Unquiet Mind

Putting CAT in cater

2011-08-17T12:27:00.003-06:00

I am the first to admit that I cater, likely too much, to my cats. (I have four, all rescued.) No need to explain how much, suffice to say I do. And for quite some time I figured I went overboard. But I found out the other day that no, I don't go overboard...

Sunday night I was up at 4 AM when Pippy was ill. First thing in the morning the vet was called and I took her in for a check up that afternoon. I fussed. After all, my baby was sick and all I could think about was the edge I would slip over if she was seriously ill. Turned out to be a minor problem, much to 'Mommy's' relief. And I half way apologized to the vet for being silly and perhaps over-reacting.

Then she told me about the lady who brought her cat in... dressed in shorts, t-shirt and booties. The cat was tucked under a blanket in a baby carriage. I thought that was a joke, but NO! True story. My jaw dropped. REALLY?

Apparently my catering to kitty is quite normal. Certainly is, compared to that extreme!!

2011-07-13T11:38:00.002-06:00

I watched the coverage. And, as many other, I was stunned, shocked, angry, mortified at the "not guilty" verdict. It's been an interesting insight into the legal system, however. Apparently "not guilty" doesn't mean "innocent". Truth doesn't always come into a trial. It's "proven" or "not proven". In this case, not proven. Very few people would consider this individual innocent. Yet she walks. And it makes me sick.

Now I can only hope that there's truth/justice in the saying: "what goes around comes around".

It took four years

2011-06-15T10:22:00.004-06:00

But finally we're making some headway. My car is paid off and we had enough to finance another. The credit card debt is cut in half. We have a savings account and RRSPs. And some spare cash in the account. At last our hard work and determination has paid off. A dark cloud has lifted from over our heads. Working full time I haven't had the luxury of pursuing my hobbies as much as I'd like but I guess sacrifices need to be made in certain situations.

2011-05-26T18:43:00.000-06:00

MOTHER'S DAY

2011

2011-05-26T18:15:00.002-06:00

I love SPRING. The air is soft, the earth is sweet, there's an explosion of growth, daylight hours go on and on... and the smell of bug spray soaks into my skin. Necessary. This year, in Alberta, after a snowy winter, those pesky critters are swarming. Taking the bad with the good.

Life in Big Sky Country continues for my husband and I. We survived the recession. The oil industry is very busy and Stuart is working hard. We're saving for a down deposit for a home. This means we're settling here for the foreseeable future. We have to. There's no work in Nova Scotia.

I have received another promotion at work- Canada's largest bookstore- and I am happy to be employed there. Although technically we're not a "bookstore". Not exclusively. Retail has had to be inventive to survive and the popularity of e-book readers has forced the company to expand into gifts and toys and even electronics. Although I sold e-books in the past as an author I'm not really a fan. I need the hold a book. I need to feel a book. I need to see my favorite books on a shelf.
I'm working full time. Those two days a week off go by quickly. With Stuart away much of the time all those household chores are mine. I'd love to have more time at home. I'd love to start developing a plot line for a new novel. Maybe the future will grace me with time and I will stir my Muse to rise. In the meantime we need to claw out of debt and my wages are necessary.

It has taken four years but I have made peace with the fact I'm here, away from home, away from my beloved mother. This month I made the trip back and spent a week with her at the nursing home. She's frail. The broken hip from last year has left her immobile. The dementia is worse. But her voice is clear. Her eyes twinkle. And we hold hands as I try to stir memories in her foggy mind. Sometimes I was successful. Not so often. When I left to return to Alberta I cried. I had made moments special for me in case I never see her again. I have to take the good with the bad.

I am going to revisit my blog more often. Thank you for dropping by. I shall rekindle the fire.

Where does the time go?

2010-12-10T08:21:00.005-07:00

Hubby and I are working hard. He's out on the rigs and I'm in the bookstore. Ah, yes. Retail at Christmas. And from what I can see there's no recession here. We have line ups all day long. I come home and flop.

And seeing we're both so busy- in fact DH might be working through Christmas- my tree went up at the Red deer SPCA. www.reddeerspca.com The crafts are a favorite hobby and they're up for sale to help out my favorite charity!

Merry Christmas to all!

2010-07-15T09:35:00.005-06:00

Shortly after getting back from Nova Scotia I lost my lap-cat Lucy. She went out to play in the yard and disappeared. I searched for her for days, hoping for a small miracle but she was gone. I can't imagine how people cope when a child goes missing. I was beside myself after losing a cat. I thought my heart would break.

I guess the stress from June hit me physically because my back went out. I had to get to a chiropractor and now I'm on an 8 week re-adjustment program. I feel better. It goes to show how emotional turmoil can build up.

On the lighter side, we went to the SPCA. So many little ones needing a home. I found Maggie, a tortie. She's precious, as you can see from her picture posted here! She needed a family and I needed her.

Join me on Facebook! maryellenashman@hotmail.com

2010-06-22T18:45:00.002-06:00

On June 10th I got the call that my Mom had fallen and broken her hip. She was in the hospital awaiting an operation and, being so frail, the surgeon wasn't sure she'd survive. I flew home to Nova Scotia the next day.
She did survive the operation. However, she suffers dementia and being constrained in the hospital hooked to a drip and pumped with pain killers and antibotics didn't weigh well for her mental state. It's terrible to watch a loved one suffer so. By Sunday she recognized me and by Monday she was eating/drinking a little. Tuesday she was sent back to the Nursing home.
Maybe it's a good thing~ she talked to me as though it was ten years ago~ she was pleased we "had such a lovely drive" and that she "should do some housework but it's too late in the day."
She thought the room at the Nursing home was our living room in the old farmhouse.

It was a grueling week. I won't go into the pain I felt, the way I wept for my mother to come back to me. There are things worse than death. Dementia is one of them.

I had to fly back to Alberta Friday. I was worn out. It's taken me until now to catch my breath.

Reports from home tell me that Mom is actually gaining some strength back. She's tough. I hope I can be as well. I want to get back to NS this September to spend some more time with her. Although time means nothing to her now it does to me. She will always be my beloved mom.

What the BLEEP?

2010-06-04T07:23:00.002-06:00

So, last month I get a promotion and a raise and my paycheque is less that it was before????

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

My hours have been cut.... *sigh*

2010-06-02T17:49:00.002-06:00

I bit the bullet today and created a FaceBook account. No easy task on dial-up but that's the price I pay for being a country girl.

Maybe I can find out what has happened to lost friends. A few I hope remain lost.... but I'm sure they feel the same about me!! LOL

2010-05-07T11:48:00.001-06:00

"I love you" in 5 languages.

English - I Love You

French - Je T'aime

Italian - Ti Amo

Chinese - Wo Ai Nin

Canadian - Nice Arse, Get in the truck

My MOM

2010-05-04T10:20:00.006-06:00

I love her soooo much!
~picture taken April 20, 2010~

2010-04-29T12:27:00.002-06:00

So... yesterday I was out, cleaning up the yard, digging around in the garden, enjoying a warmish Spring day.
Then BAM!
Rain turned to snow during the night. We woke to this! DH was called into the shop for a day's work~ he started out but had to turn back as the roads were terrible, and some sections between Red Deer and Calgary were closed. NO worries~ nice to be home together to celebrate my birthday. We're having Chocolate cake, whipped cream and cherries later this afternoon! YUM

Best Birthday present

2010-04-29T06:53:00.002-06:00

This beautiful Ginger-Tom arrived under our doorstep last December, shivering from the cold, flea bitten and hungry. We took him in, naming him Jonzey. As time went on, however, we realized he wasn't going to get along with two of our girls. Our outside kitty was terrified of him and he would bully her. So, it was with regret that we had to take him to our local SPCA. That was March 24th. I cried all the way home.

Then I discovered yesterday he has been adopted!!! It's my birthday and I couldn't think of a better gift than knowing this lovely fellow has a home!!

Weather

2010-03-22T11:49:00.002-06:00

March is a cruel month. Spring one day, winter the next, a breath of summer and then snow. Seems the days that are sunny and warm are the days I'm stuck at work.

A couple of updates. Not much new which is a good thing at my age!! I'm headed home to Nova Scotia for a week in April. It's a quick trip. The weather will be unpredictable but the flight and car are 1/3 the cost as in August. My main reason for getting home is to visit with my mom so weather is secondary.

DH is still working even though the "Spring break-up" has shut down many oil/gas well sites. The rumour is that this year's break-up might not last too long, which we can only hope. Again, it all depends on the weather.

Regardless, Spring is here and I welcome the season with all my heart.

R&R

2010-03-03T18:14:00.003-07:00

I had to take some time off. I'm glad I did. These past few days I've slept in and then napped in the afternoon, gone shopping, I did some housework and baking, and I've caught up on the news and worked my crafts! Ahhhhh. It's been wonderful. Back to work on Friday.

I needed a break. I was getting over tired, irritated, fed up, run down, etc etc. Hopefully this mini "stay-cation" will help my overall morale.

I've been reading Nelson DeMille's The Gold Coast and The Gate House. I've never met a main character that's so pussy whipped!! Excellent books. I'm working my way through all DeMille's novels.

Went to see SHUTTER ISLAND! You know, many times a movie butchers a book, but having read the novel first I was very impressed on how well it was done- following the author's mystic. Ben Kingsley is such a good actor and Leo isn't difficult to look at. Great combo!! LOL

Waiting to hear....

2010-02-07T09:22:00.001-07:00

I think as of yesterday I am a GREAT AUNT! Confirmation will be coming in soon!!!

2010-02-07T09:20:00.001-07:00

AVATAR left me absolutely breathless! And I'm not big on sci-fi or fantasy.
It was a superb movie on it's own but the 3D really made the whole experience come ALIVE!

It's a must see. MUST!

2010-01-30T12:16:00.001-07:00

Off to see AVATAR this afternoon. DH bought tickets online. Otherwise we'd run the risk of not getting in again. I need 2.5 hours of escapism. Work has been gruelling this week.....

2010-01-29T09:07:00.002-07:00

Seeing that I am cutting back on my activity on the net I have decided to delete my yahoo group Minds Eye. I am hoping that within a couple of years I will have written enough material to get myself up and running again, but if I do I'll be using my real name. In the meantime please stay with me here and we'll catch up on the gossip!!

2010-01-25T08:54:00.002-07:00

I was delighted the other day when a former co-worker came into the store and bought my book. She said she really enjoyed the other one (Love Not Forgotten) and was looking forward to reading Lady Outlaws. It has been a long time since I've heard any positive feedback on anything I've written. Yeah. boo-hoo, but true. Her comment made my day!

In the meantime I'm trying to get my rights back from the debunked Absolute X-Press Publisher who still have my books months after in-fighting caused the company to collapse.

I'm really tired of e-publishing. Tired tired tired.

Time to DIET!!!

2010-01-20T08:26:00.000-07:00

Breakfast

1 grapefruit
1 slice whole wheat toast
1 cup skim milk

Lunch

1 small portion lean, steamed chicken
1 cup spinach
1 cup herbal tea
1 Hershey's kiss

Afternoon Tea

1 The rest of the Hershey Kisses in the bag
1 tub of Hagen-Daaz ice cream with chocolate chips

Dinner

4 glasses of wine (red or white)
2 loaves garlic bread
1 family size supreme pizza
3 Snickers Bars

Late Night Snack

1 whole Sarah Lee cheesecake (eaten directly from the freezer)

Remember: Stressed spelled backward is desserts.

Not much new

2010-01-19T07:47:00.003-07:00

At my age, that's a good thing.

DH was home for a week. The warm weather caused problems and the rig got stuck. It was nice to come home after work with dinner made, the "kids" happy, the house warm and cozy. But now he's out again for what might turn into a three week stint.

Watched a couple of movies- Public Enemies. Oh yeah! Johnny Depp... nothing more need be said. Also saw Paranormal Activity and was disappointed. It was creepy but... thumbs down on that one. DH and I tried to get to the theater to see Avatar but it's sold out nightly. Maybe later. Reading Nelson DeMille's John Cory series. On Wild Fire right now! Brilliant author.

So, I have today to slum around the house. Back to work tomorrow for 6 straight days. How fair is that? My couch misses my ass.

2010-01-11T09:14:00.002-07:00

Time for a change.
I have deleted my "Ellen Ashe" yahoo profile and will be making a come back using my real name: Mary Ellen Ashman. Those of you who knew me twenty years ago I was Mary Ellen Georgeson. There were a few other names used, but more of that later!

2010-01-06T12:10:00.002-07:00

Yay! I booked my ticket today. I'm going home to Nova Scotia for a week in April. Crappy weather month but a whole lot cheaper than summer.

The countdown is on! Yay!

The Official Canadian Temperature Conversion Chart

2010-01-04T12:29:00.001-07:00

50° Fahrenheit (10° C)· Californians shiver uncontrollably.· Canadians plant gardens.

35° Fahrenheit (1.6° C)· Italian Cars won't start· Winnipeggers drive with the windows down

32° Fahrenheit (0° C)· American water freezes· Canadian water gets thicker.

0° Fahrenheit (-17.9° C)· New York City landlords finally turn on the heat.· Canadians have the last cookout of the season.

-60° Fahrenheit (-51° C)· Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.· Canadian Girl Guides sell cookies door-to-door.

-109.9° Fahrenheit (-78.5° C)· Carbon dioxide freezes makes dry ice.· Canadians pull down their earflaps.

-173° Fahrenheit (-114° C)· Ethyl alcohol freezes.· Canadians get frustrated when they can't thaw the keg

-459.67° Fahrenheit (-273.15° C)· Absolute zero; all atomic motion stops.· Canadians start saying "cold, eh?"

-500° Fahrenheit (-295° C)· Hell freezes over.· The Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup

2010-01-01T09:12:00.001-07:00

Is it "Twenty-Ten" or "Two-thousand-Ten"? I just don't want to get off on the wrong foot.

Happy New Decade

2009-12-31T09:01:00.002-07:00

This is a spitting image of our new addition to the family~ Jonezy! He's starting the New Year without his naddies so he's stopped winking at my four girls.

They still don't like him.

Maybe the New Year will soften their attitudes!

Have a great 2010!

2009-12-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

2009-12-20T09:30:00.002-07:00

Looks as though DH might be working all this week... *sigh*
It's just me and the "kids". Another addition- that stray kitty is with us. We tried taking him to the SPCA but there was no room at the Inn. So for the time being we're fostering him.
The tree is covered with kitty decorations and under the tree is food, a scratching mat, catnip, etc. Crazy Cat Lady? Me? What makes you think so?? blink blink

2009-12-06T14:43:00.003-07:00

Snow. Wind chills of -36C (about -33F). Long hours.

The oil and gas industry pushes on and I am so proud of DH for the hard work he's doing.

He'll be home tomorrow for a few days between wells.

Yay!

2009-12-05T11:54:00.002-07:00

The wind howled all night. I got up to find a drift against my door. I couldn't get my little car out of the driveway let alone down our meandering lane onto a secondary highway to the main highway, which was actually CLOSED. Gee, guess what? No work for me today.
Apparently I wasn't the only one. A skeleton staff. Even the boss couldn't make it in. Too bad the stores couldn't close but it's a Saturday close to Christmas so....
I had a snowed-in-comfort-lunch~ Home made bread, beans, bacon and molasses! Lemon pie for dessert. Now then~~
Back under the blanket on the couch. Might as well enjoy the snow day!

Blizzard!

2009-12-04T12:28:00.004-07:00

Then world is out there somewhere but I'll be damned if I'm venturing out to find it!!
Show. Blowing snow. Zero visibility. Plummeting temperatures. Cancellations. Road closures. I called work this morning and the boss answered. "I've been expecting your call," he said. No surprise I was going to be a no-show.
I'm curled up on the couch, under my favourite blanket and two of my four cats. Yet my heart pulls because I caught a glimpse this morning of a stray kitty, out in the yard pilfering for something to eat under the bird feeder. I took some food out but she ran away. And tomorrow a killer cold is moving in. At least there are lots of old buildings around here she can shelter in and I'll continue to put snacks out for her. I can't see an animal be hungry.
Winter sucks. I want to get to work tomorrow but that's I call I can only make when tomorrow arrives. And if there's anyone reading this who is in a warm climate~ KEEP IT TO YOURSELF.

2009-11-30T07:32:00.002-07:00

DH is working flat out. According to our calculations~ and barring any disasters between now and Spring 2012~ we'll be moving home again.

