In This Corner…

I’m hoping my readers aren’t yet weary of stories from my recent adventure at the Tallahassee airport because I have one last tale to tell.

To recap, on Sunday morning I took my granddaughter to the airport to catch a flight back to Illinois. We arrived early because I was a nervous ninny about the whole “I’m sending a 16-year-old off to Chicago in a big hunk of metal during a raging thunderstorm” thing.

We made it through security with only a little hiccup—apparently McKayla had a bag chock full of coins stowed away in her carry-on. The x-ray machine couldn’t quite discern what was going on and a physical search was called for, but soon, the problem was resolved and we were clear to enter the gate area.

Immediately upon leaving security we encountered a woman I took to be right around my age. She was shorter than me and her red hair was carefully coiffed. She had friendly eyes above her mask. It was fairly obvious that she wasn’t a regular flyer. She was looking around and we walked by her just as she dropped her phone.

Me, being me, I bent down to retrieve the phone, whereupon she let go of her small suitcase. It fell over and the handle hit the top of my head. I’m not going to lie, it hurt, but I think I hid that well—I only cried a tiny bit.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said as I handed her the phone. “Thank you.”

“It’s fine,” I said picking the suitcase up by the offending handle.

When she took it from me, she bobbled her phone again and we both reached for it, bumping heads.

We both got a case of the giggles to the horror of my granddaughter. I said, “I think I’ve just met my travel twin!”

She laughed and thanked me again and we retired to opposite corners. The bell never rang for round two.

Peace, people!

Kindle Unlimited

I’m not the savviest author on the planet. I seem to do everything upside down and backwards. It took me months after publishing my first novel to build author pages on Amazon and Facebook. And I have yet to figure out the intricacies of creating a Facebook ad. I’ve begun to believe I’m not the brightest crayon in the box.

But today, with the help of my editor and cover artist, Rachel Carrera, I made my books available on Kindle Unlimited. Now, you may ask, what exactly is Kindle Limited?

Q: What is Kindle Unlimited? (I’m so glad you asked)

A: Kindle Unlimited is a service that allows you to read as much as you want, choosing from over 2 million titles, thousands of audiobooks, and up to three select magazine subscriptions. Explore new authors, books, and genres from mysteries and romance to sci-fi and more. You can read on any device. It’s available for $9.99 a month and you can cancel anytime.

Pretty cool, eh? As much as I read I definitely should invest in this service. Studly Doright would approve.

The Cowboy and the Executive: A West Texas Romance https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095BVSF3L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_WTH1957550AR4JZGE521

Mayhem at the Happy Valley Motor Inn and Resort https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PDRH2Q9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_4VT8N5DJSEZ6EB57193K.

Peace, people!

Late to the Gate

On Sunday morning I accompanied my 16-year-old granddaughter to the airport to catch a flight home to Illinois. I didn’t leave the airport until her plane was in the air just in case they had to return to the gate.

After the plane pulled away from the gate a harried looking couple came running to the desk. The man was frantic, calling “Where’s the agent?”

He pointed at the plane on the tarmac, looked at me, and asked, “Is that the flight to Charlotte?”

“Yes, sir,” I said.

“Where’s the gate agent?”

I shrugged.

The woman remained calm while her traveling companion raged. “We’re late. We’ll have to take a later flight,” she said.

“But it’s right there!” He said, pointing out the window again.

The gate agent returned to angry demands. “You need to have that plane open up.”

“I’m sorry sir, but once the doors are closed the plane can’t return unless there’s a mechanical problem or the flight is cancelled.”

The man strode up and down the terminal aisle letting the few people still hanging around know how he’d been wronged. When the flight took off he finally realized that he wasn’t going to get his way and slumped into a seat.

Meanwhile, the woman calmly rebooked their flight to Key West through Charlotte, N.C., and checked their luggage.

I left, but couldn’t help wondering how the remainder of their vacation went. I’ll bet she’ll have a good time, regardless. Him, not so much.

Maybe a piña colada would help.

Peace, people.

Unaccompanied Minor

Our sixteen-year-old granddaughter, McKayla, flew home to Illinois today after spending the past week with Studly Doright and me here at Doright Manor in the Florida panhandle. While it wasn’t her first time to fly, it was her first solo adventure, and it included a layover in Charlotte, North Carolina.

