It is almost the end of July!

I can't believe my last post was at the end of June. I don't know where July went. I know I've been busy hanging out with my granddaughter (10.) She keeps me hopping. She's into "hair and fashion" and I think I've become not only her personal assistant but also her personal hairdresser.

That's my fault because taking her shopping is like taking along a "live Barbie doll." I still remember all the cute outfits. The other day I took her into a Mandee's clothing store. The clothing is for the younger set, teens to twenties. I actually shop there myself for clothes that I wear when I go to the single dances.

I ended up buying my granddaughter a short black and white checkered skirt and a lofty hat to match. She is now a Mandee's customer. But you're young only once...and in my case I try to be perpetually younger than my real age.

I got the idea of buying these soft pillow rollers for making spiral curls, again for my granddaughter whose hair is long and straight. Well, now every time she sees me she asks me to curl her hair. Actually I'm getting better at it and faster!

It's her birthday in a few weeks and I'm pondering getting her one of those mini laptops. She likes to write stories, has written a couple of nice ones, and frankly I think I may have another J.J.Rowlings in the making. One never knows. And I'm one who forges ahead to find out if this can be the case.

Meantime, the month of July has started to produce some produce from my garden that I managed to get in before telling myself not to bother. The zucchini is coming fast and furious and I'm now having to give some of it away. I try to get into the garden everyday now to pick them off the vine when they're small otherwise I'll have this gigantic zucchini that never know what to do with. If anyone knows, please tell me. I picked my first cucumber today and am enjoying it with a smidgin of salt and rice vinegar. I'm waiting for the tomatoes to get bigger and ripen. So far I see only the small green ones that hopefully will mature enough before becoming afflicted with some kind of fungus because of all the rain we've had. There is nothing better on a hot summer day than a freshly picked tomatoe, sliced and slathered with mayonaise nestled between soft rye bread.

I hope the rest of the summer is good. So far it hasn't been too hot, yet the temps have stayed in the high 70's, low 80's. I probably sound like a weather report.

I've pretty well cleaned a lot of stuff from the garage. Brought much of it to Goodwill. I'm hoping to really get that part of the house organized and claim back the other side of the garage.

I know when the clutter starts to disappear, my mind also becomes less clutter. Then I refocus on those writing projects that have been sitting for a few weeks begging for attention.

Before I know it, July will have passed and I'll be saying the same thing --- where did August go?


DEADLY SECRETS - Available at Noble Romance Publishing

Despite having to always look over her shoulder in fear of her abusive, stalker ex-husband, dance instructor Deirdre Clarke is working hard to put the past behind her and start a new life.

When she finds herself falling in love with her new landlord, Josh Tyler, Deirdre is determined not to allow her emotions to rule her head. But Josh is just as determined to break through the wall Deirdre has erected around her heart.

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