Tag: coon cat logic

Begin as you mean to go on

Wednesday. Raining and warm(ish).

The first day of a new year. Begin as you mean to go on.

On this day in history, Steve had just given me his draft of “Familiarity,” commissioned for the ZNB Familiars anthology. I spent the rest of the day reading it, tweaking it, and trimming it.

Breakfast today will be oatmeal, because — have you looked out that window? Lunch will be pre-planned chicken pot pie.

I have some various bits ‘n bobs to do at the computer, as well as some housekeeping (first load of laundry is washing, for instance), and I’ve scheduled some time curled under the blanket with pen and notebook and notes for the next book.

How are you beginning the new year?

Rook at work:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Day of 2024

Tuesday. Grey and cool. There is no snow in the Long Back Yard, though there is a skim of ice on the front steps. Trash and recycling at the curb. First cup of tea in hand.

Breakfast is destined to be a PB&J on an English muffin with a follow of red grapes. And more tea, naturally. Lunch — I have so many options for lunch. Really, I’m embarrassed.

So far this morning, Rookie has played fetch — he’s really good at bringing the ball and placing it at my feet — tried to lay claim to the deer antler that has been sitting peaceably on a lower bookshelf for years, and peeled all the sticky notes off of the to-do list. Sigh. A Morning Kitten. *Just* what I need.

I finished *another* book last night — Lord Julian is a quick read, so that puts me at 61 books on the year (57, if we don’t count endless rereads of Diviner’s Bow  and a re-read of Salvage Right). I do have the third Lord Julian on deck, but, really, I’m not finishing that one today.

This morning is sewing at St. Mark’s. This will be my first foray, I hope of many; and I have an appointment with the chiropractor in the afternoon. And that neatly accounts for my day, give or take a chore or two.

This is the last day of a very bad year, and I stand in dread of what next year will bring, because, absent a death or two, it’s looking to be worse.

What are your anticipations for the new year?

There will come the soft rains

What went before:  Yesterday, that being Sunday, I did the needed touch-ups to the paint, baked sugar cookies, visited my embroidery basket, played with and groomed cats, read, and went to bed.

We now move on to . . .

Monday. Raining and warm. Might hit 50F/10C. Fog is rising as the snow sublimates. Spooky ol’ winter, this.

Breakfast was! Braunschweiger (aka liverwurst) on black bread with butter and mustard, because if you’re going to do this thing, Do It Correctly — with an orange for dessert. Second cup of tea to hand. Lunch is still an open question, as I have a choice of leftovers and will also be stopping at the grocery as part of this morning’s errands.

One has performed one’s duty to the cats.

Today’s to-do includes the aforesaid errands: chiropractor, post office, vet (for a bag of Trooper’s Special Sort), grocery store. Also staging the trash for delivery to the curb tomorrow morning, and call the cardiologist to see does he want to reschedule the appointment both of us think would be a waste of time, and start rectifying the 2024 financial records. Other than that, I’ve got a small pile of things I was working at before the galleys disrupted life, and I really ought to get back to them, but I’m not feeling the love. Or the energy. They’ve waited this long, they can wait until the new year.

Yesterday, I did get into my embroidery basket for the first time in forever. Man, I’m all kinds of out-of-practice. But, still, a calming, if not exactly graceful, exercise.

Fans of Rook will wish to hear that he is making very good progress, and taking his responsibilities as a Feline Share Holder seriously. I woke up around 2am, not in the best shape, and thinking that I would just get up. Rook was sleeping on top of the bookscase by the bed. No sooner had I thought the thought, then I heard a THUMP above my head, and then Rook was under my chin, purring. Reader, I went back to sleep.

And, that’s Monday in anticipation.

How’s everybody holding up?

Cat pics below, to enliven the feed.

Today’s title comes to you via Sara Teasdale and Ray Bradbury.

Accidents will happen

Friday. Sunny and Cold.

Went to bed at midnight — not something I’ve done for awhile — and therefore slept until 8. Breakfast was cream cheese on an English muffin with cherries. Second cup of tea at hand. Lunch will be … I have spaghetti left over, and so A Plan is born.

Rook and I have had a miscommunication. He was chewing on my jeans, and I slid my finger into his mouth to make him stop — which is how we’ve been handling “don’t chew on that” for months with no problems on either side. This morning, however, instead of opening his mouth, he bore down, and broke the skin, very slightly. It bled freely and I encouraged that, then cleaned and bandaged. It’s quite a small wound, and Rook is very apologetic. I will be keeping an eye on it.

In other news, I need to at least start changing out the cat boxes this morning, while also not screwing up my back again, so that’s change one each day for the next four days. Slow and steady wins the race. Sigh. I also need to fetch in last night’s mail, but it can warm a little before I undertake the hike across the tundra. The glamour. Truly, I don’t know how anyone survives at these heights.

