May is rapidly filling up with things to do. This week is when it begins.  Kirtland Ms. Club is having it’s final meeting of the year at the Springbrook Inn. That’s on Thursday. Our 8th graders have their dance on Friday night. Sunday I am attending the IWWG (International Women’s Writing Guild) one day conference in Ann Arbor.

May 19th we are loading up the books to take to Sutton’s Bay-Bingham Library. May 20th I speak at the library and the next day I visit schools.

Then I race back home to be one of ten authors at the local library celebrating authors. Where I get to meet people, talk about writing, books and maybe sell a few.

The next race is to the Lansing area to see my girls dance.  This will be fun. Then back home to get ready for work on May 24th.

If that isn’t enough, we are having a rally on funding education in Michigan Monday evening in the city park. Several school districts are involved in that and we will have a speaker from MEA (Michigan Education Association) headquarters.  Food, music, and conversation. 

If I manage all that, there is a three day week-end awaiting me at the end of the month. Then the school year will be on its last legs.

I am hoping to get at least one if not two more chapters in the new book written as I leave for Iowa right after school gets out.  I also have five short stories to read. If they are all as totally boring as the first one, that’s going to be a chore.

The race begins. Later all.

Seems I’m slipping lately. My blog has been dormant for a week, I’ve not written any more on my novel, but on the bright side, I have recovered from my fall. While I am not 100% I am getting close.

My current editor is screaming for more of my novel. Guess I’d better make some time for Chapter 4 tomorrow. I’ve not felt much like doing anything this week. My body has been pushed to the limits every day.

Found myself sleeping in my chair last night. Had crashed between 7 and 8 pm. Awoke around 10pm and crawled between the sheets for the rest of the night.  I was exhausted slept until 8 am.

Had rain and snow most of the day. Outdoor work was out of the question. I am busy emptying the closet in the spare room. Soon to put down wood floors. Need it completely emptied. That will require making my PC wireless and moving it to the desk in the entry.

For those thinking about dropping in, please don’t. My entry holds my office, my bedroom furniture and books that will be going to Suttons Bay later this month. If you are coming through town, give me a call. I’d be happy to meet you somewhere.

The pitching I started a year ago is still underway. Why do we collect so much junk? I’m going to have so much for a garage sale it is not funny. It’s time to paint the CD/DVD/Video stand. I need to upholstery the two chairs in the garage. I should to do the one in the kitchen too.  Need to decide on a color for the kitchen walls. I have two rooms left to paint the upstairs….I have that paint and the kitchen living room. So not looking forward to painting the popcorn ceiling. I just don’t like a beige ceiling. 

Life not real exciting at this time. The end of the school year is winding down. Trip coming up to Suttons Bay to deliver a pickup truck load of books to students there. Will be visiting some schools while I am there. My girls are in a dance recital this month. June sees the end of the school year and me leaving for the University of Iowa Summer Writing Festival.  From there every day is occupied until the end of August then I start school again.

Happy Mothers Day to all the great moms out there.

A couple years ago I wrote a blog called “I No Longer Bounce.” At that time I’d tried flying six feet across my entry in the middle of the night. While that was spectacular, I really had no desire to repeat the feat.

Today at the end of the day, the kids were in the gym for an assembly. When the first three rows were dismissed, I thought I’d go up the bleacher steps. I should have given that a second thought. I missed the first step and landed on my knees. (Those same knees that were injured in an auto accident 13 years ago come Mother’s Day week-end). I thought I’d black out from the pain and ended up just sitting on the bottom step. One of the seventh graders helped me up.

My homework for the week-end will be to fill out an employee accident form. Yippee. I don’t know what to ice first…my knees or my hips.  I’d hop in the hot tub, but I don’t have one. I’d even consider swimming it off in the pool, but I don’t have one of those either. The bathtub is out as ever since the first accident I cannot get out of the tub ( I’ve been relegated to showers).

Took two aspirins, not moving much. Debating what to ice. Will find dinner in a bit and a glass of wine. I see an early bed tonight as I have a meeting in the morning.  If I didn’t bounce two years ago, what made me think I would now?

