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!!!…
From The Home Office
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?!…
She smiled! SMILED!!!
Well, okay...not in THIS picture but I swear she did! And, then I told her she's now old enough to...…
THAR SHE (I mean he) BLOWS!! Excitement on the Dock as We All Prepare for a Tropical Storm…that is now heading elsewhere.
We haven't escaped all of it. We've had heavy rain and wind all week. Even if we didn't have modern weather forecasting and satellites, we'd have known something was brewing. Here's how...…
BUSTED! ARRGGHHH!! I (did not) Break the Law…But the Law Still Won!
Let me preface this post by saying we are extremely respectful of, and thankful for, police officers...…
ONLY TWO WEEKS AWAY! The Summer 24-Hour Short Story Contest – Don’t miss out!! It’s TONS of fun!!!
Why simmer and sweat outside when you can sit in the nice, cool air conditioning, and…
Mackenzie’s VERY Stressful Entry into the World
Ali was determined to not have a c-section. She'd had a very long recovery time after the previous one almost two years prior...and we would find out later why. The facts were VERY disturbing, to say the least.…
Baby Mackenzie is FINALLY HERE! And, it was a VERY rough ride for her mommy!
We had more entries for the “guess when Mackenzie is going to be born” contest than any contest we’ve ever held! See more pictures of the newest member of the WritersWeekly and BookLocker family, and see who won a book publishing package from BookLocker! …
Correctly Guess When Ali Will Have Her Baby – AND WIN A FREE BOOK PUBLISHING PACKAGE FROM BOOKLOCKER!
Our wee little grand daughter is 5 days past due and our daughter's doctor is threatening a c-section. Induction would be dangerous because she's having a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). To keep our impatient minds occupied, we decided to hold a FUN contest! …
Aaaaand, Still No Grand Baby! But, here’s what I’m doing to stay ready!!
And, we still found time to go FISHING!…
A Night in the Hospital but No Grand Baby Yet!
Earlier this week, we all headed for the hospital when her contractions were 3-4 minutes apart. She labored all night and then...…
My Foot Found the Hole in the Boat Floor!
Falling in the bilge can be very dangerous. There is metal, potentially some dirty, stinky, tetanus-laden water (after rain), and even rust. So, I am always hyper-vigilant. Except, apparently, when I am carrying groceries...…
I “Fired” an Adult Bully and Big Brother is Watching Me?!
A man who has written for us in the past sent an email last week boldly criticizing one of my children...…
Another Falling ON the Boat Accident! (Yes, really…)
I was pulling with all my might on a line to stop Tanny from going too far forward and I tripped on the boom, which was on the port side deck. Brian had warned us all to watch out for the boom. Heck, I'd been tip-toeing over it for three months. But, down I went and...…
Mac and Cheese and Bad Guitar Music, Please!
While toddler Jack was sitting at the table eating macaroni and cheese and green beans, I pulled out my guitar to practice. And, he was completely uninterested until...…
“You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out!” (Mason pulls a funny stunt on his dad!)
The only "treatment" was to tape up his eye to keep it shut while it heals. After that, he was raring to go have more fun so he raced to the truck for his airsoft rifle. And, that's when this happened...…
When You Give Your Grandkids Chocolate and Red Bull
Jack doesn't talk much yet but he gets his point across. He reached for the left-hand cabinet so I opened it. He then reached for a bag of chocolate covered raspberries. That's one of my favorites so there's no denying the kid inherited my good tastes...…
The Portable Toilet Explosion!
I'd previously used that toilet several times without incident. However, last weekend, due to warm weather, high humidity, Mercury in retrograde, movement of the Earth's magnetic pole, or just plain karma for something I naughty did or said, I found myself on the receiving end of...…
ALERT – Dirty Fingernails on the Keyboard!
Hmmm... When will my next hot shower be?…
Ugly Pancake Update (Groan!)
Several readers have written in asking for an update on “pancake,” my gelatinized blood clot that…
Sitting on a Bucking Bronco Toilet!
After a few days of very subtle nausea and a sore lower back (because I'm constantly trying to sit still while working and fighting the movement of the boat), I figured out the formula...…
Escaping from the Horrific, Excruciating, Deafening Race!
It sounds like a post-apocalyptic plague of gigantic bees are outside and there is no escape…
Amputees Are Usually Left for Dead … and Other Secrets I Learned in Search and Rescue Training!
You definitely won't see this stuff in a FEMA brochure!…
For Me, Volunteer Search and Rescue Training is Like a Really Serious Easter Egg Hunt. Here’s How YOU Can Do It, Too!
Did you know that if you stop breathing in a disaster situation with multiple casualties, you will probably NOT receive CPR? Read why here...…
The Floating Flu Folly
I actually don’t know if it was Influenza or something else but everyone in the floating…
What a PAIN in the NECK! Literally!!
Because of my current need for pain medication, my co-workers here have banned me from 1. Social media posts; 2. Accounting tasks; and 3. Late-night online shopping. Hmmm....…
Our Sailboat Has Been Demasted!
Don’t worry. We demasted it on purpose. Several months ago, we scheduled “No Tan Lines” to…