I was nervous about sending her off on her own, but McKayla is a competent young woman and I knew with a few instructions she’d be just fine. But this morning we woke to heavy rain, including thunderstorms, that extended all along the first part of her plane’s flight path and I began worrying about such things as delayed and/or cancelled flights. What if’s began attacking my thoughts. I just couldn’t let her go into the blue without some safeguards.

So we paid the extra fee to ensure that someone from the airline would walk her between gates and look after her until she was safely in her mom’s arms in Chicago. Money well spent—I was able to relax knowing she wouldn’t have to navigate any setbacks alone.

Of course I won’t totally relax until she and our daughter are safely back in their home, but the airline didn’t provide that kind of post-flight assistance. Can we begin teleporting soon? It’d be a lot easier on my nerves. Of course then I’d find something else to worry about. Like, did all my molecules arrive simultaneously?

Peace, people!

I’ve Been Hacked

Just in case any of my friends have received weird Facebook Messenger messages from me I want to reassure you that I’m not soliciting funds for any reason.

Hackers suck and I apologize for clicking on whatever I clicked on to bring this awful person into my sphere. I’ve deleted my Messenger app, and changed my facebook password and I hope those actions will resolve the issue.

Peace, people.

How to Make a Writer Happy in Five Easy Steps

1. Buy their book(s). (Links below)

2. Read their book(s).

3. Tell others about their book(s).

4. Review their book(s).

5. Sing “Soft Kitty” to them.

https://youtu.be/N-qra604RbU

Peace, people!

Mayhem at the Happy Valley Motor Inn and Resort https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08P76RBRD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_3NNTMDZEHP0G0HVEMZ17
The Cowboy and the Executive: A West Texas Romance https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095F6VW2C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_KXKAC7DV9XAR6YXAWC8F

Prepping

Colonoscopy prep is no fun. The nasty tasting drink is shudder worthy. And let’s not even talk about the effects of drinking the concoction. Eww.

However, I know colonoscopies save lives. I know that prepping for one is a walk in the park compared to the agonies of colon cancer.

So—cheers!

Early morning pre-colonoscopy

Peace, people!

Dadgum Dead Deer

Traveling down the interstate highways north of Paducah, Kentucky, on through Nashville, Tennessee, and down into Birmingham, Alabama, every half mile or so we came across a poor dead animal—most often a deer—whose carcass litters the roadway.

At one point I thought I spotted a coyote among the dead, but no, it was just another dadgum dead dear. I think that phrase would make a fine song title.

Dadgum Dead Deer. It’ll be a hit.

Peace, people.

Survival of the Oldest

Sometimes I can forget that I’m in my sixties, while other times the limitations of my age rear up and smack me right in the face. Yesterday, as I chaperoned a group of 17 and 18-year-olds on a trip to an amusement park, there was no doubt that I’d passed the threshold of youth and doddered into the realm of the (nearly) elderly.

The other chaperones were all lovely young women who made me feel welcome. Their children were among the recent high school graduates on the trip, while I was there for my grandson. They all had tons of energy. My meter was running low.

I did my best to keep up with the younger women, but between the 90° heat and my almost total lack of sleep the night before the trip, I lagged a bit. I might’ve whined a couple of times. But—I prevailed! Maybe not in a glorious manner, but I’m still alive to write this morning, so that’s a win.

That’s me in the back on one of the more harrowing rides…🤪
That’s me in the front—just kidding. I think I was sitting on a bench in the shade when this was snapped.

I’m glad I was able to go on this trip, but if I’m going to be there when the next grandchild needs me I’d better start aging in reverse.

Oh, just a word about these “kids” we chaperoned. They were so well-mannered that at times I wondered who was chaperoning who. What an amazing group of young people with big dreams and bright futures. It was an honor to hang out with them.

Peace, people!

Sleepless in Illinois

I’m going to need some good vibes today. Last night I might’ve slept for two hours. Maybe. I’m estimating on the high side. And today I’m chaperoning a group of recent high school graduates on a trip to a theme park in Iowa. It’s going to be a long day, but I’m pasting a smile on my face and putting a song in my heart. Just hoping the song isn’t a dirge.

Peace, people.