Feel Good Friday

Last Feel Good Friday of 2010...
Thank goodness...
1. Hey, it's the last Feel Good Friday of 2010...HA!
2. Hanging with the husband all day. Nice.
3. Good phone conversations.
4. Having today off.
5. Sleeping in.
6. Looking forward to a routine.
7. Looking forward to starting the zombie book.
8. Good dinners.
9. 2011 - Hey, and as it turns out 2011 is much easier to type than 2010. Maybe that's a sign. ?
10. Two more days until Monday rolls around, though I have to say...I really miss new Supernatural!!
And there you have it...I do have to say, I'm missing hanging out with the family and friends tonight.
Happy 2011 to you and yours. I hope this new decade is everything you want it to be and more...
Behave!

Dear 2010,

Heck yeah! You are so out of here and I could not be happier about that! You've been a huge pain in my butt and this time tomorrow I will be getting ready to kick you out the door and cheering. So there! Thanks for all of your problems, disappointments, and woe. You suck. Hardcore (in the words of K2). I will be glad to see you gone.
To be fair, though, I do have to seriously thank you for a few things.
My high school graduate. What a proud moment! My sweet granddaughter. She is so precious and she loves her Nanners as much as her Nanners loves her. (Yes, that's my name. *sigh* I resisted it. A lot. But it's stuck now and...whatever...it's fine.) The continued happiness of my family, despite the woes 2010 brought. Also, the love and support of my family. They always bring it, no matter what, especially B. My friends, because they rock - awesomely rock. And, the job you managed to squeeze in right under the wire. I'm only a week into it, but so far so good.
We're starting a new decade and I'm excited to see some changes.
So...
Goodbye 2010 and Hello 2011.
Let's do this thing...
Behave!

Answer!

Here we go with the answers!
1. My transmission finally crapped out in my 'burban. Not yet, but it's coming very very soon. Very soon.
2. The neighbor's dog chewed a hole in three of my trash cans. Nope.
3. I hit a cat right in front of my house. He didn't make it and I'm still crying over it. Also no.
4. The cat pooped in K4's bedroom after accidentally getting trapped inside. Yes. Talk about trauma and drama.
5. I went to leave Christmas Eve only to find I had a flat tire and my spare was also flat. Yes. Except I thought the transmission had gone out. Long story.
6. The Christmas tree was nothing more than some dried needles and sticks by Christmas day. True. And it's still up. I'm not sure when I'm going to have time to take it down. It is forbidden for the lights to be on because with our luck the danged thing would catch fire.
7. The dog ate the ninja/zombie gingerbread cookie mess before I could get a decent picture. Also true. And she ate the cookies Bob was given as a gift.
8. ...and then she puked into the furnace grate. No, but she knew she'd done very bad things and she kept her back to us all morning.
So there you go!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Okay...So which of these things actually happened over the past week:
1. My transmission finally crapped out in my 'burban.
2. The neighbor's dog chewed a hole in three of my trash cans.
3. I hit a cat right in front of my house. He didn't make it and I'm still crying over it.
4. The cat pooped in K4's bedroom after accidentally getting trapped inside.
5. I went to leave Christmas Eve only to find I had a flat tire and my spare was also flat.
6. The Christmas tree was nothing more than some dried needles and sticks by Christmas day.
7. The dog ate the ninja/zombie gingerbread cookie mess before I could get a decent picture.
8. ...and then she puked into the furnace grate.
I'm discombobulated so I'll stop now. True or False. There are some of each.
Behave!

Manic Monday...

I can't believe I missed posting yesterday. I'm trying to remember why I didn't...and I'm not coming up with much. I was waiting for the snow that didn't come. Fighting the toilet paper-milk-bread-and-eggs crowd at the grocery store. Doing laundry, raking leaves, goofing off...
Anyway...
Today was my first day at the new job. I'm feeling a little lost and completely brain overloaded. I'm going back tomorrow, if that's any indication. I'm giving myself a couple of weeks to adjust and then I'll start the zombie book. I'm not stupid enough to think I can manage everything right now when I haven't worked full time in too many years to count. So...I'll adjust and then get back into it.
I'll be using the 'schedule post' feature in blogger to help me transition. And doing my best to get myself even more organized...not that I'm delusional enough to believe that's all it's going to take to adjust.
I guess that's it for today...
Behave!

Feel Good Friday - The Christmas Edition...

It just occurred to me that yesterday was Friday and I totally missed Feel Good Friday...
So...Now Feel Good Friday includes Saturday and Christmas and here we go...
1. My baby girl and her birthday. Though I don't know how she can be 11 when I'm still the same age I was when I had her 21 year old brother.
2. A fun Christmas Eve with good friends and family. Yay for surprise visits and backporch rapping Christmas songs. Oh wait...what happens on the backporch stays on the backporch. Ha!
3. Breakfast for dinner for the birthday and chocolate cake.
4. The kids being happy with their Christmas booty. (until the Great Cat Poop incident of 2010 - more on that later)
5. Getting to see my granddaughter this morning and having her reach for me.
6. The complete and utter mess that is my house right now because it means everyone had a good day.
7. K2 having her bff over for the night and their laughter.
8. Dr. Who Christmas Special.
9. Snow in the forecast.
10. The job I start on Monday.
More tomorrow...where we'll discuss cat poop, my flat tire, and the potential for snow...
Behave!

Enjoy!

Here's to a Merry Christmas to you and yours!
May your home be warm, your coffee be hot and possibly spiked with some type of adult beverage.
May there be no rodents living in your tree and may the needles stay on.
May your troubles be few and your blessings be many.
May your holiday meal fill you to contentment.
May you be able to brush off the stress of daily life for at least this one day. May you be able to leave your troubles outside your door and concentrate on the people you love.
May no ghosts visit you this evening with the message that you need to change your life or carry chains forever.
May your heart and home be filled with laughter, love, joy, and peace.
Behave!

The Eve of The Eve...

.... Hopefully this isn't the Santa that comes to see you...
Behave!

Answer!

Answer the following:


1. In "Nuttin' for Christmas", what insect was the sugar bowl full of? Ants.

2. Peter Billingsley played Ralph in what Christmas Story? The Christmas Story.

3. In the movie Home Alone 2, what southern state did Kevin's family go to on vacation? Florida.

4. Who serenaded George and Mary on their wedding night in It's a Wonderful Life? Bert and Ernie.

5. How many times is the name Santa Claus used in "The Night Before Christmas"? None.
6. What did George Bailey's father die of: an accident or stroke? A stroke.

7. To Rudolph, what was Baby New Year's name? Happy.

8. What is Santa's favorite Christmas carol? He loves all of them.

9. In the movie, Babe, what gets stolen from Farmer Hoggett on Christmas Day? Sheep.

10. In It's A Wonderful Life, what was Clarence's profession before he died? A Clockmaker.

So there you have it. Holiday Spirit Meter is at 67.998%. It would be higher, but I just remembered a few things I forgot and I thought I was done running around!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

In the hopes of getting my Holiday Spirit Meter to rise a bit, we're doing Tall Tale Tuesday Christmas style. (No upward motion since yesterday, in fact, it's slipped a bit)
Here we go...
Answer the following:
1. In "Nuttin' for Christmas", what insect was the sugar bowl full of?
2. Peter Billingsley played Ralph in what Christmas Story?
3. In the movie Home Alone 2, what southern state did Kevin's family go to on vacation?
4. Who serenaded George and Mary on their wedding night in It's a Wonderful Life?
5. How many times is the name Santa Claus used in "The Night Before Christmas"?
6. What did George Bailey's father die of: an accident or stroke?
7. To Rudolph, what was Baby New Year's name?
8. What is Santa's favorite Christmas carol?
9. In the movie, Babe, what gets stolen from Farmer Hoggett on Christmas Day?
10. In It's A Wonderful Life, what was Clarence's profession before he died?
(All questions come from 'Tis the Season Trivia Game)
Okay...answer away.
Behave!

Holiday Spirit Meter

Is at 52.001% as of this moment.
This helps...
...... Behave!

Shopping Saturday

...... We'll be putting our tree up (finally) later today. K2 insisted we wait until she came home for Christmas break. Given my lack of holiday spirit, it wasn't hard to wait. And, yeah, the Holiday Spirit Meter has risen enough that I'm almost looking forward to getting the green thing up. (Holiday Spirit Meter is at 20.879% now)
I even did some shopping today. I didn't finish. In fact, this was my first foray into the retail world and I still need to consider K4's birthday gift. The store wasn't as bad as I expected...until I got to the checkout. I managed to find some cool things though. I even found a parking space near the front of the lot, which is also pretty amazing.
Plans for Christmas Eve and day are coming together and there will be egg nog drinking and A Charlie Brown Christmas playing in my home this evening. I guess that means I'm getting there.
I do expect the Holiday Spirit Meter to rise later on today.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

...... Here's the list:
1. K2 arriving home safe and sound.
2. The hope that my holiday happiness meter will rise over the weekend.
3. Random kindnesses from near strangers.
4. New vision plans. Yeah, it's weird to be excited over eyeglasses.
5. Pictures of my granddaughter seeing Santa for the first time ever.
6. Getting to hang out with the bff's.
7. Awesome holiday concerts featuring K4 and her solo.
8. Having coffee with my mother-in-law.
9. Snow!
10. This year ending soon.
So there you have it!




Behave!

Randomness....