I refuse to watch the movie "2012". Be just my luck to get all our debts paid off, get settled in Nova Scotia, and the world ends. Oh well. At least I'll be HOME!

2009-11-27T07:47:00.001-07:00

Do you recognize this??

If you do ~~ you're getting up there!!!

My brother knows! He's 6o today!!

Happy Birthday Big Brother!

2009-11-26T11:39:00.004-07:00

Retail at Christmas... if anyone has been behind a cash register they know how hellish the season can be....

I am losing my happy-go-lucky demeanour. BIG time. Only because we have people coming to the tills seemingly looking for a fight. And when I try to explain store policy they obviously hear something other than what I'm saying- like their own preconceived idea that they are the only people on the face of the earth.

I'm not going into detail but here's an example of the abuse I'm getting:

This woman wanted the CD she ordered within four days. Never mind most orders take up to two weeks. "I want it NOW!" she demanded and I wasn't quite sure how to do that seeing it was on a plane somewhere over Manitoba heading to Alberta from Ontario. Then the day it should have come in, it didn't so I ordered the CD for her again. Both orders came in the same day but one wasn't right. She told me she'd never order anything from us again (Yay!) and that the company and I could go to hell. Get this: The CD was stress relieving music... for her dog.

Orders are paid for when placed so when the customer picks it up we ask for photo ID. I explain this as I process the order. This man glared at me, said he didn't have to, and maybe I should show him photo ID. Why? Because I didn't know what I was talking about and maybe I should learn how to do my job. He smirked. As he turned to leave he sneered, "You're welcome." I called him an asshole, under my breath. When he does come in for his order I'll immediately call a manager because that ass-wipe I'm NOT dealing with.

Then I get a loop who says he doesn't have photo ID because he is "a child of the Earth not a slave to the country." The book he ordered was a dictionary of law terms. I suspect he has the system all figured out and people like me who work their butts off pay for it.

THEN, this little old lady comes up, waving her order receipt and the book she ordered in the other hand. "I didn't get a call my book was in and you have it on the shelf." Hers was a pre-order which, yes, takes a week to get to the store from the warehouse because it cannot be released until the date of publication. We have some ready to go to the shelves on that day but she figured because it was a pre-order she should have gotten it FIRST. She was spitting needles, refused to listen to my explanation, grabbed the receipt out of my hand and THREW the book at me. "You have a nice day," I yelled sarcastically as she stomped away. Miserable old bat.

I'm losing my sense of humour. If this is the warm up to the crazy people coming in next month then get the straight jacket now.

And the bottom line- THESE ARE ONLY BOOKS, OR CD'S, OR DVD'S!!!!! Or is it that some people are so miserable that they go into stores, ANY ONE WILL DO, to harass employees because they figure we can't fight back- we have to stand there and take the abuse?

Having said this- there are so many lovely, friendly, warm and generous people who DO come through the store. Yet these few Nasties cause headaches and distress- so much that it wipes out the joy a day at work can otherwise bring.

On this day....

2009-11-22T09:02:00.001-07:00

JFK was assassinated on Friday, 22 November 1963 at 12:30 pm CST in Dallas, Texas.

He was pronounced dead at 1:00 pm.

How different might the world be if he had lived?

AWWWWWWWWWW

2009-11-11T16:55:00.002-07:00

Isn't this adorable????

Not DH but it could be.

And my kittens are all grown up...

But, awwwwwwww... SO cute!!!

Notice anything?

2009-11-07T10:10:00.005-07:00

My nephew is living in the old farm house where I grew up, the one that is certainly haunted. He's been doing some renovations and sent me this picture of his latest project~ the dining room~ seen here. The living room is part of the older house.

Do you see anything unusual (against the blue curtain) or is it just me?

Click on the picture for an enlargement.

WINNERS

2009-11-05T09:24:00.001-07:00

Valerie from Germany won the two songs

Denyse won a prize package with a bookmark, buttons, and a cover flat.

Contact: stefstringfellow (at) gmail.com

Guest author Delilah K Stephans!

2009-11-01T07:26:00.002-07:00

Delilah : Hi everyone! I’m Delilah K. Stephans. I’m here with my buddy Antonia Tiranth, Jett Houston and Amara Carnesir. We’re hoping that you will join us as we celebrate the release of Jett and Amara’s book. I’m going to let Antonia say hi.

Antonia : Hey guys! I'm really excited about this release for a few reasons. First, its my third published work and that never gets dull. ^.^
Second, its the continuation of a tale that I am very much enjoying being the teller of.
And finally, because its the first published work from both Del and I. Its not the first thing we've written together by any means and Del has been with me the whole time with the Rikashi series, helping me when I'm stuck and editing among other things.
Okay, enough about me. I should introduce you to our stars, Jett and Amara!
Jett: Guess I’m up next. Well, Tir – that’s what Delilah calls Antonia – started chronicling the Rikashi stories. No one has quite figured out how she’s doing it, but that’s not the point. So when it came time for Black Velvet. I thought since those two were writing buddies that Del should get in on the fun…
Amara: Oh be honest, you just wanted to be difficult. And Antonia is too polite to type your foul mouth.
Jett: I am so paddling your ass when we get home Princess.
Amara: I might just enjoy it.
Delilah: Ok you two behave! Sheesh.
Jett: So, where was I? So, I wouldn’t talk to Tir. Drove her nuts!
Antonia : Nuts doesn't begin to cover it. More like hair pulling frustration.
Jett: Anyway, they go ways back writing and finished our story.
Amara: Wow! You didn’t cuss once, I’m impressed. I’m Amara. think Antonia was a little surprised when I ended up being in the middle of the third tale. I wasn't exactly very talkative in The Gathering ...I'll blame that one on Daddy...but I'm sure you'll find our story interesting. You'll learn more about the prophecy and some of the changes happening in our society. Things definitely heat up *looks at Jett* on several levels.
Antonia: You can say that again. So, I hope you guys take a look at Black Velvet. If you're new to the series, you should take a look at the first two. Now, what are we doing to celebrate? I'll let Del tell you about that.
Delilah: Ok so while we’re here we’ll be answering any and all questions. For one lucky commenter we have downloads of the two songs that fit the book – Tal Bachman’s “She’s so High” and Alannah Myles’ “Black Velvet”. For a few others we’ve got a stockpile of goodies we’ll be giving out – buttons, cover flats, bookmarks, and other goodies. So feel free to ask questions or just say hi!
Antonia : The songs will be provided via a gift download from iTunes (just figured out how to do that!) Del and I love hearing from readers and invite you to visit our websites, Delilah's and mine. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
And now for a look at the cover, Amara...stop drooling.

And the blurb : I scanned the tables and counter, my eyes settling on him. There he was. Dark cowboy hat, dark coat, dark hair, and too handsome for his own good. He was sitting in one of the back booths, blending with the shadows.
I walked to his table, seating myself across from him.
He looked over his menu at me and smirked.
“Just can’t stay away from me, can you, Princess?” The nickname made me bristle, but I took a deep breath. I had to keep my focus on the mission.
“So it seems.”
“Interesting,” he murmured, turning his eyes back to the menu, his face hidden beneath the brim of the hat. Now what? What exactly should I say to him?
“We need you,” I blurted. Might as well get right to the point, rather than beat around the bush. He laid the menu on the table. His dark eyes skimmed over my hair, my lips and down to my breasts, before returning to meet mine. My breath caught in my throat. There was such intensity in those eyes.
“We,” he echoed, then his voice dropped to a gravelly tone that made me want to squirm in my seat, “…or you?”
Now exactly what was that supposed to mean? I was one of the Aikanaro, if all of us needed him, didn’t that mean by extension each of us needed him?
“I need you to come --”
“Ladies first.” He tapped the brim of his hat with a finger and winked. I blinked at him, not understanding what he meant by that. Then slowly his meaning hit me and heat crept into my cheeks.
“That’s not what I meant,” I snapped. “If you would just let me finish.”

You can get your copy of the book from Lyrical Press, Inc.

