Writing Musing….

As I have mentioned, other projects have delayed me in getting a new novel out, but there will be one in early summer, although very different from anything I have done before. I am also returning to Verde Key and Detective Bev Henderson for those who have missed her. The other day was a great example of how shifts in plots can occur. There are some tricky twists in this one – Shades of Deception by the way – and in trying to set up a particular plot point, I suddenly realized I could branch along a slightly different path and solve two problems. All my fans know I strive to keep my characters “in character” and not leave the reader thinking, “Why did that happen?” I was having difficulty in getting Bev from “Point A to Point B” in a logical fashion. Also, my antagonist – rather creepy I might add – was setting up not quite as I wanted. Now that I have both situations in hand, things are flowing more smoothly.

Most of the time I have all the major plot points laid out early in the process, but not always. Georgina’s Grief is a good example. I literally had to come up with an extra character, or two as it turned out, to kill off in order to make things work. They weren’t particularly likable though, which I did because their only function was to get killed anyway. I try not to do away with “nice” people, although it is sometimes necessary. In a few cases, I admit, I’ll be sitting at the computer weeping as I “do the deed”. Such is the life of both authors and characters. Shades of Deception should be out in the fall.

Oops on the Gap….

I managed to let a couple of extra days slip by without posting and could say I’m not sure how that happened except I do know. I’ve had overlapping deadlines and am juggling several other projects and let the calendar slip a bit. On the other hand, I certainly don’t get bored. I caught up with a friend by phone whom I hadn’t spoken with in a while and have been looking at different travel arrangements I need to make. No exotic locales this time – all family or business related. Our son, who as most of the regular followers know, is with the Bowen McCauley Dance Company in the DC area. (http://www.bmdc.org) We try to go up to see him perform at least once a year and there’s almost always a performance close to our granddaughter’s birthday. It’s a little later this year being in May about six weeks after, but that’s close enough. The performance is ordinarily at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater, but that’s being renovated. The Lansburgh Theater is in a different location which means managing new logistics. It’s supposed to be a nice venue and is where the Shakespeare Company often plays. It’s very much “in the District” not too far from the Capitol and the National Mall. Although we spent a fair amount of time in the area, we almost always took the Metro in. I don’t recall us being near that theater, but if we take the flight I think we will, there will be adequate time to scout things out.

The trip I’ll be taking to Wisconsin the following month is to present at a quilting guild and then go to see my friend whom I called the other day. I wasn’t sure if everything would come together and as she said, she didn’t want to get her hopes up. It looks as if it will all “sync” nicely and I am looking forward to it.

De-cluttering…..

I know people (okay, mostly women) who are immaculate housekeepers and I certainly was raised doing chores that included dusting and vacuuming almost every day. We also didn’t live in a huge house and with five people, it did get rather messy just with everyday life. I look around now at the clutter I’ve allowed to accumulate and am torn between trying to set aside time to deal with it and the idea of, “When does clutter become comfortable?” Now, as I have posted previously, Hubby and I have very different definitions of clutter and we’re going with mine. Part of the issue in and around my study is I have to keep a certain number of books on hand for ready inventory. And since I have published quite a few over the years, that inventory begins to add up from a space perspective. The other thing is we still have quite a few cold weather clothes. Once upon a time when we thought we would be leaving South Florida, it made sense to keep them. After we made the decision not to relocate, we could easily give away two-thirds of them and still have an adequate wardrobe for visiting cold places. The problem here of course is no one in the area needs clothes this warm. Each year I consider driving up to see the kids so we can haul a bunch of stuff north, but it is a long, long drive and it always seems easier to fly.

Anyway, the point is I seem to be dwelling on the idea more which probably means I should do something about it. Or, who knows, perhaps the old theme of, “Spring Cleaning”, is simply resurfacing from the days of my youth.

Another Piece Added to the Culinary Landscape……

The Capri Restaurant in Florida City/Homestead is approaching their 59th anniversary. It is the longest serving family-owned restaurant in the area and for many years was the primary restaurant with a full bar, special event capability, etc. Third and fourth generations still gather and swap stories of their first meal at Capri.

The restaurant has been remodeled a few times and this week’s unveiling of Pub 935 brings another new “Foodie” experience. It’s a completely different menu and look, and is in the “King Richard” Room – that’s the room to the far left as you are facing Capri. Small plates, “farm-to-table”, craft beers and small batch bourbons are featured. The menu is limited, but of the four dishes we have now tried – they are all excellent. The Cajun-spiced pork rinds they bring to nibble on are delicious if that’s something you like.

