What a fun yard sale!

After spending most of Friday sorting and pricing, with the help of my sister and a dear friend of mine, we were ready for Saturday morning and anticipating the work and the crowds. There was plenty of both, but we had much more fun than I expected! I'm very glad to share some stories here and they should also appear on GarageSalesTracker when they update.

GarageSalesTracker is a really great tool for Garage Sales with free advertising and helpful information.

Yesterday we ended up selling almost exclusively kitchen supplies and appliances. It amazed all of us how one man could have so much stuff- much of it brand new. It was great to get good prices on decent equipment, and also felt good to see people's faces when they were delighted to find just what they needed, or items they didn't know they needed until they saw them. It was an eclectic group of shoppers of all ages from kids to the elderly, probably equal amounts of men and women, some families, and neighbors we'd never met. Almost everyone came with a smile and kind words, and we got a lot of hugs from people we don't see often so that was a bonus! I'm a hugger and always say the more hugs the better.

Our next Garage Sale will be in two weeks. I do call it a garage sale when it's really a driveway sale because I do want people to visit the GarageSalesTracker site and help them to thrive!

Thank you to everyone who came to look, shop and buy and we hope to have continuing good turnouts as we next should be selling electronics and in September much more of the Christmas decorations. We hardly had room to put any of them out yesterday! The sale was such a success that we felt able to cancel today and rest up- the weather is very humid with rain coming too. The next planned sale is in two weeks!

Ta ta and Cheerio!
Laura

Holy Moly It's a Giant Yard Sale

Has anyone ever actually sold their yard at a yard sale? Or their garage at a garage sale? Estate at an estate sale? Just asking!

We are about to embark on quite an adventure! Recently, our niece Kate's father passed away. It was not unexpected. What was unexpected was the amount of STUFF he accumulated. It boggles the mind.

Tomorrow will be the first day of many for a yard/estate sale to find new homes for his worldly goods. Mike and I volunteered for this, because we love KT with all our hearts and want her to have some money to help pay for her trip across the country to be here for her Dad's funeral.

There is furniture, there are boxes and boxes of kitchen goods and appliances. Books, Christmas items, so many things that I still haven't discovered! We expect a good turnout and good weather.

We are a little antsy about the amount of things in our house, so items will be priced to move. If you are anywhere near the NS in MA, we hope you'll come! The sale with details is posted at GarageSalesTracker

The people at GarageSalesTracker are doing a great job all across the country, and I was surprised and happy that they asked me to blog, and I will blog away as it will be a wonderful way to memorialize this giant event and hopefully find some tips to offer others for their sales! Thank you to GarageSalesTracker

Time Flies Like an Arrow- Fruit Flies Like a Banana

Holy Macaroni Batman! I have not blogged since May 25th!!! Where did that time go?
A lot has happened- Mike and I had our 24th anniversary on June 2nd. We officially adopted Ollie (see above) the Cat From Next Door. We had Mike's parents and sister Michelle visit for several days in June, and a wonderful family get together here with Mike's other sister and her family who I had not seen in many moons! It was great fun!
4th of July came to pass, and there were finally fireworks here. They'd been delayed because of rain almost the whole month of June and into the first couple of days of July. So, I guess that about accounts for the time flying and my lack of blogging!

I'm still trying to get the word out and sell some more copies of "Are You Gonna Eat That Banana/" before it withers and dies and goes out of print. There is indeed a sequel in my brain, but it may not come to me to type until I get some motivation by seeing "Banana" move at least a few more copies. You can get it by clicking this link:

Or a Kindle version here:


Happy July! Enjoy your summer! Nudge me now and then on Twitter or Facebook to blog! LauraHinds for both!

Laura
The More Books the Better

New Amazon Book Store

Visit my new Amazon book store where you can buy things directly from Amazon safel and securely.

Huge Money Savings Day @ Walgreens

This morning, armed with coupons, a well planned list, and a store sale flyer, I managed to get the following deals at my local Walgreens!

I did have a $5.00 of $25.00 printable coupon from Walgreens.com that was only good yesterday, and today. You can still sign up and get one (as far as I know) but ONLY today!

