The Tale of the White Hat

 

 

But first . . . 

GALLERY

 

Sunset, Venice FL - Wellen Park

  (no attribution given)

Only a few miles to the north - Storm off Siesta Key . . .

Photo by Daniel & Deedee Dyer

 

And on the opposite coast of Florida . . .

 

Night Launch

Night Launch from farther away

Swinging Kitty

 

 THE TALE OF THE WHITE HAT

 With the Florida Primary out of the way and undoubtedly a lot of mid-term drama to come, this seemed like a good moment for a light tale about something as supposedly inconsequential as a white hat. Except I've had this hat a long time, it has great sentimental value, and may have had more compliments than any other hat in the history of the world! So, I'll see if I can spin this very special hat into an interesting tale . . .

 

 Sometime in the first year or two I lived in Longwood, I was walking through the second floor of Macy's in the Altamonte Mall (Altamonte Springs, FL). I was "looking," hats the farthest thing from my mind. But an item on a rack of hats stopped me dead. It did not occur to me that I never wore ball caps—perhaps I saw only the rhinestones—but I had to have it. Out came my Macy's card, and it was mine.

And thus began the amazing saga of the White Hat. If I had a dollar for every time a passing stranger complimented me on my hat, I would be RICH. It seems everyone else loves this hat as much as I do. One of the most memorable encounters:  I was pushing a cart through Publix when a woman exclaimed, "You look like the Queen!" Resulting in yet another lovely moment chatting with a perfect stranger while out doing errands. 

White Hat has been lost twice. Great consternation both times. The first time was a number of years ago when my daughter was still driving a Honda SUV and the grandgirls were still fairly young. The hat disappeared for weeks. I had to accept it was lost. EXCEPT, it suddenly turned up in the back of the Honda, where it had been lost amidst the debris created by three young girls. (And Mom.) Huzzah! As I recall, that was one of the times I had to take White Hat to the cleaners. It was the cleaner who pointed out the missing rhinestone. No hope for finding that - likely down in one the Honda's crevices, or who knows . . .

Most recently, it went missing once again, this time all my fault. When I sat down in the waiting room at Advent Health's Imaging Center on Rinehart Road, I put it in the bag on my walker. Except, in pulling out a sweater to deal with really cold AC, I evidently dislodged the hat and it ended up being left behind when I went in for my appointment. Nor did I miss it until later that afternoon. At which point I spent a teeth-gnashing 45 minutes trying to claw my way through the Advent Health phone system, whose Menu was definitely not set to accommodate such an odd request as Lost and Found. I don't know how many times I was transferred, getting everything from an abrupt, "You have a wrong number!" to dead silence followed by a dial tone.

By some miracle—I was likely transferred the lady who handles the "kook" calls—I found a sympathetic ear. She told me she could "message" someone who would know the answer to my problem. (Even she couldn't call the Front Desk at the Imaging Center? Wow.) We had a nice little chat while we waited, and suddenly she told me, "They have it!" I asked her to assure them I would be by the next day to pick it up. And so I did, and at that time I was told about it being found in the seat where I had been sitting.

So, yes, I developed a true horror of Advent Health's phone system, but person-to-person, the people involved could not have been nicer. I have White Hat back and have learned a strong lesson about keeping better track of it. LOVE THAT HAT!

~ * ~

 Book of the Week

 Somewhere around 2010-2011, a wave of erotica swept the Romance market, totally revolutionizing the industry. Signet (Penguin Putnam) and Kensington said bye-bye to their squeaky clean Romance authors—and there we were, looking around, wide-eyed, asking, "What now?"

The answer:  E-books—those published by newly established e-book companies and those self-published to Amazon Kindle and a company called Smashwords. A whole new world. Wow! And those of us in on the ground floor did very well, I'm happy to say. I not only published new works to these online vendors, but as I got my rights back from Signet and Kensington, I self-published those at well.

