Internet Lite

So I managed to do most of the mundane tasks that had piled up on my desk. I haven’t, for instance, spoken to Fidium about maybe going with a less-expensive option, now that there’s only one Power User on-site, because — has Fidium’s number been hijacked by some scam offering people who call in a free!Free!FREE! wearable call button? Cause that’s all I get when I call them — and what I really want is a sales rep.

I also did not arrange for an extended warranty for the LG washer and dryer because the site is scrod. I have until October, so maybe I’ll try again sometime later.

I had a bad few moments when I realized that I’m on the last pack of checks that has Steve’s name and mine name on them. I really don’t want to have checks that just say “Sharon Lee,” not because I think Steve’s going to be writing checks anytime soon, but because I actually feel safer with his name on the checks. I guess I’ll go over to Checks Unlimited and see if they still have me on-file. The bank clearly doesn’t care; they’ve been cashing the checks with no complaint.

I may not be around much tomorrow or Sunday, because Plans to Write.

And on that note — everybody stay safe. I’ll check in as can.

Here’s another picture from Saturday Cove to tide you over (see what I did there?)

Thursday, with puffin and marble

What went before:  Well, as a guy named Steve Miller once said to me, “Lady, we sure can waste some time.”

And he wasn’t wrong.

As planned, I betook myself to the Searsport side of Belfast and picked up puffin and marble. Returning to Belfast, I shopped at the co-op, including picking up a tuna fish sandwich on whole grain bread, which I took down to the public boat landing and had a picnic.

I wrestled with the question of going down to Ducktrap, and, as reported earlier, I lost. I count it a win that I didn’t continue down the coast. I credit the fact that I had food in the cooler for that (smol) bit of common sense.

After I had refreshed myself at Lincolnville Beach (which is in the Village of Ducktrap; it’s possible that this may not be something Universally Known), I turned back to Belfast, taking only a VERY minor detour through Saturday Cove and Bayside, picked up Route 1 again, returned to Belfast, and came home via Route 3 until I got in the vicinity of the Old Neighborhood, where I Deviated from the Route to take a couple corner-cutting back roads that I haven’t been on for years, by reason of no longer living in the Old Neighborhood, and so to home, where I put away my spoils, had a fourth of what I’m told is a single serving of Shaw’s carrot cake with a smear of ice cream as a coming home present, and now? I Address The Internets.

By the time I put the house back together — which I didn’t do before I left, and which includes putting the sheets back on the bed — it’ll be Coon Cat Happy Hour, so!

I’m taking the rest of the day off.

So…Friday? Friday. Sunny and cool. And that’s fine.

Rook and Tali are taking turns knocking each other over and practicing their T. Rex yells. I’m not sure T. Rex was that high on the scale, but who knows, really?

Breakfast was an anything bagel from yesterday’s foraging at the co-op, with cream cheese and a side of cherries. Trooper is expressing his disappointment with management, and Firefly is sleeping on the box on my desk.

This morning, I have an appointment with the chiropractor — who gave me an exercise to do because my shoulders are frozen. Does anybody here know “Wall Angels?” Ow. By which I mean to say, OW. Also, it’s humiliating not to be able to get my arms over my head. Getting old sucks.

My Grand Plan for the day is to clear the pile of RL stuff on my desk, and finish up a couple of other chores, including the Grand Changing Out of the Cat Boxes and attendant sweeping up of the basement, then go internet-lite tomorrow and Sunday to try to get some work done. I’d like to break +/-50,000 words, so we’ll put that as a Goal.

I also need to figure out a better schedule; the one I’m sorta keeping to was the schedule in force when Steve died, and it worked well for the necessities of the house at that time. I’m feeling like I’m scrambling to keep to outline, so to speak, which creates stress, which creates more work for the cats. And NOBODY wants the cats to work more than they already do, poor creatures.

It’s time to give Trooper his morning gooshy food, and see if I can take care of one or two of these silly pieces of paper on my desk before it’s time to go out.

How’s everybody else doing? Keeping to the schedule?

There were a few pictures from yesterday.  They may be viewed here

Word forms

What went before: Coon Cat Happy Hour fast approaches. I wrote about 500 new words today, total WIP now +/-44,230.

I need to print something out so I can take it with me back to Steve’s room to work on while Ashley’s here. After she finishes, I’ll head out to Belfast to pick up my glass, and to visit the co-op. It is still promised to be significantly cooler tomorrow, so, yanno — yay.