Hint: Colgate Visable White and Bayer Quick Release Crystals are both only found near the register. Both are FREE after RRs.

Bottom line this AM: I got $79.02 in merchandise (inc tax) for $41.17 AND got $23.00 in RR's for a final price of $18.17!
Deals were:
Colgate Visible White $4.49, -$1 PC, and $4.49RR
Bayer Quick Release $2.49 $2.49 RR
Edge Shave Gel $1.79 - $1coupn $1.00RR
Dry Idea Clinical $5.99 $2 PC $5.00RR
Bandaids 4pkgs $10.00 $1 coupon $4.00RR
Bic Utility Lighter $2.99 $1 cpupn $1.00RR

Glade Sense& Spray on sale for 9.99 got 4.00 and 1.50 RR
Clairol Balsam Hair 4.99 got 2.00 RR
Off Clip On sale 9.99 buy 1 get 1 free with coupon 3.00 R

The printable coupons came from Coupons.com for Dry Idea, and Colgate site for toothpaste.
Others were from Sunday Flyers.

You can make this better if you have extra Band Aid Coupons (use 1 per pkg)!

That was really fun and people in line were asking for advice! I loved being able to help them, too!

Laura - use your savings and buy a book and still have a ton of $$ left!
"Are You Gonna Eat That Banana?"

Create a Mystery

What's going on at your house?

Well aside from the missing bumble bee in ours, this is whats up. Create a mystery story from it and you could win a bookmark!

Book review writing day

I have a puzzle to ponder. Just how do I approach writing a book review of a "chick-lit" book when the book is about a novelist who wrote a chick-lit book, but hates it when anyone calls it chick-lit.

I asked Mike what he thought, and he asked me where I got the term chick lit besides off a box of gum (chicklets). No help from that corner.

Ah well, the book is a fun read and easy breezy fun, so maybe the review will come easily too when it comes down to it.

Anyone reading anything good today?

Sneak Peek- Chapter 32 Are You Gonna Eat That Banana?

THIRTY TWO

The roommate slunk in bearing a pile of mail. She brushed her teeth with her tongue as she sorted through it and it was the most annoying sound I’d heard in ages. I turned the radio on and set the volume up higher than I would have liked. Especially since they were playing Christmas Carols already. Singing Chipmunks.

Obviously, this in turn annoyed the roommate since she heaved a stack of mail in my direction and ran up the stairs to her lair. Most of the mail did land on the coffee table, but I had to get up and reach for the few pieces that missed. The first thing to catch my eye was a reminder notice from the meth clinic. Er, I mean the deli. They had potato salad ready for me and if I didn’t pick it up by yesterday they would throw it to the cats in the alleys and never make any for me again.

Normally, this would have made me really mad. In the scheme of things, though, it seemed about the only normal thing going on. The deli owner had both a temper and an usual sense of justice.

Justice. That reminded me. As soon as Tommy made an appearance, Tim and Mom both had orders to bring him to my castle to stand in judgement. I would have to have on hand several dozen rotten tomatoes if he were to be given proper Vegetable Justice. I would also need several semi athletic people to help toss them at him. I really don’t know too many people around here. Kenjl maybe. I wasn’t sure if Tim would participate. Pregnant Pattie was too swollen to invite her, although she might enjoy it. She could be our judge and keep score.


Cynde from the library probably would disapprove, but on the other hand I could ask. She might even bring her kids! I needed more recruits. I had an AHA moment. The Aging Hippies Volleyball Team! I typed up a flyer to post on the beach where they play.

The specifics weren’t important, but just that they show up at my house in clothes worth getting stained for some Vegetable Justice fun. I left my phone number and instructions to call for the final details of date/time. Now all I had to do was find a way to get this posted. I thought and thought and thought some more. I got a brain cramp. The obvious answer was one that might not go over well. I’d have to ask Mom. I could probably persuade her with the argument that Vegetable Justice was better than me having Tommy arrested and thrown in the clink.
Her mother’s instinct to protect her young might work. After all, a few rotten vegetables weren’t going to hurt him, right? I gave up the idea of asking the volleyball team to participate.

The telephone rang and nearly gave me heart failure. It had been so quiet just a few minutes before that I nearly fell asleep in the middle of the book I was reading. I think I did, I felt some drool sliding down my chin.

