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Tuesday, August 29, 2023

End of August

Can you believe that? I know! 

Things have been pretty insane around here--both at the day job and on the Homefront. Which should explain my absence. Well, that and the fact that my computer is being a grump. 

I have barely touched my edits recently. Or a critique I need to do for a friend. Okay, I've touched them repeatedly, but it feels like I'm going backwards. By the time I get to an hour where I can concentrate, I'm barely keeping my eyes open and feel pretty ineffective. Plus, see above regarding the computer. 

I don't want to have to buy a new one, but I might not have a choice soon. It ticks me off because I love my laptop, but she's so slow and doesn't want to keep up with what I need to do. 

On the author front, I don't have an event until near Christmas, which is fine due to how crazy things have been. But the writing retreat I go to with my friends every February is already booked, so that's pretty awesome. The winery signing is not happening next year. Well, it is, but not for me. It is what it is, and it was a pretty far drive for very little return. 

I'm really hoping to get this book edited and turned in very soon. And then I have to edit two loosely related books, and a Christmas themed book. God only knows how long that's going to take me! Ha! I had wanted to have all of that done by now, but I hadn't expected to have to rewrite the ending of Sector Two and I didn't count on things being this busy. 

Ultimately, I would love to be able to take the entire summer and the month of December off from writing, and I guess I could, but time off doesn't do anything to move me forward at this point, so...

I woke up Sunday morning with a swollen nose right where my glasses sit. I didn't get injured or anything. It still hurts and this morning it was even more swollen. It's annoying. My research said that it's probably my sinuses, and I think I can agree with that. I was splitting wood on Saturday and most of it was starting to decompose pretty badly, so I guess it's likely to be some kind of allergy or irritant from that. It can go away anytime now though! 

And that's all of the crap I have for you today!

Behave!

Friday, August 18, 2023

Feel Good Friday!

Yay Friday!

It has been a super long week! The day job has been insane and intense. Thankfully today was quieter.

So let's hit the list:

1. Finding the blinds that fit our old house windows and for a reasonable price. For years, no one had our size unless we wanted to pay eighty bucks for one window. But they're back! We replaced four of them. So far. There are still six windows upstairs that need them, but it's a start. 

2. Scoring two chairs to go with my rehabbed outside table. Well, I don't have them yet, but they're coming and they look cool. 

3. Dinner with K5 this week. She's a hoot and we had a blast. Mexican for dinner, thrift store shopping, a little time with our dog, and then ice cream on the way home. 

4. Sitting on the boys so Mom could go to teacher orientation and a meeting. They both make me laugh. Mr. B got a hair cut from Pappy, and Little B and I played Playdough. 

5. Today being Friday! Though I have some errands to run tonight, but I'm not planning on cooking dinner, so there's that. 

6. Minimal progress on my edits this week, but I'm so close to being done. 

7. Sleeping in on the horizon. 

That's about it! 

Behave! 

Monday, August 14, 2023

Catching Up...

Yeah, I suck, but I had good reasons!

This was going to be a Moaning Monday post about my aching body, but since there was nothing leading up to it, we'll get to that in a minute. 

So here's what's going on...

1. Life After released! If you bought it, thank you so much! I appreciate it! If you're so inclined, a review on Amazon would be so helpful! And if you bought it on Kindle Unlimited, just know, I only get paid per pages read. (I only mention that because I've talked to several people recently who had no idea that's how it works.)

2. The fence is 99% up! Last week was brutal with fence work every single night, late dinners, and not much else done. Hence the hurting body, multiple bruises, blisters, and scratches. The only thing left is some trim work, and one more solar post light. (Because apparently we can't count) It is awesome and I love it. Our backyard feels like a little oasis. Especially since...

3. We managed to get a great deal weeded yesterday and rearranged a bunch of stuff. I don't ever remember weeds growing this fast before. 

4. I found a glass-topped table in the neighbor's trash. No cracked or broken glass, just some rust. Brought it into the yard, cleaned it up, painted it, and it's amazing. I love it. Granted, it won't last too long, but that's okay. It has another chance at life and my solar lights look amazing on it. 

5. That Man's family reunion was good. We had a smaller crowd, but it was still really good. Good food, lots of laughs, and good conversation. Our niece and nephew are a lot of fun to hang out with, and the littles are adorable. And it was a gorgeous day. 

6. When everyone left and we finally got cleaned up, it was just That Man and I overnight at our creek. It was lovely to sit by the fire and the creek just the two of us. We were in bed early and slept really well thanks to an epic thunderstorm. 

7. Home early. See #2. Weeding... all of the weeds...also hence the hurting body.

This week should be calmer. Let's hope. 

That is all! 

Behave! 

Friday, August 04, 2023

Feel Good Friday

Yay Friday! 

It has been a week around here! And not a good one. 

But here we are at the end of the week!

Here's the list:

1. My book being up for preorder on Amazon. It's $2.99. Into the Fire is also Free starting today (I think). 

2. Finally moving forward on fence replacement. There's still a huge worry that the lightning struck tree in the neighbor's yard will fall, but we cannot wait any longer. Our old fence is falling down and looks like absolute crap. We ordered and picked up the material, and are in the prepping stage now. I don't know if I'll be able to walk come Monday. Ha! 

3. Hanging with the grandboys twice this week. Little Man wore us out the second time. He's so cute though and says the funniest stuff. He was watering flowers and after spraying the hose, he'd say "that took some damage". Even though there was no damage.

4. Cooler days this week. That was much appreciated. And I appreciated being able to drive my Jeep with the top down most of the week. 

5. My kid and The Boy coming to hang out this weekend. I miss her. 

And that is all. 

Behave! 

Monday, July 31, 2023

Moaning Monday...Well, Not This Week

I know. I know. I was all set to bring Moaning Monday back, but instead...

I HAVE A RELEASE DATE! 

So, we'll get back to Moaning Monday next week. 

August 9th! 

It should be up for preorder by Wednesday. (I have no idea on pricing at this point, but it's an ebook and it's shorter, so?)

Also, if you haven't gotten an e copy of Into the Fire, it will be free starting Saturday in anticipation of Life After's release. 

And that is all...

Behave!


Saturday, July 29, 2023

Feel Good Friday on Saturday

Man, has it been hot here! Holy crap! I hate it so much. 

Here's the list:

1. The "Not a Bridal Shower" was good. I was intensely uncomfortable with the poison and I swear if one more person told me "what I should do" I was going to run away screaming. It was good to see people I haven't seen in a while, though I didn't get to spent much time with the people I wanted to (even though I have seen them in a while. lol). I took anti-itch stuff and went to bed before most people even left because I couldn't people anymore. 

2. Getting the final edits done for Life After. I will have a release date very soon, and the good news is, Into the Fire is going to be free in anticipation of Life After's release. 

3. I still totally dig Life After's story. 

4. Editing being done all week. Sector Two. It's going well. I hope to be done with this story really soon. And then I can move onto editing the next one. lol

5. Our neighbor is probably selling her house. That's sad. She adopted a pre-teen and he's becoming ginormous, plus the end neighbors are total jerks to her, so I get it, but... it's super sad. 

6. Yeah. I think I'm going to bring back Moaning Monday... I mean...

7. Trying to sleep in the morning didn't work, but I am hopeful for tomorrow.

8. Grandboy's coming for dinner tomorrow! Excited about that even though it means I have to vacuum. lol

That is all! 

Behave!



Wednesday, July 26, 2023

And Here It Is...

Waiting on a release date, but here is the cover for Life After...(Isn't it pretty?)

When Mia realizes she's the only person left in the world, her first thought is that she's free. After years of abuse by her mother and an accident that makes her financially responsible for her comatose mother's care, Mia embraces her new life.
Though the solitude was intended to torture Mia, it is the best thing that ever happened to her. She spends the time healing while trying to figure out who she is and what she wants. Before long, she realizes she's not truly alone in her paradise. John claims to be her guardian but insists she needs to go back to her old life. How could that possibly be good?

Together they strive to figure out why Mia's life was manipulated and who is responsible. Their journey uncovers deceit and evil—and their love for each other.

I will let you know as soon as I have a release date. This one is only available digitally, but I hope you'll still check it out. 

Behave!


Friday, July 21, 2023

Feel Good Friday!

Well Hello Friday! Thank you for arriving!

It's been a long week! 

The poison on my legs and arms is still raging. I keep getting new spots, but some of the first ones are healing. It's irritating. I am so sick of being so itchy! 

Anyway! Here's the list! 

1. Friday! Yeah. It's been a long week, but I think I said that already. Ha! 

2. A little bit of sleeping in tomorrow. I hope. 

3. The "Not a bridal shower" for our niece this weekend. Should be fun and it'll be nice to see people we haven't seen for a while. 

4. Getting editing done. I'm making pretty good progress! 

5. Still waiting on the final cover for Life After, but it should be soon! 

6. Driving my Jeep. 

7. Air conditioning. 

I used to do this thing called "Moaning Monday" here. I might have to bring that back just so I can complain about the heat, poison ivy, and all manner of irritants! 

That is all! 

Behave! 

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Tuesday Check In

It's still hot here. I'm over it. So over it. 

On Saturday, our daughter-in-law stopped in with the grandboys. The intent was a quick bathroom trip. Except they didn't leave for over three hours. Ha! The boys "washed" my car, soaked themselves in the hose, ate every snack we had, bugged Pappy, rearranged a bunch of stuff, and turned on the fire place in the living room. And while waiting for their clothes to dry, their mom helped me remake our bed with the sheets that had been in the dryer. During that time, Little B turned on the alarm clock I never use, and turned our air conditioner down. So we woke at midnight to a blaring alarm and wondering why it was so danged hot in our room. Ha! 

To back up before that, we did hit the weeds first off. My legs are now covered in very itchy poison. I showered as soon as I got out of the patch, but the bumps came anyway. I think it's a mix of poison and spider bites because it doesn't all look the same, even though it itches the same. Ha! At one time in my life, I was immune to poison. Obviously that has changed. 

I got to see the first draft of the cover for Life After. It is so gorgeous and I can't wait to share it with you when I can! I should get that and a release date soon!

Oh, so the shopping trip to the mega mega mall got changed to local stores. Turned out for the best considering the two hour drive and expensive tolls. We did well, with all but one bridesmaid finding her dress. My sister also found hers, and so did I even though I hadn't even planned on looking. We had a lot of fun though--complete obnoxiousness and laughter. Lunch was fun, too. We were home at a decent time and it was freaking hot outside. 

This weekend is more wedding stuff. It's coming up fast! 

That's all I have! 

Behave!

Friday, July 14, 2023

Feel Good Friday

Yay Friday! What a long week! Except it's freaking Hades hot outside! 

Even with our air conditioner on high and a huge fan blowing, sleeping was miserable last night. And my office is super hot too. I've had my fan blowing since a little before seven am, but it's just hot! 

Anyway. Let's get to the list...

1. Not cooking tonight. The thought of heating up the kitchen isn't setting well with either of us, so we're opting for whatever we find at the grocery store that doesn't require turning on the stove. The microwave is out, too, since we don't have one anymore. It turned into a fire breathing monster and had to go. As in, it started catching everything we put inside on fire. I like my open counter top too much to think about getting a new one right now, though eventually we will.  

2. Even though we'll be doing yard work in the early morning hours, a day without any obligations tomorrow. I do plan on sleeping in a bit, but we want to hit the large weeds before it gets too hot. And then we can spend the rest of the day being bums. 

3. The bridesmaids shopping trip to the mega-mega mall on Sunday. I'm equal parts excited and equal parts anxious. I got roped into driving, which I didn't want to do, but besides that, the place is huge. And there are many dresses that need to be procured. 

4. Getting book stuff done. I've worked on Sector Two almost every night this week. I'm making decent progress and I think I know where it needs to go. 

5. Hopefully having a cover and a release date for Life After within the next few days. 

6. Getting caught up at the day job. It took me until this morning. But that's okay. 

And that is all! 

Stay cool and...

Behave!

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Time Marches...

 Sorry for the silence! I've been off doing fun things with fun people! 

We left on the 1st for our trip to the mid-West. That Man and I and my brother and sister-in-law. The trip there (the very long drive) was equal parts traffic/time frustrating and hysterical. 

We arrived and immediately went into caretaker mode. Our uncle is still in rehab for his hip and our aunt definitely has her hands full. I feel like we barely got to spend any time with our uncle, even though we did. But his physical therapy comes first. He's making great progress and that's what matters. We had good dinners, good conversation, dancing in the kitchen, lots of working, lots of running around (though we didn't get to do much of the stuff we wanted to), cute dogs, and lots of ticks. The week went fast. 

Oh yeah, the ticks. They were crazy. Luckily, they don't have a lot of Lyme there, so that wasn't a concern. But they were freaking everywhere. Gross. Also, That Man and I both got bit by a Brown Recluse spider. Also Gross. Well, not the same spider. Obviously. Ha! Mine happened while I was in bed. Who knows where he got his. Both of our bites are better. Though I was pretty worried about mine. I had a circle around it and everything. 

It was a good trip--fun, but not too relaxing. Which is whatever. We did what needed to be done. Being there was important and I don't regret anything. 

Came back to insanely high grass, no dead plants, a dog with a hot spot (her first one ever, but it's getting better) and to be shunned by her even though she was very well taken care of and had a good time, a super insane day job that has not calmed down yet, and still no word on Life After's cover or release date. But I am back to editing, so that's good. 

And now we go back to our regularly scheduled insanity. 

That is all. 

Behave!

Friday, June 30, 2023

Feel Good Friday

Whoa! Friday already! It's been a crazy week! 

I don't think I'm going to do a list this week...

That Man went on his annual fishing trip last weekend. He definitely needed the break and had a great time. It was the first time I've been all alone for that long and it was weird, but good. I had three nights at home, and then I headed up to my sister's to keep an eye on their pup for the weekend while she and my niece went to a music festival. It rained pretty much the whole time.

I was going great guns on my edits. And then I wasn't. I got to the part I wrote during the beginning of the pandemic and was like...wtf? I ended up cutting almost half of the book. Some of what I cut can be added back in where it actually belongs, but for now, I am writing over. It was a big kick in the gut and while I did get many new words written, my weekend did not turn out as I'd hoped writing-wise. But it'll get there. 

One of the funny things was sleeping. Okay, me and two dogs in a queen bed. Already tight considering my dog is pretty large. My sister's dog is medium-sized. They're both bed, covers, and pillow hogs. I ended up sleeping in my sister's bed due to my niece telling me I was a fool if I didn't experience the "purple" mattress. It was super comfy and my hip didn't hurt when I woke up, which it always does when I sleep in the guest room. So there's that. Anyway. They have an automatic light in their room. I knew there was a way to turn it off, but I couldn't figure it out. So, Friday night, every time one of the dogs moved, or I moved significantly, the ceiling light blared on. It was ridiculous. Thankfully she called me Saturday morning to tell me how to shut it off. Saturday night was better, but I still didn't sleep all that great (see above. Two dogs.)

It was still good. I ate ice cream for dinner one night and binged cooking shows on the TV when I wasn't pulling my hair out about the book or going crazy because the dogs would bark at every tiny noise. 

K5 turned 13 yesterday. We picked her up to take her to dinner and give her presents on Wednesday and had a blast. She helped me pick out shorts, and got herself a dress with some of her birthday money. We went to dinner at her favorite pizza shop, hit the playground for a few minutes, and then stopped for Italian ice before taking her home. She cracks me up!

Lot's of stuff coming up, so forgive me if I'm absent. We were going through our calendar to try to find a weekend to do our fence replacement and we ended up just laughing, because there is literally something every single weekend. Oy! 

No news on Life After's release yet. And no cover to share yet. Hopefully soon! 

That is all...

Behave! 


Wednesday, June 21, 2023

Mid-Week Check In...

Well, Howdy!

Today is the first day of summer! Yeah...whatever. Ha!

Backing up the weekend...

The grandboys were a hoot on Friday. Little B told his mom that he was never leaving Nana and Pappy's house. Mr. B wanted to stay, too. We had to promise a weekend soon! It helped that we had absolutely no food in the house that they would eat. Ha!  

We did get to see K3 and A on Saturday. We had a nice dinner and hung out for a bit. That Man and I were exhausted after a day spent working on his truck and taking care of house stuff. They left early and we went to bed. 

Sunday we got up early and drive about an hour away to take a ride on the oldest ferry around. I had no idea what we were doing. That Man said we were going on a trail ride. He'd throw little hints out, but I was not picking up what he was throwing down. We he drove onto this rickety boat on the river, I thought we were going to die. It was awesomely cool though. We stopped for breakfast and then went home to work on the truck some more. It was a nice weekend! 

The uncle is doing okay. He's at a rehab facility (or so I think?) to help him get his mobility back. We're hoping our upcoming visit motivates him to do what he needs to do. He told me he doesn't want to be the "flat tire" while we're there, so fingers crossed. 

Still no info on a release date for "Life After". I will let you know as soon as I do! 

And that is all...

Behave!

Friday, June 16, 2023

Feel Good Friday

Friday again! Yay! 

I meant to post earlier in the week, but this week has flown by! 

Here's the list:

1. Surviving our town's annual street fair. We left work early to defend our parking because we've had so many issues in the past. We haven't actually gone to the street fair in probably ten years or so. It's too crowded - like shoulder to shoulder crowded - and that's definitely not for me. Anyway. We had one offender this year. They pulled in front of our camper and stayed for like eight hours. I left a passive-aggressive note, but I didn't call the police. The police had enough to do yesterday. How inconsiderate though! I mentioned something to the landlord that owns the building behind us and he brushed me off, I did say if the car was still there in the morning, that I would be calling the cops. It was gone. How freaking rude though. How dare you park in front of someone's private parking? It doesn't matter your reason. Or how about you pop your head up the yard and ask if it's okay? We would have said yes. I'm still irritated by the whole thing. 

2. Since we were home early yesterday, I got a ton of editing on Sector Two done. The story has some rough spots, but nothing unfixable (yet). At this point, it makes sense and my time line is good, so there's that. After I get the whole way through I'll go back and smooth over those areas and hopefully be ready to send it out to my critique partners. 

3. My uncle is okay after falling and breaking his hip. He's having surgery today. We're all worried about him, and our aunt. So waiting to see how he's doing after surgery. That Man and I, and my brother and sister-in-law are heading out to see them soon, which is a good thing. 

4. Sleeping in a little tomorrow.

5. And then hopefully plans with K3 & A. A has a case of strep throat, so waiting to see how she's feeling before finalizing anything. We haven't seen K3 since Mother's Day, and we haven't seen A for quite a while. So looking forward to it. 

6. A lower key weekend coming up. That Man doesn't want to do much for Father's Day, so we're just going with the flow. 

7. Getting to see the grand boys tonight. We're keeping an eye on them for a little while J takes care of an errand she can't take them along for. 

8. Checking out our new meal plan. We switched to a different one at the recommendation of our friends. Way cheaper and similar, so we'll see. I'm excited to see how this works out. 

9. The day job being busy. That's a double-edged sword. The days go fast and I love being busy, but I find myself a bit behind lately. I'm also doing things I've never done before, but I'm figuring it out, so there's that. 

10. Maybe I'll get a nap tomorrow? 

Oh and one more thing! My short is due to come out in July. That's all I know right now! I'm waiting on the cover and will share as soon as I receive it! 

That's all! 

Behave! 

Friday, June 09, 2023

Feel Good Friday

Ah! Friday! 

What a freaking long and crazy week! 

Let's get to the list!

1. Sequestering was amazing! We did what we wanted and actually got a lot of things taken care of. That Man worked on his truck and I wrote, and we did a bunch of other things that needed to be done. It was a good weekend!

2. The day job is crazy! One of our coworkers left and her duties have been spread out among many of us, with me getting the most of it. Which is absolutely fine and good, but also a little nuts! I love it, and I am still getting used to everything!

3. I am writing again! Whooo! I finished my "old lady" story. And started edits on Sector Two.

4. Today I received my second round edits for my short. Yay! I have the edits done, but I have to do a read through before I send them back. I'm hoping to get a release date soon. 

5. My kid and her boy came home this weekend. They went to his house on Memorial Day and we haven't seen them since. We've talked on the phone a bunch, and of course, texted a bunch, so it's good to see my kid! We/They have a lot going on this weekend, and they have a ton of laundry to do. But it's nice to have them here. 

6. Friends coming this weekend! We haven't seen them since the beach, so we're looking forward to spending some time with them!

7. Sleeping in tomorrow. 

8. We finally got black out curtains for our bedroom. Oh! How nice! It's like a cool, peaceful, and dark cave! Sleeping has been amazing!

9. The tiny bit of rain we had earlier. It was a nice gentle rain and my grass and plants appreciated it. 

That's about it!

Behave!

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

End of May

First thing... Happy Birthday to my oldest! 

It's hard to believe you are as old as you are! I very distinctly remember the day you were born. I am so proud of the man you have grown into!

Camping was a blast! We had amazing weather and a lot of laughs. Mr. B slept in his tent all weekend and had so much fun fishing, swimming, and playing with the other kids. We had a pretty full meadow, which was awesome. K1 and J came for the picnic and Little B had so much fun with his cousin. They were super cute, even when they busted into a fellow campers tent and started ravaging toys. Friends came to visit, which was also great. It was a good weekend. 

We dropped the camper off for inspection on our way home and retrieved it last night. So good there. When we picked it up, we dropped our car off for inspection, so hopefully that's ready tonight or tomorrow. Then that's all done. 

This weekend That Man and I are sequestering ourselves at home. We've been on the run so much that we need a weekend just the two of us. So much. Yeah, we'll be working around the house, but that's one of the other reasons we're staying home. There are many things that need taken care of. I'm looking forward to it. Sleeping in a little, planting flowers, working on his truck, and hanging new curtains in our room... Oh and grilling. Nice! 

Other than that... the writing has been super slow. The goal is to change that asap. My brain is working, but my time hasn't been. The calendar is filling up, so I need to make a concentrated effort to put my writing at the top of the list. 

And Geeze! Tomorrow starts June! 

And that's all I have for now! 

Behave! 

 


Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Touching Base...

Here we are at Tuesday again... Time goes by so fast. Well, except sometimes. Ha! 

My edits and art sheet have been finished and returned to my editor. Now I just wait for the next round and the cover art. Excited for both. I don't have a release date yet. This one will only be available as an ebook since it's way shorter than my other books. 

So the weekend with the grandboys was a blast. Little B barely slept Friday night, but Saturday night he conked out early and slept until five am, which is amazing. Of course, he was exhausted. We spent the day playing outside. Took him to where we camp to run off some energy and he did so good. But That Man and I are still tired. Ha!

Camp is coming up quickly. We're trying to get ready, but it's a crazy week. The camper is almost ready, but then we need to drop it off for tires, so we're trying to get it packed up with everything but the cold food before we take it since we'll pick it up and drop it at camp when it's done. (The shop is only a few miles from where we camp) I've been rearranging cupboards in there and so far I'm okay with the results, but not completely. There's so much wasted space. I'm still thinking about how to maximize. 

I'm very much looking forward to the camping weekend. A little sleeping in. A lot of camp fire. A lot of chair sitting and hanging out with some of my favorite people. I am also looking forward to That Man and I going camping on our own somewhere. I've been looking at places, but so far haven't found a place that I want to go. 

And that's about it! 

Behave! 

Thursday, May 18, 2023

Happy Birthday, Momma!

Hi Momma!

It's been eight years since you left us to go and be with Dad. Eight long years of missing you both and wondering what life would have been like had you both been able to stay a little longer. You would be turning 83 today. You were taken far too young. 

I know Covid would have seen you making masks and running to the fabric store even though you wouldn't have needed to because of your already impressive stockpile of fabric and supplies. That makes me laugh to think about because I could fully imagine our conversation in my head. Dad would have been annoyed, but he probably wouldn't have said much to deter you from your mission. And he would have been happy to sit in his chair and not have to interact with the world during that time. 

You've missed so much, Momma. I guess part of me knows that you've only missed things physically. That you're still here, watching and smiling at most of it. Your great grandbabies that never got to meet you. The weddings. The shenanigans. Triumphs. 

And you're not smiling, but you've seen the bad stuff that's happened too... the deaths, disappointments, stress, rejections, and the severing of important family ties. I wish I could talk to you about all of that. I can't help but wonder what you would say and do about some of it if you were still here. 

Not a day goes by when I don't reach for the phone to call you or text you something you would find funny or interesting. There have been so many times that I just needed to hear you tell me that everything was going to be okay. Knowing you weren't worried was enough to keep me from worrying. Now, though, I know that you really were worried, but didn't want me to be. 

But we go on without you. Not that we have a choice. This year has been especially hard for some reason, though it's never easy. I find myself remembering your last few days with absolute clarity. The surprise birthday party we managed to throw you for the first time ever. The relaxing Mother's day. And then everything bad that came after. 

I just miss you, Momma. 

Happy Birthday in heaven!

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Better?

Hey! It's only been a week! That's better, right? 

Same old, same old around here. Mostly. 

I got my edits for my new short story. Not sure when it comes out, but it will only be an ebook, which is fine with me. I'll be digging into them over the rest of the week and will hopefully get them done before total chaos erupts this weekend. 

We'll have the grand boys this weekend. Sleepover at Nana and Pappy's! It should be a blast, but I'm a little nervous because Little B does not sleep well or much. We'll figure that out. K4 is borrowing our car for her camping trip to a festival, so we'll have to borrow K1's car to haul them around. I think it's going to work out okay though. 

This past Sunday was Mother's Day. So bittersweet. Saturday was the anniversary of my momma's death. I know it's been eight years, but this year felt harder. There was a lot of nostalgia and memories. The day was good though. We had a fire in the backyard, good food, lots of laughter, and my boys and grand boys came over. 

Next weekend is our first camp out of the year. So getting the camper the rest of the way ready has to happen soon. We'll figure it out. Still waiting on tires, so there's that. Mr. B will be along with us for camp. He's super excited and wants to sleep in a tent, so we'll figure that one out. It'll all depend on what the weather is supposed to be like. 

And that is all...

Behave!


Tuesday, May 09, 2023

Feel Good, Weekend Update, and Stuff

Yeah, I know I suck! 

Hectic is the only word I have...

1. The Jersey signing was fun, but somewhat of a bust at the same time. But it's a fantastic experience. It rained all day, which is controversial regarding did it keep people home or encourage them to come out since it was not a day to do yard work? No idea on that one.

2. The day job has been absolutely insane. I came back from being off and had one day to try to reset before I had to cover for my counterpart for eight days. It was crazy busy for both jobs and I still don't feel like I am caught up with myself.

3. Which leads me to the writing going super slow right now. Well, okay, not super slow...halted. I'm working on a critique and then I have another one to do, but I haven't touched my own stuff in far too long. That will change very soon, but it's killing me. 

4. The warmer weather is so nice. We've gotten the yard mostly cleaned up. Next is to get our fence fixed. We've been holding off because the tree in the neighbors yard is half dead and has already taken out a huge section of our fence. And you know exactly what will happen... We'll fix our fence and the damn thing will fall. This tree is the one that was hit by lightning two summers ago. It's ginormous, but half of it is dead. And of course, it's the half that faces our house. We've spoken to the landlord about it, but so far he's done nothing. So we'll see... We really can't put off the fence project any longer. It looks like absolute heck right now and I hate it. 

5. Camping season starts soon! The camper is partially ready. Well, if you don't count the fact that it needs new tires. And state inspection. Those will be taken care of very soon though. It's been de-winterized. Now we just need to clean and load for the season. I am looking forward to camp fires and relaxation. 

And that's all I have at the moment...

Behave!