So, some of you may know there’s a fannish word: “gafiate,” off of another fannish word: “gafia.” Gafia means “Getting Away From It All,” and initially “it all” was the Real World and Mundane life. Gafiate is the verb form. After awhile — before I stumbled into fandom, actually — the meaning flipped and this was a possible exchange between two fans at a con: “What happened to X? I haven’t seen them in a while.” “Oh, they gafiated.” — which is to say, “it all” was then known to be fandom and the business of fans.

The above reflection is brought to you by my recent introduction to “eremition” — to retire from the world. Off of “eremite,” a recluse or hermit.

You’re welcome.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll check in tomorrow.

Thursday. Sunny, and said to be less ambitious in terms of breaking record temperatures.

The house is picked up in anticipation of Ashley. While she’s here, I’ll get myself around to the heat pumps and clean the filters. That way, if I fall and break my head, there will be someone here to call 911.

After Ashley has left me, I’ll be going to Belfast to retrieve my glass, do some shopping at the co-op (co-op onions are the best!), and wend my way home. I’ll try not to go down to Ducktrap, but — no promises.

That’s it for me.

What’ve you got?

The eyes of Texas are upon you, til Gabriel blows his horn

Wednesday. Cloudy and warm, though not expected to be as warm as yesterday.

Breakfast was cream cheese on rice crackers with the last of the cherries. I’ll stop briefly at the grocery store for more fruit after I see the chiropractor. Lunch will be quiche and salad.

For those who want to see the pieces I made yesterday — waiting is. Glass needs time to cool after it’s been worked in flame, and the way you cool it is to put it into an annealing oven, which has an internal temp of 1100F/593C, and is then sssslllllooooooowwwwly brought down until the glass can safely come out into the shared atmosphere. If you just leave hot glass sitting out, the various bits will cool unevenly and nine times out of ten, your piece will break.

So! I will be picking my puffin and my marble up on Thursday afternoon, after Ashley has been and done, and I will share images at that time.

I finished listening to The Masqueraders last night. It has long been one of my favorite books — I am, with all the world, at the old gentleman’s feet. I want to say that it was a privilege to hear him scold his son and his servant for meddling in! HIS! plans! I fear I laughed so loud, I scared the cats.

Today, I have a couple of phone calls to make and the aforesaid visit to the chiropractor. After lunch, I plan on doing some writing, as one does.

I think that’s all I’ve got — oh. No, it isn’t. No, we could not have just left Vyr out. He was not — why do people say this? — there to “pad out” the book, but, indeed illustrated several important points, tied some threads, and moved the story along.

Here’s a Writing Exercise for those who don’t believe me: Retype the book, but leave Vyr’s line out. Read the amended book and note the waving ends of plot threads that the inclusion of Vyr tied off.

And that really is all I’ve got — oh. the lawn guy’s here.

Have some roses — and! Who has plans today?

Today’s blog post title brought to you by Elvis Presley, “The Yellow Rose of Texas.”

Books read in 2025

36  The Masqueraders, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Eleanor Yates (re-re-re-&c-read; 1st time audio)
35  Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language: Hereditary Deafness on Martha’s Vineyard, Nora Ellen Groce (e)
34  Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Winifred Watson, narrated by Frances McDormand (re-re-re-&c-read; 1st time audio)
33  The Wings upon Her Back, Samantha Mills (e)
32  Death on the Green (Dublin Driver #2), Catie Murphy (e)
31  The Elusive Earl (Bad Heir Days #3), Grace Burrowes (e)
30  The Mysterious Marquess (Bad Heir Days #2), Grace Burrowes (e)
29  Who Will Remember (Sebastian St. Cyr #20), C.S. Harris (e)
28  The Teller of Small Fortunes, Julie Leong (e)
27  Check and Mate, Ali Hazelwood (e)
26  The Dangerous Duke (Bad Heir Days #1), Grace Burrowes (e)
25  Night’s Master (Flat Earth #1) (re-read), Tanith Lee (e)
24  The Honey Pot Plot (Rocky Start #3), Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (e)
23  Very Nice Funerals (Rocky Start #2), Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (e)
22  The Orb of Cairado, Katherine Addison (e)
21  The Tomb of Dragons, (The Cemeteries of Amalo Trilogy, Book 3), Katherine Addison (e)
20  A Gentleman of Sinister Schemes (Lord Julian #8), Grace Burrowes (e)
19  The Thirteen Clocks (re-re-re-&c read), James Thurber (e)
18  A Gentleman Under the Mistletoe (Lord Julian #7), Grace Burrowes (e)
17  All Conditions Red (Murderbot Diaries #1) (re-re-re-&c read) (audio 1st time)
16  Destiny’s Way (Doomed Earth #2), Jack Campbell (e)
15  The Sign of the Dragon, Mary Soon Lee
14  A Gentleman of Unreliable Honor (Lord Julian #6), Grace Burrowes (e)
13  Market Forces in Gretna Green (#7 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
12  Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, Judi Dench with Brendan O’Hea (e)
11  Code Yellow in Gretna Green (#6 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
10  Seeing Red in Gretna Green (#5 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
9    House Party in Gretna Green (#4 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)*
8    Ties that Bond in Gretna Green (#3 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
7    Painting the Blues in Gretna Green (#2 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
6    Midlife in Gretna Green (#1 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
5    The Goblin Emperor, Katherine Addison (Author), Kyle McCarley (Narrator) re-re-re&c-read (audio)
4    The House in the Cerulean Sea,  TJ Klune (e)
3    A Gentleman in Search of a Wife (Lord Julian #5) Grace Burrowes (e)
2    A Gentleman in Pursuit of the Truth (Lord Julian #4) Grace Burrowes (e)
1    A Gentleman in Challenging Circumstances (Lord Julian #3) Grace Burrowes (e)

