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!