2009-10-31T08:20:00.003-06:00

Dare to believe!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-30T11:14:00.000-06:00

Solitary Light

She had served her day, the old railway station. Steam and coal and countless voices- what stories she could tell- glory days of prosperity, fortunes made and lost! Decades had come and gone, and now she stood, empty, alone, with nothing but memories. The roof shadowed in early morning mist, windows boarded, graffiti soiling cracked walls. She was wrapped in a cloak of absolute stillness. Once the sun broke through the mist, once the birds began their songs, more men would venture near. But on this day she was to be demolished; her existence rubbed away. A new page in history was about to turn.

The Spirit of Recollection can be both cruel and loving. Why I sought the wooden bench in the darkness of that spring morning, I cannot explain. Except maybe to reminisce about those who had passed through my life, and be thankful for indelible impressions that remain with me still. Their voices inevitably fade, those who are gone- forgotten in the tumult of recent memories- but from time to time don’t we all long for those individual glory days, the ones that warm the heart when age presses tightly against the knowledge of mortality?

The railway station had run her course. Soon she would be remembered only in a photograph, glanced upon occasionally in a museum, fleeting seconds. I sighed to deepest melancholy, brimming over the edges of my heart. One day I too, will be nothing more than a dusty photograph. My voice will fade; the illumination in my eye will be gone. My only hope was that, in some small way, my impression has been made on another, if only for a short while. Perhaps that was why I was there on that cold spring morning, for some moments in time are too strong for words.

It was equally clear to me that I welcomed self pity. My fingers were cold, my clothes damp. Yet I remained. Frailty of emotion as well, needs a course to follow.

And then when my spirit sunk its lowest I saw him!

An apparition, for this I was certain. Stooped with age or fatigue, he progressed between the lines of the track, neither striding or strolling, but gliding, shape and form not bothered by restriction of gravity. The blackness he wore against the dim hue of morning was unrecognizable, his bowed features obscured by shadow. And regardless of the mantle he carried, in his hand was a lantern, a solitary light, guiding his soundless path along the railway tracks.

Poor soul! His oblivion did not dictate the passage of time. He did not understand his era was over, that the station was vacant, the tracks no longer in need of checking. Poor soul- his labour was unfinished. The beam preceded him as he floated past where I sat in stunned silence. Even if I was to call out, tell him there was no longer a need to toil as he did, I doubted he could hear. What was unfinished had taken its toll on him; eternity had become his prison.

Then he faded. All that was left was the light, mere moments, and then it too, was gone.

Long I sat on the wooden bench in front of the old railway station. The mist was clearing, the faint rush of human activity resonated through the warm spring air, and the birds began their morning songs. In each note I heard what was incomplete, unfinished and I remembered the solitary light.

Self pity no longer held me in its fray. Choices were within my power to make, not those of the past, but the future. The page had turned.

I would learn from what once was, and follow the radiance of every glorious new day.

2009-10-27T07:31:00.002-06:00

My Mom turns 89 today. My brother turns 60 next month.

This picture was taken a few years ago- the porch we had built on our mobile home in Nova Scotia- decorated with antiques.

I'll refrain from antique jokes when referring to these inhabitants...

On this date....

2009-10-26T12:10:00.003-06:00

The year: 1881.
The Place: Tombstone, Arizona
The OK Corral

The Wild West's most infamous shoot-out! And a place where, even in modern times, time stands still.

Always being fascinated with the paranormal this picture is more than a little interesting. A tourist dresses the part, stands in Boot Hill, and has his photo taken. But look carefully at the background....

http://www.clantongang.com/oldwest/ghost.htm

Travel back to the Wild West with the Lady Outlaws!!

2009-10-25T15:55:00.002-06:00

Recycle. Reuse. Yeah, yeah. I do my part. I collect cardboard, break down cereal boxes, sort newspapers, bag plastic, rinse out the tin cans and head off to the recycle depot. I have my own composter. I changed light bulbs to the energy efficient ones and I turn off lights when not in the room.

BUT THERE ARE A FEW THINGS I WILL NOT DO... Despite being lectured by demanding voices on television adds.

I will NOT turn off the shower while soaping up! Get the water the right temperature, get lathered and turn off the tap?? Who does THAT???? I mean REALLY?

I will NOT use toilet paper that has been made from recycled paper. Have you felt that stuff?? Pass me some sand paper instead and I'll remove a layer of skin from my tender bits. Sheesh. Same for Kleenex. 2 ply only, preferably with the lotion. I've had too many "oh yuck" moments with that horrid one ply brittle stuff.

I will NOT mop up a spilled drink from the floor and wring it back into a glass. Yes, you read that correctly. There's an add on TV for a miracle mop... they spill a glass of coke, mop it up and squeeze it into a glass. "In today's economy who can afford to waste?" I CAN! Especially if it means using a mop previously used to wipe up pet hair and baby vomit. Ewwwwwww.

There are limits to everything. I draw the line... with a permanent marker!

2009-10-16T09:57:00.000-06:00

1... My darling, my lover, my beautiful wife:Marrying you has screwed up my life.

2.. I see your face when I am dreaming.That's why I always wake up screaming.

3.. Kind, intelligent, loving and hot;This describes everything you are not.

4.. Love may be beautiful, love may be bliss,But I only slept with you 'cause I was pissed.

5.. I thought that I could love no other-- that is until I met your brother.

6.. Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you.But the roses are wilting, the violets are dead, the sugar bowl'sempty and so is your head.

7.. I want to feel your sweet embrace;But don't take that paper bag off your face.

8.. I love your smile, your face, and your eyesDamn, I'm good at telling lies!

9.. My love, you take my breath away.What have you stepped in to smell this way?

10. My feelings for you no words can tell,Except for maybe 'Go to hell.'

11. What inspired this amorous rhyme?Two parts vodka, one part lime.

WHO SAID POETRY IS BORING

2009-10-01T17:21:00.001-06:00

Authors like cats because they are such quiet, lovable, wise creatures, and cats like authors for the same reasons.

~ Robertson Davies

2009-09-19T10:58:00.001-06:00

Are you tired of those piss weak 'friendship' poems that always sound good, but ne ver actually come close to reality? Well, here are a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship. You will see no cute little smiley faces on this card . Just the stone cold truth of a great friendship.
1. When you are sad -- I will help you get pissed and plot revenge against the bastard who made you sad.

2. When you are blue -- I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.

3. When you smile -- I will know you are thinking of something that I would probably want to be involved in.

4. When you are scared -- I will take the piss out of you every chance I get until you're NOT.

5. When you are worried -- I will tell you stories about how much worse it could be until YOU STOP WHINING!

6. When you are confused -- I will try to use only little words.

7. When you are sick -- Stay the hell away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.

8. When you fall, I will laugh at you, you clumsy arse,
but I'll help you up.

9. This is my oath.... I pledge it to the end. 'Why?' you may ask;
Because you are my friend.

2009-09-15T16:36:00.001-06:00

Look who had a birthday today!

I had a mammogram.

No one can say I don't know how to celebrate!

Yee-haw!

2009-09-15T07:41:00.000-06:00

Okay. So romance is no longer a part of Absolute XPress. Why? In-house fighting between two men. Go figure.

But, unlike NCP, the editor has answered my concerns, and is willing to revert the rights to my books back to me if I so wish.
On the other hand, they might not be promoted on the Absolute website but they would continue to be sold as quoted: "Currently your books are available on amazon.com, All Romance eBooks and from My Bookstore And More."

Should I just leave as is? Might it better they be out there somewhere?
What do you think?

PISSED PISSED PISSED!

2009-09-14T10:59:00.003-06:00

NO MORE ROMANCE, apparently.

Sound like I'm upset?? Oh, you have no idea. I am so angry I can hardly think straight.
Which is why I shall limit this post until I find out a few more facts except for now... guess what?

Look:http://absolute-x-press.com/

Do you see any romance titles? NO

All romance titles were suddenly dropped. Some authors- although not all (one found out via facebook) got an email filled with one liners. New manager is... No longer accepting romance... New website.... Books available at Amazon.... But AXP isn't promoting our titles. They aren't even hosting our covers. Yet, we're all stuck with a THREE YEAR CONTRACT.

Sound familiar?

Quite honestly I've had enough of e-publishing. I'm sick and tired of all the BullShit.

2009-09-10T11:58:00.001-06:00

I'm easily confused at the best of times, but OMG!! This throws me off the deep end!!

Then, how should I get in??? Maybe the exit?

2009-09-09T11:41:00.000-06:00

Ah yes. The REAL world.....

