Tag: everybody talks about the weather

Saturday Challenge

You may wish to refer to the photo page for today

OK, so kind of a loss of a day, viewed through the writing lens, but I had expected that.

Seen through the RL lens, I got myself back and forth to the hospital in Brunswick without mishap, saving the wear and tear on my nerves (ref the wear and tear on my nerves, the rock sculpture in the Imaging Lobby probably brought my blood pressure down 50 points. Well played MaineHealth. Well played.), did the hour in the tube without having a panic attack, waited until I was in the car to scream (yes, that’s a real thing; I have claustrophobia; remind me to tell you some other time about the first time Steve and I went cross country by train), was reasonable and let my friends do all the heavy work that was only going to hurt my back (which already hurt; they need nicer mattresses on MRI machines), ate my lunch, which was terrific, took time off to read and relax, took down the pictures over the doors to be replaced.

Tomorrow, all I need to do in Steve’s office is take down the drapes and use them to cover the Stuff against the Dust of Construction.

Tomorrow will be a writing day. Monday, sometime between 8 and 10am will see the arrival of the Andersen crew to start with the replacing of doors. I have some business stuff to do on Monday, but if I have my way, writing will happen then, too. Tuesday is supposedly the finish of the installation. Not sure if I’ll be going to needlework that evening. We Shall See.

In the meantime, the cats keep checking in with me — is this OK? — and I really can’t blame them. I keep telling them I’ll put it back the way it was real quick, but I can tell they don’t believe me.

Google wishes me to understand that we will be having rain and snow tonight, but I don’t find any evidence that this opinion is based on reality. It will be cold, though. That, we’re all agreed upon.

All that said! Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe. I’ll check in tomorrow.

Weather makin’

The Long Back Yard, with sublimating snow:

Friday. Raining like heck, heading for the mid-50s. All the dampness will freeze overnight of course. I am so not looking forward to driving to Brunswick tomorrow in the early AM. Yeah, chicken, here.

Dishwasher doing its thing.

Half hour with the Happy Lite has been had while I made notes for the Unending WIP. Breakfast was oatmeal with walnuts and a handful of semi-sweet chips, because I had them. Lunch will probably be soup, to celebrate the rain. That may not be the right word. Oh, and I bought a bag of those lovely little oranges, so I can have an orange for dessert.

Today’s to-do list includes Glaring at the WIP; stripping the bed, washing the sheets, and putting the bed back together; changing out the cat boxes; getting the WIP and all its attendants onto a portable hard drive so it can be attached to my laptop and work can continue in the face of progress. Also, the usual fidgets of hanging stuff away and poking at piles.

I am remiss in reporting that I really like my new glasses, and am wearing them. The old glasses — and I should’ve minded this better — had gotten to the point that I preferred not to wear them; they just made everything worse.

Someone asked where I got my glasses — apparently places like Lenscrafters no longer carry titanium frames, which — What? I get my glasses at the retail side of my optometrist’s office — Eye Care of Maine. SPOILER: They cost the earth, and I’m not really sure how much of that is the blue light coating and the no-line progressive lenses, and how much is the frame.

All that said, and the to-do list, I better get myself busy.

What’s happening with you today?

The cat wants to sleep with Anthony, not with me

Supervisors be supervisin’

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Not a very satisfactory afternoon, alas.

Back and knees hurt from PT, which meant that it was hard to concentrate, and though I did write a scene, I fear it is the wrong scene, but I’ll look at it tomorrow.

I clipped Tali’s front claws, but when I tried to do the same for Rook, he hissed at me, which was very lowering. For both of us, apparently. He’s now trying to pretend that it never happened, but his claws still need to be clipped. Tomorrow, I’m thinking.

Speaking of tomorrow — the ‘beans are calling for mid-50sF and rain, with an overnight low of 23F, so that‘s going to be a fun 6am drive on Saturday morning.

I believe I will be having an Early Night and a sleep-til-I-wake morning.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

Today’s blog post title brought to you by! “Alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day,” written by Judith Viorst, illustrated by Ray Cruz.

And yet again it is Thursday

. . . this keeps happening.  Must investigate.

So. Thursday. Sunny 40!F!/4C.

Breakfast was the last of my homemade hummus and naan. Am munching on cheddar cheese pretzel pieces as I type this, because (1) they’re addictive and (2) I’m snackish. Lunch will be the other piece of lasagna.

PT has been accomplished, as well as a PO run, and a stop at the grocery store. I filled the car up with gas, so I’m ready to go flying outta here on Saturday morning on a heading for Brunswick.

I have not been able to get excited about Doing Something for Christmas. I did pick up a ham slice, and I have yams on hand, so, yanno, ham and and a yam for dinner on the day could be a thing. I also picked up a frozen so-called single pizza (Screamin’ Sicilian, for those who keep track of such things), in case that’s something I’ll be wanting. Oh, and canned chick peas, on account of I am making hummus again.

