Saturday, December 31, 2005

Preparing For New Year's...

I'm finally recovered and so I'm finally thinking about what to do for New Year's and I just realized that New Year's eve is tomorrow. Whoops! Guess it slipped up on me.

My hubby used to play in a band. He's a bass player from a long line of bass players. He plays both upright and electric and all sorts of music, from classical to jazz and rock and funk and you name it, he can play it! But the band he was in was a rock band. Normal rock, not that screaming, shake your head till your brain dead stuff. Just normal American rock and roll. Anyway, for the past 5 years, his band was big stuff in our region, so they always had a New Year's eve show. So, this is the first year we've really had to make plans.

So today, our telephone starts ringing. It's as if all of our friends suddenly realized that there was no plan for New Year's either. A few thought they may have people over and a few decided to go out of town with family. But I think Matt and I are going to just have a relaxing evening at home together. Are we a married couple yet, or what?

It's just that I'm still recovering (I ate a whole hamburger today. And yes, I know that wasn't a healthy choice, but I really wanted it) and we're going out to lunch with my family for my sister's birthday so I think we'll end up having a quiet evening. And you know what, right now that sounds really good to me.

Whatever your plans are, I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful New Year's!

If you get some spare time, let me know what your plans are/were and how they went!

April

PS I'm still thinking about my resolutions, so check back for that :>)

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Maybe I Was Wrong...

Maybe it wasn't so much the Christmas come down as it was the stomach virus I was coming down with... Or maybe it was a combination of the two.

Either way, I've been making good on my resolution to loose weight. Which is sort of funny because of a recent post I made to Mir's blog. I promise I didn't get sick on purpose! I would take the treadmill any day over this. I'm finally home for days straight and I don't feel like writing, I don't feel like reading, I don't feel like anything. In fact, every time my on going virus scan pauses my computer, I put my head down. Argh.

But I believe I'm on the mend. My fever has been under 100 all day! And, I managed to keep down the 1/2 glass of ginger ale I drank for lunch! Next thing you know I'll be eating... something, I don't want to think about what I'll be eating right now. Yuck. I can tell you it won't be shrimp and grits... That was what I last ate. And it's a testament to my recovery that I can just THINK the words.

Hope you all are having a better post-Christmas/pre-New Year's.

April

Monday, December 26, 2005

The Christmas Come Down...

Christmas is sort of like a drug. At least in my imagination it is. I'll confess to not being "experienced" as far as the subject goes. But it seems to me that the emotions that are brought out at Christmas may be similar. There's this build up in which some people experience a "high" of sorts, a pinnacle and then there's the day after... The come down.

I went with my hubby to exchange a couple of items today. It wasn't as horrific at the stores as I thought it would be. Other than for that, we have been vegetables. Which has been sort of nice, because I feel like I've just been through a whirlwind.

So, now I'm recovering. I dreamed another story last night and it's really calling to me, so I think I may do a little preliminary work on it before I go to bed. Hubby is playing his new video games, so it's either do this or watch his game. Not the best entertainment. What ever happened to Mario Brothers? Also, does anyone out there know if old Gameboy Advanced games work in the NEW Gameboy Advance SP? I'd really like to know.

Hope everyone has recovered from all of the excitement and activities!

April

Sunday, December 25, 2005

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!!

I hope everyone has had a Merry and safe Christmas!

April

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

My desk...

This is an approximation of what my desk SHOULD look like:


And here is my desk on crack, or April, whichever...


I briefly considered actually listing what was on my desk. Then I thought, I don't want to cause anyone's brain to ooze out of their ears. I think the picture makes my point. My desk isn't neat. At all.

A few items of note are:
1. The pencil holder without any pencils, but it does hold a pink magic wand for fixing any problems with my ms. (I wish)
2. My Sixteen Candles DVD... Just in case I need Jake Ryan to provide me with inspiration while I work, I can play the DVD on my computer.
3. The earphones so I can listen to my music privately and the big Polk Audio speakers so I can make my music louder than my hubby's when he's up here working. We have Mac/PC wars. My Toshiba can hold it's own against his G4. Except my PC can't do the same altering of pictures as his G4. But his G4 can't be taken out onto the porch so he can work outside when he wants, either. So there...

Other than for that, it's pretty drab stuff. Oh, there's the board above my desk with a picture of my hubby and nephew and a card a good friend gave me and the postcard from harl. Saying they got my ms!

