Snow Accidents

It snowed yesterday morning -- not a lot, maybe half an inch, and by the time I was out and about the roads were pretty much only wet (some were even dry by the time I started home from dropping the kidlet off at school). So I was completely gobsmacked by the number of accidents. Seriously, the roads were NOT bad. I saw two accidents on the highway about a mile apart.

The highway roads were dry. DRY.

One was so bad, the woman had bent the guardrail back, peeled it like a can opener, about twenty feet and her car was mangled. She was fine, standing next to it talking to the cop, but how on EARTH had that happened? It wasn't even like there was much traffic.

The roads are much the same this morning. About half an inch of snow on them, and still a few flurries. Minimal, and I'm sure once I get out to drive, they'll be fine as this "storm" should have passed. But now I'm worried -- how are other people driving to end up in accidents?

The weather here has been abnormally warm all season. DH has been snowmobiling ONCE. It feels like late March weather and not January. I'm sad for him, but it's sure made winter much more bearable for me.

I'm starting to read about other folks starting their gardens, and I'm terribly envious, so the idea that I might be able to start a bit early just tickles me pink.

================

You Should Play Classical Guitar

You have an idea of how the world should be. You have a very clear vision for your life. People respect you for holding on to your ideals. You don't stray from what you believe in. You're the type of person who still believes in changing the world. You passionately believe that things should be better. You have strong emotions. You listen to your heart... it has rarely led you astray.

What Classical Instrument Should You Play?

Mostly right ....

Appliances, Couponing and YAY For Monday!

Finally Monday... I had one of those weekends that DRAGGED. DH was bored, Bored, BORED -- not enough snow except WAY north (like a four hour drive) to go snowmobiling, and nothing to do here. It's like having a bored toddler, but with driving privileges and the right to actually make household decisions.

DD drifted a bit aimlessly, too, though we did spend the greater part of Saturday looking at appliances. DH wants to have an idea of what we want BEFORE things die, so we don't go rushing around stupidly in a hurry if we need something.

DH is very methodical, very specific and doesn't mind taking hours and hours to do this kind of thing. I think we spent three hours at Sears, and that wasn't our only stop. First, we decided what features we absolutely wanted, and which didn't matter (for instance, I'm not big on all the "bells and whistles" -- I'm more interested in the practical things like space and utility... I don't care that the ice maker in the door will give you ice four different ways).

Our current dishwasher is already pretty much history (I wash dishes by hand), the fridge, as you know, appears to be on its last leg. The only appliance we have in decent shape is the stove.

Anyway, after much looking (and shaking, and wiggling and poking) we narrowed down our choices. DH is now looking them up online to check for reviews and potential problems.

On Sunday I went couponing at Walgreens. Yes, I'm still doing this, I just don't talk about it as much.

I wanted to hit Walgreens immediately, because they had two items that were Complete free after register return: St. John's baby aspirin (I get this for a friend whose DH had a heart attack and has to take one a day) and "Blink" eye drop (I use eye drops a LOT). The free stuff tends to sell out, and I wanted to make sure I got it. They had some other great stuff too, and I had one of my best trips ever. Check it out.... I got:

1 Blink eye drops
1 St. John's Baby Aspirin
12 bars of Irish Spring Soap
2 large bottles of Soft Soap body wash (in Mango and Berry ... mmmm)
2 Soft 'n' Dri deodorants
6 cans of mandarin oranges
4 containers of Pringles
2 bottles of Head and Shoulders shampoo
1 Proglide razor

After my coupons and the register returns I got back ($22 in RRs!) I only spent $12 -- the original cost of the order was $66.

Yes, I do feel smug.

Today, I'm going through the CVS and Rite Aid flyers -- but I don't think they have as good of deals. Honestly, I tend to find the best deals at Walgreens.

And so are the days of my life.

How was your weekend?

