Humor in Life -- Whitewater Rafting, Dogs and Recliner Chairs...oh my!

For today's author spotlight, you'll find it below this post. I didn't want to skip out on my new goal for sharing some lighthearted stories to brighten your day. Last year at this time, I was posting weekly updates on the countdown to my wedding. Now that the craziness and hectic planning period is passed, you get the privilege of a glimpse into REAL life with me.

So, fasten your seatbelts. It's sure to be a bumpy ride!

Last week, I again spent time at Kim Woodhouse's home. Our typical "lunch" turned into an all-day affair, but the highlight by far, was watching Kim struggle with her recliner chair in the living room. She swears the thing's possessed and has it in for her. After seeing her try to get out of the thing, I'm inclined to believe her.

Quite easily, she kicks back and extends the footrest to relax and work on emails and other things on her laptop. But before long, it's time to move on to something else. So, she scoots forward and attempts to kick the footrest back in place, which will set the recliner upright again and allow her to stand.

Unfortunately, that's not to be for Kim. As I'm sure you've noticed, life tends to be a bit more complicated for her, and this recliner apparently knows it! It's not going to miss a chance to have its share of the pie, so it makes the footrest nigh onto impossible to go back in place. You can imagine the view at seeing someone sitting down and trying to kick a footrest back so that it clicks. If she tries to straddle the piece and get up, the chair reclines again and throws her back against the cushions, trapping her in its menacing clutches.

Finally, spent and exhausted from her own attempts, she frantically calls to her daughter, Kayla, to come and rescue her poor mother from the grasp of the evil recliner. Sweet Kayla comes, with a smile on her face and waits for Kim to lift her legs high in the air. Again, quite a comical sight. Kayla proceeds to plop onto the floor in front of the chair, brace herself and place her feet against the footrest. With a solid shove, the footrest clicks into place and Kim is free!

Thanks, Kayla!

And that's not all. If you've managed to catch your breath or scrunch your cheeks back into place after laughing at the above image, here's another one for you.

This past weekend, my husband and our puppy, Roxie, went down to my husband's parents' place for Easter. Once leaving the overcast and snowy Colorado Springs, the blue skies appeared and it turned out to be a beautiful day. So, we decided to drive a little further and snap some pictures of the snow-capped Sangre de Cristo mountains in the Wetmoor Valley. Along the way, we opened the windows in the back seat for Roxie so she could get a good whiff of the smells and fresh air down that way.

Well, we also recently learned that she's a Border Collie/Black Lab mix. As such, she has an instinctive "herding" nature in her that comes out full force when she's on a walk or in the car. It's commonplace to see a dog with its head out the window of a moving car. But, I don't know if you've often had the occasion to witness a dog's head whipping from the front to the back of the open window as a car passes going the opposite way. It's almost as if the wind catches hold of her head and decides to carry her head with it.

But, it's actually Roxie wanted to "herd" the cars that are getting past her. She doesn't want to let a single one of them get away, so she tries her hardest to get them back in place. It's a good thing we only allow enough room for her head. Otherwise, she'd no doubt be out that window in a flash. Viewing this from the front seat is quite the amusement, I assure you.

The final part of our drive had my husband listing off all the things he wants me to do this summer. Camping, fishing, hiking, and lots of outdoor things. All of that sounds good to me. But there is one thing that I'm not sure I can manage.

Whitewater Rafting!

Yes, that's right. My husband wants me to get into a large cylindrical rubber tube with paddles/oars on the side and foot braces along the bottom, then shove off from solid land into the menacing waters of the Arkansas River. Now, back East this wouldn't be much of an issue, as the rivers are mostly wide and somewhat lazy...at least where I've canoed and tubed. But, out here? They're narrow and fast! Those two combinations just don't sound all that appealing to me.

Picture it with me. This open-topped and open-sided tube is bouncing and rushing along the choppy waters and glancing off of rocks in the riverbed, all the while being piloted by the rest of the passengers (me included!) with commands from the raft leader to paddle a certain way when we encounter a rock or particularly fast-moving rapids.

I can see it now. I'm sitting, feet firmly hooked under the braces to keep my bottom glued to the seat, oar in hand and witnessing the oncoming crash of water that's about to swallow us whole! Then, I hear the shout of the raft leader to paddle more to the left, then to the right, then backpaddle to slow us down. I wish he'd make up his mind! All the while, I'm frantically attempting to keep my feet secure and my bottom glued, because at any moment, I'm going to go projectile into the raging waters, pulled beneath the torrent and left behind by the rest of the raft members.

