Well, how did I get here?

What went before ONE: Aaaand, back. Home Despot only had part of what I wanted, but I did not go to Augusta. Instead I went to the new Reny’s, which is awesome. I bought a plastic folding table for less than $10, which I can sit out on the deck with my chair and have a place to put my tea or my glass of wine, or even my sandwich. I bought olives and soup, and a pair of summer-weight Carhartt utility jeans. But that’s not the Exciting Part.

The Exciting Part is that Reny’s Heard Me and now has a Reny’s Passport! You have to visit all nineteen Reny’s in Maine, and get your passport stamped at each one, then submit it for a chance at the Grand Prize! They’ll even return your passport after the contest is over.

I got my passport stamped at Waterville today — only 18 more to go!

What went before TWO: And, I now need a Big Umbrella, because the little open-sided tent took two of us to put up — and it wasn’t easy, even with. So! I have something to shop for at the next Reny’s on my list.

What went before THREE: I just spent some time breaking down a few of Winter’s Boxes and getting them into the open recycling bin for delivery to the curb tomorrow. I do not think there is a movie on my schedule this evening. I have an Idea about What Happens Next in the WIP.

Time to fix lunch, eh?

What went before FOUR: Writing consisted of Staring into Space, and trying to figure out how to get lightly through a convoluted piece of business without boring myself to death. I think I’ve got it. Of course, I thought that earlier, too.

And, that? Is the afternoon/early evening report.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

Tuesday. Damp, but they say no rain. Trash and recycling, including the boxes I broke down yesterday, are at the curb.

Today’s music is one of my favorites, “Once in a Lifetime,” Talking Heads. One of the two major songs that Agent of Change was written to. There was a mini-commentary from one of the band members before Mr. Hunter put on the music, speaking to why this song was Talking Heads first Number One. Said bandmate’s opinion was it had been the line, “How did I get here?” that sold it to the millions, and he may be right. All I know is that the line that sold it to me, for Val Con, was “My god. What have I done?” And — bonus — the muttering at the end about “and now a twister comes…”

I see the signs of a feline decorating aesthetic on and around my desk. Why, yes, that pen does look better under the adding machine; and the Kleenex box on the floor, angled against the wheels of my chair. Why didn’t I think of this?

Breakfast coming up soon — pb&j on a whole wheat English muffin. I have leftover pork, so I guess that’s lunch in some form.

Today is partially about Moving Things for the Grand Arrival of the Washer and Dryer, tomorrow at an as-yet undetermined time. Also, I want to get some writing done.

I don’t know if it works this way for anybody else, and, indeed, it only works this way for me some of the time — but I have to hit a certain Mass of Narrative before I understand the structure that has to be imposed in order to have All of This, err, make sense. I know they tell you in English/Writing class that structure is one of the first things you determine. Bear in mind that, in class, they also tell you that you have to know the POV’s motivation before writing Word One. Yes, if I roll my eyes any harder they will roll right out of my head, thank you.

So! Breakfast for me, coming right up.

What’s coming right up for you?

Today’s blog title brought to you, naturally, from The Talking Heads, “Once in a Lifetime

EDITED TO ADD, because someone did ask: The other song Agent of Change was written to is was also from The Talking Heads, and it is, of course, “Life During Wartime,” which is basically the plot of Agent of Change...

Morning Music

What went before ONE: So, one of the joys of writing in Archers Beach was being able to set things not only in a real place (for those coming in late, Archers Beach is built on the map of Old Orchard Beach), but in real time.

For instance, “The Night Don’t Seem So Lonely.” The White Way did burn on the night of the moon landing, and though the fire burned hot and strong and long, they didn’t lose anybody, not even a mule. The firemen did have a bad minute, though, when they sighted the two kids up on top of the Jack ‘n Jill, with the flames licking up all around them. They couldn’t get the trucks close enough to deploy the ladders, so they dragged in the hoses, and they soaked the scaffolding and yelled at the kids to climb down, grabbed ’em when they got close enough and ran with them down to the beach.

A writer reading that piece of history might well ask herself, But, what were they DOING up on top of that ride that night, after the park had closed?

And that’s where stories come from.

