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Office – Finally.

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It’s cold this morning in Texas.  Austin, which is now north of us instead of south, had actual snow again.  We didn’t get snow, but we got blistering cold.  How cold did it get, you ask?

Fountain with IciclesFountain with Icicles

Fountain with IciclesThese are respectable icicles on our pool fountain. These are big enough to injure you if they fell on your head.

In more exciting news, we finally have a working office.

Office 1

Office 2View from the officeIsn’t it awesome?  For the first time in our lives, we have an actual detached office.  We can go to work, and then we can shut the doors and go home.  When you work from home, you’re always on.  But now, we can actually get away from work, which is remarkable.    And the view from the office is pretty amazing, too.  There are no books yet on the shelves, but we will get there.  One thing at a time.

Today is my birthday and also the first day of the New Year.  Someone once told me about this tradition that whatever you do on New Year’s Day, you will do through the year.  So I am trying to do a little bit of everything.  I had breakfast, I did some laundry, some cleaning, some office arranging, and now I am going to work for an hour or so, and then I’ll get to go home and play with my birthday present.  🙂  Gordon bought me a Switch.  Later kids are coming in and we’re all going to Outback nearby for dinner.

So good day planned.  How did your holiday week go?

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  6. It was lovely and low-key. Dinner was great. Today, we took the tree down and put it away. It had already had all the decorations removed, but putting it away was a couple of extra days. Now the upstairs living room/office has been returned to its original configuration. It has one recliner, my daughter’s desk with her laptop and my work desk/area, and a bookshelf. We’ll have to move all that during the great Kitchen Renovation, because the floor we’re putting in will go through the whole upstairs, except for the bedrooms and bathroom.

    I understand what you mean about having a separate work area. I work at home, too, and having a separate work space became necessary for my emotional balance. So the mostly unused living room became my ‘office.’ The ‘play’ area, meaning computer gaming, moved to the downstairs family room area. Yes, I felt silly for needing 2 computers, but it really has helped me keep things balanced and gave me the feeling of disconnecting from work.

    Oh, since I didn’t say it before, your new home looks beautiful. I hope you’re happy there for a long time to come! =)

  7. We’re in Florida, I’m pretending 52 is cold and at 1:39 I have yet to put on anything more than a robe. So if this is how my year goes I’m happy. I have also made breakfast and started dinner but dammit I’m in my robe!

  9. Happy birthday! I also believe that how you start the new year is how the year will continue. Have a blessed day and a blessed year!

  12. Happy Birthday! Cold here in Utah, but we are used to it. Not like Texas. Be careful on the roads….may be black ice. Enjoy your birthday feast. Your home is gorgeous.

  13. We got to a toasty -6 up here, but no precipitation.

    The weather is wonderful but it still is an awesome day!

    Happy New Year and especially Happy Birthday! 🙂

  15. Happy birthday! ! !

    The Switch is awesome, I love my Zelda! Did you know that some of the games through the Nintendo store have free demos you can download? Try Embers of Mirrim and Max the Curse of Brotherhood for some fun action puzzle play. ?

  17. It’s 17 where I am with supposedly a low of 10. However, when I got up this am the thermometer read 6. No icicles though. Icicles are the worst! Happy Birthday!

  20. Happy New Year and birthday! We had a good turkey dinner at my sister’s place south of the city, my other sister and I live near each other north of the city.
    We live in Nova Scotia. Don’t know if you saw the news from here. High winds knocked out power lines for a good part of the province. And the temp went down to 11 below freezing C. My heating is thermal storage, so we both stayed in my place. 9 the next morning we went to our parents in the city for tea and bathroom. No power and no well water still. Power was restored to our area while we were there.
    Still the same temps outside in the new year. Reading weather. Lol.

    • I live in Maine and isn’t the weather nuts right now? 22 below this morning – ARGGH. I waited until it hit 0 to turn the horses out. We do have power that would be the straw for me. Forecasters won’t commit on the storm that is coming in Thursday. I am thinking it could be a big one.

      It is just too cold. I looked at Ilona;s picture of the pool and thought, it is still open, things are green, ooh, warmth.

  22. Happy birthday, happy new home… dare I say happy Icicles? (I’m not Bob Ross enough for that…)

    May the new year bring you all kinds of awesome!

    Peace!

  24. Happy New Year and Happy Birthday!!!!
    That’s a gorgeous office!

    My holidays were good and bad. Half of us were really sick, fevers, head colds, all that nastiness. But, we watched movies and hung out together anyway ?

