Can YOU Figure Out How Mason Did This Magic Disappearing Knife Trick? HE WON’T TELL US!
It's driving us NUTS!!!…
From The Home Office
“HOLD ON TO SOMETHING AND DO *NOT* LET GO!” Funnel Cloud Brings Sudden Mayhem and We FREAKED OUT! (includes video)
And, then we heard a really, really weird sound. It sounded like an electrocution buzz...like from old cartoons. I can't really describe it any other way. A very loud BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!! Brian yelled, "WHAT IS THAT?!" I knew what it was. I screamed back, "THE TORNADO!!!"…
CRAZY Wind and the Shower Tilt-a-Whirl – WHOO HOO!!
A sloshing toilet under your butt can only mean one thing!…
Look What Max Made on His Second Day of (Welding) School! Awe!!
Last fall, Max signed up for welding school at the local tech college. He was adamant about not having any student loans and, over the past two years, he saved enough money for...…
Hilarious Zoom Family “Meeting” and Our Biggest Month EVER!
Last week, we all Zoomed with Grampa for his birthday and that was very special for him, and for us. It was kinda funny! Our daughter's screen was too dark. Richard's webcam wasn't working so he was a black box. Our son Frank was holding his dog and, somehow...…
SERIOUSLY? 25 MORE LBS. OF DOUGH?! When Online Merchants Screw Up…
They promptly refunded my money for the egg white powder, AND then sent me an email saying they were reshipping my ENTIRE - egg white powder, 25 lbs of flour....and dough and filling for 96 cheese danish - 25 lbs!!! I started freaking out....…
Questionable Quarantine Haircuts by Mommy
They didn't seem to mind the occasional nick and drops of blood from those pesky earlobes that always seemed to get in the way. I really had NO idea what I was doing but, hey, it was free...…
Mason is Competing for Master Onboard Baker! Plus, How to Make Emergency Rations TASTE BETTER.
Tonight, we're having emergency rations mixed with fresh food. That means...…
How to Drive Your Adult Kids NUTS! Hee hee hee…
I admit I was feeling a little bit evil on the day that I....…
Homemade BREAD!!! Can you smell it from there???
All's quiet here on the dock. We're all hunkered down and safe and comfy...well, except for two of the three air conditioners on the blink. The problem will be remedied tomorrow. Keep reading to see how we're spending our quarantine time. :)…
How I Accidentally Ordered 96 Cheese Danish…
The problem is, I could NOT seem to get back to the cart to buy my flour. I finally figured out that I had to add another item to my cart in order to click on the cart. So, I....…
I Want to Poke Out My Eardrums with a SCREWDRIVER!!
We are hunkered down in the boat with all the ports and hatches closed, the loud ACs running, and a huge fan on, and we are wearing the ear protection that we usually wear at the gun range. And, guess what? YOU CAN STILL HEAR IT!!!…
Mason is Sick! Is It Coronavirus…or the Flu???
That changed around 3:00 in the afternoon. His temp quickly spiked to 101.2...…
Why Being a Freelance Writer (or Author) is the PERFECT Job During a Pandemic
I expect to receive a few snickers about me being an alarmist but, in my opinion,…
Mason and I Were Cast in ANOTHER Musical – and we didn’t even have to audition!
She said they really want Mason and he won't even need to come to rehearsals (because he already has rehearsals for Annie scheduled on those days). She said I could work with him at home because he'll be the first one killed off. You should have seen Mason's face when I said that! …
Nope. NO Way. NOT Gonna Do It and They CAN’T MAKE ME!
She turned to me, put her hand on my arm, smiled, and said, "Well, actually, yes. We're going to need..."…
The Walmart Receipt Nazi Stopped Me, and Found a Suspicious Item!
She twisted up her face, and said, "This item was not paid for." Great. Now I was being accused of stealing something I did NOT, in front of other shoppers!!!…
Our Son, Frank, Got His White Coat!
Coming soon: Free fillings, root canals, and happy gas for us! Whoop!!!…
Maternal Guilt and Mason’s New Off-Off-Off-Broadway Roles!
To be completely honest with all of you, I've never been keen on parents who get their kids into show business. Could the money be great for his future? Sure. But, shouldn't kids be allowed to be kids? To have a "normal" childhood? …
How to Know if Your Kid will Be an Entrepreneur!
Does your child have some or all of these 9 entrepreneurial characteristics? …
When People Become Emotionally Attached to Their Vehicle…and Their Books
I took all three of them to their very first days of Kindergarten in that car! Our daughter got car sick for the first time in that vehicle (I didn't tell the woman that part). And, at age 28, she still gets queasy when she sits in a back seat. Our son spilled chocolate milk on the floor in the back that I swear stank for two years (I left that part out during the sale, too)...…
Did YOU receive an ebook reading device for Christmas? Neither did most other people!
And, the Winter 24-Hour Short Story Contest is ONLY 8 DAYS AWAY!…
JAIL MAIL! JAIL MAIL!! If You’re a Convicted Sex Offender or Murderer, Do NOT Ask Me to Publish Your Book!
