Crime has been on the rise all throughout our little town.  Most of my neighbors have been complaining a lot about the problem but none of them seem to know what to do.  True several have been the unfortunate victims of break-ins and one poor old man was even killed during a home invasion.  They have however taken notice that the crime rate in our little community has gone down, a lot.

They don’t seem to wonder why the crime has gone down around us and I guess it’s best if no one ask too many question, you know the old ‘don’t look a gift horse in the mouth’ thing.  I personally don’t really like to talk about it.  When someone breaks into my home, as they have a coupe of times in the past now, they will find me here and ready to defend myself and my home.

Of course this makes for a messy situation if you do have to protect yourself.  I mean it’s unlikely that once someone breaks in they will simply turn around and leave especially if the person confronting them is some old lady, so what do you do?
I just wish people would learn to read, it would save me so much time and energy if they did.  After all, I did post a sign.

I did something right?
 
As parents we raise our children not knowing if we are getting it right or not.  Let’s face it, as it has been said, these little bundles of joy don’t come with instruction manuals.  I know here some of you are going to say yes there is but think about that a moment.  It might give you a good general idea but there is nothing there that says instruction manual for your particular child.  Remember these little buggers aren’t all created the same.  Again I know what you’re going to say but the fact is here where we live they aren’t.  Some are smarter, some more athletic, some prettier, and some just born mean as snakes and all the books in the world aren’t going to fix that, might slow them down a bit but turn on the news and you’ll get what I’m talking about.
Of course you have good parents and bad parents and even middle of the road parents but even the best parents in the world can turn out a bad one and a really bad set of parents can turn out the next best hope for humanity.
If you’re asking what has brought this all up, it’s simple.  My lovely daughter called me last night to impart some really great news to me and I was left sitting there wondering how this came to be.  Don’t get me wrong, what she told me she has worked hard for and deserves.  She also did this in spite of being raised by one hell of a crazy single mother, an even crazier grandmother, not to mention input a lot of times from some really really crazy uncles.  Don’t get me wrong they are great guys but damn they are so male.  Can you image how confusing it must have been for her to see her feminazi, as she called me, mother locking horns with her very I’m the man uncles?  Then of course there is the man who I married but that was after any major damage was done.  Hell I’m not even sure how she survived the fallout not to mention what she is doing and where her life is going.  Did I through all that craziness get a few things right?  Evidently I did although I think most of it comes from just the type of person she is and her own inner strength.  I’m proud of you baby girl and I have been from the day you were born.
 
Congratulations.

Where have I been.  I haven't had time to keep up with all the things I need to be doing and it has gotten the better of me.  So much has been going on around me and I've been working on that book for months and I have let things slide.
I have been neglecting all the things I should be doing in order to get something else done.
I'm happy to say we are almost at the end of this book we have been working on but I still have this crazy family and all the things that go with it.  I still have my wonderful but crazy husband, three amazingly beautiful daughters who drive me crazy at times, and now an assortment of grandchildren and I will have to wait to see where they fall into things.  With one however I have a good idea already.
I have to say that along with all the hubbub that has taken over my life this past several months I have managed to pick up a few new tricks and slight of hand.  Go me.  Oh and I found out that my left leg is one third of an inch shorter than the right.  At my age all I should have to be worrying about is how to keep everything running not on manufacturing mistakes and factory recalls.  And no Jud standing on my right foot and hopping up and down will not shorten that one to make it match the left.  Also as much as I would love to move to the mountains I will not to that just so I may have an easier time walking.
Now that I almost have this book I've been working on behind me I'll be able to pick up and try to move forward with promoting my own books and working on my own stories.  i have four books started and only recently decided which one I'm going to pursue as soon as this book is published.  No I'm not going to tell at this point but I promise it should be a surprise.  It was for me.
I promise that I will be keeping you informed and up to date and at times laughing and on a few occasions pissed off in the future.