  26. So glad you have an awesome office! Yay! And ouch. We have ‘degree debt’ up here, as one person called it. But that’s something we’re supposed to have. Not Texas though 🙂 My week was good. I took time off work. Got alot of work done to world build my project. Today I am arting, going to edit, knitting, and chatting with friends. It’s a good day so far.

  27. Congratulations on the beautiful new house, what a great way to start the New Year!

    It’s clear, sunny, but a chilly 32 degrees here in Seattle, a lovely first day of what we hope will be a good new year. We’re spending it quietly, starting with sleeping very late and having no particular plan other than taking the dogs for a long walk.

    Wishing you a very Happy Birthday and all the best in the coming New Year!

  28. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I am close to you in Bastrop! And yeah, it’s way too cold! Have a wonderful day!

  29. Both the pool and the office look lovely. A detached office must be a wonderful change. Lots of space, light from the windows and a pretty view – ideal. The South isn’t set up for that kind of cold – stay warm !

    Enjoy your Switch game, dinner out with the family – Happy Birthday to you 🙂

    Lots of medical issues in the family lately – we’ve been with my MIL (she’s terminal) and she now has more bad days than good. Fortunately she felt well enough to have Christmas dinner with the family. Everyone enjoyed the evening.

  33. Желаю счастья, удачи, везения
    и много лет земных счастливого течения,
    здоровья, успехов и благополучия
    в твой светлый праздник — День Рождения!

  34. I played Mario Kart on the switch last night! My son, who is 21, got it for Christmas. He worked the day shift yesterday and had to work it again today so he didn’t go out with friends. He downloaded Mario Kart and invited me to play. In 8th and 9th grade he was very sick and missed months of school. I didn’t allow him to play video games unless I was home so we played a lot of Mario Kart Double Dash in the evenings , enough that we were very, very good (think ranked). Anyways, the switch was fun. I don’t play many games. I liked the controller and the flexibility the system offered. The game was more fun once we switched off all the “safety” controls. Mario Kart isn’t fun unless you can blow things up, swear, push each other off the map and booby trap the other person.

  35. Happy Birthday and Happy New Year. The office looks amazing. The floors will mellow with time. And it will warm up!

  38. Happy Birthday!
    Your office looks amazing.
    We’ve been pretty busy as a family. Today is my mother in law’s Birthday and we have been up at the cabin (with temps below 0°, -30° to be exact) for four days now. It’s great because the lake is frozen and we are ice fishing. We got to make pickled fish last night, which was a new experience for me. All in all, pretty busy week but it’s been great to spend it with our family.

  39. Happy Birthday and Happy New Year! Have fun with the Switch. Both my mom and my brother-in-law lost heat last night. Mom’s back on and BIL has a space heater, so it isn’t life threatening, temps are way lower than normal and likely to be so for another week. Now for some New Year’s organizing…

  42. First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favorite author!!! I hope you have a beautiful day! Second, your house looks so pretty! Good start to a new year.

  44. Happy birthday, and a happy new year as well. It sounds as it is starting out on a positive note.
    I live in Canada, so cold is our norm this time of year, however at the moment minus 20 is just a tad too much of a good thing. Folks are skating on the pond, and the moon tonight will be gorgeous on the snow.
    One of the few things I really miss, other than friends and family,,, is the Outback. From the bloomin’ onion to the chocolate thunder. ??

  45. Happy Birthday to you and Happy New Year to you and your family. I spent the day on a plane enroute to the
    Persian Gulf. I don’t want that to be how my year goes!

  46. Happy New Year’s Day Birthday! Mine is Christmas Day. Glad you are moved into your new home. The pictures look like you have so much more space, especially outdoors. It is 39, overcast and very windy here in north central Florida. We are forecast for several nights in the 20’s this week. I have been outside covering my pump/well and some of my more tender plants. It is very cold especially as we were recently in the 70’s. Crazy weather here.

  47. Happy birthday, and Happy New Year! It’s the 2nd in my part of the world and, if yesterday was anything to go by, my year will be full of family, friends, cycling and eating cake… There are worse ways of spending one’s year, that’s for sure!

  48. I’m in southern Ontario, adding in the wind chill and it’s 0 degrees Fahrenheit. I’ve got 9 people coming for dinner. If today predicts my year it will be tidying, reading, and entertaining friends and family. I think that’s a good thing.

  50. My family is from Georgetown (Texas – just North of Austin), so I have seen a bit of this weather. Yes, black ice is quite likely. It is not fun when you walk on it, either. I broke my arm the last time I did. A bit of a pain when you are there for a funeral and need to be back in Houston for Monday.
    I did not realize the arm was broken at first. My husband wrapped it for me thinking it was a sprain… I was not able to work until the swelling went down so the cast could go on. Be careful, please. We need you to have both hands functional so you can write.
    The house is beautiful. The floor looks great, even if it was not what you’d hoped for. You will enjoy that pool in the relentless summer heat.
    A very happy birthday to you, and many happy returns of the day.

