Friday I-Wish-I-Were-There (Mt Ruapehu, NZ)

Welcome to my Friday I-Wish-I-Were-There Blog.

Lucky husband and teenage son are headed off for a snowboarding weekend at one of New Zealand’s North Island mountains, Mt Ruapehu, on the Central Plateau, so this afternoon I’m tagging along vicariously…

Highlights:
Gorgeous mountains. Mt Ruapehu is the biggest, but its sister mountains, Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe are equally impressive. Mt Ngauruhoe was as a stand in for Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings movie.

Snow. Love the snow! So pretty. Not so keen on it when it’s shoved down my back.

Skiing/Snowboarding. Like watching other people do it, but I have no desire to repeat my one klutzy experience at skiing seventeen years ago. My bones are a lot more fragile now and I no longer have to impress my then boyfriend, now husband, with my athletic prowess…

Waiouru. One of New Zealand’s little army towns, with a very cool army museum. Not to mention the opportunity to see some hot military men cruising past…

End of season solitude. My favorite experience at Mt Ruapehu’s Whakapapa ski-field was in 2008 on the last day of the ski season. We pretty much had the whole toboggan run to ourselves (great fun) and because there was hardly anyone else around we were allowed to park our 5th wheel trailer in the top parking lot over night – usually a big no-no. It was incredible sitting in our fold out chairs, drinking really good coffee and having a million dollar view of the sun setting on the mountain.

There’s something about mountains, don’t you think?  I love ‘em!

Tracey.

Boys and Their Toys...

In one week my husband became the proud owner of two new toys—a 2003 Buell Firebolt 1000cc motorbike, and a 1974 Sunbeam Rapier Fastback. The bike was all his idea and he’s been doing his best to convince me of what a bargain it is, how it’s a great investment, and how hot he’ll look in black leather. Okay, I’ll give him the last one. Then there’s the car.


He spotted the classified for it on Trade Me (New Zealand’s version of eBay) while we were on our disastrous pick up run to collect the bike. This particular Sunbeam Rapier is the same car he sold twenty years ago, and he has regretted this decision for a long time. Apparently it’s a guy thing to hold onto a car—or in some bloke’s cases, many cars—until they disintegrate to a pile of rusty metal. So dear husband can’t blame me for selling it way back then in the 90’s, since I’d yet to come into the picture, but he can now thank me (or as he tells everyone, ‘blame my wife’) for telling him while he was going all gooey over it and panicking trying to get the sellers phone number, “Just hit the ‘Buy Now’ button for Pete’s sake.” After taking a brief looking at his new purchase, I was heard to quietly mutter a line of dialogue from ‘The Lion King’s’ Timon: “Talk about your fixer-upper.”

At least hubby now has some projects to keep him out of my hair. And I have a really good excuse to buy a lot more books. After all, if I calculate the cost of one bike, one car, and all the extra $$ it’ll take so that they’re play-worthy… Well. That’s a lot of books. I’m just saying… 


Tracey


What I’m reading this week: “Serendipity” by Carly Phillips.


What I’m watching this week: Amazing Grace. An incredible story of how one man changed the slave trade in England.


This week’s favorite quote: “She told me to buy it.” – This from my dear husband who never listens to me at any other time...


Hot guy of the week: Charles Kelly from Lady Antebellum. Oh yeah. He can ‘Own the Night’ with me any night of the week…

Friday I-Wish-I-Were-There (Sydney, Australia)

Welcome to my Friday I-Wish-I-Were-There Blog.

Today I’m going to Sydney, Australia—a vibrant and exciting city with some world famous landmarks. My husband surprised me with a weekend getaway for our 16th Wedding Anniversary.

Highlights:
Hop on Hop off double decker bus tour. We saw most of the main sights of Sydney (after we’d finally managed to get on the correct bus!) including the Opera House, Sydney Harbour and the Harbour bridge. The weather was atrocious (hence the ‘Oompa-Loompa’ rain ponchos) but we had fun.

The Opera House. This is a stunning peace of architecture and it was fascinating being able to walk around the grounds and see it close up.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge. If the weather had’ve been nicer you would’ve found me being adventurous and climbing to the top of the span…maybe. Another icon to see close up that was cool to tick off my bucket list.

The Shows. We got tickets to see the musical ‘Fame’. It was an amazing show and I loved every second of it. Of course we had to get up and boogie with the rest of the audience once the theme song was played at the end!

