Thank you for inviting me to host this round of romping Wombats. It's a long weekend and it's been a long week for our contestants, as well as the group.
No talk of contests, pests or blockages... everything else is free game so to speak.
Welcome to Lake Cour'd Alene. This slice of heaven is not far from where I live. The Resort has graciously found us a block of rooms with breathtaking views of the lake. There is shopping, hiking, fishing, and nature until it is running out of your ears.
Up the street from the Resort is a little restaurant, it doesn't look like much, but WOW. Might I suggest the Alder smoked salmon.. most excellent, with one of the local wines.
Beaver and Moose abound so be careful out there. The Cows are very protective of their young. The big bulls shouldn't give you much trouble this time of year, but do keep your distance. Cougar and bear are in the higher elevations. Do stay alert at the huckleberry bushes, bears don't share happily.
We have moose patrolling the perimeter, beavers at the back water.. looks safe to me.
I've got hammocks slung between the ponderosa pines. There's always a cool breeze off the lake. Kick back and enjoy the final week of summer wombats.
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Comments: 410
Vivian it was truely the best three hour tour ever.
Judi the new notebook and you coming to an understanding?
Dale, when is the new baby coming home?
I'll be away for a bit. Enjoy yourselves.
Do we have otter around here? They're my favorite animal - ever since I read The True Story of Okee the Otter back in 6th grade. I bought it at the book fair and STILL HAVE IT!!! Which is a good thing b/c on half.com it's something like $27 dollars. My copy is worn, falling apart, but very much loved. To the point that I'm scared to let my child read it. Which would be why I was researching on half.com. I may have to cave and threaten loss of limb for any tears to the pages.
Do we have muffins? I could use a muffin. I'm baking that apple pie later. Just after I read this FC entry...
zzzzz...napping in the hammock....
There are muffins next to the coffee. Have never heard of river otters here, but who knows.
The cougars are staying up high because there's lots to eat up there. No worries, if you see one just make lots of noise and DON'T RUN.. we'll come help you in the noise making...it will go away.
I finished reading entries yesterday.. YIPPEE!! ahem, sorry I forgot myself for a moment. I'm taking a hammock for an hour or so.
I talked to the Capt, we can have an evening cruise around the lake.. it is sooo pretty out there at night.
Do pass on some must reads. Please, Wendy.
Off to read more entries and then maybe make some chocolate chip cookies.
**Have you all written something from the other sex's point of view- not just a scene or two, but an entire piece? If so how do you know when you get it right? The one I thinking is a male lead and I'm grappling with POV. Clues?
Oh, this one made me cry folks: Beyond the Shadow of Fear
Mom and baby are home. We're getting ready to visit Alissa Sara at home for the first time even as I type.
Have a great baby visit, Dale. That's the best part of being a grandparent (I guess), you don't have the 2am feedings. You just have the cuddle, kissy, play, go home part.
There is a difference between JB and impo-nuts, JB had connections, 13 year old connections, but still, connections.
Judi and Ken, if I'm not mistaken, Marty's comment went poof (or maybe I missed it). Ken, you now look like you were talking to the voices in your head. Go look, and delete as necessary.
OK, off to post what I wrote offline last night, and continue through my 'please read' requests. I've given up on getting through all entries. I'm like Jamie, I'm spending an hour on them, and that's too much.
Dale, a couple of baby gifts from the Wombats:
The Muddle Headed Wombat is Very Bad
Swim Little Wombat Swim (from Judi, of course)
Wombat Toy
You guys should have told me- I would have chipped in on the gifts. They're great though here is a little something I picked up Diary of a Wombat
Wombat Bling, what every girl needs :)
Thanks for the tips Jamie about the male POV- just seems a bit weird to try and put myself in a male form- I can't even imagine what the body does let alone feels like. I think wisdom may dictate a three person narration.
This whole contest experience is starting to leave an icky feeling- does it wash off?
Lacey took a Holiday
Nice read so far as I was concerned.
So to treat myself, I'm reading the Joy Luck Club. My son is reading it for school...he's thrilled (NOT!) giggle, I'm liking it though.
