That’s me….Missing In Action! Gosh, I’d really like to say that I have some amazing excuse for my failure to pay proper attention to my blog…but…seriously, it’s been LIFE! I always seem to say to myself…”when things settle down” or “when things get back to normal”…i’ll blah, blah, blah! What I’ve discovered is that this IS “normal” and this IS “settled down”! It’s a discovery I’m not completely comfortable with but nevertheless this is MY LIFE!

Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining! My life is full and busy and satisfying and more than anything, blessed. To the point that right now I’m scared to stop! I think I’ll fall asleep no matter where I am or what I’m doing. I’m the hamster on the wheel! I’m the little kid trying to figure out the perfect moment to exit the jump rope! I’m the artist contemplating one last stroke of the brush on my masterpiece!

I feel completely out-of-the-loop about what’s going on in blog land! Not only have I neglected my own blog but I have neglected staying in touch with all those blogs I love to follow! I promise to be back soon and get competely caught up!

But I don’t want you to think I’ve been sitting around all summer watching soaps and eating bonbons! I have had a few things going on…..

It’s actually been an amazing summer! Full of travel and family and friends. So many laughs, so many good times, so many memories!

This is me, my husband Bruce and our friends Rich & Kiren. We’re in the Milan train station waiting for our train to Lake Como. I am a fanatic about left-handed photographs! I think they are so fun and spontaneous. You never really know what’s going to happen, but this one turned out really great and it’s one of my favorite photos from the trip! So consider yourself warned….if you are near me and I have a camera you will be expected to take a left-handed photo with me!

Mid-July I went on a buying trip for my antique business Rubbish. Preping for Warrenton opening late September where I setup at Cole’s for a 10-day show! I know, it’s a tough job but someone has to do it and I’m convinced I’m the perfect “someone”! I was home only long enough to make a complete disaster out of my dining room where I unloaded and unwrapped all my treasures!

Then I was off to Washington DC for a long weekend with my niece Marcie! I would say we laughed but truly we just giggled! We had an absolute ball! We participated in our favorite indoor sport….shopping! We did some sightseeing and ate at some really great restaurants. We visited Annapolis which is simply darling!

Are you starting to feel sorry for me? Well, hang on…there’s more….

I was home from DC for a few short days when my other niece, Meg, came to visit! I know…how lucky am I that I have two beautiful nieces! There was absolutely no reason on earth for me to have children of my own…I hit the jackpot with these two chickies!

Since I was already in shopping mode, why stop now! Off to the mall to get Meg school clothes and her very first official pair of heels! We ate at her favorite Austin spots and even managed to squeeze in a movie! The giggling continued as did the left-handed photos!

Meg and me taking a break from shopping for a quick pic! But not too long….there was more mall to conquer! It was a super weekend……she’s quite a GIRL!

I miss them both!

But that hamster wheel is just a turnin’ and I’m running as fast as I can…..

Tonight I’m sitting in the guest room at my sister’s house in Tyler. Dead on my feet but there will be no sleep tonight, I’m too excited! My sister has a kind and generous heart and she is giving me a SweetTalk party tomorrow and Thursday! When I think I’m busy…I have only to look at my sister’s life to know that she actually defines the word “busy”! But here we are looking foward to the next two days. Seeing old friends and making new ones and spreading my love of words!