Random, Again by Anna Adams

You made him take me to the vet.
I advise you not to sleep.
When I'm pushed for time, I often do a random post on my own blog. I've done one here before, and people offered their excellent random moments. I've been at Georgia Romance Writers' Moonlight and Magnolias conference since Thursday night, so today I'm being random.

I left home on a bad note on Thursday. Just as I was packing my bags to leave, Georgie, the writing assistant began to blink like Herbert Lom in the Pink Panther movies. (If you haven't seen them, the poor man had a terrible eye twitch whenever he thought of Inspector Clouseau!) Back to this particular tangent--I made the husband promise to look at Georgie and make a vet's appointment if it didn't clear up. He made the appointment, but they couldn't get George in till the next day. :-(  Good news--Georgie was fine by morning, but the husband still had to take him to the vet because it was too late to break the appointment, and the vet agreed that he was perfectly well. I'm so glad Georgie's okay, but I'm sorry I missed the receptionist calling out, "George Adams." For my kitty!

A Wave in Progress!

Last week, I was at the beach. I love the beach. I was born on Tybee Island, and water is like the breath in my body. Those waves brushing in and out, swirling around my feet. That may be the sound of my soul expanding with purest peace. I've often talked of Tennessee, where my mother's family is from and where I feel as if I'm wrapped in my grandmother's arms to this day. But Tybee--I love it so much my love for it has managed to travel through my DNA to my daughter, who wants to be married on the beach there because it's her home. Where she's never lived. The oceans are powerful.

I had plenty of beach and sky photos, but this was a pic of a wave coming to shore beneath the pier at St. Augustine. So lovely!

One last random thing--I've been watching The Great British Baking Show. I cannot describe my love for these shows. The contestants are so kind and generous to each other. They share their knowledge and their materials if someone needs help. They rejoice with each winner and commiserate in loss. No ego, no scheming, just a love of baking and hard work. And a willingness to learn. (I think there's a lesson for writing in there.) And--one of the bakers last night made a dalek cookie tower. (I've been a Dr. Who fan since the daleks actually terrified me instead of making me laugh!)

Tell me some random thing that's occurred to you or happened during the past week. I'd love to hear. And I'd love to give someone a copy of Now She's Back, the first in my Smoky Mountains, Tennessee series. The second book Owen's Best Intentions is still available, so I'd love to whet your whistle for that one!

Comments

  1. I'm glad all is well with Georgie, Anna. Unlike your cat, our pups love to go to the veterinarian. As far as they're concerned, any and all attention is welcome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kate, you made me laugh. Georgie definitely didn't feel vet's attention was welcome. He didn't take them apart with his mighty claws, but he was not a fan. :-) Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  2. Glad Georgie is okay! I think you should do random posts all the time...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha! Saw your FB post about having written 400k plus words this year! I want to be even a scaled-back version of you, Mel! ;-)

      Delete
  3. Glad Georgie is okay (and beautiful!) Mel's right--you should do random all the time; it's a great post. Random thought for me goes along with your daughter being home where she's never lived: the first time I drove into Vermont (where I've never lived), I knew I was home. Even though I love Indiana, where I've lived my whole life, I'm as at home in the Green Mountains as I am here. And I love the generosity of writers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Liz! And I completely believe that there are places that somehow lodge in our collective unconscious, or distant past, or whatever it is. We went to St. Andrews, Scotland several years ago. The husband toured the golf museum while our son, and daughter and I walked the beach. Even the boy, who's an outdoors kind of guy was a little undone by the cold April North Sea wind. To me, it was like a welcome home. I'm positive I should live on that beach! (And I agree with you about the generosity of writers. It's a community like no other!)

      Delete
  4. That's good news that Georgie's issue was temporary and cleared up on its own. I didn't know you were born on Tybee Island. We stayed there a couple of years ago while on vacation. Is it true that Sandra Bullock has a house there? Sorry....back to the post. What random thing has happened to me. Hmm....well, I woke up two days ago with this very annoying ache in the top portion of my back, near my shoulder that hurts like heck whenever I turn my head. You know like when you sleep bad or something and then you can't turn your head without feeling an awful pain? That. It's really irritating so that's why I'm going to call it my random occurrence. Sorry I couldn't be more interesting.
    Thanks for telling us about The Great British Baking Show. I'm going to look it up!! It sounds great. ( :

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laurie, we have been following each other around, haven't we? I know Sandra Bullock did own a house on Tybee. Not sure if she still does. It's very different than it was when I was a child. My mom sold our house to our neighbor, and there are now 12 homes on our lot. I miss the open spaces and the sandy roads, but it's still home. The oak tree that hugged the roof of our house with its branches is merely a stump beside the road now, but I try to go stand on that stump every time I'm there.

      You should definitely watch The Great British Baking Show! My girl and I are watching it On Demand right now! :-)

      Delete
  5. Good morning, Anna! I'm happy to know about that baking show. I'm always wishing that participants in Survivor and all those reality shows that pit people against each other would have a wild turnabout where they all band together and reach whatever the goal is as an all-for-one unit! Like the Heartwarming authors are. Great day, Everybody! Nice post, Anna. I love the swirl of water around my feet, too. Seems to open the brain.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're so right about the swirl of water opening the brain, Muriel. And it also opens my imagination.

      I hope you'll enjoy the baking show! I agree with you about everyone banding together in one of these competitions. They are competing, but they do it in the most kindly, helpful way. One lady just advised a guy on how to temper his chocolate.

