It’s been so long, eating and drinking and making merry

The Long Back Yard this morning.  Perhaps not obvious from the picture: It was snowing at the time.

OK. Thursday. Snowed about an inch this morning, just enough to freshen yesterday’s snow. Intermittently sunny — or cloudy, if you prefer it that way — at the moment.

Breakfast was eggs scrambled with spinach and onions and cheese, with a biscuit and strawberry jam on the side. Lunch…I may go back to my original plan of ham and yam, because I’m not sure those chicken breasts are thawed, actually.

Wrote about 930 words this morning, concluding a scene that I really like — Yes, this is going to be a book totally comprised of Scenes I Like. Rookie and Tali kept me company in the office, while Firefly is keeping a Very Close Eye on the bedroom.

I’m getting ready to start a loaf of bread to rise, after which it’s PT homework, one’s duty the cats, and lunch, one way or the other.

Hope everybody’s having a good day.
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Yanno? “Wonderful Christmastime?” Paul McCartney, celebrating all the lovely, lovely things that “Only happen at this time of Year” And I am Up To Here with that.

First of all — it’s a real dud on the lyrics, but so are most Christmas songs, so I guess I can’t take points off for that. But honestly? Aren’t we all supposed to be together and sharing joy and magic all the time?

Why, why does it only “happen at this time of year?” Why is it not a lifestyle choice? What is it about cruelty that is so attractive that it gets 363ish days while Joy, Magic, and Fellow Feeling only get 2ish, and only if we’ve spent enough money?

Yes, I do feel better now. And the bread’s in to rise.
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OK…The bread is really good. I had wanted a dense, seedy loaf and this one delivers. I cut it in half — one piece for the freezer and the other to eat now. Ahem. Over the course of the next couple days.

In between It All, I seem to have written 2,320 words today, which is … a lot, as we count words around here. On the other hand, as Jen Sin today observed to Miri, Traders talk A Lot. The WIP entire is somewhere around 113,480 total words.

I will mention that I wrote that many words and STILL had time to fall down the rabbit hole of Mongolian Techno. Some years back now there had been a Mongolian metal rock band — HU? HUU? — and they were doing some interesting things, but Mongolian Techno? Who knew.

Tomorrow, I have Real Life Business I have to take care of first (Well. “First,” after clearing snow, so Sarah can get in and also picking up so she can do her thing) having successfully put it off for more than a week (procrastination; it’s not for sissies).

I did read some few pages of Agent of Change, and will probably read some more after the cats stop shouting at me to deliver them their Happy Hour. What’s really interesting, is that I can remember which bits Steve wrote, and which bits I wrote, and which bits Steve wrote and I changed. I don’t think — but will be testing the proposition — that I can do that with later books. But you never forget your first, amirite?

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe. Watch out for windblown snow and ice on the roads.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

Today’s blog post title brought to you by The Hu, from their 2019 Billboard hit, “Yuve Yuve Yu

And the good girls are home with broken hearts

So here I am in the comfy chair:  Listening to music, checking email, and basking in the Happy Lite.

Several kind people sent me tea over the last few days, and I now rejoice in two infusers, where I previously had none. This morning, in celebration of the weather, I am enjoying Russian Caravan tea.

Ah…”and all the bad boys are standing in the shadows/and all the good girls are home with broken hearts.”

The Long Back Yard

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Taking a break to do PT homework, start washing the curtains and take out some chicken breasts to hopefully defrost in time to be cooked for tomorrow’s lunch and! follow up baked chicken sandwiches. The Forbidden Food List includes all lunch meats and … that’s an ongoing hardship. But, there’s no prohibition against sliced chicken off a home-cooked breast.

It’s still snowing a bit, and I’m measuring just 5 inches on the deck.

UPS is still insisting it’s making a delivery today, and I found a place to tell the driver to PUT THE BOX IN THE GARAGE, and I opened the garage door. Fingers crossed.

I got an automated call saying that the local Senior Center, which serves lunch to a good many people, is closed today on account of Weather. Reopening on Friday. I hope everybody who depends on that lunch is OK.

I’ve explored the new door configuration again and what I think is that I need to go to Home Despot next week and Stare at Stuff.

