Fiesta Friday!

Don't know what happened to yesterday.
So, today there's not much Fiesta-type stuff planned, but it's still Friday so the title is adequate.
This weekend starts the wedding circuit. I guess I should figure out what I'm going to wear. ha!
On the writing challenge front...I'm just a few points behind Simon (I think). We have a spreadsheet guru who keeps track of our daily reports and yesterday's totals aren't all quite in yet. She got me by 3 points yesterday, but there's still three days of challenge left for this week. To even be in the running this week we have to bypass someone else and she's pretty far ahead of us.
I finished my edits. The book's resting right now. I'll pick it back up next week and figure out what's next. I spent some time yesterday re-reading older manuscripts. Started editing one I really love, then the pull of revising the book I finished a few weeks ago reared and due to logic/book types, I changed my plan, or maybe it's really that I stopped procrastinating. I've had a new opening for the story for a few weeks and it was time. It's been time - when I think about the changes I want for the story I know I'm ready to tackle them. It's not going to be an easy trek though.
And let's see...what else?
Not much. I do not want to talk about school shopping. I do not want to talk about the fact that my Suburban's in the shop and needed more than we thought. I do not want to talk about finding something suitable to wear to this wedding.
That is all.
Behave!

Random Business

1. One of the hamsters died. The funeral commenced last night after much sorrow from K3 who had been taking care of the poor little critter. Said hamster had not been well for a while.
2. K1 gets the stitches out of his ear today. It's healed quite nicely and he's eager to get them out.
3. Kids fighting. Fighting. Fighting. No one can seem to leave anyone alone. Ever. K4 is quietly playing by herself and K3 will not stop pestering.
4. Fighting gives me a headache.
5. It's a beautiful day today. Not too hot. Nice breeze. I swear I had to use a crowbar to get the K's outside though. Go figure.
6. K2 has made the decision not to return to her arts school. There were many factors behind the choice and it's taken her quite a while to come to her final conclusion. I'm a little sad, but also relieved because of the travel/schedule conflicts. The courses she'll pick up in high school will serve her better for her college choices.
7. Thinking about colleges gives me a headache.
8. Even though there's over 2 weeks before school starts, not an hour goes by that I'm not asked about going school shopping.
9. School shopping gives me a headache.
10. Revisions are coming along nicely. I made a lot of progress yesterday, and plan the same for today.
11. I miss Supernatural! When I sat down at my computer there was a lovely picture of the boys with their "anti-possession" tattoos. It will take all my strength not to spend the afternoon on you tube looking at Sam and Dean videos.
That is all.
Behave!

A Little More Awake...

And it's time to get back to work!!
I'm about 1/3 done with my revisions and I'm eager to get this finished. I already have my document open, and have my handy dandy editing notebook ready on the proper page. I'm getting there - just moving a little slow despite getting a superbly good sleep last night. We went to bed at an insanely early time for us. I was sure I'd end up tossing and turning and not sleeping since that's been the norm this summer, but I crashed shortly after I convinced K2 that she needed to stop coming in our room and trying to talk to me about plans for tomorrow. Not plans for today - Tuesday - but plans for Wednesday. Anyway.
So, I do have to get busy, especially since I was tough-talking Simon about our weekly writing challenge. I've won once. So far. And so has she. We'll see who takes this week. Should be interesting. Except I've been spending far too much time reading author blogs about the national conference. I need to stop that and set my sights on the next conference, which means staying focused on my writing.
Oh, and a late birthday shout out to my sister-in-law! I remembered all day that her birthday was yesterday...until I blogged, and checked email. I did send her a note, but it was later than I'd planned. And I should have called her, but time got away from me in a major way. So...Happy Birthday, S! Now you're as old as me!! Ha! (and yes, I can get away with stuff like that, because not only is she my s-i-l, she's been my friend way, way longer.)
That is all!
Behave!

The Party's Over

And we're finally back home!
We spent all day yesterday and last night at my sister's house. Today we said goodbye to my cousins (they're both cousins now since they're engaged - makes it easier). We had a really great visit with them - lots of laughter and carrying on. But I'm tired. Very tired. And we have stuff going on tonight, so there won't be much rest to be had.
Tomorrow we head back into our usual routine - which isn't really a routine except for the sleeping in part. School starts three weeks from today. I can't believe that. I'm not sure if I'm ready for it quite yet. I feel like we haven't even started summer and now it's almost over.
Stupid me forgot the camera all weekend, so I have no pictures for you.
That's all my tired brain can think of!
Behave!

Where to Begin?

First off...I forgot to say...Wow! It's August already! Ha!
Except now it's August 2nd, so there's really no point in lamenting July.
There you have that.
Today was my RWA chapter meeting. Always a blast. I get to see friends, laugh, and I usually always get chocolate (we get chocolate for rejections). I also threw my hat into the ring for our upcoming elections. I've been the chapter librarian for many years, and I'm ready to try something new. So...if it all works out, I may get elected for vice-president. We'll see. I'm excited about the opportunity to force myself out of my shell. It may not appear so, but I'm a very shy person and public speaking and I are not friends.
Anyway.
From there I rushed home to gather some things and the dog before heading over to my folks house. The younger K's were already there, thanks to my mom watching them for me this morning. My cousin and her fiance were also there. (Whoot! Recent engagement!! Fun wedding on the horizon!) My brother was there, but sadly, no one else from his family due to work schedules. Neither of my sisters were there due to previous obligations. It was still fun. We hung out, cooked some food, made my dog do goofy tricks, and laughed - much like last night. (which went really, really well. We had a blast.)
K2 arrived back home. Thank goodness. She had a fantastic time on her trip, but she's totally exhausted and was ready to head for home even though she took a nap while we were watching this really dumb movie about sharks with huge brains. uh...whatever...
And here I am. On my bed with my handy dandy wireless Internet. Ha! Watching an episode from season 2 of Supernatural, and thinking really hard about working on some revisions. Except I'm tired - exhausted really. Tomorrow promises to be even busier than today, but with more fun, more food, sangria, and lots of hanging out.
That's all for now.
There might not be a post tomorrow, but then, who really reads this anyway?
Behave!

Fiesta Friday!!

Yay!
I don't know what happened to yesterday's post. I posted a Supernatural vid, but it never came through. Go figure.
So, today is really a Fiesta Friday!
My cousin should be rolling in here sometime late this afternoon. I'm nearly as ready for tonight's festivities as I can get, sans the shopping. We're heading out to take care of that in a few though.
This is going to be a weekend of Fiesta! I have my RWA chapter meeting in the morning. K2 comes home tomorrow afternoon. We're gathering at my folks tomorrow. Then Sunday is more gathering and hanging out.
I kind of doubt I'll have time to post, but, you never know. All this fun stuff doesn't bode well for my revisions, but it is summer and I am still making good progress. I'll fit some in if I can, but am not going to freak if it doesn't happen. We'll get back into our same old routine soon enough.
That is all.
Enjoy the weekend! I know I will!
Behave!

Midweek Slump

I forgot about this picture from the retreat. Pretty cool from the nearby cemetery.

It's hot here. Too hot to even think about doing all I have to do around here. Of course, just when I get ready to get started, something happens. Today was K1 asking for a ride to the doc to get his head checked. It's fine. The doc is pleased with how it looks. He's not sleeping well though. I'm hoping tonight is better for him since he no longer has a pressure bandage on his head.