What went before TWO: No Actual Words written today, but I have been doing a lot of cleaning up and putting away and … stuff, which says to me that I’m thinking. Tomorrow morning, I need to go to Home Despot, and if they don’t have what I want, I will make the pilgrimage to the Capital City to visit Lowes. If Home Despot does have what I want, then I will perhaps visit the new Reny’s before I come home and see if I’ve worked out enough story stuff to write.

I got desperately lost in the ASL homework today, and had to do some research before I could go back to class. This may have been me, or it may be that Dr. Bill got bored and decided to throw everybody off the pier and see who sinks and who swims.

WHOA!

Ahem. Tali was having the Zoomies. She got up to speed, took to the air at the edge of my office, was in full flight as she passed my shoulder, hit the top of the desk, slid OFF the desk, and zoomed out again. The rest of the cats are sitting in high places. With reason, I see.

On that note — everybody stay safe.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

Monday. Sunny. Not quite as warm as predicted.

Breakfast was Kodiak chocolate chip oatmeal and a cup of Irish Breakfast. Second cup of tea just up — Twinings Focus, which Steve had laid in quite a few boxes, and it’s not gonna drink itself. Lunch is too far away to think about.

Boy, Alan Hunter’s on a roll on Classic Rewind this morning. “Welcome to the Jungle” (not a favorite song, but I love the line, “You can have anything you want, as long as you don’t take it from me“), “Swingtown,” “Betty Lou’s Getting Married,” “Beast of Burden” (one of the many songs Steve and I would sing together, and sit in the car until it was over), “Don’t Let Him Go,” “Midnight Blue,” “New Girl Now…”

Firefly’s in the living room, listening up close and personal, the other three are in my office, helping me type this note.

So, this morning, I need to go to Home Despot, and may also go elsewhere, depending on mood, and if I really want to go to a movie tonight.

Thanks to all who took the time to review recently. MUCH appreciated. If you have been considering leaving a review, but are embarrassed because you’re not Totally Up To Date — reviews on Old Books Count, too! If you love a particular book — review it! Does no harm; may do some good. And I point out that this is not just the case for our/my books. If you loved a book, tell the world! and make a writer’s day.

Before I finish my tea, do my duty to the cats and — ooh, “Heartless” on the radio, now — get on the road, I do wish to note that Cael the Wolf *knows* how to talk to a cat: Cael dropped to one knee, and bowed his head, squinting his eyes in a cat smile. “My lady,” he said softly, “you honor me with your radiant presence.”

The wheel in the sky keeps on turning

What went before ONE: And back from dancing. I was the New Kid. It was interesting and everyone was good-natured and very kind. I may have been the only one in the room who had never had theater or dance in my background, and I include the two Littles who were part of our group.

I notice a cross-over between ASL and some of the “body-speak” going on in dance. I suppose if I pursue it, I’ll have yet another physical language under my belt.

I got to interact, very briefly, with the bowli ball’s older, bigger, and more sullen brother. It was too big and goopy to perform the antics of an actual bowli ball. Instead of a gyroscope heart, it had a — what? bag of mud — that made for interesting shifts of velocity, weight, and … squishiness. Not good for tournament play, but an interesting item nonetheless.

After class, I went down Main Street a bit, stopped at Incense and Peppermints to see what they’re doing with the increased space, then Smitty’s Book Cellar to introduce myself and give out a couple cards.

I grabbed some pretzels when I got in, but I think that’s not quite lunch, so a salad it is.

The temperature has cracked 60F/16C; still cloudy and mizzling, off and on.

I hear through the dance class that next Saturday is World Tai Chi Day. Who’s participating?

What went before TWO: 830ish new words, which means! The WIP has cracked 30,000! +/-30,250. Pretty good for a day when I thought I wouldn’t be writing.

Defrosting some Smithfield boneless pork chops for tomorrow’s making-ahead, and also lunch.

The cats have had Happy Hour and Trooper wished to Take Exception to my coming back to the keyboard to finish the scene, so we had to have That Discussion again — the one that makes no sense? About how the clackity-clack on the keys makes cat food? Yeah, that one. He did lay down and go to sleep though, and I finished my scene. So there is that.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

Sunday. Intermittently cloudy and not. Breezy with gusts. Weatherbeans have put out a fire caution; calling for a high temp of 50F/10C. It rained on the overnight.