The cats are Visibly Relieved to have their Safe Room back. The last couple days were tense for all of us. But! It’s behind us now. Just gotta settle the bill. (eek! and yes, I can settle the bill, and I don’t depend on the Senior Center for lunch. Which makes me a very fortunate woman.)

How’s everybody doing today?
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Well done UPS!

The Ring went off, which meant that somebody had approached the front door, and I said to Rookie and Tali as I got up from my keyboard. “That’s UPS, and they didn’t put in the garage.”

There was a car in the driveway when I got to the door, and the box was on the front step, and I was opening the door, when the driver of the car got out, and came rushing back to me, “I’m so sorry; I only just saw that you wanted it in the garage. I’m really sorry.”

And I said, “Thank you for coming back. Since you got it this far, can you just put it inside the door?”

“Oh, yes. I can certainly do that! I’m sorry.”

And he put the box in the house; we exchanged Happy Holidays and he drove off.

So, praise where earned. Well-done, UPS!

And, indeed, this is what was in the box: #
Wrote +/-1160 words today, and reviewed several scenes that I considered “problematical,”which are, in fact, perfectly fine and actually do belong in this book. The WIP entire is more or less 112,200 words.

Coon Cat Happy Hour has occurred. I have discovered that I bought some frozen dumplings, and that will be my evening meal. Tomorrow, my intention is to write and to bake a loaf of bread, perhaps not even in that order.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe. I’ll be around tomorrow.

Oh!  Today’s blog post title from Mr. Thomas Petty, “Free fallin’

Books read in 2025

64  A Gentleman of Questionable Judgement (Lord Julian #9), Grace Burrowes (e)
63  Peacock on Parade (Shamrock Safari Shifters), Murphy Lawless writing as Zoe Chant (e)
62  The Besotted Baron (Bad Heir Days #4), Grace Burrowes (e)
61  Storm Called, (Royal States #1) Susan Copperfield (e)
60  That the Dead May Rest, Karen A. Wylie (e)
59  Emilie and the Sky World,(Emilie Adventures#2) Martha Wells (e)
58  The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman (e) (bkclb)
57  The Bookshop of Dust and Dreams, Mindy Thompson (e)
56  Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt (e) (bkclb)
55  Hunting Ground, Patricia Briggs (Alpha&Omega 2)(re-read) (e)
54  Cry Wolf, Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega 1) (re-read) (e)
53  Alpha and Omega, Patricia Briggs (Alpha&Omega.5(re-read) (e)
52  Blind Date with a Werewolf, Patricia Briggs (e)
51  The Women, Kristin Hannah (e) (bkclb)
50  Emilie and the Hollow World, (Emilie Adventures #1) Martha Wells (e)
49  Black Tie & Tails (Black Wolves of Boston #2), Wen Spencer (e)
48  Shards of Earth, Adrian Tchaikovsky(The Final Architecture #1)e)
47  Hemlock and Silver, T. Kingfisher (e)
46  Outcrossing, Celia Lake (Mysterious Charm #1) (e)
45  Outfoxing Fate, Zoe Chant/Murphy Lawless (Virtue Shifters)(e)
44  Atonement Sky, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #9) (e)
43  Stone and Sky, Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #10) (e)
42  Regency Buck, Georgette Heyer (re-re-re-&c-read)
41  I Dare, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Liaden Universe #7) (page proofs)
40  To Hive and to Hold, Amy Crook (The Future of Magic #1) (e)
39  These Old Shades, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Sarah Nichols (re-re-re-&c-read, 1st time audio)
38  Faking it (Dempsey Family #2), Jennifer Crusie, narrated by Aasne Vigesaa (re-re-re-&c-read, 1st time audio)
37  Copper Script, K.J. Charles (e)
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.

Aaaaand Done!

Sounds like the lads are packing up. I hope they haven’t forgotten that they have some furniture to move.

In other news, UPS has changed the delivery date of what I assume to be a box of paperback Diviner’s Bow from today (when it is not snowing) to tomorrow (when accumulations will be between 3 and 5 inches), because, yeah . . . I’m really over UPS dumping boxes of books into the snow and against the door, but I can’t seem to instruct them to put it in the garage unless I become a Premium Member for $19.99.

