It's been a while since I blogged about what's going on in my life personally. It's not all business all the time! Though sometimes it feels like it, lol.
It's been a summer of transition. Actually, it's been a year of transition, but a move in a good direction. Last fall we moved into our house (it had been rented out previously.) It was a move on top of a move, and I was so exhausted by the time we got in. Mostly we just stuffed our things into boxes and threw them into the garage or storage room, and basically forgot about them, because, shortly after our move, we became first time grandparents!
All that to say, the summer has been busy because we're still settling into our house, but also because we moved from having no yard, to having a big yard. I'd forgotten how much work owning a house with a yard could be!
This yard came with many fruit trees and a whole lotta weeds. Tall weeds, front and back. Once the weather warmed, Norm and I and our son Jordan (our work and sometimes personal assistant), worked tirelessly, picking weeds, pruning and prepping fruit trees and building a patio. I also thought it would be a great idea to plant a garden. OMG, my tomatoes went wild and, why did I plant so many pumpkins?!?
Here's the patio is still a work in process, but I'm happy with the old-world look of the stone work, and the soothing water fountain. Next year I'll continue xeriscaping.
A small sample of the canning and preserving I've done. I feel like pioneer woman now! :)
But the best thing that kept me busy was this little man. Most days he'd come for a visit, about an hour or so, and I just love my time with him.
The work of writing and publishing also continued through this time.
We started publishing German translations this year and, if you've been watching, Ginger's Journal was released as a 2 volume series called The Velvet Spy.
I wrote book 27, Murder in the Painted Mask, which is going out to ARC readers this week, for September 25 release. And now I'm plotting book 28, which I'll announce soon.
What about you?
How have you kept busy this summer? Let me know in the comments.