Tulip's Actions in 3 Rooms

OFFICE ACTION:

I already explained Tulip's forays into the wheeled wagon so she could eat the fabric/ cardboard bin inside of it. That's just an appetizer. I keep finding pieces of cardboard in the living room.

From there, Tulip will dump the waste bin - especially fun if there's appetizing paper inside. 

When she hears my printer whirring, she runs to investigate. I have to be faster than her to collect untasted printouts. 

While I was sitting at my laptop yesterday, Tulip kept climbing on the printer table to figure out the best angle from which to nosh on the documents saved within a dozen file folders. She tried walking behind the printer to see if that was a good route. She tried (unsuccessfully, I might add) to get her body between the printer and the stack of folders at the left. By facing the documents, there were several loose pieces of paper. Much too enticing.

Done: Spoiled Tulip's fun by putting the files inside one of the two drawers beneath the printer. 

Nearly Done: Repurposed the file folder organizer to cover lots of loose papers. I will have to go in-depth to organize the chaos within the plastic bin.

#

KITCHEN ACTION: 

Today, in another attempt to get my attention, Tulip tried exploring the dishes. I inverted the dishwashing tub over the dirty dishes in an attempt to stop that. But I still heard dishes rattle. When I got out of my chair, this is what I found. Dirty or clean, no dishes are safe from Tulip's inspection.

#

LIVING ROOM ACTION:

Tulip keeps trying to flip her full food dish from its place atop a living room table onto the floor. My back greatly prefers having her eat at table-height. If her cat food dish gets put in the fridge temporarily (in an attempt to dissuade her actions), it makes no never-mind to her. The second her food bowl is placed on the table, Tulip immediately tries to bounce, move and upend the dish onto the floor. 

Solution (for Tulip): I moved the bowl to the floor.  (Tulip scores another WIN!)

Solution (for me):     Deal with it and move on.

Tulip's water bowl is probably too heavy for her to move the same way as her food dish. Tulip often plays with the water by putting her two front feet in it, She paws the surface like a toddler in a bathtub. Maybe she prefers to have that bowl on the floor as well. 

This time, I win! (At least for now).

#

#tulipdishes

#tulipeats

#tuliptheterror

#tulipthecat

What happens when I let the fence down?

 

Need I say more?

OUR New Toy...and then some!

Last week, my latest 'toy' was delivered: a fancy foldable cart, pictured at the middle of this post. It's in my office for now, because I lack the expertise in folding it.

ANYWAY, the very existence of the cart rekindled Tulip's penchant for eating paper and cardboard. When I turned around from my seat at the desk, I saw chunks of cardboard on the floor and in the cart itself.

All I could think was... when Tulip is too quiet,

 it's time to be worried!

What is in the cloth box? Just some books I plan to donate to Selma Library when they reopen.

~~

You may ask, "What's with this post's title '...and then some'?"

Well, it's been a busy Saturday. My Medical Guardian necklace needed recharging, so I put it on a coffee table. I heard something fall to the floor. (I'm always hearing stuff falling to the floor). Yup, Miss Tulip was up to her regular nonsense. 

Then I put the charger and the necklace on the floor, where it cannot fall. 

Yup, that's where I should have put the items in the first place. 

Will I ever learn?

I thought I'd be writing 3 Tulip chapbooks, but...

...the cost of doing that would be prohibitive. My editor suggested another path which I'll present to my writing group on Thursday. It's an online process that makes a published virtual blog book. I'm not convinced it will gain me more readers.

Although the jury's still out, I may end up just publishing one book, The Trouble with Tulip.

Tulip Hit the Office

Tulip knocked over my cup of pens and pencils. A minor nuisance, but a pain nonetheless.

👵+😸

Stay tuned - 10 ISBNs from Bowker

• I've alerted my editor that three chapbooks will be forthcoming. 

• I just bought 10 ISBNS from Bowker.

• This is how I envision the book covers will look. Of course, it won't appear to be so minimalist-looking. A different font and background colors will be used for each volume. 

Tulip Offers Fashion Advice

When I last went to San Francisco - Geez, I don't remember how long ago this was - I needed to buy a sun visor. Riding with my family into the California sun was blinding, so we went souvenir shopping on Fisherman's Wharf. 

