Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Santa Came Early This Year...

After the week from hell, three days with a raging fever, and six days on antibiotics, Sunday I finally felt well enough to venture out. Well, okay, if I hadn’t been headed to the Apple Store to buy my new iMac, I would have skipped the whole thing.

I’d been holding out for two years because my beloved iMac G4—aka MacGorgeous was six years old (that’s about two in Mac years), and still ran like a champ, making it difficult to talk myself into plopping down the money to buy a new Mac when there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the old one. Of course, with enough incentive, I could talk myself and anyone else into just about anything so it’s not surprising that I somehow managed it. It did help that my daughter’s PC went to the big Windows Cloud in the sky, and like her mama, Twinkle Toes is a Mac Girl. I decided that I’d go even greener—I do drive a Prius after all—I’d be even more environmentally friendly and recycle MacGorgeous, though there are some who might call me cheap, but let’s not even go there. I doubled the memory, put a little bounce in MacGorgeous’s beach ball, and with a tearful goodbye willed him to my daughter which seemed apropos since I felt like death…


I had been so excited, I was finally getting the iMac of my dreams. The one I would visit anytime I was within a twenty-mile radius of an Apple Store. The Mac with a screen big enough to land a plane on. AKA—MacDreamy (sigh)—the 27-inch iMac proving the old adage that size really does matter.

But by the time my husband and I got home, I didn’t even open the box. I just asked DH to set MacDreamy up because I needed a nap. I was almost happy it took eight hours to complete. Who knew strep throat could pack such a punch?

Monday began early with my youngest waking me with 103 fever—yeah, she’d been feeling like crap since Saturday and I’d been delusional enough to think she had a cold. I told you I could talk myself into anything. I had no idea that cleaning up MacGorgeous and setting up MacDreamy would take all day when done in the midst of dealing with a sick kid and doctor’s appointments. On the bright side, the lovely Apple Care people and I are now intimate friends.

Imagine my surprise when my son came home from a half-day of school (yeah, I’d forgotten about the whole half-day thing) so it was a double surprise when I noticed he carried a box addressed to me containing my new book, Wild Thing.

So to celebrate, my new book, my new iMac, and the loss of MacGorgeous who, I might add, looked stunning sitting on my desk right next to MacDreamy, I’m giving away two copies of Wild Thing to a lucky commenter. Reading your comments will give me something to do other than take care my son, who woke up this morning claiming illness too. Yeah, Santa really did come early…

32 comments:

Gina said...

(sorry I noticed some typos in the last one)Wow! 27 inches IS MacDreamy! So sorry about the travelling illness in your house. We had it in our house last week, but it was mainly contained to my four year old and husband. It was actually a blessing in disguise because when I brought her into school yesterday I found out that PINK EYE made a round in pre-k last week and they had to disinfect everything over the weekend... Glad we dodged that bullet. I'm so excited that Wild Thing is coming out soon and I'd love to win a copy! I've been patiently(ish) waiting ever since I flew through your first four books at the beginning of this year. My heart still belongs to Mike and Annabelle, but I swear I'm married to Rich Ronaldi's twin.

Happy Mac'n :)
Gina

AnonymousWoman said...

I am absolutely jealous about the new Mac. 27 inches sounds like a dream. Do you also have an apple laptop to write away from home?

CathyP said...

I've been on the bubble about replacing my aging Hp with a Mac. MacDreamy hmmm? Now there's an incentive to hit the Apple store.

Sorry about the illness rounds, hope Twinkletoes loves her refurbished Mac and I can't wait to read about Wild Things!

Gail Hart said...

Robin - Sorry everyone's been sick, but congrats on the arrival of MacDreamy, and of course, Wild Thing! I like how the cover art is more life-like/realistic than on the domestic gods books.

Grace Burrowes said...

In case Santa Clause is reading your blog, Robin, I do not consider a house full of strep throat to be a fair trade for any computing device. Were you a bad girl this year or something?

Joya said...

LOL, Robin. Wow, you really DO get attached to your computers. Hope everyone in your family is feeling better and that you have a nice, long love affair with MacDreamy. :)

Robin Kaye said...

@ Gina~ LOL Rich Ronaldi's twin, huh? Well, at least he has some redeemable qualities--he's gorgeous, with a great sense of humor and he's amazing in every room but the kitchen. And yeah, you did dodge the bullet--Pink eye is the worst! Check back tomorrow to see if you've won a copy! Well, that's if I figure out how to post the winner. Maybe the other killers will help me...

