Cindy Bradford, Ph.D., Author

Cindy Bradford's Author Blog

Cindy Bradford

Home Sweet Home

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Home Sweet Home, but not for long! Arrived home late Saturday, and have been running ever since. Sunday and Monday were primarily spent unpacking and looking at my poor yard. Landscaping doesn’t do well when you are gone for two months, even when someone is cutting the grass.

But my friends have been so wonderful to check on everything, that I can’t thank them enough. Laura Leigh watered my inside plants, and checked the house, yard, and pool religiously. Gayle and Bill took care of an unbelievable amount of real and junk mail, checked the house and yard numerous times, and just generally served as caretakers. I knew if I didn’t hurry and get home to pick up my mail, Gayle, my calm friend, might go postal!

Rachel and Duke, who hail from Illinois, and didn’t even arrive until December, checked on the yard, and hopefully cut some of my basil to use before it bit the dust from cold temps. It does take a village, and you friends are the best! Thanks again. I’ll try to never be gone that long again.

There hasn’t been time to really adjust to being back since I had a school in Brownsville to evaluate Tuesday and the book signing and hair cut on Wednesday. Today, I have a doctor’s appointment to try to find out why I am “folliclly” challenged, (see Waking Up My Follicles) and then tomorrow I pack for my upcoming trip to Europe. No rest for the weary or wicked, I guess. I seem to fit both categories, but that’s okay because I am enjoying life to the fullest with or without rest.

Book Signing in South Padre

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Paragraphs Book Store

Although I was tremendously excited for my first book signing of Keeping Faith, which was held at Atticus in Ruidoso, NM, I am totally giddy about tomorrow’s signing at “Paragraphs on Padre.”

After all, South Padre is home, and hopefully, many of my friends will join me to share in my excitement. What makes it really special is my agent, Chris, is flying in from Houston as are my friends Iris and Paul.

The first signing is from 1:00-2:00, and then the owner has asked if I will return at 6:00-7:30 for book signings, discussions about how and why I wrote the book, and Q&A. Wine and cheese will be served at the evening event. If you are in the area, please stop by this warm and friendly bookstore right on Padre Blvd. It’s a beautiful, charming recent addition to the island, and a great place to find your favorite book and even enjoy it in one of the comfortable chairs. If you are miles away and can’t be here, then please wish me luck.

A Play Day of Wine Tasting

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Zin Valle Vineyards
Courtesy of Zin Valle Vineyards

Last Saturday was a great day, because I called a truce with work and played. After four straight days of evaluating high schools, it was a much needed break in a daunting schedule. The day was made even more fun because I “played” at something I enjoy so much—wine tasting. Now, that won’t be a surprise to those of you who follow my blogs consistently.

I didn’t realize until this last trip to El Paso, that vineyards and wineries were enjoying such amazing growth and interest, but after several conversations and a quick review of the promotional magazines of the area, I learned that numerous wineries are popping up along Highway 28, just northwest of El Paso between Canutillo, Texas, and Mesilla, New Mexico.

The first winery that my friends and I visited was Zin Valle, along the first mile or so of Highway 28. The husband and wife owners produce a portfolio of wines, some of which are made from grapes grown in the area while others come from grapes or juice brought in from other well-known grape-producing areas. Tasting here was free, and the room is beautifully appointed with a granite tasting bar and a huge window providing a panoramic view of the Franklin Mountains, which on that day had a substantial topping of fresh snow. A barrel room and cozy porch added to the ambiance, although it was certainly too cold and windy to enjoy a tasting outside.

For those of you who think it is warm in El Paso all winter—think again. The high was 42 on Saturday, and the wind showed no mercy, but the sun did shine, giving some reprieve to an otherwise brutal day of bone chilling weather to this South Texas gal.

After tasting three whites and three reds, and buying a bottle of Pinot Noir, made on-site using grapes from California, we were off to La Viña, about five miles down the highway. The Tuscany designed facility was watched over by Princess the cat who also graces the label on one of the wines.

Tastings here were five dollars, but that was worth it, especially since they throw in a souvenir glass. Although all the wines are made from locally-grown grapes and were good, most were sweeter than I like and slightly expensive, so I opted not to purchase any at this stop.

The road to the next winery took us through amazing orchards of pecan trees. I can just imagine how pretty the drive might be in any other season besides winter, because there are thousands of huge trees, some even creating a canopy over the highway for a couple of miles. A quick stop at the Stahmann Family Store gave us an opportunity to taste all things “pecan,” and to buy several pounds of freshly shelled and chopped pecans to take home for baking. (To be continued)

Random Personality Part II

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(Continued) As I was explaining in the last blog, I have a “global” and random personality, and I’m not referring to my travels. I am just not one of those people who lines up the dominoes, or hangs up my clothes in any order, or organizes the pantry. I will never, never, fold my underwear or iron my pillowcases.