Krazy Krafts

2009-09-08T16:30:00.002-06:00

These funny number people are actually fridge magnets but they can easily double as gift decor!

I made the big 5-0 for a friend's birthday gift.

Next month I'll be making a 6-0 to send to my brother!

2009-08-31T16:01:00.003-06:00

So... I bought underwear today. Now you might be thinking, "Ellen, TOO much information". Yet, I am doing my small part for the economy.

On CNN this morning I hear... "Good news for a bad economy- increasing sales reported for men's' underwear". Apparently, when the economy is bad men don't buy underwear. (I doubt they buy undies anyway- they have wives and mothers who do, but I digress) The economy is recovering, using this barometer however, because underwear is flying off the shelves. (I thought I might as well get more also!!!)

Don't know about you but I AM RELIEVED. I'm a bit concerned about the person/people who think up these ways of monitoring the economy but I am more concerned about those worn and tattered tighty whities.

2009-08-29T11:00:00.001-06:00

A Cowboy Titty Bar

This just struck me as funny!

Have a great weekend!

2009-08-25T10:42:00.001-06:00

Only great minds can read this This is weird, but interesting!

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can. i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!
Eonverye taht can raed this pelase rsaie yuor hnad.

Hurricane Bill hits Nova Scotia

2009-08-22T22:18:00.004-06:00

As I head off to bed tonight the outer edges of Hurricane Bill have touched Southern Nova Scotia. I am safe and snug, enjoying a star filled peaceful evening in Alberta. But the memories of Hurricane Juan a few short years ago make me concerned for my native Nova Scotia. Nothing I can do, except tune into the weather channel, as I will do as soon as I get up in the morning....

Christmas Country Crafts

2009-08-20T08:49:00.003-06:00

These are my best-sellers! Ivy coasters (felt backed) and hearts (double-sided) for the tree.

$1.50 each or 4 for $5.00 (plus postage)

My proceeds go to the SPCA.

Interested? Contact me for details ellenashe@hotmail.com

2009-08-19T18:09:00.001-06:00

I had to read this twice!!! Interesting warning!!

Lord of Pleasure! (sign me up!!)

2009-07-28T13:23:00.002-06:00

From August 4 until August 28, anyone who e-mails me at Delilah@DelilahMarvelle.com with the School's quote from Lesson 27, will be entered to win one of three $50 Visa Cards. Winners will be contacted via e-mail by September 10th.

Lord of Pleasure, August 2009
RT Reviewer's Choice Award Nominee,
N.O.R's Best Historical Romance of the Year
& Booksellers Best Award Double Finalist!

2009-07-20T17:52:00.002-06:00

"Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances." --Department of Social Services, Greenville, South Carolina

"If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their heart throughout the night. And the next morning, when they wake up dead, there'll be a record." --Mark S. Fowler, FCC Chairman

"We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people." -- Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instructor.

"We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?" --Lee Iacocca

"I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix." -- Dan Quayle

"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it." --Al Gore, Vice President

"Half this game is ninety percent mental." --Philadelphia Phillies manager, Danny Ozark

"I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body," --Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky basketball forward.

"Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life." -- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for federal anti-smoking campaign .

"Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country." --Mayor Marion Barry, Washington, DC .

(On September 17, 1994, Alabama's Heather Whitestone was selected as Miss America 1995.) Question: If you could live forever, would you, and why? Answer: "I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever," --Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest.

2009-07-20T13:08:00.002-06:00

How to satisy a woman....

Adore, appreciate, beguile, captivate, caress, charm, cherish, coax, commit to, compliment, console, delight, embrace, enchant, enthral, hug, humour, idolize, indulge, massage, nuzzle, pamper, phone, placate, promise, relish, respect, sacrifice for, savour, serenade, spoil, stroke, treasure, understand, venerate, worship

How to satisfy a man...Show up naked

2009-07-19T17:50:00.001-06:00

A GOOD WIFE'S GUIDE 1955

Prepare yourself for your husband's homecoming. Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. Retouch your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people

Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the right time.

Don't complain if he's late for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgement or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

A good wife knows her place.

2009-07-19T16:51:00.002-06:00

My blog winner is Connie Northrop! I wish I could send Jimmy to you but am sending a print copy of my novella, The Mountain Man instead!

Thanks for playing everyone and please drop by from time to time for future contests!

2009-07-14T09:06:00.001-06:00

http://www.romancenovelcovers.com/

http://www.jimmythomas.com/featured.html

Are they real?

2009-07-14T08:51:00.005-06:00

Yes! The models for those steamy Romance covers are indeed real and here's one who can't help capture your lust filled imagination! His name is Jimmy Thomas. Find out more about him here: http://www.jimmythomas.com/

2009-07-13T10:37:00.002-06:00

Mountain Man
Stella has run away from an abusive relationship- a few days to herself in the mountains before deciding how to begin a new life. After having a car accident she is rescued by a mysteriously seductive man who lives in the mountains as a hermit. She soon discovers why he is alone- his sinister history coincides with a macabre myth told for decades amongst the local people. Has she found the man of her dreams, or has the nightmare only just begun?

Absolute XPress

2009-07-09T10:22:00.001-06:00

No Pleasures Hidden ~ Buried memories rise when a house breathes.

No Ordinary Affair ~ A forbidden and ghostly lover from beyond.

The Seagrass Whore ~ Scandal and rumours that whisper through the decades.

Meet the men ~ raw, gritty, obsessive ~ as they reach through that fine laced curtain we call reality to claim the women they hunger after, to satisfy their every lust, and to hold close the warmth of a loving soul. And dare to believe their stories ~ those that can only be told when the embers burn low ~ when the night closes in. Dare to believe they exist, only when shadows stir…
Absolute XPress

July 8th

2009-07-08T07:18:00.003-06:00

Twenty years ago Stuart and I were married!

We can't celebrate today... he's working away at an oil well. But when he gets back!

I love him as much now as I did that day that seems so long ago!

2009-07-01T16:00:00.004-06:00

“I want to put my mouth on you.”

Odd, how they’d known each other for, what seemed, mere minutes. We’re virtually strangers. No, we’re not. No, they weren’t.

The conversation of the eyes had drowned out voices. Small talk. Insinuation. The eyes spoke of a chemical reaction. Need. Newness. But the lips pursed to words. “I want to taste you,” she sighed. Hours were not theirs to waste.

Both hearts tightened and expanded as she lightly touched his swollen groin. “Please,” she whispered, carefully tugging the zipper.

He watched, slightly nervous. A vein beneath the right eye twitched, the eye brightened, following the slow motion of her hand. “Are you wearing them?” I like white stockings. He had thrown the comment into conversation casually, early on.

She crossed her legs, sitting against him lazily, shoulder under his arm. “Yes. I would do anything to please you.” Time was of importance.

Where he looked was beyond her now. Within the turmoil of her passion she forgot what she wore, except that it added to his fantasy, and this, her newest intimacy, rehearsed inside the imagination, was now existent. Smokey sensuality, she had thought, and now that her mouth was filled with him, her senses declared that her imagination was, although vivid, not nearly as pleasant as the realness of it all.

And when he broke inside her mouth he clutched the laced edge of the stocking. Deep melancholy took his breath, twisting it into verbalized ecstasy. Or pain. Or both.

Intense sadness gripped him; le petit mort; extreme desire impassioned her; she swallowed. His tears were wistful; hers were of intolerable yearning.

“Will you want to see me again? Will you want more?”

“Yes.”

Ah, if white was so pure in simplicity, then what of the black?

http://www.ellenashe.net/

Kitty Face Sunglass Cases

2009-06-16T07:43:00.002-06:00

Hand made. See what else is available at my Country Store!

When Shadows Stir

2009-06-10T10:34:00.002-06:00

Paranormal EROTIC Romance
Warning: Explicit on many levels!

Welcome reader. Warm your hands beside my fire and take heart as I lead you through three stories of the paranormal~ of what illicit lusts can be discovered when you take the time to linger, with me, beyond the day’s dimming light.

No Pleasures Hidden ~ Buried memories rise when a house breathes.

No Ordinary Affair ~ A forbidden and ghostly lover from beyond.

The Seagrass Whore ~ Scandal and rumours that whisper through the decades.