Grandchildren are God's way of thanking us for not eating our young. Tongue firmly in cheek. broad smile.
The cruise starts soon, grab a jacket the evenings have been cool around here.
Is it the smoozing when you don't mean it that gives the icky feeling, or being screwed by the overly competitive me me me club?
Vivian, I nearly choked on my burger when I read "three person narration." You could do that, but then Ellora's Cave or Samhain would be your target publisher!
OK, more reading. Still working my way through the wombat love list. Since that thread has gotten mucked up, I may revise and repost next week, with entries from new, bona fide wombats. Gotta support and encourage the noobs! ;)
Yes, Marty has disappeared. Wish I'd bookmarked him/her. wonder if it was the fact that I think I know who it is. The woods must be talking.
I'm still trying to get through the ones on my entry also. Jamie, the one you recommended was the one I was talking about in my email about the BQS. I really liked that one also.
If I said I liked it then I did. "If you don't got sumpin nice to say; don't say sumpin at all." Call me silly, it has served me well. Well, unless you've made me mad, then I can get catty.
Where are all of the men? They're going to miss the mansion Amway built on the tour.
The third person would be the author with numerous intrusions. And the POV shifts. I feel seasick sometimes.
I've found some good stuff in here though. I'm giving out entirely too many tens, more than I thought I would, but if the stuff's good, it gets a ten. I'm not petty or jealous. And I've gone to a method of if I ain't given it a 10, I give it nothing. I do leave comments though. Try to be nice comments. I'm bad at this stuff. If anyone finds a comment of mine that seems out of line, point me in its direction. I'll try to soften the blow even more. I'm using a stuffed pink hammer though folks. I don't know if I can get any softer.
Beth, thanks for the recommendation on Trust Me. Folks, if you haven't read it yet, do so. It meets every qualification as a real romance, and does so extremely well. It has a painfully low vote count, as the author doesn't know how to rock the vote. This one is worth whatever help we can provide.
Congratulations Ian- that is fantastic!
Cool!
I'm going through a lot of entries tonight. I'm actually checking comments to see if the contestant is out there reading and commenting before I read the entry. If they haven't commented on anybody else, I'm just making a note of it and going on to the next entry. If they are out there commenting, I go ahead and read, comment and rate.
Does that make any sense? Why should I spend time reading their stuff, when they aren't out there reading and commenting too? I'll get to the non-commenting contestants if I have time after I've read everybody else, and I'll give 10s there if I have any left out of the 25 I'm going to give out.
On the home front: I'm a little down because the ladies want to make this a ladies only night. So I'm doing First Chapters while they visit Alissa Sara. Part of the reason was that we needed someone here to make sure my aunt got her pills tonight. Oh well. I feel a little left-out, but I understand. I'm sure we'll be over again this weekend.
I grew up in North Dakota. If you sniff and your nose sticks shut; it's cold. It rarely gets that cold here. The weather in the San Francisco bay area suited me better, but there are way too many people. Much better population wise, here.
Congratulations Ian! Nothing like finishing to create a nice warm glow.
Smores anyone? We'll have to crowd around the grill. There's a burn ban in effect.
Wouldn't do to have the wombats known as the Gather group that torched Lake Cour'd Alene.
I haven't any idea how many 10s I handed out.. not too many I don't think. I didn't realise just what a picky reader I was until I started this journey.
Dale, here's a hug for you. Glad you are hanging out with us.
Dale I think that's horrible- shouldn't leave anyone out on an occasion like this- here have my first perfectly browned marshmallow. Sorry :(
Pat- we seem to be visiting the same entries tonight. LOL! I'm not stalking you, honest. These entrants have been making the rounds and contributing positively to the contest so they deserve to be noticed. In a good way.
And it's somehow worse for the editing! I'm going to comment on Stacy C.'s entry before the end of the contest, just as a reward for ballsy commenting.
Ian- Feel free to share whatever is on your mind. The contest is on most of our minds is all. Bound to be this way for another 2 weeks, at least. But that doesn't mean you have to get involved if you don't want to.
