Time Bandits

Who is stealing all of our time?

Two weeks go by so fast these days. Its not summer's fault, because of the rain I find days do go by faster. I'm not outside as much due to my asthma, but we have been running here and there.

What's up folks?

I was published again, and will be again September 1st and will post the link when they let me know. Last night I was honored at a reception for fiction writers and poets. A bunch of nice people. Many of whom I know or have seen on the writing circles in Princeton. I got up and read my poem 'A Summer's Kiss' from memory. It is a piece written almost five years ago. Glad everyone enjoyed the surprise ending. I dedicated it to my mammaw who taught me to love home grown tomatoes.

My son loves tomatoes. We go through them like crazy! Above you see him in his usual white t-shirt which I cringe. I often tell him to go put another shirt on over his wife beater shirt and then both hubs and him bark at me about how it is not a wife beater shirt and blah blah blah. I know it's not, but he is so handsome, I'd prefer him to show off in another shirt. Oh well, gotta love'em anyway...

He starts full-time college classes pretty soon. We are all excited he will finally get it all behind him. The sad thing is, the college here is not taking many of his credits from St. Louis. Sucks, but he will be fine.  We teased him and said it was practice. No smile though, just a look.

Well have a great weekend, and hope you are all fine and well. I'm going to Texas soon and am pretty excited about my visit with friends and family, and then its onto a writing retreat on beautiful Lake Travis in Austin. Then back home, and...hubs surprised me with a trip to Hawaii! My poet and musician open mic friend Jennie lives on the big island. She is an observatory operator, a degree in Astronomy, and has offered us her house for two weeks. Oh the fun and the postings...talk about the time bandits hitting me hard...POW!

GREAT WEEKEND!

Okay, I will stop yelling, but we did have a nice relaxing weekend away from home. Hubs has been taking computer (programming/language) classes the past months. He begins another one next weekend, so he felt it was due to get away and give me some belated birthday attention.

We, well I decided to go visit Hershey, PA; we have wanted to visit and I found out my sous chef Michelle and her hubs William were coming up from Texas. I hadn't seen her in over four years, since my last long visit to Texas. William was our handyman for a few years, so we feel really close to the both of them. Our catering and wine company in Dallas used to employ Michelle. She was great in the kitchen and it gave me a chance to council her off campus as a friend. I met her when I worked for Karen Musa, the director of culinary and hospitality over ten years ago.

The four of us went out for lunch. We picked them up at his sisters house, and a beautiful house I must say! And then we went for ice cream. We weren't so crazy for the 'scoop' place we ate, but it was fun visiting. They are talking again about moving up here. They both can find jobs in their fields, and with his family living in PA, they want to spend more time. She is not so close with her own. I understand that one.

It was nice to see she lost some weight. Yes, she was much bigger. Her mother is Philippine, but her father is Caucasian and is over weight. Her mom rides her about weight, always has since she has always been chubby, and I have told her she will do it when she is ready. It is a life choice to eat right and stay away from fast food like she enjoys. I also have gone back to no or little carbs again. You can't see me, because we decided hubs moved over after we posed, but I have begun to lose more weight. A hard thing to do, but I am going to do it one way or the other.

We enjoyed meeting their family, and were invited to a BBQ; it is an hour and half drive to go back, but hubs said yes. He wants to spend the whole time in their media room. Crazy men, but William I am sure will be right their with him. And a cooler full of wine and beer at their sides! Heh!

William and his family are Puerto Rican, or Newyoricans (NYC Puerto Rican), since he and they have lived in the Bronx most of their lives. Willian moved to Texas thirteen years ago, and the sister moved out here (PA) to get the kids away from the city, and his parents moved with them. Okay way over the TMI limit here...

Check out my poem chosen for the Contributor 11 Series in Vox Poetica ''I Came In With My Eyes Wide Open''

The editor has brought in a new editor, Patrick Stevens, so that they only pick some of the best works, rather than put up all poems from their book authors. Still not sure when Pasquale and my book will be published. Sigh. I hate the waiting game. I did get some good feedback on this poem...

Ooops! I almost forgot the photo submissions! Two to be exact ''Referential Magazine''