Wacky Wednesdays...

While at our ANWA writers retreat this past week-end we ate; we wrote; we wandered about getting acquainted; and we learned from each other. We even had one wacky adventure after another when the rain fell and filled the basement bedroom with water. While there one suggestion was to try and improve our blogs, to this endeavor I am writing today.

First I guess I should explain what ANWA is to those of you who may not know. ANWA stands for American Night Writers Association. Formed in Arizona in October 1986, the purpose of the organization is to encourage, assist, and motivate members to write, and if they desire, to publish their work. It is comprised of LDS Women who are mothers or may have other professions that keep them from meeting their goal of being a writer - So they write at night (Not a requirement) also sometimes the words to write come from the Spirit in the middle of the night. This is a national organization and if you would like to know more just check us out on line at: www.anwa-lds.com

Now back to me - Wacky Wednesdays will be a regular post of mine (unless gone or otherwise unavailable). My topics will vary - so if you keep track of me, you may very well be surprised at what ever the heck I may talk about or say. I will not be held accountable for anything! :O) That's right, no account Joyce! (Isn't that what being zany is? Yep, crazy!)

This past couple of weeks I've been wandering about camping. I went with my sister Shirley and of course I took along Albert & Snuffy. They're my camping pals. Here's a picture of them sunning on a rock at the lake - Albert left, Snuffy right:

They always go with me camping. Albert loves to climb in the trees and they both like to keep me warm.

This past week camping and at the ANWA writing retreat (I went camping, then to the retreat, then back camping again) when I went to take pictures of Albert & Snuffy on my bed - alas I had my camera case but no camera inside! When I got home it was on my desk, so luckily it wasn't lost or anything, whew what a relief. Just my luck! My husband is off to the National Boy Scout Jamboree in Virginia and he has had the misfortune of loosing his camera with all those priceless pictures on it! So I was lucky that my camera wasn't lost, but unlucky to have not had it with me.

While I was at the ANWA writers retreat I had my first chapter of the novel I'm writing critiqued. I'm anxious to make the changes that Cecily suggested. She made a lot of marks on my manuscript, but I am so glad for her help and for the suggestions! I have many more chapters written but I've revised and gone through many twists and turns in my plot and wanted it critiqued again. Glad I did!!!

So that's been my wacky week thus far... I hope you join me again.

Look for Friday Frills & Thrills... Signing off for now, Joyce

A Book Review of Lemon Tart

This past week I went on a campout with my two sisters for a “sister’s week”. We had a great time and all three of us were able to get in some good reading time; amazingly all three of us love to read. The book I chose was: Lemon Tart by Josi S. Kilpack. One of the reasons I bought this book is because I love yellow, I love Lemon’s and I love a good mystery – it looked good, it sounded good, so I bought!

Let me tell you, I was not disappointed one iota with Lemon Tart. Josi Kilpack has done a fantastic job of making her character, Sadie, a very real and likable person. Sadie is a kick in the pants and I loved her antics and her tenacity to go for what she believed was right, even to the point of putting her own life at peril.

In this volume, a middle aged widow named Sadie sets out in her amateur way to figure out who is responsible for the death of her beautiful neighbor. In so doing she both intrigues and ignites the tempers of the two Police detectives assigned to the case. In her awkward and meddling way Sadie finds that the people she thought she knew and loved were not the people she had believed them to be. She is flabbergasted at all of the neighborhood comings and goings that had been happening right under her nose, without her even noticing; which incensed her because she thought herself to be the watchdog of their cul-de-sac.

When two detectives come to her door to ask questions, Sadie somehow manages to get Detective Cunningham to help her make the apple sauce she was in the middle of canning. While at the same time Detective Madsen rubs her the wrong way. His determination to prove her guilty of the murder causes not only a clash with her but with his partner as well.

Sadie sets out taking baked goodies to certain neighbors to try and wheedle information from them while trying to prove herself innocent, solve the case and find the missing child at the same time. She ends up having to eat her own preverbal mud pie in the process. Nope, no recipe for mud pie included!

Josi Kilpack has done a great job with this mystery in keeping me guessing as to who the actual murderer is. The added bonuses of the recipes in Lemon Tart are a plus as far as I’m concerned and I will be making the Lemon Tart and the other recipes included. How can you go wrong with a book that gives you a good read, a good mystery, and a mouth watering recipe to boot?

This debut novel in a culinary mystery series is a must read for anyone who likes a good mystery with humor interlaced throughout. Rest assured I will be buying book two, English Trifle as soon as I can!

~Joyce

Review of "Agent in Old Lace"

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Coming home from the LDStorymakers Writers Conference in Provo, Utah in April, I was pretty tired so I spent most of my time the next few days reading. The novel I read was: Agent in Old Lace by Tristi Pinkston. No, it hasn’t taken me this long to read it – I just got a Trojan spy on my computer and couldn’t send anything in before now.

This is Tristi’s forth novel. Agent in Old Lace is the first of her novels that I’ve read. I found myself engrossed in the story and wondering from page to page if I was right in my deduction of who the “bad guy” was going to be. I’m one of those people that can be watching a TV show and tell my husband right away “who done it”. That knack has him sometimes frustrated with me – but I say to him, "don’t ask me if you don’t want me to tell you".

So with that in mind you can see why it’s important for me to read good mysteries that can keep me guessing as to “who done it”. With Agent in Old Lace I found that I was correct in the early conclusion as to who the “bad guy” was, but even though I guessed right, it kept me reading and wondering if my reasoning was accurate or not.

This fictional story of intrigue is set in Salt Lake City and southern Utah. Agent in Old Lace is about Shannon Tanner and her fight for life when she accidentally stumbles on some files her fiancee should not have, containing financial information about herself and her father. She struggles to stay alive after she’s kidnapped and taken into the mountains. With daring nerve, she escapes her captor. The aroma of cooking bacon and a campfire draw her. Going forward she finds an unlikely old man in the woods and thinks she’s found her prince in shining armor.

Shannon is shocked to find the old man isn’t who she thought he was and once again narrowly escapes her captors. Her attempts to flee are frustrated by hunger and as darkness and cold set in; the rain begins to fall. Her main goal in life is to stay alive and return to her dear father who is lying in a hospital bed dying. Her father's doctor is totally baffled by the cause of his illness.

Through twists and turns in the story and the help of an undercover agent who dresses as a woman to help protect Shannon, the story keeps the reader intrigued. Falling for the agent in lace isn’t in the plan. But as Agent Rick Holden goes about staying close to Shannon and trying to protect her from the life threats against her - planning doesn’t seem to fit in the equation.

Tristi Pinkston is adept in painting a picture of human bonds and struggles in this family’s life. Shannon, whose beloved father is dying and the trials of trying to keep her integrity, loyalty, and yet apply forgiveness are great challenges that take courage to face. The decisions she makes are all a fundamental part of this story. Tristi takes us into the characters hearts and homes which are well described in this story. If you’re interested in a good mystery to read, I recommend Agent in Old Lace by Tristi Pinkston.

Go get it and enjoy...
And have a good weekend - Joyce

Bugs, Lugs, & Hugs!

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Now I swore I wouldn't take so long to post a blog again, but little did I know that I would have to eat my words due to bugs! No, I didn't eat any bugs - my computer came down with a plethora of bugs and I was daily battling Trojans trying to keep them from overtaking my whole PC! I won the battle after many wars! Yippee...


Next came the task of lugging my luggage up and down and all around. I went on a trip to Provo, Utah to the annual LDStorymakers Conference. We drove from Arizona with my sister Tina driving. Along on the ride and trip were three other amazing women, making a total of five of us in the truck. I also got to lug my heavy book-bag from class to class once we enrolled. Whew, I think I got arm muscles on this trip! But I had a blast-well worth the trip! I will post pictures of this trip on a forth-coming post.



Okay, then my back and shoulder went out and I spent many a day hugging my pillow trying to get comfy. Now that was not fun! My chiropractor took care of my problem and I'm once again able to give my hubby hugs without pain attached! Yippee, hooray, zip-pity-do-dah!!!



Okay talk to ya later. I've got a book review coming up later today or in the next few days, so check back soon...

~Joyce

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TORTILLAS AND QUESADILLA...

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Hi, sorry its again been a while... been sick etc, etc, etc...


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Every year my high school girlfriends and I all get together for a "girlfriends week end" -Sometimes not just a weekend though.
Anyway on these fun get together and one of the highlights of our time together is having Erma make us homemade tortillas and each year she tries to teach us how... somehow they're never quite like hers but with practice we finally get them to looking and tasting quite yummy.


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This was too good to wait for a picture...

Here are the recipes:

Tortilla

5 or 6 Cups flour

1 & 1/2 tsp Salt

3 tsp Baking Powder

MIX WELL

Add 1/2 Cup Shortening and cut up or mix with pastry blender or hands until it is all mixed well.

Add very warm water 1 cup at a time until dough is soft, not sticky (approx 2 cups, but you may need more). If dough is too dry add a little water at at time. If dough is too sticky add a little flour. Kneed about 5-7 minutes. Then cover and let rest for 5-8 minutes.

Roll out a small ball at a time using a little flour on the table. Turn the tortilla around counter-clockwise every time you roll it out bigger. Cook on moderate heated grille or heavy frying pan. Turn almost right away then cook until bubbles appear or is evenly brown; then turn over to other side and finish cooking. Reserve in covered pan to keep warm while cooking filling.

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Chipolte Steak Quesadilla Filling:

Loin tip steak - cut in thin strips (Or Chicken strips)

Light Olive Oil

{Salt; Garlic with Parsley; Pepper; Montreal steak seasoning; Tabasco-Chipotle Sauce.

Onion - sliced in thin circles

Yellow or red sweet peppers - sliced in thin strips (I can't eat Green Peppers because they give me heartburn but the yellow and red ones don't do that and still give you nice flavor.)

{For even more flavor you may also use 1 small can diced Green Chilies & abt 1 TBS Pace Picante Sauce.}

Sour Cream

Tomato - diced

Cheddar/Jack Cheese - grated

Flour Tortillas

Cook meat in frying pan with light Olive Oil. Add {listed seasonings - to taste. When almost done add sliced onion & peppers; saute' until soft and meat is done.

Serve on your homemade tortilla with sour cream; cheese; tomato and more Tabasco or Pace if desired. I like to serve with corn. If corn is out of season then I use canned corn on top of the Quesadilla; more cheese & eat it with a fork. YUMMY!

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I hope you try these and enjoy!

~Joyce

TEXAS TRIP

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As some of you know I've been gone for two weeks to Texas and just got home on Wednesday afternoon. I thought I would share with you some of the highlights of said trip.

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This is Kevin & Logan just before Logan's baptism. Notice the halo around Logan's head... pretty cool.

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The Family: Donelle, Kevin, Logan, Tessa, Kinsey

All dressed in whites ready to go.

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Me fixing computer for slide show of Logan.

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Day trip we took...

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Kinsey & Logan -


"Oh come & try to get us - I have my stick!"





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The Alligators won't get us here!

Maybe here though...

Look, here's a place we can get away from the Alligator's...

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Won't get Logan here...

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Or Tess either...
Not Kinsey...






And they won't even get Mommy...



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Oh look, a Turtle, but NO Alligator...

Yikes! There's an Alligator!!!

"Stay back Grandma, I'll protect you!"

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Aren't Grandkids great!?!?!?!!!!

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I Shoulda Named this Smith's Life & Trials...

As you can see I've given myself a new face lift (well I have enough wrinkles I could actually use a physical face lift) but I'm talking about this blog. I felt like it was time to turn over a new leaf, so to speak, and the first order of business was working on this blog and hopefully posting more often too.
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For three & a half years when we lived in Torrejon Spain, I wrote family newsletters back home titled: "The Life and Trials of the Smith's in Spain" detailing the many amazing things that happened to myself, my husband and our seven children while living there and the awesome life the Spaniards lived; how we adjusted to living in "their world" etc. But when I got home all such writings ceased. Now I'm thinking its about time to start recording events in my life a little more regularly. What better place to record it than here! :O)
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I thought I shoulda named this blog something like "The Smith's Life & Trials" or "Joyce's Life and Trials" but I just like the sound of Zany G's World much better, so there you have it...
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