And so ends the tale of that poor gal who just couldn't keep her seat....

Umm...yeah. I don't think so!

Anita Renfroe, Colorado Snow & Roxie

Yes, I know, I haven't been here to post an update in the past few weeks. Last week, my husband and I had just listed over 400 books on Amazon for sale, and we were floored by how popular the sale has been. We've already sold over 100 books and shipped them on their way. Looks like Christmas is a great time to sell books. Many folks are getting great gifts for their friends and loved ones.

If you want to see the list, click on the link at the top of the page where it says, "Books for Sale" and follow the instructions in that post.

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Now, for what else has been happening here the past few weeks, life has been hectic and has kept both my husband and me hopping. Everyone talks about how the holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Year's is among the busiest of the year, but I usually manage to avoid the frantic levels that most people are forced to endure.

Not this year. Sure, we've had our down time and we've been able to rest from the go-go-go pace, but it's been crazy.

It all started with driving down in a snowstorm (well snow in the air but not much accumulation on the ground) to the in-laws' for Thanksgiving the night before the big day. After a last-minute request from my s-i-l, we also picked up our niece and nephew AND transported our dog, Roxie, in our Pathfinder. That was quite an adventurous trip. Imagine a 5-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy, a rambunctious 6-month-old puppy all in the back seat as we're driving through what looks like Star Wars in space with our headlights illuminating the dark roads...and you've got a recipe for fun and laughter.

Thanksgiving Pictures

Then, we arrive around 7pm to a houseful of family only to have our puppy race around the house and leave little "presents" in two places. Guess she got a little confused about which holiday this was. :) Thankfully, no real mess and easily cleaned. Phew!

The evening was spent relaxing and catching up, and most of us retired around 10pm. Stuart and I awoke early to take out Roxie but returned and stayed in bed a little while longer until the rest of the household decided to rise. And that's when the activity picked up its pace. Everyone seemed to have a task and we all worked together to bring the Thanksgiving meal to the table. Around 2pm, we were ready. Twelve of us gathered, shared laughter and fun and good food, and even teased Stu's sister about her sweet-potato mold in the bundt pan. That was probably the most memorable part.

Of course, for me, it was the first Thanksgiving I'd spent away from my family in all 31 years. Having a new family helped dispel my missing them a bit, but it was definitely a different experience. I know Christmas will feel the same, but at least I'll get a phone call again on the day to talk to everyone back East.

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Next comes my time at a Girls Night Out event with Anita Renfroe. If you have never heard her or seen her live, you should make it a point to do so. She is hilarious and will have you in stitches, laughing so hard, your cheeks and your belly will hurt from the exercise they get. Just imagine how many calories you'll burn as a result. :)

I spent the evening with fellow writer friends from ACFW, drove up to Parker, CO and met them for dinner, then drove to the church. We had fantastic seats, and although I didn't participate in the 50 vendors for shopping, I did take some pictures during the performance and relished the chocolate and strawberry ice cream cake pieces they served us afterward.

Anita Renfroe Pictures

I won't spoil the details for anyone who hasn't seen her, but you can find her online, on YouTube and in your local Christian bookstore on DVD and CD. If you're looking for a great Christmas gift for a woman you know, this would be it!

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After that, the next 2 weeks flew by with places to go, things to do, people to see. We filled it with attending a performance of The Nutcracker (first time I'd ever seen the ballet, although I've grown up listening to the music), a Christmas Madrigal party at Glen Eyrie (a local castle built by the founder of Colorado Springs for his wife), events at church and with our home group and other activities keeping our calendar full for the first 2 weeks after Thanksgiving.

Glen Eyrie Madrigal Dinner

This past weekend, though, we had our 2nd big snowstorm of the season. This one had many folks staying home as we accumulated 5-11 inches across the town, depending upon where you lived. Ice and sleet made driving risky, and the temperatures finally got down to winter-like numbers. The white powder dusted everything, and the bare tree branches were covered in ice and snow. It created a pristine winter landscape straight out of a painting.

Colorado Springs' 2nd Snow

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Finally, we have lots more of our puppy, Roxie. She's growing every day it seems and has passed the 40-lb. mark. She's only 6 months old! Good thing we'll be getting a house next year, or she'd outgrow our condo real quick!

Roxie pix -- more and more!

That's all for this week. Come back Wednesday for another author spotlight and next week, I'll be sharing some great news about my first book releasing in February.

Until then...