Ok, so a GPS system is nice to have, a map is better. Noisy Nora (my GPS has a name) had me take a two lane highway out of W.V. I’d have been an hour farther if I had gone across I 70 from Pakersburg, W.V. Lots of smokies out in Ohio. They stand next to their cars and clock your speed. I set my auto pilot on 65 (posted speed limit). I have no problem then. Took three cars to take down one SUV. That was a bit interesting.

Then Noisy Nora wants me to take  270 north toward Wheeling W.V. Tell my why I would want to back track? Her next brilliant idea is that I take some road north toward Cleveland…really? I just kept driving west on 70 she eventually figured out I was going to go north on I 75.

Stopped for the night in Troy, OH. As always was welcomed by Hampton Inn staff as if I were royalty. The steakhouse next door was recommended for dinner. Should have known better. Kent’s Steakhouse oozes ambiance. Piano music is played through out. It is a high end steak house. Did not get my money’s worth.  Ordered a 6oz steak with twice baked potato. No other veggie and no salad. The steak was more like 3 oz. The twiced baked potatoes were awful. The seasoned butter for the so-so rolls was nothing to write home about. The bill was higher than last night. While 13 Bones was so-so it was too expensive. Kent’s left me wanting….food…I’m not into gormet cooking. It also left me with a case of the trots.

So, I have been back out to my car for Immodium and stopped in the motel lounge for tea bags. Working on first cup of tea now. Have tea kettle will travel.

Tomorrow will see me home. :)  I am ready to be there.

Funny I really didn’t spend much time downtown this year. Was more interested in looking at property. Weather has been wonderful. Even today when everyone here was shivering I was comfortable. Got to about 60 today. Today I went to JR’s in Statesville. They have so many unique things. Found a novel by John Gilstrap. Will start it as soon as I finish the one I’m reading. Did I mention that I met John at Midwest Writer’s Workshop? Yes, I did.

My brother called with a house suggestion today. One that actually makes good sense. I should consider buying property with a single wide trailer on it. Then build the house I want and sell the trailer for junk. We did that as kids when my parents were building their house. It might be easier to pick up land with the view I want that way.Then I also get the house I want. I don’t have to go into a house and do any fixing up or changing.  Stroke of genius that idea. Going to really consider it.

My number 2 house on my list added a flat screen TV and jacked the house price from $97,500 to $115,000. The house has been on the market for 5 years…keep the TV and I’ll make you an offer. Think it’s off my list. I’ll find views elsewhere.

Swam this afternoon. Again was lucky enough to have the pool to myself. It felt good to swim. Wish I could do it daily. It’d be one way to help lose weight.

Tomorrow I leave for home. While I am not ready for vacation to end I need to get home and put a plan into place. Hopefully by this time next year I’ll be in a position to buy land and a trailer or a home that is existing. Or just land.  Options, options, and more options.

Sad as I will be to leave the warm weather, I am actually ready to go back and finish the school year.

Day 7: What a day. Sunny this morning, but rain moving in. Suspect it will be here before dinner. Eric came at quarter to 11 so we could get in all seven houses. One we could not get into as the owner has dogs and could not get there to take them out. Not a problem for me it was more of a curiosity look anyway. So here’s how it went.

House number 1: On Welch Road. One of the selling features is hard wood floors. If that’s the case, why are they covered by carpet??? Horrible tacky wallpaper, house lists to the back, feels like you are falling, roof leaks in the enclosed porch. Oh, did I mention the huge building that had come crashing down in the back? Supposed to have over two acres of land, I’m seriously doubting that. And even Eric made a comment about the circle drive that you could get stuck in. Nope not a chance.

House number 2: On Peyton Place Lane….for real? Looks wonderful from the front. Then you learn that it shares a well with two single wides behind it…trailer trash in the back yard and most of the area. You could buy the trailers and an additional 7.32 acres to go with the 3.5 acres for an outrageous price. Of course I’d want to be hauling those unsightly trailers out of there ASAP. No sale. It did have an above ground pool and deck…still no sale.

House number 3: on Tesh Street. It sits on a hill. It’s an older home in an area of older homes. We were greeted outside the back door by a woodchuck. I think it caught Eric more off guard that it did me. Lots of rock(boulder size) on the property and the one acre goes mostly down to the woodchuck colony. Sorry they just don’t make for good neighbors. The house was cute and I could see me there, so I put it on the maybe list.

