everybody talks about the weather – Page 2

Sunday, with thunderstorms

So, this rolled in this morning:

Great thunderstorm.

Yesterday, Wunderground had told me to look for “violent” thunderstorms today, but this morning Google wimped out with “rain showers.” I pick my teeth at you, Google.

I am reminded to be So. Very. Thankful. that we managed to afford to put new windows in my office, and that I followed through with the new sliders in Steve’s office. The rain is much nicer when it stays where it belongs and/or when I can open an oblique side window and sit in the comfy chair and have the Rain Experience, and taste the ozone on the wind.

The rain’s slowing down, now, which I guess is just as well. I need to go do my duty to the cats and then find something for lunch.

1,255ish new words today, for those keeping track at home, bringing the WIP entire to five-ish words short of 13,000.
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So that was a little less fun. I noticed a puddle on the kitchen floor in front of the oven, figured I’d spilled something and in the process of reaching for a paper towel, saw a big puddle on top of the (happily glass-topped) stove. Seems the rain came in through the vent. That’s special.
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So the big farmhouse up the street from me apparently has an offer on it, asking price in the neighborhood of $525,000. Because I’m incurably nosey, I took the photo tour on Zillow. It’s in pretty good shape, but, as I said, big, also old; and big, old houses are hard to heat. Sits on about 2.5 acres, 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, gorgeous library with built in shelves and a fireplace, swoopy driveway that must cost a fortune to keep plowed. Possibly — I’m not as up on neighborhood history as I might ought to be, but as the house bears A Name — it was the farmhouse that had been in place before the land was sold for a development, and here I am, and all our neighbors.

On t’other side of me, down a few doors, another single-level house, though not so Interestingly Configured as, and on a slightly larger lot than, the Cat Farm, about 10 years older, newly fixed up by the people who only bought it a couple years ago. Asking price just about twice what we paid for this house, 8 years ago. I hear it’s a seller’s market. That’s news, I guess.

I’m wondering if Amazon warehouse soon to be built very nearby is going to bring housing prices up or down. When the mall went at Owings Mills, house prices skyrocketed, because all the folks who came down from New York with Macy’s saw bargains, and bought two — one to live in and one to rent, pricing the locals (which Steve and I were at the time) outta the market.

Well. That was interesting. Time to change the second cat fountain, and then make some rice to have on-hand. I’m bumping bread-baking to tomorrow.

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So, I finished reading/listening to Necessity’s Child last night. I very much like Necessity’s Child, though finding out that the one thing I thought was Absolutely Rock Solid going in — wasn’t. That said — wow is that a tight book.

I don’t remember much about writing it — except the ending which fought me because, as above, I was insisting on the wrong ending. I do remember that Toni wanted me to give her a … proposal thingy, which I did to the best of my (very) poor ability, and then, as she and I were discussing what I had proposed in email, I Thought of Something that I had overlooked, which altered the direction of the story, and thus the proposal, threw that into the discussion and said, “And, see? Already it’s changing.”

Toni threw up her hands at that point, I think. And, yeah, the story does bear some small relationship to that proposal: The Bedel and the steam tunnels. And I think the school.

Speaking of proposals — trying to get lesson plans into shape for my class in the fall, I am once again confronted with the inherent dishonestly of classes that promise to “teach” worldbuilding or voice or characterization or any other fiddly little bit of craft. The bald truth is that you can’t just teach one piece of writing a story; you’ve got to teach it all, just like you have to write it all. Characters live somewhere — that’s worldbuilding — characters are doing something, hopefully for a reason — that’s plot. Yes, breaking the Fourth Wall is a Bad Thing. Only? Every single first person story written since the Dawn of Forever breaks the Fourth Wall at the very first “I” — because who is that character talking to, exactly? Herself?

Well. It’ll be interesting.

Time to say g’night, folks.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

Marchin’ Monday

What went before: So, Sunday afternoon. I’m a bit late getting lunch, which I guess will be hummus and crackers, because — easy, and late.