Mostly, today, I’m going to write, with an eye to finishing the first — well. Draft 2.5 — of the story today. I note that the story has wriggled around sufficiently that the working title no longer fits, so I’ll also be looking for a new title,

And that’s it, from the sunny middle of Maine.

What’ve you got going today?

Today’s blog title brought to you by Elvis Costello, “Accidents Will Happen”

Below, a sunny morning in Maine:

All Systems Green

Tuesday. Snowing. Has been for awhile, and apparently will be for awhile longer. About 3 inches on the ground — or, well, the front step — at Opening Time.

Trash and recycling are snug in the garage, where they will be staying until next week.

Cardiologist appointment canceled by patient. Chiropractor appointment at 2 may suffer the same fate, but I have time to Observe and Refine.

Drinking my first cup of tea and eating a sugar cookie while I think about what’s for breakfast.

Trooper is in Steve’s office, in Scrabble’s Basket. Firefly has been checking out the state of the world from various windows. Rookie is hanging around with me. He, too, wonders what’s for breakfast — no, I misspeak. He has left the desk and is now at the food station, chowing down on crunchies.

Last night, I read for a bit (Alliance UnBound, Cherryh and Fancher), snuggled with cats — Firefly really approves of the new blanket, and has become the most steadfast of my Evening Reading Buddies — then listened to a chapter of The Goblin Emperor before retiring, quasi-early, in anticipation of arising same to attend the cardiologist.

The tea tastes good this morning.

The snow’s pretty. Traffic on the normally busy road out front is very light, and conservative. I’m not going anywhere for the next couple hours at least. My back doesn’t hurt, and I’m not having a panic attack.

All systems green, I guess.

What’s everybody got going today?

A minute a day

Sunday. It’s cold, and very bright. Tiny bit of snow on the ground, which ought to please the Season Purists.

Breakfast was a slightly overdone biscuit with sausage patty and cheddar cheese, with one of the little oranges on the side. Rookie is having the time of his life with the sticker that came off of the little orange and hit the floor sticky side down. … eventually, I’ll have to do something about that, but let the kid have his fun.

Lunch — I think there’s black bean soup in the freezer downstairs. Will forage later.

I was up early and stripped the bed, then got involved in buying audiobooks on sale. My strategy is to buy in audio books that I’ve re-read multiple times. This has thus far netted me, in addition to The Goblin Emperor — Cuckoo’s Egg, The Masqueraders, Brat Farrar, Witness for the Dead, Agnes and the Hitman, These Old Shades, Getting Rid of Bradley, Fakin’ It, The Grand Sophy, and so forth. I was … surprised to find These Old Shades for $0.00/included with my membership, but — OK.

It occurred to me this morning that The Plan Steve and I had regarding replacing the windows in this house — while a Good Plan of its kind — is not something I’m not going to be able to finish. We managed the big windows in the living room, and my office windows. But that leaves a helluva lot of windows left to do, this having previously been a Temple to Lugh. My pockets are not quite to let, but I don’t want to get there. Well. A project for the next owners. I’m sure they’ll thank me for thinking of them.

Today’s To-Do List includes, but may not be limited to! Logging Tyops, re-sheeting the bed, signing the accountant’s Letter of Engagement and getting it ready to mail, baking a batch of frozen sugar cookies, setting up the 2025 electronic accounting — and that may be it. Setting up the accounting is going to be … hard. Depending on how long all this takes, it might be a good idea to re-watch Red One.

So, that’s what’s going on at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory.

What’s going on at your place?

Below is a picture of Trooper and Firefly simultaneously taking advantage of the snuggly new blanket and holding me firm on the couch.  We get a lot of random gravity fluxes hereabouts, and if I’m stuck to the ceiling, I can’t perform my Primary Function of Feeding Cats, so this is a very practical move of their part.

Winter is coming

What Went Before:  Wednesday was a Day of Surprises, the upshot being that I won for myself the Coveted Visit with the Cardio Doc, for Christmas Eve.  In an Unrelated Incident, I also threw out my back and have spent the last two days on the sofa, in that unpleasant land between zoned out and hurting.

Which brings us to!

Saturday. Snowing and cold. Winter is back.

Well. That’s one way to lose four pounds. I’m exhausted, but not hurting. Am debating a maintenance dose of muscle relaxants, but I’ve already been mainlining the damn’ things for two days, and as we all learned in biology — the heart is a muscle.

Breakfast was oatmeal with raisins and walnuts, which actually — tasted good, which is another reason to stop with the muscle relaxants, ref “lose four pounds” above.

. . . and the jury is back. A maintenance dose of muscle relaxants, it is.

On today’s to-do list is! Tyop logging, swapping out the cat fountains — which, no, can’t wait, because someone lost their balance and spilled crunchies into the pool, thank you, muscle relaxants — packing a go-bag* (Most Important Decision Made: Hassan the Assassin will be representing the Stuffies. Also, I can use my old phone as a tablet, so it will be in the pack, stuffed with all my books, and earphones. Hmm. May want to download a few more audiobooks…), and figuring out what to eat for lunch.