  51. Happy Birthday and have a great 2018. I agree it would be awesome to have an office that was separate from your home but no commute.

  52. Happy birthday Ilona. What a Great way to start the story called 2018! Have a great day – today and always and wishing you all a very happy new year.
    P.S – my mum says the same thing, whatever you do the first day of the year is what the rest of year will look like. Hence. We are traveling for pleasure.

  54. Happy birthday and New Year!!!! It is 72 degrees in Honolulu which is a vast improvement on the 17 it was in Detroit when I left two days ago. I am working as home care nurse for the second day in row and suffering severe allergies due to all the fireworks set off last night. My fridge is empty except except a few science experiments that I didn’t clean out before leaving on vacation. Perhaps not the best of starts to New Year.

  57. i made homemade cinnamon rolls today. so maybe this will be my year to try my hand at more baking.

  58. Happy Birthday! May you have many more birthdays and write many more books ;-)! We love you!

  59. I hope you have a very Happy Birthday Ilona, and congratulations on a successful move. You and Gordon were exceptionally brave to move during the holidays.

  60. Happy Birthday!! The office looks beautiful and I love the pool fountain. The part of Texas I’m in we only had the freezing cold and small flurries but today is bright and cold. Have a great day and enjoy your birthday dinner!

  64. One of my husbands favorite sayings is “Only Jesus was meant to walks on water”. He means that once is cold enough for water to freeze he doesn’t go outside. I have to say, I totally agree.

  65. I like your office, although it looks you’re going to have a nasty glare on your monitors, but you have curtains, so that will help.

    With those floors and wheeled cheers, I see many office polo matches in your future.

    I’m curious about the short step into the room. Did that used to be a garage?

  66. Happy Birthday. Isn’t great to start the year with your own birthday?!!
    All the best for you.

    And nice home as well

  68. happy birthday….just be happy, keep going strong, stay healthy…smile every day….aaand don’t stop writing your wonderful stories!

  69. Congratulations and Happy Birthday! The floors look great, and I can’t believe those icecicles! Have fun at the Outback….yummo! I’m enjoying a quiet day and getting ready for the week to come. It’s now above 0 here….brrbrrbrr

  71. For the last few days it’s been about minus 33 degrees Celsius, around minus 24 Fahrenheit approx (for the last four days). So cold that no one goes outside without reason. So I haven’t, but five days housebound will drive anyone crazy. We don’t actually have a homeless problem here as you can imagine but others that make up for it. Anyway Happy Birthday and hope your whole year is great. Thank you for the beginning of the new innkeeper !!

  74. Happy Birthday and Happy New Year!
    Hope you can settle in and have a wonderful year in your new home. And thank you for taking the time to give us a christmas present with Mauds first chapter all while movung house!

  75. Happy Birthday and your office is very cool. Enjoy your b-day dinner as I will be heading to Salt Traders for my Birthday dinner tonight. ❤️?

  76. Happy Birthday, Ilona!!! And Happy New Year!!!
    Your new office looks great. Glad you have a work place that is separate from your home.
    I hope today is a type of things to come for us. Your day sounds lovely. Mine has been nice as well. I took a Zumba class from my favorite instructor, ate bear for the first time, practiced guitar, read, and snuggled with my youngest.
    Hope this new year is filled with peace, happiness, good health, and good books. ?

  78. Happy Birthday! It is -4 here today. I was going to stay home all day, but a friend had a flat tire. Instead of changing it in this weather, I took my car over to her. We will swap again tonight.

  79. Happy Birthday and a Happy New Year!

    The office looks wonderful and your yard is beautiful. I hope you share some more pictures in spring/summer with all the plants going wild. 🙂

  82. Happy birthday! Mine was yesterday. If what I do today is what I’ll do all year…..hmmm….I’m staying inside, it’s -27 out there!!! Enjoy the start of a new year.

  84. Happy Birthday ? ! Quiet day here. Had to get up at 4:30 and work for 2 hours. Like you, I work from home. I just now sat down after breakfast, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping (I forgot the black eyed peas!). So that will be my year. BTW, it was 9 degrees here this morning.? but that’s not unusual here.?

  85. Happy Birthday! You will have a lovely office, and it is so useful to have it separate from your living space. Enjoy your day and be careful on the roads.

  87. If the saying is true, then you will have a good year
    Have a special birthday celebration
    Cold here but sun is shining. I am still listening to Christmas music. But football starts in 15 minutes
    ?