Because I didn't want to pay for more than a cover artist, in all the time since 2011 I have created just one paperback (ordered for family Christmas presents a few years ago). THE SECRETS OF STONEBRIDGE CASTLE is a shiny, oversize Print-on-Demand, chosen because it is my personal favorite Regency Gothic. I am featuring it this week because I just lowered the price to $9.99. (The e-book price remains $3.99.) If you like ghosts, intrigue and rocky romance , this is the book for you.

 When bullies threaten Aurelia Lacey and her five-year-old daughter Nell, they are rescued by an old friend, Jason Durand, younger brother of an earl. Jason, once a daring spy, has fallen into depression and drunkenness since the war, but he rallies long enough to offer the outcasts the shelter of his brother's country seat, Stonebridge Castle. But the ancient castle is not the quiet refuge they expected. Aurelia and Jason—both lost souls from the war against Napoleon—must deal with a bevy of hedonistic house guests, seven hundred years of ghosts, multiple murders, and a chance—a very slim chance—that love will triumph over all.

Author's Note: Although ghosts are prominent in The Secrets of Stonebridge Castle, they appear as characters, not creatures of horror. And there is more emphasis on romance than in my previous Gothic novels.

~ * ~

 

 For a link to Blair's website & editing info, click here. 

For Archives, see the menu on the right. 

 For recent blogs, scroll down.

 

 

Gallery - New Grace Pic to Wild Florida

 

A lot going on here, everything from more intense and longer thunderstorms than our usual rainy season* to Susie & Mike house-hunting. All collated into a gallery lengthy enough to take up the whole blog. Hopefully, there will be something of interest for everyone.

*Thursday, August 6, was supposed to be less rainy. We ended up with back-to-back deluges (most with thunder & lightning), for four-plus hours. I am so glad I live at the top of a Florida "hill" (barely visible rise in the land)!

 

RANDOM GALLERY 

Firstly, Susie used AI on a three-year-old photo of me and created a new face for my Facebook photo. Behold . . .

Yes, those are genuine malachite beads.

Retro to the World Cup - at The Capital Room Bar . . .

Riley, Susie, Mike, Lionel, Hailey - Friend Teddy in front

 

Kylo, the Reale family dog, enjoying his new companion

 

There are many posts with Shakespeare quotes. I consider this one of the best.

 

 A time of sadness and nostalgia for those of us living in the Orlando area. There have been swans at Lake Eola (the center of downtown) for as long as most people can remember. But earlier this year, quite a few died of Bird Flu, enough so that it was decided the swans should be moved to a safer location. Nothing left now but people-pedaled swan boats. Sigh. A tragedy in more ways than one.

 

On to Venice, FL. Having lived in Venice for 25 years, I know the lightning pictured below is out over the Gulf. (The Venice Golf Course is sandwiched between the airport and the beach.) 

 

 While only two or three miles north in Nokomis . . .

A lifeguard shack damaged by lightning

 Other golf courses in Florida can also be dangerous . . .

 

 And then there are all those idyllic spots in Florida . . .

Blue Springs State Park w/manatee

 Blue Springs is such a scenic and fascinating place I used to drive the grandgirls here all the way from East Orlando. (Much shorter drive after we moved to Seminole County.) Every winter a horde of manatees shelter here from the cold. In addition to the springs, the manatees (in season), and the scenery, there's a boat trip available on the St. John's River. You can even see mistletoe growing high up in the tree tops. Highly recommended.

 

Sunset, Sorrento Springs Golf Course, 8/5/26

 I did not save the above for last just because it's a traditional Sunset-ending to this edition of the Gallery. It's a harbinger of Big Changes to come. Susie, Riley, and I were exploring a delightfully spread-out golf course community in Sorrento, FL, while Mike wrote down a myriad notes about a house the Reales are considering buying (much closer to where Susie works). Susie stopped the car, ran up the golf path to the top of a Florida hill, and captured this photo of the sunset). And yes, they're serious. After eleven years, it may be bye-bye, Seminole County (which did such a great job educating the girls - why we all moved here in 2015). But now . . .

I should add that Lake County is very much "the country," as opposed to Orange and Seminole counties. The road from Sanford/Longwood to Sorrento is almost entirely framed by a State Preserve. Pine forest, oaks dripping Spanish moss, wildlife, etc. (Marked by miles of tall fence with barbed wire at the top. I saw on the TV news that a broad wildlife "pass" was built under the recently opened 429.) 