@ Anonymous Woman - I have the first generation MacBook Air too and I adore it. The new ones are even nicer--yeah, I was drooling over those babies as well. I was one of those crazy people waiting outside the ATT store on the day the first iPhones were released. What a party! The only thing I'm missing is the iPad but I'm working on talking myself into it. Give me another few years, I'm a hard sell. LOL

@ Cathy - Yes, at 11:00 last night MacGorgeous made it up to Twinkle Toes's room. She went to bed with the remote in her hand and iTunes playing. She's a very happy ballerina--let's see if she can avoid coming down with Strep! My boy scout's fever is rising. God help me!

@Gail - Thanks! MacDreamy is making everything not seem so sucky but I'm worried I'll be making chicken soup for life!

@ Grace - Yeah, well...{hangs head in shame} You know me. When I'm good, I'm great, but when I'm bad, I'm better! Still, MacDreamy beats coal in my stocking--and yes, I've been on the receiving end of that and reindeer poop too.

PaigeTurner said...

WOW! Congratulations on the new computer and the hot looking cover of your new book!
Beth Werrell (MRW)

Robin Kaye said...

@ Joya - Well Mac people do, I've never hear anyone lusting after an HP or a Dell, but maybe I just haven't noticed... Last week at Starbucks, my husband stop by to say hi and started laughing--one side of the store had mac people and the other had PC users--he called it the great divide. I told him he had to leave, he was sitting on the Mac side and he's a total Technoweenie, IT and Windows lover... In order to stay happily married, we have stopped the whole Mac VS PC debate. :)

Diane Kelly said...

A new computer and a tax deduction! Woo hoo! Hope you are back to 100 percent soon!

Anna said...

Better you exercise the sickness demons now than at Thanksgiving or Christmas proper.

I have to say it must be true love if you can survive past a PC and Mac divide, even if you refrain from talking about it.

CrystalGB said...

Congratulations on your new Mac. I hope you get well quickly.

Robin Kaye said...

@ Paige - Thanks for the congrats on MacDreamy and Wild Thing. I'm pretty excited about the new book, too! Hunter Kincaid is one of my all-time favorite heroes. Sigh... I really loved writing him.

@ Diane- LOL I hadn't thought about the tax deduction part. This keeps getting better and better!

@ Anna - definitely better to get the bad stuff over with now and you're right about the true love part. He even helps me figure things out on my Macs sometimes which really has to chap his ass... I'm so not a techie.

@ CrystalGB - Thanks! Good luck in the drawing!

M.V.Freeman said...

Yes, I am one of the jealous people--I so want a mac!... one day is all I have to say.

And illness is always one of those gifts that I'd like never to cross my door. ;)

And outstanding on the book! :) Yay!

Mary

Unknown said...

I have never used a Mac, PC person all the way. Congrats on your new book, sounds wonderful. Sorry to here son is sick, just take care of him and he will be fine.

Sarah S. said...

I am in need of a computer but I'm still on the fence about getting a Mac. I'm just so used to how a pc works. My husband loves his MacBook and is trying to convince me to get a MacBook (which he would take the new one and I would get his hand me down)

Sarah S. said...

Somehow I don't really like that plan.

Johanna R Jochum said...

Oh, Yuck! We were all sick last month so I have been there! Hope everyone is feeling better!

Love the cover of this book super sexy! Thanks for sharing with us today!

Elizabeth said...

Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling well. Sending you a warm virtual cup of get better soon.

Do you think Santa can stick your cover model in my stocking...I promise to be real nice.

Can't wait to read the book.

Brandy said...

My Son became ill beginning Friday night. As of Saturday morning he felt like crud and I disinfected every touchable surface in the house because Daughter has a job and can't get sick, I take care of everyone else and can't get sick (again, I had a sinus infection last month and about ran myself ragged) and hubs can't get sick because he just started teaching a new class at work. So far Son is feeling much better (He bounded into my room yesterday morning. *g*) and no one else seems to be feeling badly. *knockonwood*
Congratulations on MacDreamy! *g* (Hubs and I are Mac people, I converted him years ago.)

Julie said...

Congrats on your new Mac! They're so shiny... I hope you and son feel better soon!