================

You Are Driven

Your friends would all agree that you are very accomplished and successful. You get whatever you go after. You have a lot of energy and a lot of discipline too. You always know where to direct your focus. You can adjust easily to different situations. You are good at wearing different hats. You are always charging straight ahead. You have no time to listen to your own self doubt.

The Pasta Test

Hmmm.... mostly right.

================

Friday Funny

That's all for your well-wishes for the fridge. I cleaned it and tinkered with the thermostat a bit and it seems to have helped... for now. It's old, so I know it's only a matter of time

For now, though, I leave you with some funnies:


Sounds like a typical, brilliant decision by your local politician.


Civil War planes? Let me know how that works out.


Must have been a GREAT paint job.


"We had no idea anyone was buried there."


I didn't know we could choose.


Thanks for the depth of insight.


What are the odds of that?


I would have guessed after age 19.

Hope this started your weekend off with a laugh! Have a great one.
=======================

This and That Thurday

Got "The Happiness Project" at the library yesterday. I need it.

My fridge has been running non-stop since last night. You know how, when you open the freezer and the cooler is running, it will stop when you open? Mine doesn't. For HOURS it has just run, and run, and run. Fridge and Freezer part. I finally pulled it out and unplugged it because the noise was making me crazy.

Do refrigerators reboot? I really, really don't want to buy a new fridge right now. This couldn't have come at a worse time.

Dru Ann asked yesterday if I had a publisher for "Now and Forever" -- Dru, I'm going to self-publish it (I said that in one of my previous posts somewhere). I decided I didn't want to place the sequel to something with a different publisher.

Maria Zannini wisely gave me suggestions regarding the cover art, which I'm taking. There's a particular cover design that I love. "One Love for Liv" *sort of* has it (though I really don't like that cover). So, I think I'll go with that. It's distinctive and pretty. Now, I just need to decide what I want to PUT on the cover.

Dakota and Mom's kitty, Camille, got to meet yesterday. They did really well, all things considered. Dakota was very calm and submissive ... right up until the cat swatted at her. At that point, she decided the cat was playing and started to do play bows and head flips.

Camille was not amused. But she didn't run and hide. She held her ground. She's not in the least bit afraid of the dog. She knows who the house belongs to, and it's not Dakota.



Dakota's tail is a blur in the photo because she's wagging it like crazy.

It's a good thing they seem to tolerate each other, because it means I can still bring the dog for visits now and then.

There's a chance of ice on Friday and a chance of power outages. So, if I'm not here, that's why.

That's it for me. I should probably go plug the fridge back in now. *sigh*

=======================

You Are a Rat Catcher

Not the most glamorous job in the world, but the Middle Ages weren't exactly glamourous! You have the skills, intelligence, and craftiness to be a successful rat catcher. You are willing to take risks and go to some pretty sketchy places in the name of your career. In modern times, you would make a good detective, pilot, or firefighter.

What's Your Medieval Profession?

Awwww... poor rats. I think they're wrong in the overview, too.

===============

How Can It Be Wednesday?

Hey all! ::waves madly::

It's been a crazy few days, and I apologize for my absence. I took the day off working (mostly) on Sunday to watch football and I paid for it on Monday. Not only was I up until REALLY late (Overtime! And, I'm still sad about those Niners... *sigh*) and insanely tired Monday, but our woodstove had gone out and I had to start it from scratch Monday morning (and Tuesday). This stove burns like a champ when it's going, but getting it started is a major undertaking. I only just managed to get it done before I had to wake the kidlet up for school.

Then, I had to pay penance for taking Sunday off -- my inboxes were crazy full of work. We truly do live in a 24/7 society. Judy and I will occasionally get emails from folks like, "I sent you an email three hours ago -- why haven't you responded?". I'm sorry, but occasionally I do things like sleep. Crazy.

Yesterday, the stove was out again, and was even harder to start because it was warm (for us -- about 35 degrees!) outside -- it's harder to generate a draft when it's warm out. I barely got it done before I had to leave to take the kidlet to school.