*Last night the dishwasher was making a weird rattle, so B stuck a spatula under the door to make it stop. When I came downstairs this morning, there were four spatula's stuck under the door. The dishwasher was finished before we went to bed, so...
*There was a note on the couch when I got up this morning (by the same person most likely responsible for the spatual breeding). It said: You can only wake me up one time today. If you wake me up more than once you will die.
*Out of all the cars on my street, mine was the only one with heavy frost and snow on it this morning. I was parked after the others and it wasn't snowing anymore when I parked. Weirdness...
*Four-way stops make me crazy. It is amazing how many people don't pay attention or don't even stop at all. This week I've had three near accidents. All of them were at a four-way stop.
Here's a little holiday humor for you...This could very well be my house...
....

Behave!

Christmas Lists...

So, yeah, I'm trying to get organized for this Christmas thing that's going down next week. My holiday spirit meter is at 0.003.56% now. That's something. I guess. Right?
I still haven't shopped, but I have collected lists from 3 of the K's. They know it's a tight year, so they were very easy on me with their wants - for the most part.
But I also got things like this:
K2 wants a pony. Her reasoning is that she never asked for one when she was little. And she promises to wash him and feed him and pick up his poop. She also wants Wellies.
K3's list has about sixty video games on it. His system is older, so the games are cheaper, but sixty? He also made me a sensible column with things like socks and undies and an xbox 360. ?
K4 would like Elvis, the Beatles, and a dolphin. In her serious column, she asked for a hermit crab, but not one purchased from a hobo. (Exact words: don't get it from a hobo)
It makes me shake my head. And laugh. And feel a little bit better about that Christmas thing that's going down next week. It's the reason my spirit meter climbed a little. Now if I could only get it all done in time.
On a side note: B has to take cookies to work tomorrow for their Holiday lunch. Of course we had none made, so we're still working on it tonight, but we found the absolute best Oatmeal Raisin recipe on Pioneer Woman's website. I hate raisins and I love these cookies. They're fantastic and I will be making them again very soon.
That is all.
Behave!

Year in Review...

A little early, but in my mind 2010 is officially over...
January: Lots of random stuff, beach retreat with the bff's. Snow. Blogger awards. Motivated and hopeful for the coming year.
February: More snow. Another blog award. B's parents being hospitalized. Random.
March: Ugly spider pictures, the passing of B's dad, family gatherings, kid tattoo's, another blog award, school projects. Roadtripping to see Jason Mann's.
April: The grandmother announcement, retreat shopping, booksigning, the beginning of the stink bug invasion, doctor visits for K3's nosebleeds. Random.
May: Retreat! Camping. Birthdays. Gnomes.
June: Graduation. Knee surgery. K5's birth. Epic bridal shower and birthday party. Summer Survival. Heat exhaustion. Graduation party. Surprise birthday party for my sis. Street Fairs. Baby showers.
July: Camping. My sister's spider bite. New baby cuddles. Ambulance calling. Gnomes. Movie week. Jason Manns roadtrip. Summer Survival. Trying to stay positive.
August: Summer Survival. The end of my job. The end of summer vacation. Off to college. Lots of random. Booksignings. Summer recap.
September: Camping. Stink bugs. Birthday season. New games. Summer Survival. Random nonsense.
October: Stink bug violation. Surprise kid visits. Awesome weddings. Family visits. Busted stuff. Ghost stories. Halloween. Birthdays.
November: More busted stuff. More random. Birthdays. The death of my very dear friend. Complaining about 2010. More stink bugs. Thanksgiving. Hanging with friends. Lack of focus. Gnomes. Birthday partying.
December: Hating on 2010. The flu. Random videos. No holiday spirit. Brain vacations. What if.

And that's it. Of course there's an obscene amount of random silly nonsense throughout, and Supernatural posts, too. No, I didn't post about every craptastic event that happened around here this year, but trust me when I say good riddance to 2010! And of course, I will update accordingly if anything significant happens in these last two weeks.

Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday Fail

I got nothing, so I'll leave you with this:
..... Enjoy!...and...
Behave!

Manic Monday

The house is a wreck and needs cleaned before I can even think about decorating.
I don't have a single thing purchased for Christmas.
This week is crazy and there will be no shopping time either.
I feel like this:
x Even Santa is upset. Yes, this is what I feel like. Only I'm not in a holiday dress. I am in my sweatpants and I haven't combed my hair. The holiday happiness meter is in the negative right now, despite showing an upward climb even yesterday.
Behave!

I Would Cry...

...... I don't know why this kid isn't...
Behave!

Dear Supernatural People,

First off, I am crying that we have to wait until the end of January for a new episode. That stinks big time!
This episode was awesome! Way to keep me on the edge of my seat for the entire time. I loved the whole thing.
I'm so glad Sam's soul is back, because really, there was no where else to go after this episode. What was he supposed to do, hug Bobby and apologize for wanting to kill him? That was never going to go away and it was never going to be okay. Sam would have eventually killed him to ensure his soul wasn't returned. And then there's the irreparably broken relationship with Dean. You can't fix that. No matter what. Sam without a soul was a monster and was becoming more of one every episode. I will admit that I loved his hardness and his persona, but I'm ready to have emo Sam back.
I loved the characterization of Death. I loved that Dean talked to him with his sarcasm, despite Death's ability to kill him on the spot. I loved that Death wanted Dean to learn how they screw with the order of things. And I loved that despite how much Dean wanted Sam's soul back, he did the right thing in saving the husband of the dead nurse.
So, Thank You, Supernatural People, for another great episode.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Well...there's got to be some good in this week...
1. K2's silliness. Her Christmas list is a hoot and includes a pony and coffee.
2. The snow!
3. Having warmth in my house.
4. The washer and dryer working.
5. Middle school chorus and band concerts.
6. Blankets.
7. Sleep - though I'm not sure sleeping in is on the agenda this weekend.
That's it for now. I will tell you I'm about tired of the constant flow of bad news and crappy developments though. 'Tis the season, I guess. *sigh*
Behave!

What If...

I'm doing research on my next book and my head is filled with "What If's" today. The book is going to be about zombies, but that's all I know right now. I had to take a break from my research because it's creeping me out a little. I need to filter the information I've already learned and figure out how to put my own twist on zombie lore. So I'm thinking...
And since my brain is in that mode, I will share them with you...
Things to ponder...
1. What if you were given a significant amount of money? Money that would solve all of your financial problems and ensure you would live a comfortable, easy life. But what if that gift came with stipulations that meant pain for your family and friends? Pain they would never know was a result of your gain. Would you still take the money even though your friends would never know their problems were related to your good fortune? Could you live with yourself?
2. What if you woke up one morning and were the only person around? Anywhere? Everyone is just gone. What would you do? Would you cry? Jump up and down with glee over the freedom?
3. What if there was a disaster in your hometown and your home was the only safe place left? What if you only had enough provisions for your family, but now people are knocking on your door seeking shelter and food? Would you let them in or turn them away? What if you knew that by helping them, everyone was sure to die? And then, what if you made the decision to not help and have to watch your neighbors and friends die from your safe windows?
4. What if you had to make a choice between saving your children or your parents? Your children or your spouse? What if you knew you could help so many more people if you didn't save your family? What would you do?
5. What if you knew exactly when the people around you would die? Would you tell them? Talk them out of the decisions that could lead to their death? Would you want anyone to know you knew?
6. What if you found out something huge that would have global impact on the world? I don't know how you found out, by accident for sure, maybe your toddler hit some weird kids on the computer and you ended up with a document that spelled out some sinister plan. What would you do? Who would believe you? And could you be silenced either by threat or pay off?
So there you have it. No, I don't expect you to answer the questions. I'm not sure anyone could answer them without facing the situations. These are the kind of questions that get my brain in gear for writing, even if they don't directly relate to the story I'm thinking about.
And I think I've overcome my momentary blank spot...
Feel Good Friday soon...after I get some of this stuff in my head written down.
Behave!

Thursday Nonsense

Dear Mother Nature,
Thank you for the snow this morning. It was a little, but I liked it. Please send much more!

Dear Neighbors,
Please. Stop. The. Blessed. Honking. You are driving me insane, especially at 2am. Ridiculous.

Dear Christmas,
I am still not ready for you. My holiday happiness meter remains at .001%. Sometimes it goes up a little, but it always plummets. I would like some holiday happiness though.

Dear 2010,
I am done with you now. Go away.

Dear Work in Progress,
Oh how you frustrate me. I don't know whether to let you rest or soldier on. Do you even want to be finished? I still love your concept and your characters, but you are not coming together the way you should. Is it because I have no focus, or do I lack focus because of you? Would beginning something else put you in the right perspective for me? Or would I sabotage myself by doing so?

Dear Pantry and Refrigerator,
Why are you always empty? I fill you constantly, but you never stay that way. Why are you so hellbent on emptying my wallet and draining my sanity? I cannot keep up with demand.

Dear Children,
Please see above. You eat like soon to be hibernating bears with tapeworms. No, there is no food in the pantry because you ate it all and I have not had time to go to the store again. I just went. Really.

That is all.
Behave!

Answers!

