BEIGNET BULLETIN! Those heavenly beignets with your cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde in New Orleans are GOOD WITHOUT SUGAR, TOO! Not that I didn't dip a little since I've been good on my 'sugar-shunning' diet.
Its good to be home though. We made a really quick trip from here (Cabot - about 40 miles north of Little Rock, Arkansas) to St. Augustine, FL to see my DH's brother and his wife. The tracks Rita and Katrina are still visible, but life is going on - and construction? Wow! We had a good visit and it was an interesting trip but anywhere we go just confirms my feeling that "This is IT!" I don't want to live any farther north because I don't like cold and ice, but I don't want to live any farther south either, because I don't like humidity, bugs, or reptiles of any discription - not to mention mold and mildew.
We stopped in New Orleans because I wanted to get a little information at the Cafe du Monde. I heard they had used the power outage to do a general cleaning and overhaul and install some new equipment, too. That's where I made the wonderful discovery that beignets are good even without sugar. Before I found out I have Diabetes II (not bad, a little pill controls it - just no sugar or too many carbs) when Jim and I stopped for beignets and cafe au lait I looked suspiciously like what I couldn't eat I just rubbed in : - ) with all the powdered sugar that dropped off the good little things. Also talked to the manager and found out some things about what they'd done and the down time, etc. A very nice fellow, and I'm going to give him an acknowledgement when I use the inf. I got in a coming Maryvale cozy. (A couple of my characters are going to get involved in a murder in NO - but that's another story - literally!:-))
Despite the damage, heat, and cop cars lined up bumper to bumper on Canal street (troopers and all) it was a good visit, but we're glad to be home. Break's over!

The hurrier I go, the behinder I get! That's what it seems like this week. I'm getting ready to leave town for about eight days and you'd think I was a toddler there's so much preparation attached to this simple jaunt. Remember all the clothes, diapers, bottles, the long list of things not to forget when you have to go somewhere with your children? Well, guess what? The second childhood has just as much baggage! My husband and I had already got used to gathering up our spare parts when we leave the house (reading glasses being the main things) but there's more preparation if you're going to be gone a week or more. Besides all the household things, I had to e-mail three columns so I wouldn't have to worry about getting back on schedule.

Taking stock of the refrigerator and what's there and not there and in the freezer only took a glance since my grown children will be here at the time (and nobody likes the same thing much less at the same time, when it comes to eating. So it's 'feel free' - there's stuff to eat in or eat out - self serve - help yourself - you know where the store is - plumber, electrician numbers in the proper place in case needed - Please God, don't let them be needed!)

I did notice in passing, a couple of UFOs in the freezer. That's Unidentified Frozen Objects. One of those things that's not labeled or the label fell off, hard as a rock, weird shape - toss back, worry later... I've got one foot out the door.

Please don't forget where you left me and come back, I'll be back around the end of the month and blogging again. Break's over!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! God bless America and please, Lord, God bless our dear children and sons and husbands, our troops. Show us the way home and bring us all safely back.

My thirty days after the Fourth will be made happier by a contract now in the mail to me to sign for a new novel. Its name is SPANISH EYES and it's a romance-suspense.
Logline: "Eleana arrives in Las Flores, Texas from Mexico to work and contact her brother, Carlos. But when she arrives, Carlos has disappeared and her sister-in-law may have entred the country illegally. Desperately searching for her brother, Eleana meets a handsome artist who offers to help and can make everything better - or much worse! Eleana walks a frightening tightrope of fear and deception between her family, the authorities, and her love..."

Cyber hugs to all of you and your loved ones. Break's over!