One particular store was selling two visors for the price of one. I only needed one - I was ready (albeit reluctant) to shell out $15 for one in AQUA. "Why not buy this PINK one as well?" the clerk asked me.                                                

"Because I only have one head. Why don't you sell me one visor at a discount?"                                               

Since apparently they calculate math differently on Pier 39, I ended up buying two sun visors, neither of which has gotten much use to this day.                    

Until last week.                                                    

Tulip had unearthed the blue visor from my rack of garden tools by the back door. She was trying to say, "Mom, your hair is too white. You need to wear this visor!"

Hmm... I gave the suggestion some thought. Then I picked the hat up off the floor and put it away. 

 Cats don't see color, right?  

Upon reflection, I wondered:  Should I really consider taking fashion advice from my cat?                                                 

And, just to set the record straight: the DMV says my hair color is GRAY. I much prefer to think of it as PLATINUM.

In the middle of the night...

...most people wake up to answer Nature's call.

Not me.

I get up when I hear Tulip messing with the venetian blinds. (Yes, she's that loud).

If the blinds are down even a quarter of the way, I pull them up completely.

As long as I'm not in the kitchen or living room, Tulip can be on display in the fishbowl also known as our house.

Tired of Doctor Visits

It all began eleven months ago with a visit to the dentist. My dry mouth made that particular dental cleaning pure hell. The inside of my mouth could not "open wide" because it was full of ulcers. I was referred to a dental specialist for whom I had to wait two weeks. Then off to a Raleigh oral surgeon a few more weeks later.  All had hinted they would do a biopsy; none did. I was prescribed Magic Mouthwash, which I still use today. I can no longer eat sharp, crispy foods, or tomatoes, strawberries and peaches. They all cause me pain, as if were chewing on glass.

The latest diagnosis guessed from this year's dental exam was Sjogren's Syndrome. The dental technician said my mouth sores look exactly like Oral Lichen Planus (either condition can lead to cancer). 

My GP ran a few tests that ruled Sjogren's out, but I do have some type of lupus. Lupus is an autoimmune disease where, in my case, my body cannot produce moisture. Ergo, dry eyes plus dry skin.

Last week, I went to the dermatologist. It was an emergency visit for which I had to wait months. My skin was so dry, there were flakes of dandruff all over my face. Contact dermatitis and eczema covered most of my body. This doctor took a biopsy. Hopefully, I'll learn the results by next Monday, when I have the stitches removed. In over a week's time, I've made amazing progress. It's not obvious to others, but I am no longer scratching myself bloody from the insane itching. Prednisone is largely credited.

Yesterday I met with a rheumatologist for the first time because of the lupus diagnosis. My latest prescriptions are likely aggravating my dry-everything. The visit ended with more blood work being taken. What I have may still be Sjogren's. One test may have ruled out what yesterday's battery of tests will prove. I return there in three weeks, maybe with two answers.

As to my unsteadiness on my feet where I sometimes do an unscripted choreographed Doh-Si-Doh dance, that falls under the purview of a neurologist. When I have my next TeleMed visit with my GP, I'll need to ask for a referral.

Coming up, I'll visit my psychiatrist. The meds she prescribed may be affecting me too. Why the hell not? 

A New Project or Book

I've made so many blog posts in the last two years; mostly about Tulip. She remains a constant source of frustration, irritation, combined with such delight, that it cancels out all negatives. So, this evening I'm compiling all the posts I hope you will enjoy.

The working title is The Trouble with Tulip.

Like my cleaning lady said on Monday, "Tulip! I just cleaned that table!"

#Tulip

#Tulipbookhat table

#mischievouscat

What do you think?

I was playing around with ideas for a fourth book. The draft of my third book is being critiqued this month.

What I wrote started as a poem, then it evolved into different keywords to characterize Tulip's traits.

Here's what I have so far:

The Trouble with Tulip

To me, there are few cats worth writing about;

Of the many the felines I’ve known in my life,

Only two were worthwhile that I’d want to tout.

The first one was Liberty; who wrote his own Scrapbook.

The second is Tulip, my roommate, is currently… (I ran out of rhymes)

Tulip is:

Naughty in the nicest of ways

Mischievous, but forgivable

Forever unforgettable

Incorrigible - most like a teen

Gets into trouble like I’ve never seen

Always tests limits, especially mine.

Friendly to all, even to strays

No scaredy-cat, Tulip. She's spiced up my days.

Being curious hasn't killed her (as of yet)

I'm not sure if the world needs another children's book about cats.

Maybe I will just immortalize Tulip with a poem.

Any thoughts?