Today, the stove was still burning (YAY!) and I decided to take the time to say hello.

Hello. :-D

Haven't done much, writing-wise, though I have been brainstorming a cover for "Now and Forever" with Judy, who will design it for me. I can't decide if I want it to look a little like "Kitchen Matches" since it IS the sequel (despite not being with the same publisher) or if I want to take an entirely different direction...

Otherwise, it's pretty much work, work, work. We had hoped that switching over the LASR website would give us a little more time, but that hasn't happened yet. Someday I might get at least some of my life back...

After some discussion with my mom, after losing her dog, we went to the shelter on Friday and selected an older kitty for her. Having a dog is a LOT of work, much like having a toddler around FOREVER, and she wasn't up for that again. But once you've had pets around, it's difficult to NOT have them. I think we have a pet shaped spot in our hearts that needs to be filled.

She wanted an older, female cat that wouldn't need excessive amounts of grooming and that was sweet, and loved to sit in your lap. She certainly got that! Her new kitty, now named Camille, won't leave her alone!

She choose Camille because she was older (ten years old) and black (shelters have a terrible time finding homes for black cats -- black dogs, too, but that's another story). Meet Camille:



She's the sweetest thing, loving, calm, funny. She's quite well-behaved and Mom really enjoys having her around.

And now I need to get back to work. I tried to visit some of you yesterday and will attempt to catch up today. I really, really need a 48 hour day.

===================

You Are A Nightgown

You are a bit old fashioned and elegant. You aren't very casual. You are well mannered and modest. You don't make a fool of yourself. You tend to be a bit reserved, and it's hard for strangers to get to know you. You are likely to not let anyone outside your bedroom see you in your pajamas.

What Kind of Pajamas Are You?

Yep, that's me, only I hate nightgowns...

================

I'm Alive...

But have nothing to say today. Sorry. I was just going to skip posting, but then I get emails: "Are you okay?" so I figured I'd put something. :-)

I leave you with this video that impacted me yesterday (the song lyrics, actually). Give it a listen.

For Bonny

(Private note: Mom, this is going to make you cry ... so stop now if you don't want to.)

Yesterday, my mom had to make the difficult decision to put her 13 y.o. Yorkshire Terrier to sleep. She's been terribly sick and in heart failure over the last few months, but this last week she declined quickly and it was clear it was time.

That never makes it easier.



Mom brought Wee Bonny Blue ("Bonny") home when she was just eight weeks old, though she knew the breeders and was able to go visit her puppy soon after she was born. Even at eight weeks, Bonny pushed my 85 pound Bailey around. She was silly, bossy, sassy, smart and a loving companion.

Except for the four years my mom was away, I spent nearly as much time with Bonny. And I miss her. But she's over the rainbow bridge now, young and healthy and playing with her best friend, Bailey.



When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.



All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.



You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.



Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Coyote

Because I don't have enough to worry about, there have been reports of coyote attacks on dogs lately.

One sheltie was taken out of the front yard.

Granite State Dog Recovery reports another dog taken by coyote in Methuen, MA -- not THAT far from here (an hour's drive or so).

The news this morning reports that a nine-year-old girl was attacked by a coyote in her yard.

A few months ago, we had a coyote in our yard, in front and off the side on the edge of the woods. He was about five feet from the road and maybe 50 - 75 feet or so away from me (I was inside looking out the storm door).

He saw me and stopped moving. Just stared. I hadn't realized just how big they are -- he was easily as big as Dakota, if not bigger -- and completely unintimidated.

We hear the howling out back now and then. Not often; we hear foxes more. But as if it's not enough to worry about with the bear and the fisher cat ...

Apparently this is mating season for the coyote, which means they'll be a little more aggressive (especially the males) than usual. We also have snow on the ground, which means food (in the form of chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, etc) is more scarce. The chippies and squirrels tend to hunker down and not come out once there's snow.