Robin Kaye said...

@ Mary - Thanks for the congrats on the book, and yeah, MacDreamy is pretty spectacular, though I do miss my old keyboard, I'd worn the keys smooth and this new one feels rough to my fingertips--weird huh? Who'd a thunk?

@ Virginia - Thanks! I'll try to take care of him, though he must be getting better, he's asked what we were having for dinner a half dozen times in the last couple hours.

@ Sarah - once you go Mac, you never go back. It took me all of about a week to get used to living in a MacWorld--but my word and everything else were the same so I was almost as productive. I'd give it a try, keep the new one for yourself and if it's not for you, you could always give it to DH and he'll be happy...

@ Johanna - my pleasure!

@ Elizabeth - Maybe Santa could stick a picture of the cover model in your stocking--of course it will be attached to the book. I'll send him a note.

@ Brandy - I hope everyone your way stays healthy.

@ Julie - Yeah, MacDreamy is pretty shiny. Sigh.. Thanks for the good wishes!

Christie Craig said...

Congrats, Robin!! On the new book, and on the new Mac.

CC

Alison said...

Sorry you haven't been feeling well Robin!

Can't wait to read this book! Its releasing on my b-day so I know it will be awesome!

Nichole said...

Thats horrible that everyone has been so sick! Its never fun to deal with sick kids. They're *Almost* as bad as men!! lol
Hopefully within a couple days everyone is feeling better. Thanks for contest!

Nichole B nelnsr2010(at)gmail(dot)com

aarbaugh said...

Hi Robin - sorry to hear about everyone being sick. That's totally no fun. We did the same at work. One guy came in sick for a few days. He managed to pass it to me a few days later. I ended up being out for a week (doc wanted me to rest since it was so bad). Got worse from there - it went through our entire office. It took a little over a month, but I think we're clear of it now.

Congrats on Wild Thing! He looks like a McDreamy to me! Which reminds me, better put him on my Christmas wishlist! Hahaha. No, seriously. I will.

Diane Garner said...

OMG, you will not believe where my brain went with the whole 27 inch MacDreamy thing. My conscience is screaming, "Get your mind out of..." Anyhoo, congrats on the new computer, sorry about the lethal germs, and luuuv the Wild Thing cover. You rock, girl. Hope you feel well enough to celebrate!

Barbara E. said...

Congrats on your new iMac and your new book! I can't wait to read Wild Thing. I bought my first iMac this year, and I love it. I got the "smaller" one, although a 24" screen seems big to me. :D At least you had some good things happen in addition to all that sickness. Hope you and your family are all well soon.

chey said...

Congrats on the new book and the new Mac! Hope everyone gets better soon. We've had a couple people sick this week too.

Robin Kaye said...

@ Christie - Thanks, sweetie!

@ Alison - Happy birthday (a little early) Good luck in the drawing.

@ Nicole - You are most welcome. Good luck!

@ Aarbaugh - MacDreamy and McDreamy--Hunter certainly is that. Sigh... I had so much fun writing him. Glad everyone is feeling better. It gives me hope.

@ Diane - LOL Yeah, that's where my mind went too. I'm feeling better, thanks. Now all I have to do is get rid of the kids and pray my DH doesn't come down with it.

@ Barbara - I was thinking about the 24 inch but then these things last forever so I thought I might as well get what I really wanted. I spend more time with MacDreamy than just about anything else. {grin} I hope you enjoy Wild Thing!

@ Chey - Thanks! I hope everyone around you stays healthy! The crud sucks!

Laura said...

Hi, Robin,

Wow. You have had a packed week. I'm sorry so much of it has been sickness. And its aftermath. One year (and I do mean year) the four of us gave strep back and forth for a year - until we got hit while we were out of town and the doc said, "I'm treating all of you!!" Finally ended the cycle. ... thought I'd mention it just in case.

Anyhoo, congrats on your new MacDreamy! I have a boring old PC, but he's faithful - and the DH bought a new HUGE monitor for it this year, so hey! MpcDreamy! :D

Love the hunky cover - can't wait to read your latest!

Laura DT (MRW)

Robin Kaye said...

Hi everyone! I used Random.org and picked two numbers. The winners are:

Johanna R. Jochum and Brandy! email me at Robin@RobinKayeWrites.com and give me your snail mail addresses, and I'll send them out to you!

Congratulations!