1. My brother-in-law sprayed no stick spray into his mouth just to see what it would taste like. (maybe waffles?) True. And it didn't taste like waffles.
2. Our hot water heater choked while doing dishes after the Thanksgiving meal. It was a quick fix, but seriously? Nope. Though that did happen during our very first Thanksgiving. It wasn't an easy fix.
3. The new/old washer had a leak. We discovered this after it dumped gallons of soapy water onto the basement floor. Partially true. It had/has a leak, but it only leaks teaspoons, not gallons.
4. Minutes after having a discussion about how terminal my 'burban is, the exhaust completely fell of B's car. True. We laughed, because what else could we do?
5. In a twenty-four hour period, K4 lost two teeth. Also true.
6. At one point over the holiday, we had seven dogs inside our house. I felt like "A Christmas Story" come to life. Nah. It was only three, but they were big dogs.
7. Someone stole a bin of deer meat off our backporch. One of the guy's at B's work gave it to him and we stored it outside in the sub-zero temps until we could get it divided up into freezer bags. When I went out this morning, it was gone. Nah. It was gone, but B had put the meat in the fridge.
8. I found a pie pan and fork in the bathroom. Hidden in the laundry hamper. Partially true. I found a paper plate and fork, but they weren't hidden. Someone was eating pie in the bathroom.
9. The last two mornings, I have found very small stink bugs in my bedroom...watching me... True. Creepy little buggers...
10. I made an appointment with the cable guy while I was sick and had no memory of it. True. He wanted me to change to the old company (that I hated). I told him to come back just to get rid of him because I wasn't coherent enough to remember how bad they sucked. I didn't remember until about fifteen minutes before he was supposed to show. He never came.
So there you have it.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

A random list of truths and lies from the past few weeks. Which are lies? There are several.
1. My brother-in-law sprayed no stick spray into his mouth just to see what it would taste like. (maybe waffles?)
2. Our hot water heater choked while doing dishes after the Thanksgiving meal. It was a quick fix, but seriously?
3. The new/old washer had a leak. We discovered this after it dumped gallons of soapy water onto the basement floor.
4. Minutes after having a discussion about how terminal my 'burban is, the exhaust completely fell of B's car.
5. In a twenty-four hour period, K4 lost two teeth.
6. At one point over the holiday, we had seven dogs inside our house. I felt like "A Christmas Story" come to life.
7. Someone stole a bin of deer meat off our backporch. One of the guy's at B's work gave it to him and we stored it outside in the sub-zero temps until we could get it divided up into freezer bags. When I went out this morning, it was gone.
8. I found a pie pan and fork in the bathroom. Hidden in the laundry hamper.
9. The last two mornings, I have found very small stink bugs in my bedroom...watching me...
10. I made an appointment with the cable guy while I was sick and had no memory of it.
Okay. So which are true and which are false?
Behave!

Random Sunday

It's been a long weekend around here.
*Friday I said goodbye to my dear friend. The services were long and packed and it was about as horrible as you can get. I will miss her forever.
*Saturday was the holiday party for my writing group. That was a blast. Laughing, talking, and eating. Though, the eating part is kind of lost on me right now since I can't taste or smell yet.
*I came home from that to find my new/old dryer hooked up. Yay! The furnace finally with fire. Also Yay! And the house nearly clean. Also Yay!
*Dinner with very good friends Saturday night. We had a blast and it was so good just to sit and talk with them. The kids also had a blast, though they deconstructed the kitchen. And again with the smell/taste thing, but hey, it keeps me from overeating.
*The flu has struck again. Now K3 has it. Fever, aches...he's a mess.
*It's cold out! Holy chilling wind, Batman! I'm very glad I finished my running for today.
*Homemade chicken rice soup for dinner. And warm crusty french bread. Like I can taste it, but occasionally I get a little whiff of smell and I like it.
The laundry's nearly caught up. The house is warm. And even though it's kind of been a rough weekend, it's been kind of good, too.
And I'll take it.
Behave!

Funny Stuff...

..... More later!
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Well, it definitely hasn't been a great week around here. But maybe I can find some good...
1. My kids being understanding when I was too weak to drive them to school.
2. A new/old dryer in the very near future so I don't have to dry socks over the furnace anymore.
3. Only letting a few things slip through the cracks this week.
4. Tissues with lotion.
5. B taking care of me and not even being too mad when I accidentally sneezed on him right after he got out of the shower.
6. Tomorrow's shindig with my writing buddies.
7. Feeling better though my head is still full of snot.
And...umm...I think that's about it for now....
The holiday spirit meter is still at a big fat zero. I'll let you know if that changes.
That is all...
Behave!

The Flu...

I have it and I'm not happy about it.
I'm out of tissues. I hate the way the medicine makes me feel. I'm tired of snot and aches. I'm digusted that I've lost two (going on three) days to these stupid germs.
I must go lay on the couch and moan now...
Behave!

More Dear,

Dear Dryer,
You suck. Taking 12 hours to dry one load of clothes is unacceptable. So is the holes and grease you left on white shirts and underwear. I am going to stuff you with dynamite and send you to your final resting place.

Dear Cold Germs,
You also suck. Half of the household is infected with you. Where did we pick you up and when are you leaving? I do not like the way you make me feel.

Dear Calendar,
Why do you have to move so fast and be so full? How am I supposed to keep up? Today is the last day of November. I'm thrilled that this means 2010 is nearly over, but give me a few seconds to catch my breath at least.

Dear Mother Nature,
I know I'm a rarity, but can you please turn the rain into snow? Snow would go perfectly with me laying on the couch and moaning today. Snow would be awesome. Please?

Dear To Do List,
Please read the note to Calendar. This applies to you as well.

Dear Holiday Season,
I am not ready for you. I do not want you yet. Please excuse me for being a Scrooge this year. Or don't, because I'm not making any excuses for my attitude. It is what it is. Decorating? Psssh. Whatever. I do not care at this very moment.

That is all for now.
Behave!

Dear 2010,

You suck.
You have four weeks left to do something besides bring grief and woe. Four weeks. I'm giving you one final chance, though in my heart I know you are already over. You didn't even really try to be good this year, did you?
I had such high hopes for you and besides a few good things, you have not delivered. Sure, I got a high school graduate and a beautiful granddaughter, but you also brought death and injury and job losses and difficulties galore.
You suck.
I should write you off now, but I'm willing to give you your final month to straighten up and make all of the crap worthwhile. Four weeks. Do you hear me, 2010? Consider yourself warned. Because if you don't turn yourself around, you will go on record as being the worst year ever.
Please!

Dear 2011,
Take notice. I'm not putting up with any crap next year. You either start off right or I will cancel you! No lie.

That is all.
Behave!

Random Saturday...

*Today is K2's 19th birthday. I don't understand how she can be older and I still feel the same age I did when I had her. Happy Birthday, baby girl!
*My dryer is done in. It makes a terrible noise and is putting holes in all of the clothes. Plus, it shuts itself off after only a few minutes. We are out of towels, socks, and dishrags. Sigh.
*It's cold today! I spent my day tossing Christmas trees with the Boy Scouts. I'm sore, but it's done. Unbelievably, the entire time we've been in scouting (15 years) I have never been there for tree sale set up. Now I know why.
*While tossing trees, I dropped one to the ground only to have a mouse in my face. He was cute, but he surprised me so I screamed a little.
*I usually don't get poison. A lot of the trees were covered in poison and I moved them. I'm taking bets on if I will get it this time.
I think that's enough. We're not having a party for K2, but we are having game night and I'm about to have a house full again. Like any minute now...
Behave!

Feel Good Friday...

Here's the list:
1. Having family and friends around.
2. The support of my husband.
3. All of my chicks being in the nest.
4. A warm fire.
5. Abundant food for our Thanksgiving feast.
6. My granddaughter's smile.
7. K2's birthday, even though it makes me feel old.
8. The kids laughing together.
9. Sleeping in this morning.
10. Weekend plans.
Going to stop there.
Enjoy your weekend.
Behave!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you had a wonderful day, even if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving!!
We had a crazy, hectic, chaotic past two days and I have loved every minute of it. Tons of food, music, tons of laughter, and hanging with people I love to be with.
I hope you've had a chance to remember what you're thankful for today.
More later...maybe I'll even tell you about the traumatic teeth and the no stick spray....
Behave!

Ready!

Cleaning: Check
Pies made: Check
Turkey thawed: not check
But I'm ready. The cleaning took a little longer than I expected, but the minions were fantastic and so very helpful today. Now I'm waiting for the turkey to thaw. Candles are lit. I have a lovely drink in my  hand. Dinner is almost done and I'm definitely ready for a relaxing evening.
I hope your tomorrow is wonderful and that you remember everything you're thankful for.
I might be around later...
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday Fail!

No Tall Tale this week!
Maybe because I'm lame. Maybe because I have nothing. Maybe because I've spent my day running around like a freak...not cleaning for Thursday...not cooking for Thursday...(okay, so it's a little too early to cook, but you get the point) I did spent most of my day volunteering at the middle school for County Chorus day. That was pretty awesome. A long day for K3 - at school before 8 and not home until nearly 9 - singing all day. He's exhausted, but wound up after a fantastic show.
But tomorrow is sleeping in for a little, cleaning, and then cooking. Sleeping in! How awesome is that? And minions to do my bidding! I have a plan and a list and my list isn't terrible, but there are some crappy things on there (like cleaning the crapper and cleaning the cat's crapper). Oh and I have to write at least 50 words to stay in my writing group challenge, so that's on the list, too.
And I will be ready for Thursday.
I swear!
Behave!

