Our great escape

Things aren't always as they seem. I thought a spaceship had landed on this rooftop, but actually discovered it was someone's guest house. Can you imagine?

This summer was so brutally hot, all of our evergreen bushes burnt and the garden withered. Hubby and I wanted to run away, escape and leave all of our worries and cares behind.

Did you ever feel like acting on impulse? Not tell anyone where you are going or that you are even gone? Well we did just that.

I surprised him for his milestone birthday. We spent a week in the "Redneck Riviera" (Panama City Beach) and felt like two sneaky kids.

We both agree that this has been one of our best vacations ever. We laughed so much and enjoyed going to the movies, jumping ocean waves and swimming in the pool.

But it was the walks in the sugar white sand that made me happiest and drew us closer. Those strolls will satisfy my yearning until next year and our wonderful memories will linger. This photo was taken at daybreak in Navarre, Florida (pronounced nah-var), on a pristine, isolated narrow strip of beach where one can walk for miles and be one with the elements. It is my idea of paradise on earth.

Now it is back to reality, and school soon. I will catch up on visiting blogs this weekend. I missed reading your blogs, but it was nice to disconnect for a week.

Submission call out, talk radio and shaking this monkey loose

I love monkeys. When I was a little girl, my dad (a story teller) used to tell me that when I went off to kindergarten he would get me a little monkey to carry my books to school in a satchel. I loved the word, 'satchel' as much as the thought of having my own little monkey. Not like the spider monkey kept in a cage at the gas station in 1953. I envisioned my very own baby chimpanzee. Didn't happen.

The cruise ship steward worked hard cleaning our cabin, changing beds twice a day, and folding towels to create scare-the-crap-out-of-me animals. I came in one night and found a huge bug-eyed crab on the bed, and I screamed. But oh, this monkey hanging from the ceiling made me laugh out loud.

The little bugger appears to have my head in a vise grip.  I have been back from vacation for a few days but I can't get back into my routine. I want to write. I sit down to write. And then it's as if that little tree climber squeezed the creativity right out of me. I sit in my comfy swivel office chair, look at the monitor and wonder why I came in here. I still have this monkey on my head.

I saw a call for stories in AARP Magazine.  For the third year in a row Consumer Cellular wants to hear grandparents' stories on what makes the grandparenting experience so special. In the past, readers shared stories about new perspectives and special moments, laughter and the little things that come so unexpectedly. Two grand prize winners will win either a European river cruise or vacaction package to Orlando, FL. Deadline Aug. 15th, plus there are other prize categories as well.

Check here for details.

A cruise! or a trip to Florida...wouldn't you think that would be enough to shake this monkey loose? I am uninspired. Going to give it one more day of R&R (THAT's RELAXATION and RADIO) and then I'm going to write like crazy.

Tune in Monday 7/9 to our radio interview with Dellani Oakes, Daytona, FL (where I would rather be) at 3:00 p.m. Central time.

Dianna Graveman, and I will discuss writing topics.