      I'm dying for cake!

      Delete
    2. Please get it with two forks. I'll be waiting on the porch.

      Delete
    3. Will do, Muriel! I'd be even happier to share cake with you!

      Delete
  6. Anna, you make me want to go to the beach! I was born in California and spent every weekend jumping/riding waves. When we moved to Long Island, the ocean was at the end of my block and we used to lean over the wood railing to stare at schools of sand sharks. We also spent weekends on Jones Beach or on my uncles fishing boat, trolling The Sound. Now I live beside Lake Champlain which is one of the biggest fresh water lakes in the country. Like you, being near water is the only way I can imagine my life. It is like breathing- if only we could do that under the surface, too- then my life would be complete. Lol. (And yes- after the movie SPLASH, I only ever wanted to be a mermaid like Madison. This writing thing is just back up until I get my tail ;) How's that for random?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Karen, I always want to go to the beach! What a change for you, from California to Long Island to Lake Champlain. It must be large enough for a tide, too? Hahaha! I love your random, and I hope you get a detachable tail because you'll need to be on land long enough to write more excellent stories! (Or get a waterproof computer!)

      Delete
  7. Hi Anna! I'm happy to hear Georgie is okay. I love he ocean too. I can feel as though I'm carrying the weight of the world, but once my feet are in the sand and I feel the salty spray on my face, all is well. I hope you had a great time @ M&M. As for something random in my life, my back went out yesterday following an all day revision session.Thankfully, the spasms are gone this morning.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey, Jill! Georgie thanks you for your good wishes! I could not agree with you more about the beach making the weight of the world disappear. Everything is easier to handle with sand between your toes and salty water on your face! M&M was fab! The workshops were helpful, and talking writing with friends was amazing! Hope you'll be there next year!

      Delete
  8. I love your remark about the beach being your daughter's home. For me it's mountains. I grew up on the plains, and never understood the attraction of mountains, until we move near one. Now I love looking out the window every morning to see the sun over the mountain, or maybe the clouds gathered there. Hopefully my daughter won't want to marry on a mountain. They'd have to helicopter me in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Love the mountains, too, Beth! LOL on being helicoptered in for a mountain wedding! I think there's a book in that! ;-)

      Delete
  9. Georgie is adorable and reminds me of an orange cat I fostered years ago. As a mom to 3 cats I know how hard it is to leave their care up to someone else. Glad to hear your kitty is ok. And as for the beach, well I find the sounds of the waves rushing in to shore very calming. I live on Long Island but I'm not as close to the shore as I would like to be.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Christina, you're so right! I'm glad Georgie's okay, and I felt bad leaving when he seemed sickly. I'd so have 3 kitties if the husband would give in on his no-more-cats stance! You live on Long Island--I'm envious. You can get to the beach in a hurry! Hope the weather is treating you well out that way! (The forecast changed so much I'm not sure whether it ended up heading toward you all!)

      Delete
  10. Yay, George! Glad you're doing better. And yay, Anna! Another beach buddy. :) I've got The Great baking Show on my to watch list...sounds like fun to watch!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Georgie thanks you for your good wishes! We should do a beach retreat some day! Love writing with the sound of waves and that salty breeze! You won't go wrong with the baking show! Except you'll seriously want cake. Or cookies. Or muffins. Or...

      Delete
  11. So glad little Georgie is good. Our little four legged friends are so special. Random.....I saw a bald eagle circling at our ranch. He glided smoothly down to the top of a dead tree and sat proudly. God blesses us every day with the beauty that surrounds us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melanie, thanks for your kind wishes for Georgie! Wow--you live where you can see bald eagles! Pretty amazing. What a sight to see!

      Delete
  12. I love your random thoughts, Anna! So glad Georgie is okay, so agree about the water, and would love to discover a truly kind reality show. :) You made me smile.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Kathleen! Thanks for your good wishes. Georgie sends some purrs and a couple of bats with his rather lethal claws! You should try the Great British Baking Show. You'll be addicted, but you'll need to empty your home of all baking supplies before you turn it on--unless you want to eat every baked good you can imagine baking! And you always make me smile, Kathleen! :-)

      Delete
  13. Hello Anna! I loved your post about random things. I was so busy last week (report card assessments and parent conferences) that I barely had time to breathe. Randomness was OFF the table. But now I'm enjoying fall break, so let the randomness begin. :)
    And did I hear you correctly? A contest where they are nice to each other? I must look this one up.
    I'm glad your Georgie is okay. Sadly, my little Bonnie dog is not doing well and I'm fighting the inevitable. Every time I decide it's time to call the vet, she has a somewhat good day and I change my mind. Of course, she's almost 14 and has lived a long and wonderful life, but it's so hard to let go. :(
    I can't wait to read your 2nd Smokey Mountain book and I'm excited to read Owen's story. :) I loved "Now She's Back."
    Hope you have a great week full of random fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey, LeAnne! Wow--I can't believe it's already time for report cards and parent conferences! You definitely need to look up The Great British Baking Show. I have all of last season on the DVR because it makes me happy!

      I'm so sorry about your Bonnie. We lost a kitty about three years ago. We all still miss him.

      Thank you for loving Now She's Back! I hope you'll love Owen's story, too! :-) I'm having some writing fun. :-) Hope you are, too! :-)

      Delete
  14. Love the 'random' idea...but then, most everything I do is pretty random! LOL

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment