Eagles Over the Kennebec

What went before: So! Two-thirds packed in clothes. After I finish this letter to the internets, I will finish getting the laptop prepped and packed.

Or -- a sort of productive day with intermittent flashes of: I can't do this/Who thought this was a good idea?/I am going to get so lost/I'm going to forget my speech/and several other variations on We're All Gonna Die. I wish my brain wouldn't do this, but if wishes were fishes, we'd all be eatin' chowdah.

Tomorrow: Early doctor appointment; possibly wash car on the way home; update the prices of books at Amazon; change out the cat fountains; pack the Big Bag with Con Clothes &c. Honestly, I have about ninety bags to take with me, each one embodying A Thought (for instance, I have bottles of distilled water to feed the CPAP machine -- in a beverage bag). Perhaps I'll be able to consolidate some thoughts. If not -- ninety bags it is. The Subaru is commodious, or, in the local dialect, "You can fit two men anna boy back there."

On that note: Everybody stay safe; I'll see you tomorrow.

Monday. Dim, cool, and damp.

It took forever at the doctor's office, which, given that the hospital is closing down around them I guess was to be expected.

I did eat a cheese sandwich before I went, and that turned out to be a good call. Cup of tea brewing and, yes, I do believe I will be having an oatmeal cookie with that. Or two.

Next up is updating the cover prices on those books that are, according to the Wisdom of the River, underpriced.

After that, I'll swap out the cat fountains, and then I'll start in packing the Big Bag, and trying to make some order on my desk, so I don't come home to Compleat Chaos.

Oh. And I need to call the practice in Bath to find out what their preferred format for receiving my health records from Inland might be.

I should also look at the TBR pile on my tablet, to make sure I have enough to read while I'm away, given that I'll probably finish the Earl this evening.

So, that's the shape of my day.

What's the shape of yours?

It pains me to report that Young Rookie Transgressed yesterday evening and pushed Tali off of the cedar chest, Just Because He Could.  Tali left, came back with reinforcements and A Chat ensued, which included Staring, Smiting, and Being Utterly Unimpressed with Upstart Voids, no matter how cute.

What went before: So! 600-odd new words today, bringing the total very drafty WIP to +/-40,200 words.

Quitting to do some ASL review and maybe see how much of my acceptance speech I remember today.

Tomorrow, I have an early(ish) appointment for a haircut, and some errands to run while I'm out and about. Then! I have Endless Phone Calls to make, and then? We'll see.

So, I'm checking the weather for my various locations starting next week. Cooperstown's more or less on par with my part of Maine, and Corning's a tad warmer, but Baltimore? Baltimore, what's going on with you? It ain't Summer.

Of course, we here in Central Maine are operating under an Active frost advisory from midnight to 6 am tomorrow. Just in case anybody thought it was Spring.

Everybody stay safe; I'll see you tomorrow.

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Well. Monday, eh? Damp and dim and at the moment, chilly.

Waiting for my tea to brew, then there's a raisin bran muffin with my name on it to be toasted.

It looks like two of my friends have been whatever the FB term is for "hacked" overnight. Both visible in the city. Both women. Of course, you might say.

Sometimes, I think that I'd like to know what goes on in the heads of people who do this kind of crap (ref "hacked" above), so I could understand why they do it. If for nothing else, look at the material I could get for my stories, O! Me of Can't Write Believable Villains.

But, then, yanno, I think, no. I'll just sit over here writing overachievers who at least try to be compassionate, if they can't be kind, and who recognize that none of us go it alone, we all need each other, even the bullies and the billionaires who proclaim themselves Self! Made! Met your mother, mate?

"The comfort of the rich depends upon an abundant supply of the poor." Thank you, Voltaire.

I think I'd better go find that muffin.

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And. A name I didn't recognize liked my previous post and in the time it took me to click on the name and block it -- I had two messages from that same name.

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Glam shot:

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Haircut achieved, per evidence previously provided. Firefly approves and that's all the validation I need.

Stopped at Holy Cannoli and bought a slice of lasagna that will easily be two hearty lunches, and a chocolate mint brownie bigger than my head, which will also be eaten across days. In fact, I've just eaten a slice, which I washed down with the tea (still hot!) in my Yeti tumbler.

As previously advertised, I have phone calls to make and, to reward myself for phone calling and getting my hair cut, I have reserved a seat at this evening's free talk-and-film at the Waterville Arts Center. This evening's movie is The Shape of Water.

Waterville is doing the city-wide clean up, and people are throwing away Perfectly Good Stuff, so I thought, but figured it was Just Me. Turns out not. I chatted with a lady who had rescued several small child amusements from piles on people's lawns, took them home, washed and disinfected them and, hey, presto! The grandkid wins.

So. Brownie slice consumed -- man, that was good -- and tea finished.

Time to make my first phone call.

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primal scream

Phone calls accomplished. I may not have a copy of my log that the insurance company keeps on me, which is a record of every time I've called them, or they called me, and a synopsis of our talk, on account of that is ... proprietary?

My first contact was with someone who wanted nothing to do with me and bounced me to another department, which fortunately got me someone who thought her job was solving problems.

Unfortunately, all she could do was research and compile a case, but she had to send me and the information back to the general office, where? I was "helped" to fill out a grievance that I cannot have a copy of, and I should hear "something" in 30 days.

Takeaway: Insurance company does not care if it has a trust issue, because -- where else you gonna go?

I'm going to go heat up some of that lasagna for lunch. I do not believe I will be going to the movies tonight, but I may binge Dr. Who.

Today's very late blog post title brought to you by Mr. Steve Winwood and Traffic, "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys"

What went before ONE: Plot twist! A folder has been opened for me at the Legal Aid for the Elderly. I am promised a call from a lawyer, perhaps today.

It is now cloudy here at the Cat Farm, though we're not supposed to get rain until this evening. One's duty to the cats has been dispatched; and I took a small walk. Laundry is being washed. Moving on to checking off Even More things from the to-do list.

What went before TWO: The credit card bill just came in and I had one of those HOLY FREAKING GHU! How much cat food did I BUY? moments.

Scrolling madly down the list --

Breathe, breathe. You bought a washer and dryer, remember? It's OK, you planned for this...

What went before THREE: Window washer/gutter clean-and-repair guy still here. The sweet potato for lunch was good. The top rack of my dishwasher has decided to get out of alignment. Of course, it's full of dishes. I manged to finagle it back to where it's supposed to go, will wash the dishes tonight, empty it tomorrow and try to figure out what's going on.

In the meantime, I have heard from the lawyer. She needs to speak with a colleague, and will call me back.

I spent an hour watching a comedy/poetry show called Biology with Alok. I'm assuming that I am, as always, late to the party, but if you haven't seen this video, I ... give it a qualified recommend. The poems are difficult, especially the segment about Alok's grandfather, which is part of a long riff on why love is dangerous.

It seems like part of the intent of the show is to create a balance of high and low. The aside into made up words is hysterical, and I really liked the segments where the subject is straight/straight white people, where Alok is pretending that the audience are unfamiliar with the subculture. Kind of like Peter Grant, who only mentions a person's race if they're white.

I also liked the bit where Alok and friends are walking down the street and a guy yells, "GAYS!" "Give me something I can make poetry from, not comedy!" has got to be a classic line.

Anyhoots, for those who may be interested -- it's an hour and I spaced it out into three segments -- here's the link

What went before FOUR: One of my ASL classmates made this for me:

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Business first: Ribbon Dance mass market debuts on the Bookscan Bestseller List of new releases at Number 35!

Friday. Mizzling and chilly. sigh

Breakfast was rice crackers, cream cheese, and the last strawberries. Lunch... Yeah. I'll think of something.

ASL class was a little chaotic last night; all of us, including the instructor, were one step off of center. Next week is my last week, by reason of Balticon, and I'll also have to miss two fabric craft meetings. Thus! the price of fame. And of wanting to have a vacation.

Also next week -- Monday, in fact -- I have an appointment to get my haircut, which I have mixed feelings about. On the one hand, my hair's grown long enough that, if we just chopped off a few points and got my bangs out of my eyes, I'd let it keep on doing its thing. On the other hand, I ought to at least look respectful. And on the gripping hand -- who even looks at old scifi writers?

Is that DAVE BROMBERG on Classic Rewind? Oh. No. Ice Cream Man. Van Halen. That's actually something of a relief.

