Category: Blog

Rainy Sunday

Sunday, though I’ve somehow gotten a day ahead of myself, and keep sliding into the belief that it’s Monday.

Rainy, chilly, dim, and just not terribly pleasant. It’s a good day to build and occupy a blanket fort, actually. I may see if I can work that in, after lunch.

One thousand eighty new words written this morning, after the cats buckled down and got to work. This brings the WIP to 56,330ish words, total.

I’ve got some banking, accounting, and other thrilling chores to finish here at the desk, but first, I should eat lunch.

Who else is for building a pillow fort?

Birthday in retrospect

My most humble thanks to everyone who sent me natal day greetings. I cannot possibly answer all of you, and hope that a blanket appreciation gives no offense.

I was off-line yesterday, as has been my habit since my birthday was appropriated as a National Day of Mourning, and most especially yesterday, which was the Magic Number 25.

I had breakfast out, then headed over to Stonington. I had A Plan: go to Stonington, park, and wander about on foot, and when I had done, to go back up to (the town of) Deer Isle to ditto, thence to Blue Hill, where I planned to visit the co-op, do some shopping, and take on lunch, which I planned to eat in the park. Alas, road work had its way with me, so! Blue Hill, the co-op and the pleasant picnic some other day. Yesterday, thwarted, I skated over to Bucksport, walked the riverwalk, had lunch at Sweet Cheeks Diner, and eventually wound up in Belfast, where I treated myself to ice cream at the Wild Cow Creamery (Vanilla ice cream with inclusions of cherry and chunks of dark chocolate. Yes, it was every bit as good as it sounds, and I very wisely got two scoops). I took my ice cream to the Belfast Town Park (see? I did get a picnic), and sat on the rock that had been my “outdoor office” decades ago when the laptop and I wanted to a change of scene in which to work, in the breeze and the sun, overlooking the water, and it was very satisfying.

Pizza for dinner rounded out the day, and this morning I arose, refreshed, and wandered back to Steve’s office to write.

One of the … comforting things about yesterday was recalling certain spots on my journey. Deer Isle/Stonington/Blue Hill was not one of our more usual rides, though it wasn’t completely new territory for me. I was — warmed — when I passed the spot where we had pulled over on the little spit of land with the open ocean on one hand, and the tidal pool on the other, to eat — yes — a picnic that we had purchased at the Tradewinds. I was happy to see that the ice cream stand where we had stopped to get milkshakes that time was still there, and had a line. I recognized that intersection there, and the place at the side of the bridge where the reversing tide can be viewed.

So — it was a pleasant day, and this morning made so by all those good wishes from near and far.

Since I goofed off yesterday, I have some chores to do, now that the day’s work is done (for those keeping track at home: 1,020 new words, WIP total 55,260. Ish.)

What’s been happening with you?

