Sunday, May 9, 2010

Musings, Mother's Day, and the Morning After the Party...

By Nancy Northcott and Jeanne Adams

(A Blog Post in which we let our thoughts range far and wide in honor of the after-effects from yesterday's party, which have led to what one might call lack of focus. *g*)

So, Nancy, the party in the Lair yesterday was of legendary proportions. Tough act to follow.

Yes. I'm propping my eyelids open today. But it was fun.

I know. Me too. Ye Olde Mother's Day Breakfast in bed helped with the wake-up call after all that partying (thanks dears!) but...oooh...the morning after!

BTW, that picture on the right there? That's the only Lair trash can that isn't filled to overflowing today. I think it got used for something else *wiggles eyebrows, looks innocent*, then replaced on the grounds, otherwise it would be full too. Y'know, it's those kind of celebrations that leave you in need of a break with a great book, a cup of tea - or whatever your sovereign hangover remedy is - and some quiet.

Breakfast in bed. *sigh* I love breakfast in bed, or even breakfast out if it can be more like brunch, but quiet isn't on our agenda today. My guys are taking me to Iron Man 2, which doesn't appear to be your basic quiet movie. Then I have papers to grade, with exams coming up this week. But I have plenty of reading and videos to catch up on once I turn in my grades. I plan to veg for a couple of days before kicking back into high gear on my ms. What're you doing today?

*Wince* Jeez Nancy. You are a stronger woman than I am, I tell ya'. Your "veg plan" is on target though. I did that after I turned in my latest book - which I had unaffectionately dubbed the "book that would not end" - I loved the freedom to just READ! Of course, I'm now enjoying an exploration of research books for the next manuscript I'm writing. I always want books, both to read for fun and to read for info, don't you? As for today, I'm going to work in the yard! In amongst that, I'm going to pop in here and talk about books and stuff, which is just a lovely way to spend the day!

No matter how many books I have, I can always find more I want. The dh is going to London without me and the boy--couldn't make the family trip thing work--and I'm giving him a list of books and other things to bring back. The research geek in me loves the Osprey publishing company's fabulous military history lines, so the dh will have a list of those titles to obtain if he can. Foyle's bookstore on Charing Cross Road (or should I say "in" Charing Cross Road, for Vrai Anna?) used to have an entire wall of Osprey, so I have hopes.

Oh, I am so jealous! Okay, I'm jealous on several counts, that you might have gone to England, and that despite not going, you'll still get books. And Osprey books at that! (We Boom Girls love our Janes and Osprey books!) What other things is he looking for, for you?

Janes does books? Really? Like what? There's a new book about Georgette Heyer's Regency world that looks interesting. There's also a new book out--I forget the title, of course, will need to find that before he leaves--about leisure and recreation in London. Looks great but a bit on the pricey side. And I have a weakness for Lilliput Lane cottages, which used to be easier to find over here than they now are. So I want him to bring me one, the kind with a thatched roof and an old feel to it.

Ooh, I'll bet that's fun. *looking up Lilliput Lane Cottages* (see picture for an example - pretty cool!) As to books, I'm looking at a fabulous book on swords, but it too is pricey. Wish we'd though of posting this BEFORE Mother's Day! Hahaha! Then there's the one on dragons, the other one on caves and rock formations in New England and another absolutely gorgeous book on Byzantine art. Food for the soul, I tell you! And yes, Janes does books - military history, planes, tanks, etc.

Do you use maps? I've gotten into using maps for plotting stories. Historical maps are harder to find, but they're out there. Meanwhile, Ordnance Survey or USGS maps can help my brain slot into a contemporary setting.

I do use maps and I adore them. There's an ADC Map store in downtown DC that I just love to go into. They have old maps, new maps, maps of bizarre locations - Mayan temple structures, anyone? - and even maps of walking paths in England. There's also a fabulous old bookstore around this area that has out of print books, including gazetteers for a lot of the US and the UK.

You have these fabulous stores near you, and you didn't take me there when we were in DC last year? Bummer! We'll have to rectify that sometime.

Absolutely! You must come visit and we'll say to heck with the monuments, let's go book shopping! Grins. You know, so many books and bookstores, so little time! Maybe this summer?

I'd love that! One of the best simpatico moments the dh and I had early on was when we were having champagne brunch at the top of the San Francisco Hilton on the first morning after our wedding, looked down to the street, and saw a bookstore! Yes! Went directly there after.

At the end of the month, we celebrate the boy's last day of school for this year. We'll go to his favorite restaurant, and then I guess it'll be his turn to veg out for a few days. It's hard for me to accept that he's almost through high school and looking at colleges. It doesn't seem so long ago that the doctor laid him in his daddy's arms for the first time, and this tiny hand stretched up toward the dh's face--with fingers just like his father's. Now his voice is in the bass range, he plays a guitar, and we're doing the driving thing. And I get to be the honoree on Mothers Day (with boom, of course, in the form of Iron Man).


Isn't that funny, the voice change thing? And no surprise he's a book lover too. My boys are fortunately turning out to be book lovers as well. Now, we're still in the Star Wars Readers stage, combined with books on baseball and lizards. It's hard enough to believe mine are 5 and 10, so don't scare me with the high school/college thing, okay? It flies fast enough as it is.

Believe me, looking back from the far end, it flies faster than you know. Do your guys have the Dorling Kindersley Star Wars books? The boy had a bunch of them, big pictures, schematics, lots of detail. D-K has such great basic references on a variety of subjects.
We love, love, love the DK books. They are outstanding. Just enough facts without being overwhelming. Lots of photos for us visual stimulus readers. Wonderful stuff. Did you have a favorite parenting book? We did, it was called On Becoming Babywise, by Ezzo. I give it to every new mother I know, and some I don't! Ha! My other favorite is for the age I have now, and it's called The Way they Learn by Cynthia Tobias. Fabulous book on helping your kids learn.
The parenting book we used was a medical guide for infants and young children, which also had developmental milestones in it. We didn't have a general advice one except I think we had What to Expect the First Year, or something like that. Very helpful. But y'know, Mothers Day is about US.

So true, oh wise one. Grins.

The kids, well, they're just the vehicles that got us here on Mother's day, so to speak, so let's talk our reading for a few minutes. I love discovering new authors, and I recently finished Kathleen Nance's Dragon Unmasked, a paranormal with mages. I liked it a lot, and there's an earlier one. Got to go find that.

Cool! I just found a new one that I'd thought would never come out. It's Elizabeth Moon's continuation of her trilogy, The Deed of Paksenarrion. It's called Oath of Fealty and so far, it's fab-u-lous!

So what about you, gentle readers, are you also feeling the effects of the major PAR-TAY!?

Got a sovereign hangover remedy?

If your brain is compos mentis enough, riddle us this....What do you like in research material? Where do you go for those books? the library, the archives, the map store?

And if you got breakfast in bed - or are going to, like me - what did you have?

What's hot on your to-read-right-NOW list?

Have you seen Iron Man 2 and what did you think?

For those of you with kids, Happy Mothers Day! For those with Fur Children, let us say, for them (and I quote) BARK! BARK! MEOW! PURRRRRR! Which translated is, thank you and happy fur-mother's day. Grins.

For those of you without either, how about that sovereign hangover rememdy?

154 comments:

Unknown said...

Spend Mothers Day with me Golden one!

Donna MacMeans said...

Hey Virginia - I popped in to catch up with the party and there's all these bodies snoozing about the lair. I'll have to go travel back in time to read all of the comments from yesterday. Sounds like a great time was had by all.

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!d

I'll be celebrating by writing to catch up for the time missed yesterday. But kids are coming over for dinner tonight - my daughter is cooking - so we'll have a small celebration. How about you?

Unknown said...

Happy Mothers Day everyone! Great post, and it would be so nice to get breakfast in bed but around here I will be the first one up and when hubby and son gets up it will be what are you going to fix me to eat, no doubt! Its so nice to be loved this way! Just random thought must have a hangover! I did get the rooster today Woo Hoo, I guess he can spend the day with the golden chicken I got in farmville today, he should have a good time with her! I think I will take my hangover and go to bed so I can wake up to a lovely breakfast in bed! ha ha

Unknown said...

Hey Donna it was a wild party and everyone must be hungover! If kids are coming over to cook for you then you will have a wonderful Mother's Day!

Have a wonderful Mother's Day everyone!

Helen said...

Well done Virginia I am sure the GR is going to love spending the day at the farmville farm LOL

Great post Nancy and Jeanne

Our Mothers Day is almost over here in OZ I was first up this morning so no breaky in bed I had such a great time at the party yseterday and I also had my 5 grandchildren here all day and the family for dinner last night I didn't cook though just too tired I bought take out (cover your ears Golden one) Red Rooster chips coleslaw and gravy and cheesey nugguts for the kids it was a fun dinner.
Today Hubby was out at soccer all day so myself one of my daughters Kirsty my DIL Jodie her Mum and sister went to lunch and the movies we had been planning to see When In Rome but ended up seeing Date Night and I really enjoyed it very funny.
I got clothes and lots of chocolates for pressies so it will be a quiet night tonight reading and eating chocolate. I am reading Nalini Singh's Archangel's Kiss at the moment and yes loving it.
As for research books I don't have any off them if there is something I really want to find about these days I google it.

Happy Mothers Day everyone

Have Fun
Helen

Donna MacMeans said...

LOL - sounds like you're set for some golden eggs for breakfast!

Jane said...

Congrats on the GR, Virginia.

Happy Mother's Day. I'm still recovering. I think a Bloody Mary will do wonders for my party hangover. I haven't seen Iron Man 2 yet, but my cousin is heading out to see it later and I'm looking forward to his review.

Donna MacMeans said...

Okay...so is someone going to explain why there's an invoice for Cabana Girls here?

And chandelier repair...again?

Helen said...

Talk about hangovers and I have muscles that I didn't even know I had LOL.

Invoices ??

I didn't go near the chandelier truly well I don't think I did, I am sure that as an accountant you will be able to fix things Donna

Have Fun
Helen

Deb said...

Virginia, have fun with GR.

Let's see, I have a TBRM (to be read mountain) that has several books that I can't wait to read; decisions, decisions. My problem is that I want to read EVERYTHING that is coming out because all the new and upcoming releases sound wonderful.

Shary wants to see IRONMAN 2; not sure I want to do so. DH and I may take her next weekend.

Today, we are going out to the farm (my folks'). It's only an hour's drive and I look forward to spending the afternoon with them.

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers, including honorary ones who have opened their hearts to others!

Christie Kelley said...

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms on the blog.

So I guess I can blame my headache this morning on yesterday. My boys took me out to Ihop for breakfast which was nice. We may go see Ironman 2 this afternoon depending on the headache. What's funny is my cat, who really likes the boys better than me, decided out of the blue to sleep with me all last night. I guess that was my mother's day gift from her.

I just finished one book and haven't decided on the next one yet. So I'm hoping I'll see some good recommendations on the blog today.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day!

Kirsten said...

Good morning! My little daughter woke up with a nasty cough today, so I'll be spending mother's day worrying...which is completely appropriate for me!! :)

My kids are just the right age to bring me homemade gifts from school. I got a bracelet and a beautiful picture in a silver frame (complete with "mom" written on the bottom in pasta!). i can't wait to hang it up on the wall.

No lounging for me to today. We've got to get to church early for me to set up my Sunday school class, and then after church we've got visiting to do, and then football for the boy. That's what being a mom's really about -- running around all day! But hey, I get to do it all with my family, so it's a treat. :-)

Big hugs to all who ARE mothers or who HAVE mothers! Mothers day is for everyone!

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Hey virginia! Happy Mother's Day! See that the chook treats you right. Tell him if he misbehaves, he'll have to answer to Nancy.

Grins.

Its the quiet ones, like Nancy, that you have to watch out for...

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

'Mornin' Donna! Yep, it was sommmmmme party! Grins. We missed you, but since you were out with The Governor, ya'know, we forgive you.

That and you had to be up at 4 am, which is beyond the call of writerly duty in a big way. *wince*

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Virginia said: he can spend the day with the golden chicken I got in farmville today

I just have one word for this, Virginia.

Uh-oh!

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Morning (for us) Helen! It sounds like you had a lovely, but very hectic day with the grandkids and the wild Banditas. Grins.

You wrote: I got clothes and lots of chocolates for pressies so it will be a quiet night tonight reading and eating chocolate.

Oooh, settling in with a good book. See? What a wonderful thing that is. Grins. (Not that anyone HERE was disputing that...

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Morning Jane!! The cabana boys usually have this "health shake" thing he whips up for hangovers, but I've not seen hide nor hair of any of the guys this morning. Then again, the party went on till two a.m. and some of the guys had pulled KP duty so I'm sure they were up till dawn.

All I have to say is thank goodness we soundproofed their quarters. That level of snoring could scare the wildlife right out of the countryside.

Not that the dragon hasn't already taken care of that...

Gillian Layne said...

Morning, ladies. :)

Coke and McDonald French fries if you're truly miserable.

Iced coffee and eggs with onions and peppers if you're mostly Ok.

I went with the iced coffee today. Happy Mom's Day to all, because there are all sorts of ways to be a Mom.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Donna, see Helen's comment. That's all I'm going to say.

Oh, and on the up note, there was no charge for mint for all those mojitos - and believe me, the hockey Hunks made a LOT of mojitos! - because I let Zach raid my mint patch.

Wait....that didn't sound exactly kosher...

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Hey Deb!! I'm all over wanting to see Iron Man, but I know it's not for everyone. Grins.

How cool that your folks have a farm. I miss being able to go to my uncle's farm now that he's passed on. The land belongs to someone else now...then again probably a good thing. Much more productive that way!

