Off to VA in the morning.

Well, my trip is on. I found gas. We washed all the clothes.

I sent off Chapter 36 to Heather and chapter 35 to DebraAnne. I just finished Chapter 37 except for wordsmithing (replacing overused words and repetitive phrases). For all those that love Rawlings, Chapter 36 and 37 are your chapters and the action really begins to pick up after chapter 34, i think.

I will do my best to post the next chapter on Tuesday. I will not be able to respond to comments and for that I will be sorry. My mother is especially clinging this time and I do not wish to leave her to entertain herself. But I will try.

Only 13 chapters left for me to polish. Good gosh. It does not seem that long ago when I wrote the draft but it has been many months. lol I am feeling sad for the end is coming.

gayle

Where to find an open gas stations

Ok, we are having a gas crisis in Brevard and neighboring towns. Somehow Hurricane IKE (not Sarah) caused this shortage. Long gas lines, rationed amounts, tempers flaring, etc.

I remember when Carter was president and the gas lines from that era. There was a gas line that worked its way down the block and in front of my apartment. People sat for hours and we had a system of odd and evens. Odd numbered plates got gas on one day and Even numbered plates the next. People hate gas lines. At least this time it is because the oil refineries in Texas were causing the problems. Once the return to full capacity, then the supplies will be back up.

This morning I have to find gas for the trip my mom and I are taking. Wish me luck.

Speaking of my mom! I am tired. Damn tired. But my home is sparkling. One storage closed and my bedroom suite to go. Saving my room till the last week mom is here. She thinks it is her mission to put my house in order. Regardless of my teasing, I really do look forward to her being here and helping. She is a damn good house cleaner. One of the best. Her mother had been one too. Me, I take after my father. OUr job was to supply the houses. lol

Cleaning up is what I am doing with the rest of the story. I am cleaning up and polishing my chapters. Today I make the changes to Chapter 35 and begin work on 37. Chapter 36 has been sent to Heather. I have less than 15 chapters to work on and then I will probably take a long break to just read for a change. I find writing and reading other stories difficult. Reading more than 3 stories was difficult to begin with but my writing one and polishing the chapters takes away from my reading time and mental awareness. So if there are any authors out there reading this blog, forgive me for not be as faithful a reader as I wish.

off to make my changes to chapter 35 before heading out to the hunt down some good old gasoline.

gayle

cleaning closests and refrigerators

today we clean out a few closets, the refrigerator (a horrid mess) and then off for lunch with the girls and to see a play in Flat Rock, NC.

Wonderful comments this week and I will find time tonight to respond. I know some of the folks have a hard time with Blake being a good guy because they want only Darcy to be in the heart of Elizabeth. Well, Blake is a good guy and a nice one but you know what they say about nice guys... lol.

till later, off to put on those damn big rubber gloves.

gayle

What will my sons think

My story is being written for my sons. they are in their mid-30s and it is my wish that they actually read it. lol Perhaps that is why there is less romance and more about the games and the Falcon. I tried to create a story that would hold their interest even though I knew going in that many of the Austen fans would prefer a romance. I have my reason for writing to their minds and not my reader's hearts. I am like Charlotte - I am not a romantic. I cut to the chase when looking a situation. So, I have romance but the "chase" of this story is more about the world at that time through young men's eyes.

Will they too grow bored with the story? Will the long to turn the page? Will I confuse them with the sheer number of characters in the story. I know many readers have indicated they did not wish to be bothered with reading with so many new characters. Well, I understand but I wanted to use different men to convey different things. Blake is the charmer and Rawlings is the witty one. Kent is the, well, I will keep who Kent is close to my chest for now. His story is just unfolding.

I use the charmer and the witty one to present Meryton in a different light. Not from lizzy's eyes nor from Darcy's but from these new men. I like to delve into characters this way and in a sense we are looking at Darcy through these men. Darcy can be charming but not before the proposal rejection, he can also be witty but later. Most of Darcy's wit is internally spoken as it usually is with quiet men. Oh but that we can get inside their heads.