Just past the preserve, at least two upscale housing developments in country settings with a modest Publix shopping center nearby. That's it. There must be an actual "Main Street" somewhere. We did not see it.  (Sorrento is c. 9 miles east of Mt Dora.) I presume this "country" atmosphere is one of the reasons Susie has sold out the KB homes at her first location and is about to move to another KB site close by. My reaction? No wonder discerning home owners want to live there!

If you live in the greater Orlando area and are looking for a great Sunday afternoon drive, try the old Rte. 46 or the recently opened Superhighway, Rte. 429. (Both a beeline beginning just west of I-4 in Sanford.) (I hated the newly installed roundabouts on Rte. 46. We came home on the 429!) 

Addendum for Real Estate Lovers: 

On the way out of Sorrento Springs, we thought we'd check out the development directly across the street and hidden behind a wall of trees. We expected to be stopped by a gatehouse any moment. Except we drove straight in, our jaws dropping as we saw the size of the homes on huge lots, each with a canopy of towering Florida pines. Zillow revealed what we instantly recognized - all adults in the car were either realtors or ex-realtors. The cheapest recent sale:  over $900,000. We slowly drove around, up and down—necks craning, eyes popping—until I suggested if we kept that up someone might call the police thinking we were "casing" the place. So, we headed for home, our brains spinning with our peek into the whole new world of Sorrento FL, but a half-hour's drive from home.

~ * ~

 Book of the Week

 Author's Note: The Mists of Moorhead Manor is a Gothic novel in the tradition of Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, Phyllis Whitney, and Blair Bancroft's previous Regency-set Gothic, Brides of Falconfell.

Penelope Ruth Ballantyne has lived at the tail of the army all her life, experiencing the rigors of life in India, followed by five years of war in Portugal and Spain. Not surprisingly, now that she is orphaned, she accepts the most challenging position available, companion to an invalid who lives on the edge of Exmoor in northern Devonshire. After years of constant travel, Penny longs to settle under one roof, find a true home. Instead, she encounters hysteria, mysterious deaths, a nasty rival, and the constant fear of dismissal as she attracts the attention of more than one young gentleman in the household. Though the only one she truly sees is Robert, Lord Exmere, heir to Moorhead Manor. Together, they face a startling dilemma worthy of the judgment of Solomon.

~ * ~

 

 For a link to Blair's website & editing info, click here. 

For Archives, see the menu on the right. 

 For recent blogs, scroll down.

 

Heart-warming Tale (incredibly, from 9/11)

 

One of the best pics I've seen of the Vehicle Assembly Building. (I hear an even bigger one is under construction.) 

 

"Florida Storm" - Photo by Ed Saternus

 

 

 From the Reale Family's cruise to Cozumel . . .

 

Plus Riley's & Cassidy's boyfriends

 

On board - Cassidy's 20th birthday

~ * ~ 

I have been saving two stories posted not too long ago to Facebook, one a heart-warming tale from that awful day we recall as "9/11" (just as those my age recall the fatal date, "December 7th.") The second story is definitely political, so, this week, in keeping with our country's 250th anniversary, I am posting the heart-warming one. I have to admit I'm not sure I ever heard this story, but I am very pleased to share it here with my international audience. The Facebook poster was Frantz Jorgen Nielson.

Grace note: Despite looking perfectly normal in my copy, "Preview" shows a lot of sentences broken in the middle. Sorry about that. The words, however, remain the same. 

Marines - 9/11

I  BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THIS: AFTER FLIGHT 77 HIT THE PENTAGON ON 9/11, THE FOLLOWING HAPPENED.

A daycare facility inside the Pentagon had many children, including infants
who were in heavy cribs. The daycare supervisor, looking at all the
children they needed to evacuate, was in a panic over what they could do.
There were many children, mostly toddlers, as well as the infants who
would need to be taken out with the cribs. There was no time to try to
bundle them into carriers and strollers.

