And who will eat my cinnamon rolls, asked the little red hen.

I woke up this morning in my usual why in the hell bother mood this morning.  First I made a batch of cinnamon rolls just because.  Then I checked out facebook and found the usual drama and who gives a damn anyway.  Then I pulled on some rattier than usual clothes and headed out back to drag the limb from the Apricot tree to the back to burn.  I remembered how the limb got on the ground.  I cut it with my little bow saw.  Oh, I had lots of friends who were going to do it.  Sure, it was no problem.  But in the meantime it kept rubbing on the gutter and the roof.  So I cut it and let it fall.  And there it lay.  Until now.    
Now it is in the back to be destroyed.  Of course my mind was working all the time my body was dragging those heavy limbs and I did sustain 5 new wounds in my leg and a really big one in my arm, which did not help my mood at all.

I have set a date of September 30 as some of you know, but few know what it means.  I will now tell you.  October 1 is my birthday.  I will be 74 years old.  I have spent the first half of my life doing for others in one way or another.  I have been a wife, mother, friend, confidante and whipping post.  I have cooked, cleaned, listened, wept, laughed, and sacrificed for anyone who asked.  I have loaned or given away a small fortune to anyone who needed it for what ever reason.  I asked nothing in return.  And usually that was what I got.

I know in order for me to live the last half of my life doing for myself, I will need to live to be 146 years old and we all know there is not much chance of that happening, but I am going to give it one helluva shot.  If not in a blaze then at least I am going to remember to thank every body for all they did for me.   I have a few minutes before I have to be through the shower and in to town, so I shall do that now.

To the men in my life who unloaded goose food out of the back of my car over the last 12 years, thank you.  Oh, wait!  Never mind, that was me.
To the kind soul who mowed my grass on this acre of greenery, thank you.  Oh, wait!  Never mind, that was me.
To the people who shovel my walk in the winter and break the ice on the pond out back, thank you.  Oh, wait!  Never mind, that was me.
To the people who eat my cinnamon rolls and then help clean up the kitchen, thank you.  Oh, wait!  Never mind, that was me.

To the people who tell me I do too much and I should learn how to say no, what if I had told you no?

To the friends who pick up the phone and call for no reason except to hear my voice and tell me to have a good day, thank you.  You know who you are.

If you borrowed it and brought it back, thank you.
If you borrowed it and did not bring it back, keep it

If I offended you, I apologize.
If you offended me, I forgive you.

Some of you will read this and assume I am nuts.  So be it.  We all have opinions.  They are just like butt holes, we all have them.
Some of you are sure it is not you I mean.
Some of you will think, oh, I should call her for no reason.  Don't bother.  Just write it off to Lou having a bad day.

Some of you will have no clue what I am talking about.

Whatever, just wait and see if October 1 brings a change.  If you call and I do not answer after that day, you will know you did not make the cut!

What is the second thing that happens before the book sale?

For over a year Ross and his cronies have been collecting books and putting them in my garage.  Just recently they began sorting them into subject matter and packing them in boxes that were labeled.  Now it is February 9 and the book sale starts tomorrow, so they have arrived at my garage and loaded the books into vehicles preparatory to transport to the Pueblo Community College.

So now they are gathered in my kitchen  to see just how many cinnamon rolls they can hold.  Charles only ate 2, but we managed to do away with 18.  The remainder I packed into plastic bags to ride to the site and be eaten by the workers that were unpacking the books and putting them out on the tables and racks. 

But first, Tere has to attempt to manipulate my 2 pound hula hoop!  Come on, Tere!  I know you can do it!

And we have lift off!!

So now the fun and games are over and the first truck is leaving the yard.  Now the work can really begin.  No, not really.  The whole last year has been a labor of love by a lot of people.  I am not going to throw names around because there are so many that made this sale possible.  Ross and Rebecca do most of the honchoing and are the two I deal with most often.  Course then there is Tere who can work the hula hoop, Charles who can eat the cinnamon rolls....see what I mean?  So they are all loaded (vehicles with books, I mean.) and  they are off to PCC for a fun time unloading.

Monday and Tuesday were sale days and I am happy to report that it was a fun time and we raised lots of money for the scholarship fund.  My back is almost returned to normal (and I did not even load or unload boxes) and the dishes are all done from the baking in the kitchen.

Life is good!

Cinnamon rolls are ready!

I rolled out about 3:45 this morning so thought I would bake my cinnamon rolls.  I made the dough yesterday evening and panned them up before I went to bed, so they were ready to bake when I woke up.  You may have to just take my word for it since Google does not want me to upload to the blog.

There we go.  Now let me just get a cup of coffee here.

Well, the coffee is some where not wanting to have it's picture taken!  Now, Debbie, don't you wish you were here?  How long before that last pan is done?

Hey!  I can see myself in the reflection.  That is a change.  Usually the grunge is so thick on the stove that nothing shines.  Good fairy must have popped in and shined it up for me.

There.  All done.  Guess I will go put this on the blog and let them eat thier hearts out.  Let's see, I started this at 3:45.  I have ate a half loaf of monkey bread and drunk 3 cups of coffee and all the rest of the time was spent trying to get pictures posted here and on facebook.  It is now 7:00.  So I have basically jacked away over 3 hours of my life so you can read what it took me 15 minutes to bake.  And I wonder why I am never getting anything done.  Hell it is now almost 7 AM and I am ready for a nap!

All I can say at this point is I hope you have a good day.  At least better than mine is shaping up to be! 

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