Mostly, though, it’s looking like next Thursday will be nothing any more or less special than all the days have been lately.

The plan going forward is to heat the oven so I can have warm lasagna for lunch, then hit the WIP.

Tomorrow, I need to do a cat box changeout, and also get all my working files off of Steve’s computer, where I’ve been diligently writing, so I can continue to write while his office is upside down and the French doors are being replaced.

I need to decide if I’m just going to set up my laptop in the living room, and write there, or bring it totally back into my office. I’m leaning toward the living room, which will keep the task-spaces separate, and which I’ve been finding really useful.

Saturday, of course is the pre-dawn trip to Brunswick, two MRIs and home again, where kind neighbors have volunteered to come over and help push furniture around, because the window people require a six-foot clearance. For which I can’t blame them and there’s no denying that’s a full office experience.

. . . I think that’s all the news at the moment.

How’s Thursday treating you?

Thursday on the run

Thursday, sunny and cold, but everybody’s acting like it’s summer, because the temps are in the 30sF as opposed to the mid-teens F.

The plowguy arrived at 7:30 and cleared the drive, and the steps and the turnaround, and the short path from the steps to the side door of the garage and! cleared the berm in front of the garage door. Best. Plowguy. Ever.

Went to P(hysical) T(herapy); got my hairs cut; stopped at the PO; made a smol tour of Dollar Store and Reny’s looking for a ball (for PT), and found one at Five Below. Heated up leftover soup for lunch, and have leftovers, because it became a sorta refrigerator soup, since I had a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, and a little bit of that over there . . . Anyhoots, I have leftover soup, some of which will join the other soup in the freezer. I’ve washed dishes, done my duty to the cats and need to do another couple things before I go out to meet and greet the new town manager.

Before I go dashing off, however, I have a question from the mailbag, to wit!

“when the current book gets too long, why don’t you split it in two books?”

And the answer is!

Don’t wanna.

Lest I seem surly, I’ll unpack that a little.

I have three books left under contract, the book I’m working on and two more*. I know, in broad terms, what the two remaining books are about, and neither one of them is a continuation of the story I’m working on now.

Therefore, the solution to the current story needing more room is to write a longer-than-usual-for-us book. So, that’s what I’m doing.

I’ll note that we have occasionally, in the past, intended to write only one book and wound up writing two — Fledgling and Saltation leap to mind, as does Ribbon Dance and Diviner’s Bow. Or like that time we intended to write seven books and wound up writing 27 — and counting.

So, that’s the news from the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory for now.

How’s everybody doing?
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*Yes, there may be more Liaden books in future. Or, yanno, there may not. My particular understanding with the universe at this point, and always bearing in mind, “Man proposes; God disposes.” (aka Man plans; the Universe laughs), is that I will finish the books currently under contract and then I’ll See.

The Late Wednesday Report

As previously advertised, it’s snowing. I asked Google what the snow accumulation was going to be and it said, “One-point-three-seven inches,” and I know it’s just messing with me.

The WIP now weighs in at +/-100,700 total words, with more words yet to be written. Despite my having removed manymany words, this is still going to be a long book, as we here in the Liaden Universe(R) count book length. I apologize in advance.

The name of the belly dancer whose clip I shared on FB the other day is Rachid Alexander and at least one 10-minute performance is on youtube. In case anybody might be interested.

In other news, I’m out of cookies. I’m not sure how this keeps happening. Probably the cats eat them when I’m out running errands.

Michael Carbonaro, a magician, is coming to the Waterville Opera House in March and I wanna go see him, because — Magic! Show! OTOH, I’m looking at the prices and — eep. Well. He’ll prolly sell out without any help from me.

I am going to have to call the lawyers handling the Anthropic business and get myself to a humanbean. It transpires that my affairs are not straightforward, what a surprise, and I’m running out phucks to give, which — it would be smart to continue with the giving of phucks for a little while longer.

So! Since I’m done writing early today, and the lawyers are in Seattle, where it’s just after lunchtime, I s’pose I’ll get on the phone.

Bah.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe.

I’ll check in tomorrow as can.

Oh, Firefly was caught on camera, Helping:

Wednesday Writing

Wednesday. Gloomy with intermittent snow. Warmer than yesterday, but not warm.

Rook joined me for my early sunlight and tea. Tali would like to join me, but she can’t figure it out yet. We’re all a Little Much for Tali, I fear.

Breakfast was oatmeal. Lunch will be store-bought spinach quiche and a side of soup. Oven heating for the quiche now. Did Session One of the PT homework.

Wrote a couple thousand new! words this morning. Which — one of the good things about the Write What You Know Method, beside racking up a lot of words early, is that, while you DO have to do a fair amount of timeline-wrasslin’, and build bridges, the bridge-building is mostly smooth, once you’ve figured out what the story is about.

Yes, I do keep saying that.