Today, read all about Blake. Now his backstory is not Darcy's and I don't want to mislead anyone. His backstory is well horrid. I hope it also reads realistic too.

well, off to make a pot of coffee, I hear my mom stirring downstairs.

gayle

A happy day

Most of my days are happy ones even though the future is not as sunny as it could be for me. I do suffer from COPD - a progressive lung disease. But I cannot stay gloomy for long. Just not in my nature, although one reader commented on my "dark bent" in my writing. Perhaps I release my dark side through the keyboard so I can be sunny and bright. But I can be snippy too. A bad habit of mine.

I will be finishing the garage this morning and maybe I will be able to finish chapter 36 while my mom naps through some old movie. She watches the old black and white ones or rather sleeps through them. My brother has nicknamed the channel the ghost channel because everyone in the movie is dead. She likes Murder, She Wrote too. Yesterday she was in heaven - 4 hours of Angela Langsbury. I was tired and went to bed early, hence my happy feeling today. Only problem was I did wake in the middle of the night with a sciatica cramp. Goodness, I hope I do not have to deal with that again. Quite painful. If I could have a new pair of lungs then I would be in great shape - low cholesterol, perfect heartbeat, excellent blood sugar levels, and every other test comes out perfect all but my stupid oxygen levels. If only I could qualify for a lung transplant. if only.

Well, today will be a busy morning and I have to cook dinner tonight. I will serve wine of course and my meal plans have changed. I may pull out my slow cooker and throw a pork loin in it. Along with some scallop potatoes and asperagus and hot apple slices. A little coleslaw for the salad and dessert. OR something else. I just don't know. I don't have any french onion soup or I would make that shepard's pie.

enough about food and work. Let us get to the post for tomorrow. Blake. It is all about Blake. I will be sitting on the edge of my chair after I post this chapter. What will people think? I lost some readers this week, but, hey, I figured I would have lost most of them by now. lol So a hundred readers is not much at all.

Blake's backstory answers many questions the readers have asked and a few they have not. Blake is not an only child, his father is not nice as I have shown, and his life was not rosy. But he, like me, is a happy person. He likes to smile and be around people. He truly loves life as do many people with a sadness in their life. It is almost as if we are making up for that as we go about living.

I have said I love all my men but I never said they were perfect. No one is perfect as Darcy once admitted. Especially not him. As the story chugs along towards the Rosings scene we get to see that everyone has family pressures. We all do. But how we cope with the pressure is what gives us character.

till tomorrow when one of my characters shows his character.

gayle

Sunday Afternoon

Dashed off to Lowe's to buy some more shelves for the garage. I knew two 5 level shelves would not be enough. Tomorrow we finish the garage and then begin on the upstairs closet. As I recently said in an email - pray for me. lol

Chapter 35 has been sent off and Heather has sent me my comments back! chapter 36 is next. I have less to do for this chapter so I should be able to finish it tomorrow. chapter 37 is also pretty far along. I am adding a new scene to Chapter 38 with Rawlings on the ship before he sails away. I had forgotten when I wrote the draft i left a direction - Add a scene about Rawlings and ?????. So things are moving along. Thank goodness Hurricane Sarah likes to take naps. I think I would keel over if she did not.

I also received Chapter 33 back from DebraAnne. Here is her comment (and don't forget this is the chapter where we delve deeper into Blake's backstory.) "He does improve upon further acquaintance, but I still do not like him. So there!!!" lol Her and PatM will never be satisified I think. Oh well.

tomorrow is my day to cook for Bert. What the heck am I to fix? Suggestions anyone? I think I will make shepards pie my way - hamburger with a layer of corn with a layer of mashed potatoes however, I add french onion soup with the hamburger layer and red pepper with the corn layer and Parmesan cheeze sprinkled on top of the mashed potatoes. A salad and this fancy dessert from Duncan Heinz? and I am set. I have plenty of wine.

Speaking of wine, and our guys seem to drink alot of the stuff, I have found a california wine that is damn good and only costs 3.19 a bottle - Tinsdale. What a deal. My favorite wine is Rubicon from Francis Ford Coppala's vineyard. It is pricy but worth it. Special occasion stuff. Who knew the director would be such an excellent vineyarder (if that is such a word). Great wine. He takes pride in his offerings.