Several times each year, I receive what we call "jail mail." The envelopes are pretty easy to spot...…
Brian Shares Another Cheesy Holiday Sing-a-long! Come Sing and Laugh With Us to the Tune of Jingle Bell Rock!
Bet you guys and gals didn't know that WritersWeekly has amazingly talented songwriters in-house, didja? Ha ha ha... Introducing "Life on a Dock" (Sing to the tune of Jingle Bell Rock)! You do NOT want to miss this one!!!…
Local Restaurant Poisons Actors an Hour Before Their Final Performance
About an hour after lunch, one of our lead actors was puking. The play had just begun and there were no understudies. He had several scenes, including a solo and a fast and challenging dance number...…
The Fire Department Comes for a Surprise Visit!
Last night was our final dress rehearsal. They put the smoke machines in the entryway and that's when it happened... BEEP! BEEP!! BEEP!!!…
Crowds, Cops, and a Family Holiday Squabble!
Police were there and one woman was shouting...…
Food Poisoning Can REALLY Kill Your Productivity!
I have food poisoning for the second time in three weeks. I'm starting to think local restaurants are trying to kill me...…
Going Cold Turkey!!
On that Thanksgiving Day in Florida, eight years ago, it was probably in the 60's outside and we Mainers were LOVING it! Our southern family members, however, were NOT. As the day progressed, after they bundled up in sweaters, and wiped their running noses...…
There Are 5 Ways to Relieve Yourself on a Boat…and One of Them Can be VERY Expensive!
I opened the door, and whined, "Briiiiiiian! The toilet is broken AGAIN!" After a slew of profanity punctuated the atmosphere of the floating home office, Brian came up behind me to look. I said, "I think it was a cotton ball." He replied, "A cotton ball?! Why were you wiping with a COTTON BALL?!"…
Max’s Hilarious (or Disturbing???) Halloween Costume!
It's not so much the costume (which is adorable), nor the Mr. Bean mask (which is kinda creepy). It's the sheer size of it. That is one a GIGANTIC Teletubby! And, how does a velveteen costume wearer fare in Florida's 86-degree heat???…
Did That Psychic Chick Put a Spell on Us?!
This week, we had fun blaming every mishap in life on The Scam Psychic!…
What Does it Mean When Your Quiet Neighbor Gives You THIS as a Gift?!?!
I admit I've been avoiding Andrea since receiving this gift. I'm not sure whether I should make it into a necklace, or turn it into the cops...…
What Happens When You Drink and Drive…a Boat
We were pretty shocked this morning when woke up to find this!!!…
The Guy Who Got Bit by One Snake SIX TIMES!
We took Max (now 18) and Mason (13) to Reptile World Serpentarium in St. Cloud and, man oh man, did we get an education we weren't expecting!…
The EXACT Moment I Knew I Wanted to Be a Writer…
I am often asked by readers, and even friends, when and why I decided to become a writer. It came very early to me! You can read exactly what happened here...…
What in the World Makes a Boat Smell Like THAT?!
I'm desperately appealing to all you mariners out there (or anyone mechanically inclined) for your expertise in this manner. There is a boat on our dock that has a HORRIBLE odor. To be very specific, it smells like...…
My Clumsiness Causes an Oil Explosion
When I returned from the doctor, Capt. Brian was on the floor in the galley, meticulously washing and wiping all of our canned goods, which are stowed on a shelf under the stove. I cocked an eyebrow at him, wondering why he felt the need to clean the canned goods...…
Playing Dodgeball with Hurricane Dorian Has Been EXHAUSTING!!
We’ve been through this before and it never gets fun, let me tell ya. A little…
The Nice, Polite, BLEEDING Guy on the Street… And, we’re gettin’ a tropical storm this weekend! Whoo hoo!!
The man got closer and, when he emerged under a streetlight, we discovered he had blood all over him. He seemed okay health-wise. And, as he passed, he smiled, and said...…
We’re Fixing the Big Hole in the Boat!
The boys literally have to "walk the plank" each time they need to use the bathroom...…
Our Managing Editor Said “No More Storm Photos.” So, I changed his password…
Last night, one of the boats on our dock got struck by lightning. I was looking outside when it hit and, man oh man, those lightning bolts look REALLY big when they strike that close! The instant thunder aftershock made me jump about a foot off the bed. Then, I had to go change my underwear...…
First Guitar Lesson Injury!
Mason taught me how to slice a finger WIDE OPEN with his newly learned guitar playing technique!…
Anchor Crash!!!
For about half an hour, Tanny was beaten up pretty good. It felt like it had when we had the mast out. Then, Max yelled, "We're hitting something!"…
I Caught a Shark! A SHARK!!
He ran once. I could tell it was big! He was a fighter! Oh, MAN! I was SO EXCITED!!! Was this the trophy fish I'd been dreaming about my entire life? Would I be able to land him all by myself?! How many dinners would this monster make?!…
