Bowling and Car Wash by Margot Justes

I usually try to save my weekends for writing, but today was munchkin and errands day.

This morning was spent watching my kiddies bowl. My grandson can spin the ball and it somehow winds up in the middle and he hits the pins, more often than not, gets a strike. That is pretty much it for my bowling terminology...I know 'gutter ball' and 'pins' too. I know it's a good thing when the pins fall. Can you tell I don't bowl? Anthony is only seven and knows what he's doing.

The little slugger is a leftie and great in baseball too. I know next to nothing about baseball, but I've seen him hit, and I know when the bat and ball meet, and ball is flung far away it's a good thing. Most of the time.

My granddaughter is a wonderful bowler too, and was trying to get used to a new ball today. Sydney also loves volleyball and belongs to a league.

After bowling and breakfast, we ran a few errands that culminated with cheap, defined by-least expensive and out of Cook county, lower tax rate-gas.  I only needed seven gallons, and the gas on sale was eight cents cheaper if I paid for a six dollar car wash. Now, here is the smart move, I got the gas along with the car wash and essentially wound up paying almost four dollars per gallon for gas.

Did I forget to mention that it was snowing, and sleeting at the time? It was. I pulled out of the car wash, made sure the car was dried really well, and continued home in the slush.

Really good thing I got my car washed and saved all that money on the gasoline.

Cheers,  

Margot Justes
A Hotel in Paris
Hearts & Daggers
Hot Crimes Cool Chicks
and coming soon A Hotel in Bath
www.mjustes.com

 

2013 Goals by Margot Justes

I've often heard it said that time flies. Today I would have to agree. We have two days left in 2012, and I wonder where the year went. It disappeared. Most of us have a routine, we get up we go to work, we come home, we work at home, and so on and on. The hours roll into days, the days into weeks, then months, and once again we're saying Happy New Year to one and all.

I don't remember making serious resolutions at the end of each year. This year I'd like to change that. My copy of the South Beach diet book made it to the kitchen table, for me that is indeed progress. 

Step number one is to read the book and adapt my eating habits. The second thing on my agenda is to finish A Hotel in Venice, and start my new paranormal novel. I don't even have a working title yet, but characters and plot are already in my head, and itching to get out. Love being a writer.

I'm not a fast writer and while I'm still gainfully employed it will be a challenge, but it's on my list nevertheless. The third and most important is to spend as much time with my munchkins as possible, busy schedules sometimes make that difficult, but we're already setting time aside. The last and least important goal is to learn how to use a smart phone. I haven't even bothered to learn how to use my un-smart phone. I wonder if that will be the real challenge?

The goals I set for myself are not impossible, and quite doable...She wrote hopefully

Have you set any goals for yourself? If so, would you like to share them?

Happy New Year!

Cheers,  

Margot Justes
A Hotel in Paris
Hearts & Daggers
Hot Crimes Cool Chicks
and coming soon A Hotel in Bath
www.mjustes.com

Procrastination by Margot Justes

I procrastinated and waited until this evening to write the blog, instead I edited about seventy pages in my current WIP, A Hotel in Bath. The editor had a go at it, and now it's my turn to make the suggested changes. At the moment I couldn't think my way out of a paper bag, I'm so tired.

I kept thinking, I have tomorrow to finish, what is the rush? Of course I forgot that tomorrow I'm going downtown with the kiddies. We're having lunch in the Signature Room at the 95th in the John Hancock building.  One of my favorite Chicago buildings.

The munchkins have never been there and it will interesting to see their reaction. In any case, tomorrow is pretty much a family day, because we're also planning on visiting the Christkindlmarket at the Daley Plaza. The place is usually mobbed and for the most part, I can't wait to get out. However, the kiddies love it, and they'll get cute mugs filled with hot apple cider.

In the meantime, I have to seriously make a dent in the last book in the hotel series, A Hotel in Venice, finish the novella, and start my second paranormal, plus I'm slowly making progress on my non-fiction Memories of a Country Long Ago.

I always find it amazing, that I can spend a whole day in my writing cave and wonder where the day went. It's an amazing feeling to love doing something so much that time seems to disappear.

There are so few days like that, but I never take them for granted. In fact, the older I get the fewer things I take for granted. That is a good thing.

I'm really looking forward to the release, the cover is stunning, the setting amazing and the romance delicious.

Cheers,  

Margot Justes
A Hotel in Paris
Hearts & Daggers
Hot Crimes Cool Chicks
and coming soon A Hotel in Bath
www.mjustes.com

Holiday Traditions by Margot Justes

The munchkins (aka granddaughter and grandson) are spending the weekend. It's our time to decorate trees and gingerbread houses, bake cookies and make floral arrangements. All of which they'll take home with them. Afterward I'll clean up, take a deep breath and say 'that was so much fun. I'm soooo tired.'  It's the best feeling ever.

I'm eliminating all the little decorations and sticking to stuff that is easily stored. My way of downsizing, but still keeping the holiday spirit.   

Growing up I didn't have many traditions, or special set-aside days. With my own girls, I established long standing rituals. Fortunately to this day, my very adult  daughters are keeping them up. It's nice to see.

