We’ll my Aussie traveling parents finally made their way back home late, very late last night.  They are exhausted and have a little bit of a tan.  This shocked me. For one my mother doesn’t tan she turns red, but she has a little bit of tan. However what surprised me is that my father (who turns very dark every summer) barely had a tan at all.  When I asked him where his tan was all he said was “We wore 40spc suntan lotion.”  No wonder he doesn’t have a tan.

I’m sure we’ll be hearing all about their trip in the next few days.  However getting up this morning was hard. I picked them up at 11:30 last night and didn’t get to bed until almost 2 am. Why? One of their bags didn’t make it all the way home. It didn’t make the LA connection. Oh well it’ll get here when it gets here.

To all romance authors who are planning to attend the RWA national conference in Dallas this summer will be happy to know that RWA has posted their schedule for the event.  Here is the link https://www.rwanational.org/eweb/docs/CONF/Conf_Supplement.pdf .  

Only 72 days left before I head out to Houston. Woo Hoo!!!

It was so gorgeous yesterday. It went as high as 24 c.  The only problem being that I work on the 16^th floor, a converted attic, of a nice building with no air conditioner. Now this wouldn’t be a problem is we were able to open our windows, but alas we couldn’t. So I stripped down to a tank top at work.  Today is another gorgeous but cooler day. Yeah!

It’s going to be a long day today, but I don’t mind at all. I have to pick up my traveling parents from the airport tonight at 11:30 pm.  They have spent the last 6 weeks in Australia and Tasmania.  I can’t wait to see them and their pictures.

Happy Canada Book Day!  This is the day all Canadian’s go out and purchase a book by a Canadian author.

I didn’t realize this celebration existed until I heard it on the radio this morning.  Will I go out and purchase a Canadian book? Well considering that I bought over $200 worth of books this weekend I really shouldn’t but I may make an exception.  I even purchased a new Canadian author’s book this weekend. One of my fellow RWA chapter members launched her book.  Maureen Fisher launched THE JAGUAR LEGACY on Saturday.

There are tons of great writers like Margaret Atwood, Ann O’Bannon, Maureen Fisher, Giovanna Lagana and Deborah Jackson are only a few Canadian authors.

Are you planning on taking part of the Canadian Book Day?

I must be prude, although I’ve never thought I was.  I’ve been reading some erotic romances. Some are really good like Lindy Hudis and Cheyenne McCray and I’ve enjoyed their stories, but I’m still (after countless books) having a hard time with the harshness of the words used.  I had hopes that I’d get over it as read more of these books, but it hasn’t happened yet.  Now I’m no stranger to those words (I’m not going to say them in case children happen to fall upon this blog).  I just find that as I’m reading the stories that I get pulled out when they pop in every so often.

Am I the only this happens to?  

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the family, friends and loved ones who lost someone at the Virginia Tech (VT). 

What I hate the most about this incident is that the media is centering or seem to be centering around the killer and all the negativity.  All the major networks are playing he tapes left behind.  I haven’t seen it and don’t plan on watching it.  Every time it plays on the network I’m watching I change the channel.  I refuse to give him a minute of my time.  I wish the networks would realize they are giving this madman a voice and power after his death.  I have a suggestion, let’s talk about the heroes instead.  My radio station decided to do just that and they talked about the 76 year old teacher who survived the holocaust and died at VT putting himself between the killer and his students.  How many lives were saved because of his bravery, even one life is well worth it.

If you’ve heard another story of bravery out of this mess please share it either here or with others.

My Aunt known to all as “Ma Tante” was a strong loving woman.  She lived through two world wars and the depression.  She became a nurse and worked until a bad car accident in the 1960s.  The accident was so bad they told her she would probably never walk.  Well she proved them wrong and walked again. 

My sister and I loved going to church with her.  She was a very religious person.  However you just never knew what she’d say, even at chruch. I can still remember one Christmas Eve mass when she thought the priest’s eulogy went on too long.  She said “As-tu fini memere?” very loudly.  Five rows in front of us, beside and behind us turned, looked at us and laughed.  No one contradicted her.  Miraculously the priest finished his eulogy within minutes later.  The best part was that I thought my mother would melt to the floor of the church while my father just shook his head trying not to laugh.  While my sister and I simply giggled.

Ma Tante always had great stories.  Were they true? Who knows and who cares.  Everyone laughed and looked forward to them. Her stories might be long gone, but not the memories.

There are plenty of life lesson we all need to learn, I know I do.  I recently learned one, to live life to the fullest.  This past week I revaluated my life after loosing two loved ones.  Recently we lost a great uncle on one side of the family and a great Aunt on the other.  We knew my great Uncle but were closer, really close to our great Aunt.  My sister and I spent a lot of time with her in the last few days of her life.  I will always be glad that I did

What did I learn?  A birthday is just another day to celebrate.  We had her service on my birthday so out of town relatives could attend.  Also that life is too precious to spend it working all the time. So I’ve decided to that I’m going to have a little more fun from now on.

So here’s to having more fun and remembering our loved ones!

Well eight years ago today my family welcomed a new member to our family, our beautiful Kayla Michelle Dudas.  I can’t believe how quickly the years have passed since I got the call from her father letting me know that my sister had her little girl.  Kayla has been the sunshine in our lives ever since.

Bonne Fete ma belle Kayla!

I haven’t purchased a music CD in quite a while.  I used to purchase a CD at least once a week and while I worked in records stores I bought even more. I would have figured as my paycheck increased so would my ability to purchase more books and CDs, but purchasing a house kind of sucked all the extra funds in repairs and taxes.

However I am planning on purchasing Avril Lavigne’s upcoming CD.  I have all her other CDs. She’s originally from around here and I saw her perform before she received her big record deal.  She won a contest to sign a song during Shania Twain’s concert in Ottawa. She was really good.

I am listening/sampling her new CD on the net right now.  It’s really good!

What other CD am I looking forward to? Kalan Porter’s sophomore CD for certain.  What CD are you looking forward to purchasing in the near future?

How can the fatherhood of one small child affect the media the way Smith’s daughter has? Can they not find something better to report about?  I mean the child is beautiful but so are thousand other children who are born every day.  I have a better option, why not do a feature or report on the thousand of children in the US and Canada that are in foster care that can be adopted.  Now that would be a more productive time and media space in my opinion.

What do you think?