I got scared, for real!

Last Monday I took Tulip to the vet, as I've told you.

What I didn't tell you is that evening, Tulip seemed fine. I expected her to be lethargic after she had her annual shot. But she seemed OK.

But on Tuesday, I couldn't find my cat in her usual places, which was worrisome. I kept calling Tulip's name. No response. I  even rattled her food bowl. Not a meow was heard, nor did she run to me.

I thought, "Maybe she died. The vet's shot poisoned her or something!"

🙀

Eventually, I did locate Tulip hunkered down beneath the office desk. I petted her and cooed sweet nothings to her.  Nothing would get her to move. All day, she did not use the litter box once or even get a drink of water. That rattled me!

Never before have I missed my mischief maker as much as I did that day.

FINALLY, around 10pm, Tulip rejoined the living. What a relief!

How I cook has changed

Guess why? (You don't have to think very hard to get the answer)

    Tulip could get burned,

        or lick the spoon,

            or believe that she is a person; 

                therefore, she qualifies to eat people-food.

We went for her annual checkup today. Tulip gained over two pounds in the past year. 

I still have two unopened thirteen-pound bags of kitten chow. I'll donate them to the animal shelter the next time I am in Smithfield. 

Her new food will be a brand of indoor cat food. We still have a way to go before the open bag of kitten chow is finished.

On Open Letter to My Cat

Dear Tulip, my love ~

I look forward to a certain time in the evening. 

All of your "piss and vinegar" will have diminished to the point when you are sleeping soundly.

It is 9:15pm as I write this. All evening, you have been launching yourself at the living room venetian blinds. I'll yell at you (which is totally ineffective) or try to spray you with a water bottle. Nothing really fazes you, does it?

You bounce from the back of the recliners, then run like lightning into the hallway and back again onto your perch at the back of my chair.

You do take a pause in your shenanigans... once you knock off the plastic dish that covers the fire extinguisher. 

Why is it covered in the first place? Because when you jiggle the metal pieces on top, my nerves get jangled. I had hoped you would leave the darned thing alone because...well, you shouldn't realize it was still there. But covered or not, your curiosity remains.

It is time for me to acknowledge the fact that you are probably smarter than me. 

Love,

Mom

Sing to Cat Stevens' Tune

Morning has Broken

Lyrics by Barbara Crowley, with apologies to Cat Stevens

(Chorus)

Morning has broken

Someone, please fix it.

It’s known as day-break,

(Just so you know).

Cowbells are ringing,

Happiness springing,

So I am singing,

Like it - or not.

(Verse 1)

Afternoon’s too late to

Work in the garden.

Suffering heat stroke’s

Not my best plan.

Praise for the climate

In North Carolina;

Sure beats the winters

Spent living up north.

(Verse 2)

Evenings mean prime time

For watching the Bøøb Tube.

Network and cable,

Netflix and Prime.

All the subscriptions to

Disney and Hulu

Are costing me money,

And broken the bank.

(Chorus)

Morning has broken

Someone, please fix it.

It’s known as day-break,

(Just so you know).

Cowbells are ringing,

Happiness springing,

So I am singing,

Like it - or not.

Tulip's Getting on My Last Nerve...

There are three ways my sweet puddy cat has worn out her welcome today.

One:     I am TRYING to write my novel, but Tulip keeps laying behind my laptop. If she just would stay still, I'd be okay with that. But she s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-s out her body, oh so luxuriantly. (This reminds me of how my Dalmatian used to edge me off the bed.) Meanwhile, the laptop disconnects and I must enter my password all over again. Today I've lost the connection four times so far! (Grrrr!) 

Two:    Tulip keeps threatening to overturn her very full food dish off the table. I watch her like a hawk. Sometimes I may even screech like one, just to quell her urge to spill.

Three:    I took her bowl away (temporarily; I'm not a monster), just to see what she would do. Tulip started upending the plastic mat below her dish and munching on the brown plastic pieces on the sides of the table.

Now she's sulking.

Paper munching

Diane H is my new cleaning lady (not that I had an old one). She was referred to me by my Scrabble buddy, Diane M.

On Monday, Diane H learned first-hand about Tulip's penchant for any kind of eating paper. She caught my cat in the act of daintily eating the check I had slipped into her purse.  

Today, Diane M retold this story to me at our weekly Scrabble club. So, my little stinker made a lasting impression on our shared resource.