Shopping. From Paddy’s market to Pitt Street mall, there’s something for everyone. Walked halfway around Sydney trying to find a certain type of ‘in’ stationary (Smiggle) for my daughter, only to find there was an outlet about a 2 minute walk from our hotel room…

Next time we visit this bustling and colourful city, I’m hoping we see a little more sunshine!

Tracey

A Fascination with Fairy Tales

Last night I watched one of my favorite movies, ‘Ever After’, starring Drew Barrymore. It started me thinking about why some of the movies I love the most, and enjoying watching over and over, are based on some of my childhood favorites—fairy tales. Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel, were stories I read constantly. I’d daydream about the handsome prince, and before I moved onto chapter books (and sometimes even afterwards), I’d sigh over the gorgeous color illustrations of the character’s gowns.


But it was the heart of the story, I think, that kept me returning for more. The fight of the ordinary girl, the underdog, who captured the heart of the prince. Of course she was beautiful, but somehow she was more. She was different and she was special, and the prince couldn’t help but instantly fall in love. Not much like the reality of dating, and dealing with the stream of Mr. Wrongs. And this is where the modern take on the old fairy tales hooks me.

In ‘Enchanted’, Patrick Dempsey’s character, the cynical Robert, has to explain to the dreamy Giselle about the practicalities of ‘dating’. The movie shows us how the two fall in love – nothing instantaneous here, in fact Robert thinks Giselle is nuts to begin with. There is no perfect fairytale world for Giselle in New York city – and the twist on the helpful little forest creatures is a hoot!

In ‘Ever After’ Danielle is a girl ahead of her time, she knows her mind and has the guts to scold the Prince of France—not to mention a lethal aim with apples. And yet she wonders how the gulf between them can ever be breached—“A bird may love a fish, signore, but where will they live?” Of course there is a happy ending where the Prince declares his love: I kneel before you not as a prince, but as a man in love... But I would feel like a king if you, Danielle De Barbarac, would be my wife.” Awww. Swoon.

“Tangled” has another heroine who is both sympathetic, innocent and strong at the same time. Flynn Rider, the roguish, endearing hero, is the underdog who ends up winning the heart of the princess. There is witty banter, slapstick humor and let’s not forget Flynn’s ‘smolder’. Flynn had to suffer a few hard knocks before he discovered true love in this movie.

Wishing you your very own ‘Happy Ever After’!

Tracey

What I’m reading this week: “Lip Service” by Susan Mallery. With a hot but injured SEAL and a feisty red-haired heroine, is it any wonder this book starts off with a bang! (And in more ways than one).


What I’m watching this week: Ever After. 


This week’s favorite quote: “When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than any talent for abstract, positive thinking.” ― Albert Einstein


Hot guy of the week: “Come here, baby. I’ll tell you a bedtime story…”

Friday I-Wish-I-Were-There (Whistle Stop Cafe, Georgia)

Welcome to my Friday I-Wish-I-Were-There Blog.

Today I’m taking a slow, easy ride down into the Deep South to Juliette, Gerogia, the filming location of one of my favourite movies (and favourite books), “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café.”

Highlights:

Being Starstruck. If you’ve seen the movie then you’ll know what I mean when I say it is a special moment to pull up outside the Whistle Stop café. It looks almost exactly the way I remember it from the big screen. We arrived there late on a Saturday afternoon, so unfortunately most of the little shops lining the main street of Juliette were closed.

Bear. I have no idea if that is his real name, but Bear, who worked at one of the ancient antique come souvenir shop was a real character and I enjoyed my brief conversation with him.

Atmosphere. There certainly is one when you have a meal inside the café. We loved the funky jars used as glasses for the kid’s sodas. And it was nice to just kick back and relax with our meal – and the fact that the café only had one other table of customers.

Fried Green Tomatoes. Yeah, I know it’s a cliché, but c’mon, you can’t eat at the Whistle Stop without trying a plateful! And they were yummy!

The accents. Oh I love the Southern accent – thank goodness the lovely waitress was female and not a sexy Southerner with tight jeans and a ‘good ol’ boy’ smile, or I might’ve melted to a puddle at his feet.

The BBQ pit. Had to see it. Had to buy the t-shirt: “The secret’s in the sauce…” Just had to.

The Porch. A rocking chair, a warm Southern evening with the sound of a train in the distance. Bliss.

All I can say is: I wanna go back for another helping of Fried Green Tomatoes!

