Eagles Over the Kennebec

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:

Explanatory note:  As discussed elsewhere, my brain and I have a Complicated Relationship.  When it doesn't have enough to do, it turns on itself. One of its favorite forms of cruelty is to declare that I could Do Better, accompanied by the assertion that I'm just sitting like a bump on a stump, doing Exactly Nothing.  When this happens, I often resort to making a Done-To List as evidence that I actually am accomplishing things.  Yesterday was one of those days.

What went before:

Done-To List as of 11:25 am

1. Ate breakfast (don't laugh)
2. PR
3. Blog update
4. Handwrote scene +/- 800 words
5. Moved laptop and working stuff to living room rocking chair (because we are now entering the season when I can't use my desktop for three hours in the morning on sunny days.)
6. Started and monitoring laundry
7. Answered correspondence
8. Started a Done-To List because my brain is being pissy
12:30pm
9. Scooped cat boxes
10 Took a 10 minute walk around the basement
11 Started the oven for heating fish
12 Wound and set the big regulator clock
13 Ordered a stainless steel cat fountain for the second bathroom, because it suddenly descended upon me like a bolt from the blue that the gravity waterer in there is plastic and will now be some years old.
14 Updated the Done-To List because I'm Just. That. Petty.
2:40 pm
15 Cooked and ate lunch (don't laugh)
16 Reviewed ASL homework
17 Brought in cat litter from garage
18 Reviewed my Draft Schedule from BaltiCon and wrote emails re same because there seems to be a Misunderstanding
19 Snuggled cats
20 Updated the Done-To List
4:30 pm
21 Finished entering correx in WIP
22 Fetched in the mail
23 Ate a snack
24 Fed Trooper his meds mixed in gravy
25 Fed the Young Fry Blue Wilderness meat treats
26 Updated Done-To List
7:46 pm
27 Went to ASL class
28 Served up Coon Cat Happy Hour
29 Poured glass of wine.

Everybody stay safe; I'll see you tomorrow.

#

Friday. Raining. Said to be changing to snow on the overnight.

Time check: April 11

Breakfast was cottage cheese and grapes. I'm finishing up my first mug of tea. Lunch ... I have leftover soup and prolly enough stuff to throw together a salad, so that may be it.

Tali's Fan Club has not had a report for some while. Tali is taking her time about settling in. She often comes to my lap, but she needs to stand up, instead of settling in. She's free with her purrs, and occasionally delivers herself of little nips to my fingers, which -- I appreciate the thought, but having your fingers nipped while you're trying to type is ... disconcerting at the least. Her Complicated Relationship with Rook continues to develop. I would say he's her closest friend in the clowder. She and Firefly are cordial, and they both share the couch with me for the evening reading -- Firefly against my right hip, and Tali against my left knee -- but they don't see each other out. She defers to Trooper, and I've seen her seek him out to wash his ears for him, or to just sit nearby.

We had a Major Breakthrough the other night, when Tali -- at last! -- seemed to figure out the Red Dot, and joined in the riot of trying to catch the damned thing before it got into the wall vent. She's previously sat on the edges of the game, a puzzled observer, though she's an enthusiastic cat dancer (I try to switch out the evening games).

She has gained about a pound in the two months she's been here, and her daily cat wrasslin' and back hall races with Rook are keeping her in shape. She's still not sure I'm allowed to brush her, but we're making some progress there, as well.

Summing up: Tali is being conservative in her approach but does not seem displeased with her new arrangements.

My first order of business today is to transcribe the scene I wrote out yesterday, after which I shall Cast About Me to see if any other scene catches my eye.

How's everybody doing?

Below, Tali interrupted by the paparazzi:

Sunday. Raining, coolish.

Breakfast was salmon cake on multigrain whole wheat bread and the last orange. Lunch will be the chicken breast from the freezer, likely stir fried with rice and veggies.

Yesterday was a V. Quiet Day here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory. It did not snow, but it did kind of grumble and sleet and grumble some more, so a good day to be in the office comfy chair with a manuscript and cats scattered about, napping. I wrote 750ish new words yesterday, and I think I have the timeline going forward straight in my head at least, which where we need to start to keep in straight in your heads.