As I wiped it off and simultaneously answered the phone, my “hello” came out more like “elmo?” It was Cynde at the library calling to say she had a new book I’d likely be interested in. She only chuckled at the “elmo” assuming it was just me being me. Weird, that is. I asked what the book was, and she said it was called “The Secret Lives of a Chinese Fortune Cookie Maker”.




I guess I’d rambled on some of my strange tale when taking out the Chinese Translation book. I did agree it sounded good and asked her to please hold it for me. Without even hesitating to think any further, I grabbed my cell phone and hit the speed dial for Tim.

“Elmo” he said. Or at least that is what I heard. How could he have known? “Tim?” “Yeah it’s me. Oh hi.” “Did you just say Elmo?” “No. I said Hello. Why would I say Elmo?” I shrugged my shoulders then light dawned that he couldn’t see me. “No reason. My ears must be plugged. Wanna go for a ride to the library?”
“Ok. I have books to return.” He sighed slightly.
“Ok then. I think I can walk this time.” I sighed in turn.
“Good enough. I’ll be there after a fashion.” He clicked off. What the hell did after a fashion mean? I’d best get ready. I had two books to return myself. They were mysteries that I solved in the first fifty pages. That was always disappointing to me.

I put the books in my book bag and went outside to sit on the front steps and wait. The sun was warm for mid November, which meant we’d likely have snow for Thanksgiving. I don’t know how long I waited, but it couldn’t have been too long since I didn’t have time too think too much.
Tim pulled in, this time driving a Prius. It belonged to Stanley he said. “Is Stanley your Mom’s boyfriend who I hear so much about?” I asked. “Yeah. The rich dude.”
I put my book bag down and looked in the mini back seat. It was full of library books. “Tim, er, did you read all of those.” “Yeah”he said. “We have a lot of books at school and stuff, but when you have had library withdrawal syndrome for years, once you get a taste of library books again there is no going back.”


“I am thinking of asking if there is a way I can work off the error of my ways as a youth. Do some pennance as a volunteer or something.” Good for Tim! I smiled and said “I tell you what. You ask Cynde when we get there and I’ll back you up and maybe even volunteer with you.”

Half way to the library we spotted a lanky figure on a ten speed bicycle. Wearing a baseball cap and flip flops. I knew it was Tom! Tim pretended he didn’t see him, but I rolled down my window to call out to him, when he raised his fist in the air and shook it at us, yelling at the top of his lungs “MR IAN WOON!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON”. I spun around in my seat and yelled at Tim, “TIM!!! TIM! That was Tom!!! Tom!!! Why didn’t you pull over?” Tim was whistling and playing innocent. “Huh? Did you say something? I had the wind in my ears.”

Earl Schenck Miers

Quote of the day, found in "Book Reviewing" by by John E Drewry, 1946

From Earl Schenck Miers:

"Bring into a room two statesmen, and very likely you will have a war, two churchmen you will have a schism, two businessmen and you will have a merger or a panic, two murderers and you will have a murder, but bring into the same room two men who work and live with books and the walls will ring with camaraderie."

Year's Oddest Titled Books

A really nice friend sent me this today. She noted that I am the only person she knows who would appreciate this. Now that might just be because my book is oddly titled "Are You Gonna Eat That Banana?" Or it could be that she knows I enjoy oddities in all forms. Anywho- I bet some of you will get a laugh too!


Cheesy book takes prize for year's oddest title

Mar 27, 12:05 AM (ET)

By JILL LAWLESS

LONDON (AP) - A heavyweight study of the future of soft cheese has won Britain's annual competition to find the year's oddest book title.

"The 2009-2014 World Outlook for 60-milligram Containers of Fromage Frais," by Philip M. Parker won the Diagram Prize, awarded Friday by trade magazine The Bookseller.

The runner-up was primate study "Baboon Metaphysics," by Dorothy L. Cheney and Robert M. Seyfarth.

Horace Bent, who runs the award, said Parker's volume was a surprise winner given the competition from racier-sounding finalists like "Curbside Consultation of the Colon" - a medical manual - and hobby handbook "Strip and Knit With Style."