  89. Happy Birthday and Happy New Year! We have a superstition that you should not wash clothes on New Year’s Day because you will wash all of your luck away. And we eat turnip greens and black eyed peas to bring luck and money for the New Year. My great grandmother was a strong believer in those things, so she would cook those things plus cornbread, pork fat back (like super chewy bacon), and sauerkraut. Good thing I liked vegetables!

    • Wish I’d known about the laundry before starting my own. I’m good on the black eyed peas and greens, though. My sister will throw in a pork roast and yams and I’ll be very happy.

  92. Happy Birthday! I took my car in to be serviced. Not the usual day watching bowl games and/or laying around, but it’s done and I don’t have to worry while driving my car.

    Your office looks fabulous! I know that you will spend a lot of creative time there. Happy Birthday and many many more.

  93. Happy birthday from Frankfurt, Germany. We celebrated my husband‘s birthday and we had really warm 13 degrees plus…

  94. Happy Birthday. My mother I maw was here for the holidays. I’m working on regaining my sanity. I’m great full for our framily (friends that we chose as our family))

  95. Happy Birthday! To all that are celebrating them today! The office looks like it will be a nice place to work. Sounds like a great way to celebrate! Love the not cooking on the birthday part. Even though I enjoy cooking I don’t like to do it on my birthday.

  97. Happy Birthday and congratulations to your new office. And ? you have a fountain pretty.
    It was -5 this morning and I had to work half a day. Spend time trying to figure out how many layers can I put on and still walk. I love my wool socks . And tea ☕️ . Happy New Year ? to everyone and keep
    reading!!

  99. Happy Birthday and Happy New Year! 2018 started here with my morning walk with the dog at 3.9 degrees, laundry, putting Christmas decorations back into boxes and making a new soup recipe in the slow cooker. All in all not a bad day…..but I’m dreaming of the Caribbean ?

  100. Happy birthday! Your new home is mighty fine. I love fountains. Couldn’t deal with the icicles (or anything cold) though. I believe I’d snap in half if I even approached them.

  103. Happy birthday! And I agree — being able to “shut the door” on work is a small (yet, amazing) thing that many may take for granted. Who wants to always be at work? I’m so happy that y’all are happy!

  104. Yay with finally having an office! Again happy birthday! My holiday was good. Tried to keep warm in the cold weather. All I have to say is finally it felt like Christmas and New Year. Around Thanksgiving, I thought Texas was part of the southern hemisphere since we had above normal temperatures. 😀

  106. Happy New Year everyone! And happy birthday Ilona. I really like all the windows and light in your office space. It looks perfect. The pool looks fun too. Glad to see it, in my head you guys float around, drinking beer plotting out your books. In actually it’s probably just that one book but sounds cool.

  110. I hope you have had a fantastic day today celebrating the new year and your birthday. ???
    We’ve got the freezing temps here too. Will hate to get the next water and gas bill. I hate having to run the water all night to keep it from freezing. ?

  111. What a great birthday present — and formal office with a great view!! Floors look nice!!! Best wishes on your birthday and for many more!!!

  113. Happy New Year, and happy birthday! I got a new hip last June and went skiing for the first time in 2 years! Here’s our view from lunch halfway up the hill (Elkhorn Lodge at Panorama BC).

  114. Happy Birthday! My birthday is December 27 so hope you didn’t get cheated on Christmas versus birthday presents. Sometimes – people forget your birthday when you are so close to Christmas. But you start off the new year which is so neat! I love your house. The fountain is awesome, love the icicle dragon teeth on the edges! 🙂 And your office looks very inviting. Bet it will be very comfortable to work in! Happy 2018! Looking forward to more of your books. Love them all.

    • My sisters have birthdays close to your’s. My grandfather started a birthday tradition when they were little where he shared his June birthday with them.
      My family was doing half birthday before it was a thing. Wow, good job Grampa.

    • I had a brother whose birthday was December 21. He hated celebrating his birthday since it was so close to Christmas. I remember my mom telling everyone that we had to separate out his gifts as to what was for his birthday and what he got for Christmas. Doing that, my brother was fine with celebrating.

  115. The office is great – really like the drapes. Now to fill those book cases with the cool mythology books that provide all the juicy details for the monsters in the Kate series. And happy birthday – hope 2018 is filled with happiness.

  118. Really gorgeous house, happy birthday fellow Capricorn (mine is the fifth). We will have the coldest night of the season tonight : minus 40 Celsius. I’m in hiding: too cold.

  119. Happy birthday and congratulations on your new office space. More congratulations on the pool – i hope it’s an oasis of relaxation and inspiration for you both.
    Meanwhile, in Melbourne Australia, it’s a balmy summer for the most part, despite a sweltering start.
    Wishing you a safe, interesting, happy and productive year to come.