Breakfast was scrambled eggs with potato and onion, and a side of toast with blueberry-ginger jam, which was actually a bigger breakfast than I usually indulge in, so lunch plans may be adjusted accordingly.

This is Easter Sunday for those who celebrate. When Steve and I first got together, we celebrated by going to BaltiCon. Afteryears, Easter usually snuck up on us. We had the Convention Calendar in our heads and could mostly tell you which cons were on any given weekend, but Easter? Eh–a moveable lay (i.e. non-SF) feast that didn’t have much to do with us.

For those who are interested in cat placement, Trooper is at the moment sitting upright on my lap, purring, and making it easy for me to type. Rook is sprawled at the end of the desk, apparently chewing on the philosophical conversation we had this morning, when he found Tali already in my lap when he wanted to be there. How is it possible that I love him for being The Best Rookie AND Tali for being The Best Tali? This wants Thinking Over.

Second cup of tea brewing.

After I finish my morning letter to the internets, I have some stuff to do downstairs, and then I intend to catch up on all those things I failed to do last week by reason, I guess, of doing other things instead. And do my first pass through the ASL homework.

Directing my gaze into next week — there’s another movie-and-learned-discourse on Monday night; the movie is “Brick.” I may or may not attend. The movie looks interesting, but I have a limited capacity for leaned discourse on the Metaphors of Violence in Cinema.

On Wednesday, my new washer-and-dryer will be delivered, and the sales rep directed me to save up my dirty clothes and start washing the minute the delivery van cleared the driveway, because there’s a 48-hour, if-it’s-wrong-we’ll-make-it-right-today LG policy IF the wrong is reported within 48 hours. So! Laundry Party at Rolanni’s House! Bring snacks.

Thursday evening is of course ASL class. Before that is the Return of the Pest Control Guy, who will be replacing the things he knocked down during his inspection two weeks ago.

I have started reading The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne (by Ron Currie, a Maine author) and in-between am re-reading Sea Wrack and Changewind (by Sharon Lee, another Maine author). Not sure why I got started on that, except it was at my place when I sat down to eat lunch a couple days ago, and one must read something.

My redecorated office door looks very nice in the sunshine. Very glad I decided to take that on.

And that? Is what’s doing at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory.

What’s doing at your place?

Today’s blog title brought to you by Journey, “Wheel in the Sky

Cat census and redecorated office door:

Accomplishments in Housekeeping

What went before: I put privacy film on the window in the door that opens onto the deck from my office, and also on the front bathroom window, replacing old film that was tired and curling at the corners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday. Cloudy and damp. The ‘beans are calling for a high temp of 72F/22C, so apparently spring is going to come in like a fire sprite.

Breakfast was rice crackers and cream cheese, with a side of strawberries. Second mug of tea to hand. Lunch will likely be a salad, but — we’ll see.

I Inspected yesterday’s work and still find it good. I have Corresponded with Balticon. I’m still for dancing, which is a Who are you and what have you done with Sharon Lee? moment, but, hey.

I last night finished Check and Mate (YA), which I — had problems with, and almost metaphorically threw it against the wall Chapter 23ish. I wound up skipping a few chapters and reading the end, which I still had problems with. I have also read by the same author a sample of The Love Hypothesis, which is one of her adult novels, and I have the Exact Same Problems with it, so clearly this author’s books are not My Sort. This is not a denigration of her legions of fans, or indeed of her; it is a statement of personal preference — thank you for understanding the difference between the two.

Insofar as Check and Mate, and the question of is the Chess World accurately portrayed, as I said, and as far as I know — yes. The author herself says that she had to take liberties and invent shortcuts, in order to make a process that in Real Life would be years of slow effort, in order to fit it inside of a short novel that people would actually want to read.

And I think that’s all that’s shakin’ here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory at the moment. As you can see from the previous post on my wall, the cats are anti-shake.

What’s the weather where you are today?

Friday Good

What went before ONE: This just in, Diviner’s Bow, by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller is still in the top 50 of Bookscan’s new book releases in SF. Number 39.

