Chapter One...The Ant Lion's Den

I am setting here looking at Chapter Two...The Ant Lion's Den,  the novel I started almost 2 years ago when Sherman was first diagnosed.  I had a good start on it, but at that time Sherman needed me more than the world needed another novel.  So I put it on hold.  Then he extracted a promise from me that I would write the story of Sherman and Lou had life been different.  He outlined it for me and in the book, we met, fell in love and lived happily ever after.  In real life he died shortly thereafter.
But a promise is a promise and I put the novel aside and began the perfect work of fiction and the world's greatest love story.  I failed in my mission and ended up writing a true story where we did indeed fall in love and he did propose 10 days before he died on Friday the 13th.  The book has been finished and forgotten now for over 8 months and I stare at the blank page of  Chapter Two and my mind is a complete blank..I reread what I have written hoping something of the brilliance I felt when I started it will resurface, but nothing happens.
What I am thinking of is a scene in my mind from 50 years ago when Debbie was a wee tyke and I found an old typewriter at a rummage sale for $2.00.  It was a small Royal and after I took the toothbrush and cleaned the letters and replaced the ribbon, it printed pretty legibly.  But there I sat, staring at the pure white paper that waited for me to fill up up with all the thoughts in my brilliant mind.   But it never happened.  I spent the next 50 years waiting for my stellar mind to unleash a torrent of words that would make the world fall at my feet.  But they never came.  The old Royal gave way to a nice aqua typewriter in a case.  That gave way to an electric, which was replaced by a word processor and that was traded for a computer.  And I went through a string of computers and different word programs before I poured my heart and soul into Chapter One...Loose Ends.  I was on a roll, but now I am back to staring at a blank sheet with a cursor blinking and calling me.
Someone told me I should unplug the phone, lock the door, turn off the ebay computer and concentrate and it will come.  Well, that ain't happening now, is it?  I do think I will take a nice long walk the next day that is decent.  May go up to Beulah for that.  Something about just me, God and the open sky above that inspires me.  Maybe I will not finish Chapter Two...The Ant Lion's Den, or maybe I will. Maybe I will come up with something else.  I do know that I love to write and it is a part of me that needs to be functioning.  I know this blog is writing, but I mean something that I can build out of my mind that is not real, but seems that way.  Know what I mean?
Just my thoughts tonight.

Update on things here on the farm.

Just tossed the cat off my lap because I realized that I have not been very good at touching base with you.  Had the trip to Kansas and made it home in grand style, but life has rather gone down the crapper since.
On a good note, Evelyn is on track to get a job she really likes.  Should hear from her on that.
Went to Tia and Matt's wedding down on the Riverwalk.  That was great.  Unfortunately the pictures are stuck in my phone!
Amanda is now getting her teeth worked on and is she ever being a trooper about it!  Gonna be nice!
Garden was hailed out, but I have not turned the geese in on it yet because I may actually get a tomato.  Can't see any, but there is always that thing called a miracle.
Ripped the carpet out in the bedroom last month.  Then spent $3000 on brakes and transmission for the car, so new flooring was out.  But found some dollars so new flooring may be in this weekend.  Hooray!
About to wind up the online true/fiction/daydream that I had promised people I would do.  I am looking forward to putting that behind me and writing my next novel in the Chapter One... series.
Boyfriend is a wash, but you knew that would happen, huh?
Still working on my 500 mile walking goal for the year, but that is not looking too good either.
Meeting a guy from California today to deliver an oil painting that Sister Nancy had gotten from a family who lost their home in one of the fires.  It is by a local artist and it is important to all the principals that it go to a good home and this guy really qualifies.  This guy has driven out to pick this up.  First trip back to Colorado in 28 years, so I am going to take pictures and blog this one for you.
Oh, I almost forgot until I coughed.  I tripped in the back yard while loading the grill for the luncheon on Tuesday and wound up on the side walk and am now the proud owner of a knee the size of a soft ball and a cracked rib.  Honey, that slows me down!
Now, off to do stuff that has to be done for Lord only knows what reason.
Just wanted to say "hi" and let you know that I am still around!