But Scotch is my drink. Single Malt. Oban. or Balvanie. I can do one thing with scotch I cannot do with wine - sip. I can easily and quickly down wine (I try to stop at 4 glasses at a party or 2 at home but I don't always succeed. One time Bert and I were both up at 3:00 am - neither one of us could sleep - and since we live in a duplex - I have the right side and she the left and our decks connect we began drinking wine. We were still drinking when the sun came up and we thought perhaps it was time to put the bottles away. lol) Now scotch I can sip all night. Keeps me sober but happy. That is the beauty of scotch. no guzzling. no over indulging. just buzz. lol

well off to cook my mom dinner and well, I think I will have some of that wonderful Oban scotch while I heat up the stove.

till tomorrow.

gayle

Working on Chapter 35 today

a little that is. I have changed the order of the chapters. Old chapter 35 becomes chapter 36 and old chapter 37 becomes 35. I have been working off and on this week but several obstacles have been in my path.

1. Hurricane Sarah. I do love my mom. I do. But this week we will be building shelves for the garage and cleaning that up (and I admit it needs a lot of work). We also have to make trips downtown and we are scheduled to go to a play Wednesday and she had mentioned driving through apple county to get her apple butter and all. We also have dinner engagements and lunches to go to.

2. my theatre group has decided to make me President for the next term. Good gosh. Why did I agree? this is all so new to me. I spent two days trying to work out a crisis with the Social Committee. A busy, busy year is headed my way. I take over in December officially but it seems that there is much to do before then.

3. My creativity muse is hiding from Hurricane Sarah. She fears being torn apart by the whirlwind of activity. She ducks behind the door or under the bed or sneaks up in the attic whenever my mom's footsteps can be heard coming up the stairs.

4. I now have to actually make my bed every morning, cook meals, wash the dishes, and all those things I can avoid when it is just me here. I have no real distractions normally. I can do as I please but my mom's trip has brought it all back -- responsibilities. Damn I feel like Darcy. I want to be Lydia.

5. My mom has asked-I would never say no to her - that we take a trip back up to Northern Virginia. We leave next Saturday. We will be gone for a week. She wants to see eveyone that she can - my brother and his girlfriend and his kids, my Vietnamese sister-in-law (my brother and her divorced years ago but we like to visit with Lan everytime we go north) her brother and her aunt, and a few friends. I will also get the chance to visit with my two sons. I am the taxi driver. We will have a busy time and I know that there is little chance to spend clucking away on a keyboard. I am only hoping I do not miss a week of posting. But we shall see. We shall see.

well there are all my excuses in a nutshell. Sorry I have not been available this week. But my pantry is beautiful, the kitchen sparkles, my guest suite is without a speck of dust, my deck has been cleaned and soon the garage will be put to right.

till the next time!

gayle

Wind streaking through my house

Ok, my mom, Sarah, is moving through my house quickly. We have finished the pantry and the bar area and today we move on to the main storage closet upstairs. Whew. A lot to do so my post will be short..l again.

I hope my readers like meeting the families. Poor Rawlings. To have such a brother. MOre on his father in a later chapter.

I am anxious to see what everyone thought of the "conversation" with Bingley and Darcy and Rawlings. Does it seem plausible? I hope so because it is as I imagined it to be ever since my first reading of P&P.

Next week, well, it will be Blake. and then the tradesmen's sons. And these chapters make up what I call the Homecoming. I have a nickname for the next set of chapters but I shall keep that close to my chest.

till tomorrow, if I can still get around. Hurricane Sarah has stalled out over my house. lol

gayle

Hurricane Sarah

I apologize to all the real hurricane Ike victims (and my family had been hit pretty hard in 2004 by Hurricane Charlie) but I have named my mom Hurricane Sarah. She has blown into town with her cleaning utensils and I am the recipient.

I love her dearly. I do. I really do. But... But... my life is turned upside down when she visits. I now have a perfect pantry. Tomorrow I will have a perfect planning table and cabinet (which should be renamed because it will be my bar and cookbook area) and I know the day is coming where I will have the perfect garage. She has given me a few hints. lol I will need to get the shelving units soon. and the storage bins. and who knows what else.