I took the hole-making titanium studs out of my ears yesterday -- yes, three days early! Call me a rebel. This was a Rather Difficult Operation. For a minute or two there I thought they were going to be For Always. I did finally get them out, discovering that they're nothing but little peace-bonded harpoons, which I will not be putting back in my ears, TYVM. I replaced the harpoons with my old and comfortable sterling silver studs, and in a couple days -- or, who knows? this afternoon -- I'll put in a pair of "real" earrings and see how that feels.

I bought a new space heater for the bathroom. The ancient of same, circa 2005, will be swathed in plastic and go downstairs with the tower fans, against need.

I also bought a bread slicing guide, since I'm not getting any better at slicing straight pieces off the loaf. This one is notable for being made out of bamboo rather than plastic, has guides for two sizes of slice -- East Coast Sandwich and Texas -- and has a crumb catcher built in. I'm looking forward its arrival.

The Long Back Yard is Once! Again! snow free, and the snowdrops have doubled their numbers.

I slept short and bad Friday night, so was in bed early last night with my mug of chamomile tea, my book, and three cats -- Firefly, who is really getting the hang of this reading in bed thing; Tali, who seems to think she remembers something like this, somewhere else; and Trooper, who clocked out by my knee and wasn't heard from again. Rook obviously had first shift of night watch. This morning, he was solidly asleep against my back when I woke up.

Today, I'm back with the manuscript, and ASL homework. Dr. Bill at lifeprint.com delivers our homework and you, too, can watch his videos and learn Sign, does something that I really like. He reviews the lesson with an assistant drawn from the off-camera class, but he also hams it up, introduces words that are not in the lesson in his answers, and gives you the feeling of being immersed. The first two lessons, he stuck pretty close to the syllabus, but by lesson four, he's apparently decided if we've stuck it this long, he can pick up the pace.

I will finish my re-read of Night's Master ... probably over lunch. Next book up is another Grace Burrowes, speaking of whiplash -- the first in the Bad Heirs series, because I'm a sucker for a Bad Pun.

You are now All Caught Up.

What's up with you guys?

Sunday morning cat census.

The red basket that Rook's tucked into has a History.  Ten years ago, it was manuscript basket on my desk at the Cat Farm's previous, country, location.  Sprite took it over as a cat basket.  Trooper then claimed it -- the conflict that decided his precedence is what gave it that Interesting Bend.  I bought another box, ceding the first to cats, but then there were two boxes, so Belle claimed that one...Anyhoots when we moved, Steve took the red basket, put a towel in it, and announced it an Official Cat Place.  It was used by all of the cats while Steve was still working at his desk.  Rook now uses it, and sometimes Trooper.

What went before: So, at end of writing today, the WIP weighs in at 23,075 words OR 113 double-spaced pages. It has been printed out and we'uns will be getting together tomorrow to see where everything is, what pieces of missing (I mean, yes, three quarters of a book is missing, but where's it missing from? Eh? I. Riddle. You. THAT.)

For right now, I'm straightening up the disaster area called my desk, and trying One! More! Time! to learn how to count in ASL. This is not going well. Part of it is that my fingers are none so limber as they were 50ish years ago, when I learned this stuff the first time, and honestly? I don't remember being taught how to count. How to say stuff, oh, yeah. Number of stuffs? That's what the "many" sign is for.

I do remember from the past that one of the very first signs we were taught was "Bathroom" In this iteration "Bathroom" is in Lesson Three, which seems -- harsh.

Of course, my first sign teacher was herself deaf, and the most practical woman I've ever met. I remember when I forgot the sign for "dear" and substituted "deer," which made sense to me, but not so much to her, and she demanded to know what I was thinking. I explained that they sounded the same. And She. Just. Stared. At. Me. until I meekly asked, "D-E-A-R, how sign?" Whereupon she signed it for me, LARGELY. . . SSSLLLOOOOOOWLY. So I'd Get It.

