Who remembers this song? Click to hear it.

Jessi Gage here. Hello romance readers!

I loved the "Hole in My Bucket" song as a kid. Now, as an adult, I am beginning to associate holey buckets with conflict, and not the romantic, page-turning kind.

After viewing a on building an AC-in-a-bucket, I decided to give the DIY project a try. Surely, just like the video suggested, the project would be quick, easy, and cheap.

Sounds like your typical DIY project, no? No.

You'd think I would have learned by now, what with the emergency pool-patch project and the fix-the-lawn-chair-with-a-jump-rope project. I guess I'm one of those people who never learns :).

For "The $20 5-Gallon Bucket Saga" Part I and Part II, click the links. Warning: frustration driven humor and cursing. There's also an update on my blog homepage right now that is nothing but cuteness. But here, I will simply say...

I DID IT! I'm queen of the WORLD! I totally ROCK!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen (are there any gentlemen here?), I have completed the AC-in-a-bucket project and am now sitting cool on my couch.

I began the project two weeks ago and just finished tonight thanks to the bucket liners coming by UPS yesterday. The project itself was not difficult or time consuming, but gathering all the necessary materials took a bit of doing.

The bucket liners were the sticking point. I could only order them online in a package of 3, and shipping was an arm and a leg. I felt like a cryptozoologist seeking footage of some weird monster (I've got cryptozoology on the brain after reading Mae Claire's Solstice Island, but that's completely beside the point).

Furthermore, the $20 budget does not include purchasing two hole-saw extensions for your drill, which ran me $18 a piece.

The point is, SHE IS FINALLY DONE!

Without further ado, here she is. I call her: Chilli Baby:



Whoopeeeee!

While you're psyching yourself up to make your own AC-in-a-bucket, pick up a copy of my latest release PASSIONATE KISSES BOXED SET for just $0.99.

It's a perfect way to while away the sticky summer days. There is something in this set of ten contemporary novels for every romance reader. And you can't beat this bargain.

Leave a comment below, and I'll enter you in a drawing to receive an advance copy of my August release, Jade's Spirit. I'd like to know if you're idea of a fun summer day is a DIY project or reading a book...or both!

Thanks for stopping by The Romance Troupe! Here's to romance, entertainment, and staying cool!