We finally heard from K2. She's having a blast. They're painting a house right now. And she has no voice, so anyone who knows her knows what that means. She's definitely having a grand time.

Plans are coming together for the weekend. Well, mostly. Now if I could just figure out what to make for dinner Friday night, and get my house cleaned. Ha! I'm too hot and tired to care right now. Plus, there's the back pain that doesn't seem to want to leave. How rude is that?

That's all...

Behave!

Teenager Tuesday - Part Two

Do you remember this?
K1 with stitches, abrasions, ect?
Today went similarly.
He called me this morning to ask when his last tetanus shot was. Obviously, that can't be good.
An accident at work with a drill gone mad, and you get that on the left.
Yes, that's his ear - the back of his ear to be exact.
Seven stitches, ripped up cartilage, a hefty antibiotic, and no work until Thursday.
Fantastic. He's doing okay, just in a little bit of pain. Poor kid - this is on top of having food poisoning last week.
Behave!

It's That Time of Year...Again

RWA National Conference time...
and again...I won't be there. I'm bummed, to say the least.
It's in San Francisco this year. Originally, I entertained the idea of jumping on a plane with my mom and sisters for some girl bonding and visiting (we have family on the left coast). It's probably a good thing it didn't work out since some of that family is coming this weekend and I have no idea how child care would have worked out with the schedule around here. Anyway. Nat's getting on a jet plane soon and I can't wait to hear how it goes for her.
Next year the conference is on my coast. Washington DC, baby. My RWA chapter is looking into chartering transportation based on member interest. And I'm definitely interested. Hopefully, it works out for me to actually get there. Just the thought of going makes me all excited and it's a whole year away. For those of us not attending the conference, things are slow. We have to live vicariously through blogs and a lot of the email loops are mostly silent until at least Monday.
Anyway.
It's Tuesday. Library day for us. The kids are patiently waiting for me to announce it's time to go. I hate to get there first thing since they have story time for the toddler set and it's chaos, so we'll be waiting a little longer. I haven't heard from K2 yet. I'm anxious to find out how it's going for her. On Friday my cousin and her fiance arrive for a long weekend. That should be fun. I'm hosting dinner their first night in since most of the family has other plans. At this point, I have no idea what I'm making, though they assure me they're not picky eaters.
And I'm busily working on revising one of my all time favorite manuscripts. Out of everything I've written this one has a special place in my heart. The revisions are going well - it's one of those times where I actually love editing probably because I'm confident that the bones of the story are strong enough.
So that's it...a rambling post...
Behave!

List of 10 Monday

So, today you're going to get a list of my 10 favorite Supernatural episodes and why they're my favs.
10. Bloody Mary - Season 1 - It's spooky and brings back how you felt when you were younger and talking about stuff like that at sleepovers. Plus, I think this is the episode where I became totally hooked on the show.
9. Hell House - Season 1 - Funny brother stuff, Sam in a towel - 'nuff said.
8. In My Time of Dying - Season 2 - Dad's deal with the demon, Sam trying to communicate with Dean, Dean in scrubs and no shoes - 'nuff said.
7. Playthings - Season 2 - Brotherly interaction, Sam making Dean promise, the dolls, the grandma, and milf.
6. Born Under a Bad Sign - Season 2 - Bobby, Bad Sam - 'nuff said
5. All Hell Breaks Loose - Part 1 and Part 2 - Season 2 - Bobby, Dean's angst and "Get me some pie", Sam, the end of the yed, and the beginning of trying to save Dean.
4. Bad Day at Black Rock - Season 3 - Bobby's counsel, Bella, "I lost my shoe", "I'm Batman"
3. Mystery Spot - Season 3 - Love the "groundhog day" theme, the trickster, and how Sam changes.
2. Houses of the Holy - Season 2 - The angel concept.
A tie for number 1...
1. What Is and What Never Should Be - Season 2 - Dean, Dean, Dean. And Dean's vision of a different life. What he sees for his brother and how he doesn't focus on himself.
1. No Rest For the Wicked - Season 3 - The boys singing "Wanted", holy water in the sprinkler system, Bobby, Sam's power, Lillith, Ruby, Dean's pre-go-to-hell sight, poor, poor Dean.
Seriously, if you're not watching it, you should be. I can't say there's really an episode that's not my favorite. They all are, but these are the ones I love the most, with probably a few I've missed. Each episode has a reason to love it.
Almost 7 weeks until Season 4 starts. I can't wait!
Behave!

Whew!

What a day!
It was long. Very long. And thank goodness, it's finally over.
I started the day early and feeling really crappy after a sleepless night. I don't think I fell asleep until nearly 3 am - don't ask me why, this has been happening all summer. It's down to occasionally now, but there for a while it was every night.
Anyway. We dropped K2 off for her trip to Pittsburgh, then we had to get ready for B's family reunion. It's always pretty hot on family reunion day, and this year was no exception. We had a really good time, made better by the fact that B's sister and family were there and we always have a blast with them.
Then, I left there to go check on my friend, Jo, who happened to fall off a parade float Saturday and separated her shoulder and broke her hand. She lives alone, so you can imagine how much of a hassle it is for her to get the simplest things done. And they put a childproof cap on her pain medicine...she had to call her neighbor to come and open it for her. Geeze. Anyway. I took her some food, rewrapped her boo-boo, and did some household chores for her.
Then, rushed home, rested for about 5.2 seconds before having to head out to boy scouts. The meeting went a little longer than normal. Doesn't that figure?
Haven't had a day like this in a long time.
And like I said, it's finally over!
Excuse me while I crash.
Behave!

Oops!

I can't tell you how long it's been since I've missed a day of posting! A while. I guess.
Yesterday just got crazy around here and the next thing I knew it was evening. I did absolutely no writing-type stuff yesterday and I barely checked email. But, I did stock my fridge and pantry, went to lunch with my hubby, and goofed off a little.
We relaxed around a fire last night while the kids played with glow sticks and roasted marshmallows. Lots of talking and laughing, which is just what we needed. K2 leaves tomorrow morning. We still have a few things to do to finish getting her ready once she gets off work for the day. Then, it'll be another week with her gone. The last one for the summer. Thankfully. I thought we were heading into a summer lull, but apparently not. The next few weeks are stocked full of different things - most fun - like my cousin's impending visit, weddings, a possible camping trip, parties, then there's taking the kid for her driver's test, stocking up on school supplies, putting a fresh coat of polyurethane on the living room floor, and finishing the stairs. And more. We're heading into August pretty darned fast.
And there you have it!
Behave!

Mother Hubbard

I've been telling the kids to look again when they say there's nothing to eat. I distinctly remember stocking up on their favorite snacks and cereals - the stuff they can pull out of the cupboards without any help from me. Well, as it turns out they're right...Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard is very, very bare.
So now I'm faced with creating a grocery list that will be no less than two pages long. I just did a quick run through of what we're out of. Everything! Seriously. The fridge is empty. So is the pantry. And the freezer. I'm not quite sure how that happened, but it does tend to occur at times. There are no sandwich bags, no foil, no flour. We're on the last little bit of dish liquid, dog food, cat food, and toilet paper. The kids kicked the last box of cereal this morning. It's sad, really. Since I've been making really quick trips to the store and only paying attention to the immediate meals I've planned, it makes sense.
Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow? Ack! I don't mind shopping, especially if I have a list and a fistful of coupons. I don't like to linger there at all, and I hate everything about it from the time I put the goods on the conveyor until I finally get it all stored away. The only small caveat is finding out how much I've saved on coupons and watching the gas points go up. But it's a necessary thing. And it's in the original plans for Friday. There's just been so much other stuff to do on shopping day...
Eh. So it's a lame Thursday post. What can I say?
Behave!

Goofing off...

>Not to shabby!

Behave!

Wednesday Whoot

It's raining here. Yay!
Finally a break from the oppressive heat that's been plaguing us for way, way too long! The rain means a slower paced day, even though the kids all had dental check ups this morning. But, at least that's over with for another six months.
I meant what I said about goofing off this week. It's Wednesday, and the most I've done on my own work is to print out a manuscript and arrange it in my revisions notebook. (It's a nifty notebook, too. It has Captain Jack and Will Turner on it.) I've done a chapter critique, a full manuscript critique, and a part of another full manuscript critique so far. Still have the rest of the last one to finish, but I think it's high time I get some of my own stuff done. Or maybe I should take a nap. I love to take a nap when it's raining.
Okay. So..nap first, then to work.
Sounds like a plan to me!
Behave!

Wouldn't It Be Nice?

Yeah. I'm in that mood again! Missing the beach and crying because we're not going this year!

B's having the same issues. He emailed me earlier and asked me to forward him some beach pics to brighten his day. Only, in my opinion, I think the beach pics make it worse since we're not involved in any kind of countdown to beach time! The only way that will happen this year is if some kind of miracle happens. And hey! I can dream, can't I?

That is all. I have laundry to fold.

Behave!

Moth Monday

How cool is that?

A Luna Moth caterpillar. I haven't seen one of these in a very long time - either the caterpillar, or the moth. This picture is extremely poor, I swear her foot is probably the clearest thing. And I'm not sure exactly who's foot it is. The caterpillar was found during the July 4th camp out. Pretty cool.

So, I finished my book. Yay. I'd planned to let it sit for a long while before tackling edits, but now I'm sure it won't be as long as I originally thought. I just need a little distance from it - a week or two - then I'll be ready to go through it. This week is going to be kind of a goof off week for me. I do have writing work planned, and I'm excited about both things I want to do, but I'm not pushing for great progress.

Another hot day is in the forecast. Fantastic.

Behave!!

Steaming Sunday

It's hot here! Really hot - like yesterday and the day before.

Anway. I was going through my July 4th pictures and came across this. Under that blue tarp is where my brother spent Saturday night. He had a cot in the back of his truck, a sleeping bag, and that tarp. Remember the Dobson Fly? Yeah. There's no way you'd catch me sleeping like that. Ha! It worked for him though - even though we talked about filling the under side of the tarp with moths and Dobson Flies. Of course, we didn't. He said he slept very well.

Lots of running around today, but I'm still hoping to finish the book.

Behave!

Late Night Ramblings

Almost missed the boat on a post for today! Not that anyone truly cares. Ha!
It's been a busy one - but all my chicks are back in the nest. They're tired, happy, and glad to be home. And so am I. More than I can tell you.
I'm writing this from the comfort of my air conditioned room, and I still think it's pretty snazzy that I can be on the Internet while lounging in bed. Maybe the novelty will never wear off. So far it hasn't. It's stinking, stinking hot here - like melt your bones hot and tomorrow is forecast to be the same. Fantastic. I would have escaped to the a/c much sooner, but I had to wait for K2 to arrive back home after a performance tonight.
I used the time waiting to write and I'm happy to report I'm nearly done with the book. Another chapter or so and it'll be finished. Then, it'll sit for a little while and rest before I tackle edits. I love this writing challenge I'm involved in. The reporting of the day's progress keeps me moving. I really hate to report zero's. We do the best 5 days out of 7 - so 2 zero days are acceptable as long as there's some progress on the other days. Starting fresh on Monday gives everyone an equal chance since we all have various things going on that dip into the writing time. If I do manage to type in "the end" tomorrow, I'll end up taking an extra day or two off next week.
Well, that's all - I told you in the title this would be ramblings.
Behave!

The End of a Long Week

Yay! It's Friday!
Tonight we get to go visit K3 at scout camp, and then he's home tomorrow. It's been a long week wondering how he's doing and missing him! K2 arrives back home this evening as well, and she's actually home for about a week before heading off on her next adventure. That's not to say she doesn't already have a full schedule for the coming week, but handling that is much better than her being gone.
K4 is very ready for her siblings to come home. And so am I!
This is a very Fiesta-like day, though the plans are all for the evening. Heck, it's already noon and I'm just climbing out of taking care of administration duties and the like, so the rest of the day should fly for me.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Behave!

Supernatural: Dude!

Because it's Thursday. Because I miss the boys. Because I'm too lame to find anything else to post about.
Behave!

Weird Wednesday

I still don't have much to report.
Still very quiet here.
My dog is sick. I'm recovering from some stupid, icky virus that hit me out of the blue and knocked me for a loop. Luckily, it's a short lived one, but my stomach still isn't so happy.
Summer is ticking by really fast. School supplies are on the shelves. The next thing you know Christmas decorations will be on display. I don't even want to think about that. I'm having a hard enough time thinking about outfitting everyone for the new school year. But it's coming up very soon.
I'm hoping the last part of summer will be better than the first half.
And that's all I have for now...
Behave!

This Looks Familiar!

It's pretty darned close to what my cat's been doing!
Not much to report today. Quiet.
That is all.
Behave!

Monday Madness...

Isn't that weird?

Yes. Those are nostrils you see in the eye holes. And K4's tongue. This is how she occupied herself one afternoon. I think it's very amusing. The kid loves scissors. Loves them. When I discovered there weren't many things in her room that didn't have cutting involvement, (comforter, mini blinds, pillow, baby doll hair - you name it) I had to take her scissors and hide every pair in the house. (and I'm not entirely convinced she's outgrown the habit, so I'm ever watchful) She loves to cut stuff. She'll even take scissors outside and cut the grass. She's only cut her hair once a few years ago, but she has given the cat and the dog a trim from time to time. When I see her with scissors I constantly remind her what not to cut. Fun stuff in my house. As usual.

Man, it's quiet here! I don't think either K4 or I know what to do with ourselves. She's enjoying not having to share the computer and the fact her brother neglected to put away his gaming system before he left. She figures that's a good indication that she can use it. But, she didn't sleep well last night and I know that's the stress of missing her siblings.

And the dog? She's acting all depressed and holding her paw up for sympathy love. I've checked it over three times now and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

That's all for Monday.

Behave!

Sniffle! and Camping Wrap up

So...we're down to one child at home this week. Weird stuff. Already and it's only been about an hour since we said goodbye. K3 was excited and nervous for his first solid week away from home. I'm sure he'll do fine. I just don't know if I will!

Camping wrap up...