That’s … a surprise. A pleasant surprise, mind.

Thank you all!

What went before TWO: With the handwritten scene (I had misremembered; I didn’t have two scenes; I had one scene and Copious Notes), the WIP Entire now weighs in at +/-29,400 words.

I am now going to do a Lightning Review of my ASL homework and? Go to school.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll see you tomorrow.

Friday. Sunny, warm, and breezy. The wind chimes are humming to themselves outside my office window.

Breakfast was bialy with cream cheese and a side of strawberries.  Lunch will be turkey cutlet (now fully defrosted) and spinach.

I have been up for hours. However, much of that time has been trying to figure out who’s calling me from Northern Light Medical Center. I answer the phone, the person on the other end says, “This is Rachel calling from North–” and the signal drops. I try to call back, and get a recording telling me that I’ve reached a trunk line and there ain’t no humans here.

So! Since the local hospital is going poof! and my cancer team is in Bangor and affiliated with Northern Light Health, I’ve spent an hour trying to find out if one of them has been trying to get in touch. My last hope is Theresa in Oncology, but her phone has been solidly busy for the last two hours.

Fun times. I’m supposing that I won’t answer the phone the next time it shows that ID, and see if Rachel is able to leave voice mail.

Today is Arts ‘n Crafts. Since I have never myself ever put on window film — no, that’s not true. I put window film in one of my day-job offices. So! Since I myself have Not Recently installed window film, I am going to do a Practice installation on the window in my office door. After I’ve learned what I can from that process, I’ll move on to the bathroom.

Tomorrow, there’s a free intergenerational dance class at the Greene Block, downtown, which I may try to make. I’m expecting lots of grandkids spinning in circles and yelling, which may make this a short-lived experiment, but, hey, Wild Clover’s right around the corner in case I need to bail.

Or even if I don’t.

I’ve been thinking of committing a chapbook. This one would include “Core Values,” now available to be read for free on splinteruniverse.com, “Neutral Ground,” which is a story that contains story nuggets that were then (more) fully realized in Ribbon Dance and Diviner’s Bow, and! an outtake from Ribbon Dance. I don’t know how many words that would be. “Core Values” and “Neutral Ground” combined are 21,495 words. I don’t have a word count on the outtake.

So, that may be coming down the pike, if there’s interest.

ASL class last night was fun. We seem to be down to 6 students, which encourages the social aspect of the group, so it’s part gossip and part learning new vocab. Several people now have noted that one day a week is too little to attain fluency. We really ought to form a coffee club, but we haven’t gotten to that step yet.

Tali is coming to terms with the fact that I am the sole source of cuddles, treats, and throwing things for her to chase, and is making modest attempts to jolly me along. She and Rook are in direct competition for my lap, and this morning she actually did curl up for about 2.5 seconds and purred. Then she saw that Rook was eating and had to jump down to join him.

Rook remains unshakeable in his certainty that he is the center of the universe. Firefly is pleased to read with me and is more often deliberately coming into the space I’m occupying. She does still visit Steve often. Trooper — sleeps a lot. The crying seems to be less, and I’m inclined to just let him be. He’s still playing, and eating, and seeking me out for company; he occasionally forgets what he’s doing but, hey, who doesn’t?

So, today is Good Friday, according to some traditions, and Sunday is Easter. Who has Plans?

Blast from the Past:  Steve and Sharon visiting the Augusta Barnes & Noble to check out our poster:

 

Livin’ on rock ‘n roll music

What went before ONE:  And! Finished reading. My text for today was Accepting the Lance.

I now want to sleep for five days, but that’s not going to happen, so instead I will open the SFWA past president survey that I foolishly agreed to answer, right after I serve Happy Hour.

I’m looking at my weekly Get These Things Done calendar, and, yeah — MAYbeeee…Friday?

Everybody stay safe. I’ll see you tomorrow.

What went before TWO:  Wow. Started to work for SFWA as first! full! time! executive director in 1997; elected vice president in 2001; president in 2002.

#

Thursday. Sunny and warmish. House has been picked up for Ashley.

I am a tired woman, part X of a continuing series.