Just then a young Marine came running into the center and asked what they
needed. After hearing what the center director was trying to do, he ran
back out into the hallway and disappeared. The director thought, "Well,
here we are, on our own."
About 2 minutes later, that Marine returned with 40 other Marines in tow.
Each of them grabbed a crib with a child, and the rest started gathering up
toddlers.

The director and her staff then helped them take all the children out of
the center and down toward the park near the Potomac .
Once they got about 3/4 of a mile outside the building, the Marines stopped
in the park, and then did a fabulous thing - they formed a circle with the
cribs, which were quite sturdy and heavy, like the covered wagons in the
Old West.

Inside this circle of cribs, they put the toddlers, to keep them from
wandering off. Outside this circle were the 40 Marines, forming a perimeter
around the children and waiting for instructions. There they remained until
the parents could be notified and come get their children.

The chaplain then said, "I don't think any of us saw nor heard of this on
any of the news stories of the day. It was an incredible story of our men
there.” There wasn't a dry eye in the room.

The thought of those Marines and what they did and how fast they reacted;
could we expect any less from them? It was one of the most touching stories
from the Pentagon.

It's the military, not the politicians that ensures our right to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It's the military who salutes the
flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag.
If you care to offer the smallest token of recognition and appreciation for
the military, please pass this on and pray for our men and women, who have
served and are currently serving our country, and honor the memory of those 
who have given the ultimate sacrifice!                                                                                                                                                               
  God Bless The USA!
Never forget!!!

~ * ~

 An odd fact has finally filtered through my aging brain. Every month, year after year, one particular Regency Romance always crops up, usually among the very first listed on Amazon's "sold" list. Needless to say, I've frequently asked myself "Why?" The book:  Lady Silence. The only answer I've come with: it may be the irony of the title. Readers find the idea of a silent female intriguing. (Grin.) In any event, Lady Silence is Book of the Week.

 

A snowy night; a waif on the doorstep, who doesn't talk. After agreeing to grant her shelter, Damon Farr goes off to six years of war, returning determined to be a recluse, only to discover the girl is still there. And still not talking. Is "the girl the cat dragged in" destined to be Damon Farr's Sinful Temptation or his Salvation? The odd pair walk a rocky road before the answer becomes clear.

Reviews:

"Blair Bancroft can always be counted on to deliver exceptional characters and/or settings, historical accuracy, unusual plots, and flawless writing. LADY SILENCE is one more sterling example." Jane Bowers, Romance Reviews Today

"LADY SILENCE by Blair Bancroft is a splendid Regency romance! The creative intrigue and alluring characters make this novel a must have." Nadine St. Denis, Romance Junkies
 

 

 

Gallery - from Amazing to Just Plain Weird

 

This week's blog is devoted to amusement, both yours and mine. The first gallery pic is recent; the others, from my Pictures Archive, dating back, lo, these many years. To find these photos, I had a ball scrolling through umpteen years of family history, travels as far-ranging as Singapore and the Arctic Circle, book covers, masks from the Covid era, the handicrafts I've made, etc., etc., looking for the most amusing or outrageous examples of bad grammar, weird English, etc., etc. 

There were, of course, far too many for one blog, but I hope you enjoy this week's choices, as they will be up a couple of weeks as I plan to take next weekend off to celebrate my birthday. (At my age, I feel fortunate to be able to have yet another birthday!)  

GALLERY 

 

Interestingly, pic is from 2019

 

   

 

~ * ~

 No Book of the Week. I refer you to my website blairbancroft.com to discover the variety of books I've written over the years—Regency Romance, Regency Gothic, SciFi Fantasy, Contemporary Mysteries, plus one lone Steampunk and one lone Medieval. 

~ * ~

 

 For a link to Blair's website & editing info, click here. 

For Archives, see the menu on the right. 

 For recent blogs, scroll down.

 

More on Pronoun Abuse

 

Three Reales & Cousin Lionel rooting for Argentina at The Capital Room Bar. Why Argentina? Both Mike and Lionel were born there, brought here as babies. (They are always quick to point out their families emigrated through proper application & approval.)