Joan said...

The party's over? (nudges Demetrius who mumbles in Latin)

D, the party's over...time to get up and feed Cricket. Yes, you. I'm her Mom so I get to lounge around.

Ok, so that's in my dreams. I did get to eat my McDonald's Big Breakfast ALONE getting relatively adept at kitten distraction.

Happy MOther's Day to everyone! (Looks up to heaven) and to my Mom!

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Hey Christie! Since the noise level in the Lair alone yesterday could have produced the headache, I'm glad that cat was there to mitigate the major effects. Cats do that, you know. I think it's the vibration from the purrrrrrr.

Grins. glad there was breakfast out for you. IHOP rules. Slurrrrp! I got custom coffee cake, scrambles eggs, juice and a "gosh Mom, sorry we didn't get coffee but we gotta go to the game!"

They just ran out the door to baseball. Grins. Ahhhhhh....quiet!

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...
mojitos! - because I let Zach raid my mint patch.

Wait....that didn't sound exactly kosher...


Uhhhhh, what happens in the lair stays in the lair

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

`Hey Kirstin! So sorry about the cough on your little one. I got the handmades too, which I treasure. My eldest got down on one knee, Knight-style, and presented me with a poem about being a mom.

*sniffle. HONK!* Good thing there's still some of those industrial sized boxes of Puffs around here. Thanks again for those, AC. (Yes, I know that AC won't read this for at least another...five hours? grins. Gotta say it, though.)

Anyway, sounds like your Mother's Day is going to be perfect for you. I'd skip the worry part, but to each her own. Grins.

Did you get other pressies?

Nancy said...

Virginia, congrats on the rooster!

Uh, you want to be sure he doesn't have _too_ good a time with that chicken, y'know?

Happy Mothers Day!

Nancy said...

Donna, if you see Sven's feet sticking out from under the banquet table, please poke him. The hockey hunks pitched in bigtime last night, but we still have a major mess to clean up.

And SOMEone let the dragon get her snout into a pitcher of something alcoholic--reminded me of the Kickapoo Joy Juice from the old L'il Abner comic strip. We're lucky we don't have holes in the walls, just charred spots. :-/

Oh, and that invoice--I think it's the rooster's fault.

Nancy said...

Donna, are you having Fuzzy Navel cake, or is someone else doing all the cooking today?

Happy Mothers Day.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

This: The cabana boys usually have this "health shake" thing he whips up for hangovers,

Should have been ONE of the cabana boys...

Sheesh. Anyway, this guy, Paolo, has been reading too much JD Robb with all the health shakes and protein shakes, but if you can find him later that hangover shake he makes IS superb.

It'll fix you right up. Which reminds me, Donna? The Bo'sun from the Revenge has been trying to steal Paolo. We need to speak to Hellion about that...

Nancy said...

Helen, sounds as though you had a great day! Which means you weathered last night's blowout better than many of us.

Happy Mother's Day!

Nancy said...

Jane, I've heard Bloody Marys were good for that. We were glad to have you join us yesterday, and it's too bad you're having after-effects.

At least the dragon has taken her surliness into her cave to sulk alone and isn't out here charring the walls further.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Coke and fries? Really Gillian? *makes notes* Hmmmm. I've not tried that remedy. I've done the eggs and coffee thing, but not salt and sugar. Grins.

You said: Happy Mom's Day to all, because there are all sorts of ways to be a Mom.

Amen and well, well said.

Nancy said...

Hi, Deb--I'll report back about Iron Man later in the day. We're going early this afternoon, I think.

Among the other books I've recently read was Strong Enough to Die by Jon Land. KJ turned me onto him, and I've read several of his thrillers. This one is about a female Texas Ranger and has lots of action.

Nancy said...

PS to Deb - And Happy Mothers Day! I'm glad your folks live so close.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Morning Joanie T! That Cricket is pretty adept, isn't he? grins. Hope you got to finish your Big Breakfast in peace. Doesn't McD's make a great breakfast?

IHOP still rules, but...yep, McD's ain't bad.

You said: Happy Mother's Day to everyone! (Looks up to heaven) and to my Mom!

I was doing a little "looking up" earlier and doing the same thing. I'm pretty sure they are all beaming up there. We turned out so well, you see. How could they not be?

grins.

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

Happy Mother's Day to you all. I didn't get breakfast in bed but that is because BF didn't want to wake me and son is still out cold. LOL

Today I am going to fix my own dinner, my choice. I have been offered a day out and said no thank you it is going to be crazy out there and I don't wanna do crazy today.


I am reading Lover Mine by J.R. Ward, been waiting on that story for a while now.

Haven't seen Iron Man 2, my son saw it yesterday and loved it. BF and I watched Avatar last night, I did enjoy that.

I was late to the party last night but caught up quick, decided it was time to leave when the dragon started eyeballing me like I was dinner. I think I may have stumbled on her tail or something equally rude in HER estimation.(accidental I swear). My cure for the hangover, uh, well, I never have one, don't ask me why, I think it has something to do with having low blood sugar. Never had one so I know of no cures.

Not a writer so like Helen if I want to know something just out of curiosity, Google here I come.

Nancy said...

Christie, Happy Mothers Day! I like iHop. When I was in college, we used to go there for middle-of-the-night snacks sometimes. You know you've been to a restaurant too many times when the waitress knows your order before you sit down.

What book did you just finish?

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Dianna said: Uhhhhh, what happens in the lair stays in the lair

Thank goodness it DOES.

Grins.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Morning Nancy!

You wrote: We're lucky we don't have holes in the walls, just charred spots. :-/
Oh, and that invoice--I think it's the rooster's fault.


DEFINATELY the Rooster's fault. Always. Seriously.

As to the char...at least it'll was off the stone, but we may have to have the carpenter in to check that roof beam.

*looks towards the dragon's parapet* Bad Dragon. No mojitos for you, two weeks! *Ducks, in case Ermingarde is awake*

Nothing? Whew, she's still sleeping it off, I guess.

Hey Donna, how about the carpenter, should I call him? (Hoping to distract Donna from the invoices with the prospect of another payable...)

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Dianna said: I think it has something to do with having low blood sugar. Never had one so I know of no cures.

Hmmmm. Well first let me say "Lucky you!"

Second, I'm going to shoot you a dragon-like glare and be resentful.

Then I'm going to sigh and get over it and reassure you that the dragon has a short memory for the stumbles. I think she was just edgy because there were so MANY people around yesterday. We warned her but her definition of "many" and ours...well, somewhat different. Grins.

Nancy said...

Kirsten, welcome back! You have a busy day today. I hope it's a fun one.

Happy Mother's Day!

Nancy said...

Jeanne wrote: Its the quiet ones, like Nancy, that you have to watch out for...

I have nothing to say about this. Nothing. I'm just sittin' back, watchin' and whistlin'.

Happy Mother's Day, Duchesse!

Nancy said...