Breakfast was oatmeal with cranberries, because I’m tired, and it was there. Lunch will be, um? Oh. Turkey fillets defrosting in the fridge; they may be ready. If not, there’s still that yam the affections of which I’ve been toying with for a week.

Tonight is ASL class — first of the second semester. I do not feel prepared, ref “tired” above, but, yanno — onward.

One of the things I suspect of contributing to feeling tired is that some people are reading Diviner’s Bow and have Just! Learned! through the magic of reading the back flap of the hardcover, that Steve has died. Some are writing to express their condolences, which is very nice of them, but the weight of other people’s emotions is exhausting.

I’ve got an expanding file of stuff that I need to go through, and throw away the things I no longer need, so I’ll be doing that while Ashley’s here.

I’m probably not going to get any new writing done today, though I do have two handwritten scenes I should transcribe. My handwriting’s not so bad as my shorthand — reading cold shorthand is a real challenge, just one down from trying to read somebody else’s shorthand — but I really should type it before I forget what on earth I was thinking.

It’s not supposed to rain today, so I might just take the throw rugs outside and hang them over the deck railing to get some fresh air and sunshine.

I’m reading Check and Mate, which is set in the World of Chess, book provided by a kind friend who wanted to know how accurate the representation of said Chess World is. So far — I’m about halfway through — and it seems pretty accurate to me, remembering that all of my “familiarity” with said World came at second and third hand. Certainly, the misogyny is accurate; Steve kept trying to recruit girls/women to his chess club down in Maryland, but it remained a guys-only environment. The passion is also accurate — yes, you can Win! Big! Money! playing chess, but like, oh, writing, or tournament golf, or other endeavor where passion is a necessary component to even minor success — the return is far, far less for most than the investment. All that said, it was a minor shock to see Judith Polgar mentioned, as I knew somebody who knew somebody who knew the Polgar sisters. OTOH, they certainly belong in a book discussing the Chess World and the limited access thereto.

FWIW, Steve threw a guy out of a tournament for wearing a tshirt that said, “Woman chess player is an oxymoron.” So there was that.

And that’s what I’ve got this morning.

What’ve you got this morning?

Today’s blog post title brought to you by Boston, “Rock & Roll Band

Oh. For those wondering what in heaven’s name the woman was *doing* yesterday, that would be this:

It’s still Rock ‘n Roll to me

What went before:  That? Was a very tight bit of storytelling, disguised as an aimless ramble.

And I might have not gone to see it if I had realized it was her farewell to Lou Reed.

Tuesday. Damp and warm. Trash and recycling have been escorted to the curb.

Breakfast was half a raisin-bran muffin and cottage cheese (I didn’t get cottage cheese yesterday, since Shaw’s does not carry my Preferred Sort). Lunch — eh.

Last night’s movie (Laurie Anderson’s “Heart of a Dog”) was Interesting; a little long for me, though I would be hard-put to cut anything. Well, maybe a few of the disorienting visual episodes, though, from what I know of Anderson’s music, they’re probably meticulously timed for maximum…something. Also, I was tired when I got there, so the “too long” could easily have been me, not the film.

The Colby professor, Dr. Katie Altizer (boy, they’re making PhDs young these days), Applied Music Instructor and Collaborative Pianist, gave a talk based on the good parts of a much longer paper she’d written on the film. Her husband and baby were there to support her. Theater One wasn’t packed, but nor was it empty.

Apparently these Cinema in Conversation episodes happen every now and then. I missed the first one, but there are three (?) more upcoming, so I suppose I should check the website.

Today, here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory, I’ll be — anybody? — yes? Yes, you, in the yellow headband. Ah. Indeed, one’s duty to the cats, but also? Yes, person with the green hair? Yes, thank you. Writing. I made a Huge Breakthrough, and suddenly the Ideas are Flowing. So, yanno, yay.

I — what was that? What was the Huge Breakthrough? Oh. I know what the book’s about. Which I often don’t, so that’s kind of interesting, if you happen to be interested in what the inside of my head looks like.

So, a boringish day hereabouts.

Who’s having excitement today? Tell us all about it.