  120. Happy birthday! And happy New Years! I’m glad you are moved in. The fountain is beautiful even with dagger like icicles. And I hope the rest of 2018 goes as well as your day has!

  121. Happy birthday!! And that office looks great! My holiday week wasn’t great, I have a sick rabbit and my chronic health issues have decided to nose dive too. But I had a fab time with friends for new years eve, and today I get to go ride several horses including my new star. The horses will keep me happy and sane while I leave my bunny in the very capable hands of my vets and nurses.

  122. Your house has lots of windows and the yard looks interesting. I’m sure the pets will love it when it warms up. The wind chill in Montana was -48 degrees the other day so I’m trying really hard not to complain about 25 degrees in Virginia although my water dish outside is a large ice cube right now. I envy your office space away from the living space, so much easier to make and maintain the mental adjustment for work time away from household distractions. I found two pennies today, hope that means it will be a good money year! Happy Birthday and enjoy your dinner out.

  123. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! The place is beautifull with or without ice. Really glad to hear my year will be filled with playing with puppies!

  124. Happy birthday and happy new year! What games did you get for your Switch? I hope you all make a lot of great memories in your new house, it looks super nice.

  128. Happy birthday! Very neat to see your newly setup office and congrats to Gordon on picking out a pretty awesome birthday gift for you. 🙂 Hope this year is one of the best yet for you and your family, crossing my fingers it’s one of the best years for me and mine!

  130. Christmas, brunch with family, plans for a pre-birthday lunch with middle sister Friday.
    Thursday, took oldest sister to the beach.
    Friday, lunch got cancelled due to middle sister getting the flu.
    Saturday, gave middle sister her birthday present.
    Sunday, not a partier, so kicked back until midnight and went to bed.
    Monday, started working on my resolutions.

  131. Happy Birthday. I love the colors in the office and I am drooling over the pool. I assume that it isn’t heated, too bad.

    It is cold here as well. My car read -20 as I came to work this evening. I broke down and put on a sock hat, I will actually put on gloves when I get off later. 🙂

  133. Happy Birthday. The office looks amazing. I love the window covering. Do I see a greenhouse?

    Welcome to extreme weather! Pretty ice tho

  135. Happy Birthday! I hope that it is a stress free (because you just moved), somewhat relaxing (because your still unpacking), wonderful day.

  136. Happy Birthday. Loved the icy pictures. Here in NSW Australia it is getting hotter by the minute so the ice/snow gives a lovely mental cool down.

  137. Today’s my birthday too :-). I really hope what I did today doesn’t carry through because I’m in trouble :-/ I essentially ate all day lazed about on the couch and talked with family and friends. No work what so ever!
    Happy Birthday!!!

  140. The past week the kids have been off school and not only did everyone come down with massive colds but the weather was in the -30/-40C with the wind chill. That excluded sledding, skating and other solitary outside activities since I wasn’t letting them have play dates and infect other families. After a week of cabin fever they went out when it was a balmy -25c to build a snow fort as by that point they were healthy and I had the fever, cough and sniffles. It has finally warmed up to a more normal -10 and play dates are scheduled for the rest of this week. I can’t wait for a quiet house!!!

  141. Happy Birthday!! Best wishes in your new home. I wanted to read but instead I spent the whole day car shopping and trading in my loved but 12yo minivan for a new electric hybrid. Anne

  142. Happy Birthday! The Switch is so much fun. I spent some time today playing Zelda Breath of the Wild— what a beautiful amazing game. Enjoy!

  144. Hope your birthday was wonderful.

    I’m looking forward to reading the books that come out of your new workspace!

  145. Happy birthday Ilona and happy new year to the whole family! I’m glad to see you’re gradually getting settled into the new house 🙂

  146. Happy Birthday! Your place looks amazing. A green house! And a place to garden. An office you can leave to go home. Looks perfect I hope you enjoy it for many years.

  147. Happy birthday Lovely Ilona! Happy New Year to all you lovely people in the Northern hemisphere! I’m in a sub tropical part of Australia, and here it’s hot, humid and thunderstorms. It feels like a steam bath and the air con is working overtime. Some of you probably think that sounds lovely right about now, but we are craving the cold! Here’s a pic of a recent pic of a early morning thunderstorm, taken by a local phtoographer
    Much love to you all from my side of the pond xxxxx 🙂

  149. From what I can see of it you have a beautiful home. Happy Birthday! Unfortunately, I’ve been sick since Christmas afternoon. This crap sucks. I’m sure it started as a cold but quickly progressed to Sinus infection and bronchitis. I have had them so often in the past I just know what I have and do my best at trying to heal myself. I am improving so hopefully I can avoid the doctor lol. I have no idea what a Switch is soooo I’ll be looking that up. ?