But it is wonderful to have her here. Today we spoke of the upcoming election. I had written before that the two of us held all the answers to today's problems if those in power would only ask. Well, we did solve all the problems. We worked out the Iran mess, the Iraq mess, the school mess, the don't take away my gun mess, and the election mess.

At least we both are voting the same. At 82 mom never thought she would have the choice between voting for a black man with a white man as the vice or a white man with a woman as the vp. But she goes with the flow.

Now she is safely watching her Scarlott mini-series. I have a few minutes. So I thought I would stop by. My blogs will be short until she leaves. My creativity is stifled because everytime I get a thought she hands me a mop. It is good that she did not come last week. I would have been bolted to the timeout chair. lol

Oops she calls. till tomorrow (and oh, I sent chapter 34 on to my wonderful beta, Heather. next chapter 35 which is Rawlings story. I have to do that chapter right! I have to many fans that would kill me if I did not properly explain the whole Rawlings/Darcy/Margaret story. and Logan too.

till tomorrow.

gayle

Time out chair

Ok so I am not in the time out chair yet but mmmm my mom did tsk tsk tsk when she saw my pantry and she did ask, "Did I not help you last year with your garage? when we pulled in." Ok, I admit it. I am not as neat as she is, never have been and never will be. She loves to clean, I clean only so as the health inspector does not show up at my door with a surprise inspection.

today I will finish up my polishing of chapter 34. Hopefully, this morning because later mom and I are heading to town to run some errands. She asks about my book. I had to admit to her what I am doing because I worked on it when I visited her in Florida earlier this year. She thinks it is taking too long. lol She has never written anything in her life so she does not understand somethings just cannot be rushed especially when doing something for the first time.

I have some planned activities - Tuesday we go to the Taste of Transylvania. All the local restaurants offer up dishes and the attendees judge them. We get to try entrees from 15 or more and the choices can be quite inspired. Saturday next we are a part of an automobile scavenger hunt - a fund raiser for the Brevard Music Center -- and all i know is we will be given 3 hours to hunt for somthings and we must be able to travel about in a car to do so. only 4 persons to a car. And the last of Sept/first week of October we will travel to Virgina where I can visit with my sons and drive her around to see her family and friends. I may not be able to post that week, but I will try. I promise.

Off to make coffee and to open up my chapter and my tool I use for editing it - autocrit.com Sometimes I wish I did not take a peak at how many overused words, repeating phrases and words, cliches, common words etc that I use but then I think of how much better my story is once I attack my weaknesses. So off to edit the remaining chapter 34 and tomorrow I will drop by again.

ooops - mom knocked on my door early! dang gone now I am off to have coffee with her!

back again. Must go, we need to head out to buy some additional cleaning products. Grrrr.

gayle

no post today

but hopefully day after tomorrow while my mom is busy watching her old classic movies! lol

Thanks.


gayle

Finished chapter 34

well, the flow. I still need to wordsmith and polish and with my mom coming for her visit Thursday, I will have to get a move on. So not much to say today, except I am pleased that I have not lost readers! I am more than pleased since I always feared the worse, but then what writer does not. We are a strange breed of people. We love our stories, we want to share our stories and at times we are astounded by the comments. I love all comments, regardless of content.

If someone is willing to write a few words then that means I have reached them even if it is different than an atta girl. In fact, I love the atta girls but I love the ones that feel I have misunderstood any of the characters or have not given them their just due. Why? because I can see the ending and I find it fascinating to follow how others see each chapter. I have known the ending since before I wrote the first word. Which means, I understand some of the sentences that my readers do not. they are important.

Realelegance picked out a particularly important paragraph just yesterday. It was from a few chapters ago, too. But she recognized there was something in that last sentence she should be aware of, or be alarmed about. Very astute in identifying the paragraph because it is a clue.

