I’m over at Working Stiffs today with all the low-down on the 2009 Pennwriters Conference.

Skye has graduated to full-fledged camping kitty. The trip to Erie wasn’t without incident. We made in about five miles down the road before we realized that we had no trailer brakes. We turned around and came back to our beloved mechanic’s garage. Skye and I moved from the truck cab to the camper while the guys worked on the truck, hitch, and trailer to isolate the problem. I sat and read the newspaper while Skye prowled the camper and puzzled over where her house went. At home, when she looked out the camper door, she could see our house. Now there was a sidewalk, a garage…and a dog. Not good. Also, not my idea of camping. And at that point, I was pretty convinced it was as close as we were going to get. Then Skye and I were evicted so the guys could take the rig for a test ride. With Skye in her carrier, I moved inside the mechanic’s “lounge.” We sat and watched TV. Through it all, Skye was remarkably well behaved. Finally, we got the all-clear and climbed back into the truck with t...

By the time you read this, we should be on the road for Presque Isle. Skye has done great with her "training" and now comes the true test. It's also my day at Working Stiffs and I've posted about our day at the Over the Falls Festival at Ohiopyle, complete with pictures. Check it out.

The almost daily visits to the camper have become ho-hum. Skye doesn’t duck under the bed anymore when she hears the jingle of the bell on her harness. Once we’re inside the camper, she settles into the couch to watch me. Yesterday, I slammed cupboard doors as I rearranged the kitchen a bit. Skye didn’t care. She still isn’t exactly “relaxed” in her new home-away-from-home. But she isn’t completely freaked out by it either. We have a couple more days to “practice” camping before the real thing. My biggest fear, of course, is that she’ll escape from the camper somehow. We have made alterations to the screen door so it can be latched from both inside and out and it now has a spring on it to snap it shut behind us. And Skye doesn’t seem all that interested in trying to get out. But I’m a born worrier and this is the worry du jour . At least she’ll be with us. When I leave her at home, I have a whole list of unknowns that I worry about.

The task of “training” Skye to camp continues. It begins with trying to figure out how the darned harness goes on. While I’m doing that, its bell jingles, alerting Skye to the impending training session. At that point, she bolts. Next, I drag her from under the bed and restrain her while putting the harness on and getting the stubborn closure to snap in place. Then, I scoop her up and take her out to the camper. Day Two, she continued the crouch-and-stretch-the-neck routine. I took some writing with me to edit, so I sat and worked while she did as much exploring as she could without moving very far. For the record, she CAN walk in that harness. She can even run. I’ve seen it. But you’d think her legs were broke when she’s wearing it in the camper. Eventually, I picked her up and plopped her onto the couch beside me. There, she lay down and appeared to relax. Day Three was an abbreviated session. It began with the same harness-and-hiding game. But this time, she just sat on the couch an...

I'm over at Working Stiff today. I invented a little game and invite everyone to come over and play.

Our annual pilgrimage to Presque Isle (Erie, PA) looms ahead of us. As in next week. Where has summer gone? And how did the last week in August manage to sneak up on me without me seeing it coming? Panic is setting in. The camper is not ready. I am not ready. We bought a new refrigerator for the camper since our old one died a drastic and smelly death the last time we were camping…which was last year’s pre-Labor Day pilgrimage to Presque Isle. This isn’t a camper refrigerator. It’s just an apartment-sized one from Wal-Mart. Shorter than the original one, it didn’t fill up the space provided, so Hubby had to do some tinkering. It looks good. We now have a shelf above the refrigerator instead of a gaping hole. There are other odd jobs still to be done. The water tank still holds last winter’s antifreeze and must be flushed. The camper is filthy. I need to dust and vacuum and sweep and mop and clean the bathroom and kitchen. Just like home. And there’s one more little issue. Skye. We’ve ...

I need a nap. Desperately. The Olympics have driven me into a state of sleep deprivation. I’ve been staying up hours beyond my designated bedtime to watch swimming and gymnastics and volleyball. Will Michael Phelps break Mark Spitz’s record? The suspense is killing me! I crashed shortly after midnight last night and missed seeing Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson take gold and silver. Of course, they managed to go ahead and win without me. But I’d have loved to have seen it. I’d also have loved to see Bela Karolyi react from the booth. The man loves the sport. I try to sleep in after these late nights, but we are currently surrounded by construction. PennDOT is working on the road in front of our house and the neighbors are getting a new roof. Both work crews get to work VERY early. I heard the beep beep beep of a truck backing up before six this morning. I began plotting a murder mystery in which a weary, normally peaceful woman bludgeons a construction worker for beginning his work day...