We said goodbye to Freddie (the snapping turtle K2 found on her last day of school). He's now happily swimming in the creek with the other turtles. There were a lot of gypsy moths flitting about with no purpose except to breed and die. They were annoying, and directionally challenged, and would often fly right into your face, or in your mouth. Pretty gross, but better than the Dobson Fly. The guys caught a lot of different fish - ones we've never pulled out of the creek as long as we've been going. I didn't. I rarely catch any fish. Usually all I catch is trees, rocks, and the occasional hook between the eyes. Even with the rain, we had a fantastic time, and I can't help but wish we had another trip planned soon.

I'm off to see if I can erase one of my lower production days in this writing challenge. As of right now I'm in second place. We start all over again tomorrow.

That's all...

Behave!

Icky Bugs

This is a Dobson Fly.

Pretty gross, huh?

And it's not a small critter. They're huge - like 5 inches long huge. This one's a female. See those pinchers? The males have really, really long ones. They're mean. They both bite. And they stink. And fly. The larvae is called a hellgrammite. They're just as disgusting as the adults, except they don't have wings.

This particular one is in a bag. B wanted to show K3's friend who was camping with us Saturday night. K2 and I gave him a CT scan with a flashlight (they look hollow), and inspected his body with the relative safety of the heavy plastic. Then we let him go. Yeah, they're disgusting and scary, but killing it seemed wrong.

Thursday morning, I woke to hear B say, "Don't freak and cover your head." Yeah. One was in the camper and probably had been all night. I'd seen two on the screen door earlier, and when we went to bed there was only one. The seal between the canvas and door wasn't completely closed. I didn't freak since it was over and B got it out. If I was alone it would probably have been a completely different story. Ha!

So, there you have it. Something disgusting for the weekend!

Lots of camp preparations going on here. My living room looks like a laundromat explosion.

Behave!

Fatigue Friday!

... Yes. This is how I feel today. Had a good page count again yesterday, and then a late night last night, that included getting up early and finding a lovely present from my doggie in the bathroom hallway. That was compliments of her eating the cat's food last night. Fun stuff. Am now in the middle of some brainstorming with Simon and Burkholder - am obviously having some attention deficit issues - Ha! Actually we're all checking email and stuff, and the hard part is done. Now we're going to try to get some pages in on the writing challenge. In between talking. And laughing. And other brainstorming.
Not much Fiesta-type stuff going on today. K2 comes home from camp tonight, but then she leaves again Sunday. K3 leaves Sunday, too. Next week is going to be a weird one around here.
That's all for now!
Behave!

Supernatural: Savin' Me

As promised!
Enjoy!
Behave!

Snack Wrapper Hate

I swear!
Those clear plastic snack wrappers are the bane of my current existence! I'm finding them everywhere!! Bathroom, living room, dining room, bedrooms, beside the trash can, blowing in the breeze around the swing set. Just when I think I've found them all, another one peeks out from underneath the piano or the couch cushions. All of that while I've been assured by the small humans that live and visit here that they've taken care of their trash and cleaned up after themselves. huh.
I'm in the middle of a writing challenge right now. Some people are blaming me for taking them away from their pages, and calling me names! Like saboteur! All because I sent the links for Supernatural videos similar to the one I posted here yesterday. Ha! I think we all agree they're necessary inspiration in a world with too much time before new Sam and Dean.
As of the last tally, I have the lead in the writing challenge, thanks to a stellar 32 page day yesterday. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to hold onto that lead since I'm already slacking behind today and tomorrow is a brainstorming session for the new anthology. There is a possibility of some writing time once we've finished slamming ideas around, so maybe I shouldn't write the day off yet. Not that it truly matters in the end. I've made terrific progress and that's what it's about. Then, Monday we start again and hopefully by the end of next week I'll have finished my current wip. It's a way for us all to stay focused after spending the first few weeks of summer vacation wondering what happened to our muses.
I'll probably post another Supernatural video later.
But for now...
Behave!

Supernatural : The Best Winchester Lines

h, how I miss them!! How long until the new season starts?
Behave!

Then, The Rain Came

Thursday evening the rain started with a big ole bang. The thunder was so close it rattled the camper and your bones depending on where you were standing. It was crazy rain - coming in from the creek side. Usually when it rains, we're able to stand under the awning and watch, and keep the front camper window open. Not this time.

We had small breaks in between cloud bursts, but not long enough to even contemplate a fire. B and I made soup for dinner, and it turned into a collective pot with additions from my folks and sister. Instead of finishing it over the fire like we'd planned, we ended up dishing it up from the camper.

Anyway. When bedtime rolled around, we thought we were done with the rain. K3 had retired to his tent where it was surprisingly dry. We'd told him he could sleep in the camper if the rain got too bad. I don't think fifteen minutes went by before heavy rain started and he made his way over. I dodged the drops to check out his tent and make sure his sleeping bag was away from the sides and to stow his clothes in the truck. It's no wonder he didn't hang out in his tent, the rain was deafening inside. He was lucky though, the spot he picked was like an island by the time the rain stopped, (which wasn't until the next morning) and his tent stayed dry.

So, no, those aren't orbs in the picture. They're rain drops. I was trying to catch a picture of how the rain was falling on the creek, but my poor old camera isn't capable of that. Apparently.

That's all for now.

Behave!

A Funny!

It cracks me up!!
(And yes, I'm procrastinating!)
Behave!

What's That?

Believe it or not, we were really looking at something. Or at least trying to. B was sure he saw a young deer drinking from the creek downstream. Of course, my cell phone rang and spooked it, but we were pretty sure it was still in a patch of woods not too far in from what we could see. Besides that brief sighting, the odor of skunk, ducks, and some egrets, we didn't see a lot of wildlife this time. Oh, I did see some baby pilated woodpeckers. They were in that tree right behind B's head. Eww. Though babies are more tolerable that the full-sized creepiness of the adults.

There was an interesting situation caused by...something....we're not sure. Shortly after we went to bed Friday night, we heard a loud crack. With the way the nuts fall out of the trees, we weren't too concerned about it even though the noise was much louder than normal. Saturday morning, my sister went to take their Jeep to the house and found the entire back windshield shattered. You couldn't tell from the outside. Highly doubtful the breakage was caused by a nut, so here are the theories: A deer ran into it, aliens, jealousy over the new car they just bought, or the fact that my bro showed up later with his sling shot and the window figured it'd break itself before he could do it. We did a whole crime scene investigation thing, but couldn't figure out what happened.

That's all for today...maybe...

Behave!

A Room With A View

The view from the camper.

This was taken Wednesday morning. It's hard to tell, but the creek was very clear. I know it looks muddy in the picture, but it really wasn't - you could see pretty much every rock and even watch fish meander around.

My night alone with the younger K's? Actually, it went just fine. B left later than he intended, but not before telling me how brave he thought I was and making scared faces at every sound. Goofball. I wrote for a while, and as I was drifting off to sleep, K1 texted me. I spent the next while in a text conversation with him, so by the time we were done, I slept very well.

With the way things were going when we were setting up the camper, I wasn't so sure it would be an easy night. I broke my coffee pot - shattered it all over the camper floor between my feet. We parked the camper in a patch of poison ivy, so I had to pull that out as soon as possible. Luckily, I keep a pair of gloves in the camper for such occasions, and I normally don't get poison. We'll see if that holds true - I hiked through a rather large patch on Thursday because it was better than the alternative path over slimy rocks in the creek. I'm not just talking tiny slippery rocks, but huge boulder-sized ones with the potential for ankle breaking or other serious bodily harm should you happen to slide the right way and get your foot wedged between them. I wanted to take the camera on that particular adventure, but it was good B talked me out of it since I ended up on my butt in the creek more times than I care to count. Plus, I caught zero fish. But even with my slimy rock anxiety and my sister's spastic dog, our hike was a really good time.

