New Yarn

Well I have a picture of one of my projects and my new yarn that was a gift to me from my sister-in-law out in Oregon from her Alpacas and yarn I bought for myself for my next projects for my two older sons at home.

The first photo is of my current project, a hat for a friend in Canada. Then the yarn for my son's hats and then Alpaca Roving which my cat's love to play with... then my new Alpaca yarn in different weights from my sister-in -law's Alpacas.

My black cats...

I live in a house of four boys, my husband , three dogs, one being my daughter's Boxer puppy then there is Mowgli the Black Lab and Lucy my Australian Cattle Dog. Then there are the cats and two hamsters... One of our cats, Midnight who is black of course we call our 'Vam-cat' due to the fact that he has two very long fangs. He is a sweet cat and often falls asleep on my lap at night and then curls up on the end of the bed. Now as I take a break from writing and listen to music he sits next to me. He is one of those cats that is a talker and greets me when I come home from work or errands. I love dogs and don't think I would be without one as they are my ears but I am a cat person and Midnight and I seem to understand each other. He doesn't have the stunning presence as Bagheera who will stare at you with those gold eyes... Bagh means tiger in Hindi. When he is calm enough I can get near him and pat and talk to him. He is still wild having been ferial. He still is in many ways. He is one of three of the same family that I have taken in. First him, then his sista Mika and now his mother Coon. From the time she was fixed she has put on weight. I mentioned it to my husband and he said it's probably because she has had to fight for everything all her life. Hunt for herself and then for her kittens, I figured she has had about 18 litters in her lifetime... Well now she has food at her disposal but she probably thinks "it may not always be there so I will stuff myself in case some day it's not there. It makes sense. So now how to put her on a diet when I have five other cats...

Angkor Thom

A picture of my beloved Angkor Thom...

Writing, Reading and knitting and dealing with Chaos...

Well the Christmas season here at my house can be very stress-filled to say the least. If it's not chaotic enough add into the mix my daughter missing her flight to Cambodia and trying to get another one at the very last minute... She arrived last night in Phnom Penh so three of my older kids are there for the holidays. My oldest daughter must be very happy. I talked to her yesterday. It was my mid-day and she was still up baking in preparation for her sister's arrival.
December was a very busy month for me work wise. I love both of my jobs that I work during the week time. It's just made it very hard on the days that I worked both then getting home at close to 6pm. If I had it together and had a meal in the crock pot all was well... If I didn't then it was left overs or pizza... So I was left with odd bits of time writing and editing . I felt what I did get done was very good just long breaks in between.
My knitting has been slow and I am working on a present for a dear friend of mine so hopefully I can get done this week because then I have yarn I know is sitting at the PO for my son's hat. He wants it done in Rasafurian colors or the colors of the Jamaican flag.
Reading, the last time I wrote here I was in a funk for what to read. Well I now have an abundance of reading material, mostly historical or Memoirs. I am reading at the moment "Lady Macbeth" by Susan Fraser King and it's fascinating. Was going to read her book "Queen Hereafter" about Queen Margret of Scotland but saw how I really should read Lady Macbeth first. Susan Fraser King paints a very vivid portrait portrait of the lady and her times. As I said before I love Scottish history and it's in my blood since my Great Grand Mother was a Boyd . Her mother was born in Scotland where as her father was a third or fourth generation Scot.
I also find it fascinating due in fact to it being the time period I am writing about but instead of Scotland I am writing about a country in South East Asia and about another equally strong woman who was queen. No more spoilers on my book till my son says so. This is a project near and dear to both our hearts. I was at a Christmas cocktail party of another dear friend and her husband showed me a Christmas card from his ex who was standing at the gate of Angkor Thom which is part of the Bayon and was built by the king Jayavarman VII. He handed me the card and I just got so choked up. I can't imagine what it will be like to actually stand there and see those places in person. Anyway I was standing in the group besides my friend's husband and told them what was in the pictures and Henry said "I sounded homesick." One woman in the group said "wow, you pronounced it all right..." well yea, I lived there for 11+ years. BUT this last year I have lived and breathed that area and the ancient time period of the Angkorian Kings.
I will close this with a wishing all who read a very Happy New Year!

writing

It's been a busy week with work BUT I have been also editing, and doing research. Tonight I was out at a friend's Christmas party. Now I'm listening to music and going over ideas for my book trailer. I'm listening to the wrong music for it though. Music helps sometimes but this music is not what I should be listening to. Taio Cruz s what is on my ipod at the moment. I love his music, love a lot of different types... just depends on my mood.
Besides researching for my next book I am reading about Queen Margret of Scotland .I'm also reading about Mathilde Kschessinska who was nicknamed 'Little K' by that last Tzar of Russia. She was not only the Mistress of the last Tzar but also his cousin's the Grand Dukes. Later marrying one after the Russian Revolution. She was also the fabled Prima ballerina assoluta of the St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet. Russian and Scottish history are a love of mine and I wish I had more time to devote to it. History I love, Music and reading. Wish I could do all this full time...
Well I'm off here for the night.

Reading and writing and no time

Well it's been ages since I have posted anything on here which is sad but I have been so busy. On my other blog I haven't done any updates either but it's because I have sent in for a copyright for that book too. I am kinda doing things ass backwards I know but I am waiting on word from my son who wants to use my book that I have just finished for a movie so I am taking that book and "The Lioness" and getting them copyrighted.
This month work has been lots of hours, working two jobs during the week and then every other week-end at the little clothes shop in town. So my writing time is shorter which makes me sad but I know it will all even out. Also I am at a point where I can't find something to read. I have a lot of books to choose from but none strikes a chord right now.
I have within my reach literally tried and true favorites from authors like Loretta Chase, Connie Brockway, Adele Ashworth, Jennifer Crusie, Laura Kinsale and the Grand Dame of Romance Kathleen E. Woodwiss.
I have a bunch of Non-romance books coming and sometimes that's what it takes to get out of the funk I am in. Also I have a ton of knitting that needs to be done before Christmas. My two oldest sons at home want hats in red, yellow and green... so hopefully the yarn is in. The knitting needles came in quickly. I knew I was gonna need an extra pair of needles.
So it's not like I am laying around eating bon-bons all day. Most days start at 4:30am and I fall asleep exhausted into bed at various times of night. Just depends on what's going on. Some nights I can get to bed real early, some nights super late.
On top of working 2 1/2 jobs and keeping the house up(which lately I feel I have been failing )I have my daughter's Boxer puppy named Echo who I really should check on. That adds a half hour to my time in the morning of tea making...
So I am here, just too busy for words or pictures of my latest creations in yarn...