I’m totally FRIED. The home renos are rendering me a mush-brain. Hardwood done. Tile done. Fireplace done. Baseboards? Why don’t we just call them SLABS OF WOOD from HELL. Yes. Henceforth the baseboards will be referred to by the acronym SLOWHELL. Even the Ralph Lauren gurus couldn’t help me. No MAC assistance either. Perhaps there is a baseboard phobia I didn’t previously blog about. I think I’ll invent it.
I was absolutely HORRIFIED to hear that Britney had lost custody of her kids. 
I have to admit, my heart hurts for her. Oy.
GO READ Susan Juby’s new book. Here’s a recent review:
McNally Robinson‘s Tracy Howard’s comments on Susan Juby’s Cowboy:
When is a horse story not just a horse story? When it is a touching coming of age story that has a messy family, a lost soul and a great deal of love at the centre of it. Another Kind of Cowboy by Susan Juby has a heart as big as the rolling hills and mountains of British Columbia where the story takes place. I loved Juby’s sly sense of humour, particularly in reference to Alex’s acceptance that he is gay, and what that means to his involvement in the macho horse world of his small community. Delicately handled, much like the way Alex handles his horses, this novel is a beautiful read.
The greatest news of the month (I know it’s only early October & my birthday looms… so this “greatest news thing might be premature) is that the KARMA QUEENS (that would be Kelly Talbot & I with our new teen nonfiction collection) have started a blog. There’s a permanent link on my “Just For Teen Divas” page. Our final proposal is FINITO and has been sent to agent extraordinaire, Paige Wheeler @ Folio. 
She’ll be shopping the collection…
In a perfect world this is what tomorrow will bring:
A Baseboard specialist would show up on my doorstep & ask if he could complete the arduous SLOWHELL task.
Britney would have an “ah-ha!” moment and get clean, go to parenting class, and get her children back.
Susan Juby would show up (post baseboard completion) with a box full of her new book to distribute to the students in my classroom, bring me a Starbucks latte and declare that she’d never seen nicer hardwood, tile, fireplace and baseboards.
Agent would have a giant auction for the Karma Queens collection & we’d get a stellar contract & a big enough advance that I can go to the MAC factory and MAKE THEM reinstate Tiger Tiger.
Until tomorrow….. 
Loved your baseboard description- not a fun job !! It will look amazing when it’s finished . Wish I could help you-but Grand Prairie is too far away.
October 2nd, 2007 at 11:05 pmDitto on Brittany…nothing like the hug of a babe to heal the heart. She really,really needs to be hugged more – by good people.
October 3rd, 2007 at 5:29 amCongrats on the final proposal…cross my fingers for ya!! What a great feeling I’m sure.
Hey, I could be a “baseboard specialist”…call me!
October 3rd, 2007 at 10:37 amAh.. Brittany, someone needs to help her before she ends up like the last “Pretty blonde in trouble”
I can’t seem to find your blog on the last “Juby ” novel you reccomended. Would you refresh my memory pls.
ps…your home looks great!
Thank you Rosalie… Note when there is baseboard work, people are too “far away”. I don’t blame you. Next time you are slowly rotting of SLOWHELL, don’t call me… ha!
Adeline… cross your toes, too. You’re legs are optional…
Julie-Bird. You’re far to cute to be a baseboard specialist. They must be over seven feet tall, have horrific acne, and always be wearing the bad baseball caps (the orange mesh ones) that they got for free at a country fair. They also must only wear plaid. And have ingrown toenails… Nope. Not you. So whilst you are not doing my baseboards, I do still have a killer espresso machine. And I’ve dusted it…
October 3rd, 2007 at 8:02 pmxoxo