I can't imagine how it would feel to see your dog carried off by a coyote. Those poor people must be devastated.

I swear I feel like I'm in Little House in the Big Woods now and then.

====================

You Are a Hard Worker

You are thoughtful and responsible. It's rare that you find yourself in a bind. You are naturally low energy. You have to nurture yourself in order to cultivate endurance. When you get tired, you feel calm. You need to wear yourself out in order to be able to relax. You are happiest when you reflect on what you have to be thankful for in your life. Happiness is a choice.

The Mountain Test

Mostly right.

Snow, Snow Go Away

It's snowing again. Not tons, just enough to make it yucky outside. DD is stressed and terrified I'm going to die in a car accident. They haven't delayed school yet, so it looks like we'll be going in. I was really hoping to avoid driving in bad weather since we've been having such a mild winter.

Why couldn't it have snowed over the weekend instead? My poor kidlet got the worrying gene from me, and will spend all day wondering if I died. Last time the weather was bad and I picked her up, she jumped into the car, hugged me and said, "I'm SO glad you didn't die!"

At least it's warmer. Saturday, Sunday and Monday were brutal with overnight temps in the negative numbers.

Funny how our perspective changes. "Yay! It's 20 degrees outside! It's TOASTY."

Have spent some time considering what to do with the "Kitchen Matches" sequel -- and I think I'm going to self-publish it. I just don't feel comfortable having a sequel go to another publishing company. There's a pretty serious learning curve for self-pubbing, but hopefully I'm up to the task.

Anyway -- time to check the website to see if school is delayed...

Have a great day all!

===================

You Are a Yellow M&M

You are a mystery to those around you. You're happy-go-lucky but also quietly enigmatic. You live in a very individualistic way. You're doing what you love, and that varies from day to day. You are very self-aware and introspective. You know who you are, and you're good with that. You have an ironic view of life. You can be both serious and funny at the same time.

What Color M&M Are You?

Yep .... that's about right.

=================

The Dog Dish (and a giveaway) with Leslie Soule and Indy

Today we're excited -- we have an entirely NEW type of pet here at the dog dish. It's Indy, gopher snake of Leslie D. Soule. She's on tour with Goddess Fish Promotions promoting her fantasy novel, Fallenwood and I invited her here today, because I love snakes! Dakota is intrigued by them, too (she frequently flushes garter snakes in the gardens), so welcomed Indy to the dog dish.

Before we start the interview, though, I should tell you that Leslie will be giving away a $25 Barnes and Noble GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour as well as to the host with the most comments (excluding Leslie's and their own). So leave a comment, and tell your friends to swing by, check out Indy (and the book) and then follow the rest of Leslie's tour (sadly, I believe this is Indy's only stop) by clicking on her tour banner, below. The more times you visit and comment, the more chances to win the GC!



Now ... we give the floor over to Dakota and Indy!

So, your human writes books. Does this mean she is home all day and easy to access? Elaborate if necessary.

Absolutely not – actually, it seems like she’s never around. She does keep me well-fed though, so I suppose I can’t complain.

What are your techniques for distracting your human during crucial writing moments, just because it's fun?

I generally stare at her from inside my tank because I know she’ll look over and think it’s cute and forget what she was going to write. That’s my main technique.

What indignities and neglect have you suffered because of your human's writing career?

Well, I’ve suffered a lot of neglect, really, but being a snake, I wish my human would leave me alone more often, really. All I want is peace and quiet and to go in my cave and curl up and make the world disappear – but my human insists on holding me and showing me her outlandishly decorated room. She teases me. There are so many places to hide, but she won’t let me explore any of them. She takes me out of my cage and just when I begin to get interested in the outside world, back into my tank I go!

Tell me about the animals in your human's fiction. How often do they appear and how big a part do they play?