Stink Bug Surge

In preparing for the holiday, I spent some time helping K4 clean her hideously disgusting bedroom so she and her cousin have a place to escape the crowd and hang out. Maybe not a good use of the little bit of availablecleaning time I have, but necessary. Two bags of clothes for charity, a big garbage bag of trash, and many many stink bugs. It really wasn't that bad, but her room is small so it looked worse than it was. I have learned not to freak out about the dozens of qtips, tons of paper, and other things that are really garbage. It seems to be the way it is, especially with my girls. Junior hoarders...or something. I don't know, but it is a passing phase.
But the stink bugs...
Her window covering had fallen and as I reached for the edge, it flipped...revealing probably thirty stink bugs. This is after finding at least ten of the little suckers just hanging out on the front. I was disgusted. I took the whole thing down and threw it in the yard. The stink bugs were everywhere. Everywhere. I'd move something and smell the stink. I guess we stirred them up, because the next thing we knew, they were on the walls. Disturbing and disgusting. B thinks they're coming in around the air conditioner that needs to come out. I duct taped the edges for now - until we can get it out, so they better not find another way in.
Anyway. It was gross and disturbing and horrible. Her room is very clean now and I am monumentally relieved the chore is done.
But she couldn't sleep last night. She said she felt like they were crawling on her. I don't blame her. That's all I could think about when I went to bed.
*shiver*
Behave!

Passings...

My friend lost her battle with cancer over the weekend. She died at home, in her husband's arms. Her suffering is no more and I am glad for that, but she left an enormous hole behind.
I don't think you can ever fill those holes again. Maybe you just get used to them, so they don't hurt as bad, but they're always there - the place where a piece of your heart was.
It seems so wrong that she should have to go away and I'm not sure I'll ever understand. I will miss her more than I can ever say.
Behave...

Feel Good Friday

Well, here's the list:
1. Making good progress on the wip, despite it being a mostly crappy week.
2. Finding nearly all of the missing towels.
3. Belonging to a volunteer organization that is full of some of the best people I know and those people uniting to do something significant for someone in need.
4. Knowing I have more to be thankful for than many. I know it's early for Thanksgiving stuff, but it's relevant.
5. Being almost done with this pie sale for Scouts. 227 pies will be in my house on Monday and hopefully all be gone by Monday night. As in picked up gone, not eaten gone.
6. K2 coming home soon!
7. Gingerbread candles.
8. Good coffee.
9. New Supernatural tonight.
10. Being able to say the things I needed to say to my dying friend and knowing she heard them. I may never understand why she has to leave and I will miss her terribly. I don't want to say goodbye...
And there it is. An odd, good, and sad listing of this week.
Behave!

Thursday Funny...

Because I don't have anything else...
..... Uh oh! I think he recognized me!
Behave!

Answers!

1. My niece is a full on vegan. Except she'll eat turkey. Just turkey, but not if you've used butter to baste it. How weird is that? Nah! She is a full on vegan. And there is no way you could get her to eat any kind of animal product.


2. One year, a very long time ago, I had to deal with someone hosting Thanksgiving that was so controlling she even described what color dish the food had to be brought in. And what kind of vegetables and butter had to be used. Nope. Never happened. Though I've heard about this kind of thing.

3. We might use sturdy paper plates for Thanksgiving this year. True and why not? With the amount of people coming we'd have to eat in shifts to have regular plates or I'd have to borrow some and that just seems like too much.

4. When I still lived with my parents, I made Thanksgiving dinner one year because my mom was working. I was probably sixteen or seventeen. She had this fancy way of making the stuffing and I intended on duplicating it. Except I wasn't quite sure how she did it, so I improvised. It could have been a disaster...Also true. I used Cream of Wheat instead of corn meal. It turned out okay, but we still talk about it.

5. I'd put together this centerpiece of leaves and nuts and gourds at the last minute. It was in a basket, lined with a fall-colored cloth. I was very proud of it. Except when we sat down to eat, the basket was covered with bugs. Maybe because it was super cold outside and the heat of the house reanimated them or something. Getting the basket off the table with the food and out the back door was interesting. The bugs kept jumping out of the basket and landing in dishes. No. I'm not sure what kind of bugs they were. I just hope I never see them again. Nope. Even if I was that crafty...

6. One year they were having a Thanksgiving feast at K1's school. I think he was in 3rd or 4th grade and we'd been having some issues with him saying he was sick when he actually wasn't. He got up that morning, said he was sick, but, of course, I didn't believe him. I sent him to school and then a few hours later, got a call to pick him up. He'd puked in the middle of the Thanksgiving feast. True. I earned the bad mom award that day, even though the school nurse said she would have done the same thing.
 
So there you have it. I'm getting a little more organized for my hosting duties. I think things just might come together. I'm also considering just leaving the leaves the dog brought in on my living room floor. They're kind of festive.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Thanksgiving style...
Which are the lies? (There are several)
1. My niece is a full on vegan. Except she'll eat turkey. Just turkey, but not if you've used butter to baste it. How weird is that?
2. One year, a very long time ago, I had to deal with someone hosting Thanksgiving that was so controlling she even described what color dish the food had to be brought in. And what kind of vegetables and butter had to be used.
3. We might use sturdy paper plates for Thanksgiving this year.
4. When I still lived with my parents, I made Thanksgiving dinner one year because my mom was working. I was probably sixteen or seventeen. She had this fancy way of making the stuffing and I intended on duplicating it. Except I wasn't quite sure how she did it, so I improvised. It could have been a disaster...
5. I'd put together this centerpiece of leaves and nuts and gourds at the last minute. It was in a basket, lined with a fall-colored cloth. I was very proud of it. Except when we sat down to eat, the basket was covered with bugs. Maybe because it was super cold outside and the heat of the house reanimated them or something. Getting the basket off the table with the food and out the back door was interesting. The bugs kept jumping out of the basket and landing in dishes. No. I'm not sure what kind of bugs they were. I just hope I never see them again.
6. One year they were having a Thanksgiving feast at K1's school. I think he was in 3rd or 4th grade and we'd been having some issues with him saying he was sick when he actually wasn't. He got up that morning, said he was sick, but, of course, I didn't believe him. I sent him to school and then a few hours later, got a call to pick him up. He'd puked in the middle of the Thanksgiving feast...
That's enough for today. Which are the lies?
Behave!!

Monday...

I got some bad news yesterday.
One of my oldest friends is dying.
Just a few weeks ago her doctors were confident they could beat the cancer that started in her breast, even though they'd discovered a spot in her brain. Last week she found out it's moved into her bones and liver. There is no hope now.
She probably won't make it through the week.
I met her when we both worked at a local grocery store while in high school. She was a lot of fun and had this way about her that made you want to follow her, despite knowing you were probably going to get in trouble. We remained friends through the years, even after she gave me the absolute worst perm of my life. (I looked like Annie, I kid you not.) She was the kind of friend that it didn't matter if we hadn't seen each other for a day or two years, everything was the same. We could pick up the threads of our friendship with ease.
And then life happened. Her kids were involved with sports, so were mine, and they played for different teams. She started working, then I did. And we drifted apart. Instead of talking to her nearly every day, we went years without more than a Christmas card or an update passed through a mutual friend. It shouldn't have happened, but it did.
And now she'll be leaving.
B and I went to see her yesterday. It was hard. Really hard.
So, let me just say this:
If you have someone like that in your life, get in touch with them. Now. Don't wait until they're sick and dying. Don't wait until so long has passed that you have to be nervous about visiting. Let them know you still think about them. Make the time.
You won't be sorry.
I'm going to miss my friend.
Behave

Random Thoughts Upon Waking...

Thanks to the dog, for the second morning in a row, I've gotten up far earlier than intended.
See...the family was all away this weekend, except for one adult child. I've been blessedly alone for 99.99% of the weekend. Blessedly. Don't get me wrong, I miss them and I'm more than ready for them all to come home and return my life to a state of chaos, but this little break has been kind of nice. I think we all needed it. I found my mojo and ended up having an awesomely fabulous writing day yesterday. Like really awesome retreat-type word count. And it's not nonsense!
Anyway, back to the random thoughts.
*I do not want my clothing to smell like fruit. Why would I buy detergent to make them smell like fruit?
*The sun comes in my window at a very odd angle and gets right in my eye.
*I heard a stink bug fly around.
*Why spam? Why?
*Coffee is the nectar of the Gods.
*How the hell is there a fly in my house? And why is it divebombing my head?
*The living room floor has nearly as many leaves on it as the patio. They weren't there last night. I swear.
*Cooking shows should not be shown late at night. Or I should not watch them late at night. I had dreams of roasted garlic and chocolate cake and cheesecake and I woke up very hungry and wondering if I had enough garlic to roast.
*I have to rake leaves today. I am sure you will hear about that tomorrow - mainly me moaning about sore muscles and blisters. ha!
Okay. That's enough for now. The family is returning soon and I need to get a few more words written before this house explodes.
Behave!