One benefit of the last two days of forced inactivity and zonieness is that Rook has earned his Advanced Lovebug badge, which, as you all know, is usually not awarded to cadets who have under a year in grade, so — quite an accomplishment, there.

And, I think that’s all I have to report. Trooper is on the copilot’s chair, snoring and raring to go after these last few days of sofa duty.

How’s everybody doing?

________
*I have never before bothered with a go-bag, but here we are.  I don’t really expect to need it soon, but, then, we really didn’t expect Steve to be sent to the ER DO NOT pass ‘Go’ when he’d just dropped in for a routine cardio check.  Better safe than without anything to read.

 

In which Time is broken

“Time is what keeps everything from happening at once.”

Hah.

UPDATE:  Finished my tyop read of Diviner’s Bow last night.  Received a anonymous gift of Walker’s Mince Pies in the mail, and! the Tax Packet in email.  Collapsed in the Command Chair and listened to The Goblin Emperor because my eyes wouldn’t focus.  Went to bed early so I could ditto get up, this morning.

Wednesday. Up before the sun. I say this in literal truth. Warm already, going to be warmer.

Breakfast was pumpernickel bread with cream cheese; finishing up the first cup of tea.

Tax Packet printing as I type — no, I take that back. Paper jam. Print job stalled and restarted. Welcome to the Tax Packet, and the first of many ggggrrrrrrrs.

. . . and another paper jam.

. . . and another.

Finally back in business as Rook has appointed himself Overseer of the Print Job, and has turned his Fell Gaze upon the machinery.

Today’s plan is to start the tyop log, go to gym 9:30ish, get my hair cut 10:45ish, go to the grocery and maybe the post office, assuming I can find a place to park, then come home and get back to work.

As I plan, it doesn’t have much to recommend it, and I’m still behind on things I WANT to do, some of which I may have to jettison.

All together now — Adulting is Hard.

Everybody have a good day. Please feel free to talk among yourselves.

Below, the fruits of the hunt, and a candid portrait of Firefly.

      

Lifters never fall

Sunday Catchup:  I took the day off, did some embroidery, played with cats, read, watched Red One, which I really enjoyed, and will probably watch again.

Monday. Cloudy, now.

Breakfast was a cinnamon roll, because I could. Lunch — dunno. Mac ‘n cheese, maybe.

Stayed up late because Firefly wouldn’t let me get up until we’d seen Ross fairly settled on Finity. Then I had to open the next book to show her that they’d kept their word. Honestly, four years old and nothing but suspicion.

In the Realm of Shameless Self-Promotion! Sea Wrack and Changewind ebook has broken 400 the hard way! Amazon, 367; Apple, 15; BN, 3; Kobo 16. The ebook drops on December 17 — that’s tomorrow!

Today it’s back to the proofing mines. Firefly has already checked in, and Rook arrived for his after-breakfast lap-sit and cuddles. Trooper is in his box on my desk, snoring.

And that? Is all I have. Yes, yes, the non-stop glamour; how do I keep it from ruining me?

What’s everybody up to, today?

Today’s blog title from Diviner’s Bow.

Monkeying with the evidence

Sunday. Cold and bright.

Today is Rolanni Catches a Break Day. Not quite a Writer’s Day Off, but I intend to do some things that (1) have nothing to do with this manuscript, and (2) are possibly enjoyable.

Breakfast was eggs scrambled with potato and onion, and a slice of homemade whole wheat toast. Lunch will be pork chop, butter beans, dressing.

Random Observation of Fact: Steve’s ring, which I had sized to fit the ring finger on my right hand, is now too big for that digit, and I’ve moved it to the second finger of my left hand, where it fits perfectly.

From the Annals of Feline Investigator Cookie Rookafeller, two items of possible interest to his fandom.

1. Every morning when I get up, I take a pill. This morning, I got up, and due to press of business, did not take the pill immediately. When I returned to the bedroom in order to ingest said medication, I found that Investigator Rookafeller had knocked the bottle to the floor and rolled it halfway down the hall in the direction I had taken re business.

2. I store unbroken boxes behind the sofa in the snow annex until I can get around to flattening them and taking them out to the garage/recycling bin. There is one such box in that position now. This morning, as I passed by to open the curtains, I looked into the box, and saw one of the grey foxes that make up part of the cats’ holdings in the box. I took him out and put him on the floor. Investigator Rookafeller *rushed* over from his resting place, grabbed the fox by the scruff, jumped into the box, placed the fox under a wad of packing material, jumped out, LOOKED at me, and went back to where he had been napping. . . . Right. No monkeying with the evidence, Monkey.

I hope everybody has a lovely day. I may or may not be around. Do feel free to visit among yourselves.