A major motion picture, that woman. She was born to conquer worlds, and the Luck gave her me.

Everybody stay safe; I'll see you tomorrow.

#

Wednesday, sunny and warm-ish. We here in Maine once again stand, battered but unbowed, beneath the threat of a Winter Storm.

Before we go any further, the ebook edition of Diviner's Bow on Amazon has cracked the top ten list for Science Fiction Adventure. So make of that what you will.

Thank you! to those who have starred and! reviewed! *smooch*

So. Breakfast was Cabot cream cheese on Lundberg rice and red quinoa cakes. The Cabot cream cheese was good (better than Philly cream cheese, which I have been bored with for years, but which has been, except for a brief period when a local dairy operation produced its own cream cheese, the only game in town), the rice-and-quinoa cakes were -- OK. Not much different to me than their plain rice cakes. Second cup of tea is with me here at the desk. Lunch will be fish of some kind. Maybe I'll make good on those salmon cakes that I didn't make last week. That'll give me leftovers.

Today, I have some work to do on behalf of the Ribbon Dance audiobook, since I'll be traveling about the time book prep will be going on, but mostly I'll be sitting with the WIP, reading what's there, making notes, and hopefully not yelling, "This is hopeless -- HOPELESS!" FWIW, I don't think that's where we are.

Last night, I started (re)reading Night's Master (because of course everyone read Tanith Lee Back In The Day), and being soothed by the lushness of it. That used to be a fantasy thing, all that Imagery and soft, unlikely, specific words, told in that dreamy once-removed voice.

I ran out of socks, so I started doing the laundry, and the sun is pouring into my office, making it toasty warm. Rookie had decided to make Tali's life a misery and a burden, and once again Firefly stepped in on Tali's side. I'm finding this evolving dynamic fascinating, and to the point. Rookie's going to be way too big a cat to allow him to be a bully. And the fact that he's already bigger than Firefly and she's whaling the Bast outta him is apparently making an impression. I hope he draws the Right Conclusion.

And that's what I've got for the early report.

What's everybody doing today?

Firefly, during yesterday's Gala Book Day Celebrations:

Friday. Sun behind the clouds, coolish. Supposed to stay that way.

We here in Central Maine stand, battered, snow shovels in hand, beneath a Winter Storm Watch. Heavy snow with sleet predicted from this evening through tomorrow evening. The danger now, aside slick roads and travel surfaces, is ice coated limbs and wires coming down.

Today may be the day the heart monitor goes back in its box and goes home to Boston. It has been progressively losing its mind, but this morning, it wants to be charged. This despite having been charged all night. I moved it into my office and plugged it into another working plug, and still it cries out for life-giving electricity.

I am so done with this device.

I tried to call the cardiologist's office, and got the It's Too Early message, which was bemusing, because I'd slept long and hard, and got up late. And yet? It still lacks a few minutes til 8 am.

Well.

I s'pose I ought to get a kettle on for tea and go find some pants.

How's your Friday starting out?

Following up.

It's now very sunny in my office. I chose to put on one of Steve's nice heavy Carhartt flannel shirts, which may prove to be overkill, but is comfy, anyway.

Breakfast was tomato and swiss cheese sandwich. Second cup of tea by my side. Possibly, I will call in lunch. If I order from Asian Cafe, I'll have enough leftovers to last the weekend.

I did speak with the cardiologist's office, and, as I was explaining the problem, the heart monitor decided that it was charged. I did some guided punching of buttons, and the device does seem to be working, for very flexible values of "working," so I can't get rid of it quite yet, more's the pity.

The cardiologist's receptionist wanted to let me know that they were *there* for me until May 28. I asked her what was going to happen after that, and she said, "Oh! You haven't heard? The hospital --" No, I said, I had heard that. What I wanted to know was what was going to happen after May 28 when I had no cardiologist. "Oh! Call your PCP." My PCP, says I, is also attached to the hospital. He's going to be vanishing, too. "Yes. But he will be able to refer you to other doctors. The hospital is working on a plan, but it's not solid yet."