Tulip's fan base may be growing (or shrinking) with every person she meets.

A fishbowl life

I recently replaced four venetian blinds because not-just-Tulip wrecked the old ones. What's nice about the new blinds is they don't have the cords for kids and pets used to get caught in.

Well, Tulip likes to mess with the new blinds. During the day, I roll the blinds all the way up so she can't get at them. At night, however, I prefer to have the blinds DOWN. I don't want to live in a fishbowl, but it seems that that is my destiny.

On this point, Tulip and I do not agree. 

Even if I lower the living room blinds half-way, she'll jump behind or under them and start to bend the slats. If I'm quick enough to spray her with a water bottle, sometimes I can discourage her.  

Most evenings, two kitchen windows are open all the way. That's OK because I don't spend a lot of time on display. In the living room, I sit in a recliner with windows on either side of me. I'm lucky if the window to my left is 2/3 covered. On the right, Tulip ambushes the blinds from behind my chair, daring me to spritz her. By the time I can react, she's already run out from her hiding spot, just to laugh at me. 

😸   😸   😸   😸   😸   😸   😸   😸   😸   😸    

M👱m doesn't like this game. 

Unlike me, Tulip LIKES living in a 🐠bowl.

Yup, as usual,Tulip wins.

More Tulip-Inspired Hacks

Do you remember me telling you about Tulip's annoying habit of nudging her food bowl off the table? That was fine in the beginning because the bowl was always empty. No big deal, right?

Then she continued to do so when there was still food in her dish. Kibble spilled everywhere! That's not cool, Tulip!

Had to replace the strip of wood that had been on the right hand side of the table because Tulip kept munching on it (I worried about her ingesting glue). Then I installed a plastic wire cover from Dollar Tree to the right side. It was an ingenious idea, except she started pushing her bowl towards the front of the table. The messes continued.

Now the table has two sides with the plastic strips which act like a baby bumper. Adding the border to the front edge has curtailed the previous bowl escapades. A qualified success!

Oh, dear! Tulip was here.

When I first walked into the kitchen this morning, this is what I found:

Overnight, the rubber bands that held the door closed, snapped somehow. 

Do you think that Tulip had something to do with the open doors? My little Tulip? Of course I do.

I had to rearrange the contents because the yellow bag of kitten chow was poking out from the bottom shelf.  

Waiting for me

Enthusiastic dog owners gush about how their pet happily greets them upon their return home. Well, dogs are not the only critters who look forward to welcoming their folks home.

My office window faces the driveway. Unlike your basic canine, she never loses her dignity for a single slavering second. No, she remains poised.

When Tulip hears my car approach, she jumps up on a cedar chest to stare at me and meow. She exudes a calm confidence as I approach the house. To her, this means that the dinner dish will soon be filled. 

She's at it again

Normally when I take a shower, Tulip gets as close to me as she can. She'll poke her head between the cloth shower curtain and the vinyl one. Or else she'll patiently wait for me to come out of the shower, sitting innocently on the toilet seat. 

For some reason, she just realized the presence of the toilet paper roll. You know, PAPER!!! 

Tulip chewed through about four pieces. I guess, going forward, I'll have to relocate the active roll to the top shelf on my étagère (where the unused rolls reside). 

Or I could shut the bathroom door. The trouble with that is I could end up with a depressed or super-meowy kitty cat.

🙀

Don't Trust the Clock

After the change from Daylight Savings Time to Standard Time, the custom is to adjust all clocks by an hour. 

Not me. 

The bedside clock is too difficult for me to remember which buttons to push. I'd do the math in my head, whichever way, to get the actual time.* Usually, this scheme works well. This season, I knew that whatever time was displayed, I would need to add an hour. It has been a workable system...until this morning.

The alarm clock read 2:00,  (I assume PM).*  I would have to leave the house by 12:30 to make it on time to Telling Our Stories. I thought, Well, I missed it.

That's what I get for snoozing. I overdid it today. 

Time to change the batteries.

⏰

* Uh-oh; me and math are a dangerous combination

* When you assume, it makes an ASS out of U and ME.

I'm falling apart

A week after falling in the library's parking lot, my back pain was no better. I woke up Thursday and kept having dizzy spells. I decided it was time to go to an ER to see what was going on inside my body.

The left half of my face is a mix of deep purple and a sickly shade of green.

Against my better instincts, I drove to Betsy Johnson Hospital in Dunn because it was closer to home and I did not need to use a highway to get there. (I'm not totally stupid). The experience was surprisingly uneventful (I've always preferred to go to Smithfield).