Jeanne, I haven't seen any of the CBs this morning, either, except for Sven's feet still sticking out from under the table.

I don't _think_ he's dead, but he isn't making any noise. One of the nurses or someone else less squeamish than I am will need to check. I'm prefer my blood and death fictional.

If Paolo is making those shakes, though, I want one.

Nancy said...

G'morning, Gillian. Those are interesting cures. I hope the iced coffee worked for you. I went with coffee, turkey bacon, and toast with lemon curd in bed (supervised by the dog). Seemed to work okay.

I once spent an evening with my cousin and his wife while they wallpapered their kitchen. We were drinking wine at the time. Just for the record, I did no wallpapering--matching plaid is not my thing, even BEFORE I have wine.

Afterward, his wife and I went to this little local drive-in for cheeseburgers and fries. She assured me those cheeseburgers would kill any hangover. Maybe it was the placebo effect, or maybe we really didn't drink that much apiece, but she was right.

Unfortunately, the drive-in is 90 minutes away.

Happy Mother's Day!

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Nancy said: I have nothing to say about this. Nothing. I'm just sittin' back, watchin' and whistlin'.

Yep. That's why we should all be afraid...very afraid....Grins.

Louisa Cornell said...

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mamas in the Lair no matter how many legs your kiddies have!

Congrats on the GR Virginia. Good luck keeping him on a leash down on the farm!

Fabulous party last night! Has anyone seen Sven this morning? Anyone? Hello? Bueller?

Kirsten, I hope your little one is feeling better as soon as possible. You are definitely spending your Mother's Day doing the Mother thing to the max!

Woke up this morning to doggy kisses so I guess that was Happy Mother's Day from my kids, or maybe they just had to to outside!

I'll be spending the day writing as my CP gets home from her vacation tonight and will expect pages!!! She's SCARY when she doesn't get pages.

I had leftover barbecue salad for breakfast. Don't know if it works as a cure for a hangover, but I'm ready to face the day!

I had a basket of violets delivered to Mom yesterday. Had them delivered to the restaurant where she and all of her little old lady friends gather. Scored BIG points as she was chuffed AND her friends were impressed. Deliberate on my part? Maybe!

Nancy said...

Happy Mother's Day, JT! I hope you and Cricket have a fun one.

Demetrius has gone back to bed. But he scribbled "hic iacet" on the edge of the morning paper. Interesting, this reversion to Latin when he's hung over or tired--but "here lies?" I wonder what the rest of it was intended to be. Or do I want to know?

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

You were wise to lay off the wine when wallpapering, Nancy. I've had to re-do rooms. Not pretty on the eyes OR the wallet...

Grins.

Nancy said...

Dianna, what happens in the Lair definitely stays here! I don't do crazy either. Love New York City but have limited tolerance for Times Square--too crowded!

Happy Mother's Day!

jo robertson said...

Great post, Nancy and Jeanne!

And another happy capture of the chook for you, Virginia! See that he treats you royally.

I'm waiting for Dr. Big to make his special French toast for me. He has a secret recipe which he refuses to share, but I'm sure the basic ingredient is butter!

Yummy! Unfortunately, it may help me "find" the ten pounds I recently "lost"!

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Louisa said: I had leftover barbecue salad for breakfast. Don't know if it works as a cure for a hangover, but I'm ready to face the day!

Hey, works for me. I adore barbeque.

And on the violets? GOOD JOB! ^5

Nancy said...

Jeanne, they're trying to hire away Paolo? Nuh-uh! We're shorthanded as it is, especially since the cabana girls are, er, unreliable.

You know, when the dragon's in the right move, we have an air force. Paolo stays!

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Nancy wrote: this reversion to Latin when he's hung over or tired--but "here lies?" I wonder what the rest of it was intended to be. Or do I want to know?

I wonder if that meant Sven? I see someone covered him with a blanket - Demetrius wouldn't have done that, must have been Helen! - but the paper was over by the door, right?

No. I don't think we want to know.

jo robertson said...

And I wanted to say a great big happy mother's day to GRANDMOTHERS too!

We have the best of all worlds when the little angels turn into demons, we send them home!

catslady said...

I have a remedy - antihisimine - really it settles the stomach and then you can take aspirin.

Not sure what I'm doing for Mother's Day yet. My newly married daughter wanted to make me dinner but my husband wants to stay home (men) although he will do take-out because no way am I cooking lol. Or he may surprise me and take us all out which will cost him lots but serve him right roflmao.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Nancy wrote: You know, when the dragon's in the right move, we have an air force. Paolo stays!

Hey, I'm right there with you, Sister! grins. They ain't got nuthin' on that dragon. Sails burn really well. *veg*

Oh, I checked on Paolo. He's sleeping it off with the rest of them. Martin said they'd be up to finish with the clean-up as soon as they'd moderately recovered.

We'll get those health shakes started as soon as Paolo rousts out of bed. Like Dianna's son, he's still out cold.

Nancy said...

Louisa, Happy Mother's Day! I love the idea of violets as a gift. We had them all over our yard when I was growing up, but this yard doesn't have them.

I didn't get doggie kisses. I got a demand for turkey bacon. *sigh*

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Mornin' Jo! Happy Mother's Day!

You wrote:We have the best of all worlds when the little angels turn into demons, we send them home!

Yep. Perfect job, isn't it? Grins. I know Helen agrees! Thankfully, it'll be a while before I know about this - hey, my sons are young! - but I've heard tell.

My boys will be calling their grandmama when baseball's done, to wish her a happy Mothers/Grandmother's day!

Nancy said...

Okay, that should've been "when the dragon's in the right MOOD," not "move." *sigh* I did preview that before I published, obviously just not well, though.

Glad to know Paolo is still here and Sven is apparently not dead. Maybe Demetrius was trying to be funny with the newspaper thing.

The Romans had an odd notion of "entertainment."

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Nancy, my smart hubby made sure my breakfast came without drool...he shut the dogs in the laundry room! hahah!

Nancy said...

Jo, French toast sounds fabulous! A friend in Atlanta once took me to a downtown restaurant that served amazing French toast. On his recommendation, I had it for dinner, and it really was great.

Happy Mother's Day!

Nancy said...

Jeanne wrote: Nancy, my smart hubby made sure my breakfast came without drool...he shut the dogs in the laundry room! hahah!

A wise man, obviously. It's not the drool that gets me, though, so much as that LOOK, that combination of demanding and hurt--"you're having that, so why am I not?"--that's so hard to take. Because she's a yellow lab and our bed sits comparatively low, her chin clears the mattress by a couple of inches--perfect for sticking her head over the bed or mournfully resting it on the spread.

She just feels so entitled. Which is, of course, in no way our fault.

After all, the boy isn't that way!

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Good gracious! Just looked back at yesterday's blog. 348 comments.

Wow. I'm in awe. Just...WOW.

Kandy Shepherd and Pat Cochran's comments there at the last...sniffle.