Saturday Soapbox

I've been having a lot of trouble focusing lately.
A lot of trouble.
My writing friends know this and I'm sure they're sick to death of me whining about it. But, they also understand. Though they're willing to get the boots out and kick me in the butt to get me moving. And they do.
But the things is no one can make me stay on the page. No one can make me unlock my brain and get the words out. I have to do that. Somehow.
It's not that I'm not making progress. I am. But it's little compared to what I should be putting out, where I should be with the projects I'm working on. And knowing that doesn't help. It spins the tumblers on those locks and makes it even more difficult to get in. It's not writer's block. Not at all. Some of it has to do with editing because that tends to make your eyes bleed and often has you questioning if you can even put together a coherent sentence. Sometimes I stare at the page and every single word looks the same.
Still...I don't despise editing. Editing means the project is one step closer to being done, no matter how many more passes it needs before it's shipped off to the critique partners.
So what do I do?
Well, for one, I started something new. A brain cleaner, if you will. It's completely different than the story I'm editing. And it's in first person - something I never write and I'm not sure I even like my first person voice. But, it's done the job. I am feeling more focused and more in control.
And that's what I needed.
It all boils down to this: At the end of the day, the only person I have to answer to is myself. If I have a sucky word count or none at all, I'm only sabotaging myself. Maybe I needed to fully realize that to break through the lack of focus, despite how many times I gave that exact thing lip service.
So there you have it.
Do it. Or don't. The only one you're disappointing is yourself.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

It's late and here's the list:
1. Peace and quiet.
2. No cooking.
3. New Supernatural! Whoot!
4. Making progress.
5. Did I mention the peace and quiet?
6. The Thanksgiving countdown!
7. Sleeping in tomorrow!
8. A relaxing weekend. I hope.
9. Good parent-teacher conferences. One more to go.
10. Being on time nearly every day this week.
It's a short list. And a weird one. But it is late and I'm beyond exhausted.
Lots of writing on the agenda for the weekend.
Behave!

Old Home Week

I recently discovered that I can search all of the photos I've put up on my blog since it's inception. Very cool. It brings back a lot of memories, though, for the life of me, I can't remember why I posted this picture.
I *think* it might have been from our winter cabin trip with my sister and brother-in-law, but I'm not sure.

Then there's this...
The gnomes during happier times.
I think I must have done something wrong. Gnomes are supposed to be good luck, not harbingers of sin. The booze and loose women have to stop. I've tried rehab, but that's not going to work unless they believe they have a problem. And they don't.
I'm not sure what it's going to take for them to wake up and smell the coffee. Until they do, I have no choice but to wait. I love them and want them to be happy and healthy, but I can't force them. Sad, sad gnomes...

And then I found this...
My favorite beach.
Now I'm sad.
I miss this beach very much. I have no idea when we're going to get to go back. Probably not in 2011, despite my original hopes. My old 'burban is having some serious health issues and won't survive the drive. Which means an expensive transmission repair or a total vehicle replacement. Either way we're out.

I think I'm done looking at old blog pictures for today. I'm also done with 2010. I had such high hopes for this year and it has really been one thing after another around the old homestead. Some of it good, but most of it not so much. We'll get into that another time though. Maybe.

And who knows? I might post more old pictures soon. ha!
Behave!

Answer!

Okay. Here's the answer:

1. A stuffed animal left out in the rain. Nope. I think we did that one already??
2. A ground hog - dead - at camp. Yes. My sister's dog killed it like this Rambo dog all gung ho and vicious-like. Which is odd, because my sister's dog is the sweetest dog in the world. But I guess she felt we were all being threatened. The girls were saddened by the little guy's death and carried it off into the woods on a shovel to bury it all proper like. The white stuff is flowers they picked. I'm uncertain if there was a eulogy involved. I do not know why they felt it necessary to take pictures. All of this happened before we could even set up camp.
3. Roadkill. Also no.
So there you have it. Oh and the library worked out better, but I did end up with someone sitting practically on top of me at my table, and then staring at me for nearly the entire time she was there. At least I felt comfortable enough to use the facilities. I guess that's something. I will try it again for sure.
Behave!

Ten Reasons...

I'm currently in a coffee shop, trying to get some writing done before an appointment.
This isn't working for me, and here's why:
1. There are people on all sides of me. In particular, a table of women who can't seem to keep their eyes off my computer screen.
2. I have to use the facilities and would prefer not to walk away from my belongings in such a busy place.
3. My cup of coffee cost $4.
4. This chair makes my back hurt.
5. The table leans to the left and I keep tilting my head to make things straight.
6. My coffee is gone.
7. The news is on and it's a little loud and keeps capturing my attention.
8. I only seem to get a sentence or two edited before another group of people walk in and bring the cold air with them. (plus, you know, I've got people looking over my shoulder.)
9. I forgot to bring my iPod and headphones in with me. See #2.
10. I find myself doing more people watching than focusing on what I have to do.
On the other hand, people watching is a good thing. The snippets of conversation around me, the news I never ever watch, hearing the staff discuss where things are. It is somewhat comforting here. I like hearing the machines run behind me and the pleasant way they treat customers. And today is the first time I've ever tried this, so since it's new I may not be as productive as I will be in the future. We'll see...
Tall Tale Tuesday answers later today! There's still time to guess.
Behave!
*Edited: Things went bad shortly after I wrote this post. There was a man behind me constantly clearing his throat. The women beside me became even more entranced with watching me and the subtle coffee machine sound was replaced with the mutilation of ice cubes being transformed into smoothies. Too loud. Couldn't take it anymore. So I left. My appointment is finished and now I am at the library in the blessed (nearly) quiet, with my headphones and nearly the entire mezzanine to myself - at least this side of it. I'm still having trouble focusing, but I'm hoping it's a transitory thing. We shall see....(continue to behave!)

Tall Tale Tuesday

Tell me about this picture:

1. A stuffed animal left out in the rain.
2. A ground hog - dead - at camp.
3. Roadkill.
Which is it?
Answers tomorrow...
Behave!

Creepy Picture Monday

I'm in no way ready to even think about Christmas.
This picture helps to put it in the back of my mind...
.... That's not me by the way...but I think I used to know that Santa.
Behave!

Dancing...

....... This is pretty awesome.
Makes me wish I had even a little bit of rhythm.
Behave!

Dear Supernatural People,

Loved it!
My "real" post will have to wait until I've watched it again. There was general chaos here and I missed a lot. But I did love it and I love how Dean now appears to have to be Sam's conscience.
Hopefully it'll be up at the CW tomorrow.
Until then...
Behave!

Post Birthday Party Saturday

A list:
1. While at a birthday party with tons of food, don't hang around in the kitchen. You are sure to consume far more food than you should, resulting in gastric distress.
2. Little kids can occupy themselves for a very long time with a cooler full of ice and a pair of boots.
3. Cover your ears when my family sings Happy Birthday. It's bad. On purpose.
4. Just when I thought my sister's house couldn't hold another person, more people showed up.
5. It was too cold to stand outside and talk.
6. I missed B. He has the flu and stayed home.
7. It was fantastic to see friends we haven't seen in ages. Though we didn't get too many chances to actually talk.
8. New babies! There were three babies there, including my granddaughter. One was only three weeks old.
And now I'm home. Exhausted, with really really sore feet and a headache. And looking forward to the extra hour of sleep tonight.
That is all.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Here we are at Friday again...
...and here's the list....
1. Sleeping in for a little this morning.
2. Running around with the K's today.
3. Getting many things organized.
4. My RWA Chapter meeting tomorrow.
5. Making progress on the wip.
6. Weekend plans.
7. Frozen Drink Friday.
8. K2 coming home this weekend.
9. Having the privilege of sitting on an Eagle Scout Board of Review for a very deserving Boy Scout.
10. New Supernatural tonight.
...and one more just for kicks and giggles...
11. The weather. I know it's cold and windy, but I love that I don't have to go anywhere and can spend the evening in my jammie pants with my frozen drink.
That is all.
Behave!

Do Your Thing Or Get Off The Pot

Ten things to think about when writing has you frustrated...
1. No one can tell you if you should quit writing.
Don't expect them to. Only you can answer that question. Ask yourself what you really want to hear in return when you give voice to it. 
2. It's your choice.
No one's twisting your arm to get you to write your book. You either want it bad enough that you'll figure out a way to get words on the page, or you don't. You can make your excuses, but at the end of the day if you're still in the same place you started, the only person you have to answer to is you.
3. We all get stuck, we all get afraid, we all have "stuff" that gets in the way.
The only thing in your power is how you respond to the fear and the interruptions and daily life that threatens your sanity and your work time. Again, how bad do you want it?
4. Maybe you need to work on something else?
Something outside of the project that's kicking your butt. Something to give you a different perspective. Or maybe you need to take a break for a little while and go back to the story fresh. Do what works for you and cut yourself some slack. Everyone gets bogged down and trapped by their current project occasionally.
5. Rejection sucks.
It does. And everyone gets rejected. Find a way to deal with it and move on. Wallow for a few days and then get back on the damned horse.
6. Waiting is the pits.
That's all there is to it. But that's what we do...wait. Which brings me to...
7. You're never going to get published unless you actually submit.
No one is going to come knocking at your door and offer to publish your book. No one is going to happen upon your blog or website and send you an email with an offer of representation or a contract. You have to do the work.
8. Writing is lonely.
Find some writing friends. Other people who write are the only ones who truly get you. They struggle with the same things you do and they're perfect for commiserating and celebrating. I couldn't ask for a more supportive husband and family, but my writing friends know exactly what I'm going through, especially after a rejection.
9. Join a critique group.
(No, your mom and grandma don't qualify unless they also write.) I know it's hard to put yourself out there. Sending your work to your writing peers is sometimes scarier than submitting it to a stranger. I still feel that anxiety when I send something out and I've had the same critique partners for years. (and they're fabulous) Get over yourself and do it. Critique partners and groups are very valuable. Sometimes it's hard to find the right mix, but once you do, you won't know what you did without them. Don't expect to get your pages back with glowing praise and smiley faces (if you want praise, send it to your mom). These people want to help you write a great book. Don't waste their time, but follow your instinct. It is your book.
10. Get out of the house.
Take a walk. Go to a coffee shop. Notice the fall colors and the clouds and the pretty things we all often forget to notice. Go to the library and look at the books published in the genre you're writing. Then, take a minute to look at exactly how many books there are in the library. The people that wrote them aren't very different from you. If they can do it, so can you.