In coon cat news, Rook has retired from the stairs to the basement. Tali is still on top of the bookcase in the bedroom, and Firefly — is seeing ghosts. She seems perfectly comfortable with this, and I’m kinda jealous. I’d like to see comfortable ghosts. Just sayin’.

I should eat lunch, but I’m pretty much guaranteed to be interrupted, so I’ll hold off until I can get the crew sorted.

Tali has an appointment at the vet in mid-February, which is in the middle of the January shot and the March physical.

I’ve been poking at the WIP, and put back in +/- 5,000 words that I had pulled earlier, now that I know that they (1) belong in this story and (2) where they go.

. . . and they didn’t forget. I can go back this afternoon and get the desk back in order. And there was much rejoicing.
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And that’s a wrap. I’ll need to put up curtains again, but for the moment, we’re good.
The stuffies are back where they belong. The computer is online. All I need to do is move my files and I can go back to work tomorrow morning. I can see the curtains are going to be a challenge, but Imma call today a victory.

All righty, then. The WIP now weighs in at +/-111,050. I may have already said that, but better said twice than not at all.

The cats have done a Thorough Inspection and pronounce the Safe Room Acceptable. Firefly seems to be in Transports re the new windows. Honestly — she fell on her head and showed her belly to the window and purred so loud Rook went over to see What Was She Getting?

Coon Cat Happy Hour has happened, only a little early, and I have a glass of wine to hand, but it occurs to me that, absent breakfast, I may not have had anything to eat today. Better fix that before too much wine is had.

It’s looking like I’m going to have to install miniblinds or…something in the new doors, because the new trim is of a — waves hands — different configuration than the old. We are now well into territory of which I wot not, but!

I have doors that the winter wind does not howl through, and UV coating and gee they’re pretty. I’ll figure something out. Later.

It’s looking like our snow will be on the overnight, with 3-5 inches expected. South from here, they’re looking for maybe 12 inches.

I? Have no place to be. My plans for the next couple days are to write, to read, and to bake a loaf of bread. Maybe two loaves of bread. Yes, I do know it’s Christmas, and I have had some people Look at me and say, “But what will you do?” And what I’ll do is what I do. I have mentioned before that Steve and I often did not “do” Christmas, because, in later years, we often had a book due at the end of the year, or in January, so we were working, with maybe a half-day or a slightly fancy meal. Depending, yanno, on how late we were.

On that note, I’m going to go find something to eat.

Everybody stay safe. Have a good evening. I’ll see you tomorrow.

Door replacement, Day Two

The Long Back Yard:

Where are we? Tuesday! Trash and recycling are at the curb. The weather ghods spent all last night loading the outgoing clouds with snow, and are now sweeping the spilled flakes out of the warehouse and into the downward breezes.

Breakfast was a cheese muffin and an orange. I’m on, like, my third mug of tea.

The lads have not yet arrived. The cats are letting me know that they much prefer this, and did I know that the door to Steve’s wing is closed? (Actually, they’ve opened it twice now, but they can’t quite manage the door to Steve’s actual office. Thank goodness for double-sealing.)

Questions from yesterday, which I saw, didn’t answer immediately, and now can’t find.

QUESTION ONE: Would I consider coming back to COsine?
Honestly, I loved Colorado, and had a good time at the con, but I’ve put a moratorium on both conventions and long train trips for right now.

QUESTION TWO: “What’s a Black Knight?”
Many years ago, the internet put forth a medieval village populated by people according to their Myers-Briggs type. According to the conceit of the webpage/game, Steve was the Benevolent Despot; I was the Black Knight. Which at the time generated quite a discussion on the Friends of Liad list about how this was a perfect pairing. If the smile didn’t convince; the sword surely would. A quick look-around doesn’t locate that particular website. FWIW, I’m INTJ.

Funny story: Way Way back in time (pre-Steve, which in truth is Way Back), I applied to be a college student. Because I was coming from a non-standard direction, and seeking a non-standard curriculum, I had to talk with a Guidance Counselor and Take Tests. The Guidance Counselor was cute. as. a. button. He had a nice voice and a British accent. And he was friendly. Remember these plot points.

So the tests — an IQ test and a Myers-Briggs; take them home and bring them back before our next meeting, so they can be scored, and we’ll talk about your aptitudes at our next meeting.