The shrimp and grits is a big hit, although again, it does have spice to it. The short ribs with polenta were terrific. The fried green tomatoes had a wonderful crunch and the crab bites are fried. We haven’t made it to the sliders menu yet and Hubby definitely plans to try the “From the Garden” selection of mushrooms, caramelized onions, and manchego. Unlike so many places, the portions are such that you are not likely to have leftovers. Sampling multiple dishes is what we enjoy though.

The ambience is terrific with rustic reds, beams, the original terrazzo floor brought back and more. “Sandy”, originally from Tuscany, joined Jimmy Accursio at Capri several months ago and she’s been on a roll ever since. Pub 935 will not suit everyone’s taste, but for those who have longed for a “gastro-pub”, your wait is over.

Taxing Time….

Sigh, it is that time of year again and as always, I’ll try to steer clear of politics. This post is more about process and how we’ve come to where we have with the whole business. I don’t think it’s political to say we have an atrocious tax system since both parties have managed to complicate it to an absurd degree. We’ve needed actual, logical tax reform for about the past forty years, but when it becomes as byzantine as our system is, there are no easy solutions.

So, okay, we gave up on doing our own taxes – even with the good tax software that is on the market – a number of years ago. When you own rental property it can really add to the chance of making an error and the actual situation that pushed us toward a professional isn’t important. The folks we use are not a nationally recognized name, and we have no idea how they do what they do, but they are worth what we pay. When we get the final packet which is thicker than some of my manuscripts, it reminds us of why we turned it over to them. The way we divide the workload is, I gather all the documentation, organize it, and pass it to Hubby. He takes that and fills out the forms our tax folks use to do their part. Last year wasn’t bad – I think they only had a few follow-up questions. We are extremely conservative with what we declare and that’s okay. People who take pleasure in seeking out the most obscure deductions are welcome to it.

The goal is to try and have everything shipped off by Feb 27th, but we rarely manage to meet that. Maybe this year – we’ll see.

Lazy Lobster in Key Largo….

We’ve never made it down to Lazy Days restaurant, although a number of people have recommended it. The owners have now also opened Lazy Lobster in Key Largo, Bay side. (MM 102, 102770 Overseas Hwy, 305-451-0565; http://lazylobsterinthekeys.com)

A couple of weeks ago I needed to make a run to Key Largo and asked a dear friend if she had half a day open and we’d go down for errands and lunch. Since she didn’t have a particular favorite place in mind she wanted to go to, I suggested we give Lazy Lobster a try. As most people here know, there are lots of restaurants in Key Largo and it’s one of the toughest businesses to be in. It’s not really a surprise they opened in a previous restaurant that wasn’t able to sustain. Another absolute in Key Largo (well, throughout the Keys), is there is only so much waterfront. If you’re not on the water, you really have to focus on food and Lazy Lobster does so. The decor is pleasant, there are some tables on the front porch (okay, you overlook the highway), and more outdoor seating is on the patio.

The food is fresh, well-prepared, a nice variety, and the staff is friendly. Prices are in line with places like the Fish House. If you’re in the mood for raw bar fare you won’t be disappointed and if you have a non-seafood person along, he or she will have plenty of choice as well.

 

Valentine Day Musings…..

Valentine’s Day used to be important to me for reasons that I’m not going to go into. I enjoyed the whole of it even when I didn’t have a “Valentine” to celebrate with. I find that has changed now. I don’t mean I’m anti-Valentine, merely that it doesn’t carry a great deal of significance. Several years ago, we stopped going out because quite frankly, it tends to be the same kind of semi-chaos as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Since we both enjoy cooking, Valentine’s Day is another time we do a special meal at home. (The exception obviously is when we travel.)

We’re at the stage where we buy fewer and fewer gifts and with trying to watch my carbs, a box of lovely candy isn’t really a treat. (Well, okay, a few will do). Flowers are nice, although I’ve never particularly cared for roses because they simply tend to wilt too quickly. I think as much as anything though, with us having been married for more than 28 years, it isn’t that we’ve lost romance. It’s actually the opposite. Our romance is a daily thing, a thing of comfort, of a togetherness that doesn’t need a special day to acknowledge it. After all, when you’re married, there is the anniversary and often the anniversary of when you met. (Which was ironically Feb 13th, the day before Valentine’s Day and then I didn’t see him for a while because he left on a business trip).