You would never know this from my house because everything is sterile clean and in its place, and when I dress and fix my hair (what remains of it), every hair is in place and my clothes, etc. are matchy-matchy. So you see I am a complex creature, a human oxymoron, a paradox if you will.

And although I am trying to be a technology literate person, I prefer a microwave with two buttons, a camera that just takes pictures without all that extra stuff, a simple television remote with volume and channel controls and nothing more, and the list goes on. But, life is not that simple anymore, so I am trying to keep up with the modern, fast-changing world. After all, if there was no change, there would be no butterflies or frogs. I read that somewhere recently, but I added the frog part because it is the same concept.

This also brings me to explain how I write, which is not linear. You wouldn’t expect that, now would you? When I start a book, I know how I want it to start and how it will end, but the plot may get altered and revised from the original plan I envisioned. This may occur because some character or some place just didn’t work well together. Chapters may get moved around—several times. Sub-plots are developed as I go. That’s what makes it fun, fluid and fictitious. And all mine!

Random Personality

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I was answering an email to a friend the other day when I thought of the idea for this blog. She told me she was on her way to get some Christmas photos developed the “old fashion” way because she is just that way—traditional. I could actually identify.

Although I make myself do a great many “technological things,” because in today’s world you almost have to, it just doesn’t come natural or easy to me. I mean, email, web sites, online banking, social networking are all fun and exciting, but sometimes I think how much less complicated life was without quite so much technology, etc.

Part of my problem is I am about the most “global” person you will ever know. But, I am organized because with my schedule I have to be, and in the last year or so I have even begun “To Do Lists,” but that goes against all that I really am. Actually, I’m not sure anymore who I am because I don’t fit into any one personality category. Because of the jobs I have held and the responsibilities I have shouldered, I have always been structured in my work.

But put me in the yard behind a lawnmower and my true self comes out. See, I don’t mow in rows; I mow here and then there. I start cleaning one flower bed and then stop and move to another. Now, I will finish the first the same day, but just not right then. When I am cleaning house, I move from task to task in no particular order, and when I read a magazine, I might start at the back.

All of this drives my close friends crazy and my agent totally out of her mind. She is a technological whiz, but she covers up most of her frustration with me although I know she screams when she gets off the phone from me. Come to think of it, most of my friends have major analytical personalities. I had never thought about that much before. How did that happen? Maybe I’m a “wannabe” non-random person. Nah!!

The second problem I have…Now where was I???(To be continued)

Half Moon Vodka

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Still
Saxophone on Steroids

My friend, Jan, whose last name I will not divulge to protect the guilty, is building his own still—like in, moonshine still! Jan’s favorite alcoholic beverage is the Bloody Mary, and his son told him that the very best vodka is “potato vodka.” So Jan commenced to thinking, which apparently in this case may have been dangerous because he decided to make his own still and ultimately his own vodka.

To do that, he first designed and created his own still and since he is very good at building things and figuring out projects, on first blush that seemed harmless enough. But now every time he sends me a picture of the still it has grown, not inches, but feet. It now looks like a saxophone on steroids.

I am not sure how all this works, but I suggested he think seriously about NOT operating this in his kitchen. Then, I decided to read a little about moonshine making, and I am even more convinced that Jan might re-consider this venture, that is if he likes his hair and eyebrows!!!

It appears that the common test for moonshine is to pour a small amount of it into a metal spoon and light it!!! The theory is that safe booze burns with a blue flame and tainted booze burns with a yellowish glow.

I’m not sure if Jan has used a radiator coil as a condenser, but if that is the case, practitioners say “lead burns red and makes one dead.” And I was worried about him just revving up the still itself!

Then, the next assignment is to test the proof. At this point, he’ll have to pour a little gun powder in with the moonshine and if it flames or blows up, he knows it’s “proofed.”

Early into the project, he asked me if I wanted in on this magnificent idea, and I declined. So far, I haven’t had second thoughts, but maybe he’s on to something. I haven’t seen the recipe for the vodka, and I have never tasted potato vodka that I know of, but I guess you can’t go wrong with the lowly spud.

He’s been thinking about names, and I’m going to suggest, “Half Moon Vodka.” After all, if he doesn’t move quickly, that may be all he has left of his backside. Let’s wish him luck, lots of luck. We’ll toast later, Jan, after all the kinks are worked out of the radiator coil and your hair has grown back!