You know what we read today? Apparently people are throwing away their dyed Easter eggs. What the hell? Who are these crazy people? What is more fun than funky colored deviled eggs, potato salad, and egg salad sandwiches? Out here in the desert, it can be quite warm on Easter and we’ve always been a bit freaked out about leaving unrefrigerated eggs in the sun. The real crime, though, is the melted chocolate. Forget the eggs! Save the chocolate! Here are some amusing things that got us through the week.

1. Chocolate Stamps. Those brilliant and ingenius Belgins have issued De Belgische Chocolade or Le Chocolat belge. That is both Dutch and French for Belgian Chocolate. We know you come here for the sophistocated international flair. Anyway – it’s a chocolate stamp. When you lick it there is a chocolate flavor and apparently even a smell mixed in with the varnish. Like a scratch-and-sniff stamp. The US postal service is always complaining that they’re running out of money. This could solve everything. People will send snail mail again if they have the option of a chocolate stamp. Genius.

2. New Book Cover. Book 2 – Miss Goldsleigh’s Secret – has gone to the editor for the final round of edits and the book cover is done. It’s absolutely gorgeous. We’re also not going to show you yet. There’s going to be a big cover reveal next month. There will be a prize of some sort as soon as we figure it out. But we’ll give you some hints; it’s various shades of blue, there is a lady, and the secret is exposed on the cover. You’ll just have to stay tuned. Just know, it makes us squeal in excitement.

3. Check in the mail. When Amylynn got home last night there was a check from her agent in with a jury summons. The two have nothing to do with each other except that Amylynn was afraid that the letter from the court acted as some sort of portent or bad omen. She wasn’t expecting anything from her agent so she opened the evelope slowly. Inside the envelope was a check – her first royalty check! If you can’t read the amount, it’s $9.10. Isn’t that adorable. We deposited it via our iPhone so we could keep the paper check for posterity.  Ava here: WE did no such thing.  Amy deposited it because she is brilliant with technology.  I can’t even deposit a check at the bank without help. 

4. Suzy’s Hair Salon. We’ve been pretty slow at work. The last time this happened we did a zillion jigsaw puzzles. This time we’ve been experimenting with hair. Our receptionist is fab with hair. So far we’ve messed around with a spiral curling wand and some heated clam shell shaped clippy things. We’ve been known to braid for each other. Honest to Zeus. The landlord should just be happy we’re not doing coloring jobs in the kitchen. We found a stylist chair on Ebay for 108.00. You’ll have to call to make an appointment.

5. Stuff to read. Once upon a time, Amylynn used to do book reviews. She doesn’t have time for that anymore – although, now we’re seriously considering adding it back in. That’s cause we’re crazy. Why is this a favorite thing? Because we still get books in the mail from the publishers every day. There are bags and bags of books we’ve not been able to give away because we might be book hoarders. Maybe. We’re not committing to that diagnosis.

I sent Book 2, Miss Goldsleigh’s Secret, to my editor for the second round of edits today, and I find myself at odds with what to do with myself. It’s a weird feeling.

I have Book 3 about 1/3 of the way done. And there’s another story – a contemporary romance – my agent asked me to write that I’ve written about the same amount.

But I don’t really want to get into one of those projects because, just about the time I get sunk in, the editor will send the final round back on Miss Goldsleigh’s Secret and I’ll have to put it aside again.

So I decided I’m going to read for the next two weeks. I’ve been sorely lacking in my reading since January.

I have two bags of books I took to work for the girls to read and I haven’t read any of those. Just about every day when I get home, there is at least one new book sent from various publishers to read for reviews I never have time for anymore. I have a zillion ebooks in my iPad I haven’t gotten to either.

Tonight, I bought two books I’m been excited about reading – Cinder by Marissa Meyer and Secrets of a Runaway Bride by Valerie Bowman.

It’s going to be two weeks of gloriousness!

You know who’s fault it’s going to be if Ava and I get in trouble this week? My uncle, NewMexiKen. Knowing us as he does, why in God’s name would he send the following Tweet?

I went and read the story he linked to and learned that this is not unusual. Apparently, FedEx ships all kinds of animals Ava and I might be interested in – tigers, whales, penguins.

All this time, we thought we were going to have to get all the way to China to nab one, but it seems all we really need to figure out where they stop to refuel.

I honestly don’t see how this could go wrong.

I’ve been really busy lately getting manuscript number 2, Miss Goldsleigh’s Secret, ready for the second round of edits. I’m really excited about this book. Ava and I think it’s so much better than the first one.

