crowded to capacity, and there is no end in sight.

I've got news for you--I WISH the bleeding heart liberals would pull their namby pamby heads out of their asses. Why should people who can barely make ends meet be forced to support those who don't give a shit about other people?

People like Manson--the tax payers have had to provide him medical care, three squares a day, clothes, dental...and there are those who have commit NO crime who can't afford medical care. Where's the justice?

It just makes me sick to think about how people like us who are barely making ends meet due to job loses are forced to pay for the care and feeding of murderers, rapists, molesters, abusers, drug peddlers etc.

Time for a change!

Sharing some pix from my trip:

Date on the sign: 1786.

Now I'm sure this building isn't quite that old...

...but there were things inside that if they aren't, they're pretty danged close!

The piano has seen better days...

There is no eletricity--although it had been wired at one point in time. The bathroom is a tiny outhouse just around back. When you got thirsty, just pop down the small incline and take a sip of ice cold, clear, and fresh spring water!

This hole of water is right outside the old church so that when the spirit moved them, they could just head outside and be baptised! It's such an awesome, peaceful and inspiring spot. It gave me ideas for the place to wrap up Morgan's Creek.

BUT I could also easily picture the front being lined with horse and buggy set ups waiting for a old fashioned wedding!

It was so nice to find a place free of"tagging" and other vile forms of defacement. While we stored up the knowledge of where the place was, all agreed not to share the information with just anyone. We want to protect its peaceful, serene and awe inspiring secret for as long as we can.

While we were out exploring we also found proof the Blair Witch had been visiting her cousin Sylamore Sadie...

(Of course one wise acre termed it "Red Neck Stonehenge"....HEHEHEHE)

Check in again later for more snaps of this wonderful trip!
Hugz til then,
JJ

Getting ready to leave

I'm going to be shutting down my office in the next day or two. Vacation is rapidly (but not rapidly enough) approaching. I leave Saturday at the butt crack of dawn and will be gone for the week. I will be gone until Monday the 27th. So there won't be any more updated to this blog until then.

When I get back I have to dive in to edits on Demon's Fall with both feet. I'm ready to get to work on that...of course after this week of relaxing, riding, swimming and maybe even a little reading (of material I DIDN'T write, LOL) I'll have my batteries nice and recharged--I hope!

See you all in a couple of weeks!

Hugz and HAPPY READING,
JJ

New Video

I've been trying to create a video for my newest book, Demon's Fall. I have come up with one that I like but the music has me a little hung up. I aksed my friend Rebecca Goings to help me choose. She did, God love her! She chose this one:

However we both agree the music to this one is very beautiful.

So, gentle reader, which one did you prefer?

Please leave me a note in the comments to let me know your preference!

I'm leaving in just 10 short days--and trust me, short SOOO applies. I've got a ton of things still to do before I load up and take off.

Have a fabulous week! I'll see you again soon,

Hugz

JJ