Next meeting arrives. My tests had been scored and the results placed in my file, which my poor Guidance Counselor had obviously failed to look at before our meeting, and so my heart was broken.

He visibly paled. Looked at me. Looked at the folder. Flicked a couple pages. Looked back at me. Cleared his throat. Folded his hands on the desk, and said, “Well! These are Quite Interesting.”

Turns out the tests had revealed me for Very Smart and also?

An axe murderer. Or, as I prefer, a Black Knight.

. . . I think that’s it. If you asked a question and I haven’t answered you, please ask it again in comments and I’ll try to be more mindful this time.

On today’s to-do, I need to call the vet and schedule Tali in for her three-year distemper shot and her physical. I’m also hoping to sit with the WIP. I don’t think I’ll be going out this evening. I’m sorry to miss needlework, but I’m already tired and the exciting part of the day hasn’t started yet.

So! How’re y’all doing today?

Door replacement day one

So! It’s being an exciting old day here at the cat farm. Not only do we have monsters in Steve’s Safe Office, but the pest control guy came to check his traps. After he left, I went downstairs to make sure he’d shut all the doors, and realized that I had not seen either Rook or Tali, both of whom I’d assumed were in the basement (Firefly is in my office, in Trooper’s box, napping, and occasionally raising her head to make sure I’m still here.)

Anyhoots, I went on a Kitten Hunt. I found Tali at the bottom of the bed under the spread. Rook. . .

Rook was squinched up into the TINIEST LITTLE BLACK FURBALL IT WAS EVER POSSIBLE TO BE, between the dresser and the wall, with his head shoved *behind* the dresser.

Reader, I thought he was dead. That he had, I dunno, gotten his head stuck and couldn’t breathe, and, and, and . . .

I knelt down, kicking Tali in the process and now I don’t know where she is again, and I whispered, “Rookie?”

He pulled his head out and looked at me. You’ve never seen such big eyes. Never.

I talked to him and he came to me, and I snuggled him and now he’s in my bathroom with some water and a plate of crunchies.

And I? Ought to have some lunch, I guess…
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Tali joined me for lunch and is reposing beneath the dining room table.

I went back to visit Rookie in his safe place, and at his insistence, I let him out. He made a belly-to-the-floor dash into the living room and is now under the sofa.

Frankly, I’m amazed he can still fit under the sofa.

Firefly is sleeping in the box on my desk.

I had foolishly thought I was going to be able to get some work done
today, but that’s clearly not happening.
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OK. The lads are leaving, and will be back tomorrow to do the inside trim.

The other thing I thought I do today was run out to the store for, oh, yeast, and milk, and parmesean cheese, but, yanno? I really don’t want to go from “There are MONSTERS in our safe room!” to: “AND THEY ATE OUR MOM!”

So. . . maybe tomorrow? I’d really admire having yeast and milk in the house before everything stops for The Big Day.
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Crew is gone. I have Doordashed my needs (including Tylenol. This is no time to be out of Tylenol.) And again, my thanks to everyone who thought/thinks of me with Doordash gift cards, because My Ghod they are a lifesaver.

I’m exhausted and I didn’t do any work.

Well. The new windows will be great. I think even the cats will appreciate them.

Eventually.

. . . I guess I ought to go see if Rookie is still under the sofa.
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Yeah. I’m just going to have to come to terms that I’m not getting anything useful done today (well. I made hummus. And tuna fish, because tonight I will be having tuna melt for dinner.), and will try for tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, it’s supposed to start snowing a little after noon, accumulating about an inch, and keep on snowing through the night, accumulating another 3 to 5 inches,

So, I’m in for the foreseeable. Which is fine.

Oh. Doordash. Happened in record time. Mary was awesome, and I have all the Necessaries.

Cats all accounted for, and mad that I will let them into the back hall but not into Their Room.

I do believe I’ll have a glass of wine.

This was not supposed to be quite so stressful an undertaking.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll check in tomorrow.

All present and accounted for

From the mailbag

What went before:  CONTEXT: Last night after I said good-night, I made the mistake of checking my mail in which there were not one, not two, but no less than four . . . ill-worded “requests” that I do Just This One Thing that would make the asker’s life “easier.” And I snapped. Because it’s not like I don’t have Stuff to Do.

Response follows posted to FB follows.

Sigh.