Bent said "Fromage Frais" was a worthy winner that had "turned the supermarket chiller into the petri dish of literary innovation."

Fromage frais - literally "fresh cheese" - is a dairy product that originated in France and has a similar consistency to sour cream. The book is a 188-page study of the global retail market for the product.

Parker's book is published by Icon Group and sells for a hefty $795 (euro589.)

The Diagram Prize was founded in 1978, and the winner is decided by public vote.

This year's other finalists were "The Large Sieve and its Applications" and "Techniques for Corrosion Monitoring."

Previous winners include "Bombproof Your Horse,""Living With Crazy Buttocks" and "People Who Don't Know They're Dead: How They Attach Themselves to Unsuspecting Bystanders and What to Do About It."

Now see, here's the thing

In trying to promote my book, I've been advised to join Facebook, Twitter and to do an Author's Blog on Amazon. All well and good. I drew the line at MySpace since I hear that is yesterday's news.

Now see, here's the thing: trying to keep up with all this is killing me ever so slowly. I know, I know, I can do one blog and have it both here and on Amazon. I can have my Twitter Posts also be on Facebook....leading to the problem of what if I say something on one that I don't want to share with people on the other??? Hmmm??

So I guess I just limp along and do the best I can and update each now and then. Twitter is easiest except when it tells me that I am locked out for tying to log on too often, when I've only logged on once the whole darn day!

There are a lot of other "things" that I could blog about, but who knows who is reading this blog and how they might use it against me? They might not buy my book!
Egads- they aren't anyway. I evidently have written a book that is best used to pass around from friend to friend, and to take out of the library.

Now the other thing is: To Sequel or Not To Sequel?

GOGGIES

CONTEST

Purchase a copy of "Are You Gonna Eat That Banana" from Amazon using this link:


Email me at LauraHinds@aol.com with the date of your order so I can verify it. I get a count of how many books sell on any given day. When you email me, be sure to give me a mailing address for you and you'll soon receive a personalized bookmark in the mail!

Write a fair review on Amazon, send me a copy, or the direct link to your review, and I'll also send you an autographed bookplate for your copy of "Are You Gonna Eat That Banana?"

Contest ends March 31st.

New Logo....

How do you like my new logo for the book?? Don't forget to buy the book!

Writing Google Ghoulash

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lab.drwicked.com

Google Goulash

I'm finally inspired to work on Google Ghoulash and am pleased with this mini success story of the morning. Drum roll, please:

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lab.drwicked.com

Banana's Everywhere!

Cats and Bananas are everywhere! I found this one on LOL Cats this morning! How did they know it was purrfect for the day my books are on their way here!

Don't forget- you can get your very own copy from Amazon.com

It's Official! The Book is on Amazon

Clown Free Zone

In response to blog reader concerns (Oh Hai Gail!), I want to reassure fearful fans that "Are You Gonna Eat That Banana" is truly clown free and safe for your eyes!!! I even had my favorite LOL cat of the week take care of any clowns lurking about seeking to insinuate themselves into the manuscript!

Of course, you might want to be careful about the rogue Gnomes!!!

Happy Monday!!!

The editing continues today!!!! I only have to slog through about 50,000 more words or so!

Laura
http://www.laurahinds.com
(ok, so that only brings you to this blog for now! Better things are coming soon!)

It's HERE!

The book will be available on Amazon.com soon!!

NaNoWriMo winner me- and about 1200 others!

This was won for "Are You Gonna Eat That Banana" which will be available in January, 2009. Yes, it will be on Amazon!

Careful of Bananas!

Coming Soon:

"Are You Gonna Eat that Banana?"

Careful, or you'll end up in my newest novel!

National Novel Writing Month

Election Day.

Sad Announcement

Sad Announcement!!!!
Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas and oil.
The Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off.
We apologize for any inconvenience.

Or- as a friend said to me "Unless of course the Light at the End of the Tunnel is the oncoming train."

Trust Nothing and No one

I got this in an email from a dear friend-- suits me perfectly:

Blessed are the Cracked, for they are the ones who let in the light"




















--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial

In Other News

Net Burning Toaster-- get the news on your morning toast!