The WIP now stands at +/-8,230 words, which might make some arithmatically gifted persons to suppose that I had written 2,500 words today. While I grant the appearance, the fact is that I only edited two pieces of Steve’s work to fit them into the frame I’m building. Still, progress is progress, and it’s looking like — ow!

Sigh.

Tali likes to sit under the lip of my stand up desk and nip my elbow occasionally, to keep me on my toes. I think that one was a little harder than she had intended.

Continuing — progress is, indeed, progress, and — fingers crossed — it’s looking like the WIP will be breaking 10,000 words this week, by hook or by crook.

So! Lunch, then correspondence, including filling out my “paperwork” for Wednesday’s doctor’s visit.

No, the fun never does stop. Why do you ask?

Monday. Raining like a raining fool when I got up, now sullen and damp.

Wrote a couple hundred new words, to kick an existing scene into a shape that will align with the next scene upcoming. Outlined the next two scenes so I can hit the keyboard typing on Thursday, which will be my next writing day.

Out to bookclub in 90 minutes or so, then back home to bookkeeping and getting the trash and recycling into the garage so it can acclimate itself before it’s moved to the curb tomorrow morning.

. . .brief pause while I go outside to Speak Sternly to the groundhog, who is as big as a baby black bear, stoopid rodent.

I finished reading (listening to) Ghost Ship yesterday and am into Dragon Ship. I hadn’t recalled that Joyita appeared so quickly, and I’m reminded again about Cresthaller, which I really ought to rectify. In my spare time.

The listening to the books is working out amazingly well. Lately, my vision is too blurry by the end of the day, when I typically read for pleasure, to even focus on an ebook (I had to give up paper books a couple years ago, because I couldn’t focus on the page), and — bonus! I can “read” and do something else, or just sit resting my eyes. I suppose I ought to try listening to a new-to-me book at some point, to see if that exercise is as pleasant, else I’m going to have to find another way to read. Always exciting, life.

So! How’s the beginning of the week looking from your side of the world?

Here’s how Firefly’s Monday is going so far:

The rain in Maine

Friday. Raining and … sticky. House has been picked up in anticipation of Sarah’s arrival in about an hour. The peonies may have to do without me this year. Ah, well.

Today is My Day 666 of playing Finch. Make of that what you — and the rain has just decided to become a downpour. I do like windows that don’t leak — will. Yes.

I started listening to Ghost Ship last night — yeah, publication order is down the tubes, I’m afraid. I hadn’t recalled how fleeting and yet deeply unsettling Theo’s introduction to Clan Korval had been, not to mention her last interview with her father. I was also amused to note Val Con calling his father on his baloney.

Also, the universe seems to be conspiring to deny Theo any simple small joy (Maiko’s paperwork approach to the achievement of first class, as an instance. “She can requisition her jacket, just like ANY first class pilot.” I think Steve hit the mark fairly there regarding corporate soullessness. Steve being a person who very much believed in celebrating any and very nearly every small achievement. In another life, he’d have been an Aeslin mouse.)

Ah. I’m also reminded that Ghost Ship is where we saw the split between those readers who had found us during the days when we were publishing Fledgling, then Saltation, a chapter a week to the web, and those who had been with us since Agent of Change.

The “Theo” people were baffled, and somewhat offended, by this “new guy” — Theo’s brother — in whom they were interested not at all, and who seemed to them to be introduced by the whim — and not a good whim — of the authors. Perspective? Is everything.

What else? Breakfast was homemade bread with cream cheese and the last of the grapes.

Which reminds me that I have in the last two days lost two packages of sliced cheese to mold — one pack unopened, the other opened, but sealed. I can’t afford to be losing food to mold, and I hope this isn’t because the fridge is thinking about getting done. Because a new fridge absolutely isn’t in the budget. Thermometers have been deployed throughout the interior and the cold setting adjusted to 34F, which is the lowest I’m allowed.