*HONK!* I think we're reaching the end of the industrial box of tissue.

C'mon someone, talk about a research book or tell a joke or something...I'm all choked up again.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Heeeheeehee! Thanks Nancy, I needed that.

You wrote: her chin clears the mattress by a couple of inches--perfect for sticking her head over the bed or mournfully resting it on the spread.

She just feels so entitled. Which is, of course, in no way our fault.

After all, the boy isn't that way!


I'm sorry, but this struck me SO funny. snork.

Glad the boy isn't begging for bacon, or anything else. Snork.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

nancy, there's only one breed which can do "mournful entitlement" better than Labs - Basset Hounds. This is only because they've got a lock on the "mournful" part.

Grins.

Joan said...

Nothing? Whew, she's still sleeping it off, I guess.


Did you look behind you Jeanne?

You know I saw Cricket teaching Emergarde stalk techniques in the middle of the festivties last night.

She's very good at them as she just stalked up on me as I was walking across the floor and I stepped on her little paw!!!!

Made me feel awful. I breathed a sigh of relief when she eventually scampered out from the couch and started to play.

Nancy said...

Jeanne, meant to tell you I loved Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion. I'm glad to know she continued that saga.

Last year, I stumbled across Moon's Kylara Vatta series (space opera-ish military SF with political intrigue) and got sucked right in. The first one is Trading in Danger.

I also like her Herris Serrano series.

Moon is ex-military, which is probably why the books have that edgy feel to them.

Nancy said...

Joan wrote: You know I saw Cricket teaching Emergarde stalk techniques in the middle of the festivties last night.

Oh, great. That's all we need, a cat-dragon alliance. At least with the belching, we usually know when the dragon's around. If she starts sneaking, we're in trouble!

I'm glad Cricket's paw is okay. The little beasties are pretty resilient.

Nancy said...

LOL! Jeanne wrote: I'm sorry, but this struck me SO funny. snork.

Glad the boy isn't begging for bacon, or anything else. Snork.

Ooops. Shoulda watched my phrasing! *g*

No, the boy doesn't beg. He negotiates. For example--"If you're going to Atlanta to the romance writer thing, what would I need to do to ride along?" (his GF lives in the Atlanta area)

Nancy said...

Jeanne, I once wanted a basset hound. I love that bark of theirs. Then I found out they're prone to exercise that bark a lot, and I lived in an apartment at the time.

I gave up on getting a dog until I had a house.

Nancy said...

At our house, we make homemade cards for Mother's Day and all other occasions. It's a tradition the dh started. Today's cards, which my guys created without consultation, feature Iron Man on the fronts, and the boy's says "Happy Mother's Day to Iron Mom."

I love it!

But maybe you need to be a Boom Girl to tear up at that. :-)

Nancy said...

Jeanne, I went back and read the last comments from yesterday, too. Cassondra and Anna C. tended the hearth after the rest of us were abed. So many of yesterday's comments choked me up, and those last ones did, too.

Really, I can't express how wonderful it is that people so like what we do. I'm so grateful.

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

Dianna peeking in the door and keeping an eye on the parapet. Are you sure she will forgive me for whatever it was I did. I was under the influence at the time.

Thank you Jeanne, my girlfriend gets very mad at me because she will call and I say I'm fine, she isn't. Not my fault.

I have my pork roast roasting for my MD dinner. I did IHOP yesterday, mmmmm country fried steak and eggs. BF just raided the fridge and finished off my steak, I can't eat a whole one but I keep trying.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Nancy wrote: I once wanted a basset hound. I love that bark of theirs. Then I found out they're prone to exercise that bark a lot, and I lived in an apartment at the time.

Snork. Yep, your neighbors thank you for not having that Baaaaaroooooooo! Baraaaaaarrrrooooo! bark-howl going at all hours of the day and night.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Nancy wrote: features Iron Man on the front, and the boy's says "Happy Mother's Day to Iron Mom."
I love it!
But maybe you need to be a Boom Girl to tear up at that. :-)


Awwww! Sniffle. Well, this Boom Girl is tearing up. How sweet!

BTW, I love the Herris Serrano series too, by Eliz Moon. Really superb.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Dianna, the dragon's pretty forgiving all in all. And hey, she was under the influence too, so I doubt she'll remember. (I hope!)

Had to LOL about the BF eating the leftover steak. Nothing better than cold (or reheated) steak. I like it with eggs. Grins.

Cassondra said...

Woot Virginia!

Can't believe you're up still, considering that party..oh, wait. Looks like it was still going on when you nabbed the rooster.

Hmmm....you're a tougher chick than I am, that's for certain. About 1:30 I was down for the count.

Nancy said...

Dianna, as Jeanne says, the dragon was under the influence, too. We have the char marks to prove it.

At least your leftovers got eaten. Ours tend to hang around until they grow green stuff. :-/

Nancy said...

Jeanne wrote: BTW, I love the Herris Serrano series too, by Eliz Moon. Really superb.

Yep. I love stumbling across an author with a big backlist. I'd forgotten about Moon after Paksenarrion ended, and then I happened to notice her in the bookstore.

Glad you like the boy's card. I love it.

Nancy said...

Cassondra, you outlasted me last night. I think Anna C. took advantage of the time zone difference to break her partying. Quite a day yesterday.

Nancy said...

We're off to Iron Man in a few minutes. I'll be back later this afternoon with a report, carefully omitting any spoilers.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Can't wait for the report, Nancy!

p226 said...

Hangover remedy.

Find the corpsman. Have him hook you up to an IV for about fifteen minutes. Nearly instant hangover cure.

If you can't find a corpsman, there's another option. Pound water. And by pound it, I mean, drink it even though you hate the taste of it. Do this for about two hours. So much water you feel like you want to hurl. Wait an hour. Then go run three miles.

That run will feel like death. But afterwards, you'll feel pretty good.

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

P226, uhhhhh, I think the cure would kill me, old fat ladies can't do that, trust me, we can't.

Louisa Cornell said...

Good Lord, P226, nobody can do that. Camels, maybe. And Marines of course. Not saying that Marines are like camels, but...

As the proud owner of a basset hound I can say that yes, they do mournful better than any creature on earth and they do sad Hound of the Baskervilles howling at decibels capable of breaking the sound barrier better than a fog horn on the coast of Maine. And as my boy, Boudreaux, was rescued from New Orleans he definitely has a bluesy tone to his howl!

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

AHEM!!!

Aunty has braved the Cabana boys' quarters and issued an EDICT! There WILL be cleaning crews within the hour.

UGH! I'd like to thank EVERYONE for the wonderful party yesterday, but since we are running dangerously low in tissues, I can't get started down that path...

SO, hangover cures? My ex's Uncle Rudy SWORE menudo was a sure cure, and trust me, Uncle Rudy was VERY FAMILIAR with hangovers. :-P

AC
who prefers to simply stay in a dark, quiet room sipping club soda

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Duchesse, you will note I answered in just a little over THREE hours! All the snoring woke me up early. :-P

I had my Mom's day celebration yesterday and my son did a GREAT JOB! Lunch and a lovely framed photo of my grandfather and grandpa's older brother. Oh and roses picked from the yard.