 

Let me fill you in on my shenanigans then tomorrow it is back to Strong Street, Nickerson, Kansas

Icarus, the calico cat that seems to run the place here, just walked across  my modem, knocked my coffee cup on the floor and settled herself on top of the HP tower.  She is thinking about swatting that blinking light and if she does that she is going to hit the power button and I will be on hold for a while.  Let's hope that does not happen.  Just so you know I am keeping busy, I took the grand daughter and her beau to the Friday night Art Walk on Union. 
We first went to the library to see the Pueblo AIDS Memorial Quilt display.  We arrived simultaneously with the fire engine and the ambulance.  I do not know where the emergency was and no one inside seemed too alarmed.  We checked with the lady at the desk and she told us we were on our own for the art walk.  She suggested that we start over at the Cup and Cork, but since I knew what the "Cork" was and these kids are 15 or 16 years old, we skipped that part.  We were advised to just walk across the bridge and on up Union.  I opted to drive down there and leave the car in a central location and walk both ways.
Just wanted to see what that was about.  First it was cold.  We saw one group of carolers twice.  This very quickly lost all luster to the three of us.  We decided we were hungry and I wanted a greasy hamburger that would slam my aorta shut and get me out of my misery.  Where to go? 
I remembered Carl Jr's or Carl's Jr, or something like that and their advertisements that showed all kinds of stuff squirting out when the guy took a bite.  I figured some of that had to be grease, so off we went.  Bad choice.  I got a Bacon Cheeseburger, French fries, and a soda.  That was the driest thing I ever bit into.  Totally it consisted of a bun, hamburger patty, a piece of cheese, 2 pieces of tissue paper thin bacon that clung together for safety, two dried out onion rings that actually had at one time held an onion ring, and a stain on the bun that I later identified as barbeque sauce.  I squirted a couple packages of ketchup on it and did finally get it to drip.  Gross.  Even the French fries were not greasy.  The Dr. Pepper was pretty good.  Total cost for the three of us was $21 and some change.  I still have a fully functioning aorta, so if anyone knows where to get a greasy hamburger, please let me know.
Ah, I see Icarus has now gone over and settled herself in her box on top of the filing cabinet.  I see we are supposed to maybe by some miracle, get a little snow tonight.  Not thinking that is going to happen, but it is winter and it should.  I am going down and whip out a couple seed catchers a lady ordered and then I think I will work on my warp for the loom.  I will probably leave the computer asleep tomorrow since it is a busy day, but I fully intend to dredge up some memories about Nickerson, Kansas on Monday or Tuesday.  See you then.
 

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  This is the novel I have for sale. Do not be confused by the title. Chapter One simply means this is my first book. There may never be another, or there may be many more. I am very proud of this endeavor and guarantee you will enjoy the book in it's entirety. Just click that little BUY NOW button.     Lou Mercer

From the back cover

Chapter One...Loose Ends
Lou Mercer

Meg Parker led a simple life.  She was a widow of three years and lived on a chicken farm at the foot of the mighty Rockie Mountains.  Life was good and her little store on eBay made her extra spending money.  But snow and wildlife were not the only things lurking in the forest above her house.  Nor did it stay in the forest for long.

Marshall Purcell came home a wounded veteran from vietnam.  He still had his dreams, but they were of an incestuous past that threatened to consume him.

When Meg and Marshall met it seemed an inconsequential meeting, but it changed both their lives forever.  And change is not always a good thing.

This is adult fiction at its best without all the sex.  Well, maybe just a little bit. 

About the author.  Lou Mercer was born in Nickerson, Kansas. She came to Pueblo, Colorado in 1977 and is now a product of the majestic Rockie Mountains

UPDATE ON BIRD!

It is 5:23 in the morning and Icarus is on the prowl. I suspect she is looking for the bird. I think she knows more than I do, so I am going to go help her. I have the first of 4 pans of cinnamon rolls in the oven so I am at loose ends until I can finish those and head down stairs.

Wish me luck!************************************************************************
This is the novel I have for sale on Amazon. Do not be confused by the title. Chapter One simply means this is my first book. There may never be another, or there may be many more. I am very proud of this endeavor and guarantee you will enjoy the book in it's enirety. Lou Mercer

From the back cover

Chapter One...Loose Ends
Lou Mercer

Meg Parker led a simple life.  She was a widow of three years and lived on a chicken farm at the foot of the mighty Rockie Mountains.  Life was good and her little store on eBay made her extra spending money.  But snow and wildlife were not the only things lurking in the forest above her house.  Nor did it stay in the forest for long.

Marshall Purcell came home a wounded veteran from vietnam.  He still had his dreams, but they were of an incestuous past that threatened to consume him.

When Meg and Marshall met it seemed an inconsequential meeting, but it changed both their lives forever.  And change is not always a good thing.

This is adult fiction at its best without all the sex.  Well, maybe just a little bit. 

About the author.  Lou Mercer was born in Nickerson, Kansas. She came to Pueblo, Colorado in 1977 and is now a product of the majestic Rockie Mountains

 

Where did summer go?