Sorry, I like to drop my clues in a sentence here and there and while a reader may gloss over the words, they will live in the subconscious and will softened the surprise when it happens. Yes, realelegance found one of my sentences. Now were there any in this week's post? mmmmm. Yes I think so. But I will have to re-read the chapter to make sure.

off to clean out my bedroom closet, change the sheets, wash the clothes, dust, sweep, vacuum, scrub my bathroom, and otherwise prepare for my mom's visit. lol I may even clean my desk.

till tomorrow and happy reading.

gayle

Research, Research, and more Research

I am moving into the business aspect of my story and there is much I have to research. Being an American, the way things worked in regency era England is slightly foreign to me. I have had to delve deep into the import export world, the trades, charters, monopolies, and customs of many nations. I opted to create this global goal for Darcy and his band of men. Should they call their alliance Sherwood Forest? lol Are they trying to steal from the rich and give to the poor. No. They want an honest profit to fill thier own coffers. lol

It is doubly hard to take all these facts about business and trade back then and whittle it down to a paragraph here and there. Too much and even I won't read my story. But I have to understand how it worked so that what I do inject, albeit limited in scope, is meaningful but does not drone on and bore the reader. This is the hard part, well one of the hard parts, of writing. How much background is needed and how to present it in an entertaining way.

I had done all this research earlier this year. I know I did. I remember it clearly. I even created documents with the important stuff. I remember it clearly. lol But it is nowhere to be found on my computer or flash drive. That is one of the problems of getting old. I could have dreamed I made those documents. So, this week I have had to redo all that work. Much of what I have read I have read before. I have visited the websites previously and I know it fed my chapters. But the hard work, the whittling part, is missing. So forgive me if I don't blog this week. I will be knee deep into facts about business. That and I am still cleaning my house for my mom's visit. Ok, I am not as loyal to cleaning as I am to writing and my Mom said Saturday - Do not bother she wants to do it. But I must at least give her a somewhat neat home to do the heavy stuff.

My god, if she were to see my desk. lol She would outright disown me. I have an empty wine bottle next to my monitor with 3, yes 3, coffee mugs. Papers are everywhere, books are stacked up, there are christmas cards and the reindeer antlers, my award I received from the President for his Excellence In Government program, candles, bounty tissues rolled up, two sets of speakers, recipes book, tissues box (empty) and dust. lol I am not neat. I allow this desk to become disheveled and disorganized. But before Thursday, it will be neat. It is easier to clean it than to listen to her explain what happens when an area is a mess. Thank goodness for dishwashers and I have granite countertops (the easiest to keep clean) but my pantry. Oh my god. there is not enough time. and my garage! egad. I am doomed. doomed. doomed. lol

So if after the 11th you do not hear from me you will know I have been put in the corner to think about my failings. It is better than the spankings she used to give me. I will pretend it is research but you will know the truth!

till the next time (when my desk is clean - I will not make you wait for the pantry and garage).

gayle

Working on Chapter 34 today

and still getting my house in shape for my mom's visit. I have to drive over to the recycled dump and drop off all my recyclables.

In this little town, we have a choice. $20 per month for garbage and recyclable items pickup or take it ourself (which is on the way to town) to the dump. We only play $1.50 for each large green back of trash and nothing for the recyclables. Needless to say, if you have a garbage disposal that takes care of leftovers, and you remove the bottles, cans, papers, magazines, and boxes from the trash then you will be hard pressed to come up with more than 2 bags a month. (I am divorced with no children living with me). That is $3.00 vs. $20. And I get to take care of the trash on days I feel like it. lol So it is a good deal for me.

Good deals. Well, have our men chosen a good deal? Are there problems they cannot see ahead, even if the Falcon is not behind it? mmmmm.

There will be coverage of business aspects but I will try to keep that part of the storyline succinct. I don't wish to bore people with it but then I don't wish to gloss it over either since it is a major storyline. I will read my comments closely and follow the view counts to determine how I am doing.

Well, off to some of my own business. Although, I don't think it is as interesting as Darcy's.

till tomorrow.

gayle

Keeping Stuff Close to my chest

Ok. I admit it. I do keep things close to my chest. That is why this blog is so interesting. i have revealed much about myself, which I normally keep hidden. My goodness the whole sailing scene is one I have never told anyone! lol

Now the Democratic and Republican conventions are over I have decided which ones to vote for. I will leave my choice close to my chest. Namely, there are readers who would chose the others and regardless of how people say they do not mind a difference of opinion, when it comes to politics, they do. I dislike those that make remarks that belittle my choice and when someone talks about what my "choice" is, believes, acts, etc. I take it that they are saying I am not intelligent enough to see the truth. It is never about persuasion, it is worse. So, here is my rule. I speak of my political leanings only to those that either agree with me or have an open mind and sincerely ask my opinion. The others would just waste my time and theirs. I won't change their mind and they won't change mine. In the end we could end up with miffed feelings and a drifting apart. So, I prefer to keep my politics separate from my readers so the man I have chosen to vote for as president will just remain "a secret ballot."

Now this is not to say politics does not take a role in my story. It does. Whigs vs. Tories. Stay tuned.

Now I am off to get my house ready for my mom. lol I know it will not be good enough so I leave much for her to do! But still I need to make some effort.

till tomorrow

gayle

skipping today

I have loads of crap I have to do! till tomorrow

Singing For oneself

Last night I listened to someone singing the Star Spangled Banner. Let's face it- it is complicated to sing and unless you have great talent you would never be able to do it justice. lol I just place my hand over my heart and spare my "neighbors" the screeching of my voice. Yes my voice is terrible when attempting to put it in the flowing motion of a tune.

Do you think I kid you? Well, I do not. I tried out and was accepted in my high school's singing group - our glee club. Twice a year we would put on concerts along with the school band. All the singers (which there were about 100) would dress up in gowns (and suits for the guys) , wear our hair up, and have our faces made up and march on the platforms to sing the night away. We sold tickets and because there were so many of us we were always sold out for performances on two nights for each event.

I remember my first gown. It was a beautiful pink satin, empire waist, and the top was white fluffy stuff (ok I have no clue about material) and had these little pink seed pearls or something all over it. And I think there was some shear material over top the pink satin. I wore my hair in beehive (and you have to be kinda old to know that style) and had some pretty pearls included.

We had been practicing for months. Our director forced us through so many songs and we did them over and over and over again. I had looked forward to the first night (I was 13). I had always wanted to be a singer in any fashion. So I practiced and practiced until my family yelled at me to shut up. lol

The night came and in the backstage area, the glee club director pulled me off to the side. "Gayle, you are to just move your lips. Do not sing out loud." this was five minutes before we marched out in front of the 300 people that had paid money. Now after having found inner strength from secret club fiasco, I merely glared at her and replied "sure." but i was not just a go along girl anymore. So I marched out on the platform and sang with my body and face. I was easy to pick out. I exaggerated every note, every beat and caused my director to glare at me. It was disconcerting to the audience as well as those standing and singing around me. I had no fear that my parents would be mad because they never attended anything I did, only my brothers. I was totally on my own. Needless to say, I left an impression on my director. She pulled me aside after the concert and demanded I not do that the next night. I said, "Oh do you wish for me to sing now?" She relented. the next night I sang and loud too and after the concert I walked up to her. "I quit. That should make you happy. You were mean and cruel to do what you did. I shall never admire or respect you again." I walked away. Don't forget I grew a spine in sixth grade.

Afterwards, the director kept trying to be pleasant every time she saw me. I just kept a blank look on my face, I never smiled, nodded, or acknowledged her efforts in any way. I also did not speak harshly or unkindly to her or about her. I did tell the story with great relish to a few friends years later.

I still cannot carry a tune but had I not been accepted at tryouts I would have realized that sooner and not caused pain to anyone.

NOw this teacher is the one that taught music appreciation to all 12 grades. One day I will tell the story of the piano lessons. lol not today.