By reports, the hospital knew it was going to have to close two years. And yet! They announce a month ago that they're closing in June, and it has no plan for its patients, for whom they apparently accept no responsibility. Shame on you, Inland/Northern Light. As for referring to "other doctors," I believe I mentioned here that the Other Hospital is laying off doctors and staff because they, too, are bleeding $$s.

In view of the upcoming weather, I'm going to call the vet and see if I can get another scant jar of prednisone for Trooper. I've taken to mixing it in the gravy food, because he hates the syringe and he's too strong for me to hold when he's determined. The old system was that Steve would hold the cat and I would administer the drug, but that's no longer playable.

So, aside from one's duty the cats, and going out for meds and more of the cat gravy, my plan is to do ASL homework and write.

That's it. Yes, it's a boring plan, but it's MY plan.

Today's title brought to you by The Kingston Trio, "The Merry Minuet"

What went before: Oh, let's see. Wrote +/- 800 new words, sketched in another scene, did Yet. Another. Timeline off the end of Salvage Right, and I have to ask, Who thought writing a sequel to Salvage Right was a good idea, because We? Gotta Talk.

Finished the laundry, put the sox away, brushed four out of a possible four coon cats, watched a couple How To Play Nice With Your Microphone tutorials, because I have never in all these years made peace with microphones. I have not done my ASL work, and ... yeah, I'm not doing it now.

Coon Cat Happy Hour has happened. I'll need to refill the bowls with dry food before I go to bed or there will be complaints to the Committeecat.

Tomorrow is Monday, and the weatherbeans are calling for 2-6 inches of snow to fall between 10am and 10pm. In Theory a guy is coming by to look at washing the windows and cleaning the rain gutters, but I'm not holding my breath.

Pretty much, I'm done for the day. Gonna make a sandwich, have a glass of wine and find something to read.

Everybody stay safe; I'll see you tomorrow.

#

Monday. Cloudy and on the road to snow.

Breakfast was the two steamed chicken buns from the freezer. They made a pretty good breakfast, and the orange was a good chaser for the spice. Second cup of tea is brewing. I'm defrosting a beanloaf to have someway or nother for lunch.

Informed Delivery informs me that a package that the vendor rescheduled delivery for twice is suddenly! and literally Without Warning! out for delivery today. This may be what brought the snow to us.

The morning started with tears. Seattle in 2025 Programming wrote to me yesterday reminding me that I hadn't filled out my panelist information, and -- I took a deep breath and let them know that I would not be attending. SunnyJim wrote back very graciously, and -- I wanted to go, dammit. I even have enough Amtrak credit to fund half the trip, but reality suggests that the trip alone would unglue me for days, and it's not much of a con if you're huddling in your room (which is another Test I'm not ready to take; hotel reservations for Worldcons have become the stuff of nightmares). Steve would have made all this look easy, but that was Steve's promise before we even moved in together -- "I'll make it easy for you." Which, granting various definitions of "easy", he did. (Cue Paul Novak).

I note, a year out, that this New Order still has some massive bugs.

So, that.

Today, aside from the possible arrival of the guy who needs to look at the windows and the gutters, is projected to be a quiet day of homework, writing, and watching the snow. I think I have enough milk left to make a mug of hot chocolate to sip while looking out the window.

What are your plans for the day?

*Today's blog title brought to you by the Folk Wisdom that snow is the poor man's fertilizer.  Why? you ask.  Because snow brings nitrogen down to earth and revitalizes the soil.

Here's a picture of Trooper to light your way today.

What went before (late morning edition): Have foraged. Came home, put away the perishables, made myself a cup of cocoa, and retired to the Command Chair to finish reading The Tomb of Dragons. I may need to go back to Witness for the Dead and reread all three in one go, but not right now. Right now, I believe I'll move on to The Orb of Cairado.

I'm presently waiting for prospective lawn guy to show up to view the Long Back Yard and give me a price and a plan.

After that I'll have lunch and see what I feel like doing.

I note that Informed Delivery tells me I have a personal letter from the SSA unit here in the city. Which isn't terrifying at all.

Fans of the The Rookie will be pleased to know that he continues to come when he's called, which is fine by me and convenient for him as well. I inadvertently shut him in the hall closet. A little later, as I was giving out treats, I noticed that there was no Rook present, which is highly unusual. I called out, as one does, "Rook? Where is that Rookie?" heard a loud AaaRW! from the foyer and went to let him out.

What went before (evening edition): So, I got involved in trying to update korval.com, which is one of those tasks that will never end, but I got some stuff brought into this year, and some other stuff brought into the current decade.

I also made a rough start on my acceptance speech, and added a little bit to a scene, so the WIP can't complain that it's been ignored.

Prospective lawn guy came, toured the Long Back Yard, and promises to send me a couple of plans with prices.

Tomorrow, I'm meeting a friend for lunch, and I should probably bake a loaf of bread either before or after. I still need to tinker with the directories on korval.com, but that may be all I'm up for.

The letter from the local SSA office that I was worried about was only the annual reminder that I have filed an Advanced Designation of Representation with them, so that was a relief.

Coon cat happy hour happened early so I could finish updating the webpage I was working on, and now it's time for me to review my homework again (see what happens?), and then segue into the evening.

. . . onward . . .

Wednesday. Sunny and warm.

Breakfast was rice crackers and cream cheese and one of Those Little Oranges. Lunching at Portland Pie Company with a friend. Need to make a pot of rice so I'll have it on-hand.

Tali and Rook are Working Something Out. The entails a lot of Tali smacking Rook in the head, lashing tails, and face-making. Occasionally, Rook will throw himself at Tali, using his extra weight to knock her over, but that's not a Winning Strategy. Tali just wraps herself around him, latches into his sides with her front claws and kicks the heck out of him with her hind feet.

. . . I think she's done this before.

Anyhow, this will either teach Rook Science, or not to mess with Tali. Or possibly both. I haven't heard any bad words, so I am assuming that this has to do with the Feline Organizational Chart, and the eventual deployment of contractual tasks regarding the care and keeping of the thumbs, whose well-being is necessary to the comfort of cats.

Trooper is lazing in the sun. Firefly was on the back of the sofa, and available to receive pets and soft words of admiration, which were of course forthcoming.

I figured out that one of the reasons I like the Garmin watch is because it's not ... cute. Frequent readers will recall that I have a Limited Capacity for cute, most of which is used up by the birb and his adventures. The Garmin is friendly; it explains itself, but it's not ... huggy. Our relationship is well within my comfort zone.

Last night I read the teaser for Ministry of Time, which was -- all right? I mean, if I had had the whole book, I would have kept on reading, but I don't know that I'm motivated to go out and buy the rest of the story.

And that's all I've got here in my very small and insular corner of the world.

What's going on in your corner of the world?

What went before: Well. My watch is updating. I am not accustomed to the watch being my main point of information, so that will be a change. Also, some things that are I guess supposed to be intuitive -- aren't. Like, yanno, putting on the band. I did finally figure it out, but Jeez Louise as somebody once said.

I did get my reading of the WIP done, despite It All. It's not Terrible, there are some things that are in the wrong place, but since I'm trying to match at least three separate timelines so that everybody can arrive at their meeting at the right times, that's probably, oh, normal instead of evidence of a Descent into Dementia.

Yanno? When I was twenty, I never worried about a Descent into Dementia. Just sayin'.

I should probably go find some cheese to put on a piece of bread, brew a cup of chamomile tea, and take it and my book with me to bed, hoping for a better day tomorrow, which is!

Tali's third birthday.

Sunday. Cloudy. Well. I suppose I can concede to the Weatherbeans in this. Foggy. I am led to believe that it will be foggy all day, which I suppose is possible, at the rate that the snow is sublimating. The Long Back Yard is more grass than snow. I was just watching a crow sorting through dead leaves and old grass and fly off with a beakful into the Really Tall Pine Tree, so I'll guess I'll have new neighbors.

