A Fun Day

The high temperature today was: 56 degrees

The humidity was:  40%

Cloudy and rainy  all day.

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A really good weekend--I guess.  Not much going on, which was nice.  Saturday, I got a lot of work done on the Elmo pillow I am making for Evan's 2nd birthday.  Invited to the party or not, he WILL get his pillow.  If there is no party, I will go over the next Monday, when the three older kids are at school, Jen is at work, and visit with Pammie and Evan.  SO THERE!!!

I have to have this completed in less then two weeks.  I am getting really tired of stitch after stitch of reddish orange.  It has been so difficult.  With my shaky right hand, I have a hard time hitting the "holes" for the stitches and occasionally, stick my fingers with the needle.

Saturday, I had my entire day set up.  A football game for University of Michigan, (BOO) started at noon, another one for Michigan State University (YAY), started at 2:00.  There was some golf I wanted to watch, then the local news and then the Detroit Tigers baseball game AND, one hour of the Cedar Cove movie.

I sat in my chair and stitched ALL DAY!!!  and I only got his head completed and started on his arms.  SIGH!

Dar told me that Salvation Army store has office products.  So--before the games started, I ran up there.  It is only 1/2 mile away.  I got a large 3", 3-ring binder; 5 smaller 1" floppy binders in different colors; a pack of file folders and a lined notebook to take notes or just write in.  Equaled=$6.00.  She said they often get in reams of printer paper, pens, on and on.  I need printer paper in a big way--I am totally out!!!!!

The chiropractor I go to has two young sons.  Four years ago, I printed out one of my published children's books.  He said, "They have read it so much, it is falling apart."  So, I decided that I would go on my website and copy some of my other stories listed there.  Kids just like a "book" they can hold in their hands and turn pages.  Personally, I also hate e-books!!!  I want one I can hold in my hand, turn the pages and put a bookmark in when I am done reading a chapter.

I spent quite a bit of time today, transferring the website stories over to a Word document.  Then, I will print them off and put them in one of the colorful binders I purchased yesterday and take them in to the doc, on my next appointment on Wednesday.

It was neat.  I hadn't read these stories in quite awhile.  I got to reading and laughing and then thought, "You are a half way decent children's writer!"  There is always a lot of funny dialogue in my stories, and funny things the kids get into, and of course--always a moral to the story--that the kid figures out for themselves, usually.  All of my stories are based on a life experience I had as a child, or a friend had.

I couldn't write an adult novel if my life depended on it--I don't much understand adults.  But I sure understand kids and remember so vividly what it was like when I was a kid.  Everything was so innocent and happy (most of the time).  I once had a therapist tell me that I wrote children's stories--happy ones, because I was re-writing my childhood--happier one.  I don't think that is true though.  I remember my childhood as being happy.  I had a great childhood!!!

Yeah, my Daddy was critical, mean and slapped me around, but--I still think of the fun time I had growing up.  An only child, so I drew on my imagination and children's books that were read to me and played them out.  One day, I would be an Indian, the next day, a cowboy shooting Indians.  One day I was an explorer, searching for and finding wondrous things in the woods or the hay loft.  The next day, I was a hermit--trying to hide in places where no one would see me.  Attempting to sneak around all day long, without anyone seeing or talking to me, while I was watching and observing them.

I had a wonderful childhood.  Of course, in my children's stories, the Daddy is always so understanding and fair.  THAT might be where the re-writing of my young life came into being?
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 I HAVE A JOB!!!!!  I am scared to death about it.  Perfectionist--I want to do it perfectly--which I know is impossible.  It is right up my alley, as they say.  Doing research on the computer.  Taking copious notes and setting up spreadsheets.  All work from home.  Knowing I will tend to be obsessed about it and reminding myself to NOT stay up all night because I am on the trail of more clues.  I have my handy-dandy new writing notebook from the Salvation Army store to keep notes in, because my remembering is not what is used to be.  I have already made a couple of spreadsheets to keep track of links and what is in them and how to access them.

I even have an expense account!  Well--lah dee dah for me!!!  I have no idea what expenses might occur, but I guess I will find out AND I have a time sheet to keep track of my time spent working on all of this.  CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?  Actual money for doing something that I like?  AMAZING!!

So--I'm scared.  I don't quite know what to search for--but my brain is already turning over idea.  (Do I get paid for the brain time, LOL.)  But, I am sticking my "puttie footie" in the stream and we shall see what we shall see.
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Did I ever tell you I was a ghost writer on a novel?  A lady found me in a Pogo game room because my ID was "akidswriter" and she chatted with me that she needed a writer for a novel she wanted to publish.  I offered.  She sent me huge envelopes of notes and written pages.  Scraps of paper with ideas--proof of people she had met, been married too.  Pictures of the houses she had lived in and the parties she went too.  She had the story, she needed someone to get it down, with dialogue and correct grammar and spelling and format.

She was from Louisiana.  The book was her REAL life story, but she wanted me to fictionalize it.  I'll tell you what--when she'd call--with that sweet southern voice and tell me instances in her life--I'd sit on this end of the phone line with my mouth all agape and just listen.  What a fascinating life she had!!!  Married at one time to a country singer--she knew Hank Williams and Patsy Cline and all the rest of them, at that time.  Then, divorced, and went off to Beverly Hills, CA and worked in the movies--as an extra.  Had a few speaking lines actually.  I have seen a couple of the movies that she was in.

I can't say much more, because it is private, but we had that book ready to go!  She had an agent and a publisher--my name was going to be on the book!!!  They even had a director who wanted to make a movie from the book!!!.  I loved that job--I was excited for her and was going to be able to meet her.

She died two weeks before the book was sent off for printing. She had no living relatives. Had no provisions in her Will for having her book published. I had no authority.  So--the manuscript is laying somewhere gathering dust, as no one has the rights to publish it.  I do have a copy on a couple of CD's and my hard drive and I treasure them.

Too bad we didn't get it done!

"I 'coulda been somebody, Baby!"
"I 'coulda made millions!"
"I 'coulda had my name in lights, Baby!"
"I 'coulda been a contenda'"

LOL
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