Frozen Grapes

I know I'm probably late to the party, but I recently experienced a cool treat. A sister friend gave me a birthday gift: a spa treatment. I really enjoy a good spa, and this was a new place for me. It was quaint, an old mansion with antique fixtures and furniture. So soothing. After our individual treatments, we were led into a parlor with sofas, chairs, and an old piano. We sat at a table and were served large, cold, frozen grapes in a glass!  I never thought to freeze grapes, but what a pleasant visual and taste sensation! Sometimes the simple treats in life  are the best treats.

 

This is  picture of the glass, minus the (eaten) grapes, along with my sister friend Joyce's fingertips, the spa's business card, and the postcard from my latest novel.

Maybe you'll try some frozen grapes!

Smiles and best wishes,

Sylvia Brown-Roberts

Readers' Questions in May 2013

I've been accosted in a friendly way lately by readers who've completed my 2nd novel, Beyond Church Doors (Jan. 2013).  Questions for me:

Is someone really stalking NikkiMac?  If so, who is it and why is it happening?
Who is the mysterious man that NikkiMac noticed at the church building?
Where is the missing ring box?
When is Jacee coming back to Trenton from the graduate education program?
Are Adam and NikkiMac getting married?
When is your 3rd novel going to be ready?
What church is this in your novels?
Don't you think you should get busy writing the next novel?  ("I am," I reply.)

I'm glad folks are interested enough to approach me about this!
Take care,
Sylvia
www.nikkimacproductions.com
"Author Sylvia Brown-Roberts" on Facebook

Bugs

A few weeks ago, I went to a place to take care of some business. While in the building's parking lot, I noticed a truck parked there with lettering on the side that advertised pest removal, specifically bedbugs. I admit that this did give me pause, but I wanted to complete this business task, so I went inside the building.  While waiting, I inquired about the truck outside and was told that there had been some of these critters sighted, and that's why the pest removal staff was there.  I completed my business in that building, but I didn't place anything of mine down on the chairs, or the tables, or on the floor. I held my coat and my purse the entire time, and for good reason. Years ago, I returned from a bus trip  to the South where we stayed in at least 2 hotels on the way and back. Once back home, I discovered that German roaches had traveled back with me via my luggage.  An exterminator said this was how they got here, because these roaches are not common to the area in which I live.
Anyway, you can imagine that if I didn't welcome the hitchhiker pests from my trip, I truly wouldn't want to bring bedbugs to my home!
The writer in me says there's a story in this somewhere. Hmmm...
Take care,
Sylvia
www.nikkimacproductions.com

Alarming

I had an unusual experience earlier this week. I was in Atlantic City at the mall on the Boardwalk when I saw one of my favorite shoe stores. I gave in to the urge to look around inside, and soon was busily trying on 2 pairs of shoes. I was the only customer in the store. So happy.
Suddenly, an alarm went off!  It reminded me of those alarms we had at elementary school when I was teaching. The salesperson recognized it as a true fire alarm, and told me that all people had to evacuate the mall. A public address system alerted us that there was a fire emergency. The salesperson went to lock up the store, I guess, and l walked into the mall with one pants leg rolled up and my own shoes hastily put on without my socks. I joined the other salespersons and customers and staff who mostly looked startled to be forced from the mall. It was kind of strange. I was pretty lighthearted about it because I thought it was a false alarm of some sort. We got outside, the firemen came and checked out some smoke from some building construction at the mall site, and we were allowed to return in about 20 minutes.
Here's the really thought-provoking part of this experience: I remarked how strange this evacuation was to a lady next to me while we were leaving the mall, and she said, "I just arrived here from Boston, so I am terrified by this!"  She was referring, of course, to the recent bombings at the Boston Marathon. A sobering thought...
Take care,
Sylvia