Amie Stuart ~ On the Back Porch

I wish I’d taken a pic–it’s so clean! I’m so happy! I’m so grubby! Ew

but anywayyy guess what I found in the garage. A little karmic payback for cleaning out the closet. See I had this bag of clothes I put out there two years ago to give to charity *cough* but never got around to it *cough* and I decided since they had been sitting out there so long I’d WASH them and LO AND BEHOLD what did I find?

Not one but TWO pair of brand new with tags jeans I’d put out there because I’d had them for two years and never been able to fit into them.

I washed them so keep your fingers crossed.

Last night small children went to the park to play football so I got my writing done without a trip to Starbucks!

I was tagged by Mik so here goes. Things that make me shudder: DIRTY BATHROOMS (hear me not-so-small children of mine), ROACHES, EX’s, CLINGY CO-DEPENDENT PEOPLE, HOLIDAYS (especially stupid ones like oh HALLOWEEN) and THE THREAT OF WRITER’S BLOCK.

I’ll tag anyone who wants to play.

Okay I’m so easily amused I realized I could do this: NAS(ty). Yes I’m twisted and cheap to boot.

Anyway, Harlequin and Avon author Cindy Kirk has a great post up on stealing ideas. Ya’ll stop by and check it out.

Otherwise all is quiet here. I’ve OD’ed on TV this week and I’ve got lots left to watch (on the DVR) but Bionic Woman was a hit for me–how about all of you? I LOVED the BSG actors appearances especially after learning the creator is the same guy who re-did Battlestar Gallactica (squeeeeeeeeee)

I had a huge epiphany on the WIP and I’m heading out to Starbucks tonight and tomorrow night to get away from not-so-small children and get some writing done. Lynn…..Dennie…….Mik if ya’ll feel like driving to Arlington and joining me, drop me a line.

Ohhhhh I have to tell ya’ll what I did last Sunday. I cleaned out my closet. This is a bit of that “taking control of my life” that goes along with being positive, losing weight and making hay while the sun shines. I have to take back control of my life and quit letting this or that thing slide. One area that has been sadly lacking is the cleaning of my house. I will never be a neat-freak like my mother, however it is time to de-clutter (thank you Karin T).

Sooooo I cleaned out my closet and not only got rid of a bunch of stuff that didn’t fit, I got rid of stuff I should be shot for wearing any further than ten feet from my front door. The ARC (asso. for retarded citizens) is coming by next week so I’ll put it all out then, along with the 50-100 paperback books and anything that gets cleaned out of the garage this weekend because THAT is Saturday’s project.

First…..you really REALLY need to check out Mik’s Thursday Thirteen over at SFC.

Also check out Slim Camp updates and my guest post over at Sasha’s blog today.

It’s so funny, I hear folks all the time saying, “I could never give up _______” but you’d be surprised what you can give up with the proper motivation (ie no choice LOL). Even my cousin, who really needs to lose no weight but wanted to know what I was doing, balked at the idea of giving up her beloved Diet Coke.

It’s not 13 but here’s a few of the things I’ve given up in the last year (cheating aside–yes I cheat).
1. Sugar
2. Wheat
3. White Rice
4. Caffeine in all it’s glorious forms
5. Pasta
6. Alcohol (doesn’t mix with the diabetes meds so well)
7. Cigarettes
8. Soda

Things I miss:
1. Sweet Tea (HELLO this IS the south *sigh*)
2. Cigarettes and coffee in the morning
3. White rice
4. Spaghetti (though buckwheat pasta is actually a pretty good substitute).

So what would you give up? What do you think you could never give up? And have you given anything up?

The things that mysteriously appear in your living room and get photographed when you’re not paying attention to what your children are doing with your digital camera.

Check out the new Wordless Wednesday HQ!!
View More Wordless Wednesday Participants

So I was scouring the TV guide last night to make sure I didn’t miss the return of any of my favorite shows. SAdly, we have scheduling conflicts.

But hey last nights PRISON BREAK was better than the premiere and HEROES ROCKED!!!!!! Just ROCKED!!!!!!! I’m so excited!!!!!!! (I totally forgot the guy from Alias was joining the cast and ohhhhhh PETER’S part this season is just going to rock and how about Claire’s new classmate?!?!?!?! WEEEEEEEEEEEE)

I had this dream last night…it was so bizarre! It was about buying appliances and getting a credit card from Lowes (to buy appliances) and Kenmore and I was driving my car (but it wasn’t the car I really drive) through a shopping center and my uncle was in it but that’s not the best part……BOB HARPER WAS IN IT!

SWEAR TA GAWD! I woke up laughing.

and guess what I found? The cord to the camera!!!!!

So, here’s the before pic of me with hair…me with Kayla Gray and Jan Kenny at the Kensington Author’s Breakfast.

(more…)