Given the rain and all like that, it appears that today is a writing day, so I’ll be hitting the office as soon as I finish up here.

I did drop a note in the medical portal yesterday, because my once-appallingly-low blood pressure has been running officially high for a couple months now. On the one hand, given It All, high blood pressure shouldn’t be surprising. On the other hand — advertancy. I’m promised an appointment by the medical assistant, and given an instruction to go to ER if Symptoms arrive. Argh. Also, fast work, really on behalf of the medtech.

So! How are you doing at the end of the second week in June?

Cat census at this link

They call us irresponsible; write us off the page

Wal*Mart plays an … interesting mix of music. Yesterday, I was able to sing along with at least one song as I shopped.

So, last night, I did finish up my puzzle:

Thursday, dim and damp. Went to bed on time last night after finishing Saltation, but opened the window and just listened to the thunderstorms. More storms called for the day.

As a result of the above, I slept in and am only now getting myself together to eat breakfast, which I do believe will be cottage cheese and grapes. First cup of tea is brewing. After breakfast? Jethri! And maybe after lunch, too, because, as mentioned elsewhere, it’s no sense going to view peonies in the rain. Though that does solve my on-going problem of having to stay out of the sun.

What’s on your to-do list today?

Proof of life:

Today’s blog post title brought to you by Jefferson Starship, “We Built this City” 1985. <fe>Before music got political</fe>.

Writing along…

Where are we? Wednesday? That sounds right.

So! Wednesday, sunny and gonna be hot, again. I’d thought that tomorrow I’d declare a Writer’s Day Off and go view peonies, but tomorrow the ‘beans are calling for thunderstorms. No sense going to a peony farm in a thunderstorm.

Was up and writing a little early, which actually works well for the balance of the day, since I have a noon-time appointment.

Today is an exciting day as the WIP breaks Three Grand! We’re currently at +/- 3,340 words, and have visited two master traders at their letters, including one from Master Trader’s pin’Aker’s cha’leket, who’s a fashion designer. And also Midys Herself.

Next up is Jethri at Sactizzy. I hope to get him off of Meldyne as quick as I credibly can.

Steve had gotten hung up with the details of the conference, which — boy, do I empathize. I had suggested a clean break in one of our how-do-we-make-this-book-work conversations, which he rejected, and, looking through his drafts, I can see why. I think involving the master traders early and getting some of the backstory from them will move things along on Jethri’s line, and let him get moving.

I think.

I tell you what — it’s good thing that writing is easy.

I may need to go out this afternoon, and pick up tag board so that my class, if I have a class, can make themselves name cards, just like we do at cons, and thereby make the teacher’s life easier. Also should look for some puzzle glue or tape or sticky backing so I can display my jigsaw puzzle and remember that I can too work jigsaw puzzles. It just takes me 15 times longer than anybody else.

So! What’s happening on your edge of the world today?

Home again, home again…

While I always enjoy other people making omelettes for me, I did miss the homestyle breakfast conversation while I was at the ocean.

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Saturday. Rainy, cool, and blowy. I guess a piece of the gale that was bearing down on OOB yesterday found its way inland.

Station Air off, heat on. First cup of tea brewing.

First — many thanks to everyone who has offered to adopt, and in some cases, buy, my Stuff, but — I’m not selling. I still want my jar of marbles. What I don’t want is for them to be treated like the Incomprehensible Garbage collected by A Crazy Old Woman after I’ve gotten done. I wish, in a word, to provide honorably for them. I also have a jar with some bits of sea glass in it. I feel less strongly about it, but still want it to be creditably established with someone who knows sea glass — especially sea glass that isn’t brown (beer bottles) — for the small miracle it is.

We can do a tour of the marbles at some point, if there’s interest, but I’m not adopting them out, just yet. I need them.