House number 4: Boyle Lane is a two track and this house is next to last on the lane. It has so much character and 2.91 acres of land. (Just a little more than I have now). It has some really bad wallpaper, but they just put a plush beige carpet through out. It is one where you could walk through one bedroom to get to the next or you could make the first bedroom an office. The bathroom was tiny….way tiny. But it compensated by having a huge pantry/laundry room. Again I met with a Michigan basement. This house is being sold as is. There needs to be a new roof and the attic needs to be finished off, someone started then stopped. It is now sitting at number 4 on my list. Did I mention it shares a well with the trailer next to it? While I am not a fan of trailers, this one has been maintained and is the only one in the area.  I can always plant Rose of Sharon as a hedge row on that side. I’d also see about hooking up to the public water. One less dispute headed off at the start.

House number 5:  White Pine Country Club Road is the location and location is what it is all about. It has one out building. It has the most gorgeous mountain views.  One bedroom is without a closet. The basement stairs are horrendous….I could not make myself go down them, they would have to be re worked somehow. The washer/dryer is in the basement. The other half has not been used. I have to wonder about the plastic on the ceiling. It has two bedrooms. I’m sorry they cut out cupboards and moved the stove. I’d want that changed. They blocked the pass through It should really be open. It does however currently sit at number 2 on my short list. There is a pond behind the property….property is on a hill so no chance of flooding and back of property is fenced. Definite positives. I believe it has some kind of fireplace with fan.

House number 6: On Mystery Lane…how appropriate is that? Gorgeous from outside, two other houses on that part of the street. Very nice neighborhood. Ok, I like paneling, but dark and in every room. Down the hallway, no I don’t think so. The living room has some wonderful built in shelving.  The basement is entered through the door off the carport, well enclosed. It has no place for a washer and dryer and although it is huge it has had some serious water damage. It’s sitting at number three on my list, but it’s in a shakey position. I actually like the first house from yesterday better and I think there was a water issue there.

House number 7: Was not even on the list. It is one that Eric is brokering. It is on Belair Dr. which is a dead end. It is also about 5 minutes from the Hampton Inn. While it a smaller lot, it has the privacy I so covet. It is grey brick. It has two possibly three bedrooms. I’d use the possible bedroom for an office then no one would be passing through a bedroom. It has a fireplace and built in shelving. The cornices were made by the owner and while simple are beautiful. The dining area is off the living room. The kitchen is small but has a built in dishwasher. The basement stairs are a bit shakey bur there is a wonderful outside entrance. The basement is huge and even has a shower stall in it. Did I mention the laundry room?  Ok this would have sold it if nothing else did. It is off the car port. It is HUGE. It has a mini kitchen (no fridge or stove, but sink and tons of cupboards). It also has a half bath. It is large enough that you could put a day bed out there and call it a fourth bedroom. This house also boasts central air. The fuel oil tank is in the basement. And it has casement windows. It does need new carpet….or wood floors through out the living room, hallway and two main bedrooms. The carpet is very dated and old. All the walls have been painted in a cream color and a new roof was put on in 2008. The owner took care of putting in a new ceiling to take care of old water spots. I must admit the ceiling is lovely…and not popcorn. I am so ready to go home and put my house on the market. The bad thing is that then I’d need a place to live and I am so not an apartment girl. The area around this house it wonderful, it is near Franklin Elementary School. Not one car came up or down the road while we were there. I so will post photos when I get home. Can you tell this house is number 1? It so is perfect.

Day 6: day 5 just slipped by uneventfully. Today I met realtor recommended by Shelley’s husband. We started at about 9:45 am. House number 1 was located on Lover’s Lane…no joke. It’s a two bedroom with a 9′ x 9′ room that is currently being used as a closet but would make a small office. It has two acres with a stream (creek) running through it. Needs a decent bridge for crossing. The neighborhood is old but not bad. I have a question about the rock around the outside of the house. It is not for decoration…even I know that. Since there is no basement I wonder.  Moving on…

House number 2: Sits on a half an acre on Old Ridge Road. Very small. You have to go through one bedroom to get to the other. While it is doable, I’d go nuts within a week. I’m passing on this one.