As for breakfast in bed, NOT my fave. Probably because the only time I ever eat in bed is when I'm in hospital! Ummm, NO THANK YOU!

AC

Caren Crane said...

Virginia, I hope the GR is gentle with you today. And quiet! (That seems unlikely...)

Happy Mother's Day to those who are mothers and those who mother children you didn't birth yourself. It really does take a lot of mothering from a LOT of women to raise a sane child. In my teen years, my best friend Nancy's mother, Rita, was another mother to me. My mother's friend Dixie did her share of mothering, as well. So thanks to all of you who do the mothering thing!

There is never breakast in bed for me. That is not something I enjoy, truthfully. I like to be the first one up and I like to drink coffee in peace before others start roaming the house. I also like to be up for a couple of hours before I eat. It's a lovely gesture, though, if one appreciates such things. Enjoy if you love it!

I am barely suffering with The Headache today because I took my hangover cure before bed: two regular aspirin and LOTS of water. Acetiminophen and ibuprofen do NOT WORK: only real aspirin cures a hangover and ONLY if taken before you go to sleep.

If you're already suffering, I'll pray for you! *g* Oh, I did go to church this morning and enjoyed a lovely salute to mothers and also a nice round of Happy Birthday from my Sunday school class (since my dh ratted me out). My birthday isn't until Thursday - they are trying to age me!!

Oh, and I forgot I have to renew my driver's license before Thursday...

Donna MacMeans said...

(grumbles while adjusting her green eye shade) I'm thinking that what happens in the lair remains in the checkbook.

But looks like we'll be okay. The carpenter had such a good time at the party, he's giving us a massive discount - I think it had something to do with the cabana gals.

Lord Nicholas has offered to use his artistic skill to paint over the charred plaster - he wants to know if anyone is willing to model for the piece.

The chandelier repair was still under warranty from the last party so I think we can work something out.

I think we'll be back to normal before the next launch party. Whew! Good thing the lair has thick walls of stone. I don't think an ordinary house could take this abuse...well maybe a castle.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

P226 wrote: That run will feel like death. But afterwards, you'll feel pretty good.

Okay, either the pounding down of water or this WOULD make me hurl, so...might as well just hurl and get it over with.

I like the corpsman idea better! Grins. No hurling.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Louisa said: And as my boy, Boudreaux, was rescued from New Orleans he definitely has a bluesy tone to his howl!

Awww. You pet ol' Boudreaux for me. I loves me some Basset hounds. Just can't live with them. Grins. I had a friend who had FIVE of them. King sized bed. The dogs took turns pushing the people out of the bed. Snork.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Hey AC! Oooh, sorry 'bout the snoring. Good job on the Edict though. They really didn't do more than a 'lick and a promise' on KP last night. Grins.

You said: UGH! I'd like to thank EVERYONE for the wonderful party yesterday, but since we are running dangerously low in tissues, I can't get started down that path...

No, no, do NOT go there. The industrial sized boxes are indeed running low. Don't go back and read the last few comments after 1:30 a.m. or you'll need to open a new box alltogether.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Oh, and AC? I had to LOL about the breakfast in bed in the hospital thing. I'm lucky enough not to have had too many hospital stays, so it doesn't have that association. I do admit that I DON'T like the crumbs though. Grins.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

An advance Happy Birthday Posh T! you wrote: Oh, and I forgot I have to renew my driver's license before Thursday...

Ohhh, yeah. Got caught with an expired one - hey, it's tough to get that done! - and they wouldn't let me on the plane. Thankfully I had a federal i.d. with me so I was okay, but....gggrrrrrr! I'd forgotten...

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Donna said: I think we'll be back to normal before the next launch party. Whew! Good thing the lair has thick walls of stone. I don't think an ordinary house could take this abuse...well maybe a castle.

Thank goodness for those extended chandelier warranties!

Tell Sir Nicholas I'm NOT his girl for the modeling. YOU, however, Ms. Pink Corset, should do it!

Thankfully, the launch parties aren't nearly as rowdy as last night. That was just...epic.

Grins.

limecello said...

Happy Mothers Day! :D

Heh - too much to think about! So I'll just stop by with a cop out answer. But hangover remedy? Wouldn't know - never have been hungover. How? Hydrate while drinking :)

Anna Campbell said...

Hey, Virginia, the chook's there to wish you a happy Mother's Day!

And while I think of it, Happy Mothers' Day to all Bandits and Bandits.

This particular bandit has a mother of a hangover. Oh, why, why, WHY did you make me drink all those margaritas yesterday?

Thanks again to everyone who swung by to celebrate our birthday. I hope my liver has recovered enough to enjoy next year's celebrations!

Jeanne and Nancy, it was such run reading your post. It was like actually being in the room with you and listening to you spark off one another. I LOVE hanging out with my Banditas on the blog, but it's even better in the flesh (no, Sven, I'm not talking naughty bits, for once in my life!).

The Georgette Heyer book, by the way, is great. An Aussie lady wrote it and I've just heard she's got a contract for her mega huge bio of Georgette Heyer. Won't that be great to read?

Nancy said...

Hey, y'all--We're just back from Iron man 2, which is rockin' awesome! It was totally engaging. I never dropped out of it long enough to wonder how much longer it would run--always a bad sign when that happens in a movie.

Robert Downey, Jr., and the returning cast were great. Samuel L. Jackson's role as Nick Fury has been expanded to great effect.

Scarlett Johansson earns her superhero stripes as my favorite Marvel Universe character, The Black Widow. I could've done with less fast-motion camera work during her action sequence, but she did justice to Natasha.

There's something at the end of the credits, the very end, but it has nothing to do with Iron Man, more like a look ahead in the Marvel film universe. The boy and I recognized it. The dh required translation.

And lots of stuff blew up. :-)

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Anna c said: The Georgette Heyer book, by the way, is great. An Aussie lady wrote it and I've just heard she's got a contract for her mega huge bio of Georgette Heyer. Won't that be great to read?

How totally cool! That will be a great read.

Anna, had to LOL about Nancy and I sparking off one another. It is fun, isn't it? Nancy knows the most intersting stuff...

And since its Bandits and Bandits, (bad law firm?) and "having run" instead of fun in your post, I think you DID have too many margaritas yesterday. SNORK!!!

But they sure were good, weren't they?

Nancy said...

p226, I think I'd rather be hung over than do that water and run thing.

My dad was a Navy corpsman before I was born. I don't think he saved any supplies, though.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Nancy wrote:And lots of stuff blew up. :-)


Happy Sigh. Oh, GOODY!!! Can't wait to see this. Grins.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Nancy said: My dad was a Navy corpsman before I was born. I don't think he saved any supplies, though.