They seem to play a big part. My human loves animals, like me – I just wish she loved them less, really. Bugging me at all hours of the night, just so she can feel like she’s helping me out or something by acting like a giant heat rock. It’s an addiction, really, with that one. Oh, I’m sorry, what was the question?

On the off-chance your human has yet to incorporate animals into a story, what are your plans for making sure she rectifies this egregious error and demonstration of poor writing skills?

Should she not include animals – which I don’t see happening because of her unhealthy addiction, I intend to bite her. That’ll get her attention.

What movies involving animals does your human enjoy sharing with you? Books with animals?

My human doesn’t share movies or books with me, and if she knows what’s good for her, she’ll keep up the good behavior!

If you could make one change to your human, what would it be?

I would make her susceptible to mind control. That’s all I want. I’m not asking for much.

Are you happy with your human? If you could tell your human one thing, what would it be?

She’s okay, as far as humans go. If I could tell her one thing, it would be: Leave me alone! For the love of all that is good and holy! Don’t you know that I am an animal and not a mood ring? If you warm me up, I will NOT do tricks!

What things does your human do that would mortify her it if known? What does your human do that most annoys?

My human looks at herself entirely too much in the mirror, and she thinks she’s good-looking too, because she does this eyebrow lift thing when she looks at herself. *shakes head* She’s crazy. And…as for most annoying…she put cage clips on my tank, so there’s no way on earth that I can possibly escape and ever see the outside world unless she lets me out for a while.

Has your human named a character for you? Are you pleased? If not, why?

No, it was rather the other way around, really.

And did your human name you for a fictional character? Hate it or love it? If you could rename yourself, what would your name be?

My name was Hank when my human adopted me, and she changed it to the name of that horribly muscular archaeologist Indiana Jones, only she shortened it to Indy, because Indiana Jones doesn’t like snakes and my human has a very sick sense of humor. I am most definitely NOT pleased!

If I could rename myself, it would be something regal-sounding, but something that conveyed my thoughts as well. I would name myself Leavemealoneicus the Third,…Esquire.

Thanks for stopping by today, Indy! I know you don't like dog treats or bones ... can I offer you a cricket?

And now, how about sharing a little about "Fallenwood"? My human LOVES a good fantasy story (she cut her teeth on The Prydain Chronicles and the Dragonriders of Pern, as well as the Narnia books and more).

Fallenwood—a land where magic is the life force, dragons are sages, and wizards good and evil battle for supremacy. When 23-year-old Ash is thrust into the middle of Fallenwood’s power struggles, she is also forced to face her own inner battles. Life on Earth was hard enough on Ash, who is locked in grief for her stepfather. Now, the fate of Fallenwood rests on her shoulders. She must destroy the Great Crystal—the catalyst for all the land’s magic. As the kingdoms prepare for war, Ash must look inside to find the power to save the world, and herself.

Hey! Leslie hails from my hometown ... what else would you like to know about her?

About Leslie: Leslie Soule lives in Sacramento, California. Fallenwood is her first fantasy novel. She has received her B.A. in English from Sacramento State University and is currently working on her Master’s degree in English at National University.

Website: www.lesliesoule.com
"Fallenwood"
A 194 page fantasy novel available now from Decadent Publishing
buy links: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=26&products_id=226

A Testimonial: Droll Yankees

A couple years ago, I bought a rather expensive squirrel resistant bird feeder from a company called Droll Yankees. It's called a Yankee Dipper.

I'd already purchased several of their smaller feeders and loved them. They're well made, sturdy, and they come apart easily for cleaning (honestly, that was my favorite thing). The also came with a lifetime warranty which, having gone through dozens of feeders because the dang red squirrels chewed their way in, was attractive, despite the overall higher cost of their products.

Fast forward to this year. I put out my feeders after a year away (stupid bear) and noticed that three of the perches on the Yankee Dipper had been broken by the dang sqirrels -- the perches are spring loaded so they just wilt when something too heavy is on them. Apparently, after a certain amount of uses, they break. I found two of the perches below the feeder.