House number 3: Is on Springview Lane, in a very nice neighborhood. It is a raised ranch and let me tell you the DOG runs the household. They fenced the yard then divided it for the dog…dog gets the biggest share of the lawn. The basement was cause for some questions. Don’t care for raised ranches….would like to be able to walk into my house without having to climb stairs all the time. Yard was maybe hald an acre. Passing.

House number 4: Has 2.81 acres, a fireplace, and wood floors is on Cubs a road that is not more than a two track and is not on the GPS. You know there is always a catch. It is surrounded by trailers….we all know how I love trailers…NOT. There is also a Michigan basement…been there done that. They even have a rodent plug in. There was also some leakage in the hallway ceiling. And please tell me why people think it is an art statement to hang their cooking pots? Then there was the odor outside…like to turn my stomach. Passing.

House number 5: was on a cul de sac in a very nice area where every street name is Oak Ridge something. This was Oak Ridge Court. First the carpet is coming up everywhere….so I’d just remove it through out and start with wood floors. Second the living room walls would have to be sanded for days to get the junk off them. Then I would need to paint throughout. Appliances have to be purchased. They can keep the blinds they want to leave. (I hate blinds). The one and a half acres are undeveloped…except the dinky yard someone mowed. Finally we get to the basement and laundry room. The stairs are so steep I would not even go down them. You guessed it passing.

House number 6: Was on an acre on Twin Oaks Drive and is on a cul de sac. I learned it has been on the market for five years. It smells musty when you walk in. Was not impressive and carpet was coming up. The area is a little tired too. Not someplace you wouldn’t live just not your first choice.

House number 7: On Stone Scale Lane….we did not even see. The realtor had been on a drug bust at the house next door. No thanks, not into living in a high crime area. I don’t care how good the house looks. There are also property discrepancies. The seller and bank are having a survey done to take care of this problem. I understand why it is priced at less than $50,000. No one wants it.

Eric, the agent, was kind enough to give me a real estate guide. So, when he returned me to the motel at noonish, I sat down and went through that.  Then I went by 8 more houses. One I’d like to see the inside of and have contacted Eric about doing so. One of the managers is selling her house so I drove by it. It is in Dobson. I will continue to drool for days. It is out of my price range unless I win the lottery some time soon. She has almost 5 acres. It is brick and the yard does slope, but it has the privacy I want, a two car covered car port, it’s brick and I so want to see the inside. I am sure I will love it so I’m going to pass…

I did however give Eric seven more properties in Mt. Airy, one in Westfield and three in Lowgap. We shall see if I have time to see them all. I am sure he has others he is working with.

Going to finish my glass of wine and then spend some time on the treadmill and follow that with a dip in the pool. Love this 90 degree weather. Don’t want to leave it.

Day 4: What could be more perfect? Breakfast in the motel was awesome. Then I went to the post office to mail a letter. From there it was to the visitor’s center. I picked up the things I needed and found out about a tea pot museum in Sparta, NC.

Got one of my long time wishes. I drove part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was breath taking. Found out that the tea pot museum had closed during the winter. Sparta is so small it does not have a library. Used book store has opened to raise money to build a library. Did not find any books there that I had not already read.  It is a very depressed area with 14% unemployment and not looking any better soon.

From Sparta it was on to Dobson and the Shelton Winery. Shelton is the largest winery in the east. They have 275 acres of which 175 is planted with grapes. I had a tour of the winery and of course, tasting. Bought six bottles of wine. (For those of you counting that makes a total of 12 for this trip so far). I also got a wine glass.

Came back to the motel and swam for half an hour. That was wonderful. It is high on my list of things to do tomorrow.

The Hampton Inn is so wonderful. They put me on their scolling marquee in the lobby. It has a stack of books in the background and says: Welcome Target of Vengeance author Rebecka Vigus!! So cool. Made me feel special.

Talked to my dear friend, Shelley. Still trying to work out how we can see each other. Her wonderful hubby is trying to set me up with a realtor to walk some property. (The real reason I am here).