Hey Navy! My Dad was an Army corpsman. How cool is that. It's another Evil Triplet thing. Grins.

Nancy said...

Dianna, I couldn't do the three-mile run thing even when I was taking karate. Bad knees.

Nancy said...

Louisa, you have ratified my long-ago decision not to bring a bassett to live in an apartment. I do love that bark, though. And that face.

Nancy said...

Cindy, thank you for rousting the cabana boys. Someone seems to have hauled Sven out from under the table. He looks a little surly, though.

Never thought about the eating in bed-hospital connection. That would take some of the glow off it, for sure.

Nancy said...

Caren, good luck with the drivers license renewal. I had to do mine recently. They made me take off my glasses (without which, I'm incredibly blind) for the photo because they glinted.

Nancy said...

Catslady, I hope you had a great Mother's Day!

Nancy said...

Donna said: (grumbles while adjusting her green eye shade) I'm thinking that what happens in the lair remains in the checkbook.

Er, yeah. Good thing you have a line on an artist who can fix the walls for us. Can't speak for anyone else, but I'm not posing.

Thanks for the status update. I wonder, if we jacked the chandeliers up a little higher, would longer life expectancy make up for the decrease in illumination?

Nancy said...

Hi, Limecello--Happy Mother's Day to you, too.

What works best for me is staying up until I sober up. Going to sleep buzzed has never been a good idea.

Drinking water doesn't hurt, either. Also having food of some kind. Protein, not carbs or sugar.

Anna Campbell said...

Oh, man, my cirrhosis is showing! ;-) I'm sure you know what I mean. Hic!

Actually I've been laughing at the basset hound stuff. Reminds me when I had the world's most stressful job (and it meant night work!) and I was housesitting for some people who had a bloodhound in the house next door. That dog used to howl ALL day. I bet people three suburbs away couldn't sleep, let alone me. He was fine when his owners were home after normal business hours but he was obviously completely bereft when they were away. That dog made more noise than a jet taking off, no kidding!

Cybercliper said...

Happy Mother's Day all!!! Ok, hangover remedy - menudo - we Texans swear by it! And if you can't do menudo then try a big glass of water and two aspirin before passing out - timing is crucial to this one :-D

Nancy said...

Anna C. wrote: Jeanne and Nancy, it was such run reading your post. It was like actually being in the room with you and listening to you spark off one another.

Thank you, Anna! Your comment made me think of that afternoon in the bar at DC last summer, right before the conference started, when the three of us had a drink together.

Jeanne, I'm glad you think I know "interesting stuff." I just think I have a head full of trivia. :-)

Nancy said...

Jeanne, an Army corpsman, huh? We used to watch the Army-Navy game with my uncle's family every year. My parents had been in the Navy, and he'd been in the Army.

Did your dad retain his Army loyalties?

Helen said...

Donna

I remember posing for Lord Nicholas at some stage a while ago and of course am happy to do so again although I have aged a bit since then and the hair is greyer LOL.

So glad the carpenter is giving us a discount and that the chandeleir is under warrenty see I knew a great accountant could work things out.

Have Fun
Helen

Nancy said...

Anna, we used to have neighbors who had boxers outside, and those dogs barked and barked and barked at night. Their owners were oblivious, but I've never been able to sleep through a barking dog--signals trouble to me.

I sympathize with your client's neighbors.

Helen said...

P226

I am with Dianna on your hangover remedy there is no way I could do that I might be able to drink the water but that would be all LOL

Have Fun
Helen

Nancy said...

Cybercliper, Happy Mother's Day to you, too. Thanks for the remedy. I'm not familiar with menudo.

I think the cabana boys might be, though.

Nancy said...

Helen, you posed for Lord Nicholas? Way cool!

Yeah, it's good we have Donna to work out these deals for us.

Nancy said...

Anna C. wrote: The Georgette Heyer book, by the way, is great. An Aussie lady wrote it and I've just heard she's got a contract for her mega huge bio of Georgette Heyer. Won't that be great to read?

That sounds wonderful! I just got the reissue of the Jane Aiken Hodge biography of Heyer, which was quite good. Wouldn't mind a meatier one.

Anna Campbell said...

Actually, Nancy, I was telling Annie West about that afternoon when she was up - still love the way you talk about the Plantagenets as though they were these really interesting people who live next door to you (in the BIG house, snork!).

I've read the JAH bio and thoroughly enjoyed it but this one sounds like it's going to be much more in depth. The Heyer family gave Jennifer access to a lot of papers that JAH didn't see. Can't wait! It amazed me when I read the GH bio that she was half-Russian! I think often outsiders see societies so much more clearly than people who are born into them.

Kim in Baltimore said...

Very fun way to spend Mother's Day, even with hangovers.

And perhaps we should bring those hangover remedies to RWA in Orlando .... a few Tim Tams wouldn't hurt, either!

Christine Wells said...

Fab post, you two! I love eavesdropping on your conversations. It's like... hmm, nothing else, really. Absolutely unique!

Happy Mother's Day to all!

Spicy tomato juice with a dash of Worcestershire sauce is my hangover cure, plus a couple of headache pills! Actually, the best method is to drink lots of water before you go to bed. Often that stops the hangover before it starts!

Research. I find lots of interesting comtemporary historical stuff on Google books. That's a great resource for diaries and other items that are out of print.

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Nancy said: "Thanks for the remedy. I'm not familiar with menudo."

Trust me, you do NOT want to be familiar with it! Menudo is a soup of tomatoes, hominy, hot sauce, and the parts of a cow that were never meant to be consumed. (I mean innards like intestines.) May I just say ICK!!!!

Much like P226's cure, I'd prefer to remain hung over, thankyouverymuch. :-P

Glad you enjoyed Ironman 2. I plan to take the DH to see it for our anniversary later this month. LURVED the first one so much, I honestly don't expect the second to surpass or even equal it. But hey, Robt. Downey, Sam Jackson, and lots of BOOM can't be all bad! ;-)

AC

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

Oh, almost forgot about the research question... I LOVE maps! I always go to AAA for maps before I start a new WIP. They have a great selection of other countries and I LOVE the driving time estimates they give between major cities.

AC

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Nancy wrote: Did your dad retain his Army loyalties?

He did indeed. Grins.

And a head full of trivia - which I seem to also posses in weird and significant quantities - is fascinating.

It's why we get along so well.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Helen! You rascal! Posing for Lord Nicholas, eh? Tsk, tsk. The things we learn...

And serious sucking up on the accountant thing. Way to go.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Anna wrote: still love the way you talk about the Plantagenets as though they were these really interesting people who live next door to you (in the BIG house, snork!).

I know, isn't that fun, Anna? Of course I can't make fun of this since, doing genealogy, I talk about people born in 1796 as if they were still amongst us...

Nancy and Anna, I'm with you on the *wince* over barking dogs. It signals trouble to me too, so I'm always quickquickquick to bring my dogs in if they're barking.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Christine wrote: Fab post, you two! I love eavesdropping on your conversations. It's like... hmm, nothing else, really. Absolutely unique!