So, while I was waiting around for Ava to finish reading the 1st round of edits so I could send it back to the editor, I started a Pinterest board for the story. You can check it out here.

This week has been exhausting. We had the corporate people in the office most of the week so we were sans cat. The weather was gorgeous so all we wanted to do was find a tree and watch the golfers. Well actually, watch would be a bit boring. We’d probably heckle the golfers. That sounds kinda fun, huh?

yeah…no.

Unless you’re the golfer. We can’t be held accountable when spring is in the air. These things amused us
this week.

1. Amylynn’s Podiatrist. Amylynn doesn’t think the whole thing is especially amusing. Ava thinks it’s a laugh riot and has spent a great deal of time researching the worlds ugliest orthopedic shoes. She’ll be in her office and all of a sudden a cackle will fill the air and Amylynn will hear, “Oh my god, you gotta come here!” only to find Ava damn near falling out of her chair over a pair of brown, velcro strapped clompers. Amylynn sees the doctor again on Monday to remove this hideous cast-like structure from her foot and will probably give very stern instructions Amylynn won’t

follow anyway.

2. Corporate. In case you needed more corporate speak, never fear. They were here in our office this week and Amylynn’s been keeping a dictionary of the bullshit that comes out of their mouths. Ready? How about “role migration” or “we’re changing the wheels on
the bus while it’s moving”. There’s always the times they make up words like “calendaring” or “sundowning” or “incentify”. Once they actually tried to throw some French in there with “part of your rigueur”. We’re 100% certain they have no idea what they’re talking about either.

3. Art thieves. The FBI announced they have finally solved one of the biggest art heists. The $500 million dollar thief went unsolved for 23 years. In 1990 two men managed to steal thirteen pieces of art from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston in under 82 minutes. The FBI won’t say who the thieves were or if they’re in jail already for other crimes, but they’re positive they’ve been identified. The kicker is they still don’t have the art back – and we’re talking big names – Rembrandt, Manet, Vermeer. So, if you happen to be at a yard sale and see a Manet for $3.00 you should pick that up.

4. White tigers. The Buenos Aires Zoo just debuted four of them – two boys and two girls. By our estimation that’s at least two too many. Their mother, Cleo, is doing fabulously but we bet she could use a nap. Do you hear a road trip brewing? It’s a mere 5,703.7 miles. We’re gonna load up on Red Vines and bottled water. We’ll be there in a week or so. If Brazil calls, you didn’t hear anything. Just tell them we’re in the bathroom and we’ll call ’em right back.

5. The 70’s Station. Amylynn brings in her XM radio to the office everyday as well as the cat, her laptop, several books and a hernia. The radio is awesome though because then we can listen to theme music all day. Lately we’ve been into the 70’s channel. It’s music that takes you right back to feathered hair and summers in your mother’s blue Dodge Matador. While you’re listening you simply can’t believe you can still remember all the words to all the songs. All of them – the Beegees, the Eagles, The Carpenters, Marvin Gaye . Even dreaded ABBA! Each song comes on and we squeal, “I LOVE this song.” And then we do the Hustle. Even the cat is amused.

My birthday is five months away. Everyone who knows me, knows that I’m getting geared up to start the announcements. I’m not shy about my birthday. I may not tell you exactly how old I am. I might lie, but I’ll still totally cop to the fact that it’s my birthday.

I’m also not shy in telling you that I’m going to expect a present. I thought it might be nice to start putting some ideas out there for you.

I haven’t had a pair of cowboy boots in forever, and I live in a cowboy town. It’s reprehensible. These are Quill Sisters colors – gorgeous. These need to be mine. I wear a size 7.

You can never, ever go wrong with a puppy. There is no size consideration – in fact, it’s the one time in your gift giving life where the bigger size is better. I adore this puppy.

If I could only ever go on one more vacation in my entire life, it would be Rome. Then, maybe if there’s a little more time, to Venice. Still, Rome would be my first choice.

I’ve also always wanted a car with gull-wing doors. In previous years I’ve asked for Lamborghinis and other craziness. This year I’m going with a simple Mercedes. The 2014 SLS AMG in silver would do me very nicely. Also, the puppy would match, don’t you think. And Silver would not clash with my blue boots.

There are a few ideas.

I’ll try and do you another solid by giving you some more hints in the months to come.

I have a really fun interview today over at The Dashing Duchesses. The post is really fun since, this time, the interviewer zeroed in on some unusual stuff.

Pop over and take a quick read.