I know it can be a difficult day for some people – those who aren’t in a relationship and would like to be or those who recently lost someone they love.

Whatever category you fit into, I hope you enjoy or make it through the day. And if it isn’t an easy day, be gentle with yourself as you reflect.

Coffee Time…..

I didn’t really start drinking coffee until I was in the Army. I always liked the aroma, but didn’t care for the taste. In fact, I’ve posted before about as much as I now love coffee, I still don’t care for coffee-flavored things and do not hand me an iced coffee. In general, I drink three to four mugs in the morning and then might have “social coffee” later in the day as part of a meeting. Coffee after dinner if we’re out is also the norm. With that said, this has turned out to be far busier week for both of us than anticipated. The detailed ins and outs of that aren’t important. A few days ago though the coffee maker starting having problems. Either the pump that sends the water through the basket with the grounds isn’t working or the internal line isn’t clear. In the time the entire pot would usually be made, I barely had one mug’s worth as the machine was gurgling as if all was fine. This, by the way, isn’t something you want to face without the benefit of having had that first mug.

At any rate, after determining the heating element seemed just fine, the obvious solution was the old fashioned method of heating water in the kettle and manually (slowly) pouring the water through the basket. As an aside, as much as we enjoy a French Press, we don’t have one because it is so much easier to hit the button on the coffeemaker and walk away until the coffee is ready. However, this was a semi-emergency. (We do have some packets of instant coffee for all-else fails situations). The solution worked quite well, but neither of us have had time to go and buy a new coffeemaker. If nothing changes, that will be a high priority “to-do” for tomorrow.

Why, “It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over” Is A Phrase…..

The phrase is credited to baseball great Yogi Berra, and anyone watching the Super Bowl last Sunday couldn’t help but think it. With my New Orleans Saints having another poor season, I was glad to see the underdog Falcons, (Hubby’s home team) overcome odds and make it to the Super Bowl. Everyone who watched knows the outcome, but if someone didn’t – it was a double-stunner. The Falcons surged and had a blow-out going. The idea they could keep the New England Patriots scoreless until deep in the third quarter was definitely not expected. And then it happened. It’s called a momentum shift among other things and now the stunning part was all to the Patriots as they roared back and won. If you were not emotionally invested in the game, it was amazing.

There are other phrases, too – like, “You have to play all four quarters” or “Never Give Up”. Now, in all fairness to most of we mortals, the Patriots were favored to win and have a powerhouse team that comes with a multi-million dollar price tag. Their players are some of the highest performing in the sport. For those of us who may be facing obstacles, our resources are likely to be far more limited. On the other hand, there are also times when what we need is encouragement to see our ability and recognize that getting behind doesn’t mean something is hopeless. We can all lose sight occasionally of a goal and absolutely encounter set-backs that cause to want to give up. That doesn’t mean the game is over though. Here’s to anyone who may be going through a bit of a slump.

Women in Agriculture…..

I attend different community events and today was one of those annual gatherings you don’t find in every part of the country. Well, actually, you might these days. As I have mentioned before, the modern history of deep South Florida only dates to the late 1800s due to a lack of roads and the difficult environment of thick foliage, heat, humidity, bugs, and snakes. Once Henry Flagler extended his railroad, getting goods to markets was improved and big packing houses were commonly seen close to the tracks. The large agricultural area here is still “hidden” from many people in Miami who don’t realize the sheer number of acres being grown. And the face of agriculture has changed over the decades. Small family farms have never been easy to keep going and there are new challenges for multiple reasons.

With that said, twelve years ago the Dade County Farm Bureau Women in Agriculture Committee looked closely at the statistics of agriculture in our region and realized numbers backed up something they already knew – women were a significant force in local agriculture. They had the first annual luncheon to publicly acknowledge a woman who made special contributions for that year. These are women who farm along side husbands/parents or in some cases, start their own business. They participate in programs like Ag in the Classroom, helping plant gardens at schools, are advocates for agricultural issues and much more. I didn’t know until today that more than 36% of our farms are owned by women. Today’s honorees were in fact a mother and daughter representing the 3rd and 4th generation of a family who came south in 1917 to plant their first local fields. Although the mother did marry into the farming family, the daughter started with chores and responsibilities at an early age and plans to continue with the family tradition. Right at 100 people were present today at Schnebly’s Winerary and Brewery which is the perfect setting for such an event. It was a delight to be surrounded by these strong women, and yes, there were men there as well.