I think traditions are important; they form long lasting memories, and time is set aside to appreciate family and friends, at least during the holiday season. Hopefully more often than that, but at least during the holidays that special time is there.

In this day where everyone is working long hours, keeping a family together, running from one place to another, it's important to take time out and just relax and appreciate those around us.

I'm grateful for my family and friends.  Now, I have to prepare for the whirlwind that is scheduled to arrive in fifteen minutes, namely Sydney and Anthony.

Cheers,

Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris
Hearts & Daggers
Hot Crimes, Cool Chicks
and coming soon A Hotel in Bath

A Gracious Holiday by Margot Justes

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday, it is a day to give thanks for our many blessings. It is a gathering of family and friends and most of us adhere to old established traditions. Breakfast with family, setting the table, stuffing the turkey, enjoying the wafting smell coming from the kitchen as the turkey is basted; all those memories to appreciate and treasure.

It is a gracious holiday, with none of the chaos of the holiday shopping frenzy, where people will do anything to get that  super deal; people have actually been killed for a sale item during the so called 'black Friday.  There is not a single material possession that is worth someone's life, at least to me.

The traditional 'black Friday' now starts Thanksgiving Thursday, and earlier every year. I know the retailers want to make the most of the holiday season, they must make a profit during a very short period of time. I understand the economic process of retail survival. But is that profit margin enough to disrupt the actual day of Thanksgiving for their employees? Have we lost track of what this holiday is all about?

I will not be going shopping on Thursday or Friday. I will spend that time with my family and friends giving thanks for what I have; a terrific family and life-long friends.

How do you plan on spending your holiday?

Cheers,
Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris
Hearts & Daggers
Hot Crimes, Cool Chicks
and coming soon A Hotel in Bath

A Forgotten Civil War by Margot Justes

The non-fiction look at South Africa in the early 80's is painstakingly slow, but I'm working on it. The working title Memories of a Country Long Ago brought back another memory, this one belongs to my father and also takes place in Africa.

There are very few memories for me of the time he spent in Biafra in the late sixties and early seventies. He was a very private man and never shared much of his life with others, and that included his daughter.

His decision to sell his practice and head to Nigeria and the Biafra conflict was made on the spur of the moment, one day I was getting ready to head to Paris to study-and I use the term loosely-the next day my father announced he was going to Lagos for an extended stay. There were no conversations, no further plans, just an edict that he was going.

Doctors were needed, there weren't many available and the conflict was brutal.  This was a time when we didn't  really hear much about what was going on in other parts of the world. We didn't live in a global society as we do today, but it was indeed brutal.

I've recently started doing some research about that conflict, civil war, whatever you want to call it. In about two and half years, a million or so people died as a result. The Republic of Biafra seceded from Nigeria because of cultural, economic and religious differences.  In many cases much has not changed, sad to say we still fight over the same things.

This was about the time that Doctors Without Borders came into being, but I don't even know if he went through that organization or another one. All I know is that he went there to help set up a hospital, I want to learn more about his time there.  

He was a remarkable man, and it would nice to share some of his life with my daughters, but I'm starting from scratch and so far have not made much progress.

If anyone can point me in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris
Hearts & Daggers
Hot Crimes, Cool Chicks
and coming soon A Hotel in Bath

A Day at Sea by Margot Justes

As the time nears for my cruise, I check daily to see if the prices change to my benefit. So far, it's going in the other direction.  However, it reminds me why at this stage in my life why I really love cruising.

Surrounded by water on all sides, the giant ship glides along the waves, the water lapping steadily as the ship moves forward. Mesmerizing. Relaxing. Blissful. All cares are swept away.

If the first day of the cruise is spent at sea, is a perfect time to relax and take that deep cleansing breath, as your cares glide away . The early morning is best, before the multitudes wake. That first cup of coffee and that first gaze at the ocean.  There is nothing better than the gentle breeze and sometimes not so gentle, and that fresh waft of the ocean air. Fresh and invigorating.

The coffee itch is always satisfied. I'm addicted to the brew, and fortunately it's served piping hot early every morning. It's not the best coffee by far, but considering how many people are on board and that it's continuously flowing, the ambiance makes it more than palatable. By the way, good coffee is available later in the day for an extra charge.

If your wishes tend toward walking there is a path high up above everything else, where it's just you, water and the sky. Early in the early morning twilight is just perfection. That is not a bad way to begin a vacation.

The delightful part of being at sea, is that you can do as much or as little as you want. There are plenty of planned activities, from belly dancing, belly flops and I'm sure other belly things, there is ballroom dancing, and...well, you get the drift. You can be as busy or as relaxed as you like. It's all up to you.  

The staff always on hand to bring fresh coffee, milk, whatever you need; they are continuously working. By the end of the first day, the steward will know your name, what you like, if you want coffee delivered to your cabin, and at what time. It's all part of the training to make each guest feel at home and welcome. You know what, it works.

The elevators have a plaque on the floor, changed daily to make sure you know the days of the week; a gentle reminder that you're on vacation.

Cheers,

Margot Justes
www.mjustes.com
A Hotel in Paris
Hearts & Daggers
Hot Crimes, Cool Chicks
and coming soon A Hotel in Bath