The first thing I saw was a fluffy orange butt making tracks for the bedroom. At the same time, two big green eyes pleaded with me to obtain the herb that promised instant delight and uninhibited rolls across the floor. Since I couldn't be in two places at once, I placated Francesca with a sprinkle of the dried leaves she craved and hunkered down with the packet of same to coax Michelangelo (he of the fluffy orange butt) out from under the bed. He's a coy one, he is, nicknamed "the hidey boy" by his mama, and he's certainly earned the appellation. The last time we did this, he hid for three days before finally allowing me to give him the attention he desperately craved.

So begins the first day of catsitting. Francesca was thrilled to see me, since she knows catsitter = catnip. Michelangelo, his mama had told me, had already started hiding the day before. ::sigh:: Thankfully catnip gets him out, and keeps them both well occupied while I spiff up their dish area and portion out the canned and the dry. I usually bring writing, editing or critting to work on while I check in on them; they like to help by sitting reallyreallyreally close. So if crit notes come back with a sprinkling of orange or black and white cat hair, or notations that there really should be more tuna and belly rubs, that's where it comes from.

Knowledgable You scored 81% Smut Queen!

You have probably an above average knowledge of romance novels and the industry... congratulations.

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender: %20alt="free%20online%20dating"%20src="OkCupid Free Online Dating American Idol -- :( I think both finalists will have long, prosperous careers, but dh and I were pulling for Bo to win. Hopefully Clive Davis will want to record him anyway, and we can be listening to his album soon.

I've been tagged! Thanks to Evangeline.

Total Number of Books I Own:Bwahahahah...a lot.

Last Book I Bought:Ummmm...haven't been book shopping in a while.

Last Book(s) I Read

Non-fiction: The Official Sims2 Guide

Fiction: Secrets of the Night by Jo Beverley and The Wedding by Edith Layton

5 Books That Mean A Lot To Me:

1. The Bible

2. Lovesong by Valerie Sherwood

3. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

4. Skye O'Malley by Bertrice Small

5. Sword Dancer by Jennifer Roberson

I could easily list dozens more.

I am tagging Elise and Kat.

Will blog about last Thursday's coffee house reading tomorrow.

Whee doggies! Also, eep. My Outcast Heart officially comes out in January of 2006. Only eight months from now. Is there such a thing as prenatal vitamins for those of us expecting book babies? If not, then I declare that chocolate covered gummi bears are now exactly that. So if I indulge, then it's all for the good of the book. At least that's the story I'm going with.

Story. Heh. Pun unintended, but it does fit. I'm looking forward to enjoying the process, and have informed family that I will be even more ah, interesting to live with this winter. To quote a line from an old Gilmore Girls episode, snow is like catnip for me, and knowing that the new year will have my first book baby out in the wide world may well push me over the edge.

Writing is going well...finally getting back to Orphans in the Storm after a much-needed break, and yes, everyone is exactly where I left them and ready to play again. Which is a lovely thing to discover. I've set myself a goal of finishing the first draft during the summer so it will be ready to shop around when autumn comes with the big energy kick I always get during those months.

Finally got a pesky but pivotal secondary character in The Wild Rover to talk to me but now he won't let me see his face, and it took me all day for him to let me see what he was working on in his lap during the first scene I wrote with him. (And ahem, I do know how that might sound, and no, that's not it. He was tying knots in a legnth of rope.) Think maybe he'd like chooclate gummi bears?

On a totally unrelated note, last night, American Idol, Bo Bice, WOW! The dh and I took forty-five minutes to get through on the voting lines, but we have been counted. Can't wait for the finale.

I'm still alive. The Deb Dixon workshop this past Saturday was faaabulous (Kate, you were missed!) and I've been putting some of that stuff into play. I got to sit at a very fun and chatty (but Kateless ::sob::) table, and can put on my list of things I have done that others may not have, "used men's restroom at a senior residential facility."

Husband could have knocked me over with a feather last night when I came home from nag group and showed me the new cell phones. This is significant because I have been waiting for this since Christmas. DH bought me a cell phone then, decided sometime on the 26th that it was, ah, not sufficient for my needs, and vowed to obtain a better one "soon." I have a much better timeframe on when this one will be activated -- he wants us to have the new phones working in time to vote for Bo on American Idol. The man has his priorities.

Also found out this weekend that my dad will be going in for a hip replacement in the near future. I forsee much more time spent at ye olde familye homesteade during the recovery process. Might be a good time to put in some arguments in favor of a laptop.

Those who know me well say that when I'm quiet, it's because something's brewing. They're probably right. I'm not sure what it is, but it probably does have something to do with the current climate in romance fiction. There are good things going on, and things I would like to see changed. That I would like to change. Probably having to do with historicals. I've heard some encouraging things, but even encouraging things take time.

Hmm, it's the day to change toenail polish, but as that interests no-one (except the OPI people) that's probably not it.

The new printer? Maybe. The old one had been down for so long I got used to not being able to print letters, pages, etc, and now that I can zip out multiple pages at a go, I'm having some form of a standoff with it. Did I mention that I am a luddite at heart? I have letters that are past due, and my TWR notes need printing in their updated form.

Writing is going well. I'm getting back into my groove Man oh man do I wish Edith Layton would write more Georgians. Black Jack/Jasper Kelly from her A True Lady would make wonderful hero material in his own book. This is rare, for me, a "why does every character's second cousin's stepmother's dogwalker's paperboy have to have his own book" ranter, but come on, pirate who thinks he can make a go of being a gentleman in Georgian London? Yeah, I want that.

Jo Beverley's Mallorens still rawk, baby. ::stands on chair, lighter aloft::

Last night's Lost -- when I thought I could not love either Sayid or Charlie any more, bam, they got me. Okay, Sawyer, too. I love his reluctant compliance. I think he's going to be okay. Which is more than we can say for Boone. Moment of silence. Gotta love Locke, too.

Current listens: Phil Collins and Five For Fighting .

DH will have left errand instructions when I get home (he's working tonight, and stuff must be done) so after that, my plans are Survior and Sims2. (With plans for a wedding involving a romance sim and moving said family to their own house)

Workshop with Deb Dixon this Saturday -- GMC stuff, get to see my chapter sisters and others. Looking forward to, but what to wear?