Apparently, it is again time to remind (some) people that, just because it would make life easier for you if I did X, does not mean that I will do X. In fact, it pretty much guarantees that I won’t do X, because I’m Just. That. Contrary.

Also? I am not the Nice One. I have never been the Nice One. That would have been Steve. Who you pushed at your peril, I might add. Black Knight in this corner, and the only things that keep me from knifing you rather than look at you are Good Manners and a disinclination to clean up the blood.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk. My apologies to all the perfectly reasonable, kind, and polite people out there who did not need this reminder.
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Monday

Oh. A question regarding last night’s TED Talk: “Did Steve know you are mean?”

Good question.

ANSWER: No, he did not know that. Because? I’m not mean. As a measuring stick we can use the fact that Steve did not, in fact, care for mean people. I believe this was because he thought meanness was banal. I also think that Steve — who believed that we only get to do this life once — thought that meanness was a waste of time and resource.

Now, while that was a good question, a better question would be: Did Steve know I am a Black Knight?

And the answer to that is: Yes. Yes, he did. And he celebrated that. I am for instance today wearing a pair of tights he gave me — stick with me, now — which have a graphic on the right thigh. Of a dagger thrust through a garter.

So, yeah, Steve knew who I am. Thank you for asking.

Relative to the notion of nice.

Some time ago, I was part of a panel — I think it might have been at COsine — dedicated to remembering the late Anne McCaffrey, as a person, and a force of nature, a mentor and friend to younger writers, and so on. The idea that came around more than once was how generous Anne was with her time, and how kind and accessible she was to those writers who were younger than she in our craft.

And as I was leaving the panel, a man deliberately stepped out into the aisle, blocking me on my way out (Why me? is the question I always ask at times like this), and said, rather belligerently: “You were all up there talking about how nice Anne McCaffrey was (NOTE: We were not. Anne was not nice. I say this with love.) and not one of you mentioned that she took a guy’s house away from him! That’s not what I’d call nice!”

ASIDE for those who may not know the story: This is true, as far as it goes. Which wasn’t quite the whole distance. The guy in question was infringing on Anne’s work, and she was legally bound to stop him.

CONTINUING: “That’s right, she did,” I said to Belligerent Guy. “She told him to stop or she’d take his house. He didn’t stop, she took him to court, and he lost his house. Being ‘nice’ doesn’t mean you let people steal from you.”

. . . which was about the time that Steve arrived at my side and the guy withdrew, apparently not willing to continue this discussion with another guy present.

Circling back a moment to Steve . . .

One of Steve’s Gifts was that he took people as he found them. If he liked you — or if he was interested in you — he tried to help you . . . strengthen your reality; to be the best You you could be. It was my great good fortune that he liked and was interested in me. He stood between me and YOU SHOULD. He gave me room and time to learn and to grow into myself . . .

. . . while also making sure I knew exactly how hard it is to get blood out of a carpet.

Here endeth today’s discursion.

For want of a yeast, the loaf was lost…

Well. I wrote 1,475 words today, but I only got to keep 900 of them, bringing the WIP to 106,725. More or less.

The curtains are down in Steve’s office and have taken up their temporary role as dustcovers. Firefly emphatically does not approve of this development.

Boy, am I glad I cleared this with the committeecat first.

In other news, my yeast is dead and I’m unhappy. I took it into my head to bake a cheese loaf, only it didn’t rise. My yeast, living in the freezer, is God She knows how old. However! the back-up yeast has a sell-by in 2021. I feel in my heart that I should just buy a new bag of yeast and not even try the back-up bag.

I still wanted cheese bread, though, so I made cheese muffins, which are cooling as I type.

I have some notes to write re the WIP, and then it will be Coon Cat Happy Hour.

I will therefore take this opportunity to bid everyone a good night. Stay safe. I’ll look in tomorrow.

Solstice Sunday

Sunday. Sunny and warmish, for values of +/-38F/3C.

Breakfast was peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate bits in oatmeal and that? Was good. At this rate, I’m going to have to buy another bag of chocolate chips. Dinner will be leftover potatoes, some way or another.

Towels are in the dryer; half-hour with the Happy Lite has been had.

Today is a writing day, so I guess I’d better get to it.

Whatcha doin’ today?