Mambo Italiano. (because it sounds like a fun title)

I am full of ideas right now. Too many things have either Happened in the month I was gone, or Have Not  Happened due to not-enough-time, and so I find myself with a rather full mind. Perhaps that is why I've been having strange, monumental, epic dreams every night. Once I was faced with the dilemma of disliking a person who liked me while liking a person who disliked me, and in another I was held captive by half the grown men and boys in my church who were threatening Society with the iPhone gun app, and in another I was campaigning through Georgia again. It was a very very strange string of dreams, I tell you.

I would appreciate prayer in deciding what sort of business ventures to pursue this fall. We are considering stopping the baking section of our business for a while because it has not been very lucrative in recent months. But if we stop that, Sarah and I will be on the hunt for a new sort of way to make money. I've got Ideas, like I said, but as of yet they have no form or fashion. They're just wispy and winsome and out there.

I'm trying to get back into the flow of ink and pick up my writing where I left it. I did do the teensiest bit of research for my one novel by watching Master & Commander while down in Georgia, but that doesn't really count. Instead, I've just been scribbling various and sundries and falling in love with things I shouldn't fall in love with because they have no place in Current Projects, and... (most of the trouble is because I can't find my USB port with all my stories on it! ACK!)

Eating cake. Oh yes. Forgot about that. Because there were three birthdays in our family on August 6th so there were 3 cakes to feed the same number of people 1 cake generally feeds, which means waistline expansion I suppose. ;)

Pretty soon I hope to introduce you to a darling someone I have decided to call My Italian Prince. Any guesses? Forgive me a cruel chuckle. Bwahahahaha! [and no, Julia, you cannot guess. :]

I have been plunging through With Fire and Sword which is full of Polish names and Vodka. Interesting combination, especially when you arm them with swords and guns and such.

So what have you been up to? Anything fun and summerish? I felt the Gypsy Wind (pretty nearly) the other day and it made me so excited for Autumn! :) *joy and jubilation*

Well, toodle-loo, people! I'm off to continue scribbling and then try to attack my mountainous pile of To Be Replied To letters. Goodness, how things pile up when one is gone a month!

Only a Novel (!!)

My darlings and dearests--I have a good news and a hugely exciting thing to tell you! My good friend, Miss Amelia Dashwood has just self-published her first novel: Only a Novel. From what I've heard of this book, it's a grand mash of tongue-in-cheek, heartwarmingness, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and old-fashioned charm. I mean, come on peoples, even the title is a Jane Austen nod! Perfection!

I have not read the book in its entirety, but I have read enough snippets of it to definitely tantalize me and make me want to read it ASAP! :) And the good news I spoke of? She is giving away a copy of Only A Novel to one reader of her blog! So do, please, go over to Amy's blog and tell her how proud you are of her, and how much you'd love to win a copy of this dee-light-full not-so-little novel!
(or if you would rather not enter, you can always buy it here.)

sail away

Daniel got back from iGovern East on Saturday night. Abigail Taylor hurried up Sunday afternoon to see -us- him. ;) I had heard about the OpSail and Harbor Fest going on in Norfolk, and so I convinced Daniel and Abigail to take Sarah and I to the shores of the Elizabeth River to see all the tall-ships and sailing ships. It was a sight I will not soon forget. I was so glad that Sarah had her camera on her this time! She took many great pictures, some of which I've showed you below. :) I nearly lost my head with the sensation of travel and foreign-ness and novelty that came with standing in the presence of 51 ships from all the four corners of the earth.

Crazy-writer-girl ;)

I was taking research notes for Scuppernong Days--one of my new projects--and it was such a blessing to be able to see all these ships and get so much hands-on inspiration. :)

But of course I could not keep entirely to historical research. I did a great deal of people-watching, which is one of my most favorite things to do in public.

♫"I'm just people-watching, watching the people watching me!" ♫

I watched them.

I watched them...

I watched him...

And many others. :) I also amused myself by rating the ships on their courtesy, cleanliness, etc. The Mexican naval-training ship won for courtesy. They had immaculately-uniformed sailors positioned at the bottom of the steps down into the ship to help the ladies. :) I held my notebook in my right hand and grasped the rope-line in the other. "Let me help you!" one of the little, smiling middies said. I smiled and shook my head, being rather too laden with notebook and rope-line to hold onto his hand.
His face fell and he looked very sad indeed. "Please let me help you!" So, because of his pleading (or his charming insistence ;) I let go of the line, switched the notebook to the other hand, and let him escort me onto the deck. :D

Deep water...!

Chillin' in the hammocks. These things were way too comfortable. I'm thinking of resigning my bed and becoming a nightly sailor-ess. ;)

Rope knots!

"Course-sail, topsail, top-gallant sail, royal sail, sky-sail. " (from the bottom-up)

The love-birds & co.

Sarah & I

Ze beach-bum.

We only visited 7 of the 51 ships along the shore, but the ones we visited were beautiful! I must admit that I had strong thoughts of booking passage to some far-off country just so I could enjoy the ships a little longer--the breeze blowing on the castle, the billowing sails, the lines of taught rigging....it was amazing, and I know I shall never forget it. As it is, I wrote 7 pages about it in a letter to a friend, so I'm afraid it will become posterity. ;) My favorite ship as far as courtesy goes, was the Mexican ship. They won in that category. The Gloria from Columbia won as far as over-all-favorite ship, counting in sailors, look, flag (gigantic awesomeness) and music. :D The Indonesian ship was my least favorite. There was something very sinister and creepy about it, carved all over--as it was--with heavy flowers in dark wood.

I had a lovely lovely time and if ever I get a chance to go sailing, I might just brave seasickness to go! :) (we topped off the afternoon with steak fajitas as Plaza Azteca. Oh yeah! ;)