Wacky Toaster

Rest well sweet friend

We recently had a dear friend and longtime neighbor leave us behind for a better place. I feel so lucky that I got to visit with her one last time this spring. I can still hear her saying "Yum Yum" at the chocolates a friend brought for her.
She let me take this picture, somewhat relucantly. I had told her that I promised I wouldn't put it all over the internet. To which she replied "Not until I'm dead, anyway".

So here you go my friend! I hope that you can look down and smile at this!

We've missed you all the long months since you left our neighborhood, and now you've left our world.

Louise was 96 in July. She drove right up until she took a fall last December. Always smart as a whip, well read, and mentally never faltered for a minute. She was quick with a hug, quick with a quip, and a very brave lady who loved her home and her car and her church always.

Rest well sweet friend. We love you.

Laura and Mike

Crab spider

I've seen a little critter in our living room a few times. Tiny as a speck of dust!
It just dropped down from our ceiling and landed on me twice. I thought I was seeing things-- I thought it was an Albino spider! Doing a bit of "web" work, I learned that it is a Crab Spider, and is a beneficial insent who sometimes wanders indoors. It does not spin a web, but is an active hunter. Hmmmm...perhaps that is what happened to the fly that was driving me crazy for a week. These tiny spiders do like flies I understand. They are also amazing in that some of them can change color to include bright yellow or bright pink to match a flower that they might land on. They are not harmful to humans, but they do bite, although it just causes a minor irritation.

The things I will do to avoid actually Working On My Book! I spend a half hour researching spiders!

Laura
The More Books the Better

Hot Under The Collar

Yowza-- what a game between the Red Sox and the Yankees last night. It was a real pitchers match, a poorly Umpired game, and the Sox got hot under the collar and so did I! I've heard it said that Kevin Youkilis tends to "wet his pants" over things, but man, how he held it together when fast balls were flying in the vicinity of his head AGAIN! I was waiting for a Bench Clearing Brawl, but the Sox rose above that.
Mike Lowell really had a wobbly when he was called out on strikes and the final strike was clearly a BALL!!!!! I was almost as mad as he was. As for Manny-- hmmm...he's out because he knee hurts. Then it is both knees hurt. Yet the MRI showing nothing wrong? He really should have been in the game for Big Papi's return. This Manny being Manny stuff is wearing thin. Perhaps if his knees are that bad he'd better go on the disabled list and get some acupunture or even counseling on Adult Professional Behavior. I've always enjoyed Manny, he's a great player and funny as can be. To a Point. Hmmm... perhaps Tito could just bench him and not LET him have the honor of playing. Would that be cutting off the teams nose to spite their face? I think not. Time for Manny to have a time out.

Ok-- today, the Red Sox are going to be out for blood. There is a blood lust at the ready, and the fur will be flying.

I can't wait. Go RED SOX!!!

oh- and I just returned 2 library books and came home with 8 new ones....it is possible to watch baseball and read three books at once. I should know!

Laura
the more books the better

Rest In Peace

May your soul continue it's wonderful journey now that you have left your poor broken body behind. Many happy returns when you are ready.

Randy Pausch, author of The Last Lecture passed away on July 24, 2008.

A Few of My Favorite Things

On the heels of learning recently that Rush would be getting their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2009, two good friends of mine had the chance to see a show in this leg of the Snakes and Arrows tour! One went to NH to see them, and the other saw them in NC. While I'm a wee bit envious, I'm also very happy for them both! The first friend saw them for about the 30th, and likely the last time, while my newer friend finally went to her first show after waiting 28 years! Then, while perusing YouTube, I found this gem!





So that's all fun and games, and then I found my favorite Laugh A Minute duo cracking up as they tried to announce a Red Sox game while hearing "Mooo Mooo" in their headsets after photos of Vermont Cows were shown during Vermont Day at Fenway Park. If you want a good laugh, view this clip. You won't be able to help youself, the laughter is contagious!

NESN Final
by bsap11

Enjoy!
Laura
The More Books the Better
reading:

Atmospheric Disturbances

Well this book disturbed me allright! Yet it was compelling, interesting and something I had to pry myself away from....one has to wonder if this actually happened to someone in the author's life.
Here's a trailer, and don't forget you can use any of my Amazon.com links to buy the book!

