Springing into the new

Welcome to the world, Connor Thane! He’s my sixth grandchild, five are boys and his almost four-year-old big sister is my only granddaughter. So, here’s how his family transformed in the days before his birth.

They sold their house and it was a done deal ten days before closing on their new home.

On Wednesday, the papers were signed on the new house, fortunately vacant and move-in-ready. Funds were transferred (banking lingo) and they got the keys to their new home on Thursday.

Moving day was Friday and there’s a bunch of layered history as to why there was so much more to move out than when they first moved into that house four years ago. It was a long, exhausting and dirty day for a crew of friends and family.

New appliances and furniture were delivered Saturday at the new house while Connor’s daddy was completing the final clean up and clear out of the old house. Later that night the words were stated, “We’re probably going to the hospital –  soon…” Only one week early.

Connor Thane was born at 9am on Sunday, March 12th. Everything easy and healthy, according to textbook natural births.  Twelve hours later I was at their new home, to make sure the three dogs pee’d in their new yard and were again contained in their new beds so as not to destroy anything about their new home. The new family was home on Monday. Now, three weeks later, everything is wonderful.

I personally like when I’m a participant in a wild-life journey. While this schedule of events is a bit wild, even for my family, it’s also rare so there was more laughter than drama.

I have been working on books and our construction project is in the final stages.

The following clip is a recently posted book review I did with two delightful local authors. This was my first experience viewing myself on You Tube and it was fun.

Check out Caroline and Susan! These are two fascinating ladies and more of their book reviews are in the Video Vault.

Carnival Rides

2016 has been a Carousel ride for me that will obviously be research for future stories.  A big challenge was when Ed had to cut through four inches of concrete of our bathroom floor. We could not find anyone willing to do the job for him, not even locals who work for beer money. Lots of yucky details unlikely to show up in any future novels, but it was a turning point for our construction project. It’s been a once-in-a-lifetime project since March and may be usable living space in another month or two.

A high point was attending the Historical Romance Reader Retreat!  Check out the Gallery of pictures to see the gowns, the hats, authentic historic games and coins, high tea, grand ball, and glorious setting. The movie was The Law and the Lady and it was great for more reasons than watching Fernando Lamas on horseback. And of course there were Books and Authors!

In July I joined the local Aquatic Center and the swimming, water yoga and weight-training, has significantly improved my health and mobility. I also began reading Jane Austen books for the first time and these two additions to my time and psyche have helped me endure the drama of this election process between HRC and DT.

On election night, my sisters and I were vacationing at the Oregon Garden Resort, we all voted early, and it was good to be together for such a historic event. I’m sure there will be political drama and turbulent news up to and even after the new president takes the oath of office in January but I’m going to trust that America is great.

There have been many surprises and shifts so far this year to many of my family and friends, and some were nasty but opened doors to brighter futures. We will hope for the best and I’m going to make brownies for our Thanksgiving party.

Celebrate the Carousel!

Wedding Reviews

Tis time for fun memories.  Most of you know I study romantic comedies from classics like, “When Harry Met Sally” to recent one’s like “The Big Wedding” and whatever catches my attention.

In decades past, romance novels were practically required to have a Happily Ever After ending often portrayed as a wedding. Fortunately the stories have changed as readers’ expectations are not always favorable toward weddings. Actually, sometimes weddings are the worst! Drama! Emotions running wild! Even when everything goes great there are layers of stories behind the photos. So for your amusement I’m sharing tidbits of three weddings from the past decade when I was the mother-of-the-bride.

http://www.allisonmoanphotography.com

The Big Wedding was the most recent.  The father of the groom is a wealthy businessman with two sons and he wanted an EVENT so he paid for doubling the guest list in addition to an excessive amount of booze. The bridesmaids all loved their dresses but looking past the royal blue for the day, one woman is a CPA, another a LMT, one blond is a bank loan manager the other a beauty consultant. There’s also an optician, a cupcake baker, and a HR manager.  The men represent a broad flavor of careers from minister to stock broker, computer sales, food services, construction, and more.  The bridal party also included two flower girls, a ring bearer, and a junior bridesmaid who escorted the dog.

Adding to the story of this (above) picture, one woman is newly pregnant and kept it secret until stripping out of her dress after the pictures were done so she could breathe. Sadly, the groom’s beloved grandfather died only weeks before this event but there was a tribute shrine and tearful toasts to him at the reception.

The Outdoor/Theme Wedding happened on a Tuesday afternoon so the bride and groom could always celebrate their anniversary on the Summer Solstice. Men In Kilts! The men were all part of a competitive band in their younger days. Though this was a tight budget affair, the groom is also a professional chef so the food was outstanding. The location included a large pond with pedal boats and the bride did pedal around the pond in her wedding gown.  They had originally planned to wed in a rustic campground in the mountains but the roads were washed out during the winter and a new location had to be found three months before the day, and it was so much better! Guests came to Oregon from Ohio and Alaska and it was the only sunny day during the entire month of June.

http://www.tfkphotography.com/

The Small Wedding was the first for our family and riddled with drama; recent funerals, uninvited guests, emotional issues! Fortunately the actual event was delightful and everyone had a great time.  Even now, ten years later, we still cringe at some of the memories. The main story worth repeating about this event is that after the honeymoon the groom had a growth on his neck checked then immediately began treatment for aggressive lymphoma. Yes, he survived and has been cancer free since, they are still thriving and darling together.

It is impossible for me to look at a wedding photo and not wonder about all the stories behind the smiles. As big a deal as a wedding might be as a “rite of passage” event in our journey through life, it’s really just a party and not a HEA. The marriage deserves the celebration but it’s not an ending in any way, it’s the beginning of a grand adventure.

This is why I love reading and writing romance novels, and the requirement of studying romantic comedy films. Love happens all around us and the stories are limitless and unique!