Today, she says in a Determined Auctorial Voice, is a Writing Day. That may mean that lunch is solved by takeout.

. . . Back when I was a young writer, newly partnered and feeling completely safe for possibly the first time in my life, I could drop into story space and stay there for -- hours and hours; half a day -- or night. Sandwiches and glasses of ice tea would magically appear and I'd eat them without ever coming out of my fugue. I wrote several stories, start to finish, that way. Even as a older writer, I could drop into fugue for at least a few hours, knowing I had back-up. Nowadays, I have to keep one ear cocked and one eye open, and I -- kinda resent that.

In other news, my dentist wants me to come to an Exclusive Event! An Invisalign Screening! And? If I sign On The Day, I can get $1100 OFF of Invisaligns.

While I'm the first person to agree that my teeth are crooked and have always been crooked, I take leave to doubt that the Invisaligns can be made to fit around the rocks in my mouth. So -- recycling bin.

Spectrum Generations -- aka the Senior Center(s) -- have a newsletter called Wicked Aging. Make of that what you will.

And that's what I've got on a gloomy Friday.

Who has weekend plans?

Oh, the new dragon is making friends.

What went before: So, sewing group was fun, though perhaps a little short. I got to meet Carty McFly, a utility cart complete with wheels and enormous googly eyes. The official start time is 5:30 and the library closes at 7, so clean up was happening 6:30ish. However! We had a good group, especially for a first time. Two crocheters, two knitters, one quilter, and yours truly on the needle and hoop.

The cats were trying to get the Northeast Committee Cat on the phone when I got home, but technically Happy Hour was not late. In point of Actual Fact, it was Exactly on Time.

Still raining. And cold. Too cold.

Everybody stay safe; I'll see you tomorrow.

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Wednesday. Raining. In case anybody cares, I'm really tired of rain. And? I accept no responsibility; the weather gods are NOT jealous of my lovely new sun chair.

Breakfast was cottage cheese and toast. Waiting for my second cup of tea to brew. Lunch -- I bought some chicken tenders which need to be baked and then parceled out into the freezer, so I'm guessing chicken and veggie will do.

I? Am a Very Tired Woman.

I have a Generated Letter from Maximus, which is charged by the Federal Government to make sure that Medicare is Following The Rules. Maximus makes it Very Clear that they are only interested in The Rules. Which means they're ignoring the substance of my appeal, as Martin's Point before them. So, I'll be calling the state insurance bureau today and see about getting an advocate. If there is no advocate, then I guess it's the papers.

<grumble>Just what I wanted to be doing with my time</grumble>

The gentleman I spoke to about painting my garage is supposed to stop by today and stare at the project under discussion.

I need to renew my library card, which if I'd known, I coulda done that yesterday.

There are three cats sleeping in my office, and one cat on the back of the couch, attempting to influence the flow of random event.

And that's what's happening here.

What's happening there?

Friday. Rainy and cool.

Breakfast is rice crackers, cream cheese, applesauce. Waiting for my tea to brew.

I need some things at the grocery. The jury is still out whether I'll get them in town or in Belfast. There's a Reny's in Belfast, which may tip the scales.

So, yesterday was very strange. At one point, I was running a (minor) fever, and I just felt -- unwell. I cancelled out of ASL class, which was a bummer, but might as well not give whatever it was -- assuming it was giftable -- to my classmates.

This morning I feel -- OK. No fever. Not so exhausted I can barely drag my tail downstairs to perform one's duty to the cats.

So, that's all good.

I have a less-drafty schedule from BaltiCon Programming (The final schedule may happen next week. Maybe.). There is room on Saturday morning for a FOL breakfast at -- eh? 8? 8:30? 9? We will not be having a Stuffed Animal Tea, unless I can work something out with either the consuite or the Green Room, so, yanno, watch the skies.

In other news, the WIP now weighs in at 34,667 words, which looks like Holy Smoke! That woman wrote yesterday!, but is mostly cut 'n pasting/minor reworking from Salvage Right.

This is a matter of +/-3400 words, and will likely be less as soon as I get smart enough to figure out how to further streamline the needed action while providing Necessary Context. In a +\-100,000 word novel, this is Very Small Potatoes. Nonetheless, I anticipate hearing from the folks who howled their heads off, asserting that half of Mouse and Dragon was "nothing but" the ending of Scout's Progress, and they were thereby Cheated. I suspect that this unhappy anticipation is what has kept me from moving forward on this section, even though I've known from the start of the project that it's going to have to go down this way. I do know that most people will Get It, but I hate getting yelled at in email. Or at all, really.

And! The votes are in! I'll be foraging in town today.

What else? I'm still kind of reading the book club book, with a chaser of The Teller of Small Fortunes. It's been slow going because I've been so damned tired. I may really try to knock off early this evening and, oh, watch Dr. Who.

Oh, and I need to find someone to paint my garage. Actually, I think I probably need somebody to rebuild my garage, but I'm not sure how that might be made to happen. Well. Research. That'll be fun.

That appears to be the contents of my head, and my tea's almost gone.

What's going on with you, this fine Friday?

Today's blog post title brought to you by Mr. Steve Miller -- the other Steve Miller -- who notably wrote this song in 1976, when I'm told that music was Pure and nobody wrote about politics or social action in their books.  "Fly Like An Eagle"

What went before ONE: Back from errands. I purchased many needful things, including 15 ozs of blueberries covered in dark chocolate separated into 15 (now 14 -- had to do a Quality Check) little bags, which are going to come in right handy on my upcoming road trip. TripS.

I also got the car washed, checked the po box, bought Trooper's Sort of catfood at the vet, and hit the grocery for milk, gooshy food, and succumbed to temptation, which is to say, I bought some deli ham so I can have ham-and cheese sandwiches, which I'm not supposed to eat, but! I have rye bread. That's it. That's my excuse.

I possibly should have bought one of the fancy new traveling lunch boxes, which would let the drinks stand up (both of those in-house you have to lay the water bottles on their side. However, I have time to consider this and return to the store if it's found I made an error.

And? It is now suddenly lunch time, and I still don't know what I'm going to eat. Oh. How about a ham and cheese sandwich?

What went before TWO: That . . . was not what I wanted to see today -- or any day, really.

I went outside to look at the front garden and think about weeding strategies and found -- a dead kitten.

I've committed her to Bast, but -- dammit...

What went before THREE: So ... no new words today. I have just a few moments ago been informed that I'm doing a podcast this evening at 9:00 my time.

So there's that.

I did get my tickets to the Corning Glass Museum and scheduled a time to make a blown glass ornament. The other place I want to make glass at -- a hot glass paperweight -- isn't open today and they require a phone call. I guess I'll register the washer and dryer and ... find my headphones.

Eep.

What went before THREE: Ready to go cast pods. As you can see, I found my headphones, and it doesn't matter that I need a haircut.

What went before FOUR: Aaaand back.

The podcast is Blasters and Blades and best guess is that it will air +/-May 30. They'll let me know when, and then I'll let you know when.

I had a good time. Trooper helped out on some of the hard questions, and now I'm going to go find a glass of wine.

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Tuesday. Sunny, breezy, and pleasant. Trooper insisted that I wake up at 5:00, but I overruled him, since I didn't get to bed until midnight. Still got up earlier than I wanted.

Breakfast was chicken salad and grapes. Drank my first mug of tea on the deck in the shade of my Awesome! New! Chair!, then cleaned up a pile of leaves that had accumulated in a corner of the deck near Steve's grill, which is another thing I've got to decide what to do about, 'cause I ain't grilling nothin'. OTOH, I do have extra propane cylinders, and I guess it might be useful in the coming apocalypse.

So, today, I need to make a plan regarding how to weed the garden and, err, do same. It looks like the morning, when the sun is falling thick and rich into my office would be the best time to hit the garden out front. I really need to keep on this so it doesn't get overgrown again.

NOTE TO SELF: HAT! No, really. HAT.

What else? Writing. Didn't get any writing done yesterday, which was disappointing. And also calling the other glass studio in Corning. And ASL homework. One's duty to the cats. The watch wants me to walk, but it's getting weeds pulled instead. That's looking like a full day, right there, not to mention I'll need to eat at least one more meal. Pfui.

What's everybody doing today that's fun?