Random pics from yesterday

Books read in 2026

55  Bone and Blood, (Border Kingdom #2) C.E. Murphy (e)
54  Liberty’s Prison, Randall Liberty, Christine Graf (e)(bkclb)
53  Daggerbound, (Swordheart #2), T. Kingfisher (e)
52  A Gentleman of Modest Ambitions (Lord Julian #12), Grace Burrowes (e)
51  Swordheart, T. Kingfisher (re-read) (e)
50  Carousel Seas (Archers Beach #3), Sharon Lee, narrated by Elizabeth Rogers
49  Carousel Sun (Archers Beach #2), Sharon Lee, narrated by Elizabeth Rogers
48  Carousel Tides (Archers Beach #1), Sharon Lee, narrated by Elizabeth Rogers
47  Diviner’s Bow (The Redlands #3), Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
46  Ribbon Dance (The Redlands #2), Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, narrated by Alex Picard
45  Kin Right (Korval in Exile #7 AND Tinsori Light #3), Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (unedited manuscript)
44  Salvage Right (Korval in Exile #6 AND Tinsori Light #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
43  Trader’s Leap (Korval in Exile #5 AND The Redlands #1), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
42  Accepting the Lance (Theo Waitley #7 AND Korval in Exile #4), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
41  Neogenesis (Theo Waitley #6 AND Korval in Exile #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
40  The Gathering Edge (Theo Waitley #5), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
39  Alliance of Equals (Korval in Exile #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
38  Dragon in Exile, (Liaden Universe® beginning the Korval In Exile arc), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
37  Sourdough, Robin Sloan (e) (bookclub)
36  Necessity’s Child (standalone in the Liaden Universe®), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens.
35  Dragon Ship (Theo Waitley #4), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
34  Ghost Ship (Theo Waitley #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
33  Saltation (Theo Waitley #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
32  Fledgling (Theo Waitley #1), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
31  The Talisman Ring, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Joe Jameson
30  A Gentleman Far from Home (Lord Julian 11) Grace Burrowes (e)
29  Black Sheep, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Natalie Simpson
28  Cotillion, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Raj Ghatak
27  Platform Decay, (Murderbot) Martha Wells (e)
26  A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles (e) (bookclub)
25  Fair Trade (Jethri Gobelyn #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
24  Ribbon Dance (Liaden Universe #26), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Alex Picard
23  Trade Secret (Liaden Universe #17), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (e)
22  Sea Wrack and Changewind, Sharon Lee, narrated by Alex Picard
21  When the Wolves are Silent (Sebastian St. Cyr #21), C.S. Harris (e)
20  An Heir of Distinction (Bad Heir Days #5), Grace Burrowes (e)
19   Longeye (Fey Duology #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller***
18   Duainfey (Fey Duology #1), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller***
17  *Crystal Dragon (Liaden Universe® #10), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
16  *Crystal Soldier (Liaden Universe® #9), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
15  Seeking Persephone (Lancaster Family #1), Sarah M. Eden (e)
14   Theo of Golden, Allen Levi (e) book club
13  *Balance of Trade (Liaden Universe® #8), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

12  *Mouse and Dragon (Liaden Universe® #7), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
11  *Scout’s Progress (Liaden Universe® #6), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller**
10  *Local Custom, (Liaden Universe® #5), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller**
9   *I Dare (Liaden Universe® #7), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller**
8   Cuckoo’s Egg, C J Cherryh, (audio first time)
7   *Plan B, (Liaden Universe® #4), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
6   Getting Rid of Bradley, Jennifer Crusie (audio first time)
5   *Carpe Diem (Liaden Universe® #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
4   *Conflict of Honors (Liaden Universe® #2), Sharon Lee & Steve    Miller
3   *Agent of Change (Liaden Universe® #1), Sharon Lee & Steve                 Miller
2   A Gentleman in Possession of Secrets (Lord Julian #10), Grace             Burrowes (e)
1   Spilling the Tea in Gretna Green, Linzi Day (e)

________
*I’m doing a straight-through series read in publication order

**I screwed up and moved right on to I Dare from Plan B, therefore deviating from publication order.  I will now amend myself and go back to pick up Local Custom.