_____
*Note: The list has been corrected. I did not realize that the Gretna Green novella was part of the main path, rather than a pleasant discursion, and my numbering was off. All fixed now.

Glass Menagerie

What went before:  Rook made sure I had eaten a good, nutritious breakfast before I left on the day’s work:

Tuesday afternoon. Sunny and hot. So. Very. Hot.

I have had Adventures.

Firstly, on my way to Belfast, I had a right of way dispute with a turkey. In true turkey style, he burst from the weeds and charged into the road, I swerved, he swerved, I swore, the turkey went up over the windshield. I heard scrabbling on the roof, looked in the mirror, fearing, as one does, the worst — but there was no dead turkey behind me.

I pulled over and got out.

No dead turkey on the front grill (yes, I know I saw him go over the windshield; I looked anyway). No dead turkey on the back bumper. No dead turkey on the roof. I sighted back down the road. No turkeys of any description to be seen.

The best I can figure is that he rolled onto the roof of the car, got his feet under him, spread his wings — and flew away.

Sheesh, Turkey. Give a girl a heart attack, why not?

Despite the turkey, I was early in the environs of Belfast, so I stopped at the public boat landing. The breeze was blowing, and it was already warm, but I thought to myself, thought I, “Well. This won’t be so bad, if the breeze keeps up.”

SPOILER: The breeze did not keep up. By the time I returned with my party to the boat landing for lunch at Nautilus, the weather was certifiably unpleasant.

In between those two visits to the boat landing, I met my brother- and sister-in-law, my grandnephew, and his friend at Mainely Gallery, and we made glass. The first project was a puffin. I fear mine has Character. Which is *fine*. What wasn’t fine was that, while I was getting ready to grip my very hot glass critter with the tweezers in anticipation of freeing him from the glass rod from which he had been formed — my hand slipped and I burned my finger.

PRO TIP: Do not put your finger into live flame. It hurts.

The upside of this misadventure is that I am now a member of a new club: Glassworkers who have burned themselves while working.

Cold water was deployed, as was aloe and lidocaine. And bandaids. I took the bandaids off when I got home, and I don’t think the surgeons will have to take the finger (that’s what passes for humor).

Despite this mishap, there was enough time remaining in our session to make a second object. My sister- and brother-in-law, working as a team, made another puffin, to keep the first one company. My grandnephew had a Plan, but his glass popped — which was impressive. He declared himself satisfied and stood as assistant to his friend, who made a very pretty glass flower.  I made!

A marble.

Don’t laugh; it’s a lot harder than you might think to make a marble, especially when you’re using the soft glass, which starts melting almost before you bring it to the flame.

I very much look forward to picking up my puffin and my marble on Thursday afternoon.

Lunch at Nautilus was as usual good and plentiful, catching up happened, and we parted for our two separate portions of Maine around 2.

I’m now home, Trooper is on my lap, purring, and being an impediment to typing. My burned finger has been inspected by Firefly and by Rook, both of whom were obviously saying, “Well, SOMEbody was stoopid.”

I do believe I’ll be getting a dish of ice cream.

I don’t believe that I’ll be going out to embroidery tonight. Burned finger, you know.

What’s everybody been doing today?