The whole time away was really good - even with torrential rain, an overactive, insane moth population, a tick on my butt, and a Dobson fly inside the camper. (I'll show you a picture of a Dobson fly. They're disgusting, evil flying insects.)

More tomorrow!

Behave!

Into the Wilds

If the posts come up the way they're supposed to, it's Sunday and I've been away since Tuesday night.
Away into the wilds.
Though by now, I'm probably home soaking in a hot tub and have no energy to even contemplate catching up on the electronic world. Which is reason number one for scheduling this post when I don't really have to. Reason two is that the only reason we came home early is because we have stuff to do tonight that we couldn't reschedule.
Through the coming week I'll most likely have pictures and stories of our extended time camping. Especially possibly from Tuesday night when the younger K's and I spent the night alone in the meadow. As I write this, that hasn't happened yet. Sometimes the meadow can be spooky in the middle of the night with no one else around. But, I'll have my puppy and be secure in the camper, but maybe I'll have a good story to tell you about it. Then again, I could fall asleep immediately and sleep the whole night without nary a episode.
I'll let you know soon.
Anyway. As I write this on Tuesday I can only tell you how much I'm looking forward to the very long weekend. It's as close to vacation as we get this year and if we can't go to the beach, the meadow's the next best place.
Behave!

Memories...

Behave!

Happy 4th of July!

Enjoy the day doing whatever makes you happy!
But don't forget to thank a soldier for your independence!
Behave!

Thursday!

Another list:
Ten ways to show love to your mother:
1. Say "What?" every single time she says something. You can do this numerous times because Mom's love to repeat themselves.
2. Then say "Really?" immediately following her repeat.
3. When being asked why you haven't done what your mother asked, say "I didn't hear you."
4. Don't turn off the lights in any room you exit. Make several trips through the house and turn the lights on - even duing the day. Then blink like you're innocent when asked why you didn't turn the lights off. It's a sure sign to show her how much you care.
5. Leave your dishes wherever you are when finishing whatever it is you're eating - bedroom, bathroom, outside - the possibilities are endless. And no matter what she says, your mom loves your dish treasure hunt.
6. Occasionally allow the water in the bathroom/kitchen sink to trickle when you're done washing. Mom's love that.
7. Ask what's for dinner repeatedly regardless of if you've already been given an answer. Ask about the following night while eating the current night's dinner. Don't take "I don't know" for an answer. Because your Mom is only ever thinking of cooking for you.
8. Make frequent trips to check out the contents of the refrigerator and pantry even though nothing is different inside. Ask why there's nothing to eat often. See number 7 - food = love.
9. Argue about taking a bath even though you know you're filthy and stinky. It makes your mom feel important to make sure you're clean.
10. Leave a trail of destruction behind you wherever you go. Snack wrappers, clothing, toys, trash - again, the possibilities are endless. Mom's absolutely love this. It's positive proof you care.
:)
What? Yes. It's a heavy dose of sarcasm. It's how I cope.
Behave!!

Dogs!

It's what they do!
Behave!

Wow!

Yeah. I'm doing it again...
Wondering what happened to last month.
But...seriously?
July already?
It's crazy in a where the heck has summer gone so far kind of way. June was quick - it slipped by without having much attention paid to it. The next thing you know, school supplies will be stocked on store shelves - if they aren't already. I'm looking at the next four/five weeks in utter amazement at what's going on. Every week there's a camp thing, and every weekend an obligation. Which tells you that on August 1st, I'll be saying the same thing. Expect it. Live for it. 'Cause you know you can't wait. :)
We've got a lot going on this week, so posts may be spotty over the next few days. I'm already running behind schedule for today, and I imagine that trend will continue since the younger K's don't seem to be willing to offer much cooperation even though the end result is a good one. It's already noon and K3's still in his jammies though I've asked him to get dressed three times so far.
Behave!

Writing Topics

I had a whole post written and it's gone...
Dang it...
Now I don't feel like re-crafting it - so we're going to have a list of ten instead.
10 reasons I love writing:
1. I can work in my jammies.
2. Reading is research.
3. Writing retreats.
4. Finishing a book.
5. Starting a book.
6. My local chapter of RWA.
7. I can work inside my head.
8. Writing friends.
9. Brainstorming.
10. Having new ideas slip in when I least expect them to.
(Which is what happened to me this morning and I now have an idea to rework a ms that needed some plot help. It's thrilling to have that revelation - even though it'll have to wait until I clear my schedule.)
Anyway. There are many, many more reasons I love writing than those ten. That's just what popped into my head after I got over my disappointment at losing my original post. The list would look different depending on the day and my mood. Seeing my name on the cover of a book, hearing what people thought of my story, and much more. I could probably write a list of a hundred, but that's besides the point.
And that's all for a Monday.
Behave!

Off To Camp...

K2's been delivered for her first week's work as a camp counselor.
She was very excited - bouncing off the wall's, up until 3am excited. (and I know this because I was still awake at 3am, not sleeping and not because I was excited, because I just can't.) She left a list of animal care instructions for the hamsters, and the snapping turtle who's still in residence, but won't be by this time next week. (Which is a huge yay. I don't mind the turtle itself, and he does need to go home to the wild, but his water reeks like you would not believe!! And the stench happens within a day of her cleaning his habitat. Yuck.) My niece is at the same camp as an attendee this week, so that will be nice for both of them. K3 & K4 - but especially K4 - are already sad she's gone. And, so am I. It's going to be a strange week around here.
But we have lots to do around here, so hopefully it goes fast.
That's all for Sunday.
Behave!

On The Table...

Right now...
(because I have nothing else to post about)
My dining room table:
My laptop, mouse, writing notebook, writing calendar, family calendar, my eyeglasses, 3 books I've already read, 1 I'm currently reading, an invitation to a graduation, a response for a wedding waiting to be mailed, 4 cookbooks, movie ticket stubs, my wallet, headphones, 2 mechanical pencils, a calculator, my proxy vote for RWA National, a gas receipt, 2 pens, my zip drive cover, and an envelope.
Yes, my dining room table is temporarily my desk.
Enjoy the weekend!
Behave!

Saturday Funny

see more
Ha ha!
Behave!

Friday List of Ten

Ten random things that have made me kind of cranky over the past few days:
1. Telemarketer calls - yeah, we're on the "do not call" list, but apparently companies you already do business with have the right to call you with whatever offer they happen to have.
2. Preparing K2 for camp counseling duties. Why do you need that much stuff?
3. The general inability of the small humans that live with me to pick up after themselves even after I remind them.
4. The general inability of same said small humans to complete their chores in an acceptable manner when previously this was not an issue.
5. Humidity - Fun! It's back.
6. Telemarketers - oh wait. I mentioned that one already. Did I mention it's bad enough that I've turned the ringer off on my phone?
7. Foot pain.
8. Attitudes from same small humans.
9. People taking my stuff and not putting it back. Hey, I don't care if you use it - depending on what it is - but you should return it to where you found it.
10. Not sleeping - I go to bed. I'm tired. My body is tired, but my mind doesn't seem to recognize its cues to drift away. And I end up tossing and turning until the early morning hours. Or sleeping in ten minute increments. I don't like it and it's probably the reason all this stuff has made me a bit cranky when it wouldn't otherwise.
But hey! It's Friday. Another Friday with no Fiesta planned though, which is sad, but cannot be avoided. Oh well. There's fun stuff on the horizon.
Enjoy the weekend!
Behave!