We have a heat pump! Of course, it’s been so cool outside that we haven’t needed the whole house air conditioning. But we have it. Bring on the heatwave! And since it’s Wednesday, I’m over at Working Stiffs with lots of pictures from Sunday’s horse show and some old pictures from way back when, too. Was I ever that young???

We’re experiencing a taste of autumn in southwestern Pennsylvania. Cool days, cooler nights. And the rain has limited itself to nighttime only. In a word, it’s been GORGEOUS. Saturday, my friend, Sara, and I managed to escape for a couple hours on horseback. We were a little limited by time constraints, but we squeezed out a couple of relaxing hours nonetheless. Admiral provided a touch of excitement as per usual. The cool breeze induced into thinking a bit of bucking might be in order. I convinced him otherwise and the rest of the ride was uneventful and pleasant. Sunday, I spent the day at a horse show just over the state line in West Virginia at a place called Camp Aura. It was a fun show with classes for peewees, bigger kids, and adults. I played auntie and groom for my friend Jessi and her kids. Mostly, that consisted of holding Nappy when Jessi needed both hands for something else. I plan on writing more about the show and the fun we had on Working Stiffs this Wednesday, so you’l...

At last! The call came. No, not the call from my agent telling me there has been an offer made on my book. (Rats). This call came from the heating and air conditioning people letting me know that our backordered heat pump is ready to be installed. Not as exciting as a call from my agent, but pretty huge news nonetheless. So the installation begins tomorrow and concludes on Monday. I had to do a bit of rescheduling to permit me to be here for the process. But the calendar has been cleared and I’m ready. Of course, the weather forecast is for autumn-like temperatures for the near future. Today I’m sweltering. It’s not especially hot. Just humid. To run the window AC units or not to run the window AC units? That is the question. With money tight, I’m trying to suffer through it. But the next hot flash could quickly alter my resolve. I try not to think about how lovely a touch of whole-house air conditioning would be on a day like today. I try. But it’s not working. I’m almost hoping for a...

I’m back on my regular Wednesday schedule at Working Stiffs . Today, I’ve launched into a rant over cell phones, gas pumps, and wrong numbers. Feel like venting? Come on over and share your favorite cell phone tale of woe.

Both hubby and I are back to work today. It took me all morning, but I got caught up on some Pennwriters stuff: submissions for the newsletter and monthly local area news announcements. Tonight, I’m giving a presentation to our local Sisters in Crime chapter. Am I prepared for it? Heck no. I’ll be cramming all afternoon. I had a busy, but pleasant, weekend. Friday night, I attended fellow Sister in Crime Heather Terrell’s launch party for The Map Thief . It sounds intriguing. So much so that it has been bounced to the top of my to-be-read list. That’s my friend, Mike Crawmer, getting Heather to sign his copy. Saturday, we headed to Ohiopyle for a day of bike riding. We also drove over to Confluence to select and reserve our campsite for next year. I see this as my future hideaway for making deadlines. No cell phone service. No Internet service. But there is electricity for the laptop. By the way, you can’t tell from this picture, but I really am having fun. Sunday, our niece was marrie...

I have accomplished nothing…NOTHING…in regards to writing this week. Suffice it to say, we will never survive retirement. Two people who are used to doing their own things do not function well when stuck together for extended periods of time. Especially when one of them bounces back and forth between pain and drug-induced bliss. However, my house is clean. It’s much easier to be interrupted while vacuuming or Swiffering and come back to pick things up right where you left off than to try that when working on a crucial scene. Plus, we’ve had more visitors in the last week than we’ve had in the last year. So having the house tidy isn’t so bad.

I try to keep some things about myself quiet. Like the fact that I can mow the lawn. Some household tasks have become firmly the property of either my hubby or me. I do laundry. He mows the lawn. And my mom’s lawn. And often HIS mom’s lawn. He hates it. He’d rather mow the pasture on the big old Farmall tractor . However, due to a mishap on Thursday which you can read about here , I have been forced to take on a few more duties for a while. Yesterday, I mowed the lawn. And Mom’s lawn. I didn’t do a very good job. It’s not a chore at which I wish to excel. The Wheel Horse we use is almost an antique, but it still runs like a champ. It belonged to my dad, who gave it to my hubby when Dad started failing and could no longer keep up with the grass. It’s one of those things that still gives me a feeling of connection with Dad. Mostly, yesterday I heard him chiding me for the way I was mowing. Dad was a perfectionist where grass-cutting was concerned. Mom once mowed the yard and he wasn’t ha...

Usually, my most productive writing days are Monday and Tuesday. Not this week. For the last few days, our electrician has been here, installing new electrical service to accommodate the much anticipated heat pump. I also had a critique group meeting on Monday and a private yoga class to teach yesterday. So my time to write was already limited. Then add to the mix the electrician shutting off the power from time to time and you get zilch in the way of pages written. But the wiring job is on hold as we wait for the power company to do their part in the transition. So this morning, I wrote. It was grand. I’m up to page 78 in my shitty first draft. It’s not been an easy 78 pages. But the plot is beginning to gel. The characters and their voices have become more familiar to me. Of course, just when things get rolling, I have to drag myself away from the story to focus on other commitments. The 2009 Pennwriters Conference for example. Some days, I really question my sanity for agreeing to t...

I hadn’t realized how much I missed my regular jaunts to Mountaineer until I headed there on Saturday. One of the perks of writing the racetrack veterinarian mystery series was the research. I just HAD to hang out at the track to get the feel of that lifestyle right. Now that I’ve put that series on hiatus until the first two books sell and I’m writing about an entirely different world, I’ve had no “reason” to make the 30-mile-plus one-way drive to track. Gas prices haven’t helped. But Saturday, I went anyway. To hell with four dollars a gallon. My trainer friend Jessi has an entirely new crop of horses in her stable these days. I walked several of them around and around the shedrow. We gave a couple of them baths. Which meant we also got a bit wet. With the thermometers reading ninety degrees, I didn’t much care. One major disappointment was the demolition of the rec hall, which sold the world’s best French fries. I dream of those fries. A new rec hall has been built, but it’s under n...

We’ve had no word from either the electrician or the heating/air conditioning people regarding when we’re going to get rolling with the new heat pump project . And considering we’re in the middle of a major heatwave, I admit to a little impatience. I also admit to some insomnia. I can’t sleep when it’s hot. Plus I’m at an age where I can create my own heat, especially at night. Bad combination. Open windows and ceiling fans just aren’t cutting it. So I gave up and dragged myself out of bed while it was still dark out and promptly stepped in cat barf. Lovely. I guess it’s going to be one of THOSE days. Did I mention I’m out of my favorite organic coffee and am stuck with the cheap stuff? I’m also out of Skye’s favorite cat food (she barfed the last of it up early this morning, which is what I stepped in). So she’d none too happy either. Good thing I’m going shopping today.

As writers, we often live our lives in the caves of our offices. So when given the chance to get together for a summer picnic, we tend to seize the opportunity with great relish. And sometimes pickle relish, too. A group of our local Sisters in Crime gathered together yesterday at the beautiful home of my conference and retreat “roomy” (and fellow Working Stiff), Brenda Roger, for some good conversation, good fun, and GREAT food. In all honesty, Brenda could teach Martha Stewart a thing or two about throwing a shindig for a bunch of mystery writers. She even MADE her own crime scene tape. I’m sure her neighbors are talking big time and wondering who got snuffed. From the chalk outline on the front sidewalk, to the severed fingers in the cupcakes, to the antique mystery board games on display, the setting was perfect. As for the food… I’ve made no secret of being on something of a “diet” lately. Well, I went completely off the farm with my eating at this bash. I have no problem saying “...

Some people have parties for their birthdays. I’ve reached an age where I usually just ignore them. But yesterday, I enjoyed a phenomenal birthday. And it wasn’t that we did something extravagant. We simply did something we do on a regular basis. The gift came from Mother Nature. It didn’t rain. We went to Ohiopyle and rode bikes. Since it was the middle of the week, there were no crowds. The rain we’ve been having almost daily had cleared out and taken the humidity with it. The mountain laurel was in bloom, but storms the previous night had left it looking a little tattered. A chipmunk sat on the edge of the trail and watched us cruise by. Even a deer seemed unimpressed by our passage. I stopped and tried to get some photos, but in the dense woods, it’s difficult to see her in there, looking over her shoulder. After our ride and a picnic, we returned to the car and drove to Confluence, a small town further up the river. Along the way, we stopped to take in this view. See why I love t...