***I’ll be re-issuing Duainfey and Longeye as an e-omnibus later this year, and so I need to read them!

Books read in 2026

54  Liberty’s Prison, Randall Liberty, Christine Graf (e)(bkclb)
53  Daggerbound, (Swordheart #2), T. Kingfisher (e)
52  A Gentleman of Modest Ambitions (Lord Julian #12), Grace Burrowes (e)
51  Swordheart, T. Kingfisher (re-read) (e)
50  Carousel Seas (Archers Beach #3), Sharon Lee, narrated by Elizabeth Rogers
49  Carousel Sun (Archers Beach #2), Sharon Lee, narrated by Elizabeth Rogers
48  Carousel Tides (Archers Beach #1), Sharon Lee, narrated by Elizabeth Rogers
47  Diviner’s Bow (The Redlands #3), Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
46  Ribbon Dance (The Redlands #2), Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, narrated by Alex Picard
45  Kin Right (Korval in Exile #7 AND Tinsori Light #3), Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (unedited manuscript)
44  Salvage Right (Korval in Exile #6 AND Tinsori Light #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
43  Trader’s Leap (Korval in Exile #5 AND The Redlands #1), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
42  Accepting the Lance (Theo Waitley #7 AND Korval in Exile #4), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
41  Neogenesis (Theo Waitley #6 AND Korval in Exile #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
40  The Gathering Edge (Theo Waitley #5), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
39  Alliance of Equals (Korval in Exile #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
38  Dragon in Exile, (Liaden Universe® beginning the Korval In Exile arc), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
37  Sourdough, Robin Sloan (e) (bookclub)
36  Necessity’s Child (standalone in the Liaden Universe®), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens.
35  Dragon Ship (Theo Waitley #4), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
34  Ghost Ship (Theo Waitley #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
33  Saltation (Theo Waitley #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
32  Fledgling (Theo Waitley #1), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
31  The Talisman Ring, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Joe Jameson
30  A Gentleman Far from Home (Lord Julian 11) Grace Burrowes (e)
29  Black Sheep, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Natalie Simpson
28  Cotillion, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Raj Ghatak
27  Platform Decay, (Murderbot) Martha Wells (e)
26  A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles (e) (bookclub)
25  Fair Trade (Jethri Gobelyn #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
24  Ribbon Dance (Liaden Universe #26), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Alex Picard
23  Trade Secret (Liaden Universe #17), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (e)
22  Sea Wrack and Changewind, Sharon Lee, narrated by Alex Picard
21  When the Wolves are Silent (Sebastian St. Cyr #21), C.S. Harris (e)
20  An Heir of Distinction (Bad Heir Days #5), Grace Burrowes (e)
19   Longeye (Fey Duology #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller***
18   Duainfey (Fey Duology #1), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller***
17  *Crystal Dragon (Liaden Universe® #10), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
16  *Crystal Soldier (Liaden Universe® #9), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
15  Seeking Persephone (Lancaster Family #1), Sarah M. Eden (e)
14   Theo of Golden, Allen Levi (e) book club
13  *Balance of Trade (Liaden Universe® #8), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

12  *Mouse and Dragon (Liaden Universe® #7), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
11  *Scout’s Progress (Liaden Universe® #6), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller**
10  *Local Custom, (Liaden Universe® #5), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller**
9   *I Dare (Liaden Universe® #7), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller**
8   Cuckoo’s Egg, C J Cherryh, (audio first time)
7   *Plan B, (Liaden Universe® #4), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
6   Getting Rid of Bradley, Jennifer Crusie (audio first time)
5   *Carpe Diem (Liaden Universe® #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
4   *Conflict of Honors (Liaden Universe® #2), Sharon Lee & Steve    Miller
3   *Agent of Change (Liaden Universe® #1), Sharon Lee & Steve                 Miller
2   A Gentleman in Possession of Secrets (Lord Julian #10), Grace             Burrowes (e)
1   Spilling the Tea in Gretna Green, Linzi Day (e)

________
*I’m doing a straight-through series read in publication order

**I screwed up and moved right on to I Dare from Plan B, therefore deviating from publication order.  I will now amend myself and go back to pick up Local Custom.

***I’ll be re-issuing Duainfey and Longeye as an e-omnibus later this year, and so I need to read them!

Proceeding in a Tuesdayish Direction

Tuesday. Trash and recycling set out and collected. The recycling bin is back in the garage. Breakfast was leftover leftover soup. Lunch will be … something.

Eleven hundred new words today, bringing the WIP to something approaching 53,490 words.

I was craven yesterday and did not attempt the Anthropic mess, so I have something to look forward to.

Tonight is needlework, and I’ll have to stop at the grocery on my way home — or perhaps I’ll do that tomorrow, since I have to be out early to a doctor’s appointment, anyway.

It occurs to me that it might be beneficial to find if there’s a sauna someplace near at hand. It might help with the ongoing aches and pains. I should also try to locate a reputable massage therapist. This is not a new thought, but every time I have it, I get overwhelmed by the “reputable” part. Well.

Oh. And I really do need to get a flu shot.

The cats are giving me a little more freedom today, so I’m guessing whatever it was that concerned them yesterday has passed off, so that’s good.

How’s everybody doing today?

Cats inna meeting:

 

Saturday in retrospect

There had been a question about the differences between dragons.