So, should our guys be willing to sing aloud about their alliance and the "directors" of the world be damned? Should they not be so secretive? Should they use their entire bodies when revealing the truth? lol we shall see. we shall see.

till tomorrow. I am off to look at KarenA's next post she sent me to look over (the funny story!)

gayle

Families and Characters List

Darcy (Heir):

Family:

• Sister Georgiana;

The Fitzwilliams:

• Uncle and Aunt: Lord and Lady Matlock,
• Eldest Son: Brandon, wife Julia;
• Second Son: Col. Richard, and
• Daughter: Victoria

Household staff:

• Secretary: Mr. Rogers
  
• Butler: Geoffries,
• Housekeeper: Mrs. Geoffries

Blake (Heir):

• Father: Duke of Charnwood
• Brother: Edward, wife: Madeline Thornsby (only mentioned in Chapter 33)
  
• Sister: No name given (only mentioned in chapter 33) (deceased)
  
• Uncles: Lord Harrowby (Politics) and Lord Attwood (Shipping/Insurance)
• Friends of Uncle Harrowby: Mr. Godwin, Miss Evelina Godwin
  

Rawlings (Second Son):

• Father: Earl of Wolverly
• Older Brother and Heir - Thomas
• Valet: Logan

Bingley (Heir):

• Sisters/Brother in Law: Caroline and the Hursts, Louisa and Jonathan
• Uncle - James Watt (inventor steam engine improvements)
• Cousin - James Watt, Jr. (also involved in steam engines)

Kent (Heir):

• Uncles
• Uncle Boulton(deceased. Had been Partner to Bingley's Uncle Watt)
• Aunt Boulton and cousin Matthew Boulton
• Uncle Daniel Kent
• Uncle Milton Kent, son Elliot

• Sister: Susan (lives with Aunt and Uncle Daniel).
• Old Family Friend: Samuel Galton (distributor for guns in slave trade)

Members of Lunar Society

• Bingley's Uncle Watt (steam engine)
  
• Mr. Keir (chemistry) also glass and soap
  
• Mr. Edgewood (electricity and telegraph)
  
• Mr. Galton (optics, light and color) firearms and other businesses
  
• Guest - Mr. Murdoch (gas light company)
• 
  

Americans

• Frances Cabot Lowell
• Miss Marie Lowell (sister to Frances); the countess younger sister to Frances
  
• Miss Sarah Long cousin to Lowells.
  
• John Forbes (mentioned - China connection)
  
• John Jacob Astor; wife Sarah; second son William
• Robert Livingston, Chancellor of New York City
• Cornelius Vanderbilt, Ferry boat owner and driver

To be added upon with posting of chapters introducing them.

Moods

Today I shall discuss moods. I remember once I had a mood ring. It was always black and never turned colors for me. lol Everyone said I was dead although I was walking and talking.

My moods are easily determined. I am either happy (which is most days) or not. I do have a temper but it comes and goes quickly and I am Darcy-like in that once my good opinion is lost it is lost for good. I do not hold grudges per say (is that how you spell persay?) but I just don't care if that person exists. I don't try to get even or do vengeful things, I just don't give a damn about them at all. I don't care if they are happy, or hurt, or sad, or anything. Much the way I think about my ex-husband. I really don't know what he is doing nor do I care. I don't care if he makes a lot of money and lives in a fine house. I don't care if he is poor and lives in a hovel. this is why I know the opposite of love is indifference. When I hated him I still loved him. I feel nothing more than I feel when I look at the strange person in the photo frame.

I did teach my sons to respect their father (although I did teach them to keep their wallets at home when they went to visit. Their father is a compulsive gambler. Perhaps that is why I understand Blake's father so well. I will not write on and on about the character flaw but I can write from experience. Live with a gambler is not a pretty one. So when you read about Blake's father the words I speak are true. My ex and I attended those meetings for gamblers and their families - sorta like the alcholics - but all it did was open my eyes to the dangers the future held. Now my ex did not take gambling to the worse extremes but close. He has to make his own way in life as do I. I chose to do so without him. Hence, I raised my sons alone since they were 2 and 3. And once we separated, I found a happiness I had lost.

I had been depressed and many miracles happened to save me from myself. I remember sitting in the kitchen with a my coffee thinking about how horrid my life had become when all of a sudden I found I was on the phone making an appointment with my prior office for work. good gosh, what had I done! Two little babies and no car to get there. But I found my answers and returned to work and discovered a career. I have no recollection of dialing the number (and thank goodness the phone was connected because it usually was not) so I have always viewed it as the hand of God.

