Ending 2011 On A Positive Note (and a publication)

I am excited to end 2011 on a high note.  My article, TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG...That is the Question, was published in the December issue of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Missouri Newsletter.  In the article I mention (without names) a couple of special friends I've met because of blogging and some of the opportunities I've had because of blogging.  I also mention The A-Z Challenge sponsored by Arlee Bird.  ( I know a lot of you did it last year.)  It will be A-Z time soon...

Blogging has really made a huge impact on my writing life and my personal life.  I feel like I have gained so much by having YOU as my friends.  I hope that you have found lots of friends in blogland like I have.

Thank you for being my friend!  (HUG)

I hope that 2012 brings you good health, good friends, true love, happiness and (if you are a writer) an agent & a book contract.  


HUGS TO ALL...Have a fun and safe New Year's Eve.

Season's Greetings and A Much Needed Reminder...

 I always want everything to be perfect for the holidays...

 The stockings must be hung in the exact right spot...

 The beautiful wreath my friend Marina made must be centered over the fireplace...

 The cool cat ornament my sister Joanne gave me must be in hung with care...

 The candle Natalie gave me must be positioned where I can see it for all of the holiday season...

 Everything must be just right...

(I don't know what that white spot is on the carpet, but believe me, it's not there now.)

 The presents are wrapped in coordinated colors...

Yep...I got a little bit spastic about getting ready to host our Christmas party this year...

My dear friend Lenny wrote the perfect poem to remind me of what is one of the most important things to remember about having a holiday party:

rah rah rah cleanings fun 

come on blom just get it done

wash wash wash dust dust dust

do the stuff you think you must

make it sparkly clean and neat

then take a nap get off your feet

be real happy the works all done

go and party and have some fun

 

Sometimes I get a bit carried away with things and forget that everyone has more fun if the host of the party is having fun too.  I hope that you will remember to have lots of fun this holiday season...

 Len at a Moment in Thyme has prepared the perfect menu for a Christmas party...

 You know I can't help myself when it comes to taking food photos...

 How cool are these tiny stuffed new potatoes?

 I'm a vegetarian, but these really tempted me...

 Len's desserts were DIVINE!

I hope you have a blessed Christmas or Hanukkah and that 2012 brings you everything you want.  

 Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Hugs to all! 

Living Large in London...part two

 I have discovered I love traveling by trains.  Have you ever been on a train trip?

 My lovely room at the Hilton at Hyde Park.  :)

When my Dad and Bonus Mum asked where I wanted to go this was the first place on my list.  The Natural History Museum was a place I had slight memories of from when I was little and lived in London.  I had always believed that there was a massive blue whale hanging on the ceiling.  

 So, we went to see if I could find my giant whale.

 Look at these fantastic columns inside the museum!

 One large armadillo...

Then I saw it...MY Blue Whale.  It wasn't way up in the air like I thought it was, but I was much taller this time when I saw it.  It was a life size replica of a blue whale. A skeleton of a real one hung above him.  I was pretty please that this was a real memory.  Because of my circumstances a lot of my childhood memories are mixed up.

 They had all kinds of things to look at.

 Isn't this beautiful!!!!

 This monkey sculpture was made entirely of bullet casings.

 My first sighting of a DoDo bird.  Kind of impressive!

 There was some great art!

 We were lucky enough to be able to observe one of the restoration rooms.  Very Cool stuff!

 Most of you know my cp, Lenny, calls me Blom...I had to take this picture for him. 

 I think it was a bank.

It was our first night in London.  We were hopping from one bus to another trying to get back to the hotel...Then something really exciting happened.  (I've searched on u tube for it) All of a sudden loads of people showed up on their bikes or skateboards.  They took over the entire street.  No one could pass them on the street.  They were shouting, "We are talking back the streets."

On the way back to our hotel, I saw something that I always thought was part of a childhood dream.  I couldn't believe it!  It was near Hyde Park.  A long time ago I decided I must have seen the monument in a French movie.  But...it was real,  I had seen it when I was little!  

I learned a lot about myself on this trip.

Have you ever been on a trip that gave you something more than a wonderful experience?

Hugs to all!

Living Large in London

This is the British Museum.(Oops, I had the wrong museum originally....thankfully my wonderful sister let me know.  Thanks, Jo!) It was full of amazing pieces!  I wish I could show you every single picture I took, but you might never speak to me again if I showed them all. (wink)

Have you heard of the Rosetta Stone? I was shocked by how big it was and how tiny the script was.

 Flip flops have been around a long long long time!

I want a room like this in my house when I grow up.  So many treasured books!

 

I know this is kind of a horrid picture, but this body was buried in the desert in 3400B.C.  It amazes me that the bones survived, let alone the skin and the hair.  AMAZING!

 The courtyard used to be open, but they enclosed it and put this beautiful glass roof on it.

 Even the floor was spectacular!

I'm sure you've heard of Harrod's Department store.  This was my first trip there.  Wow, was it amazing.  I will warn you if you go there they frown on pictures being taken.  I got caught twice.  (blushes)

 Talk about fancy!

 Some serious boots!!!

 Some expensive shoes.

 Really expensive shoes...around $1,000 !

 Some extremely expensive shoes....$1600!

 I got caught and told off here...Now, I'm not usually a rule breaker, but...

 We do Christmas Crackers at our house every year and if we have guests during the holiday season I try to introduce them to our tradition.  These  are some seriously posh Christmas Crackers!

I tried to take a picture inside the tea room at Harrod's, but a security guard stopped me.  I am definitely going their for a cream tea the next time I visit London.  It was absolutely adorable. 

 I've never seen anything like it!

I hope you enjoyed part one of Living Large in London.

Thanks for putting up with me...and thanks for all the birthday wishes you guys sent me on Tuesday! 

 You're the BEST!