It’s December 31 in our corner of the world, and the kids are planning to spend it with their significant others, so it will be Gordon and me. Tomorrow is my birthday. My father has Skyped to remind me, in case I forgot. 🙂
2019 was a tough year. I am not going to go into all the things that it brought, good and bad, but I am happy it is almost over and I am happy that while it was difficult, we dealt with all the curve balls it threw at us, one way or the other.
The new year promises some challenges. We have to rehome out munchkin cat, Edward. He is trying to commit suicide by hawk. He insists on going outside, but he is only 7 pounds and he is hampered by tiny legs. We can’t keep him secured, because we have an overabundance of dogs at the moment, and he darts into the back yard every chance he gets. We’ve had two close calls with very large birds of prey. My dog, Del, will probably leave us this upcoming year. There is nothing I can do about it.
The kids are getting onto their own trajectories. Kid 1 is going to finish her cyber security studies and hopefully pass several certification exams, after which she is considering finding a job in another state. Kid 2 decided to go back to school, and she wants to go somewhere else as well. We have to decide if we are staying in San Marcos.
It’s a beautiful area and our property is lovely, but it might be a little less than we’re looking for. We’ve renovated the house – and still renovating – but it would be nice not to have to drive an hour to get to a decent restaurant or to see a good play or a concert. The only hospital that takes our insurance is in the next town over. The allergies are still killing both of us and over the counter stuff doesn’t seem to help.
There is not much to do in San Marcos. We thought we wanted the country quiet, but I guess we want it only when there is a city with all the amenities nearby. Plus, there have been break ins in the neighborhood and shootings on the Square, which is only 10 minutes from us. And Gordon’s wanderlust is kicking in. I think if we end up moving, we may have to rent, because he will want to take off again after a year. Unless we can find him something with a pool large enough to meet his approval.
In light of this, Jeaniene Frost has resumed her “Come to Florida” campaign.
In professional news, we are finishing up the holiday novella and resuming work on Emerald Blaze, and after that we are taking a break and then jumping into Iron Covenant 2.
It’s just been a long hard year and I am tired. But tomorrow is birthday, and possibly even more yarn, and the new snippet of the holiday novella. Because it’s fun to give presents on your birthday. 😀
Happy Birthday to you and Happy New Year to you and your family!
Happy Birthday and Happy New Year! May 2020 be good to you!
Happy Birthday Ilona!! Hope your birthday was fun for you. 2020 is going to be a stellar year for all of us.
Happy birthday! My family and I are also relieved to have 2019 over. What a difficult year! My mother-in-law just died unexpectedly, leaving 10 (!) cats in her tiny condo for us to rehome. She was such an animal lover and rescuer of homeless and/or feral cats. It is nearly impossible to find a home for middle-aged to elderly cats. So for now, they are residing in a cat patio, catio. Thankfully we are in the south where winter is a joke and they have shelter and beds galore which we built in. Edward would perhaps like a catio or screened in porch if rehoming proves difficult.
Happy birthday! I hope you got lots of yarn. 🙂
You really, really don’t want to move to Florida. And that’s all I have to say about that. Happy New Year! I know what you mean about that sense of having survived to see the numbers roll around again. I hope 2020 proves to be a better year for us all. I know getting to read new fiction from you guys will make any part of my year better and I look forward to it all
I enjoy hearing from you and look forward to the great fiction you guys have in the works for us! I only have one animal but my sympathies for the sorrow of the prospective loss, of the animal and the proximity to your children as well.
You both have beautiful souls. May the coming year bring some beauty back to you. ????
San Marcos when Aquarena Springs was up and running was very different. I still miss the Lord of the Rings themed restaurant, Rivendell. Granted they had odd hours, took cash only, so they made it hard to frequent them. I’d drive from south Austin to there, about an 1 hour round-trip. Whenever I was in the area. Though I hear the mermaid parade is still fun.
Happy Birthday, happy new decade, happy new year. May there be lots of yarn, and adventures with Gordon in your future. 🙂
Ilona
Happy Birthday ????????????????
Mine was Dec 12…..these are generally not the ideal Birthday dates but our TB Echo is stuck with Jan 1 also ,and so it goes….
I have lived in the boonies of WA, since 1981,so I am used to the Delma of longer drives to theatre and concerts….
There are however out door perks,no venomous snakes mountains and beaches 2. Hours away ,decent lunch places…skiing,hiking,horses,and lots of yarn too
It’s a thought
The Pacific Northwest…..
I have a small but comfortable guest cabin surrounded by Douglas fir.,you could base camp a few days and see if you liked it…
No floods where I am,but rarely an earthquake we are on solid basalt Rock, but we do get rain and sometimes some snow…..
Summers pretty darn nice May through Oct….
I wish you a very happy birthday, even if it’s late now, and a very, very happy new year. My husband works in cyber security, let me tell you this is a very smart choice from your kid…she will be able to choose.
Happy birthday (belatedly)! May the new year and every next bring you loads of joy and precious, happy memories with loved ones!
Happy Birthday fellow January baby!!!! I’m the 6th! Hopefully this year brings you all wonderful things. 🙂
Happy birthday Ilona! If I were in your shoes I’d move closer to sea in a city with a couple of hospitals and amazing by the seaside restaurants!