How bad do you really want it?

Behave!

It's Really Thursday

For some reason, I almost put up my Feel Good Friday post today. I started thinking back through the week and then realized today is only Thursday. Oh man.
It's apparently been a long week around here.
How about a random list of stuff?
1. It's never a good idea to say something sarcastic in relation to your phone conversation before you've hung up the phone. Well, maybe for telemarketers, but not in regards to someone you will have to deal with at a future date. Though, in my defense, I do not like to be patronized. If I say I will return your call on Friday with the information you've requested, then that's when you'll hear from me. Your bitchy attitude is not going to change things. And it will, obviously, force me to spew something I should have kept in check. And make me feel bad at the same time.
2. Some days I wonder if I'm ever going to achieve email inbox zero. It hasn't happened in at least 3 weeks.
3. I am stunned by the Christmas commercials that started before Halloween. And the store had their Christmas stuff out days before Halloween. I nearly had to buy Christmas candy for Trick or Treat night. That's whacked. I love Christmas, but I don't like the commercialism. And the very thought of Christmas fills me with dread right now. I am so not ready to even think about it.
4. Nothing brightens up a frustrating day like having your granddaughter smile and 'talk' to you. She is a motormouth and 'talks' constantly and it's the cutest thing ever. 
5. The spam situation is still irritating though I'm not getting nearly as much as I was and the phone calls seem to have ended. *knocks on wood* Except I get spam emails from my Internet provider at least ten times a day now. They want me to switch my wireless coverage to them. I feel like sending them an email telling them that even if I'd considered it in the past, there's no way that will happen now. But I won't.
And that is all. I'm working on a brilliant writing related post, so maybe you'll see that later. Or maybe I'll decide it's not brilliant after all and you won't. Ha!
Behave!

Snippets

Snippets from the work in progress. Think Firefly meets Dark Angel meets Terminator...
(and remember this is rough copy. I'm working on it...)

"Someone approached. She steeled herself. The chain around her wrist went tight as she was pulled across the dirt. Fighting it was useless, she didn’t have the strength. Let them kill her now and get this nightmare over with. She was too tired to fight anymore.
“You’ve had your chance to repent. None of this would have happened if it weren’t for you and your kind. This is your fault.” He yanked her hair back and clamped his hand around her throat. “One last time before I get rid of you.” "

"He resisted slamming his fist through the glass. His rage had him wanting, no, needing to wrap his hands around her neck and watch the light leave her eyes. She’d taken Mercy. Taken his baby. The bitch’s face was burned into his mind. She’d snatched his child out of her crib without the slightest hint of remorse or regret. He didn’t care that she was some kind of brain washed government drone.
It didn’t matter. Revenge burned in his gut and he could almost understand why Mackinaw had taken great delight in torturing her. He wanted to make her pay. There was no way he’d lower himself to Mac’s standards though. If he killed her, it’d be quick."

So there you go. Oh, and it's different men in each section. The second snippet is the hero. And everyone wants to kill the heroine.

Back to work.
Behave!

Answers!

1. My spam emails are on the rise. This morning I had 48 out of 50. I am very angry. Nope, but then I spoke too soon. The numbers increased throughout the day until this morning when I had equal numbers of spam and email I wanted. 18 for 18. Ugh!
2. Some guy tried to sell me meat out of the back of his pickup truck yesterday. And then proceeded to chastise me and give me the hard sell. True. It was creepy and weird! 
3. The cat has taken over K2's bedroom. He believes it is now his room and will meow loudly at you if you dare enter. Thankfully he still uses his litter box in the basement. Also true. Last night he somehow ended up shut inside. I'm not sure how. We've kept her door shut to save energy and it hasn't been opened for days.
4. I signed up for Twitter. Also true. What was I thinking?
5. When I got up in the middle of the night, I swear I saw a few flakes of snow outside. Nope.
6. Someone chewed off the earpiece to my headphones. Who? I have no idea, but I am not happy. And I don't believe it was one of the animals. Also no. (Sorry Ava!) There is a cushion thingy missing so they  hurt my ears, but it wasn't chewed off.
7. I am doing NaNoWriMo for the first time ever. Nope. I'm not sure I will ever officially do NaNo.

So there you have it. Maybe a writing post later, depending...

Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

Random...
Which of the following are true? (There are several)
1. My spam emails are on the rise. This morning I had 48 out of 50. I am very angry.
2. Some guy tried to sell me meat out of the back of his pickup truck yesterday. And then proceeded to chastised me and give me the hard sell.
3. The cat has taken over K2's bedroom. He believes it is now his room and will meow loudly at you if you dare enter. Thankfully he still uses his litter box in the basement.
4. I signed up for Twitter.
5. When I got up in the middle of the night, I swear I saw a few flakes of snow outside.
6. Someone chewed off the earpiece to my headphones. Who? I have no idea, but I am not happy. And I don't believe it was one of the animals.
7. I am doing NaNoWriMo for the first time ever.
Okay. That's 7 and enough for today. Must write!
Behave!

The Gnome Wars

I'm being watched!
I was at a friend's house recently, and as I went to my car, I had that feeling you get when you know you're being watched. Yeah, she has neighbors, but this was...different...menacing if you will.
I walked very slowly until I found the source of my heebie jeebies and found this guy in a tree watching me. Look at the smug expression on his face, and yeah, there's a bit of surprise. I don't think he expected me to find him.
My gnomes have stepped up their game to drive me insane. I felt like I'd achieved a small victory when I caught this little bugger watching me, but when I returned home, chaos was in place. The gnome that lords over my dining room had knocked half of the stuff off of the shelf he inhabits, breaking a sea shell. He also did something to my hutch so that when I opened the door I had to move quickly to avoid the breakage of my casserole dish.
To say negotiations have stalled would be an understatement. We ignore each other now. I prefer to forget they are around and I believe they feel the same. The outside gnomes refused my offer to bring them in for the winter and are crowded together around the bowl I occasionally fill with whiskey to appease them. Their demands have become ridiculous and dangerous. I'm supposed to pay for a trip to Vegas? I don't care if that gnome on television gets to go to cool places! I'm supposed to finance skydiving lessons? Not going to happen. Regular whiskey is no longer good enough. Now they're asking for Crown Royal and not just a splash or two.
I must be ever alert these days. If they're networking and watching me when I'm out and about, then I will have to be very careful. I would not be surprised if they are planning something violent.
I am ever alert.
That is all.
(Bonus points if you can figure out who's gnome this is.)
Behave!

Halloween Random

A random list:
1. There are several things I never thought I'd hear my adult son say. For example: Does this nail polish look okay? Does this dress make my butt look too big? Is this purse too gaudy? Do you have a sweater I can borrow? Ha! And yes, I laughed at him when he came home the following morning with the dress around his waist, my sweater on, and his girlie slippers, but no fishnets or red wig. I told him to take a change of clothes because I figured he'd be smart and stay at the party overnight. And, no purse, dang it! I had dibs on his bag. It was sweet.
2. We talked briefly about my job loss when it happened and I've been actively seeking new employment. It's tough out there, and apparently there are a lot of predators stalking the Help Wanted ads. Last week, I spotted a position I was qualified for, applied and went through the initial phone stuff. It was a service. When I found that out I had a sinking feeling in my stomach, but decided I was being paranoid. Ha! I should have listened to that kernel of "don't". I have been getting spammed like crazy, phone calls on the house phone and my cell, and it's quickly getting out of control. This morning I had 22 emails in my inbox. 18 of them were spam. I am not happy. I went back and checked the service's site, and yeah, it's unethical, but basically, just by filling out the application you give them permission to sell your information to third party vendors without having to click on a "tos" button. Great.
3. It's cold in my house. We haven't turned the heat on yet because B has some service work to do to our dinosaur in the basement. That's on the agenda for today. The dinosaur and to hook up the little red fireplace in my dining room which was moved from the living room because the heat funnelled directly up the stairs and did nothing to take the chill away from the first floor. I am currently wearing thick socks, two sweatshirts, fleece pants and a blanket.
4. Teenaged boys can eat! Yes, I already knew this, and I did plan for it, but the quantity of what they consume still has the ability to shock the heck out of me. K3 has his best friend over for a "birthday weekend" sleepover. M arrived Friday night. I made cheesesteaks. Twice as much as usual, and there were very few leftovers. Saturday morning they consumed nearly an entire box of cereal. For lunch, each of them ate a big can of ravioli's. I made 3# of sloppy joe's for dinner and 2 boxes of ranch bacon salad for six people. Not a drop left. Then, 45 minutes later, they were warming up the oven for garlic cheese bread.
5. Today is the last day of October! Holy crap! And yay! Only two more months left of this craptastic year! Now I look ahead to Thanksgiving, which I am hosting this year. (Just don't mention Christmas yet!!) I love hosting Thanksgiving. I'm not sure how many we'll have, but I don't care. The more the merrier. Yes, I have a ton of stuff to do before then, but that's okay.
6. K2 began rock climbing this summer while she was a counselor at camp. She loves it. Now she's teaching beginning climbing at a gym not far from school. Last night she competed in a competition and took 5th place in her category. Not bad for someone who's only been climbing for a few months. I didn't get to go to the competition, but B did and he said it was very impressive.
Okay. That's enough random.
Enjoy Halloween!
Behave!

