Day 2 - NYC

Ahhh. I'm sitting here on the sofa in my cousin's house outside Trenton, NJ. waiting for her to get up. After all, it's 6:00!

I slept from 8 last night to 5 this morning! I guess I was tired. Now I'm having a cup of hot cocoa waiting AGAIN! How can people sleep so late?

Since we should have been at my brother's house in Lewes at this point, we have a change in schedule. Not sure what we are going to do today, but knowing my cousin, it will be fun! Last night she took me to an absolutely fabulous Italian restaurant. They had rolls that looked like mini croissants, but were italian bread. It was served with a delicious dunking sauce. Then I had some kind of chicken that was Italiazed with peppers, onion, carrots, zucchini. Then a side dish of EAst Coast pasta - penne in a bowl with parmesan cheese. YUMM! I don't think I did too bad points wise. I ate only 1/2 of chicken, the vegetables, a small portion of the pasta. The only thing I did bad was have 2-1/2 of the breads, but they were small.

It appears I got out of OK and St. Louis just in time. They are having a snow storm. It's supposed to snow here on Thursday, which could affect my getting into NYC for the writer's conference. Praying for only as much as NY can handle. They can handle way more than Tulsa!

Have a good day!

Take-off Part 2

It's 10:37 am and I'm not out of Tulsa yet. (I was supposed to leave at 7:15). Plane 2 is having heart trouble. Needs a transplant. They are "working on it" and assure me that it will leave "soon".

Meanwhile, I have a seat to myself, which is nice. I'm praying this plane is a keeper and gets me out of St Louis. Before the snow hits.



Have a great day!

First Day - Takeoff Part I

What a day so far! I was worried about getting stuck in the airport because of ice or snow. No so! Here's my day. First, I got out the door - no problem!



Then, I got through security.



No problem!

Then, I got on the plane. Got my drink, seatbelt on, iPad out for some fun time. Got a great window seat with easy exit. Then! The plane broke! They called maintenance - no can fix.

We all got unloaded and told to wait while they find us a new plane. I waited and waited and waited.



Apparently, I was the only one flying into Philadelphia. Last one called. They gave me a choice of 7:00 or 11:00 tonight. I picked 7:00. Then the clerk next to us said, "Hey what about that plane that's flying directly to Philadelphi?"

So, I'm waiting for the 10:30 flight to Philadelphia; nonstop. Will get me in at 4:00. Too late for my visit with my brother, but at least I'll get to Trenton and NYC.

Now, It's time for breakfast: banana, OJ, and a piece of a breakfast sandwich - airport style.

Felix has it under control!

Felix is helping me pack - it's a good thing because I am overwhelmed!

I've got all this stuff and can't decide what to take on the plane and what to put in cargo. Then there's the problem of my makeup. I can't fit it all in the plastic baggie! (That's what happens when you get my age. It takes more to keep the wrinkles hidden!)

So, it's back to the drawing board. When is that plane taking off? 

Critique Group

This month, I've been working on the text for a picture book about Caroline Harrison and her ferrets. The transition from writing nonfiction to fiction has been extremely difficult for; but I think I found a way for me to do it. I switched to rhyme instead of prose.

By writing in rhyme, I find myself being more creative. When I try to write fiction in prose, I tend to fall back on my nonfiction writing and start teaching! Not exciting at all!

My critique group is also helping me make this transition. I have the best group of ladies you could ask for. We get together once a month for munchies and critiques of each other's work. This has been extremely helpful and encouraging for me. Helpful because after working on a project awhile, we can't always see our own problems; encouraging because we're all on this journey together.

If you don't have a critique group, I suggest you find one or start one. A group of four is an ideal number. We usually get done in about 2 hours.

Preparation for NYC

Today, I bought my quart zip bag for my carry-on bag. I can't believe I have to get all my shampoo, rinse, makeup, etc. into this tiny bag? Yes, I know. I could check them, but what if they lose my luggage? I sure wouldn't want to show up in New York with no makeup on. I want to make a good impression, not scare them away!

Next, they want me to measure and weigh my luggage. Gee, that sounds like Weight Watchers! I get enough of that every week at weigh in.

Next, I have to remember all my electronics: iPhone, iPad, chargers, keyboards, earphones, cables. I'm wondering how I'm going to use my earphones, when I'll have ear planes in my ear for air pressure. Hmmmm, I'll have to figure that one out, later.

As you can see, I don't fly very often. My girlfriends, Linda, Linda, Linda, (yes, I know a lot of Lindas!) Melanie, and Mary have been coaching me through. I think they will be glad when I get off. Then it will be my cousin, Debbie's turn to deal with the Country Girl in NYC!

NYC - Here I Come!

I'll be heading to New York City later this month for a Writer's Conference . I've never been to New York to visit, so I'm really excited!

Not only will I get to enjoy the conference, but my cousin, Debbie, will be my tour guide. She's going to help me see the sites. She the best tour guide in the world and should go into business. Last summer, she took me to all kinds of fun place in New Jersey.

I'll blog about my adventures in the city. In the meantime, I'm praying for NO snow or ice so I can travel. I can take the cold, but not the ice!