Eavesdropping, eh? Grins. Hey, if we were in person, there would be ten times as many topics, fewer pictures, and a greater rate of speed. Hahahah! When Nancy and I get on a roll about this sort of thing it can go on for days.

I like your hangover remedy, Christine! And Google books? What is Google books?

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

AC wrote:Menudo is a soup of tomatoes, hominy, hot sauce, and the parts of a cow that were never meant to be consumed. (I mean innards like intestines.) May I just say ICK!!!!

EEEEUUUUWWWW! That would cure a hangover before you even drank/ate it. "No, no, really, I'm fine. My head feels fine. Thanks, I'll skip the sh**soup...I mean menudo."

Nassssssty!

Fedora said...

LOL! Happy Mother's Day, everyone! We probably have all of the DK Star Wars visual dictionaries, including the ones with the cross-sections :) They are lovely, and in our house, much loved.

Thanks for a fabulous party yesterday, everyone! Enjoy the day of recovery ;)

Suzanne Ferrell said...

Good morning....YES it's MY morning, and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all and gentle hugs to all those whose mothers aren't here for you to hug.

The party yesterday was fabulous, I just wish I could've participated more. But we did have two mother's day babies, so it was a good day.

For research I tend to google everything. You'd be surprised what you can get with google.

One thing that's been happening is I've become a research source. Nothing like opening your email and finding a question like "Where can my hero get shot and still survive, but need to be cared for by the heroine, yet still travel across country in a carriage and six horses?" Doesn't that sound like fun?

Nancy said...

Anna wrote: still love the way you talk about the Plantagenets as though they were these really interesting people who live next door to you (in the BIG house, snork!).

Why, thank you! I appreciate that very much.

But I live in the big house. The Plantagenets live in the house with crenellated garden wall and the moat.

That sounds like a wonderful biography of Heyer. After reading the JAH one, I googled Heyer's son, who died a couple of years ago. He had a knighthood, had been a QC, and was a judge as well as an internationally ranked bridge player. The obits were interesting.

Nancy said...

Hi, Kim--I'll try to remember to check for Tim Tams before I head to Orlando. Our Target had them at one time.

Nancy said...

AC, I agree--I do not want to be familiar with menudo. Just hearing about it is enough!

Iron Man 2 is, despite its boom, very much a character piece, which is what helps set it apart from the first one. But, as I said, lots of boom.

Nancy said...

Christine, glad you liked the post and the interplay between Jeanne and me. I feel that way when I watch Jeanne and Cassondra.

Your hangover cure sounds a lot like a Virgin Mary.

I've found some material on Google books. I like ABE books, but they changed the search engine a few years ago, and I'm not as well keyed into it, alas.

Nancy said...

Fedora, those DK Star Wars books really are fabulous. I have another DK book I love, which I bought just for me, A Street Through Time: A 12,000 Year Walk Through History. It takes the same piece of ground and shows what the buildings on it would look like in different eras--with all of the usual DK detail.

Nancy said...

Hey, Suz, congrats on the Mothers Day babies and Happy Mothers Day.

Of course you're a resource--remember MY email: "In what part of the body should I shoot my hero so he can talk to the heroine for a few minutes but then will need to be rushed to the hospital and have surgery?" You and JT and Cassondra and Steve all helped me with that one. :-)

When you get a chance, could you or JT check Sven's pulse? He's not lookin' so good, but I think it's just a hangover.

Suzanne Ferrell said...

Poor Sven...he is a bit green around the gills. I've put him back to bed with some Asprin and fluids, one large ice pack on his head.

Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy said...

I'm afraid we have a couple of Cabana boys and at least one Hockey Hunk in the same condition as Sven. I think it was over-exposure to 'dragon char' that laid them all out. Somehow, the gladiators are all fine. Demetrius muttered something about fish sauce. Honestly, I do NOT wanna know...

Hope everyone who celebrated had a WONDERFUL MOTHER'S DAY!

AC

gamistress66 said...

Hope everyone had a lovely Mother's Day :)

Nancy said...

Thanks for tending to Sven, Suz. I think he's feeling very ill-used today, but really it's his own fault. Nobody poured that stuff down his throat!

Nancy said...

AC, I share your desire not to know what Demetrius is talking about. Some things, I just do not need to learn.

Nancy said...

gamistress66, thank you! I hope you had a lovely Mother's Day, too.

Suzanne Ferrell said...

Not to worry Nancy, I put in an order for extra throwup bags to stock in the infirmary...given all the celebrations we have these days, virtual signings, book launches, general parties, dragon birthdays, etc...

Nancy said...

Suz, I did not know it was possible to stock "throwup bags." Always good to be prepared. Thanks for tending to it!

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

AC said: Somehow, the gladiators are all fine. Demetrius muttered something about fish sauce. Honestly, I do NOT wanna know...

Okay, I'll just bust out with another EEEUUUUUWWWW!

I too am in the "Do NOT want to know" category on this one.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Nancy wrote:Suz, I did not know it was possible to stock "throwup bags." Always good to be prepared. Thanks for tending to it!

Hmmm. I didn't either.

However, what does it say about us that we need this?

SNORK!!!

Nancy said...

Jeanne said: However, what does it say about us that we need [throwup bags]?

Let's put that in the "don't go there" category, too.

Joan said...

fish sauce. Honestly, I do NOT wanna know...

It's just this side of menundo....

Leftover fish parts put into a clay amphorae to ferment. I think it is the precurser for anchovie paste :-)

Nancy said...

JT said: It's just this side of menundo....

WHAT did I say about not wanting to know? *sigh* I'll just let you work that out with Demetrius and his crew.

Jeanne (AKA The Duchesse) said...

Okay, Joanie T.

EEEEUUUUWWW!

This is getting to be a chorus for me and I'm not really squeamish at ALL...

Christine Wells said...

Jeanne, if you go to google, look at the drop down menu at the top left hand corner and there should be an option for Google books. It might be under 'more'. They have thousands of out of print books there and you can search them. I tend to use it as a search engine and then try to get the book second hand from amazon.

Lady_Graeye said...

Happy Mother's Day Everyone! I don't have a remedy for hangovers but I could use one. What I really need is a remedy for post holiday hangover where everyone takes stabs at other family members behind their back. Ouch! It really hurts sometimes. I try to stay clear but it never fails, someone always tries to drag you in...
Maybe I need to run out and see Ironman 2. I really liked the first one. Have a great night everyone!

Nancy said...

Happy Mother's Day, Lady Gra_eye! Sorry the family party was so tense. Sometimes, alas, they just are. Go see Iron Man 2 and watch stuff blow up. Very cathartic!

hrdwrkdmom aka Dianna said...

http://hrdwrkdmom.com/iremember/mother.html

http://hrdwrkdmom.com/motherstuff/motherstuff.html