Nov 20, 2013

Headless Chickens need not apply

Yes, I know, weird title to my post but today the last thing I need is another headless chicken. I'm quite enough at this point in time.

Despite my best laid plans, all is running amok in my household which leaves me, today, with much to do and little time to do it in. I blame myself. It all started two days ago when I failed to back up the changes I'd made to a file, although, in my defence I am all but certain I saved the file with that day's date at the time. According to my computer and every file recovery system known to man, I didn't. And, I also didn't do my usual routine of double emailing the file to myself to two separate addresses and backing up to Dropbox. Which meant that yesterday, which was to be a preparation day for today, was spent in much futile searching and time wasting exercises trying to (a) find the file, then (b) replicate the changes and improvements I'd made to said file. Blah.

Why is today important? Well, it's my eldest daughter's birthday and we're hosting the family at our house tonight to celebrate with her. Normally that's no pressure, no stress and much fun, but this year the stress levels are running higher than usual. I'm working on a book (well, I'm always doing that,) Mr Fix-It is on an intensive training course and studying all the hours he's at home when he's not sleeping, Little Miss Fashion has her end of year show this coming Saturday (graduates next week, four years come to an end, just like that!) and has to make her final presentation to her lecturers, together with her leather bound contextual portfolio and a power point, today, and The Drill Sergeant (whose birthday it is) is working and her partner is away this week for work (totally unavoidable.) So, as you can see, the day's all a muddle.

I'm sure it will come together as soon as I find a suitable gluten free carrot cake recipe, tidy the house, make the garlic cheese ball and do all those other things you need to do to get a house ready for a family gathering (blasted Little Black Cat continues to moult all over the light coloured carpet!) All of which is why this blog is a little late going up today.

Still, it's here now and I'm holding on to this as an omen that today will go smoothly and tonight will be memorable for all the right reasons! Wish me luck!

Oh, and here's the gorgeousness that is my wonderful US cover for my upcoming December release, THE HIGH PRICE OF SECRETS. You can preorder it now! And, in Aus/NZ I'm paired with Janice Maynard (fabulous author!) and, while the cover isn't as hot it's still incredibly lovely in time for Christmas! Oh heavens, Christmas!? I feel more amok coming on.

17 comments:

  1. Good luck, Yvonne. It'll be so worth it tonight when you're sitting down to ear with your family. In the meantime I send you cyber fairy godmother!

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    1. Ha! You think? So far I've forgotten to get candles for the birthday cake in mad dash to supermarket to buy cinnamon, cream cheese and candles AND discovered (just before I added it to the mixture) that I'd bought Cajun Spice instead (yes, really!) AND NOW THE CAKE IS OVERFLOWING IN THE OVEN AND THREATENING TO START A HOUSEFIRE!

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  2. I know I shouldn't be laughing at that, but I'm imagining the taste -- and the looks on faces -- if you hadn't noticed the cajun spice. Luckily you did and I'm sure the cake can be fashioned into a shape and coated in beautiful cream cheese frosting and all will be well. Because what matters is the people, the family, and everyone gathering to celebrate a special occasion. Enjoy.

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    1. It will be a miracle if my blood pressure doesn't see me blow a gasket before everyone arrives, Bron. Truly a miracle. Also a miracle if there is any mixture left in the baking tin. We're already into double time cooking the darn thing. Susie-Homemaker I'm not.

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  3. Yvonne, I hope it all comes together and you get some help in there! At least it's a family party, not strangers, so hopefully you'll soon be relaxing while others do their share and you get to laugh over the horrible lead up to it. Enjoy the special company!

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    1. PS. Maybe you could turn part of it into a party game? Get out the dust buster and give a prize to the guest who vacuums up the most cat hair?

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    2. Not a lot of help to be had today, unfortunately. Not even from myself, apparently! Although mum did whizz round with some cinnamon for me, thank goodness.

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  4. Yvonne, you've got my heart racing and I'm not there. Bet this goes down as one of the best Lindsay birthday dinners in the history of your family. Enjoy tonight and don't fall asleep in your wine.

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    1. I think falling asleep in my wine could be a genuine issue, Sue! LOL! I feel like I haven't stopped all day. I don't know when things started to get so out of control for me but I seriously don't like it. Seems that the older I get, the more I need to have a handle on what's going on around me. I need me some "go with the flow" pills, I think!

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  5. BREATHE, drink…breathe, drink…
    Have fun! It'll all be fine xxx

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    1. I survived, Louisa, although that was questionable when I ended up with three extras for dinner! Thought I'd have to serve up on sandwich plates for a moment there!

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  6. Oh, I shouldn't be laughing, I know, but...

    Your dinner is going to be fabulous and everyone is going to be laughing so hard over your trials today that they'll all be bathed in a golden glow. Wishing you all a wonderful night...and then I hope you get to relax for a week!

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    1. Michelle, I was actually surprised at how many of them had been watching my facebook feed and laughing all afternoon! Still, it's behind me now and I have cake for morning tea ;-)

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  7. Yvonne

    I am sure you evening will turn out wonderful and you will be able to relax and enjoy and everything will be worth the all you have gone through :)

    Love those covers

    Have Fun
    Helen

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    1. Thanks, Helen. The covers are great aren't they? We did have a lovely night in the end. Usually our kids (all in their 20s now) gravitate to another room and leave us parental and grandparental types to ourselves but last night the sitting room was swollen with people and conversations and it was really lovely!

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  8. Hi Yvonne, I'm so glad to hear that the evening went well after your rather traumatic lead up to it!

    Sending you hugs for the "lost" work you had to repeat. I guess it's Murphy's Law that means whenever we don't follow our back-up protocols, we'll have a hiccup with the file we've done heaps of work on!

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  9. Yvonne, I loved watching this all unfold on your Facebook feed and am so glad it unfolded well on the night. But now I really want to try your carrot cake...

    Loving your covers for The High Price of Secrets. Might have to snaffle one when they hit the shelves!

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