  150. Happy belated birthday. I hope you have a wonderful 2018 filled with a bit of everything… I was always told the same thing about the first day of the new yr.

  151. Hey Ilona and Gordon

    Happy New Year.

    Those icicles are fabulous. Maybe such a scene will appear in a book one day, some wintery wasteland in a reality far from our own!

    The office is great and how wonderful to have a dedicated and separate work place now. Congrats that all your hard work has led to that finally.

    Lastly Ilona, I hope your birthday was awesome (it’s already 2nd of Jan here in Sydney) and you enjoyed Outback with the family.

  152. Happy New Year and happy birthday for yesterday. Enjoy your new office and home. We had snow and ice here in NW England last week. Now it’s just dark and raining.

  154. Happy Birthday, Ilona! Happy New Year to you both! It’s 7 degrees in the Godforsaken state of North Carolina. There is no moisture, or there would surely be ice. I had a lovely day cooking and visiting with much loved relatives that I haven’t seen for a few years. I am in my Mother’s home where I will be for a while as she recovers from a nasty fall. It really is warmer here (normally) than Northern Virginia. Until today I was enjoying that very much.

  157. A happy New Year to you & yours, sounds like a good Birthday as well. We were a balmy 4 degrees New Year Day, it made it up to 11, I fixed Pork, for good luck in the coming year. Your office looks like it is coming along.

  158. Thank you for all of your work that made my life brighter and better! I hope your new year is as wonderful as it can be! Congrats on the beautiful house and working office.

  159. Happy Birthday Ilona! And Happy New Year too! Your office looks really awesome. Hope it inspires you to write crap loads more books coz I just can’t get enough of your stuff!

  160. Happy New Year! Happy Birthday!

    I’m glad you guys are starting to settle in. New spaces are always a challenge, but hope this will be a good start for even better things.

  161. Love the pics! Have fun with the switch, mine also got me one for Xmas- Zelda is fabulous, albeit a total time sucker ? New Braunfels bound tomorrow, hope it warms up.

  164. Ohhh nice office space! I like the floor in it too! You’ve got a lovely yard too. No wonder you guys fell in love with this place!

    And wow those icicles! That’s rare for your part of Texas, right? Right now it’s -22F in the valleys and -13F on the hilltops (odd that… usually colder at higher elevations…) As I look across the courtyard from the college library I work in at one of the academic buildings I see some icicles that are at least 6 feet long… you read that right… 6….feet…long…! And near a damn entrance too! Thank goodness the kids are on break now! Hopefully are way understaffed custodians and groundskeepers will knock those suckers of though. Even by Vermont standards, 6 foot icicles are a bit over the top to just let hang there until they drop, and drop they certainly will!

    Fun fact… it’s sooooooo cold in New England today that a bunch of schools in VT and NH have delayed school openings by 2 hours so the kids won’t catch their death waiting for the bus or walking to school!

  167. Happy Birthday, Ilona, and Happy New Year to you both. Your new office sounds great. I’m very impressed by your pool with a fountain. Lovely – even when the weather is freezing.

  168. Happy birthday and happy new year too! Im in canada (manitoba) its minus 33 degrees celsius but we factor in wind chill too which puts us at minus 50 degrees celsius lol

    • OMG! I just can’t even…. Are humans meant to live (thrive) in those conditions, even temporarily or momentarily? Please stay warm!!!!

  169. Happy Birthday! Your fountain will be glorious most of the year, it’s Texas, won’t be cold for long. Best wishes for a fabulous 2018!

  170. We had a huge party for extended family,from 18 months to 84 years-lots of food and lots of laughter and not one fall out which is pretty amazing as we are a volatile lot ! If this is how the year will be, can’t wait, bring it on ?
    Also, Happy Birthday for yesterday xxx

  171. Happy new year! Happy birthday! We’ve had bone chilling temps here in NYC. A little snow, but no white Christmas. We had the kids and grandkids (seven grands, ranging in age from 1 to 10 yrs old) here all week. It was noisy, crowded, exhausting, and great fun.

    The silence now is deafening.

    I go back to work tomorrow, so routine will take over and maybe I won’t miss all my babies quite so much. Oh, who am I kidding. My eyes are tearing up just typing that sentence.

    The house you bought looks amazing. Take your time decorating so you get it the way you want it and have fun with it!

    Enjoy your birthday.