Meet the men ~ raw, gritty, obsessive ~ as they reach through that fine laced curtain we call reality to claim the women they hunger after, to satisfy their every lust, and to hold close the warmth of a loving soul. And dare to believe their stories ~ those that can only be told when the embers burn low ~ when the night closes in. Dare to believe they exist, only when shadows stir…

Available June 15
In PRINT June 30

To add to the post below....

2009-06-08T14:24:00.001-06:00

For more laughs go here:

http://www.thatsnutz.com/truck-nuts-c-65.html

2009-06-07T18:58:00.002-06:00

I had to look twice. Driving through the city the other day... the half ton truck in front of me... a pair of bright blue testicles dangling off the back under the license plate.

No, I thought, I can't be seeing this. I squinted. Yep, sure enough: Bright blue over sized bull look alike balls. On a truck.

Freud had it all wrong. It's not women who have penis-envy. Not when men feel the need to exhibit overcompensating testicles on a truck...

I'm glad I don't feel the urge to put mammary glands on the front of my car.

Homesick for my old farmhouse!

2009-06-04T19:00:00.003-06:00

A new look for the old kitchen.

My nephew, Christopher, has been living in and care taking AND renovating the old farmhouse where I grew up.

I am so delighted to get this picture from him. I'll see it all for myself this August when I get home for a week.

He didn't mention whether or not the "old people" (Ghosts) have been rattling around but I suspect they haven't- remaining in the background- pleased the house has family living there. I know many a night I walk through the house in my dreams....

Covers!

2009-06-03T10:30:00.003-06:00

Please take a few minutes to drop by and vote for a cover. Hopefully you'll fancy one of mine!!

http://bookcoverlovers.blogspot.com/

Millvina Dean

2009-06-01T11:54:00.003-06:00

On June 19, 1998, I had the pleasure of meeting Millvina Dean at a Titanic Society Convention in Red Deer, Alberta. Our conversation was brief~ she asked me what I did~ and at that time I was teaching. "Ah, an old profession," she said. "But not THE oldest profession," I said. She laughed. "That's so true."

And that was it. I had met the last survivor from the famed Ship of Dreams. But it was a few seconds I will always hold dear to my heart.

She's gone now. An era ends. Yet the legacy of Titanic continues.

From the paper~

"LONDON - Millvina Dean, the last survivor of the sinking of the Titanic, has died, her friend Gunter Babler said Sunday. She was 97.
Babler said Dean's longtime companion, Bruno Nordmanis, called him in Switzerland to say Dean had died in her sleep at her nursing home in southern England.
He said staff members discovered her in her room Sunday morning. Babler said Dean was hospitalized with pneumonia last week but had recovered and returned to the nursing home.
A staff nurse at Woodlands Ridge Nursing Home in Southampton said no one could comment until administrators came on duty Monday morning.
Dean was just over two months old when the Titanic - billed as "practically unsinkable" by the publicity magazines of the period - hit an iceberg on the night of April 14, 1912. The ship sank in less than three hours.
Dean was one of 706 people - mostly women and children - who survived. Her father was among the 1,517 who died..."

My Country Store

2009-05-31T09:59:00.003-06:00

Check out my website for sale details!

Book covers!! Wow!

2009-05-29T10:18:00.003-06:00

http://bookcoverlovers.blogspot.com/2009/05/ellen-ashe.html

http://bookcoverlovers.blogspot.com/2009/05/ellen-ashe_496.html

http://bookcoverlovers.blogspot.com/2009/05/ellen-ashe_28.html

A worthy cause

2009-05-25T12:25:00.001-06:00

Hi, all you animal lovers!

This is pretty simple... Please tell your friends!

The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it daily so they can meet their quota of getting free food donated every day to abused and neglected animals. It takes less than a minute (about 15 seconds) to go to their site and click on the purple box 'fund food for animals for free'.

This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in exchange for advertising.Here's the web site! Please pass it along to people you know.

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

I am NOT politically correct

2009-05-23T13:37:00.003-06:00

If you watch the news you'll know what I'm referring to here~ and I can't help but wonder who out there might feel the same as I do?

Football player. Dog fighting. Animal abuse like no other. Now he wants to work with the SPCA and worm his way back into a football career. NO! Throw him into a deep hole with a half a dozen of those abused dogs. I know where my money would be placed.

Sunday School teacher. Child abuse. Rape. Murder. Are there cannibals left somewhere in the world? That's where she needs to be. Or drugged, striped naked, greased and throw over the prison wall.

Decorated police Sergent. Four wives. Two of them dead. He's in jail now but who might like to join me in hitting him square in his smug arrogant face (repeatedly) with a cast-iron frying pan?

Tot-Mom. Party girl. But oh! She was searching for her lost child while lap dancing with anything that had a pulse. All heart that one. She and her psycho family pushed out to sea on a leaky boat.

Army-Dad. Strangled children. Strangled wife. The old punishment of being "hung-drawn-and quartered" springs to mind.

Yeah, yeah. I know these cast of characters are "innocent until proven guilty". But really? And the most frightening part is that there doesn't seem to be an end to these horrible stories.

Sometimes I just have to turn off the news and mutter a prayer for the defenceless. In that prayer I ask that punishment will someday match the crime.

Time Slip Western

2009-05-16T07:53:00.002-06:00

A week at Dry Gulch, a Western pioneer reality resort, is a holiday of a lifetime for Brandi, and to add to the fun she and her friend Sara adopt outlaw personas. A violent lightning storm, however, hurtles them from twenty-first century play-acting into the brutal authenticity of life in 1880’s Texas. The girls inadvertently find themselves on the run with two ruggedly handsome gunslingers, and slowly they begin to realize the seriousness of their situation- lost in time with two wanted men- and facing a noose if caught by an infamous bounty hunter hot on the gang’s trail.

Despite their precarious circumstances the Lady Outlaws learn fate is curiously at play and that love can reach beyond the centuries. That is, until lightning threatens to strike again…

Absolute XPress

Now available in eBook. Print edition available soon.

In The Electric Mist

2009-05-14T11:59:00.002-06:00

"IN THE ELECTRIC MIST WITH CONFEDERATE DEAD
Hollywood has sent its emissaries to New Iberia Parish to film a Civil War epic in the steaming mists of the Louisiana bayou -- reawakening the ghosts of a past best left undisturbed. The restless specters wait in the shadows for cajun cop Dave Robicheaux -- as he hunts a serial butcher who is preying on the young."

James Lee Burke has captured my rapt attention. I am working my way through all his Dave Robicheaux mystery novels. This morning I watched the movie IN THE ELECTRIC MIST which stayed true to the novel. Tommy Lee Jones as Dave Robicheaux worked well for me!! All in all, a delightful combination!!

Book by its Cover?

2009-05-13T16:24:00.003-06:00

On my days off I enjoy loafing on the couch with my needlepoint while watching/listening to the news. And I am reminded over and over that we "can't tell a book by its cover".

I so enjoyed the clip from "Britain has Talent" The eye rolling skepticism over a middle-aged, not so glam woman who shuffles onto the stage to perform. And MAN! Did she belt it out! What a voice! So much for first impressions. No one saw that talent coming. Who knew? Certainly not by looking at her. Dull cover but what a thrilling story!!

On the flip side is Miss You-Know-Who who has a wardrobe malfunction which exposed her titties in a photo shoot, got published, lied about it, retained her crown... why? Her boss- a whole lotta money and a really bad hair doo- went on and on and on about her beauty, her loveliness, her intelligent answer at the pageant... WHAT? Did I miss something. Sorry, but the woman has fluff for brains. And she blatantly broke a contract. Interesting role model. Nice cover but not much on the pages.

Too much emphasis put on appearance? Nothing new there, huh? Just saying.

2009-05-06T09:01:00.001-06:00

Thigh High

She sat alone, perched on the edge of a sidewalk café chair, watching the frantic street pass by. Ice blue eyes darted through the mulling crowds, searching for the one who would comfort the loneliness that threatened to crease her delicate brow. Such sincere expectancy caught my attention and I found that I too, peered with her, except I had no way of knowing which face would eventually deliver us.

Her small breasts rose and fell; the melancholy of her search rippled over me like a small wave. She bowed her chin towards the empty coffee cup. And when she crossed her long slender legs, my eyes dropped to glimpse the black garter belt that winked from beneath her skirt. Her fingers swept over the stocking’s material, hiding again a secret: she waited for a lover, one that remained obstinately elusive.