The weak of the pea/pee, hehe, pee-pee

Ingo Rademacher of General Hospital has a new son-- named Peanut Kai. Kai means water in Hawaiian. Some clever person posted online that they could call him Pea Water. Made me laugh!
Then, this morning, I got this story from Coast to Coast online:

Leak at Nasa

A Nasa plea for urine donations has been leaked, leading to a flood of offers.

The US space programme is seeking urine from workers at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas, so it can create the perfect space lavatory.

It's for the new Orion space capsule which will eventually take astronauts to the moon, reports the Daily Telegraph.

John Lewis, Nasa's head of life support systems for Orion, said the Orion will be in space for up to six months while astronauts work on the moon, so getting rid of urine is a pressing issue.

To design, build and test the systems, Nasa needs nearly eight gallons of urine every day - about the total daily output of 30 people.

Nasa has a long-standing tradition of collecting samples from its workers to help design better space toilets because "you can't make fake urine," Mr Lewis said.

The memo seeking daily contributions from July 21 to July 31, contains detailed instructions for participants, but was not meant to go public.

It requests donors do not drink too much to encourage urination, warning that "you are not encouraged to over-hydrate as this could dilute the urine we collect".

"Unlike in the doctor's office, you do not need to worry about starting collection midstream," the memo states. "Our testing will be much more accurate if you collect as much of the entire urination as possible including the beginning."

It also calls for urine to be fresh, no more than an hour old. "We suggest that morning urine be collected at home, but not night-time urine," the memo states.

General Snoozepital

Ok, big whoop- Genie Francis is back for a short stint. Mostly in Lulu's mind. Yawn.
More Mob stuff coming from Russia this time. Yawn.
People paying tons of money to go to the Fan Club Weekend. People who don't know how they will heat their homes this winter, don't have money to pay their credit card debt, complain about how broke they are-- they still come up with cash for a soap opera fan club event-- for which the actors get PAID to be there. How stupid is that??

I think I'm having our Tv totally disconnected after the Red Sox win the World Series in October.

Laura
The More BOOKS the Better

George Noory- Coast to Coast

For the Full Story, visit The Washington Times website--
No sleep for the curious
Night listener discusses aliens, Bigfoot, angels and presidential hopes
Jennifer Harper THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Sunday, July 13, 2008
The talk is good tonight. Angels, mystery fireballs in space, rustlings in the attic, memories of grandma, a cure-all from the ancients, some scrappy politics. Someone gets choked up. A truck driver shouts over the roar of his diesel. A woman offers the details of a particularly close encounter of the alien sort with complete conviction.

There were weird lights, she says. And wires.

Ah, yes. Settle back, folks. Plump up the pillows. This is “Coast to Coast AM,” the all-night talk radio phenomenon heard from 1 to 5 a.m. on 500 stations, seven nights a week, by three million very devoted, very earnest listeners around the globe.

Five of those nights belong to host George Noory, whose mellifluous voice and empathetic bearing provide the ultimate foil to those who want to talk of Bigfoot, political assassinations, Armageddon and the time they awoke to find a dim figure, gazing at them from the end of the bed with luminous eyes.

Mr. Noory is the very model of civility through it all, that honey-smooth voice - familiar and authoritative both - steering the conversation to its conclusion in a very satisfying minute or two. Sometimes he takes 50 calls a night.

”George? Is this me?” listeners often ask.

“Yes, St. Louis. This is you,” he replies.

It could be Toronto. Or New Orleans or Anchorage. Or nowhere. The “you” - hailing from some distant dell in Vermont, an urban condo or perhaps a cell phone on a stretch of highway - get their moment.

“Americans are in a huge pressure cooker right now. They've got to be allowed to vent their feelings. Through talk radio specifically, they have a feeling there's someone to listen to them. It has had an effect, and that is to keep them calm,” Mr. Noory said recently.

At 57, he's got more than three decades in the broadcast business as newsman and a host of the old-school sort. He doesn't argue, he doesn't run roughshod over his listeners or the three special guests who make up the programming every night. Among his fans: C-SPAN's venerable founder Brian Lamb.