Herewith, a link
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So, this morning’s work was heavy on research, naming sectors, and also clan houses, which are the wages of the speedy writing days when Past Me didn’t want to stop wiggling my fingers, so when the name of the sector wherein we would find the system occupied by the planet Delium, Past Me just typed HERE, and kept on going.  Did she care, I ask you, for the work and chaos she left for Future (now Present) Me?

She did not.

I’m also Very Sleepy, and am weighing the benefit of taking a nap instead of coping with lunch, either the prepping, or the eating of it.

It’s a lovely, coolish, breezy day. I have the sliders open in Steve’s office and I can hear the trees dancing…
#
So, a short nap, followed by a blueberry smoothie. I’ll have to do a little better for the late meal.

Right now, though, I need to do some chores and pay the bills obscuring my desk, including the property tax, which didn’t go up nearly as much as I had expected it to do (this is not a complaint).
#
Kind of a brief, messy day, but I’m done now. The bills are paid and waiting to go out in Tuesday’s mail, so there is that.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe.

I’ll check in tomorrow.

Lazy afternoon, with wine and dragon

Well. That was fun, actually.

I fear I bought a dragon.

And a mini rosemary sourdough loaf.

And soap (lavender honey oat).

And pocket warmers.

And a catnip-stuffed tarot card (“The Moon”) for the cats to fight over.

Also, I wrote a poem.

And now I want to sit on the deck with a nice glass of red wine.

Which is what I believe I will do.

Behold, the water dragon.

For those keeping track at home, according to the Chinese zodiac I am a water dragon.

I needed money ’cause I had none

Friday. Though Google swears otherwise, it’s raining. No, really. It is. I don’t say that it won’t quit raining, later, and the day star emerge from its cloudy boudoir to burn off the fog, but right now, it’s raining.

I have an invitation from Boskone to attend as a panelist in February, which I’ve been angsting over for the last week, trying to pummel myself into going and — I just can’t. I mean, I went down to Baltimore, because Steve would have had it so. BaltiCon after all had been our home con, not to mention that I personally owed a life-debt. But the thought of packing for a con, traveling, and arriving in order to perform inadequately on panels — even doing a reading, and I love to read to people — makes me want to simultaneously curl up into a ball and scream.

So, I’m guessing that answers that, and I had best just send my regrets.

Sarah will be by in an hour to clean. I fully expect to finish my in-depth reading of the first half of the WIP this morning and begin making Adjustments to the file. I’ve decided to pull the questionable sections for now and just concentrate on the main line, since that’s what I know, and keep on writing until I either reach the end of what I know, or the end of the book. Then I can piece in these other things. And it certainly won’t be the first time I/we built a book that way.

I am still planning to go to the Block Party this evening. I figure to go downtown earlyish, get a desert at Holy Cannoli and dawdle over a book until the festivities begin.

I had almost forgotten that today is the start of a Long Weekend, freelancers not always indulging in Long Weekends.

Who has plans?

And, once more, “I Fought the Law,” this time from the Bobby Fuller Four.

Eh, what is UP, Doc?

“Coyote vs Acme” was brilliant, up to and including the choice to use the Clash’s cover of “I fought the law.” If you can grab a couple hours to go see it, do that. I was particularly pleased to be reminded of the fact that Wile E. Coyote is not only obsessed, but that he is an inventor of no small scope.

I was one of ten people in the theater for the 4:30 showing. The crowd before me consisted of . . . one.

Honest to ghu, Warner Brothers, why did you select this one to be suppressed? Oh. Wait. “Subsidiary of Acme Corporation.”

Sadly, on the way from the arts center to my car, I (felt I) had to cut through Main Street Provisions in order to shake the gentleman following me. Once in my car, I was importuned by a person with a sad tale of homelessness and hunger, which, if true, was worthy of my donation to the common weal, and, if false, said donation was a reasonable reward for a part well-realized.

Which reminds me that, if I’m going to be downtown in the evenings as a regular thing, I really do need to buy some general-issue gift cards to pay my toll with.

It really is a brilliant movie, though. Trust me.

Just remember: There are a limited number of signs.

Just for fun:  The Clash, “I Fought the Law“