A great day will come
Hello. A happy new year to you all and to you both. I have just finished Kate’s story. Wow. I will read them again later. My birthday is on the 15th. So it is not the best time. My 2 sons are 23 and 26 th of December. They mention the trouble it causes. I live in Orkney an island off the coast of Scotland. We did a big move 6 years ago. Never regretted it. Our children are beginning their own journeys and we are on ours. Go for yours.
Began reading your innkeeper stories and am gradually learning about more and more of your books. Love them all so far. Enjoy time together without the writing too. .
Like many 2019 has given us ups downs and thankfully here we are in 2020. I send health and peace to all and hope 2020 is good to you all too
Many Happy Returns of your birthday. And thank you for Innkeeper.
With a new space station with a multispecies clientel I have been wondering if Maud will send someone to Orro to be trained as a proper chef for the statiom.
Belated Happy Birthday and good luck for the upcoming year. I hope your yarn stash increased substantially.
Happy belated birthday, wishing you a peaceful year.
Happy Birthday ! ????
“Life is what gets in the way when you are making plans.” I came hear looking for info on the new “Iron Covenant” book and was sad to hear that you had difficult year. Know that your dedicated fans understand and continue to read all your new releases. Happy to see a new Innkeeper book on the list. Thank you for the hours of pleasurable reading both of you have given us. Happier New Year in 2020 and a very Happy Belated Birthday.
Happy belated birthday and I hope your 2020 is magical! There is this lady I once worked with who would not make any big decisions or purchases in odd numbered years….. so I figure with this not only being an even year but also the start of a new decade, it simply must be a good year for all things new and wonderful ♡
Maybe try an RV with slides. You could park as long as you pay somewhere then move easily.
Happy birthday Ilona and may the force be nice to you and give you a year without hardship, catastrophe or Armageddon!
You really don’t want to move to Florida now when the housing market is failing. https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/here-are-50-housing-market-already-turning-ugly?fbclid=IwAR12zqVnmts-VLbgfrHg1Oh1SetVGrfA2oCedRPJPEq4SgHWjbItu8FhPNE
There is no housing market failure in Jacksonville, FL. My house is back up to its pre2008 value. However, consider Green Cove Springs or Switzerland. They are both beautiful areas close to Jax and have a small town feel.
I don’t know anything about the Ft.Myers market but you might want to visit Sanibel-Captiva.
I also love Maine. In the Spring, Summer and early Fall. Become a Snowbird!
Have you watched, The Good Place? The show automatically assigns anyone who was a resident of Florida to The Bad Place. The show is worth checking out, and I’m hoping you avoid Florida :).
Happy Holidays to you and yours! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season despite the 2019 challenges.
As for 2020, I wish you and your family many blessings this coming year. Hopefully, it will be better than anticipated.
Well good luck, wherever you wind up roaming! (You know Florida’s sinking, right? …..just saying…..And I hear Phoenix is sinking too, which I thought was more surprising). Happy Holidays to you and yours! Enjoying the novella! Already pre-bought it! Life is good. 🙂
It makes me very sad to think you may be moving. If it’s to Florida or somewhere else. I’m afraid your visits to Murder By the Book will stop. Sniff. I know Jeaniene is in Florida, but when I think of that state, all I can think of are endless hurricanes. Very scary!
Hugs.
Happy Belated. Birthday!! I hope it was a great day. My allergies kicked in October and haven’t left so don’t come to Georgia. Are allergies bad in Arizona? I Have no idea about allergies in Florida. Renting sounds fabulous for the same reasons as Gordon’s. Cheerio!
I have lived in FL all my life and I love it. Hurricanes rarely cause as much damage as the news hype shows. And where you close to live in the state also impacts the likelihood of getting storms. South FL and the keys are frequent targets along with the panhandle.
If you tried somewhere near Tallahassee you could still have that small town feel and most of the hurricanes are out of energy by the time they get that far inland.
Living near the water is beautiful. I love my commute to work across Tampabay. But the sad trade off is my house will likely be underwater in 30 years or so.
Hey. A happy once a year for each person
In Australia we have a way of treating allergies called desensitization. It involves having a skin test to identify major allergies. (Light scratches are made on the skin
With a needle dipped in the allergen serum. The source and level of allergy is then assessed.) Once the source of the allergy is assessed, one has a series of needles building up resistance to that agent. It starts out with weekly needle, then fortnightly and monthly. The whole process lasts up to a couple of years but has been very successful for me. I had developed an allergy to dogs. I can now cuddle my girls again without developing a rash. It has also worked for my grass allergy. It is great not to have to be reliant on medication anymore. It is used here a lot with children for food allergies.
Thank you for all the hard work you put into your writing, to give us all such pleasure and an escape from lifes slings and arrows.
Happy 2020 from Western Australia
Belated Happy birthday! I hope you had lots of yarn! 🙂
Happy Birthday and I hope you get a better year for 2020 and some tea and yarn you like for your birthday.
Yarn. I don’t know why but it makes the world better. Here’s wishing you much joy and yarn in 2020.
A good place to live – Try looking at Asheville, NC and south (down the interstate) past Hendersonville into extreme western SC.
https://livability.com/best-places/top-100-best-places-to-live/2019/nc/asheville
https://realestate.usnews.com/places/north-carolina/asheville
I live in Maryland, but my folks retired to Hendersonville from Houston. They loved it, and the kids and I enjoyed the area when I visited them.
Best wishes and good luck.