Breakfast was biscuit with sausage and a slice of cheddar with black grapes. Second cup of tea to hand. Lunch will be -- yeah, whatever. Maybe a scone.

As planned, I just put myself and my book into bed at 9, and read while I drank my tea. Firefly and Rook joined me in the bed. Tali took the overlook position at the top of the bookcase. The new watch says I had a "highly restorative" sleep of 7 hours and 40 minutes, with lots of Deep and REM, which have been in short supply lately, and probably why I've been feeling so tired.

I must say that I'm enjoying Mr. Harney's Egyptian Chamomile tea. I'm alternating with the Republic of Tea Chamomile Lemon that a friend sent me, which I'm also enjoying. I'm trying to simplify my life, but I really do think that I'll order in replacements of both.

I am not dizzy this morning, and I'm counting that a win. I am feeling rather meh (Note to Weatherbeans: Some sunshine would help over here), so, as advised by my new notepad, I made a list, and I do feel (a little) better. On the list is a blankie run, changing out the cat fountains, buying cpap supplies, homework, and writing.

Writing may only be working with the correx/additions I identified yesterday, but that still counts. And! one of the benefits of reading your WIP over (and over and over and...) is that engaging with the story produces more story (i.e. You know what's missing here? Or, happier: You know what comes next?) I don't know how writers who just start and flame through to the end of the first draft without ever stopping to read what they've already written do it, honestly.

As mentioned previously, today is Tali's third birthday. She has been celebrating energetically, chasing spring, ball and her kid brother all over the house, so much in motion that I am not at this time able to offer a picture of the Birthday Cat. She did come by and check in with Trooper. He muttered at her, she cleaned his ears, then bolted off to discipline Rook.

The new watch is ... interesting. It has a lot more functionality than the FitBit, and is much bigger -- despite which, it's lighter and more comfortable on my wrist. The FitBit and I had never had a warm relationship, even before Google decided to try to force me to buy a Google watch by driving the FitBit insane. By comparison, the Garmin (bear with me, people; we all have to work with the brain we have) is calm and friendly. I'm not used to having so much information on the watch but even so it's easy to navigate, and I can of course add and subtract the information I want to see. I think I did the right thing.

I'm about halfway through Tomb of the Dragons, and having a good time with it. I had to stop and explain to Firefly that these were not Liaden dragons, because they lived in another book. It's a hard concept, but I think she got it. At least, she blinked her eyes and went back to sleep.

And that's it from the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory.

So! Who has sunshine where they are?

What went before: 960 new words, plus some throwing around of ideas, and bringing up to date of the Weird Word List.

I washed the towels. Now I need to fold them and put them away. Oh, and take the extra bread out of the freezer, which I never did, though I said I was going to.

Thursday. Grey and gloomy. Warm, but not as warm as yesterday.

Breakfast was PB&J on toast, first cup of tea is almost done. Lunch will be -- um.

Errands this morning, homework review, and ASL class this evening. Those are what's on the schedule. Oh -- and I should call the cardiologist's office. The phone's need for constant reassurance is going to drive me bugs long before we hit Day 30.

Last night, I just went straight to bed after the evening meal. I took a Yeti cup of chamomile tea with me, and my tablet. I was immediately joined by Firefly and Rook, who stayed with me until I turned out the light about an hour later, so that was pleasant.

It occurs to me that last year, I was able to accomplish miracles on four hours' sleep because I was driven by the energy that's released when the world blows up. That energy has long since dissipated. Now, I'm tired all the time, and frequently confused in my purpose. And there's twice as much to do -- or at least, the same amount to do, but with half the staff. The cats are of course a comfort, but their advice in almost every stressful situation is to take a nap. They're not necessarily wrong, but, then, they don't have to pay bills, or even buy cat food.

Tali is now on my lap, purring, and bumping the keyboard away with her head. I have just repeated the "This is a keyboard; it's how we make cat food" lecture for the umpth time. I'm pretty sure she doesn't believe me.

And off she goes! I've put the kettle on to boil for my second cup of tea.

What's for lunch at your place?