#

Ooh. Just heard an interesting story from Alan Hunter, hosting Classic Rewind, about Billy Joel, who apparently said in an interview (somewhere, somewhen, Mr. Hunter’s recollection being unclear on the point — and understanding that I’m paraphrasing the paraphrase), that you start out making music, and you’re young and you have to strive, and you get a little single-minded about it, and you don’t notice the passage of time, because you caught up in what you do; you don’t notice that it’s not only event that passes. I (Billy Joel) look at my pictures from Madison Square Garden, and I think, “That’s not right. I got old.”

And this is exactly what it feels like, thank you Messrs Hunter and Joel. Steve and I used to talk about the artists who had the privilege of living the “Life of the Mind,” never realizing that we, too, were living such a life.

Steve never fully understood, I think, that he was no longer 30, and he couldn’t come to terms with the fact that he couldn’t lift That Thing anymore — what was wrong with him? — and I’m surely no older than 40, though a tired 40…

Some time back, I saw someone else talking about suddenly realizing that he was 70, but only felt, say, 40, and that, suddenly, some of the things his parents had done when they were old, made sense to him.

Random thoughts — assemble!

Or, perhaps, random cats, assemble.  Much more restful.  Yesterday afternoon’s cat census:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s blog post title brought to you by Billy Joel, “Still Rock ‘n Roll to Me

Your feet are going to be on the ground, your head is there to move you around

What went before ONE: Well. that was fun. And also? It looks like I need a new washer and dryer. And somebody to install them and take away the old ones. So, I guess I’ll be going to Agren tomorrow and see what they can do for me.

I sketched in a small scene, but I thought I was going to have time for a larger one, too. Man proposes and god disposes. Something like that. I wonder who the god of washing machines is.

It was not, I should say a Catastrophic Failure. A little bit of water on the floor, easily mopped up, and the machine unplugged because, yeah. Not seeking catastrophe.

And, now, I think I’ll swap out the cat fountains, while I’m playing with water…

What went before TWO: And apparently I have not been having my full quota of fun, because I just found ants around the cats’ feeding station. This is new. And unwelcome. Rook isn’t sure I should be deploying orange stuff, and he’s right to be concerned; it says “pet safe,” but that doesn’t mean I want them eating the stuff. Of course, I don’t want them eating ants, either.

What went before THREE: Cat feeding area de-antified, and rearranged so if the ants are coming in through the wall from the deck (not impossible though not a route they’ve every tried before), they’ll hit the Water Hazard before actual food. I have orange sprayed and cinnamoned. The feeding area is cinnamoned, and directly after I got everything back together there, Trooper walked over and had a drink, so, yeah, the cinnamon doesn’t seem to be a problem.

I’ve vacuumed the whole area, the rug, and under the rug, because — ants, and now?

I believe I will pour a glass of wine to unload the dishwasher with. It’s early, but I’ve earned it.

I therefore say, good-night; everybody stay safe.

I’ll see you tomorrow.

Oh. I need to find out when Agren opens.

waves

* * *

Monday. Cloudy and breezy. Beans calling for dern near 60F by the end of the day.

Breakfast was cream cheese on rice crackers and applesauce. Lunch may be Out.

Today has become unexpected — yeah, I think I can stop there. First! The Washer/Dryer Hunt. Then to Agway to see if diatomaceous earth is in their repertoire. And! for two hundred dollars and the convertible — this evening, Waterville Creates is sponsoring a free showing (for which I paid a $5 donation, because at the moment I can) of Laurie Anderson’s Heart of a Dog, with Learned Comments from a Colby professor preceding.

In good news, I see no ants around the cat bowls, and I also see evidence that cats have been snacking out of those bowls, so! Win-win. So far.

As soon as my tea’s done, I’ll be on the road.

Who else is having an unexpected day?

#

Well, that was a Lightning Tour.

Home Depot will be delivering a matched set of LG Washer/Dryer next Wednesday. They will install the new machines, and will make the old machines go away. $600 off the pair, and a $50 rebate from Efficiency Maine for having bought a Energy Star Certified Washer. Bought the protection plan for both. In case you’re wondering, even at six large off, washers and dryers are still spendy.