Good Lord Almighty, we were in the middle of a heat wave and now I am freezing to death.  I can not decide if I should turn on the cooler or the heater.  I have to make saurkraut and freeze peppers, but I haven't even got my fill of fresh corn on the cob, which is well past its peak.  Doesn't matter though.

That is what it looked like last year and I am pretty sure that will happen again this year.  Makes me cold just to look at that.  I have a step daughter who just loves the snow and cold temperatures.  I have often thought of slapping her silly, but I think someone already has!  Give me the good old summertime any day.  See, I have my own theory on this stuff.  I can shuck out of my clothes very quickly and I can shovel a lot of sweat in the time it akes to shovel the sidewalk! 
Oh, and that one about "We need the moisture." always makes me want to scream,  "Rain is moisture and I don't have to shovel it!"  And I don't slide around in the rain.
Well, I guess it does not make any difference.  I might as well bite the bullet and go to the market.  Since there is only me to contend with now days, I guess 25 pounds of kraut will hold me and one bushel of Pueblo Chiles.  Already have the okra pickled, chopped and some breaded ready to fry.  Did not do corn because that is just more than I have time and room for.  Did make a bunch of tamales. 
I have soap made ahead for my winter sales.  I do need to make all the lotions and body and face butter.  I feel like a little ant trying to get things put up and done so I can stay home this winter and not have to go out in the elements.  I realize that every time I step out the door I am getting one trip closer to a broken hip.  (Seems that is all us old people have to look forward to.)  So the plan for this winter is to stay close to the house and list a lot on eBay.  Course I have to mail packages, but that is just a 3 mile run to the post office in the drug store.  I will do that and work on my next book.
So, with winter just around the corner I bid you adieu from Colorful Colorado where the temperature is right now at 45 degrees and shooting for 87 degrees.  Gonna be here quicker than you think!
 

 

In the meantime, those of you who are confused by the title of my book "Chapter One...Loose Ends" are missing a good read.  When I started writing this book, I had no title in mind, so I called it simply "Chapter One"  meaning the beginning.  As I wrote the book took on a life of it's own and chose it's own title with the help  of my editor, Jeanne Gardner.  So do not be confused and think this is only one chapter.  It is the whole enchilada and is divided into Installments. 

 

So hit the little buy button there and I will ship you your very own copy.  And send me a note telling me how you want the inscription to read and I will autograph it for you!

 

Lou Mercer

From the back cover

Chapter One...Loose Ends
Lou Mercer

Meg Parker led a simple life.  She was a widow of three years and lived on a chicken farm at the foot of the mighty Rockie Mountains.  Life was good and her little store on eBay made her extra spending money.  But snow and wildlife were not the only things lurking in the forest above her house.  Nor did it stay in the forest for long.

Marshall Purcell came home a wounded veteran from vietnam.  He still had his dreams, but they were of an incestuous past that threatened to consume him.

When Meg and Marshall met it seemed an inconsequential meeting, but it changed both their lives forever.  And change is not always a good thing.

This is adult fiction at its best without all the sex.  Well, maybe just a little bit. 

About the author.  Lou Mercer was born in Nickerson, Kansas. She came to Pueblo, Colorado in 1977 and is now a product of the majestic Rockie Mountains

Ah, my bicycle and a chance to run head on with a Mack truck!

See me on my bike?  See my bike without me on it?  See that car in the background?  What do you think would happen if I were on the road and I met that car head on?  Think I would damage that grill and leave it a shattered mess?  Or do you think me and my little bike would lose that round?  Pretty sure I know the answer to that one.  But here is what happens every day of my life.

I go some where in the car.  Now I have always been taught that when I ride a bike I am to follow all the rules that a car or motorcycle would follow.  Stay on the right side of the road.  Stop at stop signs.  Use a hand signal to indicate what my next move will be.  Oh, yeah and obey the speed limit.  I have no problem with that.  Can't hardly keep moving without falling over most of the time, but that is irrelevant.

So here I am tooling along and up the road headed straight toward me is a bicycle.  Some times it is a kid and more often than not it is a grown up leading the pack.  Now when I walk I do face oncoming traffic, but be reasonable on this bike thing.  When walking I can easily step over it I need to while on a bike you can not.  You are in the lane of traffic and it is the equivalent of going the wrong way on a one way street!  There you are on your vulnerable little 2 wheels that probably weighs 15 pounds and here I am heading straight for you.  I know you are over on the other side of the white line, almost in the ditch, but I have no choice if you bobble just a little but to run over you.  Think you would like that?  So I can either swerve into oncoming traffic to miss you and kill myself, or I can stop and look at you like you are suicidal, which you are!