This is related to my determination to stay in this house. Though Steve and I didn’t live here anywhere near as long as we did in the house in Winslow, Steve made sure to create a space that would help us both remember ourselves. It’s also the reason he took so many pictures of just everyday life. This house is my memory palace, if not actually a carapace, that keeps me from ‘sploding out in all directions at once.

Well. It’s Saturday, as they say, and I’m just back from vacation so that must mean!

Yep. Laundry.

What’s everybody else doing today?

Below, the jar of marbles. You may be able to see that some of those items? Aren’t marbles.

Radio Rolanni Off-Line for Scheduled Maintenance

Saturday — sunny and cool.

I have finally found the Sekrit to making an enjoyable (as opposed to merely an OK) cup of Harney’s Chocolate Chai Supreme, which is! (1) Realize that there is more than one cup, but less than two cups of leaves left, and just brew it all, leaving the cup 1/3(ish) empty. (2) After tea is brewed, fill the rest of the cup with milk, and dump in the last spoonful of Ghirardelli’s Cocoa Powder. The result is something like spicy hot chocolate, and really quite tasty. That said, I will not be re-upping my supply of chocolate chai.

Today, as previously reported, I’ll be finishing my packing, making sure the laptop is functional, and flipping a coin to see if I’ll be taking one of my crazy keyboards. Speaking of over-packing. I’m really bad on a flat keyboard anymore, but! I don’t intend this to be a Writing Retreat. On the Gripping Hand, if I’m suddenly Struck by Inspiration (which is almost guaranteed to happen exactly when one is intending Not To Write), I want to be able to type, not flail. I think I have Steve’s Special Flipping Coin around here somewhere…

Also today, I need to swap out the cat fountains (not the cat boxes; I did that earlier in the week), and decide how to adjust station air for the cats. It’s going to be in the mid-50s a couple days, but what worries me more is the warmer days in the middle of the week. I believe I’ll be setting station air at 72 COOL, which should keep things comfortable for them. They really don’t get the Go Downstairs strategy when the upper house gets too warm, and they have plenty of blankets, not to mention each other, to snuggle with if it’s cool.

I think it fair to say that from this point on, Radio Rolanni in all of its iterations will be transmitting intermittently, and possibly not at all. The conference areas will be open, and the kitchens stocked with snacks. Feel free to meet and talk among yourselves, or bring games and crafts. We’ll be back on the air next weekend.

I append a picture of The Long Back Yard, with lilacs and those low-growing purple weeds that the bees like so much. I’m pleased to see such a lush patch of those.

Sunny Wednesday

Well. Wednesday. Sunny and already warm.

We here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory have gone from oil heat to heat pump cooling. Yesterday, we broke every single record for high temps on May 19 — 92F/33C in Portland. We here in Central Maine only hit 90F/32C.

Breakfast was the last of the yogurt with strawberry jam and wheat germ. Oatmeal cookie already lined up for Second Breakfast. First load of laundry is drying. Need to get the second load in the washer.

I realized this morning that, in my considerations of what to take to the ocean, I had forgotten to choose a traveling companion. I therefore put the matter to Sunny, who is an Old Orchard Beach native, adopted into the Lee-and-Miller household years ago, and he has agreed to ride shotgun. Sunny’s paw pads used to change color under the influence of Solar Rays, but I don’t think they do that anymore. So does age toy with us all.

Last night, I found the last draft of Trade Lanes, which Steve had set aside in frustration. I say “the last draft,” but what I have is about 35,000 words, and a bunch of it is notes, rather than narrative. My job today, while all of the previous Jethri books are fresh in my mind, is to read this document.

With the help of System76, I have resolved the problem of the two computers that would not update. Honestly, System76 has the best help-desk people in the known universe. And now Fezzik the laptop and Steve’s Short Meerkat/Sharon’s Writing Computer have up-to-date POP!_OSes.

In addition to reading the incomplete draft of Trade Lanes, I have some correspondence to catch up on, and the laundry of course, so I can commence in to packing the purple duffle bag.

What’re you doing today?

Here, have a picture of Sunny:

Onward in a fo’warder direction

Business First: In re The Fey Duology, all of the ebook suppliers to libraries, and most of the online bookstores have refused to carry the ebook edition. If you pre-ordered from BN, please check that. As of this morning, the vendors who will be carrying the ebook edition are: Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Thalia, Smashwords.

As of this morning, Amazon still lists the paper edition of The Fey Duology as ready to go on sale June 1.

Regarding my upcoming teaching event — no, it will not be available on-line, only locally, and on then if enough people sign on to make it worth Adult Ed’s time and space.

First thing this morning, Firefly demanded a selfie.

I, of course, life to serve.

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Saturday, sunny and warm.

Breakfast was a blueberry muffin and what was left of the cottage cheese. I’m getting into that Interesting Time when I probably shouldn’t do a Full Shop, but I’m running out of things.

On the stove for lunch is so-called sweet potato and lentil skillet, which is very tasty and produces lots of leftovers. I had on hand and therefore used a Japanese Garnet Yam, which is taking a little longer to become fork-tender than would your plain vanilla sweet potato.

Did a little work this morning on “When the Delm’s Away.” I have A Decision to make, so, letting that rest while I Don’t Think About It.

This afternoon, I’ve got some Real Life to take care of, here and there, but, yanno? I may knock off early.

How’s everybody doing today?

Oh, here, have a snippet:
There was a time when Kareen yos’Phelium had wanted, beyond any other thing in this life or the next, to stand as Delm Korval.

She had made an enemy of her brother, for he, though he had not wished for it, and had been properly aware of his own inadequacies, held what was her heart’s desire.

She had very nearly made a stranger of her heir, seeing him as the personification of her failures.

After lunch, and not to be outdone by her elder sister, Tali demanded her own selfie and a chin-rub.

Again, I live to serve.

So far, Rook has withheld any demands for a selfie. Should that change, I will of course Inform His Fandom.

I sat out on the deck in my hooded chair for a little while, then I went out front and did some modest weeding. It’s quite warm, and sunny, of course, and I forgot my hat. Have to get back into sunny-day habits.

Now that I’m back in and my duty the cats dispatched, the pots ‘n pans washed, and the dishwasher doing its thing — I will be knocking off for the rest of the day.

Everybody have a good evening. I’ll check in tomorrow.

Kept comin’ up with love, but it’s so slashed and torn

Wednesday. Dim and chilly. The weatherbeans say it will be MUCH COOLER (caps original) than yesterday, with rain.

Went to bed late-ish last night, and slept in this morning.

Breakfast was oatmeal, semi-sweet bits, and almond butter. Drinking my second cup of tea. Lunch will … depend on details surrounding the arrival of the dishwasher, the window of delivery being between noon and 2.

After I finish this letter to the internets, I expect I’ll be doing dishes, putting them away and clearing the counter over the dishwasher. I will be very interested to see how they’re gonna get the dishwasher installed. It is a very tiny kitchen. OTOH, there’s a dishwasher right there, so the concept is proven. One of the things I always look forward to in these scenarios is the opportunity to learn new words.

Last night after I came home from needlework, I colored for a bit, and listened to Sea Wrack and Changewind, by Sharon Lee, narrated by Alex Picard. Good stories. Good narration. Five stars and a chocolate brownie to author and narrator.

In addition to clearing the work area, I need to call — Agren, I guess — to see if they can send a guy to look at the fridge, which persists in not making ice. Also, I need to explore setting up a Zelle? account.

Well. That’s looking like a busy day right there.

What’s your day looking like?

The problem with buying stuff on sale is that by the time you realize these are the best jeans on the planet, they’re sold out.

With! bonus cat census.

Today’s blog post title brought to you by Queen and David Bowie, “Under Pressure“