Saturday last, I emailed Droll Yankees' customer service with my problem and asked them to replace the perches on their Lifetime Warranty. Monday I had an email from them asking for my mailing address. Yesterday I had a new bird feeder base in my mail.

In less than a week, I had complete satisfaction. Now THAT is some serious customer service, folks, and it makes me thrilled I purchased my feeders from them. In fact, I was happy enough that I've been perusing the site for more feeders (I'm thinking I need an oriole feeder and a hummingbird feeder).

So -- if you love to feed the birds and are looking for an amazingly good product that's truly backed by a company who clearly believes in the product they make, I highly recommend Droll Yankees.

=================

You Are a Chicken

You are a naturally curious and inquisitive being. You are often poking your nose where it doesn't belong! Collecting nuggets of knowledge is important to you. You enjoy knowing everything you can. You are very independent and strong willed. You don't like to be bossed around, and you do as you please. You are quite determined and able to take on challenges. You will "peck away" at a problem until it's gone.

What Animal Are You?

ROFL... the description is actually quite accurate.

The Waiting Game

It's snowing here. Not a blizzard, but the roads are covered with the white stuff and it's still coming down.

Several hundred school closings and delays have been reported. DD's school is not amongst them. It may be eventually ... or it may not. What to do?

I woke up the kidlet at the usual time and tossed her into the shower just in case we have to go in. I keep refreshing the local news website to see if her school has been added. They said they'd wait until "the last minute" to decide, but for those of us who live where it takes 25 minutes on a GOOD day to get there, so will take an hour in the bad weather -- we can't wait until "the last minute".

I swear, I miss homeschooling all the time. I think going to school has been great for the kidlet, but for me, it's been a trial.

I really, REALLY don't want to drive halfway across town in this mess.

DH will probably stay home today as well.

Snow sucks. I want to live south of the Mason Dixon line please.

====================

You Should Live in a Blue House

You are an intense thinker, but you also have a calm about you. You spend a lot of time ruminating, trying to figure out this world you live in. Friends think you're wise, and they come to you first for advice. You are a realist, and you tell it like it is - even if how it is isn't pretty.

What Color House Should You Live In?

Mostly right.

====================

Wiki, Wiki, Woo, Woo

And Happy Birthday to me. Today I'm 45 y.o. -- yeppers ... I'm edging closer to fifty than forty. How'd that happen?

There's an old blog challenge somewhere that has you go to Wikipedia and look up your birthday (without the year). List three fun facts, two birthdays, and one death on your blog.

Here's mine:

Fun Facts:

1963 - The Whisky A Go-Go night club in Los Angeles, the first disco in the USA, is opened. (And life as we know it will never be the same)

1964 – Surgeon General of the United States Dr. Luther Terry, M.D., publishes a landmark report saying that smoking may be hazardous to health, sparking nation- and worldwide anti-smoking efforts.

1919 - Romania annexes Transylvania. (Guess they wanted in on the "Dracula" Tourism money?)

Births:

1961 - Jasper Fforde, British author (Now I want to have as many published books as he does - it's only fair!)

1963 - Dean Reynolds, English snooker player (Just cuz "snooker" sounded interesting)

Deaths:

1055 - Constantine IX Monomachos, Byzantine Emperor (Nobody really fun died on my birthday... I suppose that's a good thing)

And some birthday quizzes:

Your Birthday Predicts You're Sensitive

Ever since you were born, you've always been able to cooperate. You enjoy supporting and being inspired by others. You appreciate the dynamic of a group. Getting along with others is essential to you. You are both fair and well mannered. You are very intuitive and easily effected by other people. Sometimes you are too delicate.

What Does Your Birthday Predict About You?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... no.