While I was in Home Depot, I bought window privacy film for the bathroom window, since the film Steve installed seven years ago is rolling up.

Agway did not have food-grade diatomaceous earth, but Aubuchon did. They get it in, so the nice floorman told me, because it’s Chick Season.

I decided to do my grocery shopping at Shaw’s, which was looking like a lost-our-lease sale. Thought about getting the car washed, but judged I had Accomplished Enough if I was also going to the movies tonight.

The groceries are mostly put away. I’ll tend to the rest of it as soon as I’ve finished my cookie. This afternoon, I may do arts and crafts with the bathroom window. I do need to get the trash into the garage for tomorrow’s Formal Progress to the curb, and figure out lunch. Um. Maybe a sweet potato? That could work.

Home Depot was full of helpful people in orange vests bustling around, helping customers, telling them good morning, sweeping the floors and such like. It was almost like Olden Times.

So, that’s my story so far.

#

Change of plans. I’ll do arts and crafts with the bathroom window on a day when my knee is happier with me. And! Lunch was Progresso lentil and veggie soup with added spices and spinach, bread and cheese on the side.

I Had An Idea about the WIP as I was racing around Waterville like a chicken with my head cut off, so I’d better immortalize that in a sketch before I forget. And, I’ll want to leave early for the movie — ref unhappy knee.

I have the windows in my office open and have put out one set of windchimes. Sounds like summer…

Today’s blog title brought to you by REM, “Stand

An’ I don’t give a damn ’bout my bad reputation

What went before: OK, then. I’m shutting down the internet for the rest of the day, good people. I am quite apparently at the end of my rope.

Also, yes, there are typos in all of our books. As there are no perfect humans, there are no perfect books. We do our best.

Everybody have a good rest of the day. Feel free to hang out. Drinks are in the fridge; snacks in the cabinet over the sink.

Sunday. Cloudy and — I’m not sure what it’s doing out there. Precipitating. Looks thick — ah, there we are. The garage roof tells the tale — sleet, snow, and rain. What fun.

Breakfast was PB&J on an English muffin. Finishing up my first mug of tea. Lunch can go hang itself. Oh, wait. Mac ‘n cheese with a meatball cut up in it. A little light on veggies, but if we’re in Rebellion against the Tyranny of Food, any food counts.

Towels are washing. I need to change the tablecloth today. Otherwise, I have another scene to hand-draft, and I need to at least look at the ASL homework. In and around one’s duty to the cats, of course.

I did draft a substantial scene yesterday, which I’m very pleased with. Also Had A Notion, and Made A Note. Will consider that further today.

Other than that, yesterday was . . . not very pleasant. It’s lowering to realize that, at — counts on fingers — 72, I’m still so inept at people. You’d think I’d’ve learned something. Well — scary thought — I probably did learn something. Just not enough. And of course I no longer have an Emotional Support Steve, and while the cats do their best, cats are, umm. Yeah. “Rend” and “nap” are good coping mechanisms, honestly. But there’s a vast middle ground that “run” doesn’t completely address.

Speaking of cats, Trooper has two days in a row refused to eat the gravy with meds in it. He’s still eating food, except when he forgets where the food bowls are, and last night, for the first time in a long time, he engaged with the red dot, and chased it all over the living room until he he lost interest, or energy, and let the kids have at it. He sleeps a lot (yes, yes; he’s a cat, but still), and yells at me at lot when he’s awake, but I don’t know why. I don’t think he’s in pain (ref “cat”), but nothing I do, or don’t do, seems to be It. So, that continues to be worrisome, and I’ll be having a chat with the vet this week.

The book club is going to start up again in mid-May, now that people are coming back from overwintering in the warm worlds. Our first book is The Savage Noble Death of Babs Dionne, by Ron Currie, and I’ve gotten that onto my tablet to read.

I finished The Dangerous Duke last night, and started Check and Mate; …Babs Dionne and The Mysterious Marquis are on deck.

And I think that’s it from the Cat Farm this morning.

What’s everybody doing today?

Today’s blog title brought to you by Ms Joan Jett, “Bad Reputation” — the referenced video is also a history lesson, for those who are interested in the creative process, thinking outside the box, and believing in yourself.