Anytime Darlin

Just released, Julia Barrett's Anytime Darlin. This must be an excellent read. It's also featured on Ms. Amarinda Jone's blog. Why don't you pick up a copy and find out.

Anytime Darlin' By Julia Barrett
Jake McKenna is one of the first responders when a young runaway is found unconscious. She's desperately ill and has been beaten and sexually assaulted. Jake saves her life and is determined to protect her from the man who is equally determined to destroy her. Ultimately Jake realizes he must allow her to make her own decisions about her future, though it breaks his heart.

Devlin Barre survived the destruction of everything she held dear then learns she has been given into the care of the very person who stole her life. Her risky escape nearly kills her. One man brings her back, Jake. She loves him, but he has his own path to travel. Devlin refuses to become a burden. Brokenhearted, she leaves to rebuild her life.

Years later Jake and Devlin meet again. Has their connection survived? What of the monster who attempted to destroy Devlin? He's still waiting for the opportunity to finish what he started.

Jake applied the electrodes to her chest and flipped on the portable EKG machine. After a quick glance at her heart rhythm, he began a systematic head-to-toe assessment as Kyle radioed each finding back to the ER. Jake felt sick as he stripped her and ran his hand over every single bruise and abrasion, checking for broken bones and possible internal injuries, anything they might make worse by moving her carelessly. The girl had been badly beaten. Her back was scraped raw and there were thick purple wheals around both wrists. Her left side was swollen and covered with bruises. From the feel of things, Jake suspected at least a couple of broken ribs. He didn’t find needle marks—her arms and legs were clean. This wasn’t likely to be a drug overdose. Leanne and Lou got the IV started and Jake sighed with relief as fluids began flowing. The EKG showed a normal sinus rhythm but she was tachycardic and the woman was right, she was hot. Her axillary temp was one oh three point four. Her lungs sounded congested. Probably pneumonia. Jake suspected she’d been outdoors for several days and she’d probably been guarding her respirations because of the rib pain, which meant she was a sitting duck for pneumonia.

Mike cleared his throat. “He was wearing waffle-stompers,” he said, “look at the marks on her thigh.”

They stared in silence.

Then Jake broke it. “Let’s move it people.”

Kyle and Lou wheeled in the gurney and the four of them lifted the girl gently. As they laid her down, her eyes flew open. Jake was by her head, looking right at her. He started. Her eyes were unexpected, aquamarine with flecks of gold, wide and slightly almond-shaped and when she slowly lowered her lids, her long lashes cast faint shadows on her pale cheeks. Suddenly her eyes opened again and sought his. Jake was surprised by the intensity in her gaze. He saw confusion mingled with pain and a flat-out panic, the kind of panic one would find in a cornered animal.

Jake felt a hand wrap around his as he pushed the gurney.

“It’s okay, darlin,” he whispered soothingly, “it’s okay. We’ll take care of you. We‘re taking you to the hospital.”

He thought her panic increased for a moment but then she nodded, almost imperceptibly and he could tell she understood him.

“You got a name, sweetheart?”

She closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. “No.”

“C’mon, everybody’s got a name,” he coaxed, “it’s all right, you can tell me, sweetheart, nobody’s going to hurt you.”

“Dev,” she said after a moment, so softly beneath the mask that he almost missed it. “Devlin.” Her eyes closed.

“Devlin,” Jake repeated, “I‘m Jake and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Suddenly the hand in his went rigid and the rapid respirations turned to gasps.

“Heart rate increasing!” called Leanne. “One sixty a minute!”

“Lou,” Jake spoke with deliberate calm, “give me an ET tube now and get the ambu-bag.”

Jake and Lou worked fast and had the girl intubated before Kyle could even put the vehicle in gear. Mike slammed the ambulance doors shut.

“I’m right behind you,” he called.

Sincere condolences to Ms. Helen. I hope each day is a better one for you.

Veteran's Day

I know I've shown this picture before but its one of my all time favorites.

Whether this is true or not it seems appropriate for Veteran's day.

Sack Lunches



I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my
assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a
good book to read.
Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.
Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and
filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start
a conversation. 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated
nearest to me.
' Great Lakes Air Base. We'll be there for two weeks for special
training, and then we're being
deployed to Iraq

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that
Sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours
before we reached Chicago, and I quickly decided a lunch would help
pass the time.

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard soldier ask his buddy if
He planned to buy lunch.
'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably
wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to Chicago .

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I
walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty
dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed
my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me.
'My son was a soldier in
Iraq; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the
Soldiers were seated. She stopped
at my seat and asked, 'Which d o you like best - beef or chicken?'
'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked.
She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later
with a dinner plate from first class.
'This is your thanks.'

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane,
heading for the rest room.
A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here,
Take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming
Down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he
was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers
only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped,
smiled, held out his hand, and said,
'I want to shake your hand.'
Quickly unfastening my seat belt I stood and took the Captain's
hand; With a booming voice he said,
'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me
A lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed
when applause was heard from all of the passengers.
Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my
legs.
A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his
hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in
my palm.
When we landed in Chicago I gathered my belongings and started
to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped
me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without
saying a
word.
Another twenty-five dollars!
Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for
their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them
seventy-five
dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be
about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.'
Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of
Their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a
prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for
our country. I could only give them
A couple of meals. It seemed so little...

You may have already seen this one. Its been around a time or two:

I took my dad to the mall the other day to buy some new shoes (he is
92). We decided to grab a bite at the food court. I noticed he was
watching a teenager sitting next to him. The teenager had spiked hair in

all different colors: green, red, orange, and blue. My dad kept staring

at him.