Well, that wasn't much fun. So here, maybe this will be:
You Are a Traditional Christmas Tree

For a good Christmas, you don't have to re-invent the wheel.
You already have traditions, foods, and special things you bring out every year.


Only 4 days to go till Christmas!!

April

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Getting Nothing Done...

This is my list of all the stuff I have NOT gotten done:

*Finishing the wrapping

*More writing

*Any reading

*Plans made for Christmas day. Who knows where we'll go or when?

*The office picked up, so that I can wrap the "bigger" presents. There's too much crap in the floor.

*Any number of projects for work. Thank goodness I got our "Merry Christmas" ad into the paper in the nick of time.

*The remainder of our Christmas cards mailed.

*Watching the movies we borrowed from our friends around Thanksgiving.

*My car cleaned out. The flowers we used to take my bridal portraits in April are still in there. Not to mention 6 gallons of paint... Don't ask.

Hmmm... What else can I list here in an effort to put off doing what I'm listing here? Maybe tomorrow, just for fun, I will list for you all of the items on my desk. Maybe I should try cleaning it a little first so that I'm not listing stuff all day.

April

Monday, December 19, 2005

The Crazies Are Loose!

I've been running around in the realm of the insane today... Week before Christmas, Christmas shoppers. Whew!

As a result of my exploits today, I have come to a very significant conclusion... People are NUTS. N-U-T-S. Maybe I'm not aggressive enough, I don't know. But people honk their horns sitting at red lights and it makes me wonder if they think there are magical little elfs in the stop lights that will hear their honk and change the light. That would be great if it worked that way, but I don't think it does. Does it?

I've come to another conclusion. I love kids, but teenagers really annoy me sometimes. There were tons of groups of teenagers in our mall. Maybe they're there all the time and I just don't know it because I rarely go there, but they were certainly there today. And they just stand there, right in the middle of the crowded walk way and make exclamations such as, "Oh my gaw, did you hear what Suzi said to Megan? I was like, oh my gaw!" I thought people stopped talking like that when Victoria Jackson started doing that impression on Saturday Night Live. Is the 80's back even bigger than just in fashion and music? Are teenagers actually talking like valley girls? Or did they always and I just fooled myself into thinking I didn't? Oh I hope I didn't.

So, while I'm weaving in and out of clusters of teenagers, many of whom needed to put on a bit more clothing. This is winter, people. And it's a mall not the beach. Even in the South, it's too cold for an ultra-mini mini-skirt.

Now I'm making myself feel old. But seriously, I don't want to see a 13 year-old girls panties flashing me as I walk behind her. That's too much. Really.

Ok, I'll stop the complaining. I actually got a lot done today, so I'm proud of myself. Now I have to wrap. So, off I go to wrap wrap wrap. Tomorrow I'm heading out to help hubby get a gift for his mom.

If you have shopping left to do, I wish you luck and few teenagers and if there are teenagers, that they be fully clothed and not talking like a stereotypical 80's kid.

Here's another quick, fun Christmas quiz.

Your Elf Name Is...

Holly Snow Bunny


aka April

Sunday, December 18, 2005

Fa la la la la la la la la...

Well, it's been a week of Christmas parties and finally the parties are at an end. Ahhh...

We started off the week on Wednesday (late start) with my office party during the day, then my hubby's party and ping pong tournament (don't ask) was that night. We had our families over Friday night and a friend's party Saturday night.

I'm tired. I haven't gotten any writing done and I've gained 3 pounds. Yuck... So, I'm getting ready to switch over to my word processor and do some writing. Then I'm going to run on the treadmill. I need a nifty table so I can type as I run. Hmmm... On second thought that might not be such a good idea. I'm a multi-tasker, but that's sort of extreme, even for me.

Hope your Christmas activities are all going well and you're all ready for Christmas (or your respective holiday).

Here's a fun Christmas quiz. Take a break from all the holiday rush to have a bit of fun.

Your Christmas Stocking Will Be Filled With a Puppy

Well - one cute, soft, cuddly puppy...
And a very soiled Christmas stocking.

My little Buckley probably wouldn't appreciate my stocking stuffer!

April

Thursday, December 15, 2005

Pops-In-Law's Recovery Discovery...

Well, it looks like my precious pops-in-law will be sprung from the hospital tomorrow. Thankfully! He was going nuts with wanting out. Of course, when you hear what they discovered today, you may better understand his frustration.

Today, the doctor at the hospital discovered what caused my father-in-law's blood sugar to shoot up to 809, a ridiculous figure that could cause coma or sudden death. The reason that he's been in the hospital since Saturday, and being pumped full of insulin and various other meds.

