Getting Ready For Take-Off!

Hi everybody!

Ya know a couple of days ago, things were looking a little melty outside, now.....yeah, not so much. Again with the -30* windchill! Well at least at this point, we know it can't last more than a couple of more months, right? Right?

Well, let's see, looking back at the past week, there were no emails from my web guy yet, probably in the upcoming week.

I did talk with McNally about an event date, so that is underway, should have a date nailed down in the next few days. It was so nice to hear how excited they are about this new book. They said they are looking forward to getting it on the shelf asap, as "Lexi" has done so well! Cool, right?

Still haven't assembled the updated song books, very monotonous job, not looking forward to it. Ugh, probably how I will spend the remainder of my Sunday after visiting kids and grandbaby go home.

Speaking of, Ethan got a look at the printed proof and promo poster. The whole thing is worth it just for the look on his face when he recognized himself in the illustrations! This is where I give an official nod, once again, to the talents of Hazel Mitchell. I had sent her some pictures of Ethan, and asked her to "cartoonize" him and make him a couple of years older. She never ceases to amaze me!

On a personal note, I went for my second massage this week. I don't feel quite as beat up this time and she thinks one more session ought to do the trick. Note to drivers, please stop rearending me!

We also recevied some news on the hubby's end of things, no work until Feb. 7th for sure. He doesn't do still well. Thank God for Wii!

So for the upcoming week, like I mentioned, I should be hearing from the web guy. I have an appointment for a Lasik consult after work on Tuesday. Here's hoping they have nothing but good news. I'm horrible with glasses, but my eyes are starting to do that mid-forties thing and I'm going to be doing a bunch of readings with "Crazy Day." The object is to fix my eyes so I can put off glasses for another 10 years or so. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Also this week, another massage, hopefully the last one! Prep for the show on Saturday, get a date for the reading/signing at McNally, finish updating my press release, and then......get start getting some feelers out for doing readings before the McNally event.

Oh, and did I mention I received a tentative receiving date for "Crazy Day"? Feb. 16th! I can't wait!!!

Until next time, have a great week!

May you weather the weather whether it be on the warm side or cold.

May you find the gopher or ground hog, then winter's nearly over, so we're told.

May you embrace this next season with all the promise that it brings.

May you seize all it's potential, it's adventure, it's excitement, it's wings.

May you, in the spirit of spring, experience a renewal of confidence and grace.

May you feel the winter blues melt away replaced with such colourful joy you can't wipe the smile off of your face!

Have a Good One!

Closer and Closer!

Hi!

Well, let's see, this week has been fairly productive. I received, and approved the printed proof of "A Crazy Day" on Friday! That's a biggie! Might actually have it in my hands ahead of schedule. Yep, it's looking like at the end of February, I could be holding the finished book in my hands! I should reiterate how great the people are at Artbookbindery. They are phenomenal to work with.

Also this week, I made some posters for the upcoming fundraiser we are doing for a co-operative preschool on Feb. 5th in Saskatoon. It's the 3rd annual, and is always a lot of fun. There's cocktail hour, supper, silent auction, and of course the best karaoke party you will ever witness! lol I have an event page set up on our Rainbow Entertainment facebook page, if you would like all the details.

So, for the upcoming week. I'm predicting some emails from the web guy at artbookbindery, for one. We'll be adding "A Crazy Day" to my existing webpage. www.margyreidbooks.net. It won't show up there until just before I have the book, maybe a little after. I need to start figuring out a launch date with McNally Robinson in Saskatoon. I also need to start work on updating my press release thingy so it's ready to go as soon as I have the book in hand. I also need to update my ISBN status. They like to be kept in the loop as far as publication dates and such.

Also this week, I will be reassembling our newly updated song books for the Rainbow Entertainment part of my life. Thanks to my youngest daughter, all 2100 plus songs are now included and in alphabetical order once again. We will also need to get some rehearsal time in at some point!

Oh, here's a little something to make all of you hate me just a wee bit. I would like to give my hubby and myself a bit of a pat on the back for this. It's a big job out of the way. Yes, income tax is organized, at the accountant's office, processed and waiting for the efile system to open up on the government end of things! Okay, tooting of own horn is complete.

So, here is wishing you all a great week!

May you feel every single blessing to the very deepest core of your soul.

May hardships be deflected by the sheer gratitude you hold.

May every act of kindness you give, come back to you in spades.

May you transform negativity, so from every lemon, there's lemonade.

May you see the shine and not just shadows on even the darkest night.