Your Birthday is Tan

You are the blunt type. You give it to people straight, whether they want to hear it or not. You are a bit self centered at times. You put your own interests first, but you'd argue that everyone does that. While you love to be flattered, you're pretty good at flattering other people back. You can make anyone smile or laugh. You have a talent for saying the right thing at the right time.

What Color Is Your Birthday?

That's about half right ... wonder if I can get one that's ALL right?

Your Birthday's Wisdom is Individuality

Life has required you to go your own way and do your own thing. You've been taught to rely on yourself. You don't feel comfortable relying on others. You are highly motivated and aggressive. You have no problem getting things done and getting what you want. You feel like you have to look out for yourself, because no one else is.

What's Your Birthday's Wisdom?

HA... that's pretty much right on.

In any case, for my birthday Mother Nature is bringing in a disgusting, nasty wintry mix: snow, sleet, freezing rain .... up to 6" of yuck is expected. Yay.

I think that calls for cake.

==================

An Owie

The marathon push I did to build the new LASR website over Christmas hurt my shoulder... and it doesn't want to get better. I'm having a hard time working on the computer, so I'm just going to say "Good morning" and then do the work I HAVE to do.

So frustrating. I was determined to catch up on everyone's blogs. Write. And now I'm falling behind even more because if I spend too long on the computer it feels like someone is stabbing a red hot branding iron into the muscle between my spine and right shoulder blade.

Wish I could swing a few massage visits...

Someday, I'll be caught up and healthy folks. And then I can visit you daily again. I MISS you.

===========================

Your Vocabulary Score: A

Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary! You must be quite an erudite person.

How's Your Vocabulary?

Thankyouverymuch.

====================

A Vignette

Friday afternoon.

DH: "I'm STARVING."

Me: "Fix something to eat."

DH: opens pantry, stares, closed pantry...opens fridge, stares, closes fridge...goes to basement, opens freezer, stares, closes freezer...glances at bookshelves, wanders back upstairs "There's nothing to eat in this house."

Me: wonders how DH can look at this:



or this:



and say we have nothing to eat.

How was your weekend?

==================

You Are an Ice Storm

You are much more serious than you look. On the surface, you're quite calm and even a bit enchanting. However, under the wrong circumstances, you can be a real pain. You're not as good natured as you seem. You come on slowly and deliberately. You take your time when planning your attack. You are meticulous and a perfectionist. As they say, the devil is in the details... and you're all about the details!

What Kind of Storm Are You?

Ha! Mostly right ... and my least favorite weather.

==================

Thursday Thaw

The last two days up here have been BRUTALLY cold. And not only were the temps low, but there were high winds. It was horrible -- couldn't spend more than a minute or two outside.

The worst part was the poor dog. She was SO full of the wiggles. I finally broke down both days, bundled up and went out to throw her Jolly Ball -- her favorite toy EVER (I swear I need to take a video of her reaction when I pick the ball up so we can play... she leaps in the air and spins and it's pretty incredible) for five minutes or so. But even bundled up, I froze my can.

This morning, though, when I took her out to do her thing, it wasn't windy and it wasn't frigid. YAY!!!

In the "Wow! Cool!" news category ... check out some of these headlines I stumbled across on my daily foray into internet news (I like to find out if anything went nuts in the world while I slept):

Now You See It, Now You Don't: Time Cloak Created

Creatures of the 'Lost World': Found at Antarctic Vents

I'm still on the fence with what to do with "Now and Forever". Fact is, the reason it was rejected by Samhain feels very subjective -- it wasn't "the plot was awful and the ending sucked". In fact, she complimented the plot itself highly.

But do I want to publish a sequel with a different publisher? That is the question...

In the meantime, hopes ever high, I'm still working on the NEXT book with the NEXT brother. *G*

Happy Thursday all.

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You Are Active

You are a generous person who always has a million things going on. Yet, you still rarely say no. You are a doer. Being active makes you feel good, especially when you're spending time with others. You may have a packed schedule, but you always make sure to make time for your friends. You don't seek out attention, but you still get lots of it. You are a very popular person.