Now here is a link for you to read just in case you think I am dreaming this up.  Granted this link is to the California CDOT but last I knew they were part of the United States and under the auspices of  of the federal Department Of Transportation.  I know that you have reasoning powers so think about where you ride your bike logically. 

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffdl37.htm

When you are driving your car and you come on a slow moving vehicile you slow down.  Then you check oncoming traffic in the left lane.  If it is clear, you accelerate and move into the left lane to pass and then quickly back in to your lane.  But when a bike is coming towards you in your lane, it does not matter what is in the left lane.  You are left with no choices. 

I would not bring this subject up if it were not happening more often especially now that summer is here and more bikes are out.  I think I am going to make bike safety a priority.  I will first stop in the local cop shop and ask them if they could possible consider giving tickets to bicycleists who do not obey the rules.  I realize if I hit one of them I would not be held liable since they were clearly in the wrong, but there is that "morally responsible" thing to consider and I do so love to sleep at night with a fairly clear conscience.  I am afraid the vision of a body hurtling into my windshield would screw that up royally.

I had a grandson staying with me once who was a teenager and in college.  He rode his bike because that is what he had.  And he rode it on the wrong side of the road because "If someone is going to hit me I want to see them coming.!"  I explained to him that he would.  And he did.  He came home all scuffed up one evening.  Some guy pulled out from the stop sign and never even seen him.  Course not.  I am extra cautious, but not everyone is.  So the guy pulled out and Dameon bounced across his hood.  A second later and he would have been under his wheels; a second earlier and he would have broadsided him.  Did he learn anything?  I doubt it.  Grandma's are not real bright.

So this is my soap box for the day.  And this is your assignment for the day:  When you see someone riding a bicycle on the wrong side of the road, point it out to them that they are endangering not only themselves, but others.  They are setting an example for someone somewhere.  Oh and a little side note here, be diplomatic about it.  The finger gesture does not always convey your thoughts accurately!

 

 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  My Novel  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

From the back cover

Chapter One...Loose Ends
Lou Mercer

Meg Parker led a simple life.  She was a widow of three years and lived on a chicken farm at the foot of the mighty Rockie Mountains.  Life was good and her little store on eBay made her extra spending money.  But snow and wildlife were not the only things lurking in the forest above her house.  Nor did it stay in the forest for long.

Marshall Purcell came home a wounded veteran from vietnam.  He still had his dreams, but they were of an incestuous past that threatened to consume him.

When Meg and Marshall met it seemed an inconsequential meeting, but it changed both their lives forever.  And change is not always a good thing.

This is adult fiction at its best without all the sex.  Well, maybe just a little bit. 

About the author.  Lou Mercer was born in Nickerson, Kansas. She came to Pueblo, Colorado in 1977 and is now a product of the majestic Rockie Mountains

This is an unpaid advertisement!

I clicked on this today and what a surprise. I have now had 20,000 hits exactly. So I took that as an omen that I should promote my book. I worked very hard writing this and spent a lot of money publishing it and now I would like to sell it. So to the people out there who have boosted my readership up this high, here we go:
I am here to hopefully sell you my first and finest novel Chapter One..Loose Ends.

********************For Sale by owner*****************

From the back cover

Chapter One...Loose Ends
Lou Mercer

Meg Parker led a simple life.  She was a widow of three years and lived on a chicken farm at the foot of the mighty Rockie Mountains.  Life was good and her little store on eBay made her extra spending money.  But snow and wildlife were not the only things lurking in the forest above her house.  Nor did it stay in the forest for long.

Marshall Purcell came home a wounded veteran from vietnam.  He still had his dreams, but they were of an incestuous past that threatened to consume him.

When Meg and Marshall met it seemed an inconsequential meeting, but it changed both their lives forever.  And change is not always a good thing.

This is adult fiction at its best without all the sex.  Well, maybe just a little bit. 

About the author.  Lou Mercer was born in Nickerson, Kansas. She came to Pueblo, Colorado in 1977 and is now a product of the majestic Rockie Mountains.

And if you want to visit my struggling webstore go to  www.loumercer3.com

And see that paypal button up there?  It is for just that purpose and it will take you straigt to paypal where you will find an invoice.  You can pay that securely with any credit card and I will immediately mail you your copy.  If you would like it autographed just email me the message of who to and voila! 

And today I took a walk before breakfast!