When the teenager had had enough, he sarcastically asked, 'What's the
matter old man, never done anything wild in your life?'

My dad replied, 'Got drunk once, and had sex with a
peacock. I was just wondering if you were my son.’

President-Elect Obama

What a great election. Barack is so often compared to Jack Kennedy, but he reminds me of a more sophisticated, smoother Andy Jackson. A man of the people. No matter the ethnicity, the education level, the financial background, people are rallying around him. Even other countries. Is that not awesome?

He is not going to have an easy time of it. The problems we have are gargantuan: war and a crumbling economy. One would be bad enough but both are going to be extremely challenging. Its not going to be a quick fix, but I trust America has taken a small step toward recovery with its choice of President.

Now if President-elect Obama and the fam will choose a shelter or rescue dog instead of going to a breeder, I'll be happy:)

***

I would rather have one rose and a kind word

from a friend while I'm here

than a whole truck load when I'm gone.

Walking

Snoozin'

I know y'all are way to young and fit to appreciate these.....

The Importance of Walking

Walking can add minutes to your life.
This enables you at 85 years old
to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing
home at $7,000 per month.

My grandpa started walking
five miles a day when he was 60.
Now he's 97 years old...
and we don't know where he is.

I like long walks,
especially when they are taken
by people who annoy me.

The only reason I would take up walking
is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.

I have to walk early in the morning,
before my brain figures out what I'm doing..

I joined a health club last year,
spent about 400 bucks.
Haven't lost a pound.
Apparently you have to go there.

Every time I hear the dirt y word 'exercise',
I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

I do have flabby thighs,
but fortunately my stomach covers them.

The advantage of exercising every day
is so when you die, they'll say,
"Well, she looks good doesn't she."

If you are going to try cross-country skiing,
start with a small country.

I know I got a lot of exercise the last few years...,
just getting over the hill.

We all get heavier as we get older,
because there's a lot more information in our heads.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

* * * *

Gas: $2.19

Voting Brunettes

Well tonight's the night. Our future will be decided. I'm sure you all went to the polls. I didn't get my 'I voted' sticker. No free coffee. No free donuts. No free ice cream. No free sandwiches. sigh.

Okay, even though I'm a graying brunette, I'm going to post this one. Thanks, Leslee:)

The Blonde's Revenge

WHAT'S BLACK AND BLUE AND BROWN AND LAYING IN A DITCH?
A brunette who's told too many blonde jokes.

WHAT DO YOU CALL GOING ON A BLIND DATE WITH A BRUNETTE?
Brown-bagging it.

WHAT'S THE REAL REASON A BRUNETTE KEEPS HER FIGURE?
No one else wants it.

WHY ARE SO MANY BLONDE JOKES ONE-LINERS?
So brunettes can remember them.

WHAT DO YOU CALL A BRUNETTE IN A ROOM FULL OF BLONDES?
Invisible.

WHAT'S A BRUNETTE'S MATING CALL?
"Has that blonde left the party yet?"


WHY IS BRUNETTE CONSIDERED AN EVIL COLOR?
When was the last time you saw a blonde witch?

WHAT DO BRUNETTES MISS MOST ABOUT A GREAT PARTY?
The invitation.

WHAT DO YOU CALL A GOOD-LOOKING MAN WITH A BRUNETTE?
A hostage.

Bob Hope, Work In Progress

Woo Hoo! Just finished my Work In Progress.
I'll have to remember to ask this BEFORE Halloween next year, but....
I'm looking for scary atmospheric descriptions to shake up my muse. She sometimes gets stuck in certain grooves and forgets to look for different ways to express herself:) A little hint, we're talking vampires here. Ex: The hair on the back of her neck rose when she saw the shadowy figure.
Do you have any you'd care to share?

Also if you read a man described as beautiful with no knowledge of his character, just a brief glimpse of him, would you think in terms of a heterosexual male or a gay male?

My aren't I just full of questions today. You are kind enough to come by for some light reading and I put you to work:) Thanks in advance to anyone who responds.

* * *

Remember Bob Hope? I truly think he was the funniest comedian of his time or any other. Someone sent me some Hope-isms. Hope (grin) you enjoy.

On turning 70: ‘You still chase women but only down hill.’

On turning 80: ‘That’s the time of your life when even your birthday suit needs pressing.’

On turning 90: ‘You know you’re getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.’

On turning 100: ‘I don’t feel old. In fact I don’t feel anything till noon and then its time for my nap.’

On Giving up His Career Boxing: ‘I ruined my hands in the ring…The referee kept stepping on them.’

On Never Winning an Oscar: ‘Welcome to the Academy Awards or, as it’s called at my home, Passover.’

On Golf: ‘Golf is my profession. Show business is just to pay the green fees.’

On Presidents: ‘I have performed for twelve presidents but entertained only six.’

On Why He Chose Show Biz for A Career: “When I was born the doctor said to my mother, ‘Congratulations you have an eight pound ham.’”

On Receiving the Congressional Gold Medal: “I feel very humble but I think I have the strength of character to fight it.”

On his Early Poverty: ‘Four of us slept in the one bed. When it got cold, Mother threw on another brother.’

On His Six Brothers: ‘That’s how I learned to dance. Waiting for the bathroom.’

On His Early Failures: ‘I would not have had anything to eat if it wasn’t for the stuff the audience threw at me.’

On Going to Heaven: ‘I’ve done benefits for all religions. I’d hate to blow the hereafter on a technicality.’