Dear Supernatural People,

Whoa! Just Whoa! Fantastic episode! Thank you so much for beginning to answer what in the heck is wrong with Sam. No soul! Whoot! That's brilliant and I cannot wait to see what happens next and find out who has his soul and why.
I love how every episode adds to the overarcing plotline of the alpha monsters and what is going on without hitting us over the head with it. It's been very nicely done so far, so well, in fact, that I sometimes forget that it's happening. But it's building and I like that very much.
Sam's buttheadedness was getting on my nerves, but now...Now I have that tender spot back because there is something wrong with him. Something horrible, cool, but horrible. It's ironic that he can't feel anything now, when he's always been the one who feels too much.
Loved Bobby's confessions and how squicked out Dean was. Everyone's truths were so negative though, which I guess was the price you pay for asking for the truth. How else would she get her snacks? That's tricky, like rubbing a genie's lamp or something. The whole 'be careful what you wish for' thing. Poor Dean. Lisa really cut him off at the knees. I liked that he had her to go home to and I hope he gets her back.
The previews for next week look awesome! I can't wait to see what happens next!
Thank you, Supernatural People. I will admit my skepticism and worry at the beginning of this season, but every week you prove to me that you know what you're doing and you have our best interests at heart.
Behave!

Ghost Stories 2

So, on our second trip to the beach, B and I left the kiddos in the capable hands of my sister and friends and went to the beach to look at the phosphorus sand and stars. It was really romantic and very cool. We walked along the shoreline, played with the sparkly sand, and stared up at the stars for quite a while. The beach was empty and the tide was on its way in when we decided to head back to the beach house.
A few hundred feet on the beach access road, we saw a couple walking. B slowed and asked if they needed a ride. They said yes, thanking us profusely for stopping and got in the back seat. They told us their Jeep had broken down and asked us to drop them up ahead, at the end of a lane. We made small talk the rest of the way, until the man said to stop, that this was where they needed to be and it was only a very short walk to their place. We let them out, and watched them walk towards the woods, wondering if they'd taken a back trail in or something.
We kept looking to the left - looking for the road or any signs of a house, but there was nothing. The way the trees lined up made you believe there might have been a road there at one time, but erosion, storms, and time had removed all other signs of civilization. We kind of shrugged it off, until we realized the tide had only started coming in when we left and the couple said their vehicle had been caught in high tide. Plus, we didn't see any signs of a Jeep being stuck. So...
It was strange to say the least. The next morning, B mentioned it to the guy at the bait shop and he could only shake his head and say it's happened before. Do I believe we picked up a ghost couple along the side of the beach road? Heck, I don't know. Most of me doubts it. But it's a good story either way.
Behave!

What I Live With...

Halloween costume. He has fishnets as well. My boy...Oh geeze!
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Wow. What a week.
Here's the list:
1. K3's birthday. I still cannot get over the fact that my baby boy is fourteen!
2. Trick or Treat night being over for another year. We had fun, but it was exhausting.
3. Supernatural tonight!
4. Bootsquad!
5. Finding out that K2 is coming home next weekend for the big birthday bash.
It's a short one this week.
Behave!

Ghost Stories 1

In honor of Halloween...

I was probably eleven, maybe twelve. We lived in a speck of a town in Iowa, in an old stucco house that had a lot of very cool stuff - like a laundry chute and a counter in the kitchen you could move around to suit your needs/wants. I was in sixth grade and had found a friend that lived a few blocks away. (though I could be wrong about that, we didn't live there long and my sense of direction is whacked.) It had to be early spring since we moved in May and the only other weather I remember is snow. (A lot of snow)
Anyway. This friend and I were having a sleepover at her house. They lived in a cute little house with two bedrooms on the second floor. My friend in one room and her older sister in the other. Except my friend never slept in her room. Ever. She then went into a long tale about a ghost and how when she was sick she woke to find him beside her bed, how the ghost would play the piano in the middle of the night and touch her mother's pottery projects, leaving impressions but no fingerprints. And that he was a nice ghost - a soldier who had passed away that grew up in the house, but he didn't like it when she had visitors and he didn't like her sisters room, which is why she slept in there most of the time.
Yeah, whatever. Even my eleven or twelve year old self was a bit skeptical. But she, and her sister, insisted they were telling the truth. I don't remember feeling afraid at all, even when I did hear the piano playing in the middle of the night. I figured it was effect or her mother, or whatever.
Fast-forward to the next morning. They had field work to do and my family had things going on as well. Everyone from her family had gathered outside to begin their day. I was standing by the old well pump waiting for my mom when I remembered something I'd forgotten. I have no idea what it was. I went upstairs, feeling a little strange when I got to the top of the stairs, but not remembering the ghost stories or even thinking along those lines. It was cold up there, colder than it had been all night. I grabbed my stuff and headed down the stairs when I heard knocking coming from below me. I stopped at the window and looked out, thinking someone was messing around and had come in to try to scare me, but everyone was still outside.
I rushed down the stairs, the knocks still audible, and opened the pantry door (located right under the stairs) expecting to at least see someone inside, but there was no one. I, of course, hurried outside and told my friend. She laughed and said that had to be their ghost saying hello to me.
To this day, I don't know what to believe. I could very well have been tricked - the whole ghost story thing some scam they all ran when they had visitors. Or, they could have been telling the truth. There's no way for me to know, and there's no way to know if what happened on the stairs was really paranormal or some trick designed to scare me.
So there you have it. Make of it what you will. I'm still trying to decide.
Behave!

Answers!

Oops! I missed posting the answers yesterday!
*edited because I was in such a rush, I mixed things up.
Which of the following are true? (There are several)
1. When I was seventeen, someone pulled out in front of me at an intersection and I actually screamed and closed my eyes. True. Stupid, huh?
2. When I was eight months pregnant with K3, I fell down the stairs while carrying a laundry basket and landed with my belly in the basket of puke sheets (courtesy of K1 and K2 and the flu). Also true. No harm done.
3. I once became stranded on the roof of our old house because the ladder fell. What was I doing up there? Retrieving a frisbee. Nope! Never happened.
4. I have spent the night in a haunted house. Or so the people who owned it said. But I did hear things I still cannot explain. True. I'll post about this another time.
5. I saw the ghost of a very good friend who died in a car accident on the day B and I married. Her face was in the mirror behind me, but when I turned, no one was there. Nope. Never happened.
6. B and I went out to the beach well after dark one year to look at the phosphorus sand and the stars. On the way back, we gave a young couple a ride because their car had gotten caught in the soft sand along the beach road. We dropped them off where they asked, only it seemed like the middle of nowhere. After they got out of the car, we realized there wasn't a car stuck along the beach road where they said. This one is true. And it's a post for another time.
7. I came face to face with a bear while taking a walk at camp. I'm surprised I ever went back. True. I'll post about this another time as well. This one is false! That answer was supposed to be for number six.
8. The brakes on B's Jeep Willy's went out while I was driving it down our very steep driveway. K1 was in the passenger seat. Also true. I managed to turn the wheel, go up the hill and use the transmission and e-brake to get us stopped.
9. When we lived far away from where we do now, but still commuted here, we did a lot of early, early mornings and very little sleep. I was driving down the mountain to get to my early class in college and I fell asleep while driving. When I woke up, my car was resting very gently against a downed tree at the side of the road...at the bottom of a steep hill. There wasn't even a speck of tree bark missing and not one scratch on my car. I still have no idea how that happened. Nope, but it's a good story, huh?
10. I had stepped onto the porch when a fly buzzed my head. I waved my hand to shoo it, and somehow pushed it into my ear canal. Absolutely. True. It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. Maybe I should post on it sometime.
That's it for now! More later after the trick or treat craziness goes away.
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

The Halloween Edition.
Let's talk about scary things...things that might be scary to me and not you. Things that are scary in a different way than the norm. Things that might not be scary, but they still make you say wth?
Which of the following are true? (There are several)
1. When I was seventeen, someone pulled out in front of me at an intersection and I actually screamed and closed my eyes.
2. When I was eight months pregnant with K3, I fell down the stairs while carrying a laundry basket and landed with my belly in the basket of puke sheets (courtesy of K1 and K2 and the flu).
3. I once became stranded on the roof of our old house because the ladder fell. What was I doing up there? Retrieving a frisbee.
4. I have spent the night in a haunted house. Or so the people who owned it said. But I did hear things I still cannot explain.
5. I saw the ghost of a very good friend who died in a car accident on the day B and I married. Her face was in the mirror behind me, but when I turned, no one was there.
6. B and I went out to the beach well after dark one year to look at the phosphorus sand and the stars. On the way back, we gave a young couple a ride because their car had gotten caught in the soft sand along the beach road. We dropped them off where they asked, only it seemed like the middle of nowhere. After they got out of the car, we realized there wasn't a car stuck along the beach road where they said.
7. I came face to face with a bear while taking a walk at camp. I'm surprised I ever went back.
8. The brakes on B's Jeep Willy's went out while I was driving it down our very steep driveway. K1 was in the passenger seat.
9. When we lived far away from where we do now, but still commuted here, we did a lot of early, early mornings and very little sleep. I was driving down the mountain to get to my early class in college and I fell asleep while driving. When I woke up, my car was resting very gently against a downed tree at the side of the road...at the bottom of a steep hill. There wasn't even a speck of tree bark missing and not one scratch on my car. I still have no idea how that happened.
10. I had stepped onto the porch when a fly buzzed my head. I waved my hand to shoo it, and somehow pushed it into my ear canal.
So...which are true and which are lies?
Behave!!

