The Bear: The Cause and the Cure

Sing it with me:

STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS
STRESS STRESS STRESS STRESS
STRESSITY STRESS!

The Bear and I went shopping for DramaMama's Mothers Day presents. Our purchases turned out to be very fitting.

What did I get her? A neck massaging pillow that she loves.

What did the Bear get her? A squishy stress ball.

When he gave it to his mommy, and she had tried it out, he said, "Now are all your matters gone?"

The Emperbears New Do

Today was Daddy Water Day at the Bear's school, so I took a couple hours off from work, donned a swim suit, and spent some quality time with my little guy.

When the kids were unleashed, there were about 8 small plastic pools filled with water, one was well stocked with water balloons. As you might guess, that pool was the most popular.

Soon balloons were flying and popping all over the place. The Bear was good at hitting my sandals, but all of the body shots bounced and blew on the ground. The water inside the balloons was rather warm, nearing hot. They had apparently stewed in the pool under the nice Arizona sun for a bit.

A hose made it into the fray, a squirt gun or two, then... SHAVING CREAM! I don't know whose idea that was but holy crap was it a hit. Kids were soon covered in white blobs. It was a lot like a silly string war, but with foam.

I got my hands on a can, and set to work creating a new look for my Bear. Before long he was sporting what I have come to call the "Barbasol Pompadour". It was hilarious, but I unfortunately didn't have a camera.

After that his teacher tried to ambush me with shaving cream, but she came out second best on that deal.

We got hosed off, did some bubbles, and had an otter pop. Then the Bear and I went to the basketball court and played around for awhile.

All-in-all, we had a very enjoyable time, just me and my Bear.

My Encouraging Note From Australia

After a seemingly long wait, I received my response from Penguin Boks in Australia today. Although they passed on my book, their suggestions and comments were both welcome. Here is their response in its entirety:

****
This is a well written story with a strong plot and lots of appeal. There is some vivid description and observation and it brings alive an important part of America's history. It is plot-driven, rather than character-driven, and sometimes the story could benefit from more variation in pace and tone. The resolution feels a little rushed and convenient. Patrick's father's treatment of him is so callous that at times it is hard to believe. He has lost his family why does he risk losing the only son he has left? Some more context to the characters' motivations may be helpful. The treatment of the slaves is a very sensitive subject and it is handled with care and thought here, although at times it could have been more emotionally charged. The author of this work shows promise, and although this particular story is a little too specific for Penguin Australia to take on, I would encourage the author to rework and submit to American publishers.
****

Not to shabby for a first rejection, eh? The thing that is most encouraging about this for me is that the version they read was my first revision. I am going to take their suggestions to heart and encorporate them into my current revision. I am about 1/3 of the way through.

Can I get a WOO HOO for the Cheez?