Yep.  I did that.  Snapped the leash on the Daisy dog cause she has become abnormally attached to me.  I guess she knows I am kind of sad, but she never gets out of my sight or away from my side.  And she cries when I leave.  Tomorrow I may take them both.  Elvira has little short legs and I will probably end up carrying her home. 
We only went about 3/4 of a mile but it was very nice.  I used to do that a lot, but rather got out of the habit the last month.  And now this afternoon I have people coming to buy some of the cake decorating stuff.  More of it that I can sell outright, less I have to list on ebay.
And so I shall be off to church here in a bit.  Course I have to plug my book while I am on here anyway.  Oh, and tell you that I am working on book #2.  I am kind of having fun with this and probably not going to have as much sex and mayhem in the next one, so better get this one while you can.

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Want to buy your copy of Chapter One....Loose Ends?  It is available online at  www.loumercer3.com

or right here with the paypal button.

Until my other site is tied in, you can buy my book here.

Want to buy a copy of Chapter One...Loose Ends?  Here you go!

Chapter One....Loose Ends is almost a reality!

 This is my book!  Or this is the proof of my book.  It should go to print next week and I am very excited!  I am currently working on the website where I will be able to sell it.  In the meantime, if you want to reserve a copy email me at loumercer3@aol.com .  I am pretty sure I will have enough for all of you, but why take a chance? 

It sells for $14.95 if you are paying with a check or money order.  Cash will be $15.00 cause I do not want to carry a bunch of nickles around.  Sorry.  Be sure and remember that it is not printed yet so don't expect it the next day.  I will notify you when it is ready.  And when the website is set up I will give you that.  I know it but it would do you no good to go there cause there is nothing there.  I should be up and running the second week in July.  You can go look if you want.  http://loumercer3.com /  Hopefully I am actually smart enough to get this done.

This book is completely self published and I do not mean I paid some one to do it for me.  I wrote it.  I formatted it.  Jeanne Gardner edited it.  Kenna Mercer mostly designed the cover with a little help from Susie at Riverside Printing who will print and bind it.  I bought my own ISBN number and printed out my own barcode. 

So there you have it.  Good luck to me!

When you are over the hill, you pick up speed.

I know that sounds foolish, but it is still so true.  I can remember way back when I used to find ways to "kill time."  Now it rather seems that time is killing me!  I hit the floor every morning between 4 and 5 AM and the next time I look at the clock it is almost noon and I am late for the next appointment.  By the time nap time rolls around I am so far behind that I know that ain't happening.  Running into town two and three times a day to walk and care for a friends dog probably isn't helping much, but that is life.  If there were only some way that I could squeeze a few more hours into my day.  Right now eBay sales are in the toilet so that is a good thing.

I decided right in the middle of the whole thing to measure me a warp for the loom.  672 ends of linen.  Now linen is about the consistency of a spider web.  My warping board that Ryan made me decided to buckle up so I am left with the small one I had purchased online.  It is great and I can measure a 3 yard warp, but it is a real knuckle buster.  If I go really slow I can keep from racking my knuckles on the pegs, but slow was never anything I did well especially when working with tiny things.  All thumbs here.   Now granted, if I get this measured and then threaded through the reed and then through the heddles and keep an even tension, it will be a beautiful piece and a miracle.

And while all this is going on, the weeds in the garden are growing, dust in the house is settling and I have to eat and eating entails cooking which results in a messy kitchen that someone has to clean.  I thought it was Bret and Amanda making all the messes, but they moved out a year ago and the messes continue.  Any ideas?  I stopped by the new Goodwill yesterday and that is like going to the mall!  I found a small George Foreman grill so I can cook me one little hamburger patty.  Whoops!  Then I have that to clean.  I also found a tiny little Belgian Waffle baker.  That might be fun.  What ever a Belgian Waffle is!

Michael came and mowed the yard yesterday while I was in town.  First thing that happened was he forgot to close the gate and the geese got out.  Michael is many things, but goose herder he is not.  Since they were all there last night I am guessing he figured it out.   He does have a fear of the perimeter around the yard so I am going to have to teach him about that. 

And I am still working on getting my first novel published.  I am actually waiting to see if this one company buys it.  That would be ideal and I could let them do all the work.  But if not then I will do the self publishing thing which looks very confusing and expensive.  The more companies I look at in that area, the more confused I get.  I just want to start writing the sequel!

So, I am off to do stuff.  Guess the geese are high on the list.  Then the dog in town.  Ross is bringing a load of stuff to store in the garage so I will need to be home for that.  See what I mean about killing time?  Just spent 45 minutes here writing this and I still need to do the tags and the location and my sponsor list.  Life is a circle.

***********June sponsors**************