Susie, Hailey, Lionel, Riley

 

 

Storm over Sanibel Island.  Photo by Jorge Perez

Cape Coral, FL.  Photo by Ed Saternus

  

Last but not least - our Cassidy, exiling herself to the staircase due to a strep throat -  watching her mother open birthday presents. (That's the top of my head at the dining room table below.)

 ~ * ~

 

MORE THOUGHTS ON PRONOUN ABUSE

 Since my blog on "Pronoun Abuse" proved to be so popular, I thought I should dredge up a few more words on the subject. And "dredge" is the apt word, as I find examples really hard to create! 

When I say that Pronoun Abuse is a product of the 21st century, I can safely state that I know what I'm talking about, for I remember well over half of the Twentieth Century, and we did not talk like that. (At least not in New England, Nebraska, or the West Coast of Florida where I spent my 20th c.) Nor will I attempt to speculate on how Pronouns began to be mangled since the turn of the 21st c. All I'm attempting to do is make people aware that it's happened and that I hope more than we "oldsters" find it abhorrent. This is a deviance from American English that needs to be rooted out before it changes our language forever.

In this follow-up post I want to show examples of how correct use often deviates from a simple substitution of  "she" for "her" or "he" for "him." The way we said the same idea in the 20th c. might be quite different from the phrase in Pronoun-abuse English. For example . . .

It's them.

There they are. They're here.

 

Him and Me

He and I.  Bill and I 

 

Ben and her

Ben and Betty

 

Them's the right words! (Both "them" & singular verb incorrect)

You got it! You said it! 

 

It's me.*

It's me.

 

*The exception to every rule. This expression has been around so long it's definitely here to stay, although I do recall, "It is I" being used as an intentional "hi-falutin'" joke.

 

Below, examples of the CORRECT use of "him," "her," and "them." As OBJECTS of the verb.

 

I like him.

 

He ran past her.

 

The careless driver hit them with his car. 

 

SUMMARY.

Yes, as seen in the gallery pic above, language usage changes, but Pronoun Abuse is such a huge deterioration of American English that I'd really like to see it nipped in the bub. Crying in the wilderness? Very likely. But please, pretty please, think about it and, hopefully, catch yourself before you say, "Me and him" or "I can ski better than her." (Groan.) Please . . . . . . 

 

~ * ~

 Books of the Week

Many books in my Regency Warrior series and in my Regency Gothic series feature heroes devoted to their country. I managed to pare the choices down to two for this weekend's celebration of our 250th Anniversary. Both feature soldiers who truly sacrificed for their country—one, a leg; the other, the noble life he was born into.  

 Major Courtland Randolph, after losing a leg at Waterloo, abandons the world of his birth for a hops farm in Kent. He is not pleased when his former commanding officer maneuvers him into returning to society as protector of a lady who once termed him, "The Abominable Major." Yet in the course of dealing with a dashing Russian countess, political unrest, his ex-fiancée, an importunate prince, a mysterious young man from the London slums, a high-born runaway, and a dramatic change in his private life, Court finally accepts that he is still a man. Man enough to love and be loved.

Author's Note: Each book in the Regency Warrior series is a stand-alone story, but The Abominable Major has so many cross-over characters from The Lady Takes a Risk that you might want to read Lady  first. There is also a spin-off series—the three novellas about the adventures of Matthew Wolfe (mysterious young man from the London slums). 

 

 When the uncle of a six-year-old marquess threatens to take him from his widowed mother, as well as urge her to marry his rakish son, Victoire, Marchioness of Brynthorpe, hires a war-weary band of ex-soldiers as bodyguards. The resulting clash reverberates from Wiltshire to London as Captain Fox, the Stone Soldier, turns out to be far more than his military rank implies.
Violent conflict, an unexpected and rocky romance, close-held secrets—all to the tune of comments and advice from five resident phantoms. Yet even when our hero and heroine see sunny skies at last, one more problem rears its ugly head. 

~ * ~

 

 For a link to Blair's website & editing info, click here. 

For Archives, see the menu on the right. 

 For recent blogs, scroll down.