And the reason is... drum roll please... The endocrinologist who prescribed my father in law's new medicine is apparently dyslexic. He got his numbers reversed and instead of taking 90mg of his meds, he was taking 10mg. The number of times per day he was to take it was off too, so he was getting seriously less medicine than what he was supposed to get.

Thanks to Mr. Doctor's number screw up, pops has been hospitalized for almost a week, poked, prodded, forced to lie in an uncomfy bed, and felt all around icky. Not to mention the NEAR DEATH issue.

I love doctors, they have my utmost respect and admiration. What they do is tough and what they go through to be able to do it is tough. But please, please please, take a second look at prescriptions you fill out. Just think of it like you're a carpenter, measure twice, cut once: multiply twice, doctor's visit once? You get the point.

At least in the end, we're Blessed with the fact that he is recovering and it looks like he's going to be fine. Well, stuck with a hefty hospital bill... but in relatively good health at least. That's what's important.

April

Sunday, December 11, 2005

Hi Ho, Hi H, It's Off to Work I Go...

I actually got some writing done this weekend. Which is a real surprise for me. Because what was supposed to be a quiet weekend at home turned into upheavel.

My father-in-law, whom I affectionately refer to as "pops-in-law" (mainly because we all wondered if the "in-law" would ever be added, see 2 posts ago) was taken to the hospital early Saturday with high blood sugar. He's diabetic and insulin resistant. His blood sugar meter at home only registers up to 400. Since it wasn't registering, he just figure it was broken. When he got to urgent care, his blood sugar was 809.

For those of you who have no idea what that number means, I'll give you a quick lesson: Normal blood sugar should be below 100-110. Anything above 400 can send you into shock. Anything above 500 or so can put you into a coma or worse, cause instantaneous death. Yeah, I said death.

So, this was REALLY serious. What's more, he drove himself to the hospital and called his wife later to let her know he'd gone. Drove himself, when according to medical science, he should be in a coma at minimum. Both he and and my mother-in-law are nurses, so they know the seriousness of the problem. He truly just didn't think his sugar was that bad.

The doctors were amazed. None of them had ever had a patient with sugar levels that high. Much less a functioning patient.

Well, they hooked him up to an insulin iv and by 8PM, his sugars were down to 142, which for him is below normal. Since he's insulin resistant, his body will produce insulin, it's just that it won't use it, so his sugar usually runs high, around 200 or so.

He's still in the hospital. Since he's running a low grade temp, they think he may have an infection and that may be what caused his sugars to go so high. Hopefully he'll get to come home tomorrow. Otherwise he may be calling me to come break him out :-).

Since my dad passed away in 1997, my pops-in-law is the only papa figure we have and he's very very special to me. My hubby and I grew up together, so he's always been a special part of my life. I love him to bits and pieces. But so help me, if he tries to drive himself to the hospital with blood sugars above 500 again, I will beat his butt! Or try at least, he's still pretty young, so he could probably take me. Probably.

April

Friday, December 09, 2005

Got to Get to Work...

I have been so busy the past few days with work and home that I haven't gotten much writing done. I had a brain storm and went back and removed and added, but that doesn't do anything for my word count, since one cancelled out the other. Oh well, I'm getting it done one slow bit at a time and that's all I can do.

I did get some Christmas shopping done. But there's still more to do. I actually enjoy doing it, so I can't complain too much. Some people are harder to buy for than others, so I'm still having a problem with one or two gifts.

Oh well, I've put aside shopping for the weekend. It's too much of a hassle to try to shop on weekends around here. Instead, I'll be sticking close to home and hopefully getting some wrting done!

Hope your weekend goes well!

April

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

I got tagged...

I've been tagged by Angelica Rose who was tagged by Michelle. This means I have topost 15 things about myself and my reading. So, here I go...

1. I'm newlywedded to my high school sweetheart. And no, I'm not in my early twenties. I'm just really patient.

2. My mother is my greatest inspiration. She raised my sister and I as a single mother and built her own business at the same time.

3. I bullied my best friend, Beth into being my friend in High School. Not physically. I just said, "aren't you coming?" one day in gym class when she was looking really alone and she came along. But she still says it was bullying. Now she's the bully though.

4. I have a 7 pound doggie named, Buckley. But I'm working on getting my hubbie to accept more pets! Buckley needs a play mate!

