Groups > Yes,I'm older,so What?

There is always something cooking that takes up my interest. Right now, my son and granddaughter are touring Europe so I follow the newspapers and blogs for the latest about their shows.

I am in the middle of the final step in the writing process - working with the editor to get a book ready for press. She think we can get it to press by the end of the year - she wants very few changes - yippee! The publisher is as excited as I am and sees this work as one their house can feature in their 2009 catalogue and sales pitches. Fine. The more sales, the more royalties and the more public appearances ... maybe. Cost structures have changed from 20 years ago when my first book was published.

I'm planning a vacation. I have over a $1000 in credits on my Visa for free travel. That's a lot of miles if you know how to find and use the airlines bargains! I'm thinking about a trip to the Middle East. No, not Iraq or Iran!

My wife continues to work so I have a lot of time alone. That's what I get for marrying a younger woman! The real reason is not her age but the fact that her employer made her an offer that no one could refuse to continue working. At least I get to hear all the interesting things that happen in her day.

Other than that, I'm writing my next work and it is one that requires a lot of research. In the old days, I could stay up all night after work on writing projects. I'm not able to do that any longer. I find I can give about 4 hours and then my concentration wanes. But I know more about writing than I did then and I make better use of time. I don't have as many false starts as I did 25 years ago when I was a novice looking to get published for the first time.

My couple of hours a day on TBD are about all the recreational time I have right now. I should never have retired. I was never this busy! I think I'll go back to work where I had more free time.

I am looking forward to a trip to Tennessee for Thanksgiving with our youngest son and his family. For a while, it looked like he would be heading to Iraq later this year, but now that appears to be on hold.

Yesterday I spent hours downloading photos so I will have enough to keep me busy at my scrapbook weekend retreat in October. I am so far behind that I've decided to skip 2005, 2006, and 2007 for now, and start with January 2008. I keep getting sidetracked on my chronological albums by making special albums as gifts for various family members. I am finishing up a 2007 college graduation album this week. Like I said, I'm way behind!

After two weeks away from the office learning all about Lean Six Sigma, I am ready to go back to work tomorrow.

I am planning a trip to Kansas for mid-October. My 2 daughters and I will be driving down to see my son and his 2 little boys. I miss the grandbabies and don't get to see them very often. It's a ucky drive but the visit is worth every moment.

My oldest daughter is turning 21 this Saturday! Yikes! She comes into town in 2 weeks and we are going to Canada for a long weekend for a "Justin Hartley Fan Event" (he was Fox on PASSIONS, and is on Smallville now) she runs a couple of websites for him and has organized some other stuff for him over the years... I am also taking my neighbor, at the end of the month, to Texas to see her son graduate from Boot Camp (I work for the airline so she can go CHEAP with me!) I am hoping to get a small getaway to Vegas with my best friend (even just overnight!) we both need a break. My other daughter starts Cosmetology school in November and right now I am in the middle of football with my son!

Thanks for Asking!!!