Granted, I spent a good six hours there. Had two CAT scans of my head and middle back. The results are: no stroke, my orbital bones are intact, and the bones in my back are only bruised. The vertebrae is compressed, so the bones are shifting. My bones are degenerating and I can't do a thing about it except maybe wear a back brace. That's good news, right? Nothing being broken is a win for me.

Then I thought:  

• This is the end of me mowing my own grass.
• This is the 2nd week I've asked my neighbor to mow it for me.   
• This is the end of my performing gardening chores.

AND

• I either need to hire a cleaning lady (because I'm a lazy housefrau).

                                                                                OR

•  I need to find an affordable senior apartment so I won't have any yard chores, period.
• Here? In Selma? In New Jersey?
• Those are frightening things to consider.

I need to discuss this with my son. Tomorrow.

#agingsucks

#aginginplace

#seniorlaments

The color purple

 

The color purple is not my favorite. 

I usually look good in dark colors. 

Not this week.

 

Thursday, I fell outside of the Smithfield Public Library. 

On concrete. 

Right before a meeting.

911 was called. An ambulance came.

The EMTs checked my vitals. 

They placed a large pad over my bleeding forehead.

I refused their kind offer of a ride to the hospital. 

Now I wonder if I made the right choice. 

There's a sharp pain on my left shoulder blade.

Did I bruise or break a rib? 

Should I go to a hospital's ER to check it out? 

Four days after a fall?

Using a heating pad feels OK while I'm seated in a chair. 

Getting out of a chair is a completely different story.

The only thing I'm sure of is that PURPLE is NOT my color!

#blackeye

#seniorfail

#seniorfall

#oopsie

Change of Plans

Tulip's new container of food had been stored on its side in the fridge  (the only way it can fit.) When the bin is full, it's too heavy for me to pick up. (Lawdy me; ah'm just a weak li'l woman!) 

Today was the second time the plastic top came off.  Uh-oh!

😺

    Ten 

        pounds 

            of 

                kibble

                    spread 

                        inside, 

                            outside,

                                and 

                                    under 

                                        the 

                                            fridge. 

Don't want or need dry cat food in the keep-fresh bins.

I swept up what I could. I'll vacuum later. In the meantime, Tulip will help me spot-clean up any scraps she finds. 

It should come as no surprise, the refrigerator needs a good cleaning. 

Sure wish I had a maid.

NEW PLAN FOR NOW: 

The food container sits upright on my bedroom dresser.

 

My Cat's Secret Thoughts

Tulip has no one to talk to unless I'm at home with her. I imagine she speaks to every venetian blind she gets her paws into. "If Mom won't open you, I will!"

Her kibble is stored in a plastic bin -- which Tulip has proven adept at opening. My only recourse was to refrigerate her food. Although I don't always visit the fridge for her specifically, Tulip races to be the first one to arrive at its door. She's forever hopeful that "Mommy's going to feed me!"

At the height of her most obnoxiousness, Tulip not-so-silently demands, "It's time for a meal. Do NOT keep me waiting!"

Tulip regularly visits the kitchen counter. It has long been a bone of contention between us. She has tested (and defeated) all types of barriers since she took up residence here. When realizing her access is blocked, Tulip laments, "Why does Mom insist on ruining my fun?"

It is not unusual to find bits of shredded paper on the floors (often from written notes to myself, or bills due for payment). Then there are paper bags; most cats like to play with them. The latest cat-in-bag experiment started the usual kitty way (comically exploring the Ins and Outs). As my feline chows down to shred the bag, Tulip probably thinks, "This is delicious!" 

There are times when Tulip behaves like a dog. When a guest comes to visit, she sniffs the person's leg to identify the scents. "Hmmm...this human has two cats and five dogs. Very interesting!"

Of course, she enjoys looking out of windows. 

• When my car pulls into the gravel parking space, Tulip appears at the office window. "Mommy's coming!" 
• Once I exit the car, Tulip leaves her perch in a race to meet me at the front door. "Mommy's home!"
• She splits her time between watching birds fly, or the feral cats who catch them, and traces two squirrels scampering up trees. Fall seems to be Tulip's favorite season; if only she could catch leaves falling from trees blowing in the wind. The glass prevents her success. "If only I could sneak out the door. I want to be part of the action."  
• Tulip effectively transmits these messages through body language. Her desire - to visit the great outdoors - is kiboshed by a well-placed foot (or box or shopping bag) in the door. "Mommy, please do not block the door." 
• (Yes, I got her message, but the answer is always "No."