It was in that kitchen and that house where my life changed. Why did I think of this in a blog about moods. Well it was that kitchen where my mood ring was stolen by the young boy next door. He was breaking into people's homes, eating their food, and pilforing small items. I caught him and spoke to his mother. She was a single mom at the time. We worked out a punishment for him but I learned several weeks later another neighbor was not so kind. She called the cops and the poor boy was taken into custody. I often wonder if the boy turned out ok. I often wonder it that was the hand of God too. Did the boy need some stronger punishment because what I did apparently was of not help.

So moods, mood rings, and the hand of God.

Well so much for this strange little ramble today.

till tomorrow

gayle

Another random word Parties

Ok, I am at a loss for a thought so here goes my random word. Well that was short I cannot come up with a random word. Let me see what is around me - sun, window, printer, computer, coffee, keyboard, mouse, table, crap (yes there is a lot of crap - I am not neat) , paper, inhalers, glasses, empty sprite zero can, outlet, tv, reindeer antlers (ok they are the kind you wear on your head - made of felt -- at Christmas parties) - ah parties. there is my word for the day.

Parties. Soon my men will be attending parties - dinner and balls. I did not include a card party or did I? I forget. MOst of my chapters were written in the Florida sun (which surprise me because as one reader wrote "your story has a dark side to it") and I was last in Florida in February.

What do I know about parties? Not much. I have attended enough to qualify me as experienced at them and each year my friend and I host a Soup and Ornament party. It is a very casual affair. My friend, Bert (and she is a she) and I live in a duplex and our decks connect to each other. We each make 4 soups in large quantities, invited about 45-50 people and bring out the booze, nibbles of appetizers, and soup. Everyone is invited to taste as many as they like or find one and dive in.

Last year I made Vodka Tomato Basil, Rosemary Chicken Florentine with Wild Rice, Hearty Burgandy Noodle, and Salmon Corn Chowder. I was left with only two bowls of Hearty Burgandy Noodle. they cleaned me out. the Vodka Tomato went first and then the chicken, followed by the Salmon. Bert's soups included her most sought after Clam Chowder, a Sausage Peasant soup, and two others I don't recall.

Everyone sits everywhere with soup bowls and drinks and they have a wonderful time. No one regrets so it must be well received.

I make this egg nog that people that don't like egg nog love it. It is simple - Pet Egg Nog (or Giant Brand), Bryer's creamy French Vanilla Ice cream, the Christian Brothers brandy, Jack Daniels, and Jim Bean and topped off with nutmeg.

Ok last year I was an idiot. I had some nutmeg I brought back from a carribean cruise (Grenada was a stop- the land of spices) it was in the shell. I even had a nutmeg grader. Here is there real stupid thing I did. I did not know it was a shell so I graded the shell itself over my egg nog and did not crack it open to get to the actual nutmeg. lol still laughing today. I find errors to be most entertaining especially when they are mine! Everyone had a gigantic laugh. Such fun.

Now about the ornaments, if you wish to participate you bring one wrapped up and we do an ornament exchange. We play games and sing carols. Everyone goes home happy. a little lit but happy.


Now in Regency there were no Christmas parties. Twelth night seems to come the closest. In fact the whole gift exchange sort of life came later. christmas was just another day at church.

But parties were plentiful. All classes of people had them. I guess that is another difference between humans and animals. We party hardy! lol there are cocktail parties (which seem to be reserved for us old retired farts) and dinner parties, mardi gras parties, fundraisers, sweet sixteen parties, and even retirement ones. If someone can come up with a theme and offer free food and booze, they guests will come. lol

I don't think there was such a thing as casual parties in the regency era. Heck there was not casual dress either. I have come to the conclusion I am pleased to have not lived in that era. I like my flushing toilet thank you very much and a shower and a washing machine and a dishwasher and a microwave. I cannot live without a phone either. But on ocassion I wonder what it would have been like to attend the parties. Dressing up in beautiful gowns, wearing jewelry, and dancing complicated dances with men that actually could dance.

There will be parties for our men but the question is are they in the mood for them?

till tomorrow

gayle

PS this year I will make Chicken Cheeze Enchilada, Roasted Red Pepper with cheeze torrilini, Asian beef with green pepper, and perhaps some fish or ham one. Ham and scallop potato soup sounds good and filling too!