For example: has anyone tried using dark chocolate on their smores?
Chocolate is on the way.
What would you like to know Ian? I get where you are coming from. I had to invade my kid's space when they became teens to know what they cared about, why and what they thought. Otherwise everyone went to their corner of the house, it was sad.
Family dinners helped bridge the gap. They'd fallen to the wayside when I worked..when I came back home.. so did dinner at the table. The howling subsided after a few months.
Dinner conversation please. What was the best thing that happened to you today?
Jamie, you're obsessing. Back away from the refresh, ma'am.
I'd also advise Jamie to back away from refresh, but I can't. If I were a contestant, I'd be hitting refresh every few seconds. I know this from experience. My mouse finger had a blister in FC1.
That said- the nicest thing that happened to me today was after a chat with my daughter about why she was hanging at her friends house and not bringing them over- I got a trio today, camped on the sofa watching CSI recorded episodes. Yeah! I miss it when they don't hang here.
You all know way more about me than most people. Honestly, no one in my house knew I wrote one ms, have finished 1/4 of the next and a couple of short stories. I just told my daughter this evening while sucking down some fish tacos. She was shocked- you wrote a book? Yes, I am a closet writer.
Ian, I like the goofiness. It's a good outlet for me. I find people who share the same wacky imagination, and it's great. If you were all really here, I'd have the grill going for s'mores, coffee on the pot and blankets for everyone who forgot coats... it's who I am.
Oh, oh before I forget again. (this really does tickle me) I got a bite on my honest appraisal request. She sent it in an email. I think she was afraid I didn't 'really' want what I asked for. There were some really good pointers, and things to think on.
For those of you who haven't quite figured me out yet; I say what I mean, mean what I say and I try not to say it mean. I missed the hidden agenda day in life training, not good at it at all. Maybe that's why people have continually told me I've got brass balls. hmm
How's the fire for the s'mores holding up? Does anyone need anything?
Ian hate is a REALLY strong emotion, one that I haven't felt for anyone in over 20 years. Personally, being relatively new here, I don't feel I know you that well so it is hard for me to have an automatic repartee with you. Two introverts have a hard time together. Now Judi on the other hand is a wild extrovert and very easy to interact with, some things take time. It's not always easy or quick to find common ground, but we all have it.
Why is it people give you a look when you talk about writing? When I say anything about the process, it's as if I've sprouted a third head.
When you're ready to share your work you will. Don't rush it. We're here. BTW I saw that you were interested in Astrology I think?? A friend had someone do the whole charting thing, but I have no clue what any of it means- apparently the reader(?), whatever you call the person who creates the chart was very curious about me after they did it. Seemed very unusual to them.
So I welcome coming here. Where people are real, share my interests, laugh, and encourage me out of my shell.
Wendy, what is it about sitting around a fire at night that encourages confession? OK, pass me a marshmallow and shut me up.
Another marshmallow and two doses of chocolate. BTW whoever asked about the dark chocolate- never done it, but I see potential :)
Ooo. Now I've scared myself. More marshmallows please. In a confession of truly epic proportions, I'm no more a fan of chocolate than I am ice cream. Weird. I know. Do I have to give back my 'girl' membership card?
Be right back;)
BTW Pat, I was in Real Estate development- how about viewing a demo site in 3 inch heels with rats and refuse from gosh knows how many indigent people with the burly concrete lime burned construction guys? Yeah, being the only female is interesting. Can't dress like a man or you're a butch, oh, what you gonna do?
My planets are:
Sun: Libra, Society, Individuation
Mercury: Scorpio, Intensity, Satisfaction
Venus: Leo, Leadership, Revelation
Mars: Scorpio, Charm, Innocence
Jupiter: Virgo, Literalist, ?
Saturn: Virgo/Libra, Beauty, Passion
Uranus: Scorpio, Charm, Innocence
Neptune: Sagittarius, Originator, Liberation
Pluto: Libra, Theater, Discovery
Pat, it's nice knowing you. I think you could really end up writing something.