Weekend Recap and Stuff

Saturday: Wedding was fantastic! There is a lot to be said for starting your life off together with laughter. We got to see friends we haven't seen in ages. There was much laughter and music and hugging. We rode the bus to and from the hotel, which was a good decision and much fun. We met new friends from across the pond. It was definitely among the top two weddings we've ever been to.
Sunday: Up earlier than we should have been for what time we finally went to bed. Over to the bride and grooms house to help prepare the brunch. Finally, after keys locked in vehicles and missing keys, everyone arrived and we had a blast sitting around, eating, and discussing the previous night. Grocery store. Home for homework and laundry and the usual household chores. Very tired.
Today so far: Overslept which meant rushing to get kids to school, forgetting violin lessons, mad searching for jeans (washing machine mistake - the wrong pair got washed and they're missing the button), somehow managing to get them to school on time. Grandbaby hanging with daddy today. Which brings me to perhaps the funniest thing of the day: K1 put grandbaby over his head. She was giggling and drooling...yeah...big old string of drool...right in his mouth. I laughed so hard. He was, and still is, disturbed.
And that is all for now...
Behave!

Dear Supernatural People,

Good one!
Loved the whole episode, especially the Twilight spoofing. Very funny stuff. Many, many good lines, especially from Dean (vampires pee).
Who is Sam though? There's an interesting theory in the recap of last night over at Supernatural Sisters that Sam is still in there, but is sharing his body with another entity. I like that theory. I think she might be right, because, as she said, sometimes Sam is Sam. And sometimes he's the douche he was last night. I wanted to smack that smirk off his face when he let Dean get infected by the vampire. And he wasn't freaked and he didn't care about what Dean was going through. Jerk.
I liked Samuel a lot more last night. At least he seemed to care about Dean. But, I think he's right. Sam let Dean get infected knowing there was a cure because he wanted information on the nest and the Alpha. Poor Dean though. Going to say goodbye to Lisa and most likely losing her because maybe she's now realized just how dangerous his world is. I don't want him to lose her.
But, go Dean in the vampire's nest. You've made him look weak in the last few episodes when we all knew he's still as sharp as ever. Last night proved that. Who else do you know that can take out and entire building full of vampires? And yet more questions about what's going on in the world now. Why is the vampire Alpha building an army? For what?
Looks like some answers next week and that's very exciting. I don't know how much longer I can stand not knowing what's going on with Sam. I'm still in this for the long haul, but I'm not the only one who feels like something's been missing with the show (last week's episode not included, though there was that look on Sam's face when Bobby was yelling at them). Yeah, it's got to change, everything does, so I have high hopes for next week.
...and that is all for now.
Behave!

Feel Good Friday

Ahh! Made it to Friday. It's been a long week.
Here's the list:
1. Sleeping in tomorrow. Oh, how I love you nice warm bed!
2. Hanging out with my girls on Tuesday for fun and frivolity.
3. Wedding weekends!
4. Supernatural tonight!
5. Staying up way too late to chat. (Though I am seriously dragging after multiple way too lates)
6. Figuring out what my wip needed thanks to fresh eyes and perspective.
7. Impromtu writing blasts that get me moving.
8. Friends who have clothes I can borrow.
Ummm....I'm drawing a blank though I know there's more. That's okay though.
That is all.
Behave!

Random Thursday

Like: The weather today. Gorgeous. Though I am still cold inside of my house. We are resisting firing up the furnace. We'll see how long we last!
Do Not Like: The stink bug that was in the shower with me. Really? Way to take a relaxing experience and turn it into total paranoia.
Like: The smell of dinner cooking.
Do Not Like: Not being able to find all of the towels. This is getting ridiculous! I have considered the possibility of the evil gnomes being behind the missing towels. It is likely. Now to find where they are hiding and set traps.
Like: Getting some editing done.
Do Not Like: The fact that every single time I go to my doc, something happens - either someone calls, the doorbell rings, or there is some reason that my attention is pulled away. Sometimes I feel like it's cosmic interference!
Like: That it's Thursday. Even though today is pretty darned busy. It just means we are one step closer to the weekend and the fun wedding we're going to.
Do Not Like: That I have no idea what I'm wearing to said wedding. No idea. I will be raiding a friend's closet tonight. Keep your fingers crossed that I find something that doesn't make me look like a well-dressed hippo.
Do Not Like: That I didn't succeed in losing the weight I wanted to before this wedding.
Okay, that's enough. I wanted to make the list more balanced, but there's a throbbing in my head that won't quit and about a million and two things waiting for my attention before I can get back to the editing.
Behave!

Answer!

2. A homemade hood scoop. Fancy that. And no, we weren't in the parking lot of a chain store famous for their "people".


Yes. We were at the doc office for B's post-surgery check up. We parked beside it and spent a few minutes in admiration. It was ornamental, or a work in progress - I'm not sure which. The rest of that stuff was all lies, though we did have a funky dryer contraption once that vented the hot air through a bucket of water. It was weird.
 
Oh, and thanks to everyone who voted for my friend Heidi! She made the cut and is now off to the next round!

There you have it!
Behave!

Tall Tale Tuesday

What is this?

1. A chicken box. Don't ask me. I've never raised chickens, but I think it's some kind of homemade warmer for the chicks. Or the eggs.
2. A homemade hood scoop. Fancy that. And no, we weren't in the parking lot of a chain store famous for their "people".
3. The beginnings of some kind of contraption for our dryer. The hope is that by dispersing the exhaust differently, the dryer will last longer. There's something about water and bigger hoses and another box or something. I don't ask. I just nod.
So which is it?
Behave!

Writing Stuff

Remember to go and vote for my friend Heidi! Voting ends tonight!

My writing chapter started a 50/50 challenge last week. Basically, it's no less than fifty words a day for fifty days. You can go over fifty words, and you can take no more than two consecutive days off, and you have to report your totals no less frequently than every two days to keep the tracking right. It's encouraging to see everyone's totals at the end of the day.
I started off with a bang. My head was all cloudy with editing and revisions and to combat the feeling of brain drain, I just started writing a germ of an idea I've had for quite a while. I love the idea, though I'm not sure there's enough plot to sustain and entire novel. But it worked, I realized my brain is not broken and that I do still have creative spark.
Then, the 50/50 started. And I had to make a decision. Do I continue with the project that was only meant to free my brain and get uber high word counts? Or do I muddle through the edits and take the chance of having to drop out of the challenge when I can't manage to write at least fifty new words a day during edits? My goal for October was to finish the edits and I hate to not make a goal. But...the challenge to write as much as possible tears at me. But...with a project that potentially will never see the light of day due to lack of substance, it's a waste of time to forge ahead with word count. Yes.
My head knows that's true, but I'm having a hard time accepting that. I'm kicking myself for not finishing the edits sooner so that I could use this time to explore the shiney new idea and see if there might just be enough for a whole book.
My decision? For now, for this week, I'm going to try to do both. I will edit and edit and edit and if I don't manage to add at least fifty words during the day, then I will write on the shiney new in the evenings. I'm not sure I can manage it. But I won't know if I don't try.
We shall see.
Behave!

Sunday Funny...

r /> Bacon!!!
Behave!

Dear Supernatural People,

You definitely knocked this one out of the ballpark!! I love Bobby!!
And let's not forget Crowley. I love his character. I knew he wasn't going to just give Bobby his soul back after Sam went into the hole. I think we all did. I'd hoped he would, but that's just how it goes with demons. They can't be trusted. The peripheral monsters showing up in weird places was nicely done, a hint that things aren't exactly right in the world now, but not too much focus on what could be going on. Liked that a lot.
Poor Bobby. I was feeling pretty bad for him. All of the phone calls. The needy hunters. The neighbor who just wanted to get to know him. (And here I will insert...K4 happened to be watching. After the neighbor left she turned to me and said: "That's gross. He's like 30!" umm..yeah...) And then Rufus showed up. He's a great character. I love the interaction between he and Bobby the whole way through. Funny stuff.
Who knew that burning the original vessel's or dealmaker's bones could kill the demon? Very cool. And I love the effects on the demon living in the here and now.
Not too much Sam and Dean in this one. I love Sam and Dean, but I didn't mind. (And here I will insert again...K4 said: "Too bad you didn't get to see Sam and Dean too much in this one. You got stuck with the old guy.") But really, not much has changed with Sam and Dean. They're hunting together again *applause*, but still not quite right *boo*. It was nice to have a break from that. We all know something's wrong with Sam and it breaks my heart every week. Smug!Sam is getting old. I will say that.
And then the sheriff (love her) came through for Bobby, and then Sam and Dean did as well. Nice. And Crowley's son! I really thought Bobby had lost! He's so brilliantly smart, which is, of course, why he's Bobby. And why the original Crowley sold his soul in the first place! I really want to know why things were so terrible between him and his son. And I'd like to know what new ideas he's introduced into Hell. I'm glad Bobby's soul being not his was taken care of in one episode.
And the preview! Ack!
So...Way to go, Supernatural People! This episode goes onto my top ten list for sure. Thank you for a brilliant episode and a fatastic show!
Behave!