The Doorway and Other Stories (SFand fantasy adventures)

There's more info on these fun and fantastic stories on AskDavid's website, where it's featured: http://askdavid.com/reviews/book/science-fiction/3366

And don't forget that its free January 1 & 2, 2013 here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007SV1FB2

Mooving Out (flash fiction fun)

My flash fiction story, Mooving Out, is up on Flurries of Words: http://flurriesofwords.blogspot.com/

Note: This is sort of connected to Moovin' Up.

Hidebound (publication news)

Hidebound, my SF adventure romance (with adult content), is featured here: http://askdavid.com/reviews/book/science-fiction-adventure/3367

Btw, Hidebound was serialized in The Fifth Di-- (after being a co-winner in their contest); and later it ran in Once Upon A World (after being a co-winner in their contest).

Instead of fads, let's try timeless (link)

Here are some kitchen design ideas supposed to be timeless. Well, I'd certainly appreciate soft-close doors, which we don't have. More windows and smaller kitchens are also part of the future. Hmm. Good luck with that combination. Cabinets can go to the ceiling, of course, though I have to drag in a chair from the dining room to reach those we have now. Uh, if you extend the backsplash to the ceiling, you also have less room for cabinets. I already knew that quartz and man-made surfaces are more practical; and I still haven't bought the granite sealer. Sigh. And I finally make it to maple, and exotic woods are in. Lots of choices, folks, including specialized lighting. Look here to check them out : http://www.hgtvremodels.com/kitchens/kitchen-design-trends/pictures/index.html?nl=HGRM_122512_featlink2_11-kitchen-ideas

Jesus of Nazareth

Merry Christmas

I came across Who was Jesus?, a documentary about Jesus' life and times, on the Military Channel Christmas eve.  An interesting book I've read that takes a look at Jesus's early years is Jesus of Nazareth, Boy and Man: A Novel of the Lost Years by G. Miki Hayden: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/91472

It's also available elsewhere.



"Dawn, and the Sunset, and ..." (publication news)

"Dawn, and the Sunset, and the Colours of the Earth" by Michael F. Flynn was nominated for a Hugo and selected by David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer for their Best of the Year anthology (#12). I was one of those who contributed to his story. Find out how I and others on Flynn's AOL SF forum (back in the day) got this opportunity: http://jjbrannon.livejournal.com/12481.html

For more background: http://www.asimovs.com/_issue_0612/dawnandsunset.shtml

Updating your homes and furniture

There are many helpful suggestions for sprucing up your rooms and furnishings in the January issue of Southern Living. And paint colors include Peacock Feathers (Benjamin Moore) and Mardi Gras (also BM); then there's Elephant Tusk (sort of cream by BM)
Convex mirrors were used in the past to reflect candlelight. Though not as necessary today (unless you're in one of those homes that lack overhead lighting), they're beautiful and interesting. Update some furniture with paint and hardware--or reupholster it. The sagging settee definitely needed help, but the wing chair lost its shape. EEK!

There are fun travel destinations, and another essay on enjoying a quiet New Year's eve with family and friends away from noisy crowds. And the closing essay has a line I love re what's on TV today: "Now I flip through banality till my thumb is sore."

Sparkle note: If you drag a treat from the box, and click on it again, Sparkle will jump up and catch it!

Solid surface countertops (link)

Solid surface products are a good choice, although I'm going for quartz next time. (Grumble, grumble.) Now I've got to remember to get granite sealer next time I go to the hardware store. And I'd go for a lighter color too, though I saw some beautiful dark colors and fantastic patterns of granite on Hometime recently.
Check out these solid surface choices (Basil by Corian is lovely):
http://www.hgtvremodels.com/kitchens/solid-surface-kitchen-countertops/pictures/page-2.html

And there are other kitchen countertop suggestions on the webpage.

Storage alternatives (link)

Here are some spacious storage units, though I'd rather have a walk-in closet. Though they call them wardrobes, only one unit looked like a real wardrobe. The recessed lights in one unit was a nice touch, plus the velvet curtains...  And there are a variety of other ideas on this webpage:

http://www.hgtvremodels.com/interiors/wardrobes-that-wow/pictures/index.html?nl=HGRM_120412_featlink2_wardrobe-closets

Washing machine problem

When we remodeled, we decided to go with the contractor's choices (GE) in the hope they'd be cheaper, and we ended up with an infusor washing machine, which I didn't want because I'd read the reviews on it. Now we have a washer that smells musty. I know, I know--at least it isn't a front loader. Next time we go back to Sears and Kenmore, which we've been happy with for years. And Sears has a refrigerator that comes in the 18.2 size. We now have a 17.9 size (too small). We started out with a 21 something, which was way too big for our galley kitchen, so we returned it and paid a restocking fee. Ouch! When someone complains, I say--At least our electric bill shouldn't be as high as it would have been with the big one.


Anyway, I called the GE repairman to ask him about the smell, and he suggested doing a load with water and bleach. Well, I should have gone with the rinse cycle as he suggested, but I decided I wanted to run it longer, and so the machine drained all the water I had added bucket by bucket since these new machines--to save water--won't let you decide on a level. I was mildly irritated. (Hah, hah, hah, hah, eeeekk!!!) I will try again another time...