I yearn for the times when Tulip settles in my lap. As she kneads my lumpy lap, she thinks, "Ah... just let me share a quiet moment with you." 

                                           

Her soft purrs let me know, "I love you, Mom."

The feeling is mutual.

💖

Merlee's Journey has a New Cover

Book sales have been underwhelming so far. If potential buyers don't flip the book over, they would not know the story is about "loss and foster care."

So now future copies of Merilee's Journey have the subtitle on the front cover. 

#merileesjourney

#fostercare

#loss

#authorbarbaracrowley

#adoption

I thought I fixed Tulip's wagon

The mesh barrier I put in place last week was not exactly foolproof. 

Well, depending on who you think the fool is...

Tulip snuck beneath the fence numerous times last week due to a stovetop gap. It has since been fixed by putting a closet rack upside down... so far, so good. 

Shh - don't tell Tulip about it because it appears to be working!

 

Notice there are four barriers shown below:

1. The mesh pull-out gate (like a theater's rope barrier system)
2. An inverted metal shelf bridges the stove gap 
3. Look for the inverted office tray on the back burner; covering potatoes
4. See the blue round bin on the right back burner. That's for fruit and veggie peels which will end up in the compost pile.

• The wooden spoon on the counter is how I reach the light switches without taking the expanding fence down.

Bins, bins, bins!

When Tulip started messing with my binders' spine inserts, I bought a few plastic bins with lids to amass my collection of books, binders,  and sundry items. It felt like I was buying one or more bins each week. There's little that she can get into now. 

I thought I was at maximum bin capacity... but of course, I was wrong. Years ago, I had attached a flexible open-top plastic tote to my walker.  The fact that it was an open-top container should have clued me in that it would need replacing. That flexible tote is now in my bedroom (sans walker), pending my next purchase.

Tulip, you're killing me!

On a more positive note, my contractor installed a fabric fence I had purchased on Temu on the kitchen countertop. It's a great deterrent. Its operation is a bit tricky, though. Connie gave me a tutorial on which buttons to push on the left to have the fence retract. Today I texted her to ask how to unclip it from the right side (a series of plastic zip ties). 

Connie texted me back. I will need to cut through the zip ties. It sounded like too much work for me to do at the moment, having just finished weeding for the day. 

Right now, the fabric fence is deterring me from washing my dirty dishes. Well, it was my big idea. I just need to come up with a better system to connect the fence on the right side. (Ugh!)

💔

Next on my shopping list:

    stackable bin for the living room (or two)

    zip ties for the kitchen (or find a better way to secure it to the wall)

 

🐱 😸 😺 🙀

#Tulip

#mischievouscat

#kitchenfix

#catdeterrent

#brightideas

Johnston County Senior Games

Last Thursday was the Silver Arts Showcase and Awards Banquet. My poem won a white ribbon (third place). I sang to Linda Ronstadt's When Will I Be Loved? I garnered a red ribbon for second place.

What I came home to...

 ...was a bouquet of fake flowers on the kitchen floor. It was the second time Tulip pushed over the two vases that were atop the blue hutch. Luckily, the glass vase was knocked over; it did not fall.

More tulip-proofing: the paper towels now reside in the microwave.

The binders stored beneath my cigar-shaped table were also fussed with. Tulip was pulling out the spine label. So I went to a dollar store for yet another plastic bin (the big one in the middle).

#Tulip

#brattycat

May Day

I had a great time in Asheville from May 1st through 4th.

First, I took a tour of the Biltmore Estate. Gorgeous gardens and conservatory. I not only got sunburned, I walked my feet off. That's what I get for not wearing my sneakers!

That evening through Sunday, I attended the North Carolina Writers' Network (NCWN) spring conference. Ron Rash, the author of forty books, was our keynote speaker. I bought three of his novels. Not only have movies been made of his work, many of his works have been translated worldwide.

During our banquet, we were entertained by a woman who is a master of the ukulele and storytelling. I didn't catch her name, but she was enchanting. Her performance of There's a Hole in the Bucket was a crowd-pleaser.

After my last class on Sunday, Zachary Vernon gave his class attendees complementary copies of his book, Our Bodies Electric. 

It was a fantastic weekend!