5. When I'm not writing and life isn't too nuts, I'll read 4-5 single titles a week. I haven't counted the number of categories I can go through.

6. As a kid, I took Tae Kwon Do, Cheerleading, Gymnastics, skating lessons, piano lessons, and voice lessons all at the same time. I couldn't pick just one.

7. My aspiration as a young child was to be a professional figure ROLLER skater. Yes, they exist. They just don't get the same attention as ice skaters. But it's hard. Ever tried a double toe loop on four wheels? It's not so easy.

8. I cry at all movies. Pretty much. I balled at Finding Nemo... Hello, he lost his mommy! My Dog Skip pretty much marked me for life! And in the new Star Wars, it kills me when he leaves his family. How could he do that?

9. Thanks to item 8, I think it's pretty clear why I love romance books... I'm guaranteed a happy ending!

10. I had stopped reading for many years, while I went through high school and college (too much required reading). Until one day when I picked up a Jennifer Crusie book in Taget and the rest as they say is history!

11. I'm a cradle Catholic with a very loving family that accepts me just the way I am, faults and sins included. Although, I do my best!

12. In addition to my hubby, mother, sister and Beth, God sent me a supportive group of girlfriends 6 years ago, who have come to mean very much to me. Thank you, Beth B, Bethany, Dena, Jennifer, Rebecca, and Susan.

13. I want to take flying lessons. And I want to do the Formula Car Racing Experience in Britain. Does that mean I have a need for speed? I don't know.

14. The voice lesson I took worked well for a while, but I've learned that if you don't keep up the exercises, you don't keep your voice either. Oh well... The only person that bothers is my hubby who has to listen to me sing in the car, the shower, the kitchen, our home office....

15. I'm a very Blessed girl and I'm very thankful for it. I've got a wonderful family, supportive friends and a brand new hubby to boot.

I tag Laura and MaryF.

April

Monday, December 05, 2005

Look Ma, no hands... Or eyes...

I can't see my blog. Hope you can. No, I'm not blind, I'm not even so near sighted that I can't see my computer screen. For some reason I'm just technically challenged today.

I tried to access my email at work and couldn't, even though I stated my user name and password outloud just to reitterate to myself that my brain and hands were functioning in accordance with each other.

Now I can't get www.aprilsspace.blogspot.com to come up. I even went somewhere on the web where there's a link and clicked the link to ensure I was entering the correct address.

I can get into the dashboard part, so I can post, but I can't see my posts and that's just sad. Plus, I'm getting attached to "Happy" my little virtual pet. He needs me, Mr. Blogger. Won't you let me see him?

Well I guess I'll go see if I can open my ms. Maybe I shouldn't...

April

Sunday, December 04, 2005

I've Been Naughty...

No, it's not what you're thinking. Get you're mind out of a steamy romance story!

I'm naughty because I didn't get any actual writing done this weekend. We were just really really busy. But I did get some thinking done and I worked out a kink I had in my story. Thank goodness. So, at least it was somewhat productive.

I hope you all got more done than I did!

April

Friday, December 02, 2005

What's the Weather Like Up There?

Ever wonder that? Ever read a book set in North Dakota where the characters were wearing shorts in November? It happens.

So, what's a person who lives in southern Florida supposed to do when they need to know what the temperature is in September in their character's home state of Alaska? Why I'm glad you asked, because I happen to know the answer. A surprise for you all, I'm sure.

They go to www.wunderground.com where they can find the current temperature of any place as well as the average temperature and rainfall in that location any time during the year.

Isn't that just peachy?

Now my well of knowledge is dry, so I'll share more humor.



April

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Here I Go...

Ever feel like you're slipping down the rabbit hole? Well, on various occassions I do and beginning a new ms is one of those occassions.

Given that it's Christmas time, I'm not sure how fast this is going to go at the beginning, but hopefully once the holidays are behind me, things will speed up. I promise to continue blogging. I'll try to post fun things so that I can have a break and you can too!

Here's a first:
Numenorean
Numenorean


To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla


Ok, since it's Dec. 1, I have to include something about Christmas too!


I hope you enjoyed that. Well, wave bye bye. I'm chucking myself down into no mans land where little cakes can make you a giant or a mini-me. Where strange men in big hats, with wild hair host tea parties. Where big kitties disappear in thin air, but leave their big white teeth gleeming. Hmmm... Maybe I should consider putting this off for a while. That sounds scary. Oh, pooo, there's the procrastination bug again. I'm not giving into that. No way!

April