Tracey

Shopping blues & Eye Candy

Can't believe it's Wednesday again already!
Today I’m still stuck smack-bang in the middle of the July school holidays and I’ve been conned into spending the day shopping with my eleven year old—why conned I hear you ask? The only shopping I actually enjoy involves buying books, and as much as my daughter loves those, that is not what you do on a girl’s day out shopping. Evidently. So, instead of a blog I’m going to be lazy and shop online for some eye candy. You’ll note all the eye candy has a watery theme—I think that’s because my latest work-in-progress is set on an island.
I hope you'll like…
Tracey

What I’m reading this week: Celebrity in Death – J.D Robb. Eve and Roarke rock my world, and I never tire of slipping into theirs.
What I’m watching this week: Bones. David Boreanaz. Yum. Enough said. 
This week’s favorite quote: To read or not to read, that is a silly question. – Harlequin.com
Hot guy of the week: Apologies to the model, I don’t know his name. But this stunning guy is the inspiration for my current hero, Ryan ‘West’ Westlake. Is it any wonder I struggle to get any writing done while staring at him?

Friday I-Wish-I-Were-There (Washington D.C)

Welcome to my Friday I-Wish-I-Were-There Blog.

Since it was Independence Day earlier in the week, today I’m going to visit Washington D.C, a fascinating, beautiful, and memorable city. 

Highlights:
Walking the Mall. Lush green grass and some of America’s most famous monuments. Eye-popping stuff.

Air and Space Museum. A bloke’s paradise. Thought they (husband and son) were never going to want to leave. The Museum of American History had a small display there which my daughter and I enjoyed – seeing Abraham Lincoln’s hat, Kermit the frog, George Washington's sword & uniform, and R2D2 & 3PO (from Star Wars).

The White House. Only seen from the outside, and the cops with guns across the road made me a *little* nervous.

Squirrels. I admit it. I had more fun making weird clucky noises at this squirrel (who probably thought I was a very large nut) than posing for a photo by the White House.

Washington Monument. Well worth the trip to the very top as the views were spectacular. Also cool – the Park Ranger letting my daughter press the lift button and making everyone applaud for her! Plus you’ve gotta take the mandatory ‘propping-up-the-monument’ photo, no matter how dorky you look doing it.

Lincoln Memorial. Crowded with tourists, but it is a beautiful place. What our family found was if you wandered around to the back of the memorial it was actually quite peaceful sitting on the huge marble steps.

The Reflecting Pool. Although it was green and covered in Canadian goose poop, it was still neat seeing it for real. All I needed to hear instead of the murmur of tourists to make my little fantasy complete was someone yelling “Forrest! Forrest!”

Vietnam Memorial Wall. How could you walk past this and not have your heart broken for all the lives lost? It certainly made me cry.

Next time we’re in Washington D.C, we’re going to check out more of this fabulous city – hopefully without two tired kids in tow!

Tracey

Real Life Heroes

Today I’ve been thinking about heroes, real heroes. Not just the ones with muscles and a come-to-bed-baby smile, and not my own country’s definition of a hero, some bloke who happens to be quite good at tossing a rugby ball around. But the everyday men and women who put their lives on the line to help, save or rescue those who can’t help, save or rescue themselves. I’m thinking soldiers, medical professionals, fire-fighters, search and rescue, police, the guy down the road who’ll step between a mugger and his victim without a second thought of his own safety – and even the guy who does have second thoughts about his safety and yet steps into the situation anyway. These, and many more that I haven’t listed, are the real heroes.

After watching a TV episode of ‘I shouldn’t be alive’ a few weeks ago, I discovered a new set of heroes—the USAF Pararescuemen. Of course my friend Julieann Thomas http://www.julieannthomas.com who writes Military Romance knew who they were. Julieann directed me to Catherine Mann who has written three books in a series on these amazing guys (you bet they’re on my to-be-read pile). For those of you who are as yet unfamiliar with this branch of the military, these are the guys who parachute out of planes and rescue other members of the military—and civilians too when required (Help, help, I need saving! *waves madly*)—hence their name Para-rescue-men. Their motto (and this is what hooked me, BTW) is, ‘So that others may live’. How can you not admire men with this kind of courage and willingness to sacrifice to save the lives of strangers?

Maybe one day a Pararescueman will sweep one of my gutsy heroines off her feet.

Tracey

What I’m reading this week: Ain’t She Sweet – Susan Elizabeth Phillips. One of the best contemporary single title romances I’ve read this year – if you can get past the heroine’s name being Sugar Beth, you’re good to go. Seriously though, this is a GREAT read.

What I’m watching this week: War Horse. Horses, soldiers, friendship, courage. *sniff sniff* Saying nothing more – go and rent it.

This week’s favorite quote: A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. Christopher Reeve

Hot guy of the week: Hot guys this week – the USAF Pararescuemen!