 

Summer, it turns me upside down

What went before: So, I wrote some new words today, which was Such a Relief, after feeling like I’ve been mired in quicksand for the last two weeks. The WIP entire now stands at +/-42,700.

I wasted some time this afternoon on a panic attack when I realized (as I do from time to time) that I’m going to be old and broke, and sick and alone, and I don’t have anything worthwhile to $ell, and &c &c.

I mean, Steve and I knew we were living a grasshopper existence, which is, take note, a much more amusing pose when you’re young and strong. And, really, I thought that the end part would be too quick to be scary — summer one day, snowstorm the next, quick-frozen grasshopper, so sad.

Well.

Tomorrow, I have an appointment with the chiropractor, mid-morning, and the rest of the day to work.

Tali and Rook are at the moment having a game of tag. I need to water the roses, and — I do believe I’ll have a glass, or two, of wine.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

Monday. Sunny and already hot.

Breakfast was the last of the lettuce, the last of the tomato, the last of the cottage cheese, and a piece of toast. Lunch will be the leftover pork chop and beans.

I detect a theme.

Leaving in a few to see the chiropractor. I’ll hit the post office and the grocery before I come home.

We here in Central Maine are still Awaiting tomorrow’s arrival of Extreme Heat. The excursion to the hot shop in Belfast is being reconsidered, with the hope that we can move it to another, somewhat cooler, day later in the week.

The following is for those who wonder how writers make money, sparked by a mention in comments regarding a “living wage.”

It ought to surprise no one to learn that writers make money by writing. How much money they make and if they receive what they are owed are variables, the discussion of which is outside of the purview of this paper.

The other thing to remember is that there is a long and impecunious apprentice period for most writers (cue joke: Q: Oh! You’re a writer? Have you sold anything? A: Well, so far, I’ve sold my sewing machine, my kayak, and my car.). Most of us have day-jobs, though (I speak for myself) not the demanding sorts of day-jobs that may come with retirement benefits, because those sorts of jobs impinge on one’s writing time. Even those of us who “make it,” for some definition thereof, do so later in life, and if we don’t necessarily have college loans to pay off, we have other debt incurred while we learned our craft.

So!

The greater percentage of writers make LESS — even FAR LESS — than a “living wage” from their writing.

Those who do make a “living wage” are equal parts lucky and too stubborn to die — Lee-and-Miller stand in this category as an example, and perhaps a warning.

Very few achieve Literary Superstar, which is of course the standard to which all writers are held because societies that measure success in terms of money have no soul.

To continue.

Irregardless of the variables mentioned above, when writers stop writing, they stop getting paid. This is a calamity, because, even those of us who managed to achieve that “living wage” do not typically have Large Sums of Money invested against sickness or old age. They may have a few months’ living expenses squirreled away. Maybe.

Now, yes, some of us — Lee-and-Miller are twice fortunate — have significant extra fan support in the style of Patreon, Ko-fi, and so on. Those things, like all donation systems — such as the local food bank, or Meals-on-Wheels — depend on the economic health of the donor pool. When the economy tanks, people very wisely cut their donations, in the interest of feeding themselves and their families.

Speaking, again, for myself: I have three books under contract — again, and that’s three times fortunate — and even should stop writing after I turn in the last, cash should continue to flow, in lessening rivulets, for a couple years. And I can of course continue to write and publish independently. Assuming that I keep my health and my head.

Anyhow! This has gotten long, and I need to get on the road.

How’s everybody doing today?

Some time later: Back from errands, which also included putting gas in the car. I couldn’t figure out why I needed gas, then I remembered that I’d driven back and forth to Bath last Monday.

It’s shaping up to be a nasty ol’ day out there. The City of Waterville has hit the citizen phone tree to remind us that the Cooling Center on Front Street will be open tomorrow from 10 to 6.

I bought a strawberry shortcake cup at the grocery store and ate it before lunch, in true grasshopper fashion. I tried to share my whipped cream with the overlords — Rookie was enthusiastic, Firefly was curious, Tali thought I was Up To Something, and Trooper had just finished his chicken smoothie and was too full for dessert.

I will be updating the blog, performing my duty to the cats, and then seeing about lunch before sitting down with the WIP.

Today’s blog post title brought to you by The Cars, “Magic

Oh.  I was late getting into work today, and Supervisor Firefly noticed.

