Oh My Goodness!
I’m so excited I could scream!!
Okay, actually I did scream, several times in fact! A very good friend of mine (whose in several pictures on this blog and has a link on the side and whose name is similar to something that shines in the night sky) who I can’t yet name, sold a short story to Ellora’s Cave today!!!

I AM SO IMPOSSIBLY STOKED!!! I had to call her and shout and dance and scream and laugh with her. I think she was more excited than I was, but I was a damn close second, hahahaha. I’ve been feeling very up in the air about some things lately and this good news was just what I needed to make my day.

Now the reason I can’t say her name is because she hasn’t put it on her blog yet. Darn it. Once she announces her good news though, all bets are off!

YIPPEE!!!
Ari

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday, or are in the midst of your wonderful holiday right now! After running to my husband’s great-aunt’s place on Christmas Eve morning, then his father’s house, then church, we sat back and relaxed on Christmas Eve night. It was wonderful to have the fire going and kick back with a glass of wine. Once the girls went to bed Paul and I put the presents under the tree and Santa filled their stockings, and I fell into and exhausted slumber.

The girls waited until 7 to get us out of bed on Christmas morning. They were so funny waiting for us to brush our teeth and go to the bathroom. I thought they’d jump out of their skin waiting to come down the stairs. I sensed some seriously guilty consciences as they waited to see if Santa left them gifts or coal. . .

My parents came over for dinner and that was the best Christmas present of all. Last year we almost lost my father, and the year before that we did lose my grandfather, so to have my parents here and healthy for Christmas was a blessing without measure. One of my high school friends who was in the state visiting for the holidays stopped by with her new baby and that was wonderful too, he was an absolute cutie and I cuddled with him to my heart’s content!

After they left I went upstairs to play with a present my friend sent me (thanks Kris!) and that’s where this Norman Rockwell scene turns into the Rocky Horror Picture Show. . .

I was playing on the computer quite happily, munching on some leftovers and having a great time when I started to feel. . . odd. I spent the next 24 hours curled around the toilet heaving my guts out. My husband had Monday off and I barely saw him through my sicky haze.

I’m doing better today, but man, I haven’t been that sick for that long in years. What is profoundly unfair is that I caught the stomach bug two weeks ago in a much weaker form. I didn’t think you could catch the same thing twice but apparently it mutated or something because I got it back with a vengeance!

Hope the rest of you had a bit more relaxing holiday!

Here’s wishing you a happy HEALTHY New Year!
Ari