 They had a wine tasting in the lobby tonight. Everyone was limited to two drinks. That was fine with me. I had one glass of Old North State Winery Riesling. It is not the best I have had. Then I had dinner at Chili’s….love the ribs and they had a special on them. Now just watching the NCAA championship.

Of course, I got more sun today. But I bought sun screen and something for after the sun with aloe in it. I cannot help it.  I am enjoying the warm weather.  I will need to seriously exercise when I get home.

Day 3 of vacation…at least it is supposed to be vacation. Let’s see things went well until I was northbound on I77 in NC. Some fool pulled off the shoulder of the road doing putz in front of me. Not an issue I was going between 65 and 70 miles per hour. Did I mention there was a pick up truck slightly behind me in the left lane? (Two lane expressway) He kindly took the shoulder of the road so that I could move left and avoid totalling my car…not to mention myself. Wish I could have thanked him.

Saw two idiots riding on the trunk of a car as I was heading east. They were leaning forward on the trunk so that their feet would not drag. The car was driving on the shoulder of the of the expressway…must be a southern thing.

Went to put my jammies on tonight and discovered that I left my nightgown hanging on the back of the bathroom door in Cherokee. Looks as though I’ll be short one nightgown. Lucky I packed two. Grrr.

Then as I was getting ready to leave the restaurant at after dinner, I got a phone call. Our school counselor’s husband died after a battle with cancer. That’s just about enough of that (first Karen’s dad, now Sandy’s husband). My heart goes out to her and the rest of the family. This has not been easy on them.

Fell asleep after dinner. Guess I needed that. I am the only person I know who can manage to get sunburned riding with the sun roof open. Not only my face but my scalp too. Walgreen’s in the morning for something with aloe. (Karen, you can laugh now. I left it sitting on the kitchen counter at home.) One would think I’d learn. Was not expecting to burn.

Tomorrow should be an adventure…or not. We shall see.

Much better start today. Could not find Flea Market in Richmond, KY, but that was okay. Stopped in Berea at the artisan shop. Always find something there. Rain shower came in while I was inside. Done by the time I left.Then it was on to London. Flealand didn’t have much to write home about. I did get some Eucalyptus Oil for using when I wash my bedding. Also got a tattoo on my left ankle. Yellow rose…they are my favorites(next to Lily of the Valley). Don’t anyone panic….you all know I hate tats. It was airbrushed on.

From there I went to Corbin, KY. Totally missed both flea markets there. One was not easy to see and it was outside, didn’t look like much. Of course, I hit  the Great Smokies Flea Market just off I-40 in Tennessee. I bought way too much, but had a blast. The one in Sevierville was closed.

So, I stopped at Mountain Valley Winery in Pigeon Forge. I love their wines. Found out they can now ship to Michigan. Bought six bottles of sweet wine. Those are my favorites.

Just once I would like to go through Pigeon Forge when they are not doing road destruction. Traffic was bumper to bumper from Sevierville to the Great Smoky Mountain Park. There is a new bypass around Gatlingburg that didn’t hurt my feelings. Love that every time I made a curve in the mountains the GPS told me it had to recalculate. Had to put in a CD as the XM radio does not always pick up in the mountains.

Opened the sunroof heading into Sevierville, it got chilly in the mountains. Down to 60 degrees from the 77 it had been. But no, I did not close the sunroof. The sound of the trees as I went under them was like listening to the ocean. No the radio was not blasting, I could hear the sound of the trees. Then of course, my ears plugged coming down out of the mountains. I hate when that happens.

Found three more bears I need to photograph. I already got two. That will make 11 of the 27 that are here on the reservation. I will get those three tomorrow on my way out of town. I will also stop for any more I find.  I took photo graphs at the Veteran’s Memorial too. It is impressive and amazing.

For those who don’t know there are seven clans of the Cherokee represented here. Each clan has a different symbol and each has some of it’s own history. More on that later. I also got some shots of the turtle carrying the Cherokee on his back. There is a legend, I cannot remember it all. If the Talking Leaves bookstore is open tomorrow I will see if I can find it.

Well, that’s it for another day.  Happy Easter everyone