The plan for the remainder of the day after lunch is to do my duty the cats, take a short walk, and get back with the WIP. And do Session Two of the PT homework; I’ve come to like doing that after I’ve served up Happy Hour.

Tomorrow, I have PT early, a haircut scheduled mid-morning, and I really do need to get to the grocery. And probably the post office.

Meet ‘n Greet with the new Town Manager in the evening. I have a ticket. I’m starting to waffle on Do I Really Want To Go. It’ll probably come down to how’s the weather?

The cats are all back in Steve’s office, snuggling into warm spots. It goes without saying that they were a great deal of help during the morning writing session.

So! How’s everybody doing today?

The Cold Errands

Tuesday. Sunny and cold. Trash and recycling at the curb. Breakfast was cottage cheese with canned peaches and toast. Reward for getting the trash and recycling to the curb in 2F/-16F, cookie with second cup of tea.

Lunch will likely be the last yam in the larder, which ought to be a song. Looks like I will be hitting the grocery this morning, too. How the errands do pile up.

Eye doctor appointment in an hour. Need to write a couple checks so I can throw them at the post office along with my holiday cards while I’m out in the world.

Finished Tie Me Knot, which brings me to 60 books read this year. In 2024, I read 61 books (including Diviner’s Bow TWICE), so I’ll probably match last year.

I do believe I will be scheduling a read of the Liaden Universe novels, in publication order, for 2026. I have never read the series straight through, though I’ve obviously read older books as they came up for reprint, so this will be … an experience.

How’s everybody doing this morning?

Out and About

Wednesday. Grey and looking cold outside. I have not yet been outside by reason of the plowguy (All Hail, the Plowguy!) came by when I was still  snuggled in bed under a pile of blankets and three coon cats, to plow the drive and clear the steps.

Looking out over the Long Back Yard, it does seem like we might have gotten another couple/four inches after I threw the towel in last night, so the weatherbeans have redeemed themselves. A Long Slllloooowwww Snow.

PT at 8:00, then the grocery. I need gas before I go to Brunswick, but that doesn’t have to happen today.

Let the calendar show that today was the First Official Donning of The (short) Snow Boots, and the winter jacket (not to be confused with the Big Coat).

And that’s all I got for the moment.

Hope everybody’s having a good morning.
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Aaaaand back.

It is now sunny and bright and the snow is melting off of Surfaces, which is all good until it freezes up this evening.

PT was PT — did a couple laps on the sit-down elliptical (it has a name — NuStep? — but it wasn’t important and I don’t remember it), had tutoring in at-home exercises. I do have an appointment next week, oh! and the week after. So, not so bad with the timing as I had imagined. That’s good.

After PT, I went to the grocery store, where I bought more than was on the list, though not a wreath, because really, Hannaford? Those are some flea-bitten wreaths y’all are wantin’ the earth for. Instead, I brought the groceries home, put them away, and went over to the Agway in Winslow, and bought a on-clearance wreath, then, since I was out and spacing around anyway, I put gas in the car.

Let the record show that I used the Google Wallet for the first time to pay for my wreath at Agway.

Came home and had a mug of hot chocolate and a cookie (I see cookie-making in the future), which maybe could spoil my lunch, if I had any idea what lunch was gonna be, but since I don’t, that’s not an issue.

The cats and I will decorate the wreath this evening.

Speaking of cats:

Tuesday evening post-snowpocalypse

Welp, that ain’t nine inches. Or even six. More like, oh, inch-and-three-quarter? Maybe two? I feel pretty comfortable saying that Physical Therapy tomorrow morning at 8 is a go.

While I’m out tomorrow, I should probably stop at the grocery store, which means I should probably make a list this evening.

Right after I serve Coon Cat Happy Hour. And pour myself a glass of wine.

No progress made on glass today — it was words all the way down. You will also notice the lack of a wordcount. This would be because the WIP is currently in about half-a-dozen pieces and God She knows how many words — or whole sentences! — are sneaking out for a drink when I’m not looking.

Tomorrow, after PT and grocery shopping, I’ll be settling down to write until Saturday morning when I’ll be driving to Brunswick to have an MRI. Or maybe TWO MRIs. My PCP’s office seems confused on this point. I do need two MRIs, and the information I’ve received from the PCP’s office is that they are helpless to add the second MRI to the Saturday appointment, but! If I ask the folks at the hospital nicely on Saturday, they’re sure to do the second one on my say-so, because it’s “in the system.”

Yes, yes, it is a variation on the Secretarial Nightmare: “Call this number and tell the guy who answers this. He’ll know what it means.”

SPOILER: He never knows what it means.

So, Saturday’s looking to be fun.

Local peeps! Where’s good to eat in Brunswick on Saturday? I’ve only ever eaten at The Great Impasta, which is fine, but I’m feeling like I should branch out. Oh, no, I’m wrong. I’ve also eaten in the Bowdoin College cafeteria, but I don’t think that’ll be an option on Saturday.

With all that said! Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe. I’ll check in tomorrow.