Books read in 2025

35  Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language: Hereditary Deafness on Martha’s Vineyard, Nora Ellen Groce (e)
34  Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Winifred Watson, narrated by Frances McDormand (re-re-re-&c-read; 1st time audio)
33  The Wings upon Her Back, Samantha Mills (e)
32  Death on the Green (Dublin Driver #2), Catie Murphy (e)
31  The Elusive Earl (Bad Heir Days #3), Grace Burrowes (e)
30  The Mysterious Marquess (Bad Heir Days #2), Grace Burrowes (e)
29  Who Will Remember (Sebastian St. Cyr #20), C.S. Harris (e)
28  The Teller of Small Fortunes, Julie Leong (e)
27  Check and Mate, Ali Hazelwood (e)
26  The Dangerous Duke (Bad Heir Days #1), Grace Burrowes (e)
25  Night’s Master (Flat Earth #1) (re-read), Tanith Lee (e)
24  The Honey Pot Plot (Rocky Start #3), Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (e)
23  Very Nice Funerals (Rocky Start #2), Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (e)
22  The Orb of Cairado, Katherine Addison (e)
21  The Tomb of Dragons, (The Cemeteries of Amalo Trilogy, Book 3), Katherine Addison (e)
20  A Gentleman of Sinister Schemes (Lord Julian #8), Grace Burrowes (e)
19  The Thirteen Clocks (re-re-re-&c read), James Thurber (e)
18  A Gentleman Under the Mistletoe (Lord Julian #7), Grace Burrowes (e)
17  All Conditions Red (Murderbot Diaries #1) (re-re-re-&c read) (audio 1st time)
16  Destiny’s Way (Doomed Earth #2), Jack Campbell (e)
15  The Sign of the Dragon, Mary Soon Lee
14  A Gentleman of Unreliable Honor (Lord Julian #6), Grace Burrowes (e)
13  Market Forces in Gretna Green (#7 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
12  Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, Judi Dench with Brendan O’Hea (e)
11  Code Yellow in Gretna Green (#6 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
10  Seeing Red in Gretna Green (#5 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
9    House Party in Gretna Green (#4 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)*
8    Ties that Bond in Gretna Green (#3 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
7    Painting the Blues in Gretna Green (#2 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
6    Midlife in Gretna Green (#1 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
5    The Goblin Emperor, Katherine Addison (Author), Kyle McCarley (Narrator) re-re-re&c-read (audio)
4    The House in the Cerulean Sea,  TJ Klune (e)
3    A Gentleman in Search of a Wife (Lord Julian #5) Grace Burrowes (e)
2    A Gentleman in Pursuit of the Truth (Lord Julian #4) Grace Burrowes (e)
1    A Gentleman in Challenging Circumstances (Lord Julian #3) Grace Burrowes (e)

_____
*Note: The list has been corrected. I did not realize that the Gretna Green novella was part of the main path, rather than a pleasant discursion, and my numbering was off. All fixed now.

High on the hillside, the trucks are loading

What went before: Taking a small break.

Rook and Tali assisted me in a nap; I take them so seldom that it was felt I needed spotters. I believe I acquitted myself well, though I declined an immediate review.

I’m still working and will be working a while longer. I want to hit a Certain Point this evening, so that I can hit another Certain Point tomorrow.

Tomorrow is, by the way, predicted to be warmer than today, and Monday warmer than that, peaking with really dangerous (for Maine values of dangerous) heat on Tuesday, then easing back to something approaching normal on Thursday.

Coon cat happy hour in about an hour. In the meantime, as I said, still working here — oh. And I need to water the roses.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

Sunday. Glowering and damp. Heading for warm and damp.

Breakfast was hummus, naan, cherries. I’ll think of something for lunch.

BEGIN FB-specific Well. I seem to have created a stampede yesterday. You all do realize that if we already share FB friendship that you have already passed through my vetting process, yes? And that the people I was talking to specifically are those who send me a new request for friendship, but have their page locked down so tight, I have nothing to vet.

Which in one way, makes my job very easy, but apparently makes me look churlish and aloof to those I reject.

Yes, yes. First world problems.

END FB-specific

Speaking of which, I see we’re at war. I suppose that makes sense: war’s good for the economy, after all; and it’s a convenient way to get rid of all those excess and annoying non-millionaires — draft ’em and let ’em get blown up. And there’s also that pesky question of elections and the wartime powers of presidents.

Man, I hate this timeline.

deep breath

I’m getting ready to go bury my head in a manuscript.

What’s everybody else doing?

Today’s blog post brought to you by Talking Heads, “Life During Wartime

Tali and Rook working on their technique: