Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Stop! Don't Flush

I’m excited to be a part of the Roses of Prose. I’ve been guest blogging all over the place and now I feel like I’ve found a blogging home. After this introduction, I’ll be here every month on the 9th and the 24th so I hope you can join me as often as possible for some fun. I’m not serious very often. When you’re a klutz like me who does things like flush your pedometer down the toilet, you have to laugh at yourself to stay sane.


I’m a desert rat by birth, and until I married a man doing a stint in the Army, my travels outside of Arizona had been limited to California, Nevada and New Mexico. After seeing a bit more of the world those first few years of marriage, I discovered I have a gypsy heart. Now years later, we are in the process of moving for our 24th time. We’ve lived in 23 homes (owned 7 of them), in 17 cities, 6 states and 2 countries.


I’m blessed with creative soul mates. My husband is an excellent photographer. My adult son who lives out west in the pines with his lady is a singer/song writer with talent unending. And my dog, Rusty, creates joy. After all, he’s the smartest dog in the world.


The only thing I love more than reading is writing. My most recently published novel, Sleeping with the Lights On, is a contemporary romance with suspense and humor. My novels involve women who’ve racked up experience while looking for that perfect life style to suit their adventurous natures; they’re out to discover what life can offer. Love and romance are always part of the brew. Right now, I’m writing the first in a three book series of romantic mysteries and a short for Christmas while searching for a home for my YA Historical novel. My contemporary western novella is almost home. 



So…number one on my list of likes is writing, number two is reading. Also on my list of favorite things: traveling, motorcycle riding, spending time with my son and his lady, red wine, summer nights sitting on the deck with friends, funny or thriller movies, Mexican food with a killer Margarita, girl days with my sister and/or Mom, hiking, a real wood fire on a winter evening, dancing.


What are a few of your favorite things?


And I love Facebook! Drop in, start a conversation. 
Brenda's Occasional Blog

The Roses of Prose Where Romance is Never Out of Season, brenda whiteside, and romance, romantic suspense, sleeping with the lights on

23 comments:

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Brenda,
Lovely to find out a little more about you. Oh my goodness, moving house 24 times. How do you do it. We recently moved (3rd time, and hopefully the last), and it nearly killed us.
We are still living out of boxes 3 months down the track.
Regards

Margaret

Brenda Whiteside said...

Hi Margaret. You'd think I enjoyed wouldn't you? Actually, I like settling into a new place. Right now I'm in the middle of packing and I can tell you I do not enjoy that part.

Colleen Connally said...

I couldn't do that, move so many times. I wouldn't be able to find a thing. Perhaps I need to get a bit more organized. What a beautiful dog! Love Mexican and margaitas!

JENNIFER WILCK said...

Hi Brenda, I loved learning more about you. Can't even contemplate moving that many times, but the traveling sounds wonderful! Congratulations on your new "blog home" and wishing you good luck with your books!

Brenda Whiteside said...

Well, Jerri, moving so often means cleaning out now and then. Only this time I'm losing some of those boxes we've been carting around for 20 years!

Thanks, Jennifer.

Barbara Edwards said...

Hi Brenda,
So nice to know you better. Only my dog is the smartest, best, loyalist, most affectionate, sigh. Maybe I'll let it be a tie.
Barbara

Brenda Whiteside said...

Yes, we can declare it a tie! I doubt either of us would concede.

Harlie Williams said...

Good morning! Who doesn't like a good margarita? LOL! Great introduction and I'm now following the blog. Beautiful blog, too.

Brenda Whiteside said...

Hi Harlie. I'm so glad you like our blog. Clinking my margarita glass against yours!

craft brag said...

I'm with you two - margaritas all the way. Have you tried Skinnygirl? Yum - love it.

Jenna

Brenda Whiteside said...

Is that a type of margarita or a whole separate thing? Ha - morning talk!

Laura Breck said...

Hi, Brenda, pour me a margarita, too! Phins up!!! You sound like you have a very busy life. I'm impressed you find time to write with all your packing and unpacking. It's great to know more about you.

Lynne Marshall said...

Hi, Brenda, loved the intro. when I was a kid we moved so many times I lost track. I continued jumping from apartment to apartment when on my own as a young adult, but once I found my husband, who had his own house already, we've only moved once, and that was 24 years ago.
Absolutely wonderful picture of your dog.
I'm with you on the good Mexican food, traveling, and wine - though I prefer white.

My mother once dropped her glasses in our toilet, and when I fished them out one of the lenses were missing. I told my mother, who I loved very very much, "Sorry, Mom, but I'm not going back in the toilet for that!" We bought her a new pair of glasses, and fortunately, the lense didn't plug up our toilet!

OK - entirely TMI for the morning! : )

Brenda Whiteside said...

Laura - Phins up! I'm a little busy, yes, and really looking for things to calm a bit. Another kink got thrown at us yesterday - Rusty needs an operation. Poor puppy.

Lynn - too funny on the glasses. My husband was sure the pedometer would come back to haunt us (in a manner of speaking) but so far okay.

Karyn Good said...

Hi Brenda, I love your lists of favorite things, especially the wood fire on a winter evening. Congratulations on your new blog home and good luck with your move!

Brenda Whiteside said...

Thanks, Karyn. We have a wood burning fireplace on the main floor and a gas burning one in the basement of our home. The gas burning one gives off more heat but is dull compared to a real wood fire. Glad you stopped by.

Jannine Gallant said...

My dog is definitely not the smartest one in the world, but she's funny and sweet! Right now my favorite thing in the world is getting husband and girls out of the house so I can write. It's been one of those mornings! Great hearing all your adventures, Brenda!

Christine DePetrillo said...

Hey, Brenda. Moving 24 times would make my head spin. I'm a hermit by nature and once I settle in, it's hard to kick me out. Beautiful dog, but I'm afraid my cat will outsmart all the dogs. She's a real witch's familiar, crafty, mysterious, and just a little magical. :)

Brenda Whiteside said...

Jannine. Rusty is being very quiet since he's ailing and husband is gone. No kids at home anymore. I'm sure you'd envy my quiet - but only for a little while.

Christine, cats have it on dogs for the mysterious traits. Dogs are kind of in your face but definitely spiritual. I think cats can be quite magical.

glenys said...

Nice to meet you, Brenda - never dropped a pedometer into the toilet, but I did once almost flush the cat. That could have been ugly..but she still drinks out of the bowl :-( Your travels sound fascinating - despite the hassle, I think moving may be addictive....

Brenda Whiteside said...

Oh my gosh the cat?! Now that would have cured her of drinking out of that bowl again. Ha.

Vonnie Davis ~ Romance Author said...

Granted, the number of times you've moved widened my eyes, the mention of a killer margarita made my mouth water, your remarks about your dog touched my heart and your obvious pride in your son made this Mom smile, but the thing that snagged my attention was flushing your pedometer down the toilet. I'm a visual person with an off the wall sense of humor...and a penchant for doing the absurd. You've left me grinning. I mean, HOW did...ok...never mind. Great post.

Brenda Whiteside said...

And you made me laugh, Vonnie!