  172. Happy birthday Ilona!! Happy New Year to you and your entire family. Congratulations on such a beautiful office that you can leave! ? The icicles are actually quite beautiful on your fountain – as long as the ice doesn’t cause any damage. We are also experiencing unusually cold temperatures right now in Northern Virginia. Brrr! My holiday week was very enjoyable, with stepson and father-in-law as visitors. Stepson was a welcome guest while on holiday vacation from school. He turned 20 while here so we were able to celebrate his birthday. Father-in-law invited himself & wasn’t enjoyed as much. He is bi-polar and has been manic for at least ten years now. He enjoys it & refuses to do anything about it, even though no one can stand to be around him! He talks nonstop about himself & how wonderful he is – telling exaggerated stories and sometimes just outright lies. He even talks over other conversations people try to have. It is exhausting and exasperating! What is worse is that his family does nothing about it except try to avoid him. Being a “new” member of the family having just married his son this past July, I don’t think it should be up to me to do something about him. However, he is almost 80 and he is in a car accident every time he travels to visit (in fact he was in an accident right before leaving to come visit) and he is a real danger on the road. I tried talking to my husband about how something needs to be done about his dad, not only for the sake of all the family members but also for his dad’s sake. Sigh!!! I don’t want to cause a problem between myself and my husband about this, but it really is a bad situation and someone really needs to do something about it before something tragic happens. This cast a bit of a shadow over my holidays and still hasn’t been resolved. I guess a lot of people have different issues with in laws!! ?

    • Marianne, here is California you can anonymously report someone to the Department of Motor Vehicles for erratic/dangerous driving. You should do this.

      • Thank you!! I didn’t even think of that. He is a real danger not only to himself, but to all the innocent people on the road with him. I understand it is difficult for his family to take away that independence, but it isn’t just a question of that – it is a question of safety for not only him but for all the other people on the road with him. I will look into how I can anonymously report him. I really appreciate the suggestion Linda. Thank you and Happy New Year to you and your family! ?

      • Now, if only there was someplace I could anonymously report my father in law for being an arrogant, way over the top egomaniac, who is and has also been on a manic high for the past several years – and will continue to be because of the medication he is taking!! He talks literally non-stop about himself and how important and wonderful he is. He is insufferable, and miserable to be around. He inflates everything he tells about himself (which is all he EVER talks about) to the point of complete fantasy. He wrote a letter once to the President (whoever it was at that time) complaining about something. I am sure it never even reached the President, but now he goes around telling people he and that President are correspondents and that he gives him his advice and insight on different issues!!! All of his family has moved several states away from him (including his wife), because no one wants to be anywhere near him. He knows this, but doesn’t care because he likes how this manic “high” makes him feel – and it is all about HIM!! It is very sad. ☹️

  174. Happy New Year!

    I have a friend who lives on the east coast and we have a tradition that I call or text him happy New Year at midnight and then he tells me what the future is like.

    This year, his report was that the future is cold… and so far, he’s been right! It was -15F when I headed home at midnight.

  176. Congratulations! It looks like a sweet and comfortable house. I hope that 2018 will be a great year for you.

  177. Happy New Year! Happy Birthday! Thanks for everything you guys do. Hope 2018 is wonderful for everyone, and that your new digs will improve life for you. Being able to shut the door on work should help, indeed.

    Cheers!

  178. Hi Ilona, Happy belated birthday and a healthy, bountiful New Year ahead.

    Here in Singapore we have just two seasons: hot and hotter! Oh! Actually, hot & wet and hot & wetter! Although, this past Christmas we enjoyed cooler than usual weather….

    This is why, when we have family holidays, we all choose to go to countries in the midst of winter!

    • How weird. I’m in Singapore too! And Annabelle isn’t that common a name here. What are the odds that we’d both be following Ilona and Gordon? ?

      Anyway, happy belated birthday, Ilona! Wishing you a fab year ahead.

  180. Happy happy happy birthday and new year. Love your new house. The floors are pretty. Your new house looks great.

  181. Happy belated birthday ?? I am loving the pics of your new home. It looks glorious!
    Ha it is summer in Auckland, New Zealand with the temps sitting between 26 and 30°C. What is this ice you talk of?

  182. Happy Birthday! You sound so much more relaxed and happy. Good. Enjoy the new house and office. And the Switch.

  184. Happy new year, and happy birthday! Woowwww your office is awesome. I’m envious. Particularly of the chandelier.

    Glad to hear this week seems to be less stressful than the last, and I’m looking forward to following your progress in 2018. 🙂

  185. May you know peace, joy and prosperity in the New Year and happiest of birthdays! I love the tree clusters that we have here in this area of south TX, as pictured in your photos. Very ‘old south’ feel to them. Can’t say the same for the icicles. I had a discussion with the weather Gods when I moved to The Woodlands and distinctly recall agreement that below 50 was NOT to occur. Fickle bums. LOVE the floors! Rockin’ the new office space, girl! So glad you’re getting oriented in your new home. You both deserve the happiness. As ever, I look forward to your next installment, blog post, book, novella, smart remark with unrelenting fervor.