Reading

I realized sometime yesterday that I'd checked out eight books from the library last week and had yet read one. Since they're due back soon, I figured I'd better get busy. Not to mention, I needed a bit of distraction and reading is how I've always escaped. Reading is a bit different when you're a writer. Sometimes it's hard to turn off that internal editor and read for pure pleasure. I tend to examine rather than relax and get lost in the story. Occasionally, I catch myself rewording sentences in my head, or going back to see if the time line makes sense.
I read very fast. People accuse me of skimming, which is true to some extent, but just because I don't read every single word of a sentence doesn't mean I've lost any part of the story. I tend to skip over common words and phrases, and some descriptions, but like I said, I always know what's happening in the book and what things look like. Unless I'm bored (which is something you never want to hear as a writer).
Before I started writing, I would finish every book I started, even if I felt like banging it against a wall. These days I don't have time for that. If I'm not completely engaged by the end of the first chapter, it's over, baby. Sometimes not even that far into it. I'm not one to reread either since I usually remember the stories I love. I used to. I would reread my favorites regularly, probably as far back as when I was a kid. The "Little House on the Prairie" series was my favorite (no snickering), and well as "Nancy Drew". In my teenage years, and I can't remember the title, though I know I have the book on my keeper shelf, it was a story about a runaway girl. These days, there's that time factor. I try to read more current releases to keep up on what's been/being bought in the industry and what readers like these days. There are only a few books I'd even consider reading twice - and yes, Harry Potter falls into that category.
Anyway. (Yes. I'm aware I'm rambling.)
Last night I grabbed a category romance I borrowed because I was curious about the line and how they pulled it off without sounding technical and fan-ish. It was a quick read for me - a few hours tops - and I truly enjoyed the story and the characters. But feeling restless as I was, I reached for an old favorite before going to bed. I've loved Nicholas Sparks' books since first reading "Message in a Bottle". No, he doesn't always have a happy ending, but since I know that's a possibility I'm okay with that. Sometimes life is messy and sad. I picked up "The Wedding", which relates quite a bit to "The Notebook". It's an amazing story of love and renewal and the efforts of one man to save his marriage. I have to say I think I loved it even more the second time because I knew the surprise ending already. Part of the fun was looking for the foreshadowing to the later events. The clues were always there, but without knowing what the grand surprise, the reader wasn't looking at it for anything other than what it was supposed to be.
And yes, I could have been doing a million other things instead of re-reading, but it was worth it.
Oh! And a birthday shoutout to my sister, M. She doesn't read this blog at all, but I'd feel weird if I didn't mention it here.
Behave!

Wednesday Thoughts

I'm pretty sure I've got nothing today...
It's been a relatively quiet day around here with just a little running around and not much else. We did have plans, but switched them around for maximum fun and convenience.
I did finish my short story and got it sent out to my awesomely fantastic critique partners. Now I'm just waiting for their suggestions/impressions. And getting back into my urban fantasy novel. I read through what I have last night and I'm still really excited by the story. I'm looking forward to finishing it. It's probably the weirdest thing I've ever written. ha!
And I think that might be all I have for now.
Behave!

Non-routine and Challenges

It's week three of summer vacation and it feels like we've been doing this for months instead of a handful of days. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely not complaining. At all. I'm just saying that we slipped into our non-routine rather quickly. And I mean that non-routine in pretty much every area of life. The only thing that's consistent around here is sleeping in. Ha. I'm not sure that's a bad thing. No one's complaining they're bored. Yet. Things are about to get interesting around here with the onset of K2's camp counselor gig and July will surely shake things up with all that's going on.
Motivation has been a huge topic of discussion with my writing friends. We're all facing the same issues right now, but we're working on a solution to keep each other in check. A friendly challenge that'll start after the July holiday. I'm gearing up to begin our challenge with guns blazing and am setting my goals pretty high because I'm sick of feeling stagnant and backwards.
It's true I've always wanted a more relaxed writing schedule over the summer months. It's also true that I never seem to manage that, so I'm just going to go with the flow and do what I can without stressing too much. Granted the workload is self imposed since I'm not under any kind of deadline but my own, but I'm never going to have that deadline if I don't write, so there you have it. I am at a better place this year, or maybe it's just that my household is growing up and things have shifted as far as what's required of me.
We're slowly getting our duckies lined up around here, of course, by the time that happens we'll have to start thinking about the start of school. I think that's just life though.
What are you going to do?
Behave!

On the Lighter Side...

My house...on any given day...
Behave!

The Passing of a Legend

Yesterday, my sister's nearly 16 year old dog, Boone, passed away.
We all knew he was dying, but that doesn't make it any easier. He'd been having trouble walking and standing up for a little while. He also dragged his back feet when walking and fell often, but he'd still come over and lean his head on your leg for a pet. We knew his time was coming up. I just don't think any of us ever really believed he'd go though.
He started having serious difficulties early in the week, and those issues worsened as the days passed. By Saturday, he could no longer stand up. They took him down to the creek that evening. Boone loved the creek. So much that he often didn't pay attention when traveling down the lane to get there. One time, B and I got there first and let him out of his enclosure to take him down to the creek with us. As soon as you'd say "creek", he was off down the lane to get there. But he was also happy to see us, so he ran beside our vehicle down the dirt road. He kept looking up at B with this silly dog face and ran smack dab into a tree. He wasn't hurt at all, and it didn't phase him. Then there was the time we caught him on the picnic table eating an entire chocolate cake. He had absolutely no ill effects from the chocolate, though we watched him and worried.
The thing you have to know about Boone is that he came from a litter of puppies our dog had. We'd rescued a Siberian Husky from some pretty crappy conditions. He was a beautiful dog, but hated all men except B due to his hard life. I think the fact that B rescued him made the difference. He'd do anything B said and if B didn't stop to pet him, Smokey would sulk. We'd gotten a lab/retriever female puppy, and apparently they got a little too close one day. Hence a litter of nine puppies born when K1 was 3 and K2 was about 9 months old. My sister and brother-in-law were dating back then and Boone was like their little buddy. He went everywhere with them and was probably the most socialized dog around.
His passing affects us all. My younger two have never experienced the death of a pet that they remember. He'll be missed, but I'm sure he's chasing groundhogs in heaven.
Behave!

Gearing up...

So we spent the day getting the camper ready for what should be our second campout of the season, but will be our first. If that made sense. I should have taken before and after pictures. It was very nasty when B pulled it in the yard for a bath since it was parked under a large tree. Very nasty. Now it's nice and shiny again, and aired out. I cleaned all the storage spaces and packed the gear back inside so now when it's time to go to camp I only have to worry about clothes and food. That's a cool thing. I love the way the camper smells inside. I love getting it ready for a camping trip. I'm filthy, exhausted, bruised and scratched, but satisfied at all we managed to accomplish today.
Except I just now sat down. I'd wanted to finish my short story today - especially since I'm really, really close to the end. I'm kind of thinking that might not happen tonight. I'm kind of thinking I might try, again, to watch The Fellowship of the Ring since I fell asleep just as Gandalf arrived at Bag End last night. The last thing I remember was him hitting his head in Bilbo's house.
That's a Saturday lame post for you!
Behave!