May you know without doubt, shadows can't last, they have to yield to the overpowering light.

Until Next Week!

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm Not Sure What I Should Call This One!

Hi Everybody!

You know, I'm all for "let it snow" and everything, but really?! This is getting crazy!

The above picture was taken through my deck door this morning, I'm not sure how much more snow will fall before we can't see out the door at all!

Anyway, about this past week. We were able to have a fairly normal week, only having one snow day, on Friday. We left the house, got in the car, plowed our way out of town and made it about 10 miles pushing snow with our little car. It was then the alternator belt blew off because of all the snow under the hood. We turned around and made our way back home, fingers crossed the whole time that we make it ok. Being it was -29*C with wind chill. Not exactly ideal hiking weather!

I did go for my massage, all in all, it was worth it. My neck was very tender to the touch for a couple of days following the treatment but, for the most part, my neck did feel better. I will need to go back a couple of more times to really fix things. Apparently I have quite a muscular neck (surprise, surprise lol) and those muscles have basically circled the wagons around the injured smaller ones, hence, a couple of more sessions. Hey, if it works, it's worth it!

Also this week, I finally received my package from Hazel. I think the postal service on both sides of the border need to go back to basic training! It arrived looking like it had been through a war, a hurricane and a tornado! Luckily the contents were relatively intact, but the package itself was beaten and torn.

On the bright side of that scenario, I was able to get "A Crazy Day" off to the printer! Text, with notes, illustrations, rear cover write up, including picture for the back,done, done and done!

I have found, on both occasions where it was necessary for me have my picture taken for the back cover of my books, that I find it pretty stressful. I guess just knowing that this is the picture people will be looking at, it has to be a decent picture. What to wear, make up, hair, very conscious maybe too much so, of the kind of image I will be putting out there. It's very intimidating. Especially for a person who is not real crazy about getting her picture taken to begin with. Anyway, it's done. Hopefully it turns out ok.

Now, within the next few weeks the emails will be flying back and forth between the people at the printer's office and myself. The cover design lady, the print layout guy, the web guy, and the guy that orchestrates it all.

Proofing, making any changes, font, size of font, type of paper,what to put where etc. the mechanical side of writing books. It's very interesting, this is where I have to make a lot of decisions, although they seem small are very important, as to how they effect the finished book.

Before "Lexi", I had no idea how many decisions went into making a children's book. It's been an incredible learning experience, that I look very forward to continuing.

Today is my baby daughter's birthday. She turns 20 today. I think back to 20 years ago, my girls were 4,3,1 and a new born. I was 24, my hubby, 26, we were living on love, and not much more. Stretching pennies within an inch of their life! Would we change any of it? Not in your life! Every struggle started a ripple that spread out and touched a certain part of our lives. It made us strong as a couple and even stronger as a family.

So today, my baby is 20. Happy Birthday!

Until next week, a wish for all of my daughters.

May the road before you be filled with adventure, surprises, hills, and curves.

May you learn the skill of maneuvering through with adaptability, wisdom and swerves.

May you be open to all opportunities both the obviously loud and the subtly quiet.

May you have the insight to choose to pursue the ones right for you, without too much inner riot.

May you find a love that treats you with respect and consideration, who leaves you with no doubt that you are his one and only "one".

May you, in return, feel that without him, there would be no smile, no joy, no fun.

May you enter this next chapter of your lives with a sense of great anticipation and awe.

May you, in this chapter, discover, embrace, and celebrate the incredible women you are.

See you next Week!

Hi!




Well, I woke up this morning, looked outside, and was suddenly very glad that we live in the year 2011, as say compared to say, 1935.

There is some snow, and I mean DEEP snow out there. That is why I'm glad we live when we live, where Santa had the technology and the foresight to give my hubby a nice new snow blower for Christmas!

Now, today's challenge will be if my hubby will let me use it today, as he hurt his back last weekend.


That, brings me to the happenings of the past week.

As I mentioned in last week's blog we were gearing up to get back to "real life", holidays being over and all. Well, we definitely tried.

Monday, Hubby got out of bed, sort of, and that's as far as that went.
Tuesday, went in to work.
Wednesday, my day off, and Hubby could barely walk.
Thursday, same.
Friday, moving a little better, but not worth pushing it and making it worse.
Yesterday, he was a little better, but still pretty stiff...........And it started to storm.
The discussions began on the use of the snow blower and if I could do it....yes I think I can.(Fairly good size machine vs. I'm 5'5")

Let's see...this morning, he has already mentioned how "he" will need to do a bunch of snow removal before he can get in the garage. He seems to be moving around better, but I'm not convinced that it's such a good idea for him to do all that snow blowing. I smell a re-injury coming on. I will hopefully be able to convince him to let me do it. I just know it would drive him nuts to see me out there in the cold, while he's all toasty inside. I guess we'll see.


With all that has and hasn't been going on this week, I did manage to finish "A Crazy Day"!

Yay me!

Now, once the illustration disc is in my hands, I'll be able to send it all off to Artbookbindery, and about 2 months later, it will be in my house!

Now,I know Hazel popped the illustration disc in the mail just before Christmas, in talking with her, she feels it probably is caught up in customs. She had an international package take 2 1/2 months to get to her! Here's hoping it doesn't take that long, that could really throw a wrench in my timetable!

Anyway, that was my week. Onward and upward!

This coming week will be spent doing a lot of pins and needles sitting while waiting for my package from Hazel. I'll try not to get too nuts about it, but I'm not making any promises.

I guess the first order of business will be to simply get out of our yard! A lot of snow and supposed to snow more today. It's looking like an all day project, no matter who ends up doing it! lol

Also this week, I am going for my first massage! I wish I could say I'm excited, but I'd be lying. Scared, is more the term I would use. Maybe, if it was one of those massages they show on tv or in movies, all candle light soothing music, then I could feel more warm and fuzzy about the whole idea. But, alas it is not one of those massages at all. This one has been prescribed by my doctor as a result of the two times I was rear ended in the past 7 months. "Therapeutic Massage" , or so it's called, I've heard, feels more like getting your butt kicked! I'll let you know how it goes!


Until Next Week!


May all your obstacles become opportunities whenever they arise.
May you find your way through, around, or over them, whichever you decide.

May light be thrown on your "everyday" so you are able to see it as the "extraordinary" it truly is.
May you be inundated with children's' laughter, smiles from strangers, and whatever is your bliss.

Have A Great Week!

Ah, The New Year

Well Hello,


Happy New Year!


The holidays around here were great. Our kids were all home for Christmas, lots of games, gifts, food, and general goofiness. It's always so nice to get everyone home at the same time, even if it's only for short bits of time.

We did a karaoke show on New Year's Eve that went really well too. My youngest brother brought his crew for the weekend and came to the show. It was so fun! We definitely rang in the new year on a positive note. I hope all of you were able to do the same.

Now, time to get out of holiday mode and back into real life. Not that real life is so bad. I consider myself pretty dang lucky. I am very aware and absolutely grateful that my "real life" is pretty sweet. Yes, tomorrow I go back to "work", where I will assist in getting one five year old off to school, and then play with two adorable one year old twin boys the rest of the morning. Then it will be off to running a few errands, hug a grandbaby, maybe be given the tour of what Santa brought my redheaded niece and nephew, and then home to work on "A Crazy Day" for a while before I climb into my nice warm bed with a loving husband and a full tummy.

Yeah, not so bad.


Speaking of......."Crazy Day" is cooking along quite nicely, just need to give it a little more polish, and then it should be ready!

This is the most nerve racking time of the whole process for me. This is where the nagging little self doubt critters want to kick up a stink. The "what if " choir can start to sing pretty loudly here if I let it gain momentum. So, when that choir wants to start singing like they have a sold out show at Carnegie hall, I just have to remind myself that if the only thing this book ever does is make one kid giggle, it`s a success. And if Hazel, my illustrator friend counts as that kid, then mission accomplished!

I hope the first moments of 2011 found you in the company of those you hold closest to your heart. If not physically, then virtually. If not by phone, by skype, texting, email, IM, or video chat. You know,if your like me, you like to swear at technology every now and again. But, we can not deny that it does provide us with ways to be to communicate that we thought impossible 30 years ago.

Next, flying cars! Well that was what they said would be happening already according to 'Back to the Future' lol

Until Next Time,




May this new year give us all a fresh start, to make changes where needed, truly appreciate what makes life good, and the wisdom to know the difference.

May these days be filled with adventure and awe, and lessons that show us for what or whom we should really hold reverance.

May this be the year where every troop from every country, gets to go home, and stay that way.

May the children of these war torn countries finally feel safe and simply go outside to play.

May this be the year that to be famous you will need more than a drug problem, big boobs and a sex tape.

May it be the year that the ones our teens look up to, deserve it, just a little, and show us they have an IQ at least a smidge higher than a grape.



Happy New Year!