If he did not come, I mused, lighting a cigarette to pass the time, then I would approach her table and offer condolence.

But from the bustle a figure gloriously arrived. She glowed to relief, her face illuminated with longing and as he sat down, taking her hand in his, I felt the hunger between them, a risen bountiful tide. The world outside the gaze linking these lovers was nonexistent; what they shared was a stolen gift, searched by many, found by few.

No word passed from their lips. They leaned together, mouths touching. She touched his cheek; he strummed her thigh, exploring the lace. One ring of betrothal dismissed, at least for the duration of illicit pleasures.

I smiled behind my cigarette as these two vanished into the surge of people, wicked phantoms, seeking the heart’s desire, and the body’s immoral rewards.
The tenderness was thigh high. In an ocean of obscurity, I wondered if the net was cast.

2009-05-02T07:36:00.001-06:00

My farmhouse kitchen!

The real cake!

2009-04-30T18:02:00.006-06:00

Chocolate, Cream & Cherries

Created and decorated by DH! He made my day an extra special one!!!

Milestone Birthday winner

2009-04-30T14:04:00.002-06:00

DEBBIE TSIKURIS!! Email me at: ellenashe@hotmail.com and I shall forward to you my ebook, The Mountain Man!!

My big day was great fun! Balloons, sparklers, candles that played "Happy Birthday to you", bottle(s) of wine, presents, BBQ, cake with cherries and cream (not quite like the one below-LOL) All-in-all a lovely time thanks to my DH and best friend!

So... now I'm 50. I just don't feel ANY different than I did the day before yesterday!!

Thanks again to my cyber friends who sent me greetings! *HUGS*

Send me CAKE!!

2009-04-28T08:59:00.004-06:00

Yes. April 29th I turn... *gasp*... 50.

Condolences and/or greetings are very welcome. Post it here or add a picture (group album) of an erotic cake you think I would like to wrap my lips around!!!!

Not much we can do about watching the years spin by.

But we can eat cake together....

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Minds_Eye_of_Dark_Fantasy/

As a thank you for dropping by either here or my group you'll be entered for a chance to win an e-copy of my latest release: The Mountain Man

2009-04-24T13:52:00.002-06:00

What is your pleasure?
Fun and Flirty?
Sexy and Spicy?
Rich and Romantic?

No matter what it is you are looking for Absolute Xpress has it. Stop by

http://www.absolute-x-press.com/ for a great read.
Erotic Romance
Paranormal Romance
Contemporary Romance
Historical Romance
Romantic Romance

Come by for a visit and see what great things Absolute XPress can offer you.

Because Everyone In Canada Lives In An Igloo.

2009-04-23T14:31:00.000-06:00

Because Everyone In Canada Lives In An Igloo.

Now that Vancouver has won the chance to host the 2010 Winter Olympics, these are some questions people from all over the world are asking.
Believe it or not these questions about Canada were posted on an International Tourism Website. Obviously the answers are a joke; but the questions were really asked!

Q: I have never seen it warm on Canadian TV, so how do the plants grow?(England)
A. We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around and watch them die..

Q: Will I be able to see Polar Bears in the street? (USA)
A: Depends on how much you've been drinking.

Q: I want to walk from Vancouver to Toronto - can I follow the Railroad tracks? ( Sweden )
A: Sure, it's only Four thousand miles, take lots of water.

Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in Canada ? (Sweden)
A: So it's true what they say about Swedes.

Q: Are there any ATM's (cash machines) in Canada ? Can you send me a list of them in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Halifax? (England)
A: What, did your last slave die?

Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Canada? (USA)
A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe...Ca- na-da is that big country to your North...oh forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Calgary. Come naked.

Q: Which direction is North in Canada? (USA)
A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions.

Q: Can I bring cutlery into Canada ?(England)
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.

Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? (USA)
A: Aus-t ri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is...oh forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Vancouver and in Calgary, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.

Q: Do you have perfume in Canada? (Germany)
A: No, WE don't stink.

Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth. Where can I sell it in Canada? (USA)
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.

Q: Can you tell me the regions in British Columbia where the female population is smaller than the male population? (Italy)
A: Yes, gay nightclubs ...

Q: Do you celebrate Thanksgiving in Canada? (USA)
A: Only at Thanksgiving.

Q: Are there supermarkets in Toronto and is milk available all year round?(Germany)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of Vegan hunter/gathers. Milk is illegal.

Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Canada, but I forget its name. It's a kind of big horse with horns. (USA)
A: It's called a Moose. They are tall and very violent, eating the brains of anyone walking close to them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.

Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? (USA)
A: Yes, but you will have to learn it first.

2009-04-23T12:05:00.000-06:00

The Mountain Man

2009-04-22T11:39:00.002-06:00

~Where Myth and Reality entwine~

Excerpt:

They said he stole another man’s wife. So great was his lust he traveled days, from the cabin where he lived a solitary life, high in the mountains, to the outskirts of the town, to wait until he caught a glimpse of her--a lovely young woman whose only mistake was to drift innocently away from the crowd in the market. They said that no one saw him take her, that her screams for help were never heard. Yet her shawl was found, near the spring where the cold clear water gushed from the mountain’s gut.

Enraged at the disappearance of his young wife--his most prized possession--the husband searched, following her trail they said, with unnatural awareness. It was suggested throughout the town, that the husband’s rage was so extensive that he sold his soul to the cloaked devil that waited by the gushing stream where the shawl was discovered, sold his soul so he could find the cabin, kill both the thief and an unfaithful wife. The husband, they said, was an unreasonable man, given to fits of lunacy and imagination, and convinced himself his wife was not stolen after all--that she ran off with this wild, untamed mountain man--because her desires were too insatiable for a common man to satisfy, and this husband was, more than anything else, a very common man.

The devil laughed, however, because even the common man possesses a soul. And to assist the infuriated husband’s quest, the devil presented him with a double-edged dagger, a weapon that would complement the growing rage, a weapon that would secure the violent demise of two more souls. Evil followed along behind, whispering directions into the husband’s ear, taunting him with the perverse acts his naked wife was relishing at the hands of another man, because with blind fury the cabin would fill with blood, and even the children in the town know that devils like to tap-dance on wooden floors soaked with blood.

In the clearing beside the lake was the cabin. They said the husband went on alone, leaving the devil behind in the edge of the wood, to watch a wicked plan proceed. Softly he tread, this tortured man, up to the open window where a woman’s sighs drifted out to touch his ear. He gripped the dagger as his wrath heightened--the voice belonged to his dear sweet wife--and proof of her infidelity was but a footstep away.

“Look inside!” croaked the devil’s call. “She is a whore and has made you a fool! A fool, do you hear? A wretched, pathetic fool!”

They said the husband could barely see what was inside, so thick were his tears. He blinked away humiliation and wrenched to the profound shock of horror instead. On the bed she sprawled--his dear sweet wife--her skirts lifted around her waist, her knitted white stockings rolled down to her knees, her back arched. Between her thighs he stood, this thief, thrusting himself inside her, his thumb stroking the black curly hairs of her mound. She sighed heavily, her delicate features contorted to the pain of endurance, for in his shattered mind the husband dared to believe this was nothing less than molestation and an honorable wife would not simply tolerate.

“Fool!” the devil’s voice scoffed. “She takes pleasure in him!” It was true. Her cheeks were flushed crimson and her lips pursed to a wicked smile of pleasure. And she gasped an immodest shriek when the thumb rubbed her so that her spine arched and her beautiful blue eyes dimmed. “Keep watching!” the voice taunted. “Now see what the whore will do!”

His heart had stopped as he watched her fold forward and grin to her lover, those lovely lips--the lips that promised a vow on her wedding day, the lips that consummated the vow on her wedding night--those same lips part to take the thief inside her mouth. Perverse, heathen act--how could he watch such unforgivable sin? How could he allow such crime to go unpunished? He staggered back from the open window, they said, and dropped the dagger onto the wooden platform that edged the cabin.