Hobbits?

I think it's time for a little LOTR...
Behave!

Survived

For another year...
The day didn't start out so swell...no sleep...dog diarrhea...you get the picture...
And then we had to walk through overcrowded streets with horribly, really horribly, rude people. K3 has a huge crowd issue. We were armpit to armpit with total strangers downtown and I looked over at him to see wild eyes and this mother-heart-stopping, rigid fear on his face. It wasn't quite bad enough that he held my hand, (because, you know, he's too old and too cool for that these days) but it was close. He stuck to my side like glue. We moved to the sidewalk, which helped a lot, but he wanted to go home. And like the trooper he is, he didn't whine, complain, or anything. He just simply stated that he was ready to go home whenever we were, but felt that should be soon. What a funny kid. I'm really proud of how he handled himself.
After that, we just hung out here and laughed a lot. Thanks to Jo and her "moobs". :)
Town is noisy with the tearing down of everything. The neighbors are still partying and there's an occasional siren. My family has all gone to bed, and I'm heading there myself.
Whew. Thank goodness it's over.
Behave!

Midweek Madness

My house is kind of chaotic at the moment.
K2 is babysitting for a friend of ours, which is her usual Wednesday job. Two little girlies, who are adorable and full of energy. The afternoon went fast, and now we're gearing up for the rest of the craziness. K2 has a performance tonight, and has to be on site in about an hour, which will leave me with the girlies until their mom gets off work. Then, I have to finish getting ready for the insanity of tomorrow.
I know I lamented our town's annual street fair last year. It's not my favorite thing. At all. I've already parked my truck and K2's truck so that we can accommodate visitors, and gone to the grocery store since there's no way you'll catch me driving anywhere tomorrow. All that's left is some minor cleaning and making some potato salad. And, I hate to say it, but I'm probably going to end up walking down to check out the vendors in the morning. I don't want to. Not at all. But the K's are looking forward to it, so I guess I just have to suck it up and go. I'm not sure what our visitor situation will be yet. That's one of those things that are hard to predict.
We'll see...and we'll make the most of it.
Behave!

Memory Lane

I don't think I've ever shared this picture. Look at Jo wrestle that gator! Note there's no blood and her shirt and shoes are still pristine. She's the best at what she does. Ha! We love this photo op at the aquarium at the beach. The first pic I have is of three of the K's before K4 came along. K3 is not quite two yet and he looks very bewildered by the fact that his brother and sister are petting it. They remodeled the aquarium and moved this guy - croc or gator, I'm not exactly sure which - outside by the fossil pit (which is another cool place to hang out). We did pics of all the kids around it, and some of my kids with their heads stuck in its mouth looking scared. (of course. What else do you expect?) I already know this pic will bring much nostalgia and pain for those of us who regularly travel to the beach - well, at least those that actually read my blog. But I can't help it. There's this fantastic breeze going on right now that totally reminds me of the beach.
Other than that, I'm catching up with some business items, article writing, and household duties while I try to actually find a level of summer organization around here. Which is laughable since this week is totally insane with lots of kid stuff and our town's annual street fair. Maybe I should just prepare to go with the flow. Or something. I don't know.
Behave!

Monday Musings...

Which is really just another way to say "random"! Ha!
I'm having a weird day.
I don't know why. Weird dreams last night, which could have something to do with it, and is really just an indication that I need to get back to writing after taking the weekend off for fun and frivolity.
K2's summer schedule is keeping me hopping. I just updated the calendar for June and part of July and it's insane. We have a Dry Erase calendar and everyone has a different color. K2's is red. Needless to say, the entire thing is covered in red. And green, which is K3's color. K1 doesn't have a color anymore since he does his own thing and can take care of all that stuff himself now. And K4 has very little going on at this point in her life. I'll have two of them off to camp at the same time, intersecting weeks of K2 working as a camp counselor and our own camping trip. We'll see how it all works out. Should be interesting.
That's all I have for today!
Behave!

Sunday Funny

HA!
Behave!

Call Your Dad!

Seriously. You should.
I will be making that call since my folks bailed on us and went camping this weekend! Ha! He thought he could get away from the obnoxiousness of his children! But he's with one of us, so I highly doubt that's happening. B is heading in to see his dad in a few, and then we're going to a friends for a birthday/fathers day cookout.
I've got a ton of stuff to do before that, so this will be short and sweet.
Most of the guys I know are great dads. Not many of them read this. If any. I have a great dad and I'm married to a great dad. Make sure you appreciate your great dads today!
Behave!

I Have This Kid...

Yeah...

That one.

The one who steals her grandmother's walking aide and then proceeds to walk beside her grandmother while overexaagerating how Grandma walks when she uses it. (she doesn't use it all the time) The one with war paint on her face because they were having a knock-down-drag-out water fight. The one with the Care Bear bandaid and tie-dyed shorts. The one who's working three jobs this summer to save enough money to go on an inner-city missions project. The one who rescues stranded turtles and baby bunnies.

This kid is as goofy as she is amazing. She's wise beyond her years, funny, patient, kind, and an awesome person. She knows what she wants out of life and is already working toward those goals.

And I'm feeling nostalgic.

I picked her up from camp counselor training today. She had a blast and is really looking forward to the coming weeks when she'll interact with the kids. Most of the kids that come to the camp are underprivileged city kids, many have never been in the woods before. She's also decided that she's going to work an additional week there and then started talking about colleges.

As I listened to her talk about the people and the experience, I almost cried.

Because I'll miss her, and because I don't know how we got to this point where she's suddenly in charge of her life and makes her own decisions based on future goals. (Trust me, the kid has always made her own decisions, but they've been on a much smaller scale.) Because she's amazing in so many ways.

Somewhere along the way we went from mother/daughter to friends. I'm not saying we not have our share of "teenager" moments. We do. And I know our relationship will continue to change and grow. Heck, I count my own mother as one of my closest friends. I guess I faced the changes a little bit as I listened to her talk about her future options. And they kind of hit me out of the blue because I vividly remember her sitting in the grocery cart making me a "list" while we discussed what snacks to have at our afternoon tea party. That seems like only yesterday...

Yeah. I'm a sap. Deal with it.

Oh, and for your daily dose of my life...

I went to the grocery store, but then realized I'd forgotten to grab a bag of ice. I rushed back in, got the ice and zoomed around the corner for the self checkout only to slip and fall in a small puddle of water. I crashed into the video shelf, knocked a bunch of DVD's down and hit the floor with my knee. Fantastic. My finger is bruised, my arm is scratched and bruised, my knee is scraped and sore. Oh, and I landed directly in front of the manager.

There's a mental picture for you...

Behave!

Fiesta Friday!

