Paradise is definitely lost this year

This is where I am.

With this.....

and this....

Every year, for a few days, I come up north to enjoy some peace and quiet with the women in my family. We drink, chill, listen to music and enjoy each others company.

And drink. Lots. Lots and lots of alcohol is consumed in these four days. This year, with the tragedies that have befallen my family - the loss of my father in February and my aunt's divorce - things are a little more tense than usual.

Normally, I try to keep my mind blank and serene, enjoying the sun, the company, the scenery.

The peace.

But this year it just can't happen. So, as you might have read a few entries ago, I have put myself on a self-imposed deadline: to finish at least two of the works in progress that I have waiting for me on my hard drive.

The internet connection is sketchy at best, so I'm not sure how long this will take to post, if it even does. I can't get cell reception decent enough to call home, and I feel like I'm in the middle of a shit storm. 

My 18 year old cousin (the one who's parents are divorced) is being a 12 year old brat, screaming and swearing at her mother and calling her every name in the book. She didn't want to come to begin with and frankly, I didn't want to bring her. I swear that child is the BEST form of birth control EVER. My other cousin is feeling it, because she lost her mother six years ago, and she would do anything to have her back. When the screaming starts, I can see it in her eyes, how much she misses her mom. And that causes resentment. So there's just tension.

Lots and lots of tension.

Which means more alcohol consumption. Which I am just fine with, and am eagerly participating in.

This mini vay-cay is another reason that I extended the deadline on my contest. So, as of July 11, the contest is CLOSED. No more extensions - even if I only have one entry...

*blink blink*

*sniff sniff*

Although - I'm hoping that with the guest blog over at Unapologetic Fiction (thank you again to the lovely Sommer Marsden for having me), and with my wonderful friends following me on Twitter , I'll have at least a few entries to make it interesting.

And again, I promise to have a fitting, and interesting prize as well.

Now, I'm off for a refill.

And a set of earplugs.