The Poppy Test

Mostly right. And Blogthings has redone its site, so new quizes aren't featured -- I may not do quizzes daily anymore. *sigh*

Of Note: Freebies, Contests and more!

Maria Zannini not only released a new eBook about living frugally called Smart Budgets for Busy People, but started a great new Facebook page called "The Frugal Way" about it -- if you're not following, you should. She shares Freebies and deals daily.

Dru Ann has a second blog called Dru's Book Musings where she introduces us to the characters from various cozy mysteries AND nearly every post has a giveaway of the book she's featuring. What a great way to find new stories to add to your TBR list!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that every tour Goddess Fish Promotions runs has a giveaway assocated. Just yesterday there were seven contests for Amazon GCs, a Visa card GC, eBooks and more!

There are regular blog hops where books, GCs and more are part of the prize -- and there are hundreds of participants! One great place to look for regular "hops" is I Am a Reader, Not a Writer. -- there's one starting on January 13th: Dreaming of Books.

And lastly, of course, Long and Short Reviews is giving away a $50 Amazon GC this month. Think of how many new books you could buy!!!

Anyone else know of places to look for freebies and giveaways? Share them in comments.

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You Are Fun Because You Don't Have Hangups

You inspire others with your far out visions and concepts. You get people excited. You love undertaking new and interesting projects. You have lots of ideas. You feel like the world doesn't have limits. You certainly don't set limits for yourself. You live primarily inside your own mind. You happily spend a lot of time thinking.

The Colorful Pattern Test

Blogthings: Waste Time at Work!

Yeah.... that's mostly right!

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Recovery Mode and Happy New Year!

I didn't post yesterday because, and I'll be completely honest here, I simply didn't feel like it.

Way back in the summer, taking the two weeks our LASR site was closed for the holidays to rebuild seemed like a good idea. How hard could it be to rebuild the site in that much time?

Well... as it turns out, it's very hard. It wasn't just a matter of sitting down and doing the site work. There were insane numbers of decisions to make that impacted everything. There were people to be notified, graphics to be chosen and created, and more.

So, what ended up happening was that most of the actual site/blog work didn't happen until a few days before the New Year. What ended up happening was that I spent sixteen hour days in front of the computer. I lived, ate, breathed, and slept the LASR website.

Happy New Year to me.

So yesterday was the first day in a week that I didn't *have* to do anything on the computer. Except blog. And my rebellious soul said: NO.

I think the site turned out well. And more, it will do what we were hoping: still give quality information to readers and writers, still have lots of visitors to create worthwhile ad space while giving Judy and I a little bit of a break. Not a big break; we still have plenty to do. But I no longer have new pages to load on daily basis, we no longer have to have certain content ready at a certain time. Ads start on the first and end the final day of the month -- no more keeping track of beginning and end dates.

I have massive numbers of emails in my boxes at LASR and Goddess Fish Promotions that were virtually ignored for several days that I need to catch up on, but once that is done, I might have a little breathing room.

I can write.
I can clean my poor house.
I can cook and bake and can.
In the summer I'll be able to garden again.
I can walk the dog and not feel guilty for taking time away from my work.
I can spend time with my family.
I can even sit down, now and then, and watch something on TV.

The plan is that Judy and I might actually have a little bit of our lives back.

Guess we'll find out as things shake out over the next few weeks.

My plan? To have a wonderful, less stressful, more productive 2012.

Happy New Year. :-)

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You Are Gnocchi

You are definitely not the quiet type, and you really don't keep a lot to yourself. You are responsible and trustworthy. You're always happy to be the accountable one. You are practical and matter-of-fact. You prefer to take the pragmatic approach. You are lovable, endearing, and affectionate. People gravitate toward your positive spirit.

What Shape Pasta Are You?

Blogthings: A Fine Line Between Insight and Stupidity

About 75% right.

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