Those who retell the story are divided in belief over what happened next. Some say the devil, watching from the woods, grew impatient with the man’s foolhardy hesitation to murder, and in its own fit of rage leapt from the shadow and tore the husband’s throat open. Others say, no, the husband’s soul was already lost so murder wouldn’t much benefit the lurking evil. It would, they argued, benefit the mountain man to slit the rival’s throat from ear to ear. He had coveted a wife and was hell-bent on keeping her favors to satisfy his lusts. Lust, greed, covet, and murder--there was enough unrestrained sinning in that cabin to keep a legion of devils expectant for great reward. Either way, the husband bled--clutching a severed throat, sinking to his knees--to see the world and all its disappointments fade into the twilight of eternity. They say his last vision was that of his dear sweet wife, watching apathetically as his life drained away. Some said she actually tap-danced on the wooden deck soaked in her husband’s blood.

But no one knew for certain if any of this actually happened. There was no record of marriage that autumn of 1899 and no record of death, either, although this could simply mean that the evil that lurked here had clouded the minds of those who told and retold the story and dried out the inkwells before accurate records could be written.

The ruins of the cabin remain, however. They say if you are unfortunate enough to stumble upon the clearing beside the lake and spot the stone foundation, a black fear from being watched will close around your spine. They say you might even catch a woman’s gentle sighs or hear her steps dance on boards long since rotted into the earth. And if this happens, they say you should leave, quickly, and quietly, because even the village children know that devils like to tap-dance on wooden boards soaked with blood.

Available in ebook now. Print May 8th!

Missing a beloved pet

2009-04-18T18:23:00.002-06:00

Five years ago we lost our little Welsh cat to cancer.

Turpin (named after the Highwayman Dick Turpin~ after his op it didn't seem fair to call him "Dick") travelled with us on many an adventure. From Chepstow, Wales (1992) to York, England, to Nova Scotia(1997) and then to Red Deer, Alberta. Then we drove back to Nova Scotia the fall of 1999. Meow, meow, meow ALL the way across Canada.

On April 17, 2004 we discovered his weight loss was due to an inoperable tumour. Both Stuart and I wept. I held him close, stroking his velvet fur as we took him for his last car trip to the vet. Then I cradled his limp body in a blanket to home, where he was buried, April 19, under an apple tree.

Guest: Colleen Love!

2009-04-09T07:47:00.002-06:00

Thank you so very much for having me here today, Ellen! Very wonderful!

I just thought I would share my newest upcoming release with everyone. Eden at Twilight will be available on May 15th. After all of the hard work that has gone into it, I cannot believe it is finally almost here! If you like Urban Fantasy that has the feel of The Secret Garden meets Legend, then this may be your kind of story!

The white horse on the cover was fashioned after a friend of mine’s horse named Daycon. If any of you have ever been around an Arabian, I need not say more. But imagine one who is 31 years old and is the most loving, cantankerous old coot you’ve ever met! It’s no wonder I love him to death.

Thank you very much for visiting!
Colleen Love

Coming 5/15/09 from The Wild Rose Press
http://thewildrosepress.com/publisher/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1839&Itemid=106

Blurb:

EDEN AT TWILIGHT is the story of Lily, a woman who wants love, and Leaf, the man who risks it all to love her.

Lily Moore is an ordinary accountant who works long hard hours, leaving room for little else. After strange occurrences begin haunting her, she’s convinced by a motherly friend to take a vacation in Scotland . While there, she meets the man of her dreams, a handsome stranger with shifting hazel eyes.

Leaf falls for Lily the moment he sees her, love at first sight. Never has a woman taken his heart so quickly. When trouble stirs and threatens her, he stands by her side, traveling through time and dimension to reclaim her from a deadly Drow leader. Lily has no choice but to trust him and hope his strength will pull them through. But is his strength alone enough?

Excerpt:

Lily was glad when the plane ride was over. A feeling of awe surrounded her as the shuttle pulled into the drive of the cottage. It was as if she was entering into the picture on her post card. After paying the driver and stepping from the car, she stood looking around in an enthralled stupor. The scents, sounds, everything was just as her imagination had promised it would be. Shading her eyes against the late afternoon sunshine, she just couldn’t help standing motionless, looking at her dream come true. She finally moved to pick up her luggage without taking her eyes from the grand Cottage before her. It was as if she were afraid it would disappear before she could get inside, if she took her eyes from it. Reaching down, she fumbled for the handle of her suitcase, her fingers meeting the warmth of a large hand. Her attention suddenly snapped from the scenery unfolding before her and back to reality. A reality snagged straight from her dreams. Standing in front of her was a kilt-clad man waiting with her luggage in hand. Her eyes wandered upward and she unconsciously pressed her hand over her heart when her gaze locked into his sharp, hazel green eyes. Yellow flecks, hypnotically kept hers transfixed for a brief moment before she could tear them away. She blinked and her heart stood still, time seemed to have stopped.
“I’m Leaf,” he held out his free hand to her. “I’m the caretaker here at the Country Cottage.”
Lily took his hand in hers and felt it wrapped in calloused warmth, “I’m Lily,” she breathed. Unwarranted chills chased over her skin from his touch. The thick burr of a Scotsman lilted in his voice and a warm smile curled the edges of his lips, making deep dimples at the corners. A rough dark scrub of stubble blended into wild sand colored, wavy hair that stopped just past his shoulders. Releasing her hand, he turned to pick up her bags. The flex of muscle pulled his plain white tee shirt taut, and she felt her breath catch when his kilt rode up the back of thick, stout thighs and white socks peeked out from the tops of his tall work boots. He turned and waited for her with baggage in hand. Picking up her smaller bags, she followed quietly, praying he hadn’t noticed her ogling him as she blinked her eyes and physically tried to will her heart to slow.

Website: www.colleenlove.webs.com
Blog: www.colleenslovenotes.blogspot.com
Email: colleen.love@yahoo.com

2009-04-01T18:36:00.002-06:00

http://www.absolute-x-press.com/catalog/

Vincenzo. Oh yeah....

2009-03-23T09:30:00.006-06:00

http://amoresenzaconfini.blogspot.com/

He's Italian. He's hot. He's real. He's the cover model for Denyse Bridger's novel: Royal Consort

http://fantasy-pages.blogspot.com/

His name is Vincenzo! And he makes a damn fine Vampire!!

The stuff of dreams... trust me... after last night I know this to be true!

*sigh*

http://www.denysebridger.com/

REVIEW!

2009-03-23T08:43:00.002-06:00

Release Date:
01/02/09
Publisher:
Absolute XPress
Genre:
Paranormal Romance
Author Page:
Ellen Ashe
MR Reviewer:
Valkyrie's Lady

MR Review

Love Not Forgotten

by Ellen Ashe
Dougal MacTamhais finds Katrina MacDaniells sleeping by her berry basket. Unlike others, he does not ravish her but she ravishes his heart instead. The clans are enemies and when Dougal becomes clan chieftain a few years later, he marries within his septs, despite his feelings. Katrina waits and hopes and when the first wife dies in childbirth, they elope.

Katrina is pregnant when Dougal’s brother sends word he is wanted at the clan hall. She begs him not to leave her alone as she is close to birthing the child but he must go. Leaving her with his most trusted men, he leaves. Katrina’s brother tricked him and, when he rushes back to their home she has been taken by her brother, Bruce, who hates anyone but his own clan. They fight and Dougal is mortally wounded. He speaks his last words: “Death will no keep me from loving she, or she me,” Dougal rasped, aware his lungs were draining not only air, but blood. “May ye and yer kin ne’er find peace until my soul unites with hers.”

Kate Daniels is distraught. She has been deceived - again. She has been unceremoniously dumped - again. When will she learn? After nearly 30 years of life you’d think she would have figured it out by now. Then a letter: she and her sister have inherited part of a Scottish estate. The other part owner, a Mr. Alexander MacTavish wants to buy them out but the girls decide it’s time get out and see a bit of the world. Off they fly to Scotland to discover their inheritance and all the drama and history attached.

Discovering Kirkland Hall proves to be a little more than they had imagined. MacTavish is not there to meet them and, while trying to find an open door, Kate sees a magnificent horse with a heart-stopping man that fades into the mist. This turns to be Alexander MacTavish and he is not welcoming the girls to the castle, he wants it left alone. Follow along as Mally and Kate discover history isn’t as dead as it seems and Kate finds things she had been missing for a long time.

Love Not Forgotten was an excellent book! The characters were perfect for the time period in the beginning of the book and Alexander was wonderful in the current time. There was enough humor to lighten up the somber moods in the castle while keeping the historical points in the story accurate. Well done!