Today's blog post title brought to you by Modern English, "I Melt with You"

Pics below of aforesaid Awesome chair, and also my breakfast visitor:

What went before:  I will today condense yesterday, rather than simply cut'n pasting from Facebook as the thing unfolded.

Shortest Form:  Yesterday was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. (And if you have not read this classic by Judith Viorst, do it now.)

Abridged Form:  The appliance installers arrived around 10:00, much earlier than I had anticipated, but they failed to call in advance, so the cats were still at large.  I managed to get Firefly, Trooper, and Tali into the basement, and closed the door, but Rook had taken shelter -- in the laundry room, as I discovered when I escorted the team leader -- henceforthly referred to as Installer A -- there to show him what he had to work with.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to catch Rook, and then -- he disappeared, which was Very Worrisome.

More worrisome was the discovery by Installer A that the water cut-off switch only cut off the hot water, and the cold water was free-flowing.  He decided to go forward with the install, after requesting a few towels, to handle the spillage.

SPOILER:  A few towels wasn't enough.

Installers A and B got the old machine out and the new machine in, and this is where it went bad.  Water began to spurt EVERYwhere.  Flooding ensued, including a vast rainstorm into the basement (yes, where I had cleverly sequestered three out of possible four cats).

Installer A ran downstairs and began flipping cutoffs. I, of course, did not know where the main water cutoff was, because Steve knew, and while he might have told me once, I didn't remember.

Leaping forward -- a plumber was called in.  He replaced the faulty cut-off switch, and then, at my request, took me on a tour of the basement, telling me what the various cut-off switches where, and resetting them as we went, and where the main water cutoff was and which direction to turn it in order to shut everything down.  While he was here, the plumber also repaired the bathtub faucet.  Yes, I expect a bill in excess of what I saved on the appliances on "really good sale."

So, the laundry room, which includes a closet, with things that sit on the floor of the closet, was flooded; the basement was flooded, the cats were traumatized, and Rook was still missing.

Eventually, everybody left, and I began to clean up the mess.

Whereupon Rook reappeared, and there was much rejoicing.

Everything is dry now, with the exception of an area rug in the basement, which I have the space heater on the case, because the rug is too heavy for me to get outside into the lovely warm sunshine.

And that?  Brings you up-to-date.

Onward.

Thursday. Sunny, warm, bird song coming in the open windows OR!

Suddenly, It's Summer. Girls in shorts running; motorcycles roaring up and down the road, two-by-two. I turned off the oil heat; we'll let the heat pumps handle it from here.

I did accomplish two accomplishments yesterday in the Midst of It All. I found the name of the Scout captain and first mate on Chandra Marudas, and! that Bechimo was the first modern smartship to come out of the Carresens Yards, built in response to Trader Jethri Gobelyn's release of the Envidaria.

Last night after I signed off, found those two pieces of information, and treated a nosebleed, I sat down with a glass of wine and realized that, indeed, I was too tired to think straight, much less read either of my books, so I went to bed, put on my fancy wireless headphones, and listened to All Conditions Red while dozing, and eventually falling asleep.

Breakfast was a toasted English muffin with cream cheese and blueberry/ginger jam. Finishing up my first cup of tea.

Today, I am waiting for the pest control guy to come and put back the things that fell in the process of his inspection.

Speaking of Things That Fell, one of Steve's brilliant kludges gave up its work yesterday, among All the rest of It All. This means I will need to produce a kludge of mine own. Since I don't approach Steve's skills in free-balancing large objects (small-object balancing is my skill-set), I will need to make a web, which means buying some rope and some eyelets. If the pest control tech gets here on the 10:00 side of his window, maybe I'll do that this morning, as well as swing by the grocery.

For those keeping score at home, the new washer and dryer are doing splendidly, much to be preferred over the old.

Oh. Fans of Rookie the Cookie will be pleased to know that -- no, he did not destroy my chair in order to shelter from the Invasion of the Appliance People. The chair in question has a foot-rest that folds into the chair, and there's a space between where the foot-rest folds under and the underneath of the chair, like a little shelf. And that's apparently where he was hiding.

Anyhoots. ASL tonight. Cats are around and about. Hoping for an Extremely Low Key Day here.

What's going on with you?

Many pics below.  Click on the thumbnail for a bigger view.

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."

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:

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:

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"