Or, maybe it should be...we'll see if it turns out to be Fiesta Friday!
This morning has been spent dealing with administration duties, including two phone calls to deal with separate issues. One went fantastically. The other left me wanting to pull my hair out, but I think it might finally be resolved. We'll see. The whole thing was totally irritating and I was on the phone for well over an hour. I finally got to speak to a supervisor, who promised he took care of the situation. I am not holding my breath because this isn't the first time I've been told that. Huh.
Now I'm ready to move on to the fun stuff. I'm meeting my sister at a friend's pool in a bit, then we're off to dinner at our old neighbor's new house.
Enjoy the weekend!
Behave!

Slow Day

Every single thing about my day so far has been slow.
Except for time.
I just looked at the clock and realized how late in the day it is. Then I realized how little I've accomplished so far. Stupid. I was preparing something to print and my computer kept wanting to restart so it could update. Every document opens slow and wants to harass me in some odd way. I am still in the process of printing thanks to my printer being stupid. The printer que is backed up thanks to me hitting "print" instead of "save" and I can't seem to get the job cancelled so it will print what I really want printed. I'm nearly out of ink and don't need 100 additional pages. Or this aggravation.
Anyway.
Was checking out the search terms that bring people to my blog. Most are my name, which is very common. Others might be odd - like "bare chests and bow ties" or "Victoria Smith Jared Padalecki" (which is way cool), but the one I came across last night made me sad..."i hate victoria smith!". Why do you hate me? What did I do? I do realize this means nothing more than the fact that I've used the word hate on my blog several times. I don't know that many people, so it's hard to imagine someone from a far away town actively hating me. I guess it's possible, but like I said, my name is pretty common.
Well, now even more time is gone and I'm still working on this printer. I think I might have to write off this day.
Behave!

My Day...

Yeah. It's that good.
Behave!

Good Thing - Bad Thing

(A random list of strangeness.)
1. K2's mornings plans were cancelled.
...Except she forgot to tell me.
2. K3 had his physical for summer camp.
...And Fifth Disease, which I noticed as we were sitting in the doctor's office. (its going around)
3. I stayed up late last night to try to get my writing head screwed on straight.
...I don't think it worked.
4. I was very happy to pour my coffee this morning.
...the cup I chose apparently is cracked and is leaking.
5. B had to replace a tire over the weekend thanks to a nail in the sidewall. He rotated his tires to put the new one in the front.
...now it seems there's another nail in the same location he just replaced.
6. We have a noise ordinance in this town.
...apparently it doesn't apply to everyone. Especially backhoes and jackhammers at six a.m.
Ha! Welcome to my life.
But...it's absolutely beautiful outside. The temperatures have finally fallen to a reasonable number and I love it.
That's all for now.
Behave!

Wednesday Snicker

>Behave!

Brain Vacation

I had the best of intentions yesterday...
I'd planned to dive right back into a short story I finally managed to plot over the weekend after a quick trip for groceries and some household tasks. Except, I never got that far. Or I did, just not in the capacity I'd planned. I opened the document and read through, making minor changes as I re-immersed myself in the story which had been going very well when I finally had to stop writing Sunday night. I'm excited about the story and I'm having fun writing it, but for some reason (probably the heat) my brain refused to cooperate.
Instead, I ended up brain barfing out several pages of an idea based on one line of dialogue that would not leave me alone. Usually that's enough to dispel the activity in my brain, but apparently not this time. I had a dream about it, and woke up this morning thinking about what would happen next. And I'm kind of irritated about the whole thing. The story is not my usual. There's no paranormal, no suspense, no mystery - just an older woman and a younger man coming to terms with what started out as harmless flirting and has grown into much, much more. And I have no idea what I'll do with it, if anything.
And, as the evening wound down and I went back to my original story with much determination, my computer glitched and I had to do a restart. Remember those minor changes I mentioned above? Yep. All gone since I ignored my word processing programs announcement that it'd saved a back up and did I want to open it or delete it - of course, I deleted it. Fantastic! Like I said, the changes were minor, but the whole thing was enough for me to hang it up for the night. I'd planned to work into the wee hours to try to catch up with myself, but that didn't happen.
Yes, I'm still working on the full length manuscript I started at the retreat, but I've found taking a small break to work on something shorter really helps me to stay on a positive track with the bigger book. Like a brain vacation - but it appears that my brain has taken a vacation from its vacation. Or something.
We'll see what happens today. We have several things going on this afternoon and this evening though, and my plan for yesterday was supposed to help alleviate some of my time today. The heat is a huge factor in the whole thing, I'm sure.
That's all.
Behave!

First Monday

of summer vacation!
We slept in around here, which was much needed after a crazy, long weekend and a crazy, long night where I don't think any of us slept well even with the air conditioners on high. It's stinking hot - already pushing 90* and due to reach near 100* by the end of the day. Everyone is a tad cranky and it's looking like today is going to be one long day.
No additional pictures from the reenactment. By the time we got down there they had the camps and canons packed up. I'm not sure why the schedule change happened, except maybe because of our excessive heat. I'm bummed since the photos taken Saturday night are all flawed probably due to the humidity level still residing in my camera from its drop into the creek and previous breakage.
That's all for now.
Behave!

History

This weekend our town is holding a reenactment. Confederate soldiers occupied the town for two days back in 1863. After the troop occupied the town, they met with Union soldiers for what is said to be the most northern battle before heading back to Gettysburg.

On the way to the meeting yesterday, I passed people dressed in period attire. Then on the way back there was a group of soldiers in full regalia. Pretty cool. Last night my folks stopped by and as we were sitting in the back yard hoping for any kind of breeze, (it's stinking hot here) they began to fire the canons. We decided to walk down to check it out and I have to say it was pretty freaking awesome. The photo is from one of the encampments.

We're heading down in a few minutes for hopefully better photos and for the ending canon fire.

I'll post those later!

Behave!

Another Funny

Behave!

Vampire Garlic?

Maybe it doesn't come out so good in the picture, but the garlic has vampire fangs! Normally, I would have passed over the head since it's clearly sprouting, but it was so funny to us that I had to buy it.

Today was my RWA chapter meeting. Always a good time. No lunch today since too many of us had outside obligations right after. I wasn't even supposed to be there this month, but our plans fell through for going away. There's great disappointment associated with the falling through of the plans, so that's all I'm going to say about that. Except...It figures since it was the only thing we had planned this summer besides the holiday camping weekends. Okay. Done now.

That's all I have for you today. Well, at least for right now.

Behave!

10 Things...

I am looking forward to this summer:
(in no particular order)
1. Sleeping in - since there aren't any early morning music lessons, or other morning obligations.
2. Grilling
3. Weddings
4. Camping - though besides the normal holiday weekend camping, we don't have any other plans yet.
5. The resurrection of Fiesta Fridays.
6. Sangria
7. K2 getting her drivers license
8. Last minute plans - since sometimes they work out better than long-term planning.
9. Writing time.
10. A more relaxed pace than last summer, though that makes me laugh because we're still insanely busy, just in different ways.
Behave!

Freddie Found

Nearly twenty-four hours after escaping, Freddie has been found behind the bookcase in K4's room. You can imagine how happy that made K4, because he is indeed a snapping turtle. He was very dusty and covered in hair when she finally rescued him from certain death. Currently, Freddie is swimming in my bathtub while K2 makes him a proper habitat.
It's going to be a fantastic summer!
Behave!

A Funny

Behave!