  186. Congratulations on your office! I graduated from a corner of my living room to an actual entire room as my home office a few months ago. Said room still has lots of boxes in it, but feels luxurious none the less. The downside is that the room, which has many windows and we thought would be lovely to work in and filled with light (when we first saw it in August), is actually freezing right now. Totally bone-chilling, impairs-my-productivity-because-my-fingers-don’t-move, freezing. On the off chance you find yourself freezing at the keyboard, may I humbly recommend two things? I got myself a tiny personal ceramic heater which sits next to my monitor and blows warm air on my fingers, and a pair of the “The Writer’s Gloves” which are gloves that I can actually type in. They are life changing. I hope you are pausing to soak in your new home and enjoy it!

  188. Happy New year and Happy Birthday!

    May this year bring you joy, serenity and happiness and may the muses be with you always.

    Gaëlle

  189. Happy New Year and Happy Belated Birthday.. I read this the other day, but have been sick and couldn’t post a comment. I think your office is wonderful. Getting a separate office space from your main home is a bonus. I work from home occasionally and I don’t like feeling that our bedroom is no longer a retreat. Future office space is occupied by the oldest. We make do for now.

    I absolutely love those curtains.

    Enjoy your new home.

  192. Brrrrr that’s freezing!!! Happy Belated Birthday and wishing you and your family a wonderful and prosperous New Year. I’m glad things are coming along nicely for you. Here in Bradenton, Fl its 46 degrees. ???☃

  193. Have a wonderful birthday with your loved ones. All your fans wishes you the best of everything. Cheers!!

  194. Happy new year to both of you and a belated happy birthday ?to Ilona! I hope you had a great day!
    Having an office “away” from home sounds great!
    Have fun in your new home ? and office! I hope you get settled in soon.
    Looking forward to your new projects all the time, I love your writing ✍️ !

  195. Happy Birthday Ilona, And happy New Year. Love the office and floor and the rest of the pics.
    I think you have the makings of a new story line about a world where whatever you do on New Years Day, you will do throughout the year. Consider the poor human who spends that day in surgery, or has a car accident, or is caught in a blizzard on the highway, etc. Don’t you sometimes wonder who makes this stuff up?
    Here’s wishing you and your family a healthy, happy, and all around trouble-free year with lots of book sales and awards. Y’all are the best writers ever!

  198. Our schedule: On 1. jan we tried to recover from my birthday (30. dec) and a night out on 31. dec while celabrating the 8. birthday of kid 1 with bad mood because of lack of sleep for all involved. Now I prepare the kids-birthday-party tomorrow and the family-birthday-party on 6. jan with baking an wrapping. After the holidays I need —- holidays….
    By the way: Happy Birthday Ilona! And do you like to have birthday on 1. jan or would you like to change the date if you could?
    Our son was probably the first kid who was allowed to have a “birthday party” at midnight being only 5 years old…. He always gets his first little present at night. 😉

  199. I’ve been sick so I’m sorry for the belated wishes but HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I hope it was a great one.

    And OMG, the office is incredible! So are the icicles. We got stuck in TX once during a cold freeze. There were huge icicles everywhere. Especially on the trees. And the walk ways, and no ice. Be careful please when you walk and drive. Ice is bad news.

  200. We went to my parents for New Years. It was -30 overnight. For our New Year Eve celebrations, we went out and threw a pot of boiling hot water into the air. It was instant fog. Not even instant snow. Also tried the bubbles, but it was so cold you didn’t see the ice spreading across the surface of the bubble. Most popped in the air, but a few landed on the snow whole and hard.

  201. Happy belated birthday!! Great office great frozen fountain!! Great books!!! Can’t wait for Magic Triumphs I just finished magic Binds for the second time! I’ve read all of your books from all of your series!! I am a HUGE fan! Enjoy your new blessings and thank you for all the wonderful entertainment!

  202. Happy New Year and Happy Birthday. I am a new fan- finally got into the Kate Daniels series and I love it. However, I am so in love with Hugh, I want Kate to leave Curran for him…..call me fickle. Ok, so she doesn’t leave Curran, but I am dying (did I mention dying?) for you to release Hugh’s book! I love him! Thank you for doing an amazing job of telling great stories that are interesting and exciting. Oops, Hugh just texted me- he want me to be his h. *swoon*. ??

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