SISTER PALOOZA!

Since we're deep into Fall, it's probably time to write my annual "What I Did During My Summer Vacation" post. Based on my Instagram, I spent the season with my feet propped up on various coffee tables while drinking wine. Facebook, on the other hand, tells the story of a woman struggling to overcome home renovations and an ungrateful grand-cat. Though accurate, neither of these platforms fully embraced the most important event of the Summer of 2019: Sister-Palooza: Florida Edition.

The Plan

BOOK 'EM DIVA: DATING BY THE BOOK

*I was happy to receive an advance review copy of the latest Mary Ann Marlowe novel, Dating By the Book, in exchange for an honest review. Enjoy!*

Publisher: Kensington Books
Release Date: June 25, 2019
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

To read a Mary Ann Marlowe novel is to fall in love. From her smart female protagonists to her charming male love interests, each new book introduces us to characters we want to know in real life. That's why it's always hard to say goodbye when it's time to turn to the final page. This is particularly  problematic with Dating By The Book, the latest from the award-winning author, as Marlowe infuses the story with mystery, making it a true page-turner. Thus, the end arrives all too soon.

I just didn't want it to end!!!

GRUMPY OLD DIVA - FACEBOOK EDITION

I'm old enough to remember when Facebook was fun. Ten years ago, when everyone was still in a fairly decent mood, you could log onto your page and discover a wealth of information about family, friends, former high-school classmates, your dentist, and that strange couple who live around the corner. Those were the glory days when we all simultaneously changed our profile pictures to giraffes and debated whether that dress was blue or gold. But, times, I'm afraid, have changed. Ladies and gentlemen, Facebook has lost its mojo, and I'm here to announce it is the fault of one generation, and one generation, only. I refer, dear readers, to the Baby Boomers. Now, you all might ask:

BOOK EM DIVA - BATHTUB EDITION

Thanks to my boastful nature, you know that I now have a bathtub of my own. It's all very posh and glamorous as I no longer have to don a hazmat suit to scour the thing prior to my sip-and-soak. (For reference: Our previous tub was used by my teenaged son, husband, AND the family dog.) The best part is I can lounge to my heart's content, sipping tea (aka: wine) and reading as if I am on my own island oasis minus the jet lag. I am lost to the world, until the water gets cold.

Fun Game: Spot four reasons in this picture that I will not be permitted to babysit future grandchildren.

SNOW BIRD CHRONICLES: CHANGE OF PLANS EDITION

This year, we decided to modify our snowbird lifestyle. By modify, I mean axe it. The husband would disagree, as we'll still spend one week a month in the Sunshine State soaking up the rays, drinking on the beach, and complaining when the temperature drops below 75. But, that is not snow-birding. That's vacationing. Therefore, I am now referring to myself as The Vacationista. Join me!

PEG OF OUR HEARTS: GOOD GRIEF

A friend of mine once said, "If you are lucky, you will bury your elderly parents." While that's not motivation to carry a rabbit's foot, it makes perfect sense. The alternative is we leave this earth before they do or lose them when they are far too young. So, my sisters and I consider ourselves fortunate. Our father lived for almost 80 years and our mother for 87. She died on November 30, 2018.

YOU SAY YOU WANT A RESOLUTION

I'm the type who loves to make News Year's Resolutions. I start my list at the beginning of December so I can spend an entire month enjoying my bad habits to their fullest before it's time to relinquish them. For example, the year I gave up my nightly dish of ice cream, I doubled up on the scoops right through New Year's Eve. When I decided to eat "healthy," I had potato chips and Diet Pepsi for breakfast for four weeks straight.  Some might suggest that I deliberately choose resolutions that I have no intention of fulfilling just for the purpose of being extra naughty during the holiday season. How. Dare. You.